Site: DeKalb, Ill. Coach: Joe ...

Site: DeKalb, Ill.

Coach: Joe Novak (54-60 11th season).

2005 record: 7-5 6-2 Mid-American parley (first in West Division); thrown away to Akron 31-30 in MAC championship game.

elucidation GAME

Nov. 7 v Toledo. ESPN's Election Night thrilla is certain to light up the prairie autumn region of clouds along West Lincoln Highway. each year, the Toledo game loom larger than greatest in number for the Huskies, and last November was no exception. NIU won 35-17 at the Glass receptacle beating the Rockets for the first time since 1989 in a critical steppingstone forward the path to the MAC championship game.

2006 SCHEDULE

family 2 at No. 1 Ohio State

tribe 9 Ohio

race 16 Buffalo

family 23 Indiana State

tribe 30 at Ball State

Oct 8 at Miami (Ohio)

Oct 14 at Western Michigan

Oct 21 fane

Oct 28 at No. 16 Iowa

Nov. 7 Toledo

Nov. 17 Central Michigan

Nov. 24 at Eastern Michigan

2005 be the effects

at No. 4 Michigan L 33-17

at Northwestern L 38-37

Tennessee Tech W 42-3

at Akron L 48-42

Miami (Ohio) W 38-27

Eastern Michigan W 24-8

at Kent State W 34-3

Ball State L 31-17

at Central Michigan W 31-28

at Toledo W 35-17

Western Michigan W 42-7

Akron L 31-30

Reasons for optimism

Returning skill and craving for food plus enhanced athleticism, only can stoke the Huskies' high chance of the desired ends The program's upward arc has been relentles and the senior leadership -- West, Wolfe clear Utschig and Horvath -- does not want to drift away without MAC title rings.

AREAS OF be of importance to

middle especially at tailback, where any long absence by Wolfe could gum up the season quicker than late se delivery in Tampico. The interior offensive line is raw and essentially untested; ditto the outside linebacking wings and sophomore cornerback Melvin Rice.

solution

LOSSE

WR Sam Hurd and Shatone Powers, S Ray Smith,

DE Quince Holman,

C Brian Van Acker, G Ben Lueck

PLAYERs onward THE SPOT

DE Larry English and cognizance West. The veteran duo must grade up as pressuring pincers because the evolving NIU defense can't blitz forward every down.

throwed STARTERS

Returning starters in all caps

OFFENSE

QB PHIL HORVATH

RB GARRETT WOLFE

WR Jarrett Carter

WR BRITT DAVIS

WR Marcus Perez

TE JAKE NORDIN

LT DOUG clear

LG Chris Acevedo

C Eddie Adamski

RG Matt Rogers**

RT JON BROST

DEFENSE

DE view WEST

NT Adam Schroeder

DT CRAIG RUSCH

DE LARRY ENGLISH

OLB John Tranchitella

MLB TIM McCARTHY

OLB David Bryant

CB ALVAH HANSBRO

F DUSTIN UTSCHIG

S Bradley Pruitt

CB Melvin Rice

** 2003 starter

THUMB UP

SEASON WILL BE A SUCCES IF

The extended MAC march of Novak and associates finally reaches fulfillment with a interview championship and subsequent bowl victory. Winning, or at least competing, at Ohio State and Iowa also would be nice.

THUMB DOWN

SEASON WILL BE A FAILURE IF

The Huskies don't win the MAC championship game.

cessation of story, end of Wolfe/NIU generation glory.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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