Quarterbacks:
Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill put together a solid season that would have gotten a lot more attention in the Big Ten than it did in the pass-happy Big 12. Tannehill's average of 284.6 passing yards per game would have led the Big Ten by a margin of more than 40 yards per game, but he finished just fifth in the Big 12. His 28 passing touchdowns would have been good for second in the Big Ten.?
However, Tannehill's accuracy leaves something to be desired as he completed just 61.1 percent of his passes and tossed 14 interceptions. Though more attempts will invariably lead to more interceptions, Tannehill was picked off on one out of every 35 passes whereas Northwestern's tandem of quarterbacks, Dan Persa and Kain Colter, combined to throw an interception one out of every 42 passes.
Persa and Colter also provide a ground game that is far superior to Tannehill's. NU's quarterbacking duo averaged 57 rushing yards per game, more than twice what Tannehill?compiled. Though Tannehill has thrown for considerably more yards (3,415 to 2,823) and more touchdowns (28 to 22), when Colter and Persa's running is thrown in, the Wildcats' signal-callers had the advantage in both total yards and touchdowns.
Advantage: Northwestern
Wide Receivers:
The receiving corps clearly marked NU's strongest unit this season. Senior wide receiver Jeremy Ebert topped the 1,000-yard mark while Colter emerged as a solid receiving option when he wasn't under center. Four different players caught three or more touchdown passes, and young talent like Christian Jones demonstrated that this group has the potential to remain elite for years to come.
Still, for all their success, the Wildcats cannot match the Aggies in terms of receiving prowess. Ryan Swope topped even Ebert's numbers, averaging 91.8 yards per game with 11 touchdown receptions. From Swope on down, Texas A&M's wide receivers outplayed NU's. The Aggies' No. 2 receiver, Jeff Fuller, easily topped Colter with 255 more receiving yards, as did the Aggies' No. 3 receiver, Uzoma Nwachukwu?who outpaced Demetrius Fields by 263 yards.
The Aggies also have more depth with nine players catching a touchdown pass this season to the Wildcats' six. Though NU's wide receivers played admirably, Texas A&M's competed on another level.
Advantage: Texas A&M
Running Backs:
Northwestern, which struggled to establish a rushing attack in the two seasons since Tyrell Sutton's departure, took a step forward in 2011. The Wildcats ranked fifth in the Big Ten with their average of 176 yards per game. It was NU's most productive season on the ground since 2005, when Sutton earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors after leading the Cats to an average of 193 rushing yards per game.
Mike Trumpy started the season as the Cats' top back, but the sophomore's season ended when he tore his ACL against Illinois. Offensive coordinator Mick McCall called on several backs to fill Trumpy's spot, mixing and matching senior Jacob Schmidt, sophomore Adonis Smith and freshman Treyvon Green. However, it was Colter who proved the Cats' most lethal weapon on the ground, tallying 589 yards and eight touchdowns on 118 carries. After Colter, Schmidt was NU's most reliable rusher, frequently getting the call on third-and-short situations.
Like NU, Texas A&M saw its leading rusher sidelined for the season with a torn ACL. Unlike the Cats, the Aggies had the luxury of an NFL prospect to fill the void. Through the first 10 games of the season, junior Christine Michael split carries with senior Cyrus Gray. The duo combined to form one of the more formidable rushing attacks in the Big 12; in the month of October, the Aggies led the conference with 256 rushing yards per game. But on Nov. 5, Michael tore his left ACL in a loss to Oklahoma. Two weeks later, Gray went down with a stress fracture in his shoulder. With Gray forced to miss Texas A&M's season finale against Texas, Ben Malena shouldered the load, rushing 25 times for 83 yards. Michael is out for the season, but Gray is expected to play against Northwestern.
Advantage: Texas A&M
Offensive Line
The Cats' offensive line was the second most experienced in the country, but it struggled to live up to its billing. While NU retained the same starting five throughout the season, a few rough halves hurt the Cats (most notably the second half against both Penn State and Michigan State). Overall, the Cats allowed 35 sacks, the second worst figure in the Big Ten.
On the other hand, Michael and Gray benefited from one of the nation's best offensive lines. Anchored by standout left tackle Luke Joeckel, the Aggies' front five surrendered just eight sacks over 12 games, the fewest in the country. The unit has undergone unthinkable adversity since the end of the season. On Dec. 21, offensive line coach Jim Turner left to take the same job at Texas Tech, followed by reserve lineman Joseph Villavisencio's death in a car accident one day later.
Advantage: Texas A&M
Defensive Ends:
The Northwestern defensive ends had a terrible 2011 campaign. The Wildcats expected All-Big Ten candidate Vince Browne to lead their four-man rotation, but other than his game-clinching sack against Boston College, the senior was virtually non-existent on the field. Sophomore Tyler Scott showed the most upside of the four, levying constant pressure on the quarterback through the first six games and accumulating seven tackles against Michigan. However, a shoulder injury kept him out of two games and limited his effectiveness towards the end of the season. Quentin Williams and Kevin Watt became NU's starting ends after the team's loss to Penn State on Oct. 22 and brought a renewed energy to the defensive line.
