Other football teams need walk-ons to help during practice and to fill out the roster, but they rarely make an impact in games. At Northwestern, however, walk-ons are often seen making big plays on the field. Just this year, the ‘Cats have gotten production every week from walk-ons like senior Markshausen and sophomore running back Jacob Schmidt. What is it that makes Northwestern’s walk-ons so successful?

Head coach Pat Fitzgerald points to the past success of the walk-on program as a reason for the quality of new walk-ons.

“There is a history of success. The best example is Barry Gardner. He walked on here, became first-team All-Big Ten, and then played in the NFL for nine years. Guys see this is a walk-on program where they can have success,” he said.

Gardner had a spectacular career for the ‘Cats as a linebacker after joining the team as a walk-on offensive lineman. In the mid-1990s, Gardner and Fitzgerald headed a linebacking corps that led the team to the Rose Bowl. Gardner led the country in tackles his senior season and finished with the second highest total in team history on his way to getting drafted in the second round of the NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. His career certainly looks good to hopeful walk-ons.

Fitzgerald deserves some of the credit as well for the way he treats walk-ons. While other coaches might not give their walk-ons a chance, Fitzgerald has a different approach.

“He doesn’t discriminate based on whether you’re a scholarship player or a walk-on. He gives everyone the same opportunity,” Markshausen said.

Markshausen is a perfect example of how patience can pay off. Before this season, he had only one reception for six yards, but he made the most of his opportunity after Northwestern’s top three receivers departed after last season.

Doug Bartels, an sophomore offensive lineman, established himself as a key member of the team last season as a redshirt freshman. After walking on in 2007, Bartels enjoyed a successful 2008 season in which he started all eight Big Ten games and the Alamo Bowl at right guard. Now, he’s slated to be a four-year starter for the ‘Cats.

Schmidt and sophomore cornerback Ricky Weina are also getting started early. Weina broke out against Indiana with a pivotal punt block in the 3rd quarter and has collected seven tackles in his past two games, including five solo tackles last week against Penn State. Schmidt has the second most carries among Northwestern’s running backs and has also been a factor in the passing game. Schmidt says the atmosphere on the team is conducive to walk-ons because they are treated as part of the team after trying out.

“I think the biggest part is that we’re a part of the family,” he said. “Other schools might bring in 100 players, but we’re pretty selective. We bring in five or six guys a year. [Walk-ons] all have to be able to play.”

Markshausen graduates next year, but with young players like Bartels, Schmidt, and Weina, the walk-on program should continue its history of success.

Who wouldn’t want to play in the NFL? Upsets occur weekly while two undefeated teams currently lead the league and plenty others have high aspirations within reach. Franchises have balanced (somewhat). Owners and fans alike believe the hype and embrace the expectations. The current season has been a dramatic one, to say the least.

For fans and ‘Cats alike, it’s too bad it may be one of few left.

The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement is expected to end in 2010 if owners and the NFL Player’s Association (NFLPA) do not compromise. Owners expect an adjusted salary cap for the league, which includes a rookie salary cap. The NFLPA wants fair and equal representation for their players, draftees or not.

The constant strife, however, calls into question the league’s future. Commissioner Roger Goodell said that the league will not renew the current collective bargaining agreement by its May 21st deadline citing:

“Our objective is to fix these problems in a new CBA [collective bargaining agreement], one that will provide adequate incentives to grow the game, ensure the unparalleled competitive balance that has sustained our fans’ interest, and afford the players fair and increasing compensation and benefits.”

As a result, the NFL could face a cap-less 2010 and a lockout in 2011.

With the future unclear, college football players are forced to reconsider their options. Some who feel their NFL future is in doubt will likely remain in school and pursue an education; conversely, touted prospects, pressured by their peers, will come out early as juniors to grab the purse while it’s still full. Some will request exorbitant amounts of money for unproven professional ability and follow the Michael Crabtree cult.

“If the young man can go and be a potentially top 32 pick, then he needs to go,” Northwestern football head coach Pat Fitzgerald said, “That’s once-in-a-lifetime money.”

