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After 51 years in coaching, Northwestern has perfect sendoff for DC Mike Hankwitz following final practice

Ryan Williamson

By Ryan Williamson

Published:

Friday’s Citrus Bowl is a big one for Northwestern as the Wildcats look to cap off an impressive season.

Besides the program ending this season on a high note, it’s also the end of an era for one Northwestern coach. It’s the final game for defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz. He departs the program after Friday’s game. He’s been coaching football for more than five decades.

A pretty incredible moment. A win for Northwestern on Friday would be No. 400 for Hankwitz in his storied career as a football coach.

This season, Hankwitz has surely entered the spotlight as the Wildcats have been a great defensive team. That defense was part of the reason the Wildcats won their second Big Ten West crown in three seasons.

It seems quite plausible that Northwestern could win No. 400 for the beloved “Hank.” Auburn is coming off a less-than-ideal season and the Tigers fired coach Gus Malzahn as a result of that.

Hankwitz has been around the college football world in his 51 years. He’s been the defensive coordinator at Northwestern since 2008 but has been coaching in college football since 1970. His other stops include Michigan, Arizona, Purdue, Western Michigan, Colorado, Kansas, Texas A&M, Arizona and Wisconsin. Hankwitz has never served as a full-time head coach. However, he did serve as an interim coach at both Colorado and Arizona.

Ryan Williamson