** 2019 Opponent Previews : Northern Illinois (Game 3) **

Saunders

Saunders

Heisman Trophy Winner
SBNation: Is NIU still the safest bet in the MAC, despite all this change?

There are worse parting gifts than another conference title.After six seasons, Rod Carey left to take the Temple job when it opened for a second time this offseason. He left accomplishments that any successor would do well to match: two MAC titles, four division crowns, 52 wins. He held the fort as NIU had to deal with its third coaching change in seven years and offered some stability. NIU’s last four hires have each enjoyed at least one season of double-digits wins and a brief stay in the AP top 25. Carey continued that. He even won the MAC on his way out the door.

Still, despite the undeniable success, it felt as if NIU and Carey were ready for something new. And it was hard to deny that the Huskies were pretty far away from their peak. Carey inherited a program coming off a 12-win season and its first major bowl bid (an Orange Bowl berth against Florida State) under Dave Doeren. Carey kept the wins coming for a while, but the product was slipping. After ranking 34th in S&P+ in Doeren’s final season, the Huskies fell to 56th, then 72nd, then 82nd. They went 23-5 in his first two years but thereafter just 29-24, with an average ranking of 80.8. That’s decent living for a MAC team, but while the defense was peaking with two top-30 Def. S&P+ finishes in 2017-18, the NIU calling card fell flat. After scoring an average Off. S&P+ ranking of 45th from 2010-16, the Huskies fell to 112th in 2017 and 117th in 2018.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2019/2/14/18218131/northern-illinois-football-2019-preview-schedule-roster
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CollegeFootballNews: 5 Things To Know About Northern Illinois & Season Prediction

The coaching change won’t be an issue. Thomas Hammock and his staff will do a great job for the program. The personnel won’t be an issue. The defense is loaded with potential all-stars, and the pass rush will show up despite the loss of Sutton Smith and Josh Corcoran on the outside. The offense won’t be as much of an issue. Painful in way too many games, the backfield will be among the MAC’s best, and the line that wasn’t quite up to its normal snuff will grow into solid group. The defending MAC champion will be good enough to make a big push for an eighth trip to the conference title game in the last 11 seasons. Jerry Kill got there. Dave Doeren coached in it, and Rod Carey kept it all going. Hammock will put NIU back in Detroit at some point during his tenure, but …

https://collegefootballnews.com/2019/06/northern-illinois-football-preview-prediction-players-2019
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The Athletic: After another MAC title, Northern Illinois enters new era with offense under pressure

It is the dawn of a new day at Northern Illinois, one of the most consistently strong Group of 5 programs. The Huskies have made 10 bowl games in the past 11 seasons, a stretch that features three head coaches, plenty of explosive offensive playmakers and lots of stout defense.

Now comes another head coach, and he is one of their own. Thomas Hammock was an NIU running back under Joe Novak before his career was cut short. He entered the coaching ranks almost immediately, working his way up to the NFL before an unconventional series of events this winter aligned to bring him back home to lead his alma mater.

https://theathletic.com/1064202/2019/07/11/northern-illinois-football-2019-schedule-roster-depth-chart/
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More to come...

 
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I'm unfortunately going to be on the road for work in Orlando for this one.  Just found on line that the Husker watch site is Metrowest Pour House and it's only 20 minutes away from my hotel.  

Anyone ever been there or are going to be there on Saturday?

 
NU needs to find a way to win this game. If they don't, they will be going into the B1G season 1-2 and needing to go 5-4 in conf. play to make it to a bowl. At this point, I can't see a way this team can do that from what we have seen in the first two games. If they are 2-1, I think 4-5 in conf. play is doable, not easy or a given but doable.

 
Dogs In A Pile said:
NU needs to find a way to win this game. If they don't, they will be going into the B1G season 1-2 and needing to go 5-4 in conf. play to make it to a bowl. At this point, I can't see a way this team can do that from what we have seen in the first two games. If they are 2-1, I think 4-5 in conf. play is doable, not easy or a given but doable.
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