Northwestern 2021 Season Preview: Defensive Backs

Seventh in a series of Northwestern position-by-position breakdowns going into the 2021 season.

Offense: Quarterbacks | Running Backs l Receivers | Offensive Line

Defense: Defensive Line l Linebackers

It’s rare in college football to say you are the best. But in 2020, the Northwestern defensive backs helped make up the best pass defense in the country.

The Wildcats finished in the top 10 in seven major statistical categories, including No. 1 in pass efficiency defense -- the best measure of how successful a unit is in protecting the air. The 2020 version of the #SkyTeam featured two All-Americans: CB Greg Newsome and FS Brandon Joseph. Joseph was named first-team, while Newsome was third-team and selected 26th overall (by Cleveland) in this spring’s NFL Draft.

After a 12-year absence from coaching on the defensive side of the ball, Matt MacPherson was moved from running backs coach to defensive backs coach back in 2018. And since that first season, taking over for the legendary Jerry Brown, his units have improved in nearly every pass defense category.

With so much of college football defense today being predicated on stopping the pass instead of the run, like it used to be when a certain No. 51 was defending his 53.5-yard-wide domain back in the '90s, being skilled and sound in the back end is becoming the hallmark of a successful team.

They say success breeds more success, so we are confident about the 2021 version of the Northwestern secondary. Let’s examine why.

The Cats were about as good as they could get in 2020. They allowed just 52% of opposing passes to be completed, and when you consider that a decent chunk of those throws were high-percentage, short-to-lateral/swing routes out wide, 52% is pretty remarkable. Their limitation of 5.2 yards per attempt was tops in the nation, while completed passes went for an average of just 10 yards per reception (ypr), putting them fifth nationally in that category. Even for a defense known for giving up clusters of yardage, they kept everything in front of them and finished 19th in the country, allowing just 195 passing yards per game.

They gave up only eight touchdowns in nine games, while grabbing 14 interceptions. That’s about one and a half picks per game, a fairly frightful number for opposing offensive coordinators. They also accounted for five or more pass breakups in six of their nine games. Completing passes against this crew was just downright futile for most foes.

Northwestern's defense was also at its best in tight situations, namely on third down and in the red zone. They held opponents to an astounding 26% completion percentage when passing on third down, picking off five passes and allowing just one TD, all while helping to create four sacks and a fumble in that specific scenario. What makes this stat even more remarkable is the fact that challengers threw on NU 54% of the time, which was seventh-most in the NCAA. They also finished No. 30 in passing first downs allowed, at 8.9 per game.

They were the sixth-best red-zone defense (70% scoring yield) in the country, and only four touchdown passes were completed against them inside the NU 20-yard line.

Both of these categories were vast improvements from 2019, which we called for in last year’s preview, and the Sky Team met the challenge with (pun intended) flying colors. When a team has such a branded moniker like “Sky Team,” it pretty much has to put up numbers to back up such bravado. This squad more than held their own last year.

This is hard because the Wildcat secondary seemingly did everything right. Look back at those numbers, they weren’t anomalies, nor were they trivial, “feel good” figures to put proverbial lipstick on the pig. These guys were really good.

That said, the only real concern was the big play. They suffered four aerial explosions of 46 yards or more, including a 75-yard scoring strike against Michigan State. And even though they didn’t give up more than one to any team, that number needs to be cut down because they are big momentum builders for the enemy. With the Wildcats playing in so many close games, that can ultimately be a decisive danger.

Northwestern's 19 completions allowed per game (68th) could be cut down, but again, we take it with a grain of salt because of the high percentage of safe, short passes included in that figure. Since this defense has been most successful by permitting those passes and successfully defending against many of the deeper daggers, 19 per game in a pass-happy college football world isn’t too bad.

If we really want to nit-pick, the Cats only had 27 return yards on their 14 interceptions, an average of less than two yards per return. That could be in part because it’s likely what they’re coached to do: not looking a gift-horse in the mouth and just being safe. But still, a pick-six is exciting when you’re the team scoring it.

