INDIANAPOLIS — When Northwestern coach David Braun walked to the podium Tuesday and told everyone he was excited to be back at the Big Ten preseason kickoff, he meant it.
Every word.
Few attendees at last year’s Big Ten media days figured Braun, then saddled with an interim tag, could turn around a one-win team in the midst of a hazing scandal. But the 39-year-old, first-time head coach did the unthinkable — rallying the Wildcats to seven regular-season wins plus a bowl win over Utah, being named Big Ten Coach of the Year and earning the full-time gig.
“Personally, it’s been incredible,” Braun said. “Our family has gotten settled in, we love the area. Our boys love school, they’re staying busy with baseball and camps. I’m very grateful to be here at Northwestern and having had the opportunity to settle in.”
Professionally, Braun’s ascension has been astonishing.
He had no playing or coaching experience at the FBS level when former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald hired him as defensive coordinator in January 2023. Braun joined the Wildcats after winning two national championships as an assistant at North Dakota State.
Six months later, his whole world was thrown into turmoil when school officials fired Fitzgerald on July 10 as allegations of sexual abuse of players by teammates, racist comments by coaches and race-based assaults emerged.
Braun was promoted July 14 and less than two weeks later found himself giving his first public remarks in Indianapolis, essentially defending a program he barely knew — solo.
The three Northwestern players scheduled to attend — Bryce Gallagher, Rod Heard II, and Bryce Kirtz — issued a statement saying they had opted out so the focal point would remain football. Athletic director Derrick Gragg’s only comments came on the Big Ten Network.
And while Braun was awaiting the birth of his fourth child, he never checked his cellphone while answering every question during the 45-minute allotment. Behind the scenes, it was every bit as most anticipated.
“It was not easy, to say the least,” running back Cam Porter said. “It was a lot of communications between teammates, a lot of hard talks, a lot of tough talks, a lot of nurturing.
“But at the end of the day, we made a decision. We were like, ‘OK, are we going to just let the season go to waste?’ So we used it as an opportunity to come together.”
Braun’s candidly low-key approach worked.
After using the strategy to successfully navigate the litany of questions last July and August, the guy who grew up watching Big Ten football in Wisconsin won the support of players inside Northwestern’s locker room.
The results were amazing.
Braun celebrated win No. 1 in Week 2 against UTEP and his first Big Ten win in Week 4 against Minnesota. When the Wildcats toppled Wisconsin in Week 11 to snap a 14-game road losing streak, it convinced the school to remove the interim tag and give him a five-year contract.
Northwestern hasn’t lost since and enters this fall on a four-game winning streak.
What’s next for the program, though, remains unclear. Northwestern opens conference play at Washington, last season’s national runner-up, and finishes the season with consecutive games against defending national champ Michigan, perennial championship contender Ohio State and rival Illinois.
And with all but two home games being played at a temporary 15,000-seat stadium while Ryan Field undergoes a two-year reconstruction project, Northwestern’s home-field advantage may be muted.
Yet Braun and the Wildcats can find solace knowing they’ve already faced bigger challenges and thrived.
“There is no doubt in my mind the reason that we found success in 2023 was because of the leadership on our team. It was a player-led team,” Braun said. “The unique challenge for this 2024 collection of coaches and players is this group collectively hasn’t done anything yet.
“Can we find the same level of leadership within our team? I believe it exists. I’ve seen it, but we have to put that into practice in fall camp.”
Positional honors
Players from defending national champion Michigan and Ohio State claimed seven of the Big Ten’s 12 positional honors Tuesday.
They were selected by a media panel on the first of three conference media days in Indianapolis.
The Buckeyes had four selections: safety Caleb Downs, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, running back TreVeyon Henderson and defensive end JT Tuimoloau. The Wolverines selections were defensive tackle Mason Graham, cornerback Will Johnson and tight end Colston Loveland.
“It’s preseason, so we haven’t done anything yet,” Egbuka said. “I’m definitely blessed to be a part of that group, but you’ve got to put it together on the field. It’s an honor, but at the same time, we know what we’ve got to do.”
Dillon Gabriel, who left Oklahoma for Oregon, was named the conference’s top quarterback. Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins, Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter and Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai rounded out the selections.
Fifty-four players and 18 coaches will be in Indianapolis for the annual media day festivities at Lucas Oil Stadium. Ohio State was one of six schools to open the first day on the three-day schedule.
Staying put
In the quickly evolving world of college football, Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti brought some stability to media days by announcing the conference championship game will remain at Lucas Oil Stadium through 2028.
Indianapolis’ downtown venue, the retractable-roof home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, has hosted every conference title game since the inaugural one was played in 2011.
“I think it adds to the tradition of the Big Ten,” Purdue coach Ryan Walters said when asked about the extension. “Obviously I’m biased, but this is a great venue for the Big Ten championship game.”
The Boilermakers played in the game as the West Division champion in 2022 but lost to Michigan.
New format
When the Big Ten expanded from 14 teams to 18 by adding four former Pac-12 schools — Oregon, USC, Washington and UCLA — conference officials also decided to scrap the two-division format this season.
Instead, the teams with the two best conference records will square off Dec. 7 in Indianapolis.
“I think it’s a great thing for the conference,” Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said. “The biggest impact, I believe, is with these new teams coming in, and having nine league games, we’ll have to attack the season a little differently.
“We probably played on a consistent basis 17 or 18 guys on defense by the end of the year, and if you don’t, that’s when you’re in trouble. Now you’re probably going to need 22 to 24 guys on defense and 22 to 24 guys on offense.”
Giant duck
Oh it’s a new day in @bigten country!
The MASSIVE @oregonfootball Duck floats the White River in downtown Indy! pic.twitter.com/Qxsp4y7AKT
— Chris Dion (@ChrisMDion) July 23, 2024
Oregon announced its presence with a can’t-miss addition to Indy’s White River, which flows near the stadium.
A large inflatable duck mascot floating along the banks served as the introduction to the school’s new conference. Oregon coach Dan Lanning and three players, including Gabriel, will talk Thursday.
AP’s Phillip B. Wilson contributed.
