Can Northwestern football be respectable in 2023?
By Dante Pryor
Can the Northwestern football defense get better?
The Wildcat defense has not been the same since defensive coordinator Mike Hankewitz retired. The defense was 110th in the country in rushing yards but was a respectable 13th against the pass.
Though the pass defense was solid in 2022. There aren’t exactly elite pass offenses in the Big Ten West, either. There are elite rush offenses, thus the poor rush defense. Perhaps the most significant blow to Northwestern’s defense is its recently hired defense coordinator is now the interim head coach.
How much time can he devote to the defense while holding a program together?
The secondary, a strength last year, lost two of its top corners, one to the portal and the other to the NFL Draft. They have some solid players returning, but the secondary will need the defensive line to create pressure.
Speaking of the defensive line, they’re small and didn’t produce much pressure last year, finishing 114th in sacks. They are going to need someone to step up and create pressure on the quarterback.