Answering all your holiday mailbag questions!

From Jaybird: Do one of you attend every post-game basketball press conference? If you do attend, would you consider asking commenters here for suggestions on a question to ask? And if you aren’t always able to send a representative, would you consider allowing a commenter to do so?

Yanyan: Yes, we try to be at every men’s and women’s basketball home press conference and have travelled to a select few away games as well — whether that be the three of us or one of the managing editors. Unfortunately, we wouldn’t be able to send commenters to press conferences, as much as that request gave us all a good laugh. However, we definitely read a lot of the comments and take into consideration the feedback you all provide on our coverage, which includes questions you’d like to ask coaches and players. Opening the floor to commenters to request questions isn’t a bad idea, and something we’d be willing to consider in the future as long as the questions are reasonable.

Harris: All-time great mailbag question. As you guys know, we do read the comments, and I’ll say there’s definitely been moments when something that’s said in the comment section informs an article I write/a question I ask. I do like the idea of a more formal forum for the InsideNU community to ask questions (potentially The Feed section?).

From AyanKB: What is the status, and what are the goals for Northwestern football in the transfer portal?

Yanyan: So far, the ‘Cats have gotten one transfer in junior offensive tackle David Anchondo from Saginaw Valley State, while freshman OT Hayden Wright (who saw no playing time this year) is entering the portal to transfer out. Northwestern has also reached out to a few other players, including West Florida QB Marcus Stokes (who has offers from six Power Four schools alongside JMU) and DII Minnesota-Duluth tight end Luke Dehnicke. That said, Braun also mentioned in a press conference that “almost 100%” of the players who played “significant football” for Northwestern would be returning if they were eligible, so take that information as you wish.

Harris: That Braun quote that Yanyan brought up feels crucial to predicting the NU football offseason, especially on the defensive side of the ball. I’m sure that each of Robert Fitzgerald, Josh Fussell, Braden Turner, and Damon Walters will garner interest in the portal, and it’d be massive for 2026 if Northwestern can retain even three of the four. However, I would expect Braun to add another defensive back to feature alongside Fussell to compete with true freshman Jon Jon Stevens and senior Evan Smith (I also wouldn’t be surprised if Stevens wins that job outright). An established pass rusher would also be great with Northwestern losing both Aidan Hubbard and Anto Saka after the bowl game.

There will undoubtedly be more portal additions to the o-line as well — Braun said as much during his signing day presser. The ‘Cats are losing four of their five starters in the trenches, and one transfer from a DII program is not going to cut it.

Miguel: In an effort not to be too repetitive to what Yanyan and Harris have already mentioned, I’ll also point out that I think Northwestern is going to need to focus a majority of its time on the defensive end in the transfer portal window. As Harris mentioned, the ‘Cats are likely losing a lot of talented players on that side of the ball, which can be viewed as bad on one hand, but also a shining opportunity for many up-and-coming defenders to be on one of the biggest stages of CFB, playing in the Big Ten.

Outside of that, I’d keep an eye on that QB search. Of course, landing Preston Stone last season was one of the biggest headlines for Northwestern athletics in general, not just the football team. Although it might not have turned out quite as well as fans had hoped, NU definitely has the opportunity and ability to bring in talented quarterbacks. And I think just about everyone can agree how beneficial having a competent QB on this team would be.

From AyanKB: What is the quarterback plan for Northwestern football?

Yanyan: Northwestern football has brought in a transfer in the past three seasons, and given that Ryan Boe is still unproven outside of a few plays here and there, it’s reasonable to expect the same thing this year. However, during David Braun’s press conference after the GameAbove Sports Bowl announcement, he was asked about possibly bringing in a transfer QB next season. In response, Braun said that Boe was a “starting-caliber quarterback in the Big Ten” and “somebody the program really believes in.” Based on that, and the fact that Boe has gotten significant reps in both his freshman and sophomore seasons, it seems like he’s going to be Northwestern’s guy in 2026.

