By Joe Ruklick –
Last of two parts
Northwestern University football success has been elevated by the success of running back Justin Jackson of Wheaton North High School and quarterback Clayton Thorsen of Glenbard North. They have been a part of the 13-year success of head coach Pat Fitzgerald
It’s an admirable record, yet a reminder arrived in June showing things can go wrong. Last Spring the National Football League’s L.A. Chargers, much to its ignominy, drafted Jackson near the very bottom of the league’s 700-player list of graduates waiting for the call. As usual, some fans think pro football disdains Northwestern’s legitimacy as a pro football farm club. The Chargers honored the old script.
The team picked Jackson 33rd in the seventh round. Then, following training camp, he proved his mettle. He earned a $2.5 Million contract sweetened by a hefty signing bonus.
“Jackson’s not pro-ball strong, yet he avoided tackles because of his remarkable intelligence and grace,” said Jim Bragiel, former Northwestern coach and varsity athlete. More sentimental fans believe Jackson, the Northwestern graduate, whose resume features strong academic and athletic firepower, is on his way to success as a professional.
At Northwestern, other sports consistently earn winning seasons. As a result, Northwestern’s leaders are confident that Fitzgerald, Thorson, and Jackson’s legacy will persuade talented young men and women to enroll.
Northwestern’s gleaming campus will continue attracting highly-able, prospective students, athletes, and future alumni who will compete in Northwestern’s superb lakeside sports facilities, giving their best shots on the finest conditioning fields, courses, and gyms in the U.S.. Weight rooms, exercise stations, and almost every kind of conditioning hardware is there for ambitious students.
Recently, the Big Ten Conference announced its West Division pre-season honorees, by citing Wildcat sophomore linebacker Paddy Fisher. Other second- and third-team all-conference honorees of last year who made this year’s West Division preseason list are Iowa tight end junior Noah Fant and Nebraska wide receiver senior Stanley Morgan Jr..
West Division selections included T.J. Edwards, senior linebacker, and Jonathan Taylor, sophomore running back, both of Wisconsin.
In the gym, Northwestern’s 2017-2018 basketball team endured up-and-down results. Unlike the prior year, last season’s Wildcats failed to make the NCAA tournament. Yet, promising Wildcat student-athletes say they’re inspired by Class of 2018 graduates Bryant McIntosh and Dererk Pardon. Neither made a West Division all-conference team, though both were honored with nods citing them for honorable mention. Northwestern forward Gavin Skelly picked up a special plaque, along with 13 other conference players, as winners of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
In contrast to Northwestern’s exemplary football performance, the basketball team lost its last seven games of the 2017-2018 season to finish 10th in the conference of 14 teams at 6-12. Still, confidence endures among coach Chris Collins’ players. As usual, they practice hard in this off-season, unalterably respectful of their coach’s dedication to hard work and discipline.
Yet, amid a lot of promising news and high hopes in Evanston, a traditional problem about Northwestern basketball persists.
Standing in line at a cashier’s counter last week, a Whole Foods customer cited Loyola University’s finish in the Final Four last season. He said, anonymously and rhetorically, “Look at Loyola. They can do it. Why can’t Northwestern?”
