GAME PREVIEW: NORTHWESTERN
improved by the end of the season
under Fitzgerald, who is now in his
ninth season. In his first seven seasons,
the Wildcats won 15 of 24 November
games.
"Last year was bizarre also because
the long-term trend of Fitz had been
winning close games," Greenstein
said. "Until last year, Fitz had a great
record, he probably won two-thirds
of the games decided by seven points
or less. … This year it's just bizarre
because just when you thought you
had the team somewhat figured out
— they beat Wisconsin and played
a good game against Minnesota and
were solid in the first half against Ne-
braska — and then three awful halves
of football.
"It's been a totally different team
these last three halves and Fitz is as
befuddled as anybody."
Frustration reached a new high in
the 48-7 loss at Iowa Nov. 1, when the
Wildcats were outgained in total yards
483-180 and trailed 24-0 at the end of
the first quarter. Siemian completed
just 8 of 18 passes for 68 yards in the
blowout defeat.
Following that game, Northwest-
ern's fifth loss, Fitzgerald tried to get
his players to rally together and "em-
Redshirt junior cornerback Nick VanHoose made 55 tackles, broke up nine passes and intercepted two
throws in Northwestern's first eight contests.
PHOTO BY STEPHEN CARRERA/NORTHWESTERN ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