But a cap-less 2010 could prove unfavorable for those with wishful thinking. With the rebounding economy, owners would feel weary going for someone unproven for too much money, especially if they show questionable character. Instead, one could acquire a veteran for worth, despite expense. The same logic applies to late-round draft picks because owners would prefer only to pay for a sure thing, which is unfortunate for Northwestern players, who are usually picked in a late round or not drafted at all. With these changes, players like Tyrell Sutton may not get a chance to make a roster.

“A lot of agents and runners are going to tell them to come out now to make some money,” Fitzgerald said, “It’s on a case-by-case basis.”

Hope is a relative term when it comes to a prospect’s future. For some, money is the only incentive. For others, it is all about the dream. With the NFL’s future held by a thread, staying in school may be the only option. Lucky for Northwestern football players, they always have one of the best degrees in the country to fall back on. Recent graduate Eric Peterman tried out for the Chicago Bears with the knowledge that he could fall back on a job with American Airlines.

“Anything could happen in football,” senior wide receiver Zeke Markshausen said. “I could get hurt tomorrow, but my education would still be there.”

Ohio State 45, New Mexico State 0

For the second week in a row, it was just too easy for Ohio State. There’s not really much to say past that. The Buckeyes held the Aggies to a hilarious 62 total yards, while combining for 559 of their own. Nobody really stood out for Ohio State, but three different throwers combined for 249 yards and two touchdowns through the air, and ten different runners combined for 310 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Ohio State probably loved having this gimmick because after a bye week, it has to take on Iowa, Penn State and Michigan to end the season. With a win against Iowa, the Buckeyes could head to another Rose Bowl.

Wisconsin 37, Purdue 0

You never know what to expect from Purdue. They’ll lose a bunch in a row, then upset Ohio State and look solid again only to be dismantled by Wisconsin. The Badgers continued to ride sophomore halfback John Clay as far as he’ll go. Clay ran for 123 yards and three touchdowns, while junior Lance Kendricks ran for 91 more. The passing game was not very effective, throwing for only 115 yards and an interception, but the defense and running game was enough for the win. Purdue was held to only 141 total yards as senior quarterback Joey Elliott completed only five of his 23 passing attempts. Wisconsin, who has only lost to highly ranked Ohio State and Iowa, could easily run the table and finish the season an impressive 10-2. With Northwestern as arguably its toughest opponent yet, the Badgers could sneak into a top bowl.

Iowa 42, Indiana 24

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: there’s something magical about this Iowa team. Down 21-7 at halftime and 24-14 after the third quarter, the Hawkeyes scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to overcome Indiana’s upset bid. Despite throwing for a career high of five interceptions, junior quarterback Ricky Stanzi looked like a Heisman candidate in the fourth quarter and finished with 337 yards and two touchdowns on the day. Iowa won with its foolproof formula of running and defense, though. Freshman halfback Brandon Wegher filled in nicely for Adam Robinson, rushing for 118 yards and three touchdowns while the defense intercepted Indiana’s junior quarterback Ben Chappell three times, including one that was returned for a touchdown. Chappell put in a decent effort, throwing for 227 yards and three touchdowns, but fell apart in the fourth quarter. Iowa’s bid for an undefeated season will have another test next week when it hosts the ‘Cats, and hopefully the team will be looking forward to its matchup against Ohio State the following week.

Illinois 38, Michigan 13

What’s going on in Ann Arbor? The Wolverines started the season an impressive 4-0, but have only won one game since. The Fighting Illini finally showed some potential this week, combining for 500 total yards behind the 377 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, each by a different runner. Two Illinois runners beat the 100-yard mark, while senior quarterback Juice Williams fell just short at 97. Michigan did show some burst offensively, as freshman quarterback Tate Forcier threw for 257 yards and senior halfback Carlos Brown ran for 94 yards and a touchdown but it was just too little against such a powerful Illinois offensive performance. Illinois’ season is all but over, but Michigan can still bounce back. It has three games left, including one that is very winnable against Purdue. Then again, if they lost to Illinois, who knows?

