INSIDE SLANT
The Huskies can accomplish several objectives with a victory over South Florida in the International Bowl on Jan. 2.
Northern Illinois has landed a bowl bid for the second year in a row. At 7-5, however, the Huskies still need to justify their bowl selection—for the second straight year.
In 2008, Northern Illinois finished 6-6 but earned a bid to the Independence Bowl. The Huskies took a hit with a frustrating loss to Louisiana Tech.
This year, the Huskies enter the postseason with another round of questions regarding their bowl selection. Of their seven wins, four came against teams —- Akron, Miami (Ohio), Ball State and Eastern Michigan—that combined to win just six games. The Huskies also own a victory over a Football Championship Subdivision team, and their signature win over Purdue lost some of its luster due to the Boilermakers finishing with a 5-7 mark.
Thus, the opportunity to knock off Big East member South Florida in Toronto certainly gives Northern Illinois plenty of motivation. Plus, the Huskies can end a two-game bowl losing streak and bring some pride back to the Mid-American Conference.
“It’s a great opponent for us,” Northern Illinois coach Jerry Kill said. “People know who South Florida is. … I think we all understand that since they’ve gone into the BCS, they’ve been in five straight bowl games, they’re very athletically skilled. It’ll be the most speed we face all year. We know we’ll have our work cut for us.”
The Bulls (7-5) represent a tough challenge for the Huskies. South Florida defeated Florida State to open 5-0 on the season but lost five of its last seven games to finish fourth in the Big East.
The 15 extra practices will benefit the Huskies in the short and long term. A team filled with young players, the Huskies welcome the chance to get additional work. In addition, defensive tackle Brian Lawson will be cleared to play after missing a month with a hand injury. Wide receiver Perez Ashford and safety Mike Sobol both have returned to practice after nursing injuries late in the regular season.
The Huskies defense enjoyed with a big season without star defensive end Larry English, who was drafted by the San Diego Chargers. Northern Illinois allowed 21.2 points and 323.6 yards per game, and it held opponents to a 76 percent scoring clip in the red zone while compiling 14 fumble recoveries and eight interceptions.
The Huskies will need another big defensive effort to knock off the Bulls. South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels is a passing and running threat. Daniels burst onto the scene following an injury to quarterback Matt Grothe. Daniels led the Bulls with 798 yards rushing and passed for 1,766 yards and 12 touchdowns.
NOTES, QUOTES
• Northern Illinois reached a bowl game for the second year in a row by getting a last-minute invitation to the International Bowl, where it will face South Florida.
The bowl game marks a benchmark moment for the program: the first time the Huskies will play in bowl games in consecutive years since the school joined the major-college ranks in 1969. Second-year coach Jerry Kill continues his remarkable run after leading the Huskies to the 2008 Independence Bowl. Kill could be a hot coaching candidate for several schools due to his successful track record.
“This is a great time for the Huskies,” Kill said. “It’s the first time that NIU will be in back-to-back bowl games as an FBS school, which is a huge accomplishment for our seniors and another step forward for our program. We’re very excited about the International Bowl and the opportunity for our players and fans to have a first-class experience in a beautiful stadium and a great city.”
The Huskies will play in their fourth bowl game in the past six years and third in the last four seasons. Last year, the Huskies suffered a 17-10 loss to Louisiana Tech to fall to 2-2 all-time in bowl games during their major-college tenure.
The Jan. 2 date in Toronto will be NIU’s third matchup with South Florida. The Huskies beat the Bulls 20-17 in 2001. South Florida posted a 37-6 triumph over the Huskies in 2002.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our program versus a tremendous opponent, as we know South Florida is a very good football program from a great league,” Kill said. “It will be a great challenge for our team.”
The Huskies earned a postseason invite based on a 7-5 overall mark and 5-3 record in the Mid-American Conference. Unlike last year, when the Huskies received a bowl bid with a 6-6 regular-season mark, Northern Illinois expected to play a 13th game after defeating Purdue and ripping off four straight wins late in the season.
The Huskies will attack the Bulls (7-5, 5-3 Big East) with a punishing running attack. Northern Illinois, which finished second behind Central Michigan in the MAC West, relies on a solid offensive line to control the clock. The offensive line is the foundation of the offense, with the same five linemen starting 11 of the 12 games this year.