Texas A&M got good productivity from its ends in its 3-4 scheme. The two stalwarts of the line were Tony Jerod-Eddie and Spencer Nealy, who combined for 13.5 tackles for loss and five-and-a-half sacks. Jerod-Eddie led the unit with 48 tackles and six quarterback hits while Nealy was not far behind with 44 tackles. Ben Bass was ineffective as a substitute, compiling 23 tackles in 12 games, while the only other defensive end who saw the field was freshman Gavin Stransbury with 14 tackles.
Although the Aggies are only two deep at defensive end, their two ends have played much better than all four ends for the Wildcats combined.
Edge: Texas A&M
Defensive Tackles:
In the middle of the Aggies' 3-4 formation is 310-pound Eddie Brown Jr. The junior compiled just 27 tackles, but had four tackles-for-loss and three sacks. Although not as big, Kirby Ennis was equally effective in his limited playing time. The 286-pound sophomore had only 10 tackles, but had two tackles-for-loss and one-and-a-half sacks.
The Cats got good productivity from their defensive tackles this season despite injuries. Jack DiNardo had 32 tackles in 10 games played while Niko Mafuli had 15 tackles. While the seniors did not have many tackles, the duo accumulated nine tackles-for-loss and four sacks. NU's depth in the middle was lacking for most of the season, but sophomores Chance Carter and Will Hampton held their own in limited playing time. The biggest wild card is junior Brian Arnfelt who missed most of the season with a foot injury. Arnfelt will get the start against the Aggies after Mafuli broke his leg during practice in early December.
NU's defensive tackles were the team's most consistent defensive unit this season. Although Texas A&M got a lot of pressure with Brown Jr., the high pace of the Cats' offense should test the Aggies' depth in the middle.
Edge: Northwestern
Linebackers:
NU's linebackers suffered the most upheaval of any of the team's units this season. Only one linebacker that started the Cats' opener against the Eagles is still starting and he has since been shifted to the outside linebacker spot. Injuries hit this group hard as four linebackers have missed games due to injury this season. There is no real leader of this group although junior David Nwabuisi is the most experienced of the three starters. Damien Proby has settled into the middle linebacker position as a sophomore while Collin Ellis has played well for a freshman. The team's depth took a hit when freshman Chi Chi Ariguzo was lost for the season, but the Cats do have two seniors who can come in as substitutes in Bryce McNaul and Ben Johnson.
For the Aggies, their success lies in their linebackers. Four of Texas A&M's top-five tacklers are linebackers, led by Sean Porter and Damontre Moore. The pair of outside linebackers combined for 16 sacks and 136 tackles this season. On the interior, Jonathan Stewart is the team's leading tackler with 89, 16 more than Porter. He is joined on the inside by a rotation of Steven Jenkins, Charlie Thomas and Garrick Williams. Jenkins was the best of the group with 52 tackles and is the only one of the three with a sack this season.
The linebackers mark the Aggies' best unit and although the Cats' young crew of linebackers is coming into its own, Texas A&M's have been firing on all cylinders.
Edge: Texas A&M
Safeties:
Trent Hunter and Steven Terrell tied for Texas A&M's team high in takeaways with two interceptions each. Hunter put up some of the best stats for an Aggies defense that ranked second to last in the conference in scoring defense and total defense. The senior safety finished third on the Aggies with 73 tackles, including two-and-a-half tackles-for-loss and a sack. His eight pass breakups marked the second highest figure on the team. Despite sharing second-string strong safety duties, Howard Matthews proved an aggressive player in the backfield, recording three tackles-for-loss and two sacks among his 26 tackles on the year. Matthews also hurried the quarterback four times, more than double the total of any other player in Texas A&M's secondary.
NU's secondary received regular criticism in 2011, as a result of its 222.2 passing yards allowed per game, the second worst number in the Big Ten. The Cats were anchored by the play of senior safety Brian Peters. Peters led NU with four interceptions and also forced two fumbles while recovering another.
Redshirt freshman safety Ibraheim Campbell was burned frequently by opposing wide receivers early in the season, but adjusted well enough to be named to Yahoo! Sports' Freshman All-American first team. Campbell also demonstrated his skills as a run stopper, leading the Cats with 89 tackles.
Advantage: Northwestern
Cornerbacks:
NU suffered a major blow when it lost senior cornerback Jordan Mabin for the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas due to shoulder surgery. Mabin, a four-year starter, secured his half of the field while the Cats rotated through several options on the opposite side, hoping to find a worthy companion for Mabin.
