UW OPPONENT AT A GLANCE:
NORTHWESTERN (2-1)
Offense
The Wildcats return four starters on the line, and junior quarterback Clayton Thorson has 29 starts on his college résumé. Nevertheless, the heartbeat of the offense is senior tailback Justin Jackson, who entered the season with 4,129 rushing yards in 38 games (108.7 average) and 30 touchdowns. Jackson’s strength isn’t getting into the open field and eluding defensive backs en route to long gains. He has that ability, but his strength is in pounding away all day at defenses and moving the chains. His presence opens up throwing lanes for Thorson. Jackson is averaging just 82.7 yards per game this season, largely because he was held to 18 yards on seven carries in Week 2 at Duke. Thorson, who can hurt opponents with his feet, is a more accurate passer than he was as a freshman. He completed just 50.8% of his attempts as a freshman, improved to 58.6% last season and is at 63.9% through three games this season. Northwestern is trying to replace departed wide receiver Austin Carr (1,247 yards, 12 TDs) by committee. Senior super back Garrett Dickerson (14 catches, 188 yards), sophomore wide receiver Bennett Skowronek (12-218) and junior wide receiver Flynn Nagel (10-97) have combined for 36 catches and 503 yards. Dickerson is a load at 6-foot-3 and 248 pounds, and Skowronek is averaging 18.2 yards per catch and has two of the team’s five touchdown receptions. Both came in Week 3, 58 and 18 yards, against Bowling Green. Skowronek had eight catches for 123 yards in the opener against Nevada. He had a combined eight catches in 13 games last season.
Defense
Defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz was without his starting cornerbacks by Week 2 of last season. This year the Wildcats lost one projected starter in camp and two key reserves in the first two weeks. That leaves junior Montre Hartage (17 tackles, one interception, three passes broken up) as the clear No. 1 cornerback. Sophomore Trae Williams, who started nine games last season, is the other starter. Both safeties — seniors Godwin Igwebuike and Kyle Queiro — are experienced playmakers. Igwebuike is second on the team in tackles with 22; Queiro is third with 20. Both have one forced fumble and Queiro has 31⁄2 tackles for loss and an interception. Tackle Tyler Lancaster (three tackles for loss, 13 total tackles) and end Samdup Miller (10 tackles) are the most disruptive members of a solid front four. The player UW must block in the running game is middle linebacker Paddy Fisher, a 6-4, 245-pound redshirt freshman from Katy, Texas. Fisher leads the team in solo tackles (17) and total tackles (29).
Special teams
Northwestern’s return games are anemic, but punter Hunter Niswander and kickoff specialist Luke Otto and are very good. Niswander is averaging 49.5 yards per punt. Five of his 12 punts have been 50 yards or more and opponents are averaging 9.5 yards per return, with a long return of just 13. Otto has recorded nine touchbacks on 17 kicks and opponents are averaging 18.4 yards per return.