Scouting the Northwestern Wildcats before the Big Ten Championship game

Time to scout Northwestern ahead of the Big Ten Championship game against Ohio State. Speed and defense are the hallmarks of the Wildcats.

Northwestern has speed all over, the power is a weakness…

The Northwestern offensive line is good, but there are times the pocket collapses, forcing Ramsey to panic and improvise. There is ample speed that has helped them escape some of the problems, but if Ohio State can contain Ramsey and control the line of scrimmage, Northwestern can struggle. The running game is similar: There is pretty good speed, but the overall power isn’t there in blocking schemes.

The defense has a similar issue, and it amplifies the overpursuit issues when there are backside blocks. Broken tackles are also an issue. More powerful running backs can get extra yards by breaking arm tackles. The Wildcats are a dangerous team, but Ohio State can wear it down with the right game plan.

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