The eighth of 10 questions that we're asking that will determine Northwestern's season.

Northwestern hasn't had a 1,000-yard receiver since Austin Carr in 2016. Can 2024 be the season when a Wildcat pass catcher breaks back into the elite ranks of the NCAA?

There are a lot of new pieces in Northwestern's offense. A new quarterback in Jack Lausch or, more likely, grad transfer Mike Wright. A new offensive coordinator in Zach Lujan. A few new faces on the starting offensive line.

But two constants return at wide receiver with Bryce Kirtz and AJ Henning. Together, the two combined for 94 catches last season.

Kirtz excelled as a dependable route runner in 2023 and was able to showcase his skills for the first time at Northwestern. His early career was mired in injuries, with three surgeries in four years, but he ascended as a senior.

Kirtz finished second on the team in receptions (49), receiving yards (701) and receiving touchdowns (5). His dominant 215-yard performance in the Cats' overtime win over Minnesota was more yards than he'd had in a season before 2023. He'll be a critical piece for whoever is throwing the football for the Wildcats.

Henning was also excellent in his role, working off of Kirtz and lead receiver Cam Johnson. He picked up 418 yards in support and was a favorite of quarterback Ben Bryant with four touchdowns through the air, including the score to send the game to overtime against the Gophers, and a beautiful catch to spark the rout at Wisconsin.

The Wildcats knew Henning had elite speed when he transferred from Michigan, but it was unclear how much of a role he could play in a traditional offense, as he was primarily relegated to return teams in Ann Arbor. While his production was behind Kirtz's and Johnson's, was exceptional out of the slot and projects to have even more work out wide in 2024.

Johnson is gone now, out of eligibility and trying to crack the pro ranks. While there are a few other players on the roster who will step up this season, it's on Kirtz and Henning to lead this receiving corps.

So will 2024 be the season that Northwestern's receivers get back to an elite level? We don't think so. The main reason is that Kirtz and Henning will both grab their share of passes this year, making the likelihood of either one of them cracking the millennium mark much less likely.

*****

TEN QUESTIONS SERIES: 1. Can the defense be elite? | 2. What will Zach Lujan's offense look like? | 3. Who starts on the offensive line? | 4. Will Northwestern have a home field advantage? l 5. Will Northwestern be able to run the ball in 2024? | 6. Will Wright be right at quarterback for the Cats? | 7. Can Northwestern compete in the new Big Ten?

*****

However, having two go-to guys should make the Wildcats' passing game more dangerous than if there was just one. And both Kirtz and Henning are speedy playmakers who have big-play potential, something we haven't seen in Evanston in quite some time.

The Wildcats have to replace the 54 catches and 700+ yards they got from Johnson last season. Some of that slack will be picked up by Kirtz and Henning, but other receivers will have to step up, as well. There are a pair of players, redshirt freshman Frank Covey IV and redshirt junior Calvin Johnson II, looking to fill in as third receiver.

Covey was set to contribute heavily as a true freshman but was sidelined for much of last season due to injury. He appeared in just three games and did not record a catch, though he retained his redshirt. Johnson II had four catches for 32 yards in 2023.

The lane is open for Kirtz to take a leap forward this season Even if he doesn't reach quadruple digits, only about 30 players in the NCAA do each season, he can still establish a consistency that has been sorely missing from Northwestern's receivers room.

If Wright is the quarterback, as expected, his career completion percentage is 55.5%, a nearly nine-percent drop from starting quarterback Ben Bryant last season. Kirtz's opportunities may remain roughly the same as they were last season.

Still, if Kirtz posts back-to-back seasons of 700+ yards, he will be the first Wildcat to do so since Jeremy Ebert in 2010-11.

Henning is an extremely exciting element of this offense, but also a long shot to reach the 1,000-yard mark. However, if he steps up alongside Kirtz, he can boost his numbers from last season.

Northwestern has struggled recently to recruit and utilize top-end receiving talent out of the high school ranks. Johnson, a grad transfer in his first year at Northwestern last season, totaled 715 yards, a good but not exceptional mark in the Power Five. That was the most for a Wildcat receiver since 2018.

The Wildcats have been led in yards by a transfer in two of the past three seasons. Before the hire of Armon Binns in 2023, Northwestern had not had two receivers crack 700 yards in the same season since 2009, with Andrew Brewer and Zeke Markshausen.

Now, with Henning and Kirtz, they could do it twice in a row. For the first time in what feels like forever, the Wildcats have multiple proven weapons on the outside that can make a defense pay in consecutive seasons.

Even if no one hits 1,000 yards this season, there is an opportunity to build a foundation and reputation of success at the wide receiver position for the first time in nearly a decade.