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Northwestern defensive leaders tweet heartfelt message to fans regarding bowl status
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Northwestern coach Pat Gitzgerald will be without two of his best defensive players for the Wildcats’ Holiday Bowl against Oregon on Dec. 31.
Senior defensive tackle Jordan Thompson will miss the game after requiring knee surgery and senior linebacker Nate Hall underwent shoulder surgery.
Both made announcements Friday night on Twitter:
You’ve seen them grow as players. I’ve been privileged to see them grow as exceptional men. Thankful for all they’ve meant to our Northwestern family and excited for what the future holds for both on Sundays and beyond!! pic.twitter.com/dqQKzcuHfK
— Pat Fitzgerald (@coachfitz51) December 21, 2018
Thompson finished with 30 tackles (six for loss), three sacks, three pass deflections and two forced fumbles in 12 games this season. He was Pro Football Focus’ No. 2-rated defensive linemen in the Big Ten.
Hall also wraps up an outstanding four-year career with the Wildcats, where he collected 261 tackles (31 for loss) and five interceptions in 45 games.
The Holiday Bowl will kick off at 7 p.m. EST on FS1.
Tyler has covered college football on a freelance basis since 2010. In addition to Saturday Football, his work has been featured on ESPN Radio, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, Cox Media Group, Athlon Sports, and more.