Northwestern football 2024 season preview: what you need to know about the Wildcats

EVANSTON, Ill. - We're about to find out what head coach David Braun is made of.

Northwestern football entered 2023 on the heels of a hazing scandal that rocked the university then, and continues to rock the university now. Braun won eight games, including a bowl game, as one of the best single-season coaching jobs in Big Ten history.

Expecting a repeat of 2023 might be too much, but it's not a stretch to see the potential NU has as it looks to carry on the momentum from its first season under Braun.

Here's what you need to know about the Wildcats ahead of the 2024 season.

Key Additions

QB Mike Wright (Mississippi State transfer)

Offensive coordinator Zach Lujan (South Dakota State)

OL Matt Keeler (Texas Tech)

LB Nigel Glover (Ohio State)

Much like Peyton Ramsay in the 2020 season, Mike Wright comes to Evanston after a career in the SEC. He was a starter at Vanderbilt before transferring to Mississippi State for the 2023 season. Wright is a dual-threat quarterback who will keep defenses honest with his mobility.

Biggest Lost

Ron Heard, defensive back - transferred to Notre Dame

Much like safety Brandon Joseph after the 2020 season, Heard departed Northwestern for South Bend. Losing Heard means there's a skill and institutional gap in the secondary for the 'Cats.

Braun's defense already was looking to a handful of players to step up into leadership roles after Bryce Gallagher graduated. Losing Heard stings in multiple areas.

Most Important Returnees

On a team that overachieved massively in 2023, it's a boon that Coco Azema and Cam Porter both decided to return in 2024. Both could have transferred out and chosen greener pastures for their final years of college football.

Azema stabilizes the defensive back room, while Porter offers a mixture of rugged running and skill plays for the offense.

Bottom Line

Northwestern, as they've usually been, are in the middle of a transition period. After an eight-win season where Northwestern extremely overachieved coming off a one-win 2022 season, a coaching change and a massive scandal, the Wildcats need to continue their momentum. Expecting another eight-win season might be overambitious given the ‘Cats’ schedule and roster turnover. 

There will be a new starting quarterback, and new captains on defense to lead a team that will have to be greater as a group than as individual players. Games at Michigan, at Wrigley Field against Ohio State, at Washington and at Iowa. There isn't much room for error. Key games against Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana will decide if the 'Cats get a second berth to a bowl game.

Emblazoned in their practice facility are the words "win our bowl game," which has been a program goal for years. Winning the Las Vegas Bowl in 2023 was a feel-good moment for the program. Winning a second bowl game in a row would be paramount for Braun. 

Step one, though, is getting to a bowl game. That's difficult enough with a supercharged Big Ten.

Step two, winning their bowl game, is a different challenge entirely. It all starts with getting there, 

Key Quote - Northwestern head coach David Braun

"It's so cool to hear the stories about people that have been riding their bikes to Ryan Field, right? Like, 'Oh, we've been riding on bikes and season ticket holders for X amount of years.' It's such a passionate fan base, such a passionate season ticket holder base, alumni group. And in this role, I've had an opportunity to get to know so many different people and from different areas of that and still have so many more people I'll have an opportunity to get to know. But I've been blown away with the passion. It's been inspiring and invigorating, honestly. But I mean the riding your bike over the games, to me, like: cool from a standpoint as a lot of the memories I had as a student athlete: D-II, small town, Winona, a lot of the same things are going on just on a totally different scale in terms of Big Ten football. Really excited for what's going to exist with the new Ryan Field in two years." - David Braun, at Big Ten Media Days.