We are not expecting a duplication of last year's accomplishments, but if this group can even come close to their production last year (say, a top-30 statistical finish), it will help, because the Cats are going to be facing more run-preference teams than those that like to chuck it around the yard. And by completely shutting down the pass and putting more strain on opposing teams to run the ball, denying half of their offense is a big plus.

Rounding out the corners will be important by Big Ten Play. These guys will need to continue to be both aggressive zone-man defenders in pass defense, as well as calculated closers who can come up and tackle well on outside run plays or receiver screens. A.J. Hampton and Cam Mitchell showed a lot to make us excited last season, but now they’re on the clock.

What’s also key is staying disciplined and not getting too caught up in run support too early. Knowing that they’ll be counted on to help the progressing linebackers, they must also be cognizant of their read keys and stay in proper pass position, so as not to open up the skies to the deep ball. Like we said, they’ll face more run-oriented teams with some pretty good backs (Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois). Those teams will run, run and run some more, and then try to hit them with an effective play-action pass or run-pass-option (R-P-O) at just the right times. Discipline will be demanded.

All that said, this is a deep group, with great leadership in MacPherson, new defensive coordinator Jim O’Neill, who has more experience coaching DBs than any other position, and even LB coach Tim McGarigle, who has a good handle on their play. The numbers won’t be as impressive as last year, but this will likely be an area of strength on the stop squad.

Perhaps nobody on the team had a more explosive year than redshirt sophomore FS Brandon Joseph (6-foot-1, 192 pounds). Ranked the No. 10 DB in the country, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), BJo was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned All-American honors with his nation-leading six interceptions; 52 tackles, which led all NU DBs in that category; and two pass break-ups (PBUs), plus a QB hurry and tackle for loss (TFL).

PFF gave him an 88.5 coverage grade (out of 100), helping the rest of the Sky Team in earning that No. 1 pass-defense ranking. At free safety, Joseph played a great “centerfield”, helping keep everything in front and only allowing one pass play of more than 15 yards under his defense. He’s schematically smart, technically sound, and will be one of the leaders of this entire defense, let alone the secondary.

Joining him, in his first season as a starter, will be redshirt sophomore SS Coco Azema (5-foot-11, 185 pounds, now wearing No. 0). Azema has proven to be one of the best all-around athletes on the team, playing running back and safety, as well as return-specialist and tackler on special teams.

Don’t mistake our assessment of Azema, though. In addition to being a gifted gridder, he’s a hitter with good field vision and anticipation. Azema was used in reserve and in nickel/dime scenarios last year, totaling five tackles and nabbing an interception against Maryland. We’re excited to see the full-time form of these two safeties for the next few years.

Though some may express concern at corner, with the loss of NFL first-rounder Greg Newsome and two-year starter Cam Ruiz, who transferred to Temple, the Cats have been well-stocked. Because we don't know how things are going to shake out, we're going to list three starting corners here.

Redshirt junior A.J. Hampton (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) has the most experience of the CBs on the roster, and his rise last year gives reassurance that the Sky Team will stay solid. Hampton finished with 26 take-downs (16 solo), two TFLs, five PBUs (No. 2 on the team) and an INT. In two years of play, he’s totaled eight passes defended, with two interceptions, and 68% of his tackles have been solo, which validates his skills as a sturdy defender.

Sources told WildcatReport that redshirt sophomore CB Rod Heard (5-foot-11, 185 pounds) had emerged as the program's top corner after an outstanding spring. Heard, a former high school QB, has been in the system for three years now, after enrolling early back in January of 2019. He started two games in the early part of last season and ended the season with 10 tackles (seven solo) and a PBU. He’s got quick feet, recovery speed and a good head on him, which are essential for a Division I cornerback. Expect to see him a lot this year, as coaches are pretty high on his services.

Fellow redshirt sophomore CB Cameron Mitchell (6-foot, 195 pounds), will now be wearing Newsome’s No. 2, which speaks to his confidence level and should excite Wildcat fans. We saw that confidence at the tail end of last season, especially against the top-flight passing offense of Ohio State, which he helped to shut down and frustrate in the Big Ten title game, picking off a pass in the process. In all, Mitchell packed 18 tackles (nine solo), five PBUs (No. 2 on team), .5 TFL, .5 sack and an INT. That's a pretty impressive stat sheet for the team’s fourth corner last season, and that’s what gives many coaches and Wildcat followers that aforementioned excitement for ‘21.

