Eric Peterman's 2008 Spring Blog
Throughout Northwestern's spring season, senior wide receiver Eric Peterman (Sherman, Ill./Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin) will share his thoughts on the Wildcat football team. Peterman starred for the 'Cats in 2007, leading the team in receptions (66 catches for 744 yards, 3 TD's) and earning the team's co-MVP honors. He also was named a second-team All-Big Ten selection by Rivals.com.
Check back on this page throughout the month of April for Eric's updates.
April 27, 2008
The spring football game is such a great break from the monotony of offseason workouts. It almost serves as a homecoming game if you will. It was great to see so many former players back on campus and around in the locker room still supporting and giving back to the University. The weather was a generous 55 degrees with gusting winds, just nice enough, though, for a tremendous crowd. I saw former players; I saw fellow students; I saw teammates' families; I saw diehard Wildcat fans, and I even met some new and upcoming Wild "kits" during 'Stretch with the Cats.' This year's spring football game encompassed everything that a spring football game is historically known for. There was good, there was bad and there was ugly.
The ugly:
Kyle Petty, Jack DiNardo… heck all 11 defensive guys trying to tackle the "now you see me, now you don't" Scott Concannon
Tyrell running into C.J. during "pat-and-go" in warm-ups (C.J. hurt his left pinkie finger… I thought his career was over!)
Graduate assistant and former Wildcat Louis Ayeni trying to signal the plays, "open right, y jerk" or "trey left, cargo"
Coach Mac's signals in general
Tanner Highlen's disgustingly faded pink rag of a shirt pre-game
The bad:
The defense having a slower than slow start. Letting the offense slice through them like a hot ice cream scoop through ice cream.
The offense not being able to score touchdowns in the red zone
Defensive tackling
Coach Bates' jokes
The offense not keeping momentum throughout the whole day, fast start but slow finish
FUMBLE!
Frymire and Highlen injuries
No caused turnovers by the defense
The wind
Scott Lilja's description of seismoiditis
The good:
The offense torching the defense to start the day
The defense responding and not laying down
Rasheed Ward making big plays and scoring two touchdowns
Omar Conteh running wild
Mike Dinard got an internship!
Vince Browne dominating on the edge
Overall play of the entire team
Mrs. Beth Lindley (Yes, Tory's wife) making a celebrity appearance and providing one strip of ankle tape for me. Impressive tearing of the tape too I must add!
The FANS and Wildcat supporters
Overall it was a fantastic day. All things put aside, it was a great way to wrap up all of the hard work from the past month. Thank you to all of those who participated in the "Walk for Randy," and those who came out to support the Wildcats on Saturday. Your passion does not go unnoticed.
I want to thank Mike Wolf and Julie Dunn for asking me to do this blog and taking care of the media work for us. I had a great time getting the word out about Northwestern Football, and all of the credit goes to Wolfie. Thank you to all of the special people that work in the media services/marketing departments here at Northwestern.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Kevin Frymire and Tanner Highlen … we hope to see you back on the field sooner rather than later.
Thanks for all of those who have read my blog, especially my Uncle Brad out in Oklahoma who tells me he checks every single morning even though I told him it only comes out on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Thank you to all of the Wildcat fans out there that support this great team. It is going to be an exciting nine months for the Northwestern Wildcat football program. I hope you stick around for the fun. Remember… Trust in God, Seize the Day, wear your purple proudly, RESPOND and FINISH everything you do!
Thank You
- EP
