With no bowl game to keep Northwestern football fans occupied for the month of December, the 2020 offseason has come early. After a tumultuous, disappointing campaign saw the Wildcats finished with a losing record for the first time since 2014, there is much concern and uncertainty surrounding the program heading into next season.

With Mick McCall gone, significant changes are coming, but Northwestern’s 2019 struggles extended far beyond one coordinator. Here are some reasons to be both optimistic and pessimistic about the state of the program moving forward:

Three reasons to be pessimistic

A lot of talent will be leaving Evanston before next fall

Like last offseason, Northwestern will lose a handful of crucial players, which could have a huge impact on its performance next year.