It's mailbag week! Zach begins by talking about the start of a new athletic and academic year and how Northwestern can keep the momentum from last year rolling into this one (1:46). He then launches into answering questions from listeners (4:40), including whether or not Mike Wright is a lock to start at quarterback (9:35) and what the most important factor other than quarterback play will be for Northwestern football this fall (21:22). He dissects what offense the Wildcats will run in 2024 (25:04), talks about some of the most notable moments and people in Northwestern sports history (31:48),  breaks down whether Northwestern has a better chance to make the College Football Playoff or the Final Four (44:48) and much more.

Contact info—Twitter: @ZachKoons, Instagram: @zach_koons, Email: [email protected]

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Zach opens the show with some brief thoughts on the news that Northwestern will need a new athletic director following the announcement that Dr. Derrick Gragg will be moved into a new role (2:23). He's then joined by deputy athletic director Jesse Marks to discuss the Wildcats' temporary stadium setup for 2024 and 2025, starting with how this idea came to be (9:40). Jesse talks about the importance of building up the entire Lakefill to enhance the game-day experience (15:47) and how the set-up will affect the other programs that play at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium (19:42). Finally, Jesse talks about breaking ground at the new Ryan Field, which took place earlier this week (23:54).

Contact info for the mailbag episode; send in your questions! Twitter: @ZachKoons, Instagram @zach_koons, Email: [email protected]

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Chris Collins and Northwestern men’s basketball landed their first class of 2025 recruit this week, three-star combo guard Phoenix Gill. Zach gets into what to know about Gill’s pedigree (2:05) and gives his early impression of the soon-to-be Wildcat’s game (6:07). Then, he reflects on the spring offseason for the program, discussing the returns of Matt Nicholson, Ty Berry and Brooks Barnhizer as well as the additions of Jalen Leach and Keenan Fitzmorris (14:17). Finally, he discusses who needs to step up in 2024–25 (23:25) and outlines what the depth chart might look like for next season (28:31).

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Northwestern lacrosse lost a heartbreaker to Boston College in the women's lacrosse national championship on Sunday and Zach dives deep on the crushing defeat. He breaks down the turning tides of the first half, beginning with the hot start for the Wildcats before the second quarter response from the Eagles (1:12). Then, he pinpoints the most consequential sequence of the championship battle (9:56) and why Northwestern wasn't able to fully keep pace with BC in the final frame (14:13). Finally, he gives his main takeaways on what the outcome means for the power dynamic in women's lacrosse (19:45) before reflecting on the vast impact that Izzy Scane, Erin Coykendall and the rest of the senior class left on Wildcats' lacrosse (23:52).

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Noah Coffman (Twitter: @coffman_noah) joins Zach (@ZachKoons) to talk all things Northwestern lacrosse ahead of the program’s fifth consecutive Final Four appearance. The two begin by breaking down the Wildcats’ NCAA tournament quarterfinal win against Penn (1:20) before discussing the team’s balanced scoring attack (5:05) and veteran strength on defense (10:30). Then, the pair talks about Izzy Scane’s lasting impact on the program for the last six years (15:55) and analyzes the ceiling for standout sophomore Madison Taylor (19:52). Finally, the duo takes a look at the Final Four matchup against Florida and what Northwestern will have to do to win a second straight national championship (25:23).

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Quarterback Mike Wright announced his transfer to Northwestern giving the Wildcats a clear favorite to start in 2024 and Zach gives his early evaluation of what fans can expect from the former Vanderbilt and Mississippi State signal-caller (2:50). Then, he breaks down a massive recruiting week for the program, featuring the addition of multiple three-star recruits in the class of 2025 (17:53). Finally, he gives the latest update on Northwestern's temporary lakeside stadium, including information on seating, capacity and plans for the game-day experience (24:57).

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Host Zach Koons (Twitter: @ZachKoons) introduces himself and the podcast, going over his plans for the show and how he plans to cover Northwestern sports in 2024 (1:24). He then takes a look back at Northwestern football's 2023 season (9:45), before discussing the challenges facing the program this upcoming fall (19:30). He also briefly previews a difficult 2024 schedule for the Wildcats in the new-look Big Ten (27:58) and touches on other topics including staff changes, uncertainty at quarterback and Northwestern's home stadium.

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Jeremy and Peter look back at the 2020 Big Ten Championship Game (1:20), break down the Northwestern players who entered the transfer portal (18:20) and discuss Greg Newsome II's decision to enter the NFL Draft (31:25).

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Jeremy and Peter review Northwestern's victory over Illinois and what it means before the Big Ten Championship Game (1:40), discuss the outstanding Wildcats defense (16:50) and give their x-factors and predictions for Saturday (36:00).

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Jeremy and Peter talk about Northwestern officially winning the Big Ten West (1:30), break down the Wildcats lack of deep pass plays (14:30) and discuss Milo Eifler's comments on the NU-Illinois rivalry (31:15).

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