2020 has been a strange year for everyone, so it stands to reason that’s it’s been unusual for Northwestern’s football team, too.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the Wildcats’ spring practice to be cut short in March. Then fall camp began in August and featured an interruption of more than a month as the Big Ten first canceled, and then reinstated the season. Once it restarted, there has been daily coronavirus testing and strict limits on contact in practice.

It’s been anything but a routine preseason.

So when offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian and defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz were asked on Wednesday about their units’ preparedness for the season opener next Saturday, they both said close to the same thing.

They feel like their units will be mentally ready to play. But there’s only one way to find out if they’re ready physically, and that will occur on Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. Central time, when the Wildcats kick off against Maryland at Ryan Field in prime time.

“The speed of the game is always a concern because we haven’t been able to do as much physical work and haven’t been able to scrimmage as much as we would have,” said Hankwitz. “I like where we’re at. We’ll have to see where were at in the game. That’s the real test.”

At least Hankwitz is installing the same system and concepts he’s been using since he arrived at Northwestern in 2008. He also has a veteran unit that features nine returning starters and eight seniors in the probable starting lineup.

Hankwitz says that veteran leadership from guys like returning fifth-year senior captain Paddy Fisher makes his job easier, especially in such a “unique year. They’ve done a great job so far.”

Bajakian, on the other hand, is in his first season at NU and is installing his offense for the first time. Like Hankwitz, he feels good about his players’ mental grasp of his offense.

And although he says he’s confident in their physical preparedness because of the job that the strength and conditioning staff has done, he won’t know for sure until the bullets fly next Saturday night.

That can be stressful for football coaches who typically like to control every aspect of their players’ preparation.

“We have yet to do it in live situations,” said Bajakian, who was hired by Northwestern last December. “The speed of the game is much faster on game day. The physicality, we haven’t had a chance to emulate that in practice as much as we would like to.

“I feel good that the guys will respond, but that’s the biggest question mark for anybody going into this year.”

While Bajakian has his worries about the upcoming season, he is confident that his unit will be able to overcome any bumps in the road because of the culture that head coach Pat Fitzgerald has instilled over his tenure as the Wildcats’ boss.

That culture, he says, will be the strength of his offense, regardless of what the game plan is.

“We are going to play hard, physical football. We’re going to play with great effort and great physicality,” he said.

That’s what Bajakian wants to be the hallmarks of his offense.

“I think that’s a strength,” he said. “That’s always a difference maker in the game.

Tight lipped: While most fans fully expect grad transfer Peyton Ramsey to be the Wildcats’ starting quarterback this season, Bajakian wouldn’t bite when asked about the quarterback depth chart.

“I’m not going to comment on the depth chart,” he said. “That’s up to Coach Fitz.”

“I’m happy with the room in general,” he added. “We’ve got a lot of experience on our roster.”

Ready to break out: One player to be on the lookout for this fall is Malik Washington. Bajakian went out of his way to praise the sophomore wide receiver for his work in camp.

“He’s a young guy playing like a veteran right now,” said Bajakian, who likes Washington’s “attractive” skill set. “He’s taken his game to the next level.”

Washington played in 11 games last season as a true freshman, making six catches for 25 yards. Expect those numbers to rise in 2020.

Next man up on D-line: Joe Gaziano and Alex Miller combined for 90 tackles, 24.5 TFL and 13 sacks last season, so their graduations left two big holes to fill at defensive end and defensive tackle, respectively.

But Hankwitz likes what he’s seen from the guys vying to fill those holes. He said that he’s noticed significant improvement from defensive ends Earnest Brown IV, Eku Leota and Adetomiwa Adebawore, as well as defensive tackles Jason Gold Jr. and Trevor Kent.

And while Hankwitz declined to identify specific freshmen who have caught his eye, he has been impressed by what they’ve shown him so far, too.

“I like our young players, I really do,” he said.