As Jonathan Blough prepares to read his debate evidence, he constructs a podium using a chair, some textbooks and his laptop. You can’t speed-read when you have to stare downwards, he explains nonchalantly.

When the Weinberg freshman opens his mouth again, his speaking transforms. The pitch rises. Blough begins to rapidly spit out words, and the deluge of names, dates and statistics only stops long enough for Blough to take a gasping breath and then picks up again. Blough joined the Northwestern Debate Team this year, but he had plenty of practice in spitting out information throughout high school.

For Blough, racing through facts about Middle Eastern relations in a high pitch at full-throttle speed seems perfectly normal.

“When you only have nine minutes to make your case, you have to speak quickly,” Blough said. “People still understand you. If the judge doesn’t, he’ll yell ‘Clear!’”

He explains that in college debate, two pairs of students argue a resolution created for the year’s competition. The first pair introduces a proposal that, in their opinion, answers the resolution. Then the other pair refutes the proposal and the debate alternates.

The team is led by head coach Scott Deatherage, called “The Duck” by the team. He’s stepping down this year to become executive director of the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues but the team has had a lot of success under his direction.

A cluttered table in the Hardy House, home to the Debate Team, bears witness to Northwestern students’ talents at talking fast and smart. Trophies, plaques and cups compete with one another for space. Over the radiator, a plaque from the 2005 National Debate Tournament sits next to a cup from 1966.

“We’ve had a lot of success at Northwestern as a school,” said Kevin Hamrick, assistant director of Northwestern’s Debate Society who has worked with the team since 2004.

“We’ve won 13 national debate competitions. Second to that are Harvard and Dartmouth, who have each won six. Half of those national titles have been won in the past 15 years,” he said.

Northwestern’s reputation for excellence extends across the country.

“We are known as one of the teams to beat,” Hamrick said. “And we try to respond accordingly.”

Hamrick says the team succeeds because Northwestern students have an advantage over other students.

“The students at Northwestern are of a very high caliber, so when you put together a team of Northwestern students, they tend to debate more intelligently than other students,” Hamrick said. “There are not many outlets for clean competition where people can battle how smart or clever they can be,” Hamrick said.

Throughout the year, the Debate Team will travel to the University of Kentucky, Harvard and the University of Southerm California.*

“It’s a good skill to learn how to travel, to learn how to check into a hotel,” Hamrick said. “You see a chunk of the same people around, and you form close friendships and rivalries. It provides a check on our little world.”

*Correction - February 14, 2008: This article originally spelled the name of the University of Southern California incorrectly.