Northwestern 2020 Season Preview: Defensive Line

Fifth in a series of Northwestern position-by-position breakdowns going into the 2020 season.

MORE: Quarterbacks l Running backs l Receivers l Offensive line

Gaz was good. Gaz was great. Now, Gaz is gone. Should be we worried?

Not really.

Northwestern’s defensive line has been arguably the strongest position group on that side of the ball in recent years, and that should stay constant this year as well.

But we can’t praise them too much, as some of their important numbers dropped considerably last year. Sacks, third-down defense and takeaways were categories where the Wildcats ranked in the top third two years ago but dropped into the bottom half in 2019.

Sure, there were a lot of areas where the statistics looked good, but the categories we listed, along with red-zone defense, are where defenses live or die, and this defense suffered in these areas last year.

The aforementioned Joe Gaziano earned second-team All-Big Ten honors at DE and left as the program’s all-time sack leader. Fortunately, the Wildcats have recruited the position well over the years.

Their top three recruits in both the 2017 and 2018 classes are on this defensive front, and with Tommy Adebawore and Jason Gold, Jr. from the 2019 class earning playing time as true freshmen, the cupboard is certainly well-stocked.

Let’s examine the Wildcats’ fearsome front four.

Despite losing starters Gaziano and Alex Miller, and key reserve Trent Goens, the Wildcats have a lot of experience coming back. Five returning players logged considerable time in eight games or more last year, and three others played in at least half of them. In all, that’s eight guys who saw some reputable snaps in the Big Ten trenches.

And let’s not forget the Marty Long factor. The dude can flat out coach the defensive line and, more importantly, gets the most out of his guys. Dean Lowry, Ifeadi Odenigbo, Tyler Lancaster and now Gaziano are all in the NFL right now, and that’s just in the last few years.

This DL led a squad that finished 36th nationally in rush defense (136.9 ypg), only allowing 14 rushing TDs in 12 games. Even better, they were 26th in defensive yards-per-play allowed (4.9) and 14th on standard downs (2.1), which means they did enough to thwart the front and limit yardage, or collapsed the pocket enough to rush opposing QBs in their decisions.

They also proved efficient as they ranked 14th in the country by stopping opponents 59% of the time on downs where less than four yards were needed. They finished 30th in line yards before contact (2.3) and were 31st in stuff rate (22%), where they met the ball carrier at, or behind, the line of scrimmage. They also proved to be stout on fourth-down conversions, ranking 17th overall by limiting opponents to just a 38% success rate.

Simply stated, when the defensive line needed to make a stop, they delivered… most of the time.

Despite Gaziano’s nine QB takedowns, culminating in his crowning career accomplishment, the pass rush without him was relatively weak. They were 74th in sack rate (6%), acquiring just 23 of them, and 14 were by the three guys who’ve now departed. They were considerably better on non-standard passing downs (65th) than they were on standard passing downs (82nd), which is somewhat expected but that tells us that they weren’t much of a threat when they really needed to get to the QB.

Two of the biggest areas where a defense must be strong -- stopping teams on third down, and creating takeaways -- the Wildcats, just, were not. They allowed teams to convert on 41% of their third downs, putting them 81st in the country. While we just spoke of their strength in four-yards-or-less situations, they really struggled in Power Success Rate. When teams needed to get two yards or less, NU ranked 117th nationally as opponents succeeded 81% of the time.

In terms of takeaways, Northwestern forced just 14 turnovers, which placed them 107th in the nation. This can be due to the lack of pressure on “big play” downs of second- or third-and-long, when they should be able to come after the quarterback and force him into potential calamity.

Finally, though they can’t completely control this, the Wildcats need to stay healthier. Injuries cut short the seasons of three players last year, including two starters Samdup Miller and Trevor Kent. While depth is there, the strength of this entire defense is magnified with their top eight on the field.

The strength of the D-line will increase with solid play on the inside. A healthy and stronger Kent, along with weight-room hulk Jake Saunders, will not only limit double-teams on edge guys Earnest Brown, Miller, Eku Leota and Adebawore, but also protect their All-Big Ten LBs, Paddy Fisher and Blake Gallagher, behind them.

If these two tackles can stay healthy, do their job and maybe even get some athletic push from incoming first-years Jordan Butler and Te-Rah Edwards, this defensive front will be back to its strength once again.

The dean of the D-line is senior DE Samdup Miller (6-foot-3, 270 pounds, 35 starts). Though he’s started since he was a first-year, he still doesn’t get as much pub as he deserves for causing blocking issues on the outside, as well as on inside stunts. Defensive Coordinator Mike Hankwitz has even started using Miller a little more at DT on pass-rush situations. In just eight games last season (he missed four due to injury), he registered 29 tackles, with 2.5 TFLs and two QBHs. His best performance came against eighth-ranked Wisconsin. Fans and coaches hope Miller can return from injury and get back to his form as a freshman, when he garnered 5.5 sacks. (He had just one assist last year.)

Replacing Gaziano on the other side will be senior DE Earnest Brown IV (6-foot-5, 270 pounds, 0 starts). A lot has been expected of Brown, and he comes into his senior year without really having lived up to the hype -- yet. He saw his 2019 season cut short after six games, finishing with just 15 tackles, though he did have 2.5 TFLs, two sacks and two PBUs. In his time in Evanston, he’s accumulated 10 TFLs, six sacks, five passes defended and two forced fumbles. If he can match those career numbers in 2020, this unit will be in great shape.

