Huskie Territory

Joe Novak

2008-04-23T21:54:00.003-05:00

One last note, this Friday night, 4/25, there will be an open house at the Yordon Center in honor of Joe and Carole Novak. If you aren't able to make it to the "Night of Champions" on Saturday night, in honor of the Novaks, attending Friday at the open house would be a great way to honor Coach Novak and his years of dedication to NIU.

Accomplishments at NIU
-endured through 23 game losing streak, only to experience...
-seven straight winning seasons
-four MAC West Division championships
-two bowl appearances, Silicon Valley 2004 & San Diego Poinsettia 2006
-five all-Americans
-forty two first team All-MAC selections
-wins over BCS programs including @Alabama, Wake Forest, Maryland, Iowa State
-initial BCS ranking of #10 in 2003
-top 25 appearances in 2003, 2004
-MAC Championship game 2005
-nine straight seasons with an 1,000 yard rusher
-two Heisman Memorial Trophy Candidates
-coached nation's leading rushers (Garrett Wolfe, Michael Turner)

Football is Back!!!

2008-04-23T21:38:00.002-05:00

So, I officially suck at blogging. I started out well, but I have had trouble keeping up with my posts lately. School is getting tougher and tougher and taking up more of my time. But hopefully this summer I will be able to find some extra time and post once everyday! For those people who try to read this regularly, I'm sorry!

However, SPRING IS HERE! Actually, it feels to me like we just completely bypassed spring and skipped right to summer. Last couple of days have been hot and humid, hopefully this will be payback for our horrible winter.

The annual Spring Football Game is this Saturday, 4/26!!! Hopefully the weather will be beautiful, as I hope to tailgate with some friends! According to Coach Kill from this week's IHS, look for more of a practice type "game". With all of our injuries, it is a must to make sure everyone stays healthy closing out the spring. I believe WR Marcus Perez went down with an ankle injury this week, lets hope nothing serious. At the Spring Game, they will be selling super cheap $8 tickets for the home opener against Indiana State!

Also, NIU will be offering a 3 game mini package for football this season! The games will be versus Indiana State, Miami, and Navy. Look for more information on NIUHuskies.com

Construction has officially begun on the new Track/Soccer complex west of Huskie Stadium!

One final news bit, Ricardo Patton made a huge splash in signing G Xavier Silas from Colorado! An orginial Patton recruit at Colorado, Silas averaged over ten points as a true freshman in the Big 12. Silas will have to sit out the 2008-09 year, but look for him to be tearing up MAC opponents in 2009-10!

NEW Athletic Director!!!

2008-04-15T14:05:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, everything has been super busy with school! And I was sick all last week with a horrible cold that culminated with an ear-infection and pink-eye over the weekend! But anyway, looks like we nabbed Jeff Compher, and Executive AD from the University of Washington. Here is his BIO from niuhuskies.com...

College:
James Madison University, 1980 Bachelor of Science
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, 1982 Master of Science

FamilyWife: Cathy (Fatica)Children: Sons CJ (15) and David (13)

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

Age: 49

Collegiate Administrative Experience :
University of Washington
• Executive Associate Athletics Director
2004-08

Western Carolina University
• Director of Athletics
2000-04

Vanderbilt University
• Senior Associate Director of Athletics
1998-2000
• Associate Director of Athletics
1996-98

North Carolina State University
• Assistant to the Chancellor
1994-96
• Director of the Chancellor's Circle
1993-94
• Assistant Director of Athletics
1986-92
• Assistant Director of Housing and Residence Life
1982-86