As we saw last season, any successful secondary must be blessed with depth. The Wildcats may not have as much game experience as last year, but the talent is here.

Senior FS Bryce Jackson (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) has been priming for this season and should provide a sturdy backup at safety when his services are called upon. He had nine tackles (four solo) and was named defensive practice player of the week on two separate occasions last year. In 2019, he had twice that production, so he’s shown he’s got the game.

While the Cats lost a couple DBs to the transfer portal, they also acquired a battle-tested talent in redshirt senior grad transfer SAF Trent Carrington (6-foot-1, 190 pounds). Carrington comes to Evanston from Presbyterian (S.C.) College, by way of Fayetteville, Ga. He totaled 25 starts in three years there, finishing in the top 10 in several conference pass defense categories. This past spring, Carrington ranked fourth on the Blue Hose with 35 tackles (24 solo) and also had three TFLs and a PBU. In the previous two seasons, he had seven PBUs and three INTs, and his 78 tackles in 2019 were second-most among all DBs in the Big South Conference.

Northwestern has another young safety to be really excited about in sophomore Jaheem Joseph (6-foot, 190 pounds), from Miami Gardens, Fla. Joseph moved over from cornerback last season and managed to draw praise from O'Neil for his play last spring and in the first week of camp this fall. Joseph exudes a “swagger” and an attitude that brims with confidence. He’s a physical player who loves to hit, and he could see the field if his upward trajectory continues.

Sophomore CB Garnett Hollis (6-foot-1, 197 pounds), from Nashville, Tenn., was a two-way talent in high school, which makes him a little more valuable on the defensive side, knowing the nuances of his offensive counterparts. He really impressed the staff this spring, especially after recovering from an injury he suffered last fall. His length and competitive attitude makes him a good physical match on the outside, and we fully expect to see his number flash, when healthy.

Redshirt first-year SAF Nigel Williams (6-foot-1, 192 pounds) earned a mention from O'Neil earlier this week. Williams was a valuable quarterback and athlete on offense his senior year of high school, and he uses that experience to continue to transition into a serviceable college safety.

Senior walkon SS Donovan Sermons (5-foot-11, 192 pounds) has been around the program and garnered a little more attention from the coaches each season. But he’ll likely be a third-team SS and possibly have a role on special teams. He had two tackles in three games last year.

Walkon sophomore Joe DeHaan (6-foot, 198 pounds) is most likely tuning up for the future. DeHaan racked up three tackles (one solo) in his only game appearance last year, and is a heady player, especially in the open field.

Another walkon, redshirt sophomore CB Tyler Haskins (5-foot-11, 195 pounds), has appeared in six games over his first two seasons and is a cerebral defender who provides some depth and reliability in the back end.

CB Theran Johnson (6-foot, 170 pounds), from Indianapolis, Ind., is a good-looking talent who can grow into something special at NU. He shows good eye discipline, looking through the receiver to the quarterback, helping him get reads on the flow of the pattern(s). He’s very instinctive and quick to close on the ball once it’s in the air (62 tackles as a junior). He has a good pair of hands -- he was the team's top receiver on offense -- and hops that helped him to pilfer four passes. He also plays with sound leverage, knowing where his help is on the field.

CB Ore Adeyi (5-foot-10, 175 pounds), from Mansfield, Tex., is another intriguing candidate at the corner spot. Originally committed to Boise State, Adeyi jumped at the chance to join the NU Sky Team once they offered. He may look undersized but compensates with aggression and physicality. Like many good CBs, confidence abounds in this young man.

SAF Garner Wallace (6-foot-4, 190 pounds) is an intriguing athlete with size and versatility. He was a QB and WR for 2020 state finalist Pickerington (Ohio) Central, where he was also a star basketball player. His length makes him a solid deep-ball protector over the top, and he shows good ball skills. His tackling needs some work, though playing quarterback on offense his senior year will add even more to his football IQ at safety.

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