The Huskies led the MAC in rushing offense, with Chad Spann tallying a team-high 945 yards and 20 touchdowns.
South Florida is led by quarterback B.J. Daniels, who completed 108 passes for 1,766 yards and 12 touchdowns. The redshirt freshman is a multi-dimensional player, rushing for 798 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Huskies counter with their league-leading defense, headlined by end Jake Coffman. He recorded a team-high 7.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.
Scouting The Offense: The Huskies lack a big-play runner, but they have numerous weapons on offense. Northern Illinois will attack South Florida with the MAC’s top rushing offense. The Huskies possess an experienced group of offensive linemen, and they have utilized the same starters for all but one game. TB Chad Spann leads the rushing attack with 945 yards and 20 touchdowns. Me’co Brown had a solid sophomore year, and QB Chandler Harnish overcame a knee injury to finish the regular season on a high note.
Scouting The Defense: The Huskies were expected to take a step back this year on defense after the graduation of numerous starters, including Larry English. Instead, they limited opponents to 21.2 points and 323.6 yards a game. The Huskies racked up 29 sacks and eight interceptions, and they recovered 14 fumbles. A key area of improvement was in the red zone, where NIU held opponents to 76 percent efficiency and just a 52 percent touchdown conversion rate. DE Jake Coffman paced the defense with 7.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.
Matchup To Watch: Northern Illinois DE Jake Coffman vs. South Florida QB B.J. Daniels—Coffman is an emotional and productive leader for the defense, pacing the Huskies in sacks and tackles for loss. He has a nose for the ball with two fumble recoveries, a sack and a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown. Daniels is a running and passing threat, and he poses a stiff challenge for NIU’s defense.
Other Key Matchups:
Northern Illinois’ offensive line vs. South Florida’s defensive line—The Huskies have an experienced offensive line. They used the same five starters for the first 11 games until an injury sidelined Adam Kiel. The line features two seniors—Jason Onyebuagu and Eddie Adamski—who have played in bowl games and at several big-time BCS venues. The Huskies need to be able to run the ball to control the clock and keep South Florida QB B.J. Daniels off the field. South Florida DE George Selvie is one of the best defensive players in the country. He tallied 9.5 tackles for a loss and 40 tackles for the Bulls.
Northern Illinois TB Chad Spann vs. South Florida’s defense—The Huskies must get a big game from Spann. The junior enters the bowl game with an eye-popping 19 rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. He led the Huskies with 945 yards rushing, averaging 5.9 yards per carry, with a long run of 79 yards. Spann is a big-play threat capable of stretching South Florida’s defense. The Bulls will try to force the Huskies to become a one-dimensional team, forcing Northern Illinois QB Chandler Harnish to throw the ball. The Huskies lack a reliable playmaker at receiver, putting more pressure on Spann to keep the chains moving and capitalize on every chance inside the red zone. The Bulls played a tough schedule, but they managed to limit opponents to 137.8 yards rushing per game. South Florida’s defense gave up just 15 rushing touchdowns.
Quote To Note: “It’s tremendous, it’s great for our senior class because they’ve been through so much. A coaching change, a 2-10 record, for them to be able to do this, go back-to-back and be the first group of seniors in school history to do that, I think it’s great for our seniors.”—Northern Illinois second-year coach Jerry Kill, on the Huskies earning a second consecutive bowl invitation.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Bowl Breakdown:
Northern Illinois vs. South Florida, International Bowl, Jan. 2, Toronto—The Huskies will play in their fourth bowl game in six years. The Bulls earned their fifth bowl invite in their program history. The two teams have met in the regular season twice, with the series knotted at one apiece.
Players To Watch:
TB Chad Spann—The junior jumped on the national scene with a big game at Purdue. Spann led the Huskies with 945 yards and 20 touchdowns.
QB Chandler Harnish—The sophomore will be playing in his second straight bowl game. Harnish has the ability to run and pass.
DE Jake Coffman—He’s the leader of the defense with 7.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for a loss. Coffman is a big-time playmaker capable of turning around a game.
WR Landon Cox—He came on strong late in the season. Cox could help take the pressure off the running game with a breakout performance.
Roster Report:
• DT Brian Lawson should be able to play in the bowl game after sitting out since Oct. 17 with a hand injury.
• RT Adam Kiel missed the regular-season finale against Central Michigan due to a foot injury. He is not expected to return for the bowl game.
