Ten Questions: 1. Can Preston Stone return to form?

First of 10 questions that will determine Northwestern’s 2025 season.

In 2024, Northwestern’s struggles at quarterback returned with a vengeance. The Wildcats were optimistic about incoming transfer Mike Wright and named him the starter out of fall camp, only to change course after a 1-1 start and give the keys to the offense to redshirt sophomore Jack Lausch.

Lausch’s 10-game tenure was a roller coaster that featured some flashes — a 31-7 win over Eastern Illinois, a 37-10 win at Maryland — but plenty of downturns. He finished 3-7 as a starter, the Wildcats finished 4-8 on the season and quarterback was a definite need in the transfer portal.

Enter Preston Stone from SMU, who committed to the Wildcats on Dec. 24, in time to take part in winter conditioning as well as the full spring practice window. Stone put together a masterclass in 2023 for the Mustangs, with 3,197 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns. If he posted those numbers at Northwestern, that would rank fourth all-time in single-season passing yards and first in touchdowns.

Unfortunately, Stone suffered a severe injury, breaking his fibula against Navy in the regular-season finale of 2023. He recovered in time to retain the starting job for the Mustangs in 2024, but struggled and split time with up-and-coming quarterback Kevin Jennings out of the gate. He threw for 254 yards, a touchdown and an interception in a tight 29-24 win over Nevada, then 78 yards and two touchdowns in a 59-7 romp over Houston Christian. When he struggled against BYU, head coach Rhett Lashlee opted for Jennings.

The Mustangs lost that game, 18-15, but would win their next nine games under Jennings on their way to a spot in the ACC title game and the College Football Playoff. Stone made a few minor relief appearances the rest of the season but never had more than five attempts after facing Houston Christian in Week 2.

This season, Stone’s fifth and final year of eligibility, represents a mutual gamble. Northwestern needs Stone to regain his 2023 form if they stand a chance of bowl eligibility against a grueling conference schedule with a stiff non-conference season opener at Tulane. Stone needs the Wildcats to give him one last chance to make a case for pro ball and to wash away the sour end of what was, until then, a storybook SMU career.

The good news is that there’s evidence both parties can make that happen. The Wildcats completed a last-season rehab stint just two season ago with Ben Bryant, who went 9-2 at Cincinnati before fracturing his foot. He transferred to Northwestern, threw for 1,807 yards and 13 touchdowns in nine games, went 6-3 as a starter, including a four-game winning streak to close out the 2023 season and win the Las Vegas Bowl.

Whatever recovery from Stone’s fibula break might have lingered or hampered his 2024 efforts should be cleaned up with another cycle of recovery. Signs from practice have been encouraging, as head coach David Braun lauded Stone for his work in spring ball. He was selected as one of the three representatives for the program for 2025 Media Day, signaling he’s won the starting job already — as just about everyone expected.

When the Wildcats get good — not even great — quarterback play, they have done well. In the past two seasons under Braun, when a quarterback has thrown for 150+ yards in a game, Northwestern is 10-6. When they throw for fewer than 150, that drops off a cliff to 2-7.

Last season, defenses felt like they could load the box against the run when playing the Wildcats because they were unafraid of a passing game that couldn’t threaten them with the deep ball. Northwestern averaged just 5.7 yards per passing attempt to rank 131st out of 133 FBS teams in the nation. But Stone has a powerful arm that can stretch defenses and make them much more reluctant to drop a safety into the box.

If Stone’s injury issues linger, if the offensive line struggles to protect him or if he fails to regain his rhythm facing Power Four competition after a year away from the game, those problems could persist. The Wildcats could then into the all-too-familiar pattern of short drives on offense begetting long drives on defense begetting points by opponents.

But if Stone can return to his previous form from 2023, he can give the program the shot in the arm they need to be postseason competitive. Going back to those stats, if you bump the passing yards up from 150 to 200+ passing yards a game, Braun’s record is 8-3.

Stone averaged about 266 yards per game for SMU in 2023. Admittedly that’s with an elite offensive coach in Lashlee and a playoff-caliber team around him, as well as an AAC schedule. But if he can replicate anything close to that, he will be the most prodigious pocket passer for the Wildcats since all-time passing leader Clayton Thorson.