There is no disputing that 2024 has been a bitterly disappointing season for Northwestern football.

Coming off of a miraculous 2023 season that included a bowl win under Big Ten Coach of the Year David Braun, the Wildcats fell back down to earth with a thud. They are currently 4-7 overall and 2-6 in the Big Ten, with their wins coming against Maryland and Purdue teams that have a combined record of 1-15 in conference.

Maybe worse that that, they often played uninspired football, with a dismal offense that is currently ranked 132nd out of 133 FBS teams in yards per game. Six times the Wildcats were beaten by three or more scores this season.

The good news here is that people have taken notice. The Wildcat program, along with TrueNU and several key donors, aim to do something about it.

According to multiple sources inside and outside of the program, Northwestern, armed with a “major increase in support” from donors, will be “very aggressive” with NIL offers to transfers in the first portal window that opens on Dec. 9 and runs through Dec. 28.

Northwestern has a two-step plan to quickly become competitive in the Big Ten. The program is prepared to first “do everything we can” to retain the top talent already on the roster with NIL packages and prevent them from transferring out. Then, they will target and go after several key players in the portal with “very competitive” NIL offers.

In the past, Northwestern has landed most of its transfers in the spring portal window. But this year, they will go after targets in the winter window, when there are many more players available.

Why the sudden change? Not only has the program experienced a significant increase in its available NIL dollars, but they have also streamlined the admissions process to enable prospective transfers to get admitted by the start of winter quarter classes, on Jan. 6. That, in and of itself, is a major breakthrough to help the Wildcats be more active and competitive in the portal.

The college football landscape is undergoing seismic change and this is emblematic that “Northwestern is all in,” as one source put it.

Find out more about what could be a transformative period for Northwestern football in this exclusive story for WildcatReport subscribers.

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