Best of the B1G West at MLB: Northwestern's 'Franchise' or Iowa's 'Bad Ass?'

IOWA CITY — One linebacker is labeled 'The Franchise.' The other is called a bad ass.

Northwestern middle linebacker Anthony Walker earned first-team all-Big Ten laurels last year after posting 19.5 tackles for loss, second-best nationally. Iowa middle linebacker Josey Jewell registered 126 tackles last year en route to second-team all-Big Ten honors.

Both are incoming juniors and the best middle linebackers in the Big Ten's West Division. Which player is better? Well, that depends on your perspective. Each one was integral to his team's success last year. Northwestern won 10 games last year; Iowa won 12 and the division title. Both defenses were among the nation's top 25 nationally in points and yards allowed. Both weigh 235 pounds and were National Honor Society members in high school despite living 1,600 miles apart.

Walker grew up in Miami, Fla., and started seven games as a freshman. He led Northwestern with 9.0 tackles for loss that year with two interceptions. Last year he notched 113 tackles — third most in school history — and 35 more than any other Wildcat. He recorded 19 tackles in a win at Duke.

About a year ago, Northwestern running back Auston Anderson started calling Walker 'The Franchise.' Initially, Walker bristled at the term. Then he owned it.

'I didn't really want that name; I was just starting out,' Walker said. 'I love my teammates, we have a great camaraderie, a great brotherhood. Just those guys embracing me is really special.'

For Coach Pat Fitzgerald, Walker is 'The Franchise' in all facets of life.

'He is 100 percent into being coached,' Fitzgerald said. 'He's a grinder in the weight room. He is a true student of the game. He's got great leadership skills. He's got the functional strength, functional speed, change of direction ability. He's truly a three-way player. He's great against the run, he's great against the pass, and he has the ability to rush the passer.'

Jewell, who recorded four interceptions and 7.5 tackles for loss last year, brings toughness, directness and accountability to everything in life. He doesn't let his teammates slack off in practice, workouts or even classwork. Sophomore linebacker Aaron Mends said lining up next to Jewell, 'you've just got to be a bad ass.'

'He's not the kind of guy who will talk to other people and say, 'Hey, this guy ...'' Mends said. 'He'll come up to you and tell you, 'Hey, you've got to get your life together because you're not really helping the team.''

And don't count on Jewell getting called out, either.

'He doesn't have other problems so you can't check him on anything he does,' Mends said. 'He makes sure his game is straight and he's accountable. He holds everyone accountable. He has a lot of integrity because he's not going to be doing things he wouldn't ask you to do.'

'I just try to lead by example and let everybody see by your off-field and on-field things,' Jewell said. 'How you go about your business and go about your business right and not screw up, not do stupid things at night, get to sleep early and just have a daily discipline.'

Fitzgerald's legacy stands tall in Northwestern lore. He was an All-American linebacker and guided the Wildcats to the 1995 Big Ten championship. When it comes to Walker, however, Fitzgerald is ready to share the spotlight.

'I think he's got the opportunity to be the best that we've ever had here, and we've had some pretty good linebackers over the years,' Fitzgerald said. 'He's got a target on him. He's got a big, old bull's-eye. Anytime you come back from having the season that he had, everybody's going to get a hat on him and play below his knees and try to cut him down.'

Walker struggled last year against Iowa, picking up just four tackles and none before halftime in a 40-10 Iowa victory. The Hawkeyes rushed for 294 yards on 51 attempts. Jewell, conversely, had one of his best games. He totaled six tackles, including 2.5 for loss. Jewell delivered a jarring hit on quarterback Clayton Thorson that resulted in a 10-yard sack and fumble. Northwestern rushed for just 51 yards on 26 carries.

Jewell was an elite all-state player at Decorah and guided the Vikings to the state title his senior year but weighed 200 pounds and was a two-star prospect. He played both sides of the ball and was unheralded. In fact, he was offered a scholarship by Iowa only two days before signing day. By his sophomore season he became a permanent team captain, a rarity at Iowa.

• RELATED: Iowa found Josey Jewell where no one else was looking

'He's wired one way,' Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said. 'We have had some other players here that just know one speed, and that's definitely his mode of operation. How much better he can be; great thing about experience is it can push you up the charts a little bit if you use it, and he's trying to do everything he can to get an edge. He's just that kind of guy.'

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