EVANSTON-Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald wasn’t shy about calling out his offensive line last season. When the unit performed poorly, he had no problem letting the media no in no uncertain terms that he was disappointed in their play.
That happened throughout the season but most noticeably after games against Western Michigan, Illinois State, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Not coincidentally, those games were all losses.
As redshirt junior offensive lineman Tommy Doles put it, “They go as we go,” meaning that the team’s fortunes often rest on the wide shoulders of the big guys up front.
Overall, it was a rough season for those big guys in 2016. The coach often criticized their play in public on Saturday and then doled out some extra punishment in practice the following week for those linemen who played especially badly.
The reason was simple: Fitzgerald felt like he had no other choice. He had to whip those linemen into shape because the guys playing behind them weren’t ready to take their place as starters. So if a guard or tackle was not playing well, Fitzgerald and offensive line coach Adam Cushing couldn’t simply insert the second-stringer. With one exception, he had to get that starter to play better. And fast.
The offensive line that began the 2016 season was made up of, from left tackle to right tackle, Blake Hance, Connor Mahoney, Brad North, Tommy Doles and Eric Olson. Yet despite the repeated poor performances, four of those same five players started the Pinstripe Bowl last December. The lone exception was Mahoney, a team captain who was replaced in Week 6 by former walkon JB Butler, who held onto the job the rest of the season. (A captain being replaced by a former walkon says all you need to know about the 2016 unit.)
It didn’t help that three potential senior starters – Ian Park, Shane Mertz and Adam DePietro, who was forced into retirement the year before – were injured and couldn’t play.
In all, it was a far cry from the year before, according to Fitzgerald, when his team finished 10-3.
“Two years ago we had ultimately what we wanted,” said the 11th-year head coach in a spring practice meeting with the media on Tuesday. “We had nine or 10 guys, we had great competition. We played pretty damn well up there.
“Last year we didn’t have the same competitive depth, so when we had guys not performing our ability to make personnel changes was pretty much non-existent. I think that’s a challenge. So my hope is that we get back to where we were two years ago.”
Does Fitzgerald feel better about his line this spring than he did last fall? He’s not sure yet. He’ll withhold judgment at least until they put on pads on Saturday.
“We’ve got a long way to go before we can say we’re there,” he said. “But I like the group, they worked their ass off this winter. They’re a little young, a little green, and I’m OK with that.
“We’ve got to continue to see guys like Butler improve. He’s come a long way since being a walkon. Brad North has to become much more consistent. Tommy Doles has to become much more consistent, Blake Hance has to become much more consistent. Once we get that together, we can figure out our fifth and go on from there.”
The fifth spot he’s referring to is right tackle, where Olson has graduated. If the Wildcats had to play right now, Hance, Butler, North and Doles would occupy the same spots that they did last season. The question mark is who will line up to Doles’ right. Doles said that redshirt junior Ben Oxley and redshirt sophomore Andrew Otterman are currently waging the battle for that spot.
Fitzgerald said he doesn’t expect to identify that fifth starter this spring. “That will be an ongoing process,” he said. “I hope to have that ready a couple weeks (from the opener). It’s gonna take that much time.”
Doles says that the focus for the line this spring will be on developing “habits of consistency” that will carry over into the fall. “Are we finishing our blocks now, are we consistently communicating with each other? Those things, as we do them day in and day out, will hopefully become habits,” he says.
He also hopes that the veterans like himself will help to “lift up the younger guys” so that, unlike last year, they will be ready if they are called upon one Saturday this fall. “From that will come more competitive depth because I believe that competition brings out the best in you. I’d like to see young guys fighting for spots, pushing us.”
Three of the redshirt freshmen offensive linemen who have already caught his eye are Gunnar Vogel, Nik Urban and Cameron Kolwich.
Fitzgerald is looking for Doles to take the leadership reins of the O-line this season. Last year, Olson, a fifth-year senior was the leader of the group, and Doles praised Hance for helping him develop as a player. Now it’s Doles’ turn to impart wisdom on the younger players.
Smart, well-spoken and polished, Fitzgerald thinks that Doles has the type of ability to become “leader of the free world” one day.
This season, Doles will start by leading the offensive line.