Now, NU will have to rely on senior Jeravin Matthews, who was benched earlier this year before regaining his job, and redshirt freshman Daniel Jones, who got beat for two touchdowns against Michigan State while filling in for Mabin.
Though he only intercepted just one pass this season, Texas A&M cornerback Terrence Frederick played the same role of shutdown cornerback that Mabin did. Frederick broke up a team-high 12 passes this year and made 49 tackles.
The Aggies' cornerbacks?utilize an aggressive style and aren't afraid to cheat towards the line in order to stop a play in the backfield. Frederick recorded more tackles-for-loss than every NU player except David Nwabuisi and Jack DiNardo, while fellow cornerback Dustin Harris matched Frederick with two sacks.
Perhaps as a result of its risk-taking style, Texas A&M suffered similar vulnerability through the air as NU. The Aggies gave up the most passing yards of any team in the Big 12, surrendering more than 280 passing yards per game. Still, while both teams lack a strong track record of cornerback coverage, the Aggies at least will not be trotting out a redshirt freshman for his first start.
Advantage: Texas A&M
Kicking Game:
The Aggies are blessed to have one of the best kickers in the game in Randy Bullock. The senior made all but four of his 29 field-goal attempts in 2011, including a most impressive 10-of-12 clip from 40 to 49 yards out. He also hit a 52-yard field goal in 2011, and is 3-for-5 from 50 yards and beyond in his college career. So, there's no doubting his range. Bullock is generally reliable as well ? he has missed just two field goals from fewer than 30 yards out in his college career ? so Texas A&M will not hesitate to trot Bullock out in pressure situations. The Aggies also posted the second-best kickoff coverage numbers in the Big 12 this season.
On the other sideline, coach Pat Fitzgerald hasn't shown very much trust in kicker Jeff Budzien. The sophomore attempted just four field goals in the Wildcats' final six games of the season. On the bright side for NU, Budzien was highly reliable when it came to extra points, sending all 48 of his extra-point attempts through the uprights. Extra points have haunted past NU kickers in bowl games, so Budzien's reliability from close range is a plus. However, he made just two-of-five from 40 to 49 yards, so while he has the leg, he cannot necessarily be trusted from deep.
Advantage: Texas A&M
Punters:
After averaging fewer than 40 yards per punt in six of Northwestern's first eight games of the 2011 season, Brandon Williams ended his season in fine form, averaging 42 yards or more in each of the Wildcats' last four games of the regular season. His unusual rugby style generally limits what the return team can do with his punts, and friendly bounces have been known to lead to unbelievably long yardage for Williams. The sophomore produced a 77-yard punt in a win over Minnesota, followed by a 57-yarder against Michigan State the next week. Williams, while hardly steady, has the ability to change games with a few spectacular boots.
Meanwhile, Ryan?Epperson?produced his best season yet for the Aggies, averaging 40.9 yards per punt, a 3.3-yard improvement from 2010. Yet, Texas A&M still finished with the third-lowest net punting numbers in the Big 12, similar to Northwestern's low finish in the Big Ten. The Aggies also allowed 3.1 yards per return, while the Wildcats allowed just 1.4 yards per return.
A 57-yard punt return in the Wildcats' regular-season finale arguably sealed Northwestern's loss to Michigan State that day, but this is still an area where the Cats should have an edge.
Advantage: Northwestern
Return Team:
Dustin Harris, a defensive back and returner for Texas A&M, is plenty dangerous. He helped the Aggies finish second in the Big 12 with their 13.6 yards per punt return average. The Aggies were less prolific when it came to kickoff returns, averaging just 21.3 yards, while failing to bring one back to the house. Northwestern sophomore?Venric?Mark also failed to bring one back for a touchdown, but he came awfully close on several occasions, helping the Wildcats average 21.8 yards per kickoff return and 12.8 yards per punt return. With such similar numbers, and both teams clearly featuring dangerous weapons in the return game, I'm going to have to declare this category a tie.
Advantage: Even
Head Coach:
Whatever you thought of Pat Fitzgerald's decision to run wide receiver Zeke Markshausen to the right on a fake field goal try to cap off the 2010 Outback Bowl, there's no doubt that Fitzgerald is one of the most dynamic coaches in college football. He's highly experienced in bowl games, having led the Wildcats to four consecutive bowl games, and should be highly determined, given his 0-5 mark in bowl games as a player and a coach. In his sixth year with Northwestern, Fitzgerald provides unparalleled stability at the helm, particularly after signing a contract extension in May that will keep him in Evanston through the 2020 season. Compare that with the instability at Texas A&M. Defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter was named interim head coach in place of the recently departed Mike Sherman. The Aggies' matchup with the Cats will mark DeRuyter's first and last game at the helm of Texas A&M. After their bowl game, the Aggies will welcome Houston coach Kevin Sumlin to College Station, while DeRuyter will depart for Fresno State, where he will be the new head coach.
Advantage: Northwestern
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