'Certainly a challenge': What David Braun said about 2024 home games and more at Northwestern's Pro Day

EVANSTON, Ill. - Year 2 for David Braun is already a mixed bag.

He's entering his first season as Northwestern's full-time head football coach, having the interim title stricken last November. He's coming off a Las Vegas Bowl title, capping a massive turnaround. After all of that success, thus begs the question: Where will NU play its home games in 2024?

Here's what Braun said about Northwestern's Pro Day and where the 'Cats will play their home games next season.

Where will Northwestern football play home games?

Ryan Field is coming down. The privately-funded $800M renovation project is underway.

The Wildcats, as it stands, will have to play elsewhere during the 2024 regular season.

That location is still to be determined, and Braun is eagerly awaiting that resolution, too. But, he can only control what's in front of him. That's his team.

"My number one responsibility is making sure that our team's ready to go," Braun said. "Whatever that venue is, that we make our Northwestern community really proud and on that base, our students, and put our best foot forward in whatever venue that looks like."

Braun mentioned that the opportunity is "certainly a challenge" but is also exciting.

Northwestern is currently looking for a venue, or venues, to play home games. Conflicts make Wrigley Field, Guaranteed Rate Field, SeatGeek Stadium, Soldier Field and others difficult to schedule.

One report suggested Northwestern is looking into building a temporary playing field on its campus. Braun was all about that idea, as it fits his three necessary check boxes: It involves students, involves longtime season ticket holders and creates momentum towards the new Ryan Field.

"We have this incredible opportunity two years from now to move into a new Ryan Field." Braun said. "That's something that we're all very excited about, but we have to do an incredible job of bridging that gap and building momentum towards that."

Braun's first full offseason is challenging, too

Braun recounted a key piece of advice he got a few years ago that's come full circle in his life now.

"They said, Dave, you better learn how to control your schedule, not have your schedule control you," Braun said. "I'm learning that more days than not, my schedule is controlling me right now."

This is easy to understand. Braun is in his first full offseason as a head coach.

Last year, he was preparing to enter his first full offseason as NU's defensive coordinator. The Northwestern hazing scandal shook the program, and Braun was put center stage.

Braun won Big 10 Coach of the Year honors after earning a 7-5 record and capped NU's turnaround with a win in the Las Vegas Bowl. Since then, he's hired an offensive coordinator, a special teams coordinator, a defensive coordinator and other staff members.

With his first staff filled out, he can begin his first full year as Northwestern's head coach after having the interim title stripped in November.

That work-life balance remains a challenge, though.

"I got a lot of work to do in that area," Braun said.

On Hiring Zach Lujan

Braun has some mixed feelings about Zach Lujan.

On one hand, he got his guy. On the other hand, Braun has to hear it from Lujan.

"There wasn't much that excited about me about that first because of the fact he's coming from South Dakota State," Braun said.

Lujan's offenses at South Dakota State were 1-3 against Braun's North Dakota State defenses. This includes three-straight wins on Braun.

It lends itself to some bragging rights in Lujan's corner, to be sure. It was also a hire that lined up with what Braun was looking for.

In his offensive coordinator, Braun wanted a coach that could develop players, specifically the quarterback position, and someone that can identify what his offenses's strengths are and shape the offense around that.

Lujan, the 2023 FCS Coordinator of the Year, fit that bill.

"As I continued to have conversations with Coach Luhan, it just became more and more apparent that he checked all those boxes, thrilled to have him here," Braun said. "He knocked it out of the park. I've been so impressed with him throughout this entire process."