Chip Kelly, Aidan Chiles Tandem Mostly Strong in Northwestern Debut
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The Chip Kelly era needed just two plays to find the end zone.
Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles, who transferred in from Michigan State this January, stepped up in the pocket after using a play-action fake to leading rusher Caleb Komolafe. With the defenders crashing in on him, Chiles launched a bomb to Griffin Wilde, who was running wide-open downfield.
The pass and subsequent run after the catch went 71 yards. Chiles' second throw went only 11 yards, but that's all it needed to find UConn transfer tight end Alex Honig for the season's first touchdown.
For anyone who has watched Northwestern football over the last decade or two, the Wildcats' on-field product to start Saturday night's game may as well have been foreign. Since 2015, Northwestern has ranked 132nd in the nation in scoring out of 136 teams. NU has rotated through offensive coordinators in an effort to find a solution, but has remained a program driven by its defense nonetheless.
And although there was a lengthy lull between that opening drive and Northwestern's strong fourth quarter, the Wildcats still finished with 497 yards of total offense and a double-digit victory.
That hot start provided a glimpse into what the Chip Kelly offense could look like, featuring an aspect that the Wildcats have sorely lacked: explosive plays. However, that elation didn't last long, as Northwestern struggled to move the ball for the rest of the first half and the beginning of the second.
Northwestern's offense finally came alive again in the third period. Following a lengthy injury pause for senior center and captain Jackson Carsello — who was stretchered off the field and left via ambulance — Chiles found Drew Wagner for 22 yards and Luke Dehnicke for a 35-yard gain. Those massive catches set Komolafe up for a seven-yard touchdown run, marking Northwestern's first time in the end zone since its opening drive.
It was easy to see the vision for the Kelly-Chiles pairing. The 20-year-old senior showed off his accuracy and arm strength during on-schedule plays, and although he didn't find the same success when he left the pocket, Chiles' mobility was promising. When Komolafe and Gavin Sawchuk provided a strong run game, Northwestern's balanced attack was the most lethal.
When South Dakota State scored late to make it 20-18, Chiles led the 'Cats to victory with a poised drive. He completed two passes for first downs, and with Komolafe and Sawchuk supporting him, Chiles cleanly executed a read option and called his own number for a 14-yard touchdown scamper.
Joseph Himon II put the icing on the cake with an 80-yard touchdown run to push Northwestern's lead to 34-18. On the Wildcats' final four possessions, they scored three touchdowns and one field goal.
Saturday's season-opening win over the Jackrabbits was far from perfect. Northwestern will have much to work on between now and its next game against the Colorado Buffaloes on Sep. 19. But for a program whose offense has been anemic for much of the 21st century — much of its existence, in fact — scoring 34 points and notching nearly 500 yards of total offense against a formidable opponent is a strong start to a new era.
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