Northwestern still feels like a program trying to figure out what it is after the end of the Pat Fitzgerald era.

There were real highs under Fitzgerald. Big Ten Championship Game appearances at Northwestern are not small things. That program reached a level most people never expected it to reach.

But the ending was rough.

Northwestern went 4-20 over Fitzgerald’s final two seasons, and the program has not really looked the same since.

Now David Braun is entering year four, and this season feels interesting for a few reasons.

The Wildcats went 7-6 last year and 4-5 in the Big Ten, so this is not a disaster. But in the new Big Ten, with Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA now part of the league, the climb is harder than it used to be.

Northwestern has a new offensive coordinator.

A new quarterback.

A proven running back.

A productive receiver.

And one brutal schedule quirk that could define the season.

HEAD COACH

• David Braun, entering year four at Northwestern
• Braun is 19-19 with the Wildcats.
• Northwestern went 7-6 last season.
• Chip Kelly is now the offensive coordinator.

Northwestern has been competitive under Braun. It has not fallen apart. It has found ways to win enough games to matter.

Now the question is whether the Wildcats can become more than just solid.

That starts with the offense.

Northwestern averaged only 21.8 points per game last season and 331 yards per game. Those numbers are not good enough in the Big Ten, especially when the schedule includes some of the best offenses in the country.

The defense was fine.

The offense needed life.

That is where Chip Kelly comes in.

This is the same Chip Kelly who helped turn Oregon into a national brand. The same Chip Kelly who changed how people thought about tempo and spacing. The same Chip Kelly who has been a head coach in college and the NFL.

Now he is being asked to fix Northwestern’s offense.

That is one of the most fascinating coordinator hires in the Big Ten.

QUARTERBACK

The quarterback is Aidan Chiles.

That is a big swing.

Chiles comes over from Michigan State, where he had flashes but also dealt with injuries. He had a concussion and foot issues last season, and that clearly affected the year.

But the talent is there.

Chiles has 27 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions in his college career. He also gives Northwestern some mobility, running 81 times for 227 yards and six touchdowns last season.

That part matters.

Northwestern needed more playmaking at quarterback, and Chiles brings that.

The advanced numbers are where the season probably gets decided.

In a clean pocket last year, Chiles completed 71% of his passes. That is excellent. If the protection is there, he can operate the offense and make throws.

Under pressure, that number dropped to 38%.

That is the concern.

Chiles also completed 10-of-33 deep balls, about 30%, with four touchdowns and no interceptions. That is not bad, but there is room for more. He can push the ball downfield. Northwestern needs him to hit a few more of those shots.

This is why the offensive line matters so much.

If Chiles is protected, this could work.

If he is under constant pressure, it gets much harder.

Kelly gives him an experienced offensive mind. Northwestern gives him a fresh start. The running game and receivers give him some help.

But Chiles still has to prove he can be consistent week after week in the Big Ten.

THE REST OF THE OFFENSE

The offense has more pieces than people may realize.

Start with Caleb Komolafe.

He is back after rushing for 941 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. For a team breaking in a transfer quarterback and a new coordinator, that is a huge piece to have.

Komolafe gives Northwestern a dependable running back.

He gives the offense something it can lean on.

And under Chip Kelly, it will be interesting to see how he is used. Kelly’s best offenses have always created space in the run game. If Komolafe gets cleaner lanes, he could have a big season.

The Wildcats also have other options in the backfield, including Joseph Himon II and Gavin Sawchuk, who comes in from Florida State.

That gives Northwestern depth.

At receiver, Griffin Wilde is the name to know.

Wilde had 71 catches for 880 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He ranked among the top 30 nationally in receiving yards per game, which is not something people usually associate with Northwestern.

He is a real weapon.

And now he gets paired with a quarterback who can push the ball down the field and an offensive coordinator who knows how to create mismatches.

That should be exciting.

Hayden Eligon II is also back after a 37-catch season, and Ricky Ahumarae gives Northwestern another receiver option. This is not an empty receiver room.

The offensive line is the concern.

Northwestern does not bring back much proven production up front, and that is dangerous when your quarterback’s numbers fall sharply under pressure.

