The Big Ten will descend on Chicago later this week for its annual conference media days. The two-day event kicks off Thursday morning, and until then, we'll prepare you for what to expect by running down some of the biggest questions each program will face at the podium -- and as the regular season gets started.
Northwestern won’t have to travel far to make its appearance to unofficially kick off the season, and there will be plenty of questions for Pat Fitzgerald and his crew as the program tries to bounce back from another disappointing campaign. The Wildcats will be represented by safety Traveon Henry, wide receiver Christian Jones and superback Dan Vitale.
Can Fitzgerald right the ship?
Since the calendar flipped to October in the middle of the 2013 season, the Wildcats have been a mess. Even more distressing for Northwestern? The previous month had seemingly provided a glimpse at the potential for the program (four straight games outside of the league) and generated enough excitement to bring College GameDay to town for a primetime showdown with Ohio State. Since that date, Northwestern has gone just 6-14 and failed twice to qualify for the postseason. Fitzgerald has stressed toughness and discipline with renewed energy, and he’ll no doubt be given multiple chances to emphasize it again.
Who is going to start at quarterback?
With hardly any experience at the position and little game tape to break down, the race to take over for Trevor Siemian at the most critical spot on the field appears wide open heading into training camp. Northwestern will be closely watching three different candidates next month, with Zack Oliver, Matt Alviti and Clayton Thorson all jockeying to lead the attack. Oliver has started one game in his career, Alviti appeared in a limited role at the end of last season and the multipurpose Thorson has some intriguing skills. There will be no shortage of questions about what each of them will bring to the table this fall.
Can Christian Jones get healthy and make an impact?
The absence of the playmaking wide receiver was certainly felt last fall, and after yet another surgery in the spring, Northwestern still wasn’t able to get a look at what Jones might provide to the offense on the perimeter. After consecutive surgeries on the same knee that he injured before last season, Jones is scheduled to return in time for the season. But he’s been on the shelf for quite some time, and it’s fair to wonder just how much rust he might need to shake off in order to provide a reliable target for whoever might win the quarterback job. The Wildcats clearly value his leadership and work ethic based on his appearance this week, and he’ll have an opportunity to fully update both his health and the long road back to action.