New commit Lang took matters into his own hands

Marshall Lang knew he wanted to be a Wildcat as soon as he started his recruiting process. All he needed was a scholarship offer.

The unranked 2020 superback had visited Northwestern in March for a spring practice. Then, Lang's recruiter, linebackers coach Tim McGarigle, went down to Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier in early May to watch Lang work out.

No offer was made.

So on Friday, at Northwestern’s one-day camp, Lang took matters into his own hands. He showed coaches enough in combine testing and drills to earn that coveted scholarship offer.

His dream finally achieved, the only thing that Lang could do when head coach Pat Fitzgerald extended the scholarship offer in his office was smile.

"I was in shock," he said. "Words can't describe how I felt."

Still, Lang didn’t want to accept the offer and commit right away. He said he was “95% sure” he wanted to be a Wildcat, but he still wanted to talk things over with his parents, who came with him on the visit and were there when Fitzgerald made the offer.

So when Fitzgerald suggested that the three of them go have lunch and talk it over, the Langs did that just.

They went to popular Evanston sports bar Bat 17. There, while eating a “huge burger,” Lang and his parents talked things over until they 95% became 100%.

Before he started the recruiting process, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Lang always figured that he’s wind up at Miami (Ohio). That was the family tradition. His father went there. His brother went there. His sister went there. He was familiar with the campus and liked the coaches and football program.

But Northwestern, the three of them decided, was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Not only was it the only Power Five offer among the 31 he had received to that point, but it also featured a degree from one of the best schools in the nation.

"We talked about the opportunity cost," said Lang. "Northwestern was the best place, the best fit. They're the best in football, and it's such a prestigious degree."

His mind made up by the end of lunch, Lang decided to go back to the Walter Athletics Center and commit to Fitzgerald. But not before making another stop first.

The Langs went to a bookstore in downtown Evanston and bought as much Northwestern gear as they could find. They bought sweatshirts, they bought water bottles, they bought key chains, they bought lanyards.

So when the three purple-covered Langs arrived at the football offices for the second time that day, the coaches had no doubt about their intentions.

"The coaches knew right away what I was going to do when they saw us. I just told Coach Fitzgerald that I wanted to be a Wildcat," said Lang, who became the 13th member of the Wildcats' 20th-ranked class, and its second superback.

The euphoria Lang felt after committing on Friday has given way to a feeling of relief.

"It feels so much better. There's a lot less stress," Lang said two days after his commitment. "My best decision was Northwestern. I'm so happy it's over. Now I don't have to travel 100 places and see 100 schools."

What did Lang do at the camp to earn that offer? How do the Wildcats plan to use the versatile Lang as a superback?

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