Minnesota 42, Michigan State 34

The Minnesota offense has gone through one player this season and one player only: Eric Decker. With Decker out with an ankle injury, the Minnesota offense was all but lost, right? Wrong. Junior quarterback Adam Weber had a career day, throwing for 416 yards and five touchdowns. Maybe balance was something that Minnesota needed, after all. Michigan State’s offense was impressive as well, but was just not enough to overcome the Golden Gophers’ aerial assault. Sophomore quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns, but there was not enough consistency on the ground. Aside from a 84-yard run for a touchdown by sophomore Keshawn Martin, the Spartans only gained 40 yards on the ground. Both teams have Purdue, a cupcake and a tough opponent left on their schedule, making for a whole bunch of 7-5 or 6-6 teams.

It’s almost too easy to predict what’s going to happen in a Northwestern football game. The ‘Cats will play one half of tremendous football that makes you step back and think, “Hey, that’s a good team.” Then there’ll be a crucial injury and everything will unravel.

That’s what happened Saturday evening when Northwestern hosted Penn State on parents’ weekend. After leading 13-10 at halftime, the ‘Cats fell apart as the Nittany Lions exploded for a huge second half en route to a 34-13 victory.

Northwestern played without star senior quarterback Mike Kafka the entire second half and sophomore Dan Persa was unable to move the ball effectively down the field. Penn State took advantage of great field position and put up 24 points in the second half.

Head coach Pat Fitzgerald attributes the second half collapse to a shift in attitude and composure, rather than on having Persa in at quarterback.

“It’s about big plays and execution and playing physical and doing it for 60 minutes, and as a coaching staff we’re not getting guys to do that consistently enough, and that’s on us,” Fitzgerald said. “We lost our attitude, and when you lose your attitude, you lose your stinger and you lose your physicality.”

The difference between the first and second half, though, was tremendous. Kafka completed more than 77 percent of his passes for 128 yards, adding 46 yards and a touchdown with his legs. He moved the ball down the field with grace, hitting open receivers routinely and taking off with his feet when there was nothing available.

Persa, on the other hand, was questionable. He completed barely more than 60 percent of his passes for 115 yards, although he did add 42 yards on the ground. While Northwestern converted 15 first downs in the first half, the Persa-led offense could only produce nine first downs in the second half, including two three and out drives.

Although Fitzgerald didn’t blame Persa, the young quarterback put the weight of the game on his shoulders.

“I didn’t play hard enough to get the win, and that’s what matters,” Persa said. “Penn State is a top team and it’s good experience, but it still doesn’t excuse how I played. I didn’t get it done.”

There were some bright spots for the ‘Cats, though. The team showed that it could compete with one of the best teams in the nation, and actually looked like the better team after the first half. Senior wide receiver Zeke Markshausen continued his impressive year, with nine receptions for 60 yards while fellow senior wide receiver Andrew Brewer added 65 yards on six catches of his own.

Defensively, the ‘Cats were fairly dominant in the first half, showing impressive composure in the red zone. After the break, Penn State had little to no trouble moving the ball. Senior quarterback Daryll Clark had only 99 yards passing in the first half, and the Nittany Lions combined for only 37 yards on the ground in the half as well. The second half was clearly a different story, as Clark ended the game with 274 yards passing and Penn State exploded for 163 yards rushing, with three touchdowns on the ground to boot.

The ‘Cats played without star senior cornerback Sherrick McManis, who was sidelined with a leg injury. Sophomore walk-on Ricky Weina played in his place, recording five tackles and a pass break-up after an impressive performance last week against Indiana.

“[Weina] made a couple plays and was in the right places at the right time,” senior safety Brad Phillips said. “I didn’t expect any less because of what he did in practice this week.”

Phillips said that he felt like a “broken record” because of how many collapses Northwestern has had this season.

“We just didn’t do our job in the fourth quarter. Penn State took advantage of us when we didn’t make plays. Teams have been taking advantage of us when we haven’t been doing our jobs appropriately.”

Read our liveblog of Saturday’s game below.

Beginning next season, Big Ten teams will play six games between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, a Big Ten 26-hour marathon of bowl games. Overall, the conference has seven automatic tie-ins, a number head coach Pat Fitzgerald called “unbelievable.” This means seven Big Ten teams are guaranteed a bowl if they can make it to the minimum six wins.