Career Highlights:
*While at Washington, hired several senior-level administrators, including head football coach Tyrone Willingham.
*Was a part of two national championships at Washington with women's volleyball (2005) and men's crew (2007).
*Supervised the Washington men's basketball team that earned a No. 1 seed in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
*Was a member of the Husky Stadium Renovation Committee and played a key role in the building of the University of Washington Football Legends Center.
*Supervised all facilities and capital projects, event and game operations at Washington along with student-athlete support areas of athletic training, strength and conditioning, video services and equipment.
*Responsible for the overall day-to-day management of the University of Washington program that consistently ranks in the top 30 of the U.S. Sports Academy Director's Cup.
*While at Western Carolina, led the construction effort for a new west side for E.J. Whitmire Football Stadium, new strength and conditioning center, new track/soccer and tennis complex and developed the plans for the now-completed softball stadium.
*Hired future BCS coaches Todd Raleigh (baseball, Tennessee) and Beth Dunkenberger (women's basketball, Virginia Tech) at Western Carolina.
*While at Vanderbilt, was responsible for all external operations within the Department of Athletics.
*Established the first-ever student-athlete life skills program in the North Carolina State athletics department.

NIU Track & Field 2nd Place Finish at Chicagoland Championships

2008-04-06T15:12:00.002-05:00

This has been a very very very busy week for me, so sorry for the lack of updates! At least I turn 20 this coming Thursday! The Northern Illinois University Women's Track squad took second at this weekend's Chicagoland Championships at North Central College. The Lady Huskies won five events, finished 2nd in six events, and scored 139.5 points as a team, only 2.5 behind the winner, DePaul University! 22 colleges from the Chicagoland area competed in the meet.

An update on the Bristan Kelley football experiment, the coaching staff has moved him to defensive end from tight end. With all the injuries on the defensive line last year, the coaches wanted to see if the 6' 6" 245 pounder could play the end. The link for the Daily Chronicle article also has some good information on former Huskie two-sport athletes.

Basketball Forward...Turned Tight End???

2008-03-30T21:57:00.010-05:00

Some whacky things have been going on these days in the Yordon Center, everything from pink "I Let My Team Down" uniforms - to candy giveaways. Now, something even wierder. If you saw Bristan Kelley - a 6' 6" 245 LB basketball forward - practicing with the FOOTBALL Huskies on Friday night, then your mind wasn't playing tricks on you.

Bristan played in 26 basketball contests this season, averaging 1.7 PPG and 1.3 RPG. He even had a career high eleven points against Toledo. HOWEVER, apparently he is not satisfied with just playing one division one sport. So, with the blessings of basketball coach Ricardo Patton, Kelley has been practicing with the football Huskies all week, in essence "trying out" for the team. Kelley was an all-conference tight end in high school who drew interest from Kansas State, Wisconsin, and the likes for football. But, he chose to play basketball in college, and he came to NIU. The full Daily Chronicle article on Kelley can be found here.

Bristan lives about four floors below me, and he is roomates with one of my good friends, Jo Jo. Believe me, HE IS A BIG MAN, and maybe this thing will work. After all, Antonio Gates played college basketball at Kent State and now is one of the best TE's in the NFL. Kelley also comes from a sports family - his dad played football at Iowa and his brother played basketball at Southern Methodist - so I'm sure he is a disciplined athlete.

One more note, I think it's funny that Ricardo Patton "encouraged" Kelley to try football. Could it be that Patton is trying to get rid of as many of Rob Judson's players - so that he can fill the roster with players that fit his style? Very well could be true, but hey, I can't blame him. Good luck to Bristan this year, we need a big TE.

Big Huskie Weekend!

2008-03-28T20:51:00.008-05:00

Nearly all of NIU's athletic teams will be busy this weekend! NIU Football will continue spring practice tonight (Friday) at 7:30 @ Huskie Stadium. Huskie Baseball is at Bowling Green for a weekend MAC showdown - the Huskies (9-12) dropped the first game of the series 3-2. They look to rebound tomorrow at 12PM. The NIU Women's Track & Field team travels to Oxford, Ohio on Saturday for a MAC meet at Miami of Ohio. The Women's Gymnastics team will go to Kent, Ohio for the MAC Gymnastics Championships. The Men's soccer team will be in action at Huskie Stadium, taking on Bradley and UW-Green Bay. The Women's soccer team will also take on UW-Parkside at Huskie Stadium. The Men's Tennis team will face SIU in DeKalb, while Women's Tennis will be on the road at Western Michigan and Bowling Green. FINALLY, the Men's Golf squad will be in action at the Hoosier Invite in Bloomington, Indiana. Phew...I'm tired!