Harris: I have to disagree with Yanyan here. Sure, Braun is high on Boe, but the stakes for year one at the new Ryan Field feel too high to bank on the redshirt freshman quarterback. I think you have to at least bring in a guy to compete for the job. If Boe wins it, all the power to him, but it’d be irresponsible to coast into 2026 with the existing quarterback room while the rest of the Big Ten loads up on the best that the portal has to offer.

Drew Mestemaker from North Texas would be the dream, but he’s likely going to follow his coach to Oklahoma State. To throw a couple random names out there with zero actual inside information, Dylan Lonergan from Boston College, Jaden Craig from Harvard and JJ Kohl from Appalachian State would all be great additions who seem relatively attainable.

Miguel: As I mentioned in my previous comment, the quarterback situation will be really interesting, and I’ll side with Harris here in saying that I fully expect Northwestern to bring in a new face, likely from a former Group of 5 school. Although Boe is someone the coaching staff believes in, I think there’s going to be pressure from donors and the general fanbase to reach for the stars and snag a bigger name. I really like Harris’ mention of Craig at Harvard, and I feel that it might be one of NU’s most “gettable” targets. Transfers from Ivy League schools tend to like to finish their degree off at other high-ranking academic schools; this spot would give Craig that, and a huge jump up from FCS to the Power 4 level.

From catmuffin: If wins/losses were taken out of the question, what would be your next standard for evaluating coaches in any given collegiate sport, or more specifically, revenue sports?

Yanyan: Player development. Since we’re specifying revenue sports, most top athletes who go to college won’t view it as the end-all be-all, but instead a stepping stone for playing professionally. Of course, there will be the Cooper Flaggs and the Jeremiah Smiths of the world who come into the NCAA pro-ready from day one, or at least from a very young age. But stories like Brooks Barnhizer’s, or the transformation of a player like Fernando Mendoza in the past season, are a testament to the coaching that these athletes received to develop as players, despite not coming into college as highly-touted recruits. Recruits who aren’t necessarily five-stars will see a Chris Collins-type coach and know that even though they may not be the best out of high school, Northwestern is a place where they could become an NBA-caliber player.

Of course, recruiting is also important, and I’m not trying to undermine coaches who are incredible at it (see: Tracey Fuchs). But the ability to do more with less is one of the most impressive qualities a coach could have, and unfortunately, I think it’s somewhat of a dying phenomenon with the transfer portal making it much harder for a coach to develop a player for several years at one place.

Harris: Development is as good an answer as any, but I’m going to go with retention. Keeping players — especially young players — within the program in the transfer portal/revenue sharing era of college athletics is a barometer for so many things. Braun’s success at retaining talent is a major reason for optimism three years into his tenure. At the same time, Northwestern’s high retention numbers mean nothing if the guys they are retaining aren’t talented. To quote my guy Herm Edwards, you play to win the gameeee.

Miguel: I really like both of Harris’ and Yanyan’s answers here, so I’ll go with something that combines the two in a way. To me, I think building a culture is an immediate example of a successful coach in the long-term. There are endless examples of coaches who know how create a standard and stick to it, and in nearly all those cases, we see sustained growth in the win-loss column as a result of it. Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti is a great example of it — as he said, infamously, “Google me” — wherever he has gone, at every level of the sport, he has won.

Relating that back to Northwestern athletics, we see that same standard of excellence being built for the field hockey and lacrosse programs, which have both enjoyed sustained success as a direct result of it. Connecting it back to my other EICs’ points, not only does it lead to general success, but it helps develop players into winning athletes and create a culture that more and more people want to be a part of, more so than just chasing a check.

From Jonathan Wood: Now that we have something of a sample size on NU basketball (men’s and women’s), what are your predictions for those teams’ B1G records over the rest of the season?

