The Spotlight Dance -- Northwestern

Iowa LB Pat Angerer vs. Northwestern WR Zeke Markshausen

Pat Angerer (sr.) 

Dimensions - 6-1, 235

Position - middle linebacker

Back story - When Iowa switched into a dime package last week (six defensive backs), Angerer was the lone linebacker on the field. When Wildcats QB Mike Kafka looks for the WR-LB mismatch, he'll likely have his eyes on Angerer.

Now, you know how this is going to work. You know that Angerer or any Iowa player in coverage will keep NU receivers in front of them. Iowa doesn't want to give up the 30-yarder but has decided it can live with the 5-yarder. Northwestern gladly takes the 5-yarders. Then you hear "bend, don't break," and then Iowa usually doesn't break.

The best way to work around this for Iowa is to throw off the timing. Because the Hawkeyes corners don't jam, instead playing zone cushion, the way they do this is through the pass rush. Iowa's four down linemen are expected to pressure the QB, make him move and decide quickly.

That way, a linebacker can hang with a receiver for just long enough.

When the Hawkeyes go into dime, linebackers A.J. Edds and Jeremiha Hunter come off the field, being replaced by freshman corner Greg Castillo and sophomore Willie Lowe. Iowa ran a safety blitz on Indiana just before halftime last week and the Hoosiers threw a TD in front of Castillo. 

Zeke Markshausen (sr.) 

Dimensions - 5-11, 185 pounds

Position - Wide receiver

Back story - He transferred into Northwestern from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He came into the 2009 season with one career catch. Now, Zeke Markshausen is a 5-11, 185-pound graduate engineering student and a force to be reckoned with.

He leads the Big Ten with 67 receptions and 7.44 receptions a game. He's sixth in the league with 613 yards, 68.1 yards a game. He also has two TD receptions. In a loss at Michigan State, Markshausen caught 16 passes, which ranks second only to Jon Harvey's 17 against Michigan in 1982.

Markshausen's game isn't complicated. He's quick, shifty and runs great routes. His quick feet and knack for exploiting open space make him a nightmare matchup against Big Ten linebackers. He's also fearless, not afraid to do business in the middle of zone defenses.

Markshausen's dad, Kim, played football at Iowa before a knee injury ended his playing career.

In a lot of ways, Marskhausen is the epitome of NU football. A graduate student with a 3.45 cumulative GPA seeking a master's in engineering design and innovation, Markshausen is among seven NU players nominated for academic all-America honors.

Judges?

Markshausen will rack up double-digit receptions. But will he (and the Wildcats) be able to parlay production into points? A 16-catch day with 100 or so yards will be empty calories if Northwestern doesn't score.

Iowa will bend. It probably won't break enough for NU, which is also working around Kafka's injured left hamstring.