Some exciting news out of "Huskie Land" today!

First, baseball coach Ed Mathey has inked the #1 recruiting class in the MAC and the 63rd best class in the nation - according to Perfect Game. NIU is ranked ahead of all but ONE Big Ten school (Iowa)!

Second, sophomore high jumper Jessica Statler was named to the Academic All-Mid-American Conference team! More details about her accomplishments can be found here.

Last, but not least...here are some pictures I snapped of Huskie Stadium tonight. The doors to the Yordon Center and West Grandstand we're unlocked...I swear!

NIU Defeats Iowa Hawkeyes 5-4

2008-03-26T18:39:00.006-05:00

Away from the "friendly confines" of Ralph McKinzie Field, the NIU Huskies Baseball team showed the midwest it can play with the big boys. NIU went into Iowa City and defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 5-4 in a non-conference matchup. Northern lefty Dave Reynolds (2-0) got the win, throwing five and 2/3 innings and striking out six Hawkeyes. Reynolds actually started the scoring himself, giving the Huskies the lead in the first with an RBI single. Junior Pat Minogue went 3-3 on the day, scoring one run. Leadoff man Bobby Stevens finished the day 1-4, but scored 3 of NIU's runs. The NIU Baseball team will be back in action this friday, heading to Ohio to take on MAC foe Bowling Green.

So we finally beat Iowa in something! Ever since the "soldier field showdown", I've been longing for a NIU victory over the Hawkeyes. Although football would be nice, a baseball W will hold me over until the next NIU-Iowa football showdown.

Today's trivia...what Huskie ran for 306 yards on 32 carries at Iowa in 1993?

And the answer is...LeShon Johnson! (seen with Arizona Cardinals above)

LeShon "Cowboy" Johnson, entered the Iowa game as the NCAA's leading rusher. Johnson had already racked up 85 yards on the ground by halftime. Respectable, right? Meanwhile, in the radio booth, Ed Podolak - former star Iowa halfback - said that, "LeShon Johnson is one of the three best running backs in the nation, but Tyrone Wheatley is better". Northwestern's Wheatley had rushed for 115 yards versus Iowa earlier in the season...

WELL, the "cowboy" must have been listening to the Hawkeye halftime show in the locker room, because he came out in the second half and blazed the Iowa Hawkeyes for 221 more yards on the ground, giving him 306 yards on the day, including an 81 yard touchdown run! Johnson went on to finish 6th in the Heisman voting that season!

Johnson was taken in the 3rd round by the (I just threw up in my mouth) Green Bay Packers. The cowboy ran for over 600 yards in 1996 with the Arizona Cardinals. In 1998, Johnson survived a serious bout with Lymphoma Cancer, and returned to the NFL in 1999 to start 4 games for the NY Giants.

Enough of the history lesson, For EXTRA EXTRA credit, what football conference did the Huskies play in that season?

Ahhh...Spring Football is Here!!!

2008-03-25T16:16:00.006-05:00

The Northern Illinois Football Huskies had their first "official" football workout with coach Jerry Kill this week. Spring Practice is open to the public, and will take place every MWF at 7:50AM leading up to the Spring Game on April 26th. Hopefully I will be able to make it out to at least ONE practice, but we'll see. I already have enough trouble getting up at 9 for class, I'm not sure about 7!

Some "rumors" from spring practice...Senior Ryan Morris and RS Freshman Chandler Harnish and DeMarcus Grady are all taking equal snaps under center. Senior Dan Nicholson is out until May after having major shoulder surgery. That brings us to the $500 dollar question...who will start at the Metrodome on August 30th? I would like to see Nicholson make the start at Minnesota IF he is healthy enough. That's a big if. But with the new offense, I'm not sure who will start! My best guess is yours! Regardless, this should be a fun year! Here is what Harnish had to say about the new offensive scheme...

"A lot of QB draws, a lot of running, a lot of sprint-out type passes," said redshirt freshman quarterback Chandler Harnish. "I'm real familiar with the system, which I'm real happy about, real excited. Hopefully things go well. It's going to be a new year this year and we're going to be very explosive, I can tell you that."

