An afternoon in Evanston with NU football

Junior defensive tackle Corbin Bryant wore one of the biggest smiles on Monday afternoon after Northwestern's first practice of 2009 fall camp.

Not only did Bryant's surgically repaired knee hold up just fine (he injured last Nov. 15 against Michigan and didn't get to play in the Alamo Bowl), but he got the chance to brag about his team's victory in the "Wildcat Games."

For those who didn't pay attention to the inaugural Wildcat Games last season, the 10 players on Northwestern's Leadership Council hold a draft of the rest of the team's roster durign the winter. Then those 10 teams compete for points for several months in varied categories such as GPA, community service, weight-lifting and school spirit.

In 2008, Eric Peterman's Victorious Secret team won the crown going away as he shrewdly selected walkon punter/wide receiver Mark Ison (one of the team's smartest and most civic-minded players) to lead the way.

This year, Bryant drafted Ison with the third pick overall and he led The Goon Boat to the title. What were senior QB Mike Kafka and redshirt freshman DE Quentin Williams thinking when they didn't select Ison?

"He fell into my hands," Bryant said with a smile. "We had like 1,800 points."

Fitzgerald rewarded the winning team by excusing them from Monday's conditioning test. Unlike last year, he forced the winners to skip the test to make sure they reaped the reward. Bryant and Ison were joined by senior superback Brendan Mitchell, sophomore guard Doug Bartels, sophomore tackle Al Netter, sophomore running back Scott Concannon, redshirt freshman cornerback Demetrius Dugar, sophomore defensive end Vince Browne and redshirt freshman guard Nick Adamle.

Senior safety Brad Phillips' team took second ("I drafted half of Peterman's old team," he said), which allowed them to skip the second leg of the conditioning test while receiving full credit.

In addition, Fitzgerald rewarded the 25 guys who maintained a 3.25 GPA or better during fall, winter and spring quarters: They got to skip part of the conditioning test as well.

NOW, FOR THE REST OF THE NEWS AND NOTES
--Speaking of the conditioning test, Fitzgerald said more than 50 percent of the 22 incoming freshmen passed -- which tied the previous record set by last year's class. "Guys are in excellent shape," Fitz said.

--The first time NU lined up for 7-on-7 drills, here were the lineups:
OFF: QB Mike Kafka, RB Jeravin Matthews, WR Andrew Brewer, WR Lee Coleman, WR Zeke Markshausen, WR Sidney Stewart (by the way, Matthews and Stewart are sporting some sweet Mohawk haircuts).
DEF: SAM Quentin Davie, MLB Nate Williams, WLB Ben Johnson, CB Justan Vaughn, CB Jordan Mabin, S Brad Phillips, S Brendan Smith (you'll have to read Tuesday's story in the Herald to learn why senior CB Sherrick McManis wasn't out there).

Both Kafka and second-stringer Dan Persa completed a high percentage of their throws. Two other intriguing moments from 7-on-7 drills:
--Strong-armed freshman QB Evan Watkins from Glenbard North received his "welcome-to-the-big-time" moment when Mabin stepped in front of one of his throws to the sideline and picked it off for what would've been an easy touchdown in a real game.
--One person on the defensive side got a little too rambunctious and knocked a receiver to the turf (everyone was in helmets and shorts and supposed to stay on their feet). Fitz nipped in the bud in no uncertain terms.

--The first time NU lined up for some 11-on-11 stuff, here were the lines:
OFF: LT Al Netter, LG Desmond Taylor and Keegan Grant, C Ben Burkett, RG Doug Bartels, RT Kurt Mattes.
DEF: DE Corey Wootton, DT Corbin Bryant, DT Marshall Thomas, DE Vince Browne.

Here's one final moment that I don't think needs to stay off the record. Apologies all around if I'm overstepping my pay grade:

2005 Buffalo Grove HS grad Mark Woodsum, a former walk-on whose superb work ethic earned him a scholarship after just one season, is a 6-foot, 235-pound superback. Great kid. Also never going to be cast in a starring role. Though he caught a 2-yard touchdown pass against Iowa in 2007, Woodsum was used exclusively as a blocker last year and figures to fulfill the same role this season.

Yet during one of NU's drills on Monday, Woodsum and the rest of the superbacks ran deep down-and-outs. After Woodsum caught one 40-yard-ish bomb and kept charging downfield, Fitz chirped: "Thataway, Woody! Catching the route we'll never throw you!"

Now watch Woodsum sneak behind Penn State's defense for an 80-yard bomb. Don't say I didn't warn you, Joe Pa.

LW