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Pat Fitzgerald lauds over Hunter Johnson for being ‘special teammate, respectful of the program’
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College football is an honest game. And, if we’re being honest, Hunter Johnson hasn’t quite looked like a five-star quarterback in his first two games under center at Northwestern. He struggled against Stanford and didn’t look much better against UNLV.
Those are just his first two career starts, but when those five stars are beside your name, you’re going to be under the microscope every time you take the field, whether that’s fair or not.
But what Johnson has done on the field so far hardly reflects the impact he’s had on the Northwestern program. In an interview on SiriusXM College Radio this week, Pat Fitzgerald couldn’t say enough good things about Johnson.
“He’s a very humble, well thought out, really, really special teammate,” Fitzgerald said. “He’s really respectful of the program and the other players.”
Fitzgerald has also defended his quarterback through the first two games of the season. Rightfully so. Johnson hadn’t started a game in his college career until Week 1 against Stanford, and was forced to sit out all last season due to NCAA transfer rules.
The stats may not look great, but Fitzgerald said it’s because Johnson is essentially a freshman quarterback.
“Hunter hadn’t started a game since 2016,” Fitzgerald said. “So, he’s like a true freshman, and he’s learning and he’s growing and getting better. I just told him to shut the noise off. Who cares what everyone else says, it’s got nothing to do with how you prepare and how you play. Just go grip it and rip it and have fun. And each rep, each game you’re gonna get better.”
In two games, Johnson has completed 18-of-42 passes for 220 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. He’s run the ball 22 times for 68 yards and a score.
RELATED: Fitzgerald Pays Major Respect to MSU Defense
Life doesn’t get any easier, as Northwestern hosts the best defense in the B1G with Michigan State coming to town. It’s another major test for Johnson and the Wildcats offense. But, in the B1G, there’s rarely an easy week. It just so happens Northwestern starts with the cream of the crop in the conference defensively.
This will be a huge test for Johnson. Even though he’s struggled early, Fitzgerald still has a ton of confidence in the new quarterback.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB