Northwestern announced the hire of Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator, a move many viewed as a major addition for the program. Kelly’s offensive system and experience could help a team that’s struggled to create explosive plays. But one analyst believes the hire won’t be enough to overcome roster limitations in the expanded Big Ten.
CBS Sports analyst Brad Crawford projects Northwestern will finish 4-8 in the regular season with just one conference win.
The Wildcats should start strong in non-conference play. Crawford’s predictions have Northwestern beating South Dakota, Colorado, and Ball State for a 3-0 start.
That’s where the good news ends.
Once Big Ten play begins, Crawford expects the Wildcats to struggle against conference opponents. He projects Northwestern will beat only Rutgers in conference play while losing to Indiana, Penn State, Michigan State, Oregon, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Illinois.
The issue isn’t Kelly’s system. It’s the players available to run it.
“The offseason addition of Chip Kelly as their new offensive coordinator was an intriguing get for the Wildcats, but he’s not going to have talent overflow like he’s had at many of his coaching stops,” Crawford wrote. “Northwestern still faces a significant talent gap against much of the Big Ten and lacks the depth necessary to reach for a high-end finish.”
Kelly’s offense worked at Oregon partly because of the athletes he had available. Northwestern doesn’t have that same level of talent across the roster.
The expanded College Football Playoff gives more teams chances to reach the postseason. But Northwestern’s goal remains bowl eligibility, which requires six wins.
Crawford questions whether the defense can handle the physical style of Big Ten opponents. Even if Kelly improves the offense, that might not be enough if the defense struggles.
A 4-8 record would mean no bowl game for Northwestern. The season would show that good coaching can only do so much without the right players to execute the system.
The 18-team Big Ten creates a challenging schedule for programs like Northwestern that are still building their rosters.
