If you want to build a good, long last program, you've got to have a philosophy or mantra for your players to buy into. Something that those involved are able to call on when times get tough, and, more importantly, something that can serve as the foundation of what your program is built on.
For Northwestern, their philosophy is dubbed The Wildcat Way, and Pat Fitzgerald lays it all out in the most recent episode of The Hunt.
"The Wildcat Way is the foundation of what we believe in as a program, and it's to go as hard as you can, for as long as you can; academically, socially, and athletically. From a football context, we want to teach our guys that they can get better, one play better, every single day, if they give everything that they've got within them." Fitz explains.
"We ask them to carry that over, to the choices that they make socially, how they prepare themselves for life professionally, and most importantly here in their four or five year window, to handle their business the right way academically and earn that great Northwestern degree, and the academic experience is going to prepare them for life."
Hear more on the philosophy from players, and what it means to them, in the clip.
Northwestern has won three straight and is sitting at 3-2 heading into Saturday's noon game against Minnesota (4-1).