The ‘Cats are hoping they’ve found the answer at quarterback, but other questions remain as well.
After a 4-8 season in 2024, Northwestern football has its work cut out for it in 2025.
The ‘Cats will seek to improve amid a roster revamp, with a number of transfers set to make an impact in starting roles. Of course, the most notable transfer is quarterback Preston Stone, who threw for 3,197 yards, 28 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2023, the best season of his career. Stone should be an upgrade from Jack Lausch at the quarterback position, but he was benched after three games in 2024, so the extent of his success remains to be seen.
The former SMU signal-caller will be surrounded by a new-look supporting cast. While NU retains its top three running backs from a season ago (Cam Porter, Joseph Himon II and Caleb Komolafe), it lost graduating wide receivers AJ Henning and Bryce Kirtz. It’s tough to project exactly how snaps will be split at this point, but the consensus appears to be that a pair of transfers (Griffin Wilde and Chase Farrell) will play alongside Frank Covey IV in typical three-receiver sets.
Wilde had great success at FCS powerhouse South Dakota State in 2024, racking up 1,154 yards and 12 touchdowns. A difficult transition to the Big Ten could certainly be a concern, but Wilde did put up 150 yards and a score against FBS opponent Oklahoma State in last year’s season opener. Granted, the Cowboys were second-worst in the FBS in total defense, but nonetheless, Wilde’s performance should produce at least some optimism for ‘Cats fans.
Farrell, meanwhile, comes in from Stanford after redshirting during his true freshman season. A track star in high school, Farrell projects to be a speedy slot receiver who’d ideally be a good short-to-intermediate target for Stone.
At tight end, the losses of Thomas Gordon and Marshall Lang could hurt for NU. New transfer Alex Lines is relatively unproven at the collegiate level, and there’s little experience behind him on the depth chart. Tight end is a critical position for the Wildcats, who will need multiple players to step up big time, both in blocking and receiving.
The offensive line will be an interesting position to watch, with multiple transfers potentially getting a chance to start right away alongside returners Caleb Tiernan (left tackle) and Jack Bailey (center). Tiernan, as a returning left tackle, should offer some consistency to protect Stone’s blindside.
The ‘Cats did a good job of replacing Ben Wrather and Josh Thompson on the right side of the line. They brought in Evan Beerntsen from South Dakota State and 6’8 Goliath Xavior Gray from Liberty, two players who have decent upside heading into next season. The left guard spot remains unsettled and could come down to a battle between Minnesota transfer Martes Lewis (6’7”, 335 pounds) and Ezomo Oratokhai (6’4”, 295 pounds).
On defense, the Wildcats will need to account for the losses of defensive end Jaylen Pate, linebacker Xander Mueller and defensive backs Coco Azema, Theran Johnson and Devin Turner. Talented defensive end Anto Saka could be poised for a breakout in Pate’s place, as he’s a player who will be on NFL radars if this season goes well. Fortunately for Northwestern, it also brought in linebacker Yanni Karlaftis from Purdue, a former four-star recruit who played in every game in each of his last two seasons.
At defensive back, the additions of Dillon Tatum (Michigan State) and Fred Davis (Jacksonville State) should help bolster the secondary. Tatum is coming off an injury that forced him to miss 2024, but he did start for the Spartans in 2023, meaning he’ll add some much-needed experience. Davis is a graduate transfer with limited playing time under his belt, but he also adds some upside at cornerback for a Wildcat team that really needs it.
The Wildcats’ schedule will be tough this year, as they’re set to play Penn State, Oregon, Michigan and Illinois in conference play. There are no easy wins for this team (with the possible exceptions of Western Illinois, Louisiana-Monroe and Purdue), so it’s hard to envision the team finishing any higher than 6-6 in the upcoming year.
A lot comes down to the opening game against Tulane, a solid Group of Five school that could give the ‘Cats fits in New Orleans. If NU gets an opening win, it’ll likely be 2-0 heading into the game against Oregon, making 6-6 and a bowl game a real possibility. If Northwestern loses, however, it’ll face a much more uphill battle, with a repeat 4-8 record being very much in the cards for the ‘Cats.
At the end of the day, expectations should probably fall between that 4-8 and 6-6 range. A new quarterback should bring some optimism, but there still many holes on the roster, so fans shouldn’t drive their hopes all the way up. At the end of the day, the Big Ten is a battle, and although the Wildcats have some potential in 2025, wins won’t come easy.