The conference has extended its contract with the Capital One, Outback and Insight bowls, while adding new agreements with the Gator Bowl, the Texas Bowl and Dallas Football Classic. All those agreements, along with a continuing contract with the Rose Bowl, will expire in four years.

With these seven bowl games, the Big Ten will play one game in Arizona (the Insight Bowl), one in California (the Rose Bowl), two in Texas (the Texas Bowl and the Dallas Football Classic) and three in Florida (the Capital One, Outback and Gator bowls).

“With the number of Big Ten alumni in these states, this bowl lineup is a natural fit and should provide some compelling matchups on the field,” Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany said in a press release.

With these locations, the conference has made a clear push to play in recruiting hotspots. Of the Rivals.com top 100 recruits for the Class of 2010, 17 come from Florida, 16 from California, and 12 from Texas. Though those states already have plenty of in-state competition for recruits, the Big Ten appears to be at least trying to get its name out.

The ‘Cats have already received commitments for the Class of 2010 from one player from Texas and three Floridians. In 2009, the ‘Cats drew two Californians, one Texan, and one Floridian. Four Texans joined Northwestern from the Class of 2008. Since many young players in these states do not grow up watching Northwestern or Big Ten football, these bowl games provide exposure and create a more national fan base.

Fitzgerald said he was aware of the benefit of playing in these states where the ‘Cats have had recruiting success, especially in the Lone Star State.

“Two [bowl games] in Texas, an area that’s been good for us in recruiting, is a huge advantage,” Fitzgerald said.

Ohio State 38, Minnesota 7

Any questions about sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor’s talent should be put to rest after his performance to lead Ohio State to a much needed victory over Minnesota. Pryor threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns, and galloped for 104 more yards and another touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver DeVier Posey was his primary target, exploding for 161 yards and both touchdowns. Defensively, the team was just as dominant. Junior quarterback Adam Weber was all but ineffective, throwing for only 112 yards and tossing up two interceptions. Without senior star wide receiver Eric Decker, who left with an injury after 27 receiving yards, the offense lacked star power. Freshman quarterback MarQueis Gray was the lone bright spot, throwing for 51 yards and a touchdown on only six throws, and adding 81 yards with his feet. After a strong start, it looks like Minnesota will have to fight for a bowl berth. With Illinois and South Dakota State on the schedule, the Golden Gophers should become eligible and possibly competitors for whatever bowl Northwestern hopes to get.

Purdue 24, Illinois 14

Illinois may have the most talented receiver in the Big Ten. It also has zero conference wins on the season. The perennial Big Ten disappointment notched another loss, led by a trio of ineffective quarterbacks. They combined for 142 yards and an interception, with no touchdowns. Luckily, they had a running game to bail them out. Sophomore Mikel LeShoure gives Fighting Illini reason to hope, rushing for 122 yards on 15 carries. Otherwise, there was nothing to look forward to. The Boilermakers combined for 220 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, led by sophomore Ralph Bolden’s 78. Purdue will have to win three of its last four games to become bowl eligible, which makes its collapse against Northwestern that much more important. Illinois should just think about next season at this point.

Penn State 35, Michigan 10

Penn State continues to roll after its devastating loss to Iowa, this time claiming Michigan as a victim. Senior quarterback Daryll Clark threw for 230 yards and four touchdowns, and the running game combined for 166 yards on the ground. The defense, though, was the most impressive. It held Michigan’s two exciting freshman quarterbacks to a completion percentage under 40 percent, combining for 140 yards and two interceptions. It also did not allow any Michigan running back to gain more than 50 yards in the game, giving the Wolverines no offense to work with. Penn State, which travels to Evanston next weekend, looks primed for a run for a BCS bowl. Michigan, on the other hand, has dropped three out of its last four after starting out with four straight wins. Now, with a record that rivals that of Northwestern, it is fighting for a bowl.

Iowa 15, Michigan State 13

There’s just something about Iowa this year. Junior quarterback Ricky Stanzi hit sophomore wide receiver Marvin McNutt with a 7-yard pass as time expired to end Michigan State’s upset bid. It was the story of defenses, though. Although there were no turnovers forced in the game, neither team was able to pound it into the end zone more than once. It was a battle of Big Ten football, with running attacks and defenses dominating. It might not be as sexy as the huge scores other leagues put up, but it was a very sound football game. Now, with Iowa undefeated heading into the final stretch, it has a legitimate shot at the BCS National Championship game. Michigan State, which is sitting at .500, is still in good shape to make a run at the Outback or Alamo bowls if it can carry over its momentum.

