After defeating Pac-12 powerhouse Utah in the Vegas Bowl, Northwestern fans were very excited for the 2024 season. After all, they have a record of 4-20 from 2021-2022, being dead last in the Big10 West after leading it in 2020.
However, before the 2023 season, Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald was suspended for various allegations. The Defensive Coordinator, David Braun, was then promoted to interim Head Coach before being named Head Coach in November.
This past year, they managed to win 8 games and finish second in their division.
Between them and now, they’ve gutted the vast majority of their coaching staff, making a lot of hires up to now.
Let’s analyze these new coaches:
The first new coach isn’t new to the Wildcats.
In January, Linebackers Coach Tim McGarigle was promoted to Defensive Coordinator.
McGaricle, a Chicago native, played for Northwestern where he set a record for most career tackles with 545.
He was drafted in the 7th round of the 2006 draft by the St. Louis Rams. After moving around a few teams and the Green Bay Packers, McGaricle was hired by Northwestern as the LB coach in 2018.
As a player:
St. Louis Rams (2006–2007)
Florida Tuskers (2009–2010)
As a coach:
Northwestern (2011) GA
Western Michigan (2012–2015) LB
Illinois (2016) LB
Green Bay Packers (2017) Def. quality control
Northwestern (2018–2023) LB
Northwestern (2024–present) DC/LB
Zach Lujan is the current Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach for Northwestern, a position he’s held since January of 2024.
The Alaskan Quarterback did a year at Chabot before transferring to South Dakota State, where he finished his college career.
After graduation in 2017, he started as a member of the SDSU coaching staff from where he was hired earlier this year.
Coaching experience:
2017 South Dakota State (OQC)
2018 South Dakota State (RB)
2019–2021 South Dakota State (QB)
2022–2023 South Dakota State (OC/QB)
2024–present Northwestern (OC/QB)
Harlon Barnett is the current Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Backs coach for Northwestern. The Cincinnati native was a three-year starter at Michigan State, before becoming a 4th round pick in the 1990 draft. He played seven years in the NFL for the Browns, Patriots, and Vikings. In 1997, then-Michigan State Coach Nick Saban recruited Barnett as a sideline reporter, which he did for two years before turning to coaching full time.
1998–1999 Princeton HS (OH) (DB)
2000–2002 Princeton HS (OH) (DC)
2003 LSU (GA)
2004–2006 Cincinnati (DB)
2007–2014 Michigan State (DB)
2015–2017 Michigan State (AHC/co-DC/DB)
2018–2019 Florida State (DC/DB)
2020–2023 Michigan State (DB)
2023 Michigan State (interim HC)
2024–present Northwestern (AHC/DB)
Next up is Special Teams Coordinator and TE Coach Paul Creighton. He was also hired by Northwestern in January of 2024.
A Colorado native, Creighton walked on to the Colorado Buffaloes as a fullback and tight end, earning a scholarship after one semester.
After graduating in 2006, he began his coaching career as a GA at Auburn.
For two years at UC-Davis, Creighton worked with current Head Coach David Braun.
Coaching experience:
2007-2008 Auburn (GA)
2009-2010 Colorado (GA)
2011-2013 Colorado-Pueblo (DL)
2014-2019 UC-Davis (TE)
2020-2021 Fresno State (TE)
2022-2023 Washington (STQC)
2024-present Northwestern (STC/TE)
Last on our list of Coaching Roulette is offensive line coach Bill O’Boyle, of Des Moines, Iowa. He was also hired in January of 2024.
O’Boyle worked his way up the ladder, even working as Head Coach of a DII school, where he led them to a 3-3 DII playoff record. He played for two years at Western Illinois.
Coaching experience:
1987–1989 Chadron State (OL)
1990–1993 Western Illinois (OL)
1994–1998 Chadron State (assistant)
1999–2004 Chadron State (OC)
2005–2011 Chadron State
2012 Colorado Mesa (OC)
2013 Southern Illinois (OL)
2014–2015 Southern Illinois (co-OC/OL)
2016–2017 South Dakota (OL)
2018–2022 Kent State (OL)
2023 Colorado (OL)
2024–present Northwestern (OL)
Coaches will make a more immediate impact on a team than any other factor.
One could say that recruiting plays a role, but Northwestern struggles along that front, having only one Four-Star in the 2023 class and zero in either the 2024 or 2025 class.
However, as we all well know, season success isn’t entirely dependent on coaches or recruits.
Since playing in a bowl game demands at least six wins in a season, it helps if you have a schedule that realistically allows for that.
So, let’s take a gander at Northwestern’s schedule, and my W/L prediction for it.
Week 1: vs Miami OH (W)
Week 2: vs Duke (L)
Week 3: vs Eastern Illinois (W)
Week 4: at Washington (L)
Week 5: Bye
Week 6: vs Indiana (L)
Week 7: at Maryland (W)
Week 8: vs Wisconsin (L)
Week 9: at Iowa (L)
Week 10: at Purdue (L)
Week 11: Bye
Week 12: vs Ohio State at Wrigley Field (L)
Week 13: at Michigan (L)
Week 14: vs Illinois (W)
I predict that Northwestern will finish 4-8 (2-7) this season, which, unfortunately for them, places them outside of Bowl Eligibility. However, upsets are common, and Northwestern may squeak out a win vs Wisconsin and Indiana or at Purdue. I place their ceiling at 8-4. It doesn’t help that they play three powerhouses (two of whom made the playoffs this past season) on the road, and play host to some difficult teams as well.
While the Wildcats of Northwestern have overhauled their coaching staff, until they can figure out the recruiting side of football, they will struggle to maintain a winning season and make bowl eligibility. Ultimately, for the 2024 season, I predict that they will NOT make a bowl game for the reasons that they have abysmal recruiting and they have an extremely difficult schedule ahead of them.