Offensive Game Notes Junior wide receiver Jelani Roberts made his ...
OFFENSIVE STARTERS POS
No.
Name
Career Start
QB
#18
Clayton Thorson
28
RB
#21
Justin Jackson
33
SB
#9
Garrett Dickerson
15
WR
#6
Jelani Roberts
1
SB
#84
Cameron Green
2
WR
#88
Bennett Skowronek
2
LT
#65
Jared Thomas
3
LG
#72
Blake Hance
24
C
#69
Brad North
19
RG
#71
Tommy Doles
15
RT
#70
Rashawn Slater
2
DEFENSIVE STARTERS
POS
No.
Name
Career Start
DE
#97
Joe Gaziano
2
DT
#67
Tyler Lancaster
28
DT
#99
Jordan Thompson
13
DE
#91
Samdup Miller
2
WLB
#10
Brett Walsh
7
MLB
#42
Paddy Fisher
2
SLB
#32
Nate Hall
15
CB
#21
Kyle Queiro
14
S
#41
Jared McGee
4
S
#16
Godwin Igwebuike
31
CB
#24
Montre Hartage
15
Offensive Game Notes Junior wide receiver Jelani Roberts made his first career start for the Wildcats and recorded a careerlong 15yard rush on the first play of the game. Junior wide receiver Jalen Brown r ecorded his first reception as a Wildcat with a 13yard catch in the second quarter. Brown finished the afternoon with two catches for 31 yards. Senior running back Justin Jackson scored on a 5yard run in the second quarter to cut the Wildcats’ deficit to 2110. The touchdown was Jackson’s first of the season and 31st of his career. Jackson moved into a tie with Tyrell Sutton (200508) for 4th in program history with 31 career rushing touchdowns. He also moved into a tie with Kain Colter (201013) for 5th in program history for career total touchdowns with 32. Redshirt firstyear running back Jeremy Larkin carried the ball a seasonhigh six times for 18 yards. Redshirt firstyear Riley Lees caught a 20yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Matt Alviti in the fourth quarter, marking his secondconsecutive game with a score. Lees is the first Wildcat with a touchdown reception in backtoback games since Austin Carr versus Wisconsin and Purdue last season. Lees finished the afternoon with two receptions for a teamhigh 31 yards receiving. Senior quarterback Matt Alviti’s 20yard touchdown pass to Lees in the fourth quarter marked the first of his career. Alviti finished the game with career highs in completions (3), attempts (4) and pasing yards (49). Firstyear wide receiver Kyric McGowan caught a seasonhigh two passes for 29 yards. Redshirt firstyear running back Jesse Brown had a 13yard run on his first career carry in the fourth quarter.
Junior quarterback Clayton Thorson finished the game 11for29 for 120 yards passing with two interceptions. Thorson failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 14 games. Thorson moved past Steve Schnur (199396) into 8th on Northwestern’s career total offense list with 5,586 yards. Also moved past Dan Persa (460; 200811) into 8th on Northwestern’s career completions list with 469.
Defensive/Special Teams Game notes, Career Highs, and Team Game Notes on the second page. FOOTBALL GAME NOTES: NORTHWESTERN at Duke (Sept. 9, 2017 | Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium)
Defensive / Special Teams Game Notes Senior Kyle Queiro made his first career start at cornerback (14th overall) and j unior Jared McGee made his first start of the season at safety (4th overall). Queiro forced a fumble for the first time in his career with 1:35 remaining in the second quarter. Queiro finished the game with nine tackles, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Firstyear kicker Charlie Kuhbander made a seasonlong 40yard field goal to give the Wildcats a 30 lead with 9:28 remaining in the first quarter. The field goal was the second of his career. Junior cornerback Montre Hartage intercepted his first pass of the season and sixth of his career at the 8:07 mark of the first quarter. Hartage finished the game with a careerhigh 11 tackles, marking his firstcareer doubledigit tackling performance. Also recorded his first career tackle for loss and finished with a seasonhigh eight solo tackles. Firstyear defensive lineman Joe Spivak made his Northwestern debut in the second quarter. R edshirt firstyear defensive lineman Tommy Carnifax also made his Northwestern debut in the second quarter. Sophomore defensive back Trae Williams made his season debut and made his first tackle of the season on the first play of the second quarter. Redshirt firstyear linebacker Paddy Fisher recovered a fumble for the first time in his career with 1:35 remaining in the second quarter. Fisher recorded doubledigit tackles for the first time in his career. Fisher led the Wildcats with a seasonhigh 18 tackles; Most since Jaylen Prater versus Western Michigan in 2016. Fisher had a seasonhigh nine solo tackles and nine assisted tackles. Also posted the first tackle for loss of his career. Senior safety Godwin Igwebuike finished the game with a seasonhigh 14 tackles (six solo), 0.5 tackles for loss a forced fumble and a pass breakup. First doubledigit tackling performance by Igwebuike since Nov. 5, 2016 versus Wisconsin Sophomore defensive end Joe Gaziano recorded his first sack and forced fumble of the season in the third quarter. Gaziano now has 5.5 sacks in his career. The forced fumble was the first of his career. Senior punter Hunter Niswander has recorded three punts of 50plus yards in a game for the first time in his career. Niswander finished the afternoon with a 49.7yardperpunt average and one punt inside the 20. Sophomore defensive end Alex Miller matched his career high with three tackles. Senior linebacker Warren Long set a new careerhigh with three tackles. Firstyear linebacker Blake Gallagher made a seasonhigh five tackles. Senior defensive lineman Tyler Lancaster pressured the quarterback twice, setting a new career high. Lancaster also finished with a seasonhigh five tackles. Redshirt firstyear defensive lineman Mark Gooden recorded the first three tackles of his career Saturday versus Duke. Career Highs ● LB Paddy Fisher: Tackles (18), solo tackles (9), assisted tackles (9), tackles for loss (0.5), fumble recovery (1) ● DB Kyle Queiro: Fumble Recovery (1) ● CB Montre Hartage: Tackles (11), TFL (1) ● DL Mark Gooden: Tackles (3), solo tackles (1), assisted tackles (2) ● LB Warren Long: Tackles (3), solo tackles (3) ● DL Ben Oxley: Tackles (2), solo tackles (1), assisted tackles (1) ● DE Earnest Brown IV: Tackles (1), assisted tackles (1) ● DL Tyler Lancaster: Quarterback Hurries (2) ● DE Joe Gaziano: Forced Fumble (1) ● QB Matt Alviti: Completions (3), Attempts (4), Passing Yards (49), Passing Touchdowns (1) ● RB Jeremy Larkin: Rushing Attempts (6), Rushing Yards (18), Long Run (8) ● WR Jalen Brown: Receptions (2), Receiving Yards (25), Long Reception (13) ● WR Riley Lees: Long Reception (20) ● WR Kyric McGowan: Receptions (2), Receiving Yards (29), Long Reception (15) ● P Hunter Niswander: 50+ Yard Punts (3) ● RB John Moten IV: Kick Returns (5), Kick Return Yards (83), Long Kick Return (27) ● WR Jelani Roberts: Long Run (15) ● RB Jesse Brown: Rushing Attempts (1), Rushing Yards (13), Long Run (13) Team Notes ● Representing the Wildcats pregame for the coin toss were captains Justin Jackson, Clayton Thorson, Godwin Igwebuike and Tyler Lancaster. ● Northwestern selected tails and lost the toss. Duke deferred its decision to the second half. Northwestern chose to receive and defend the south goal.
FOOTBALL GAME NOTES: NORTHWESTERN at Duke (Sept. 9, 2017 | Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium)