So why doesn’t the national media give Northwestern any respect? College football Web sites such as Rivals.com and ESPN often overlook the ‘Cats, brushing them off as jokes or easy victories when Northwestern has actually had a much more impressive decade than many other Big Ten schools.

Teddy Greenstein, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune who covers Northwestern football, said that he attributes the negative attitude to minimal coverage of the ‘Cats and Northwestern’s failure to do anything to stand out after such a horrid history.

“When you’ve been pretty good for a dozen years, it’s hard to knock out those previous 25,” Greenstein said. “When Northwestern is fourth or fifth in the Big Ten, it’s impressive but it’s not going to be something that gets the attention of the national media.”

Greenstein said that losing the Valero Alamo Bowl last year against Missouri was a lost opportunity for attention and exposure. For Northwestern to impress writers and analysts from ESPN and Sports Illustrated, the ‘Cats need to have high impact victories.

“That was a game where Northwestern had the spotlight all to itself,” Greenstein said. “It was a Monday night game with no Monday night football that night.”

However, the ‘Cats will undoubtably have more chances to win big games down the road. With potentially one of the best recruiting class in Northwestern history coming in next season to build on recent recruiting successes, the future is bright. There are a few potential difference-makers in the recruiting class of 2010, and freshman halfback Arby Fields has shown signs of brilliance, leading the Northwestern running backs in yards and touchdowns this season.

Greenstein does not think that the ‘Cats’ reputation will be changed by one electric player, though.

“Arby has had five or six moments where you go, ‘Huh. Impressive – man that’s pretty good,’” Greenstein said. “But I don’t think Northwestern is that kind of team where it’s going to be one dazzling guy. It’s going to be that one collective quality team effort.”

With head coach Pat Fitzgerald under contract until 2015, Greenstein said that Northwestern has the potential to build a nationally recognizable program behind him.

“I can’t think of a coach in the country who is a better fit for his school than Pat Fitzgerald,” Greenstein said. “He’s young, he’s energetic and he seemingly loves everything about Northwestern.”

Though it seemed headed towards a blowout loss for most of the first half, Saturday’s homecoming game concluded as arguably the greatest win of the season for the Northwestern Wildcats. On Saturday, the Cardiac ‘Cats pulled off a school-record 25 point comeback to defeat Indiana 29-28.

After trailing from 20 seconds into the first quarter, Northwestern took its first lead of the game with 21 seconds remaining in the game when Stefan Demos hit a 19-yard field goal.

With the little remaining time Indiana attempted to get itself back in field goal range, but a 59 yard field goal try by Nick Freeland fell well short, giving the ‘Cats their fifth win of the season.

The late game heroics of Demos were necessitated because of dismal first half by Northwestern that saw the ‘Cats fall behind 28-3.

“It wasn’t a Picasso, but it’s a win,” said head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

The ‘Cats got off to a terrible start. On the first play from scrimmage, Darius Willis broke to the right sideline for a 70-yard touchdown run, very quickly putting Northwestern in a hole.

Indiana extended that lead to 21 by early in the second quarter on touchdown runs by Ben Chappell and Willis.

“I thought we came in prepared, but we sure didn’t execute very well,” said Fitzgerald. “We were just a little out of sync.”

Finally, getting the ‘Cats on the board, Demos knocked in a 28-yard field goal. The relief of breaking the shutout was short-lived, however, as on the ensuing kickoff, Ray Fisher broke free for a 93-yard return for a touchdown.

Brought to the brink of a blowout, Northwestern responded with 26 straight points over the remaining two and half quarters to steal what seemed like a sure win for the Hoosiers.

“After the long touchdown return,” Fitzgerald said, “we started to play as good of football as we’ve played as a team maybe all year.”

After only completing two of eight passes for 14 yards and rushing once for eight yards in the first quarter, Mike Kafka found success with both his arm and his feet, scoring once on the ground and twice through the air.

