According to Northwestern coach David Braun, bowl season “means everything” to his program.
“It’s the most important one because it’s the one that’s right in front of us,” he said Thursday during the GameAbove Sports Bowl introductory press conference. “Ultimately, you know, we get so many limited opportunities in college football and football in general. … You think you’ve got all this time, and, it’s here today and gone tomorrow.”
Braun, who will lead the Wildcats (6-6, 4-5 B1G) against Central Michigan (7-5, 5-3 MAC) on Dec. 26 at Ford Field in Detroit, detailed those opportunities presented beyond just playing another game and “essentially getting a bonus spring ball.”
Sending the seniors out
First and foremost, it’s about ending the year on a high note, especially for the team’s veterans.
“It’s an opportunity to honor our seniors,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to compete our tails off to make sure we do everything in our power to send that group out the right way.”
Those seniors may have a chip on their shoulder after a season in which they lost three one-score games (Nebraska, Michigan and Illinois) and could be sitting as high as 9-3 if those results went the Wildcats’ way. That said, Northwestern won three games by a slim margin as well and could easily be 3-9.
More reps
With Northwestern finishing up their finals last week, there’s nothing for the Wildcats to do but practice, something Braun said his team loves.
“Like I told one of our coaches the other day coming off the practice field, there’s something really neat about going out and practicing with a group of guys that loves to practice and loves being with one another,” Braun said. “Next week we get to do nothing but worry about getting ready for a bowl game and the time together is life giving.”
Those extra practices are invaluable for the players who haven’t played many snaps for the Wildcats, with Braun listing off guys like Alijah Jones (DB), Jon Jon Stevens Jr. (DB) and Trey Boyd (OL) as guys getting better at football.
On the other end, Braun said even the seniors are growing in their role and skill.
“I can also look at guys like Evan Beerntsen (OL), Caleb Tiernan (OL), Michael Kilbane (DL), Najee Story (DL) and Carmine Bastone (DL);the guys who have played tons of football for us, we’re managing them in the first couple practices but now those reins are off,” said Braun. “Those guys are getting better too. It’s awesome.”
Changing landscape
Braun highlighted the changing landscape of college football and the different things coaches are dealing with, but came to the defense of college football bowl games.
“We have to do a really good job around college football of not diminishing what it means to play in a bowl game,” Braun said. “You know, like, we’ve got to protect that. And I don’t have answers but that’s something as a coaching community and a college football community that we’ve got to figure out. Because it matters. And when it starts to not matter, we’ve got to evaluate how we’re doing things.”
Braun’s comments came just days removed from Notre Dame (10-2) opting out of their bowl game after being left out of the College Football Playoffs. The Fighting Irish were invited to play in the fan-favorite Pop-Tarts Bowl.
You’ll see no such opt-out from the Wildcats.
“This is an incredible opportunity for our program and something we are really looking forward to,” said Braun. “The games are really important but it’s all the lead in for it too that brings so much value.”