Also, Illinois transfer QB Paul Blalock (seen below), a 3* recruit and #47 rated quarterback in the nation out of high school, is learning fullback this spring! Kill usually has a FB in the backfield, and it will be a big change from all the one-back sets we have seen the last 12 years! Look for an upcoming "preview" of a spring practice! I hope to make one this week or the next!

New Track/Soccer Facility

2008-03-21T12:16:00.010-05:00

Here are the plans for the new track/soccer facility that will be completed this fall. Thanks to epasnoopy for the picture!

"The existing soccer field and practice soccer field on the west side of Stadium Drive West will be the site of the new NCAA track and field and artificial turf soccer field. The project will commence as early as April 1, 2008, and will be substantially completed by August 15, 2008, with the possibility of the track surface taking longer based on the summer weather."

"The major elements of the project include:

An 8-lane NCAA compliant track
A FIFA II star artificial turf soccer field
Field event pads/cages and throwing range
Outbuilding for storage
Track and field event lighting
Extensive fencing and gates"

This info was taken from...
http://www.procure.stateuniv.state.il.us/dsp_notice.cfm?Uni=NIU&PN=SMO30608

This will reap major benefits for NIU's entire athletic program, as it is somewhat laughable for a division one school not to have a track. Especially one that supports a track & field team. Also, if Chicago receives the 2016 Olympic Games, NIU has already been included in the plans as a site for preliminary round soccer matches. Although the prelim games would be played in Huskie Stadium, the new soccer/track facility would be a great place for the teams to practice.

In other news, TODAY SUCKS. The weather is horrible, and I don't think I'll be able to make it back to Rockford for the IceHogs game tonight. One more note, if you read, please comment! Let me know what you think and what you want me to write on!

Spring is here! Wait...

2008-03-20T14:03:00.007-05:00

Well, today is officially a beautiful day in DeKalb. There's not a cloud in the sky, the snow is gone, birds are singing, and the sun is shining. For the first time in a few months, I actually saw a car with rims cruisin' the campus of NIU...windows down...subs blasting! As any current/recent student of NIU understands, this means it's almost summer!

BUT...and that's a big but, weather.com is calling for a possible 4-6 inch snowfall on friday, with temperatures hovering around 30 degrees all day. This sucks because my GF and her mom and sister we're supposed to come for a little visit that day! And...I was going to go home to watch the IceHogs! I guess we'll just play it by ear.

Anyway, NIU Huskie Baseball opens up their MAC schedule this weekend with a 3 game series at Buffalo. The game will be played at St. Bonaventure University because of "unplayable field conditions" at UB. The Bulls are sitting with a record of 5-11, while the Huskies come in with a record of 4-10. NIU basically dominated the series with Buffalo last year, winning both games at NIU. I'll admit, I'm not much of an expert on NIU Baseball, and I hope to attend my first game next week against Bradley.

If the Huskies manage a win this weekend against the Bulls, NIU coach Ed Mathey will become the ALL-TIME WINNINGEST COACH in NIU history!

In more baseball news, there was a great article in my hometown paper about Huskie LF Jeff Thomas.

http://www.rrstar.com/sports/x1438209505

Finally, here is a funny picture for the day...it brings me back to my basketball days in middle school/high school. And just to give you a visual...I wasn't the tall guy. Sad thing about this is that 7' 7" Kenny George is from Chicago! Where were you Rob Judson!