By halftime, the ‘Cats had cut the deficit to 11 on a run by Kafka and a brilliant eight yard touch pass that found Zeke Markshausen in the back right corner of the end zone with seven seconds left.

During halftime, Corey Wootton, who got his first sack of the season, gave what Scott Concannon described as a “very emotional” speech. That speech certainly seemed to have an effect on the defense, which held Indiana scoreless for the final 37:46 of the game.

That effect was immediately felt in the third quarter when, after the defense forced a punt from the Indiana 23, Ricky Weina, playing for an injured Sherrick McManis, blocked the punt. Though the ‘Cats were unable to recover the fumble, they did tackle Terrance Thomas in the end zone for a safety.

Indiana threatened to rebuild its shrinking lead, getting down to the Northwestern one yard line. However, a tremendous goal line effort forced a turnover on downs when Ben Johnson brought down Mitchell Evans at the two.

In the fourth quarter, the ‘Cats pulled within a field goal on a 51-yard strike from Kafka to Andrew Brewer.

Thanks to the renewed defensive effort of the ‘Cats, Indiana was forced to punt and stopped on another fourth down try, allowing Demos to nail his second game-winning field goal of the year.

Despite the slow start for Kafka, he finished with 377 total yards, including 312 passing, with three touchdowns. Kafka was however picked off three times, all in the second half.

Fitzgerald said that not all of the blame for those interceptions should fall on Kafka, as one interception was caused by “a breakdown in execution between [Kafka] and a receiver,” he said. “Mike gets the interception, but it wasn’t all Mike’s fault.”

Kafka showed continued rapport with Brewer and Markshausen, completing eight passes to each player for 135 and 94 yards, respectively.

Northwestern may have found its new feature back in Concannon, who averaged 4.6 yards per carry for 74 yards.

Concannon showed great agility and was able to evade defenders with quick direction changes, prompting Markshausen to nickname him “Cut-cannon.”

Soccer:
Two 45-minute halves
11-on-11

The objective for a soccer team is to move the ball down the field by passing or dribbling and then shooting the ball into a goal that is eight feet tall by eight yards wide. Each team has one designated goalkeeper who (shockingly) guards his or her team’s goal from the opposing team’s shots. The goalkeeper is the only player on the field who can touch the ball with his or her hands, but can only do so in the marked penalty area.

Balls that go out of play along the sideline result in throw-ins for the team who did not last touch the ball before it went out-of-bounds. When a ball last touched by an attacking team leaves the field over the end line, the other team gets a goal kick. The ball is placed inside the area around the goal and a player, generally the goalkeeper, will kick the ball back into play. If the ball goes over the end line and was last touched by a defending team, the attacking team receives a corner kick. The ball is positioned within one-yard of the corner flag and a player will generally attempt to cross the ball to the center of the penalty area for a teammate to score.

If the score is tied at the completion of the second half, the teams play up to two 10-minute golden goal overtime periods. In those periods, if either side scores, that team instantly wins the game. If neither team scores in the two overtime periods, the game ends in a tie.

There are many different fouls in soccer that earn a free kick for the team of the fouled player. Offsides is called when a player on an attacking team positions him or herself behind all members of the defending team, excluding the goalkeeper, and the ball is kicked towards the player. However, when a player is on his or her side of the field, this rule does not apply.

Other common infractions include a handball, in which a player other than the goalkeeper — or the goalkeeper when outside of the penalty area — touches the ball with his or her hand or arm. Players also cannot push or in any other way use their hands to gain an advantage over another player. In slide tackling, in which a player slides with one foot extended in an attempt to knock the ball away from an opposing player, the slide tackle can legally make direct contact with the opposing player only if the slide tackler touches the ball first.

Why you should care:

The Northwestern men’s soccer team is one of the top programs in the country. Entering this week, the ‘Cats were ranked 17th in the nation, though that ranking will likely fall slightly after an overtime loss to Wisconsin. Still, men’s soccer is a chance to see Northwestern compete for a national title. Last year, Northwestern was ranked as high as second in the nation before falling in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.

