After having the best game of his career in Northwestern's Week 1 defeat at the hands of Michigan State, Hunter Johnson could not replicate the performance on Saturday against Indiana State.

After putting up 283 yards and three touchdowns against the Spartans, Johnson threw for only 66 yards against the Sycamores, with one TD and one interception, as the Wildcats emerged with a 24-6 win over their outmanned FCS counterparts.

Granted it was a run-heavy game plan for the Cats. NU ran the ball 46 times, as opposed to just 16 pass attempts for Johnson. The running game produced 209 yards, led by Evan Hull's 126.

Both Johnson and his head coach, Pat Fitzgerald, chalked the anemic aerial attack up to the ground-based scheme.

"Looking back at the film, there were some plays there, but it was more game plan," Johnson said.

Johnson credited the running game for being efficient on first and second down, which put the offense in positions where they didn't have to throw the ball, especially early in the game.

Fitzgerald said that Northwestern's offensive scheme was mostly to blame for the drop in Johnson's production. He said if the Cats were to play ISU again, the offense would take a different approach.

"I've got full confidence in Hunter," said Fitzgerald. "I thought he managed the game fine. I think we needed to make some adjustments to our play-calling in the pass game."

It seemed like Northwestern's approach to the passing game was to push the ball downfield with Johnson's rocket arm and their speedy trio of receivers: Bryce Kirtz, Stephon Robinson Jr. and Malik Washington.

Indiana State's secondary, though, was determined to keep everything in front of them. Washington was able to get behind the Sycamores defense twice: once for his first career touchdown, a 25-yarder in the first quarter from Johnson; and once for a would-be touchdown that slipped between his fingers.

Other than those two plays, which were both good throws by Johnson, Northwestern's passing game relied mostly on check downs. That's why Johnson averaged just 4.1 yards per attempt for the game.

Game plan aside, Johnson never seemed to be at ease in the pocket on Saturday. If his first option wasn't there, he almost always pulled the ball down and tried to scramble. Even in third-and-long situations when he had virtually no chance of getting the first down.

After watching the film, Johnson knows that he left some plays on the field and, heading into Saturday's game at Duke, has a list of things on which he'd like to improve.

"I think, overall, I can be a lot better, especially the last game, just setting in the pocket, controlling my feet and eyes, just going through my progressions and trusting in the system, trusting in the offense," he said. "That just comes with reps."

Through two games, Northwestern has been a tale of two offenses. In the opener it was a team that struggled to find running room on the ground, but could move the ball consistently through the air. Saturday was the opposite.

Somewhere in between those two extremes lies a good offensive balance. Northwestern just needs to find it.