Ezomo Oratokhai is one of the key returning pieces inside. The Wildcats also added Grant Seagren from Oklahoma State, and he could be a major factor at left tackle.

That may be the whole offense.

If the line holds up, Chiles, Komolafe and Wilde give Northwestern enough to be dangerous.

If the line does not hold up, the offense may still look too much like last year’s version, even with Chip Kelly calling it.

DEFENSE

The defense was not the biggest problem last season.

Northwestern allowed 20.9 points per game and 342.3 yards per game. Those are solid numbers, especially for a team whose offense did not always give it a ton of help.

But there is one big warning sign.

Opponents completed 66% of their passes against Northwestern last season.

That ranked near the bottom of the country.

That has to change, especially with this schedule.

The defensive front has some real pieces.

Michael Kilbane is back after finishing with 7.5 tackles for loss. He gives Northwestern a disruptive presence up front.

Brendan Flakes started every game last season and brings experience inside. That matters for a defense that needs to stay physical against the run.

The linebacker room has some key names too.

Brandon Brus has 97 career tackles, and Kobie McKinzie comes in as a grad transfer from Oklahoma. McKinzie has played on big stages and brings experience to the middle of the defense.

The secondary has talent, but it has to be better.

Josh Fussell Jr. was an honorable mention All-Big Ten type of player. Robert Fitzgerald had 115 tackles last season and is a major piece at safety. Damon Walters Jr. is back from injury, and Braden Turner had two interceptions last season.

So there are answers.

But there has to be more consistency.

Northwestern cannot allow easy completions all year and expect to survive road games at Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State. Those teams will punish soft coverage and missed assignments.

The defense is good enough to keep Northwestern in games.

The question is whether it can be good enough to steal one.

SCHEDULE

This schedule has one of the strangest and toughest quirks in the Big Ten.

Northwestern plays road games at Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State.

The Wildcats are the only Big Ten team that has to do that.

That is brutal.

Indiana is the defending national champion. Oregon will  be one of the best teams in the country. Ohio State is Ohio State.

Nobody wants that road trio.

That makes the rest of the schedule even more important.

Northwestern opens at home against South Dakota State, then hosts Colorado. After that, the Wildcats go to Indiana on Sept. 25 for their first road test.

Then they host Penn State and Ball State.

So four of the first five games are at home, but the one road game is a monster.

After that, Northwestern goes to Michigan State, hosts Rutgers, goes to Oregon on Halloween, hosts Iowa, goes to Ohio State, goes to Minnesota, and finishes at home against Illinois.

The path is pretty clear.

Northwestern has to win at home.

South Dakota State, Colorado, Ball State, Rutgers, Iowa and Illinois are the games that shape the season. Penn State at home is difficult, but it is still at Ryan Field. Michigan State on the road is a winnable type of Big Ten game if Northwestern is improved.

But the margin is thin.

The Wildcats probably cannot count on wins at Indiana, Oregon or Ohio State.

That means they have to do damage everywhere else.

OUTLOOK

I can see both sides with Northwestern.

Chip Kelly gives the offense a major upgrade in play-calling and creativity. Aidan Chiles gives the Wildcats a talented quarterback with Big Ten experience. Caleb Komolafe is a proven running back. Griffin Wilde is one of the better receivers in the league. The defense has enough returning pieces to be solid again.

That version of Northwestern can be a bowl team.

Maybe more.

The concern is the offensive line and the schedule.

Chiles has to be protected. The offense cannot waste another season averaging barely over 20 points per game. The defense has to stop allowing such a high completion percentage. And the Wildcats have to survive a schedule that sends them to Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State.

That is a lot.

The best-case scenario is that Kelly immediately improves the offense, Chiles becomes more efficient, Wilde turns into one of the best receivers in the Big Ten, Komolafe keeps the run game steady, and the defense stays solid enough to let Northwestern win close games.

If that happens, Northwestern can get back to a bowl.

The worst-case scenario is that the line struggles, Chiles is pressured too often, the offense still lacks consistency, and the road schedule overwhelms a team that cannot afford many mistakes.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.