Northwestern Football: Clayton Thorson ready to go out on top

Northwestern football has been a consistent threat in the Big Ten under Pat Fitzgerald thanks in large part to the effectiveness of Clayton Thorson.

The past three seasons of Northwestern football have been some of the best in the history of the program. The Wildcats have four 10-win seasons in the past 100 years, one of which came in 2015 and another in 2017. A steady diet of power running and solid defense has been critical to their success, but it wouldn’t have all come together without the arm of Clayton Thorson.

He won’t get the press of the passers that suit up for Ohio State and Michigan, but Northwestern’s gunslinger has been instrumental in Northwestern’s surge towards the top of the Big Ten West. In 2017 Thorson finished second in the division in yards per game (218.8), completion percentage (60.4) and total passing yards (2,844). With one more season to play he ranks second all-time in passing yards by Northwestern quarterbacks.

The Wildcats finished second in the Big Ten West a year ago and haven’t reached the Big Ten title game since it was established in 2011. Northwestern hosts last year’s division champion, Wisconsin, in Evanston this season and have an extremely favorable schedule. They get Michigan and Notre Dame at home as well and face their toughest road test at Michigan State in October.

In his final season at Northwestern Thorson will have the chance to accomplish something special. Winning the Big Ten would cement his name into legend, but Thorson will be playing for more than a conference title.

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Thorson is already being discussed as a potential first round NFL Draft pick next year. He has some kinks to work out of his game, but the arm strength alone will earn him a few looks by scouts this fall. There’s a lot on the table for Thorson. If he achieves either goal, he’ll go down in Northwestern history.