Northwestern will use some of its time during its week off to continue developing the secondary. The Wildcats have allowed eight touchdown passes in consecutive losses to Arizona State and Penn State.
“One of the biggest things we’re still working through is losing Bryan Heinz in the preseason,” Northwestern coach Randy Walker said Tuesday of the strong safety, who tore an ACL during training camp. “He’s an awfully good football player and two-year starter. We’re trying to sort that out and get where we need to be.”
Over the summer, the Wildcats also lost senior cornerback Jeff Backes, who quit because of a chronic shoulder problem.
The memory of losing 34-29 to Penn State on Michael Robinson’s 36-yard scoring pass to Derrick Williams with 51 seconds to play lingers. “If you’d told me that we’d be one play away from being 3-1, that’s pretty good,” Walker said.
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Next: Oct. 8 vs. Wisconsin, 11 a.m.
