Numbers that Matter: Northwestern Wildcats
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Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)
Indiana will head on the road again this week as they will attempt to become bowl eligible in the first week of October. The Hoosiers are 5-0 for the first time since 1967, but it’s time to put that in the rearview mirror and begin setting new records. Before the next matchup, let’s take a look at some of the stats that could come into play as Indiana looks to move to 6-0.
6
This is just David Braun’s second season as the head coach of Northwestern football, but he has already built a reputation of being a coach that responds well after losing. In his two seasons at the helm, the Wildcats are 6-0 when losing in the prior game. Though they had a bye week last week, Northwestern is coming off of a loss to Big Ten opponent Washington the week prior, so Indiana will have to but the first blemish on this record if they want to remain undefeated.
-0.2
Getting off to a fast start helps steal momentum early and the Indiana defense has done exactly that thus far. In the opponent’s first drive of the game this season, the Indiana defense currently has a 100% success rate and is allowing -0.2 yards per play. Their five opponents have accounted for four 3-and-outs and one fumble in their five opening possessions. On the other hand, Indiana has scored a touchdown on three of their five opening possessions.
64%
A lot of the offensive success can be credited to Hoosier quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who is completing 71.2% of his passes and has already amassed 1,372 yards and 11 passing touchdowns. Rourke currently ranks 8th nationally in PFF passing grades among quarterbacks with at least 25 dropbacks. What has been really impressive, however, is his accuracy throwing the deep ball. Rourke is completing 64% of his passes 10+ yards downfield this season. For reference, Indiana hasn’t had a quarterback complete 64% of his passes overall since Michael Penix Jr. and Peyton Ramsey both did in 2019.
“He (Rourke) doesn't really seem to get fazed by a whole lot of stuff and he's on to the next play,” Curt Cignetti mentioned to the press on Monday.
Three
Part of Rourke’s success has come from his ability to stand in the pocket and deliver passes downfield without the fear of consistently being under pressure. Thus far, he has only been sacked six times this season, 1.2 times per game. Northwestern will look to buck this trend; the Wildcats currently rank 17th nationally and average three sacks per game. Through four games, Northwestern has posted their most sacks since 2014. The pressure can come from all over the defense, as nine different players have recorded at least 0.5 sacks, but Anto Saka leads the team currently with 2.5. Saka is the top PFF graded defender on the Wildcats; his 88.1 grade rates out well ahead of any other Wildcat defender, as the next closest (Robert Fitzgerald) comes in at a 77.1.
Cignetti has been pleased with Indiana’s offensive line thus far.
“You know, Bob's (Bostad) a really good football coach,” he said. “He's a fundamentalist. He's tough. He's hard-nosed. His guys embody that. Kind of a blue-collar work ethic. He makes them tough and physical, and he coaches them that way every single day. And I see it show up on Saturday.”
T-9th
We’ll also see a battle in the trenches when Northwestern is on offense, as Indiana’s stout defensive line will be up against a Northwestern offensive line that ranks among the best in the Big Ten. Northwestern’s offensive line has surrendered just three sacks this season, which ranks tied with Ohio State for the best mark in the Big Ten and tied for 9th nationally. The Wildcats last allowed three or fewer sacks over the season’s first four games in 2015 (3). The Hoosiers defensive line will put this to the test on Saturday, as they currently rank 5th nationally in total sacks (17) and 8th in sacks per game (3.4).
302
While the Northwestern offense has struggled, the defense has held up its end of the bargain. Northwestern ranks 31st nationally in total yards per game allowed at 302 yards per game, just 4.81 yards per play.
“Northwestern, they're a tough challenge,” said Cignetti. “This will be the best defensive team we've played. Really extremely well-coached, in the right places. They know what they're doing. They make you earn your points. They're not going to lose the game. You'll have to win it.”