2008 Football Road Trips!!!

2008-03-19T00:22:00.012-05:00

Green Games = Possible Road Trips

8/30: @ Minnesota

9/6: @ WMU

9/13: Bye

9/10: vs. Indiana State

9/27: @ EMU

10/4: @ Tennessee

10/11: vs. Miami

10/18: vs. Toledo (Homecoming)

10/25: vs. Bowling Green

11/5 (Wed): @ Ball State

11/12 (Wed): vs. Central Michigan

11/18 (Tues): @ Kent State

11/25 (Tues): vs. Navy

Okay, so this is the famed 2008 NIU Football Schedule. Although many Huskie fans have been whining about the schedule - (see NIU DOG POUND Link) - I actually don't mind it. It will be DIFFICULT only having 1 home game the first five weeks; but what goes around, comes around. We will finish off with five home games in the last seven weeks, including 3 in a row at one point! And even 2 home night games on weeknights! Although I understand that tailgating will suffer, and many fans who have to drive to DeKalb to watch a game might not show up; I LOVE NIGHT GAMES! Many believe that attendance next season will suffer as a result of the night games + the back-loaded home schedule, but I am confident that if the team is around .500 attendance will remain in the 20,000 range. I predict a record of...WAIT...I'll save that for another post:]

I almost forgot! This post was supposed to be about road trips. Anyway, me and my GF, my future roomate, my future roomate's GF Jessica, my future brother-in-law - (Knock On Wood) - hope to travel to at least 1 away game next year. After a little poking, a little proding...I decided on Minnesota for a road trip! Originally the plan was to go to Tennessee, but after I realized it's upwards of $40 for a ticket, plus the loooong drive, plus the danger of being in Knoxville after NIU pulls an upset - (Knock On Wood) - I decided Minnesota would be a better trip. So on August 30th, the newly formed traveling crew will drive to Minneapolis, with pocket change and our Huskie gear, expecting a W. Also, look for plans for a possible road trip to Western Michigan the following week! Hey, it's only 3 1/2 hours from DeKalb!

NIU Track Recruits

2008-03-18T14:48:00.000-05:00

Note: This list will be updated as more information becomes available.

Jenner Sio
Rockford (Christian Life)

This senior out of Christian Life High School in Rockford, IL recently signed her National Letter of Intent to run track for Coach Connie Teaberry at Northern Illinois University. Sio has qualified for the IHSA Class A State Finals in three consecutive years, and hopes to avenge a second place finish in the Triple Jump to University of Arkansas signee Leah Orley.

Sio has already started her senior campaign in a fury, winning both the LJ & TJ at the Honnonegah Indoor Meet, and also taking first in the LJ and leading her team to a second place finish at the normally Class AA dominated Sterling Invite.

NIU Women's Track Outdoor Preview

2008-03-18T13:22:00.002-05:00

Fresh off a win at the Disney Relay's in Orlando, Florida, the Northern Illinois women's track team hopes to carry that momentum into the rest of their outdoor season. Led by former Olympian Connie Teaberry, the girls open up their MAC competition with a March 29th meet at Miami (Ohio).

The indoor season saw the Huskies soar to new heights, including a HUGE win at the Tadd Matzger Invite (Carthage), six individual wins at the University of Wisconsin, three individual victories at the season opening Illinois State meet, and two individual wins at Eastern Illinois University.

Although the Huskies finished last at the annual Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships, the meet saw the collapse of a 27 year-old school record, as sophomore Brittany Houghton broke the indoor record with a long jump of 18-8. Also, six other Huskies recorded personal bests at the meet, and four girls placed in their respective events, giving hope for an improved finish at the MAC Outdoor Championships at Bowling Green.

The Huskies outdoor schedule is as follows...

3/7 @Disney Relays (Disney's Wide World of Sports, Orlando, FL)
3/29 @University of Miami (Ohio)
4/4 @North Central
4/12 @Western Illinois University
4/19 @Benedictine University
4/24 @Drake Relays
4/25 @Simpson College (Des Moines, Iowa)
5/3 @Western Michigan University
5/10 @Purdue University
5/15 @Mid-American Outdoor Championships (BGSU)
5/30 @NCAA Outdoor Regionals (University of Arkansas)
6/11 @NCAA Championships (Drake University)

Most importantly, this will be the LAST YEAR that the Huskies will have no home track meets. In December, the Board of Trustees finalized plans for a $3.2 Million track/soccer facility to be constructed just north of the current soccer field. Construction will begin this spring and be completed by the fall of 2008.

http://www.northernstar.info/article/1434/

http://www.niu.edu/board/meetings/2007/board/dec6.shtml