Despite the U.S. traditionally branding soccer as boring or slow, few sports can rival the intensity and drama of a tied soccer game in the 90th minute, where one small mistake can make the difference between a win and a loss. Plus, with golden goal overtime, the game can end at any moment.

If the potential drama of soccer isn’t enough, a soccer game provides the rare opportunity to sing in public without people yelling at you. In fact, it’s encouraged!

Volleyball:
Best of five sets
6-on-6

In volleyball, teams play a series of games, known as sets, with the winning team winning three of the five sets. The first four games are played to 25 points, while the final game, if necessary, is played to 15 points.

There are several different ways to earn a point in volleyball. The most commonly known way is to have the ball land in the opponents’ side of the court. Another way to win a point is by making the other team hit the ball out. Each side has three hits on the ball to get it back over the net, but no player can touch the ball two consecutive times. If after three touches the ball has not gone back over the net, the opposing team earns a point.

Each point begins with a serve. The team that won the previous point serves the ball by hitting it overhand from behind the serving line at the back of the court. The serve must go over the net, but can make contact with the net, provided that it still reaches the other side of the net without a touch by a teammate.

In general, teams will use all three of their allowed hits in a pass, set, hit pattern. Defensively, the opposing team’s hitters will often jump into the air at the time of a hit, and attempt to block the ball immediately back over the net.

Several different infractions result in the forfeiture of a point in volleyball. If a player at anytime during the point touches the net, she has “netted” and the opposing team wins the point. A common penalty on setters is a “lift,” when a setter has made prolonged contact with the ball, and is therefore not hitting it, but carrying it.

With six players on each team on the court, players orient themselves with three in the front and three in the back. The two players on the outside in the front row are the outside hitters, while the front middle is the setter. Immediately behind the setter is a middle hitter, who despite playing in the back row, will often receive sets from the setter.

In addition to these specializations, teams have a libero, who is the defensive specialist on the team. The libero is generally one of the best passers on the team and excels at receiving serves or hits from the other team.

Volleyball operates on rally scoring, where either side can earn a point at anytime, regardless of who served the ball initially.

Why you should care:

You know the noise of a packed gym for a big basketball game? Actually, you go to Northwestern, so maybe not. But at some point in your life, you’ve probably to a basketball game that filled the arena with energy. That same energy and noise can occur at a volleyball game. For fans looking for another reason to make a lot of noise, if you get caught up in volleyball — and if you actually start to follow volleyball, you will get caught up in it — it can provide the same thrill and environment as basketball.

Additionally, with rally scoring, there’s never a dull moment in a volleyball match. At anytime, either team can score no matter who served, so both sides are always on the offensive. In a tight set, as both sides near 25 points, one solid defensive play to get a point and get the serve back can decide a game.

The Wildcats’ women’s volleyball team is a young group right now that will only become stronger in the future. The ‘Cats currently have only two seniors, with a lot of talent in the junior and sophomore classes. Having already topped last year’s eight-win season with an 11-9 record currently, the women’s volleyball program has already begun a climb. Now is your chance to be one of the first on the bandwagon.

Football:
Four 15-minute quarters
11 players on both offense and defense

The objective of football is for the offense to move the ball towards the other teams end zone by means of handing the ball to a running back or having the quarterback throw the ball to a wide receiver. The offense has four downs to move the ball 10 yards or the other team gets the ball. On 4th down, teams will often punt the ball if they are on their side of the field or kick a field goal if they are close to the other teams end zone.

On a field goal attempt, the ball is snapped to a holder, who holds the ball with one end on the ground as the kicker attempts to kick the ball between the goal posts at the back of the end zone. Teams rarely attempt field goals longer than 50 yards because of the length, however the NCAA record for longest field goal made is an astonishing 67 yards. 6 points are awarded for a touchdown and 3 points for a field goal. After a touchdown, the offense gets the ball at the 2-yard line and can either kick an extra point, worth 1 point, or attempt a 2-point conversion.

A coin flip at the beginning of each game determines who receives the kick off at the beginning of each half. If the two teams are tied at the end of 60 minutes, the game goes to overtime. Each team gets one possession from the opponent’s 25-yard line in overtime. If still tied, the game goes into additional overtimes until a winner prevails. Traditionally, the away team wears white jerseys and the home team wears jerseys in their team colors.

