2003 Statistics

Quarterback
Novak has an intelligent QB with starting experience in senior academic all-American Josh Haldi. Haldi, who enters his third year as the Huskie signal-caller, has been getting progressively better each season. He won't dazzle you with his arm or his feet, but he'll beat you with genuine game management and mistake-free football. The real focus this spring was finding a worthy backup. Four players will continue to wage for that role into the fall, but Zach Ullrich looks the eventual fit.

Running Back
There must be something in the water in DeKalb, because the Huskies consistently produce great backs. A.J. Harris did everything he could to make the Huskie faithful forget "The Burner's" departure. Harris had one of the most productive spring games in the country. Harris is lightning-quick and has decent size to take the inevitable punishment a RB endures. Novak will use a committee of backs to benefit Harris and drive this offense, notably Cas Prime- a guy who'll be the next great in the near future.

Receiver
Shatone Powers and Sam Hurd have to step up from being primarily blockers to become feature WRs. They will need to develop into go-to guys for Haldi, taking focus away from the ground attack. Hurd is the consistent one, while Powers and "Mr. Excitement", Dan Sheldon wear the big-play tags. Sheldon is proven a clutch receiver, tough enough to go over the middle and haul in anything thrown his way. We also feel there is something special about Jarret Carter. Obviously, they have to throw to these guys to develop what they want, so play calling and balance are essential ingredients for expanding the corps' roles.

Tight End and Offensive Line
At NIU, TEs need to be both a presence up front and a threat downfield. Brad Cieslak fits that mold best, possessing all-MAC qualities in both. The Huskies line up two at a time, and will experiment with Nordin, Raleigh, and impressive youngster Brandon Davis until the proven second TE is clear.

Believe what you will about the running game, but the engine that drives this (any) offense is the front line. The Huskies perennially own one of the MAC's best lines, annually paving the way to success for their backs. Three starters come back, headlined by All-MAC OT Jake VerStraete. This group is nasty, tough, and mobile, so these new backs should have no problem getting used to the versatility of the NIU hogs. This worthy crew will generate cohesion and produce yet another vehement rushing force.

OFFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
See Huskies. See Huskies Run. Run Huskies Run. The passing game has been steady the past few years because they've been liberated/anchored by a strong running game, so the balance of the two is their strength, not one or the other. Straight up - as the run game goes, so goes the pass. Harris will be the feature of this machine. Accordingly, if/when the run game fails (as opponents see this juggernaut coming this time), this could turn out to be one of the uglier offenses in the MAC. Calm yourselves, Huskie faithful - we don't see that happening. Assuming, though, that most factors stay equal as they were when the 2003 campaign ended, this squad will have to find another gear for when solid defensive opponents (Bowling Green did them in '03) meet them half way.

Defensive Line
Seniority exists up front, but don't confuse that with experience. The Huskies will introduce three new starters. Travis Moore earned all-MAC honors in 2002, but sat out last year with an injury that continues to persist. Fellow DE Kursten Strothman is making the switch from OLB, so his versatility speaks volumes about his ability to pursue and tackle whoever he wants. To the novice football mind it may seem like an easy transition, but the responsibilities are fairly contrasting. This unit is the starting point for making the pitfalls from last years "almost run" (namely, the season's last few games show us how the defense itself was the culprit).

Linebacker
The linebackers are more secure in comparison, and good thing - they carry most of the accountability in this "attack 4-3" scheme. MLB Brian "the beast" Atkinson is the best player on this side of the ball. He earned All-MAC honors with his coupling of speed and knack for seemingly always being around opposing ball carriers. He excels both against the run and the pass. OLB Jason Hawkins could be the next-best player on this defense, simply by association. Playing on the strong side, he is likely to see most of the offensive flow come his way. Depth is prevalent and helps make this unit the strength of the defense.

Defensive Back
This is a problem area for the Huskies. They ran into troubles when teams could effectively and consistently throw downfield. Though they intercepted a MAC-best 23 passes, they yielded 230 YPG and a 55 % completion rate in the process. Solace is that the yardage totals were offset by NIU having the 37th-ranked pass efficiency defense, so there is reason to believe. Lionel "Boogie" Hickenbottom is a tackling dynamo from his FS position and CB Rob Lee is the team's top ball-hawker from '03. Attention will be paid to the opposite CB spot, where the Hansbro twins - Adriel and Alvah - will compete with highly touted RSF Jimmy Toussaint. The competition and speed of the new corners will add to the overall quality of this unit, making them tougher to beat through the air.

DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
The Huskies thrive on forcing turnovers. 2003 was so great because they had 31 takeaways (roughly 2.5 a game), keeping opponents away from opportunity. But this defense is by no means outstanding, for both losses land squarely on the 'D'. Champions are defined on this side of the ball. If not for a high-scoring offense, they would have been a 6-6 team at best. Success this time will come from the transitions made in the trenches. The front line is the key - when they step into their potential, this entire side of the ball will tighten to optimal levels. Such (overall defensive) levels need to be higher (than in '03), for, as stated prior, foes will see their subtle balance coming on offense, meaning NIU's points will likely be a few less, and therefore defense becomes the foundation for any continued success.