Five questions for Northwestern's defense

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Northwestern's defense is a rock-solid, veteran unit that has carried the team the last couple of seasons.

But there are still some questions to answer in order to take the next step and meet linebacker Blake Gallagher's stated goal of being the best defense in the Big Ten.

Here are our top five questions:

There wasn't much to criticize about Northwestern's defense in 2019. They routinely kept the Wildcats in games while the offense stumbled. But one area where they came up short was takeaways: they did not create the number of turnovers you usually see from a talented defense.

Northwestern nabbed only 14 turnovers all season: seven interceptions and seven fumble recoveries. In 2018 and 2017, when the Wildcats won 19 games, two bowls and a Big Ten West title, they came up with 26 and 25, respectively.

Ballhawking safety JR Pace grabbed one interception, a career low. Paddy Fisher forced only one fumble, after forcing four in each of the two previous years. They only got two interceptions from cornerbacks, one each from Cameron Ruiz and AJ Hampton; that equals what Montre' Hartage produced in 2018 alone.

For the same reason you can expect more big plays from Northwestern's offense, expect more turnovers created by the defense because it's almost impossible to create less. To put it simply, some of these guys are due to make more plays.

Creating takeaways will also help set up what may be a limited offense with short fields, something Northwestern desperately missed last season.

Northwestern was 12th in the Big Ten last year in terms of getting off the field on third down, allowing opponents to convert 40.8% of the time.

Northwestern has been somewhat of a bend-but-don't-break defense in recent years, but defensive coordinator Mike Hanwkitz and his unit would love to reach a level of dominance they haven't since 2015.

Missed tackles plagued Northwestern early last season, which hurt their third down numbers. The defense should be able to force quite a few three-and-outs, but they will need players to step up and tackle in space in order to prevent the "bending" it's become accustomed to.

A lack of pass rush also hurt Northwestern on third down in 2019. The Wildcats were very banged up on the defensive line, with Earnest Brown IV and Samdup Miller missing significant time. The bad news is Miller has opted out of the season and the best pass rusher in Northwestern history, Joe Gaziano, is now in the NFL.

If Northwestern doesn't improve their pass rush and improve their tackling in space, they will continue to struggle.

Piggybacking off the last question, Northwestern sacked the quarterback just 23 times last season; no Big Ten team had fewer And the troubling thing is that NU lost both of its starting defensive ends.

Gaziano has reunited with fellow Northwestern great Justin Jackson with the Los Angeles Chargers. Miller, who was heading into his fourth year as a starting DE, opted out of the season because of COVID concerns. That's 37.5 sacks gone from Northwestern's defensive line.

Brown will be counted on to be the leader of the pass rush. He has been used as a pass rush specialist, so now he will have a chance to put up bigger numbers playing every snap. He’s the guy who has some speed coming off the edge.

Northwestern will also hope that Adetomiwa Adebawore, who showed some impressive flashes as a true freshman last season, will be ready to anchor down the other side. Eku Leota and Devin O'Rourke will also be heavily in the rotation, as D-line coach Marty Long likes to substitute freely.

On third downs, we will see multiple DEs on the line in an attempt to get to the QB. We don't know if the Wildcats have someone who is ready to fill Gaziano's extra-large shoes; and even with Gaziano, the unit didn't register many sacks last season.

It may again be a struggle for Northwestern to pressure the passer in 2020. As a result, Hankwitz may have to dial up more blitzes than he'd like.

Last year, Northwestern dealt with injuries to key players like Miller, Brown, Greg Newsome, Trevor Kent and Trae Williams. This year, along with the normal injury concerns, the Wildcats also have to worry about COVID sidelining players.

COVID has already taken two starters away from the defense when Miller and safety Travis Whillock opted out. Northwestern appears to have good depth on the defensive side of the ball, but most of it is unproven.

Redshirt freshman Brandon Joseph was thrust into a starting role to replace Whillock. Guys like Coco Azema, Rod Heard II, Jaylen Rivers and O'Rourke are very talented, but they are just one play away from having to be major contributors in the Big Ten with limited experience.

Depth is always a concern and it is especially magnified during a pandemic when groups of players can be knocked out for weeks. If Northwestern ends up having to rely on it's depth, the youngsters must be ready to step up.

An X-factor, in our minds, is a relative newcomer who, if he turns out to be a playmaker, could transform what is already a very good unit into a great one. We can think of two that fit the bill.

Junior cornerback Cameron Ruiz has shown the ability to make big plays in his career. In 2018, he blocked a punt against Notre Dame and recovered a crucial fumble at Iowa to clinch the Big Ten West. Last season, he started nine games and registered seven PBUs along with a red-zone interception against Purdue. He is a physical corner and a proven tackler in space.

He has been inconsistent in coverage, but now, after two years under his belt, he is poised for a breakout year. Greg Newsome II, on the other side, is a known commodity and a lockdown corner (if he stays healthy), so teams will likely throw more often to Ruiz's side of the field. If he is up to the challenge, Ruiz could become a difference maker.

Our other candidate is Adebawore. Brown is an established pass rusher, having racked up six sacks and numerous hurries as a third-down specialist in his career. But if Adebawore takes the next step in his development after an eye-opening true freshman season, he could provide a dangerous presence on the other side to counter-balance Brown.

Adebawore has a quick get-off and is an explosive athlete who can generate speed and power. If he improves his consistency and becomes more adept with his hands, Northwestern's pass rush could turn from an area of improvement into a strength.