Yanyan: Honestly, my expectations compared to the preseason haven’t changed for the women’s team. I predicted a 4-14 Big Ten record, and the ‘Cats haven’t really shown me that they can perform better than that. Sure, Grace Sullivan has developed into a superstar, while Tayla Thomas has also taken big strides in her sophomore year. But after a 6-0 start to weaker competition, Northwestern still has the same problems that it had from last season — starting by keeping up with its opponents, just to collapse later in the game. I’m not changing my already low expectations until I see progress, which hasn’t been present just yet from NU as a team.

As for the men, I was really high on Northwestern coming in, predicting it to make the First Four with a .500 Big Ten record. There are enough “bad” B1G teams for that to still be possible, and conference games are such a toss-up with home-court advantage being such a big deal. The ‘Cats have disappointed in many of their matchups against good teams, especially in their game against a very beatable Ohio State squad. But all of those losses, barring Wisconsin, were close games. Chris Collins has turned around teams with early-season struggles in the past (see: 2023), and I have faith in him to do it again. Northwestern will need to improve in a variety of areas, but even though my preseason expectations have tempered a bit, I wouldn’t be shocked if I’m proven wrong.

Miguel: I have actually swayed quite a bit for both the men’s and women’s teams. Starting with the men’s side, going into the season I was relatively optimistic, predicting a NCAA Tournament berth. All of the incoming talent on the roster, combined with what looked like a surprisingly competitive exhibition against a good Iowa State team had me drinking the Kool-Aid. I’ve been disappointed, but not for the reasons I expected: this defense has just been abysmal to watch. I expect Collins to turn things around a little, but the B1G is too talented for me to still think this is a 20-win team. I’ll go with a more middling 16-15 (7-13 B1G) to round out the regular season.

As for the women’s team, I’ve honestly been pleasantly surprised. After picking them to finish with only eight wins — which, I’ll admit, was probably a bit harsh but was more so based on the lack of success in the last three seasons — the ‘Cats have already almost surpassed that win total. They’ve come down a little from a hot 6-0 start, but this team has still looked relatively competitive against good competition; they just need to close out games. I’ll change my guess to a more reasonable 11-18 (3-14 B1G).

Harris: I’m feeling very pessimistic about the men thus far. That Ohio State loss at home feels like it’s already up there already with the worst Big Ten losses since I’ve been a student here. Martinelli showed some real fire at his presser last week, and Northwestern fans should feel beyond lucky to have him, but the struggles on defense are so jarring. The silver lining here is that Virginia and Oklahoma State are looking like surefire tournament teams. The Big Ten is loaded — Nebraska is out of this world through 11 games — but there is a path forward if the defense starts playing like a Chris Collins-coached team should.

From Jonathan Wood: What spring sports are you most looking forward to and why?

Yanyan: It’s lacrosse, and those who know me probably wouldn’t have expected another answer. But this year’s Lake Show squad is one of the most talented yet unproven squads in the nation. Of course, it’s manned by Madison Taylor, but coming in are four senior transfers: Maddie Epke, Olivia Adamson, Annabel Child, and Jennika Cuocco, all of whom were at least all-conference players at their former schools. Epke and Adamson, especially alongside Taylor, will make for what I think will be the most lethal attack trio in the NCAA.

Everything will also mean more for Northwestern this season with the Final Four being on its home field. The home-field advantage is great, but as the first Final Four (men’s or women’s) to be played outside of the East Coast, this is a monumental moment that symbolizes Northwestern’s role in growing the sport beyond the Appalachians. How fitting would it be to be the team lifting the trophy on Memorial Day weekend?

Miguel: I’ll have to agree that lacrosse is always a sport to look forward to for the spring, really because it is one of the only NU programs that has been a legitimate national title contender year in and year out. And that’s exciting. I’ll also give a nod to the softball team, who will be getting a brand-new stadium for this upcoming season and could do some serious damage again after making the tournament last spring.

Harris: I’m going to go with softball. Lauren Boyd finished her storied Wildcat career with a 16-inning masterclass in last year’s regional, and there’s a shot Northwestern has found her successor in superstar Goose Goodwin. The Arizona native is Softball America’s No. 3 prospect in the Class of 2030, and her 0.36 ERA as a junior may be good enough for her to earn a starting role in year one. Add in sophomore Kaylie Avvisato, a blue-chip recruit herself who put up a .348 average as a true freshman, and Kate Drohan’s side has a chance to make a real run.