Why you should care:

Last year, the Wildcats won nine games, which earned them a place in the Alamo Bowl against Missouri. If Northwestern wins six games, they are eligible for a bowl game so root on the Wildcats this season as they strive for another chance at a bowl victory.

Another reason? Excitement. One of the most exciting games in Northwestern history occurred in 2000 when Northwestern beat the University of Michigan 54-51 in a shootout at Ryan Field. The teams traded touchdowns throughout the game and with only 55 seconds left Michigan had the ball up 51-46. Only needing a first down to win the game, the Michigan running back fumbled the ball and Northwestern scored the go-ahead touchdown to take to take the lead 52-51. The Wildcats then converted the 2-point conversion to go up 54-51 and they beat the 12th ranked Wolverines.

Field Hockey:

2 35-minute halves
11 attackers and defenders

Field Hockey is played on a field 100 yards long and the goal is for the attacking team to move the ball by the use of a stick, which is curved at the bottom.

Players may only touch the ball with the stick and can either dribble it, push it forward or pass it to a teammate. A goal is scored when the ball goes into the goal and is either shot by an attacker standing inside the shooting circle or is deflected off a defender’s stick inside the circle.

Unlike in ice hockey, field hockey players cannot use both sides of the stick, and have to twist their sticks to change the direction of the ball or to make a move.

Common fouls include obstruction, when a defender intentionally blocks the attacker from reaching the ball, and dangerous play. Fouls can result in free hits, penalty corners or penalty strokes. On a penalty stroke, an offensive player stands seven yards from the goaltender and shoots the ball.

Field Hockey has been an Olympic sport for over one hundred years. The Netherlands won the 2008 gold medal defeating the host country China 2-0.

Why you should care:

The Northwestern women’s field hockey team is having a great season and they hope to win the Big Ten tournament beginning on November 5. Their season is winding down, but they have a shot at being one of the best teams in Northwestern history.

Standing at about 6’3”, complete with muscular build, dark hair and an attractive smile, Dunsmore looks like that football player – the player all the girls want to date and all the guys want to be. But Dunsmore is far from stereotypical, and has had to overcome a great deal of obstacles to get where he is now.

As a freshman, Dunsmore was named to the The Sporting News’ All-Big Ten Freshman Team. He was one of two freshmen who actually played their first year and were not redshirted, catching 11 passes for 141 yards. Dunsmore made an impact on the team from the beginning, and was expected to contribute even more the following year.

Unfortunately for Dunsmore, he was bitten by the injury bug. Only five games into preseason practice, Dunsmore suffered a season-ending injury to his knee. But a redshirt year later, and now an academic junior, Dunsmore is back in shape and ready to play.

“I think that being around the guys helped me to get back. They don’t let you get down on yourself,” Dunsmore said.

Overall, he said that he thinks that he is back in the same shape that he was before the injury. One thing has changed though.

“I think that mentally, I’ve become a better player,” he said.

His physical and mental improvements are apparent and he has become one of quarterback Mike Kafka’s favorite targets. Dunsmore is second on the team with 28 catches through the first seven games and is good for third on the team with 295 receiving yards, adding a touchdown along the way. Rivals.com, a Web site that covers collegiate athletics, has him currently rated as the 23rd best tight end in the country.

Superbacks coach Bob Heffner says that he hopes Dunsmore will continue to improve.

“I tell everyone who asks me about Drake that he is a fine young man from a fine family. That makes coaching easier,” said Heffner. “He gets frustrated when he doesn’t do as well as he hopes to, and that’s the type of player I like. The kind who isn’t satisfied with not doing his best.”

In addition to being a dynamic football player, Dunsmore is a regular college student. He enjoys other activities too, such as going to the movies, which he tries to attend every Sunday.

Besides being a movie buff, he also likes to go downtown Chicago, being that it’s much different from his hometown of Lenexa, Kansas. While some players would have trouble adjusting to a different life and battling through injuries, Dunsmore’s drive is unmatched. Dunsmore is also colorblind, something few people know about him.

“The colors just get kind of jumbled up,” he said.

If there’s one color he does know, though, it’s the color of pigskin because Dunsmore is still a force on the field.