EVANSTON, Ill. – Some notes from Northwestern’s practice on Tuesday:
- Add senior safety Ibraheim Campbell to the list of players sitting out because of injury. Campbell broke his jaw in practice on Saturday and will miss the rest of spring practice. Coach Pat Fitzgerald said Campbell will be ready for the fall. The other players sitting out are WR Cermak Bland, S Terrance Brown, RB Stephen Buckley, DL Max Chapman, DE Deonte Gibson, CB Daniel Jones, RB Venric Mark, DT Sean McEvilly, OG Brad North, DE Ifeadi Odenigbo and OG Ian Park.
- Redshirt freshman safety Godwin Igwebuike looked sharp Tuesday playing in the first unit alongside Traveon Henry. Fitgzerald said he is encouraged by the progress Igwebuike and fellow redshirt freshman DB Keith Watkins have made. "Both [Igwebuike] and Keith have been great," he said. "They're really picking up the system well. I like what both guys are doing."
- Fitzgerald was asked whether the secondary this year has more competition than any other he has coached. “I don’t see anybody All-Big Ten,” he said. “Until we see that, then I’ll start calling them really good players.” I wrote last week about whether the secondary is Northwestern's best position group.
- ESPN.Com reported Friday that the NCAA is considering instituting an early signing period. Fitzgerald said he would be in favor of this. “I’ve been a proponent for it since the acceleration of recruiting has happened,” he said. “To me it makes a lot of sense.” Fitzgerald proposed that a 48-hour window be implemented where, in the event of a coaching change, players who sign early could opt “in” or “out.”