Coaches Clinic Match-up Week 0: Nebraska vs. Northwestern
Aug 27, 2022 4:06 pm
Coach ,
As we did last year, we will present the Coaches Clinic match-up of the week. Our focus in this series is to learn from what these coaches are doing and point out what may be the keys to victory.
It’s the first weekend of the 2022 college football season and the Nebraska versus Northwestern in Ireland for Week 0 is the most interesting match-up this week.
Victories are hard to come by in the Big Ten, so both teams look to get off to a good start after not meeting their expectations for the '21 season.
Let’s take a look at Northwestern first.
Northwestern Wildcats
We were sure to point out in last year’s match-ups the importance of a strong culture and leadership. Pat Fitzgerald is the longest-tenured head coach in Northwestern football history, and the fourth longest-tenured head coach in Division I FBS. He’s brought the Wildcats to five top 25 finishes with three of those in the last five years. He knows what it takes to develop a top team in the Big Ten.
It all starts in the off-season with the development of their leadership council and developing the competitiveness of his team in “The Wildcat Games.” He explains how those work for Northwestern in this video (click on image for video):
The competitiveness, communication, and accountability that show up today are a result of the efforts the team and staff put into their Wildcat Games off-season program.
On the offensive side, the Wildcats had a competition on their hands for the quarterback position. Ryan Hilinski returns, but Coach Fitzgerald still has not named a starter, so there is the challenge of who the Huskers have to prepare for. Coach Fitz said in an interview, “I’m not going to tell you anything.”
What you can count on from either is that they have been coached in the fundamentals by QB Coach Mike Bajakian. In the IHSFCA Clinic this past season, he shared his approach with a focus on protecting the ball and making good decisions.
He emphasizes that in order to attack the defense they must work their progressions rather than defaulting to a favorite receiver. He explains how they work their progressions here (click on image for video):
The entire Northwestern Offensive Staff presented at the IHSFCA Clinic and all four clinic presentations (OL, WR, QB, RB) can be found here.
On the defensive side, the Wildcats will take a cutting-edge scheme with old school fundamentals approach. They will build it on their strengths utilizing their whole roster developing young players by getting them involved early after losing their top defensive player last year All-American Brandon Joseph
Key to the game will be a pillar of their defense which is “intimidate and confuse the quarterback.” That will be important when facing new Nebraska OC Mark Whipple’s version of the Air Raid. You’ve heard of K.I.S.S. he prefers to use K.I.L.L. Defensive Coordinator, Jim O’Neil shares the Wildcat approach to defense here. (click on image for video):
Video: Pillars of the Wildcat Defense
The entire defensive staff presented at IHSFCA as well and those presentations can be found here.
Sound quarterback play and harassing the Nebraska QB are two major keys to victory for the Wildcats today in Dublin.
Nebraska
Scott Frost looks to get the Huskers over the hump this year in the Big Ten. He’s brought a new face to the program in OC Mark Whipple, and Erik Chinander provides the consistency on the defensive side.
Defensive Coordinator Erik Chinander is expecting the unexpected. He noted, “We know they're going to have some surprises for us, some different personnel groupings, might be two quarterbacks playing, might be a surprise starter, we don't know, but we’re ready for all of them.”
On the offensive side, there is a new look behind Mark Whipple who comes to Lincoln after having a successful campaign as Pitt’s OC and the development of Kenny Pickett.
Staples for Coach Mark Whipple are the drive and shallow cross concepts. In his clinic, he taught the concepts as well as how to effectively use them against the defense. (click on image for video)
Video: Shallow Cross and Drive
Look for the offense to throw it around and make use of all their skill players as they attack the Wildcat defense. However, they have shown a strong downhill attack in the past, and are sure to test the Wildcats’ run defense as well.
Though it is only Week 0, there’s a lot on the line for these teams, and the setting of the game in Ireland should make it even more exciting.
Enjoy the game and keep learning!
Always be growing!
Coach Grabowski
P.S. Add the Northwestern Bundles to your Library (4 clinics each here):