Holding down the interior of the line are redshirt junior Trevor Kent (6-foot-6, 280 pounds, 6 starts) and fifth-year senior Jake Saunders (6-foot-2, 295 pounds, 5 starts). Kent played in just seven games and had eight tackles before getting injured in the Indiana game. He has good size for a DT, and though he’s put on some weight, he’s also increased his agility. He could prove to be tough to block inside, so look for his TFL and solo tackle numbers to increase, especially with some of the athleticism flanking him on the outside.

Saunders made 15 tackles last season, but nine of them came in his final four contests. He got his first career sack against Indiana and played in 11 total games, after appearing in just three his first two seasons because of injury. Coaches have talked about Saunders’ efforts in the weight room, and if he can stay healthy he looks to be a helpful force inside.

There’s certainly a lot to like in this group.

Redshirt sophomore DE Eku Leota (6-foot-4, 255 pounds) played in 10 games last year, making 12 tackles. But more impressive were his 4.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks, both ranking third among defensive linemen, to go along with his two QBHs a PBU and a forced fumble. Leota, who makes the numerical switch to No. 55 this season, came on later in the year, making his mark with solid games against Purdue and Illinois. He’s added 17 pounds of muscle since his first year and looks to be the next force at defensive end. He’s likely to get a lot more reps this season.

Sophomore DE Adetomiwa “Tommy” Adebawore (6-foot-2, 260 pounds, 2 starts) was perhaps the most pleasant surprise of season. The only true first-year to start for the Wildcats in 2019, he made six tackles (five solo), with a sack, a TFL and two QBHs. He’s a very good edge rusher, with great power and good get-off. He uses his hands really well and plays with a good base in the run game. He has a lot of raw talent and is constantly trying to learn his position, always asking questions and wanting to get better. Once he masters the fundamentals, he could be another in the recent line of Wildcat defensive ends to make a mark in the Big Ten.

Four returning players could get a healthy number of reps in the rotation at defensive tackle. Sophomore Jason Gold, Jr. (6-foot-3, 270 pounds) played in six games, making eight tackles (five solo), with two TFLs and a QBH. He, too, made a push toward the end of the season, playing his best games against ranked Iowa and Minnesota teams. Senior Joe Spivak (6-foot, 290 pounds) also contributed eight tackles, along with a TFL and half a sack, with most of it coming against West foes Nebraska and Illinois. He’s one of the most entertaining personalities on the team, and, though it seems like he just arrived, this will be the final campaign for the affable anchor.

Redshirt sophomore Wyatt Blake (6-foot-4, 310 pounds) and redshirt first-year Duke Olges (6-foot-4, 272 pounds) could also garner some PT at DT.

Highly touted redshirt sophomore DE Devin O’Rourke (6-foot-6, 270 pounds), did not play last year due to injury and is a wild card on the line. At his size, he’s more suited for DE, but he might be the athletic interior rush guy they play on “long” situations, when his height and length can help disrupt the passing lanes.

Redshirt first-year DE PJ Spencer (6-foot-2, 260 pounds) played in one game last year but really impressed Fitzgerald with his progress and was even named the defensive practice player of the week before the Iowa game.

Redshirt sophomore DT Willy Boatman (6-foot-2, 270 pounds) and redshirt first-year DT Luka Trifunovic (6-foot-4, 280 pounds) may get some peeks here and there, but are likely to spend another year sharpening for the future.

It will be really interesting to see what happens with first-year DTs Jordan Butler (6-foot-2, 295 pounds) and Te-Rah Edwards (6-foot-2, 316 pounds). Butler enrolled early from the famed Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy (by way of Las Vegas) and originally committed to Vanderbilt before the Wildcats flipped him very near signing day. He registered 41 tackles, five sacks and 16 TFLs in his senior season, with an INT and a TD to boot. Butler has a strong base, with deceptive quickness off the ball, and should be a stout run-stopper inside.

Edwards was recruited as a guard out of Groveport (Ohio) Madison but chose to play DT for the Wildcats over other some Big Ten schools, including Michigan State and Penn State. He plays nasty, but a bit high at times, and may need a season of schooling first before he can effectively wreak havoc on the interior.

DE Sean McLaughlin (6-foot-7, 220 pounds) from familiar Frankfort (Ill.) Lincoln-Way East (the same alma mater as O’Rourke) gives the Cats some lean height at rush end. He’ll likely spend a year bulking up and honing his craft, since depth at DE renders his services practically unnecessary this season. He also played TE in high school and we wouldn’t be surprised if there might be a look for him on that side at some point.

DE Jaiden Cameron (6-foot-4, 221 pounds) from Clayton (Ohio) Northmont is a long, raw talent who has good hands, but there’s not a lot in his rush arsenal yet. Give him time to fill out and put tools in his belt and he could pay dividends in the future.

Tim Chapman is a teacher and former Michigan high school football coach who is currently working on a book titled "ChampioN Underdog" about the 1995 Northwestern Rose Bowl team. Follow him via Twitter: @Champion_Lit. Email him at nufbhistorian@gmail.com.