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n o r t h w e s t e r n f o o t b a l l • D I G I T A L P R O G R A M • N O R T H W E S T E R N v s . P U R D U E
COACHING STAFF
Defensive Coordinator | 12th Season | Alma Mater: Michigan, 1969
Mike Hankwitz enters his 12th
season with the Wildcats and
his 51st overall season in col-
lege football. In his 30 years
as a defensive coordinator,
his defense has ranked in the
top-25 on 14 occasions. He has
amassed 390 wins as a college
assistant coach and coordinator,
most recently guiding a defense
that helped lead Northwestern
to a Big Ten West title. In 2018,
Hankwitz's group tied for third
in the nation in fumbles recov-
ered with 14 and were the least
penalized unit in country. They
were also a national top-15 unit
in total turnovers with 26.
MIKE HANKWITZ
Associate Head Coach (Defensive Backs) | 14th Season | Alma Mater: DePauw, 1999
After 12 years as an assistant
coach leading three of the top
four running backs in program
history, Matt MacPherson was
promoted to associate head
coach (defensive backs) be-
fore the 2018 season. In 2018,
MacPherson coached cor-
nerback Montre Hartage and
safety JR Pace, both of whom
earned All-Big Ten honors. A
defensive standout at DePauw,
MacPherson was a defensive
graduate assistant for the
'Cats under Randy Walker from
2000-02.
MATT MACPHERSON
