The Weekender: Magic in Evanston, Notre Dame's Chaotic OC Search, and Caitlin Clark Has Iowa Rolling

By 11W Staff on February 19, 2023 at 11:35 am
Boo Buie
Twitter/@NUMensBball
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Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what's next.

Northwestern Dusting Off Dancing Shoes

College basketball's best story resides in Evanston, where Northwestern is putting together one of the greatest seasons in program history. This past week, the Wildcats stormed the court after taking down No. 1 Purdue, then turned around and picked off 14th-ranked Indiana a few days later. Northwestern has now won four straight games against ranked opponents, and the Wildcats will soar into the AP Poll themselves on Monday.

Northwestern plays classic Big Ten basketball; the pace is slow, the offense does just enough and the defense is lockdown. But it is the unabashed confidence with which the Wildcats play that makes the team truly special. Swagger like this is rarely seen in a team picked to finish 13th in its own conference before the season, but Northwestern has it in spades.

After five consecutive losing seasons, and with head coach Chris Collins firmly on the hot seat, the Wildcats have responded with a year for the history books. The 2023 NCAA Tournament will be the 84th of its kind, and for just the second time, Northwestern will have a spot in the Big Dance.

Notre Dame Whiffs on OC Search

Notre Dame's wild chase for a new offensive coordinator came to somewhat of an anticlimactic conclusion Thursday, with the Fighting Irish ultimately deciding to give tight ends coach Gerad Parker the role.

Notre Dame initially interviewed Kansas State OC Collin Klein for the position, only for the former Heisman Trophy finalist to turn down the job offer and remain in Manhattan. The Fighting Irish then set their sights on Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, a crucial member of what is widely considered to be one of the best coaching staffs in America.

The two sides were moving toward an agreement, until the deal fell through at the last minute. Reasons for the breakdown in negotiations remain unclear; some reported that Notre Dame balked at the idea of paying Ludwig's $2.8 million buyout, but a statement from Fighting Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick refuted this claim.

Pivoting to the promotion of Parker raises even more questions. The 42 year-old has been an offensive coordinator for only two seasons, and they were largely underwhelming; in 2020 and 2021, Parker's West Virginia attacks finished 83rd and 88th in the nation in total offense, respectively.

With many Notre Dame fans feeling frustrated and dumbfounded at the ineptitude of the search process, Parker will be under immense pressure to thrive in his new role in 2023.

Caitlin Clark Has Iowa Dreaming of a Title

Arguably the most exciting athlete in college sports plays in Iowa City, and she has her 7th-ranked Hawkeyes white-hot with postseason play approaching.

It was quite the dominant week for the Iowa women's basketball team, as Caitlin Clark and company ran Rutgers, Wisconsin, and Nebraska out of the gym, winning the three games by a combined 104 points. Clark, a candidate for the Naismith Women's National Player of the Year award, continued to show why she is must-see television.

The junior point guard from West Des Moines is averaging 27.2 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.6 rebounds on the season, and her astounding play has proven to be a huge draw, even for opposing crowds.

More important than Clark's individual numbers is the brilliance of her team. The Hawkeyes have won 17 of their last 19 games and seem to be in prime position to make a run at a national title. If Iowa manages to cut down the nets in Dallas, it would certainly cement Clark's place as one of the greatest college basketball players ever.

Those who have yet to watch Clark in full will have their opportunity when the Hawkeyes host No. 2 Indiana on Sunday, Feb. 26; in a great moment for both Iowa and the women's game at large, ESPN’s College Gameday will be on-site for the top-10 clash.

ICYMI

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WHAT'S NEXT

  • ​Women's Hockey: at Wisconsin, 3 p.m. Sunday (BTN+)
  • Men's Basketball: at Purdue, 1 p.m. Sunday (CBS)
  • Softball: at Clemson, 12:30 p.m. Sunday (ACCNX)
  • Women's Basketball: at Michigan, 7 p.m. Monday (FS1)
  • Men's Hockey: at Minnesota, 9 p.m. Friday (ESPNU)
  • Football: Spring Game, 12 p.m. Saturday, April 15 (BTN)
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