NIU football has become the hallmark of consistency. They are one of just two FBS schools to have ever reached six straight conference championship game. NIU Athletic Director Sean Frazier pointed this out at NIU’s Chicago media day, but also overtly did not care to remind everyone what the other school is that accomplished this feat.
Luckily, we knew who to turn to for the answer. It’s a school that left the MAC to upgrade in conference.
Yes, Dr. Saturday, Yahoo!’s college football community.
Marshall back in its MAC years! 1997-2002. https://t.co/OChThvhxNq
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) August 9, 2016
Although the Huskies return 16 starters this season, including their top passer, receiver and rusher from a year ago, the MAC media still picked them to finish third in their division. Of course, NIU football was also picked to finish third in their division last summer, and they obviously got to Detroit anyway.
With 65 wins since 2010, Northern Illinois has been among the nation’s most winningest programs this decade. With a softer non-conference schedule this year, expect another season with a very high victory total.
There’s no reason to think they can’t go back to the MAC title game yet again. Even when Northern Illinois football has a “down year,” which 2015 was by their current standards, they’re still in the thick of the conference title race.
Schedule:
Looking at the 2016 NIU football schedule, you quickly find one game to proverbially “circle the date.” It’s November 9th, versus MAC powerhouse Toledo, in the only game this season that has its own brand name- the “Chi-Town Showdown.” It’ll be held at U.S. Cellular Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox.
This will be the first football game ever contested at the 25 year old facility. The novelty aspect alone makes it the NIU football season’s headliner, but it takes on even more importance when you consider that the Huskies do not face a Power 5 conference team this season.
Yes, there’s no way to window dress that fact. NIU will face all mid-majors this year. It’s not like last year when they visited defending champion Ohio State, or the year before when they travelled to SEC power Arkansas. Still, there are some quality teams on the conference schedule, and you know Toledo will bring it again in 2016.
Thus, the “Chi-Town Showdown” will be where it’s at and that’s why we did an entire article about it yesterday.
Players to Watch:
CB Shawun Lurry, Jr.
He’s the best overall player on the team, pretty much every which way you cut it. Lurry led the nation in interceptions as a sophomore with nine. His interception returns yardage total also broke the Mid-American Conference single season record and led the country.
We asked NIU football coach Rod Carey about his ability to play on Sundays.
“Oh yeah, when you watch him in practice everyday like we do, there’s no question he has the ability,” Carey responded.
“Now he’s not going to have the measurables that everyone is looking for with that, but I think measurables sometimes overrated.”
TB Joel Bouagnon
Workhorse of the Huskie attack a year ago with 1,285 yards on 283 carries to average 4.5 yards per carry. He ranked second in the MAC and 30th in the country in rushing yards while his 18 rushing touchdown on the year were 10th nationally and led the league.
He’ll be the focus of the offense again this season, as NIU will be an “off the bus running” kind of team. Bouagnon has no problem being the focal point for this team.
“I like it, I like being a leader, it’s what any senior player wants,” he said at NIU football Chicago Media Day.
“It’s what I striver for.”
In terms of being the bread and butter, 25-30+ carries per game kind of guy?
“It sounds good to me, honestly,” Bouagnon said. “Kind of an engine, things are going to run around you and you’re going to set the tempo. I like having that role and that’s my mindset.”
Hare has thrown for 4,437 yards with a 61.3 completion percentage, hitting 363 of 592 passes with just six career interceptions and 34 touchdown passes. He has also run for 1,220 yards on 268 rushes with 10 TDs. Hare ruptured his right achilles tendon versus Toledo in early November, and was lost for the season.
However, he’s full back to 100% and full go now.
He’s not Jordan Lynch or Chandler Harnisch, but he’s pretty good. He doesn’t have the gaudy numbers, but he does have some really impressive statistics, as he just does not throw interceptions.
“I believe he is one of the finest quarterbacks in the country, the problem is, he doesn’t have that type of respect nationally because he doesn’t have the numbers, so in the end, it’s numbers based how you get your name out there,” said Carey.
In 2014, Hare threw just two interceptions in 326 attempts. Last year, he only tossed four INTs all season.
WR/KOR Aregeros Turner
He compiled 1,676 all-purpose yards to lead the Huskies, and led all FBS players in kickoff return yardage with 1,181 on 45 returns to average a MAC-leading 26.2 yards per kickoff return. He set the NIU records for single season kickoff returns and kickoff return yards. NIU football will have a balanced attack, as their receivers are very deep and talented.
They might be a run-first team, but they’ll be able to throw it all over the yard when they want to.
WR Kenny Golladay
Golladay had 73 catches for 1,129 yards in his first active season. His 1,129 receiving yards ranks third on NIU’s list for receiving yards in a season, while his 73 catches were the seventh-highest single season total. So only expect him to get better; especially so with Lurry going against him everyday in practice. Great on great makes everyone better.
“It’s fun to have him go against Kenny, and throw that match-up,” said Hare. “You have two guys who are really good players, and when you throw that match-up, everyone is getting better.”
Bottom Line
NIU football will open the 2016 season Sept. 3 at Wyoming. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. Central Time and the game can be seen on CBS Sports Network. NIU’s home opener is Sept. 17 when the Huskies welcome 2015 Mountain West Champion San Diego State to Huskie Stadium (2:30 p.m. CT/CBSSN).
9-3 in 2016 sounds about right.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.