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Northwestern Wildcats 4-3 Defense (1998)

The 1998 Northwestern Wildcats football team finished the season with a record of 3-9 and 0-8 in the Big Ten Conference. The Wildcats were led by head coach Gary Barnett, who was in his third season at Northwestern.

The defensive coordinator of the 1998 Northwestern Wildcats football team was Randy Walker.

Walker was in his second season at Northwestern, and he had previously been the defensive coordinator at the University of Toledo. Walker was known for his aggressive defensive schemes. He was a proponent of the 3-4 defense, which is a blitz-heavy defense that relies on pressure from the front four and linebackers. Walker was also known for his use of multiple formations and coverages.

The Wildcats' offense was led by quarterback D'Wayne Bates, who threw for 1,853 yards and 10 touchdowns. Bates was also the Wildcats' leading rusher, with 468 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Wildcats' receiving corps was led by Barry Gardner, who had 55 catches for 744 yards and 6 touchdowns.

The Wildcats' defense was led by linebacker Matt Hartl, who recorded 110 tackles and 5 sacks. Hartl was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 1998. The Wildcats' defense also had a number of other talented players, including defensive tackle Bryan LaBelle and safety Matt Nicholson.

The Wildcats' biggest win of the season came in the season opener, when they defeated the Duke Blue Devils 38-24. However, the Wildcats struggled the rest of the season, losing their next nine games in a row. The Wildcats' final win of the season came in the regular season finale, when they defeated the Indiana Hoosiers 23-17.

 

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