From Jonathan Wood: What was your favorite NU sports moment you covered this fall?

Yanyan: The obvious answer for me is being on the grounds in Durham when Northwestern field hockey won the 2025 NCAA championship. I was also in Ann Arbor when the ‘Cats won last year, but covering two overtime thrillers with clear storylines and having a press box seat right next to the fans made this year’s experience much more memorable to me. In addition, having the freedom to be in charge of field hockey coverage as EIC this year added to the weekend, as well as working on my side story about Juliana Boon while helping Inside NU’s Matt Campbell with his piece on Grace Schulze. I’ve covered field hockey all season, often to a minuscule audience, so to see it all pay off at the end of the year when all eyes were on the team was super fulfilling (Inside NU’s X post on Maddie Zimmer’s career resume got more likes than any other post from the account this fall).

A close second would be spending much of October working on a feature story about Zimmer. Given her college career was pretty linear success-wise, it was a fun challenge to find a narrative that went beyond “she’s good at field hockey,” and through that, I learned about how much she meant to the NU program and vice versa. She’s not the type to care about this stuff, but I don’t think the Northwestern community fully grasped her achievements beforehand, and I’m happy to have played at least a small part in changing that.

Miguel: I’ll admit that I don’t have a moment quite as intriguing as Yanyan’s. That one is pretty hard to beat. Thus far, I think my favorite game or moment that I’ve covered has been witnessing Northwestern football’s miraculous upset on the road against Penn State. Looking back at it now, that win doesn’t look that crazy; it was just one 6-6 team beating another, really. But the ‘Cats practically dismantled the Nittany Lions’ program for the year, while getting a win nobody expected and which ended up being crucial to its bowl eligibility. That has to be a game that I’ll never forget.

Harris: I spent this fall studying abroad in Madrid, so I don’t have a moment that covered, but that Penn State win was one of my all-time favorite moments as a fan of anything. I also have to shoutout Yanyan and Miguel for doing a phenomenal job holding down the ship, especially during that ridiculous stretch in late November with the field hockey Final Four, the Greenbrier Tip-Off and the Northwestern-Minnesota football game.

From NUDave: What have you heard regarding seat pricing/contribution requirements for the new Ryan Field?

Yanyan: I haven’t heard any inside information, per se, but putting together a story with original reporting about the stadium and its progress is on my bucket list once the season is over (I reached out over the summer and was told to wait until the season ended). But per supportthecats.com, they’ve released options for premium seating, including stadium club suites and living room boxes, with a section dedicated to club seats coming soon. Additionally, donors and season ticket holders will have top priority when it comes to seat selection (before tickets go on sale to the general public), while current NU suite holders will have first dibs on the new suite options. No specific info on pricing just yet.

From Brendan Preisman: Which Northwestern athlete would make for a good coach in another sport?

Yanyan: Assuming this excludes two-sport athletes here, I’d have to go with Ashley Sessa coaching either baseball or softball. I made some of my other responses way too long, so I’ll just clip this video to show why:

Miguel: Love this question, Brendan. The cop-out answer here is probably Jack Lausch in football, but that one’s a little boring. I’ll go with a little bit of an outside-the-box answer here and say Dirk Morley coach football. The NU wrestler is in the highest weight class on the roster, weighing in at 285 pounds currently. With a background in man-to-man combat, surely he would know how to coach an offensive or defensive line and get them to win in the trenches, right?

Harris: Dirk is a great call — I remember sitting with him at a Sargent lunch early in my freshman year and thinking he was one of the biggest humans I’d ever seen (really nice guy as well). I’m going to go with Brooks Barnhizer making the switch to football. Anyone who watched more than 10 minutes of Northwestern hoops knows that Barnhizer plays like a safety, and I like the most physical Wildcat in recent memory to make it feel like it’s 1995 again.