Northwestern 2013 Football Previews: The Secondary

In recent years, Northwestern's secondary has easily been it's most disappointing unit, failing to finish in the top half of the country in pass defense since 2006. Of course, the 'Cats' 6.6 yards per pass attempt allowed last year is a big improvement from their 112th-ranked 8.5 the year before, but there is still a great deal of room for improvement. Question is: Will this be the year?

Last year

Nick VanHoose started at one corner spot last year as a redshirt freshman and was easily Northwestern's most impressive corner. He proved effective at covering his man and getting to the ball, recording three interceptions, and breaking up seven passes. Unfortunately, he missed three games due to injury, but when he was on the field, he did a good job of locking down his side. 

Daniel Jones, a sophomore, recorded the second most starts among NU corners, with seven. He did not see his first start until the Minnesota game in week 7 and initially looked a little shaky, but he noticeably improved as the year went on. He broke up a decent 4 passes for the season. 

Demetrius Dugar started six games last year as a senior and, quite frankly, was not good. He often looked lost covering his man and tended to be a liability. His bright point of the year was an interception recorded against Michigan.

Quinn Evans transferred from Stanford before his senior year and started three games. He too looked unimpressive, breaking up only three passes on the year.

Ibraheim Campbell, only a sophomore last year, was one of Northwestern's best players. He was very good at stepping up and being a factor in the run game, appearing, at times, like a fourth linebacker. However, he was even more impressive in the pass game. In terms of not getting beat deep, he was elite level, and he recorded a very impressive 12 pass breakups, as well as two interceptions. 

Davion Fleming started game one at the other safety spot in his junior year, but looked unimpressive and was quickly relegated to special teams. 

Jared Carpenter started the remaining 12 games in his senior year, and, while not elite-caliber, played well, including an MVP selection for the Gator Bowl, to even his own surprise. 

Traveon Henry impressed the coaches and contributed at safety as a true freshman. However, he looked a bit raw at the safety position, performing significantly more impressively on special teams. 

This year

VanHoose and Campbell return to their spots on the defense and, with an added year of experience, should be very good in their roles. 

Daniel Jones is listed as the starting corner opposite VanHoose. As previously noted, he visibly improved as last year went on, and all signs indicate that he has further improved this offseason. He should be an at least competent starter. 

Junior C.J. Bryant is listed as VanHoose's backup. He played some as a reserve last year, but not enough to get a read on his ability. The fact that he did not jump Dugar or Evans is somewhat telling, however. He is likely to also play nickel back this year. 

Freshman Dwight White gets the other backup spot, and he intrigues me. He has apparently been impressive in camp, challenging Jones for the starter spot, but he was largely overlooked in recruitment, only getting an offer after NU saw him in person. Only time will tell if NU's faith in him will pan out. 

If Jones, Bryant and White all struggle, it is possible that Fitz could burn the redshirt of Matthew Harris, who has reportedly looked very impressive. 

Starting at the other safety spot opposite Campbell is Traveon Henry. Hopefully he will look more comfortable at his position this year and will be able to utilize his incredible athleticism effectively. 

Backing up Henry is junior Jimmy Hall, who has contributed primarily on special teams and as nickel back in the past. 

Two potential backups are listed for Campbell. The first is Fleming, but I think he is unlikely to see much playtime. The other option is freshman Terrance Brown. Overall, these are unimpressive options, but thankfully, if Campbell stays healthy, we won't have to see much of them

Is this an improvement?

Yes, but not a huge one. Technically, we have two returners starting at corner, but Jones never really felt like a starter last year, as the corner spot opposite VanHoose was in constant turmoil. That being said, corners at Northwestern have traditionally looked better in their second years, and if that trend continues, the corner position should be much more solid than last year. 

Losing Carpenter hurts, but Henry has enormous upside. The question is if he can convert this potential into actual solid play. I think he will be competent but a step down from Carpenter. This step down, however, should be more than outweighed by the other improvements.