With zero TD passes this season, Northwestern to switch QBs

Northwestern is making a quarterback change after two games as Jack Lausch will start this week against Eastern Illinois, coach David Braun announced Monday.

Lausch will replace Mike Wright, who struggled in Friday's overtime home loss to Duke, completing 19 of 35 passes for 156 yards with an interception and several throws that were nearly picked off. Braun said after the game that Northwestern was "rolling with Mike right now" but that his evaluation would continue. The coach on Monday said that he didn't want to announce a change before he got a chance to evaluate the game film.

Wright, a transfer from Mississippi State who had started games at Vanderbilt, competed with Lausch in preseason camp and won the starting job. But the senior did not throw a touchdown pass in his first two starts for Northwestern and had some issues handling snaps in a season-opening win against Miami (Ohio). Northwestern is one of five FBS teams without a touchdown pass this season.

After tying for sixth nationally in fewest turnovers with nine last year, the Wildcats already have four, a factor Braun cited in the quarterback switch.

"Your ultimate responsibility is to protect and value the football," he said.

Lausch, a redshirt sophomore from Chicago, impressed the coaches during the spring and summer, leapfrogging Brendan Sullivan on the depth chart, which ultimately led to Sullivan transferring to Iowa. Lausch has just 11 passing attempts in two seasons, while rushing for 79 yards and a touchdown last fall.

Braun said he and first-year offensive coordinator Zach Lujan are in "complete alignment" about the switch to Lausch.