NIU outlook? Even Novak isn't sure

DEKALB -- For those who arrived late to the Northern Illinois party, perhaps only upon discovering the joys of Garrett Wolfe, here's a primer on the Huskies' string of successes:

Joe Novak's crew represents the only school in the Mid-American Conference -- and one of just 18 in the crowded Division I Bowl Subdivision -- to post winning records every season in the 2000s.

Of those 18 schools, seven can be found in their usual high-rent district that is this year's preseason top 10 in both national polls.

Five more schools made both the Associated Press' and USA Today's preseason Top 25. From there, five more are listed under "Others Receiving Votes."

For those scoring at home, that leaves just one perennially winning program without any preseason acclaim from either the media or coaches.

Yep, Northern Illinois.

But before every perpetually suffering Huskies fan cries foul, there are good reasons for this status.

Aside from oohs and aahs from everyone who gazes upon the $14 million Yordon Center that radiates class from beyond Huskie Stadium's north end zone, nobody knows what to expect at NIU in 2007.

Not even the wily Novak himself, who enters his 12th season as the Huskies' boss and his 34th as a Division I coach.

"We could be all the way one way or all the way the other," Novak said Wednesday after NIU's final double sessions of the preseason. "I don't really know."

Here's what we do know as the Huskies gun for their eighth straight winning season:

•The MAC news media, which should know NIU's consistency better than anyone, pegged Novak's team for fifth in the six-team West Division.

Only one of the 36 voters picked the Huskies to represent the West in the MAC championship game on Dec. 1. Western Michigan and Central Michigan are expected to duel for the title with Toledo and Ball State not too far behind.

Why not NIU?

•The Huskies lost 14 fifth-year seniors, including Wolfe and Dallas Cowboys left tackle Doug Free, from last year's Poinsettia Bowl squad.

There are just 10 seniors on this year's team -- and only tight end Brandon Davis, left tackle Chris Acevedo and kicker Chris Nendick are likely to start the Sept. 1 opener against Iowa at Soldier Field.

•Not only did the Huskies lose 85 percent of their rushing yardage and 75 percent of their passing yardage and their best lineman, they lost four of the five coaches that comprise their offensive staff.

Former Eastern Illinois coordinator Roy Wittke, who discovered Tony Romo and launched him into NFL orbit, returns to the Land of Lincoln after two years at Arkansas and a one-year stint with Arizona State.

Novak didn't ask Wittke to reinvent NIU's run-first style, yet he has introduced several new ways for quarterback Dan Nicholson to trigger the offense.

That conundrum explains why sophomore center Eddie Adamski (Carmel), the leader on the offensive line, proclaimed "the scheme's pretty much the same" in one breath and "we've got a whole new offense this year" with the next.

"It's really exciting," Adamski said. "Because it's a lot of motion and a lot of new guys in the backfield. We're going to throw the ball a lot, but we're still going to run it, too."

Shifty junior Montell Clanton (204 career yards), who missed most of last season with a torn knee ligament, should take the first handoff of the post-Wolfe era.

But Novak promises brawny sophomore Justin Anderson (117 career yards) and true freshman walk-on Chad Spann, an Indianapolis native who's a slighter larger version of Wolfe, will be part of a three-man rotation.

Nicholson, who made five starts in his first two seasons, possesses a deep receiving corps led by junior Britt Davis (99 career catches, 1,172 yards, 6 TDs).

Juniors Marcus Perez, Matt Simon and Greg Turner (Driscoll), along with sophomore Marcus Lewis (Warren) and true freshman Landon Cox, give new receivers coach P.J. Fleck lots of choices.

During the two-a-days portion of the preseason, Northern Illinois' defensive needed choices as several first-stringers missed time.

Middle linebacker Tim McCarthy sat out this week's practices after being hospitalized with a staph infection on his upper foot. As a diabetic, the third-year starter has been monitored more closely and needs extra time to heal.

"I'm still hopeful that we will (have McCarthy for Iowa)," Novak said. "I think we will."

If McCarthy plays, then sophomore John Tranchitella (Driscoll) can stay outside and doesn't need to fill in the middle. Junior Josh Allen, who displayed ample potential as a true freshman in 2005, has claimed the other spot with Cory Hanson the top reserve.

Junior defensive end Larry English (Marmion), who tied the single-season school record with 12 sacks last year, has practiced irregularly to protect his surgically repaired knee. The Nagurski watch list honoree expects to be ready for Iowa.

NIU has shuffled players all over the secondary due to injuries, though that's fine with Novak as he sees more quality depth than in previous years. At this point, junior-college transfer Chase Carter and veteran Melvin Rice are slotted at the corners with redshirt freshman Alex Kube (Cary-Grove) alongside former corner Bradley Pruitt at the safeties.

"Kube's tough," Novak said. "When he sees the football, he doesn't worry about getting hurt. He has very little regard for his body. He'll strike you."

Can NIU get in enough shots against a tough schedule to post another winning season? History suggests yes. Novak suggestsæ…

"We may be a year away," he said. "But I've said that before and we've turned out pretty darn good."

Northern Illinois

Coach: Joe Novak (12th year; 61-66)

2006 record: 7-6, 5-3 (tied for 3rd in MAC West); lost to TCU 37-7 in Poinsettia Bowl

Last bowl miss: 2005

All-MAC candidates: WR Britt Davis, RT Jon Brost, C Eddie Adamski, K Chris Nendick, DE Larry English, MLB Tim McCarthy, CB Melvin Rice, FS/CB Bradley Pruitt.

The Huskies will go to a bowl if … everything goes their way during conference play. The nonconference slate is rough enough that 2-3 might be a best-case scenario, so NIU must do no worse than 5-2 in the MAC to have a shot.

BCS finish the last five years (2006 listed first*): 70th, 62nd, 36th, 32nd, 49th

*Ratings (courtesy CollegeBCS.com) are pre-bowls

-- Lindsey Willhite

Schedule

Sept. 1 Iowa 2:30 p.m. Sold-out Soldier Field debut might feel like a road game

Sept. 8 S. ILLINOIS 6:30 p.m. A failed 2-point conversion kept Salukis from a win at DeKalb in 2004

Sept. 15 E. MICHIGAN* 11 a.m. Huskies have won six years straight by an average of 21 points

Sept. 22 at Idaho 4 p.m. First meeting in 32 years; Vandals lost last five games last year

Sept. 29 at C. Michigan* 11 a.m. Huskies have won nine straight against MAC's defending champs

Oct. 6 at Temple* Noon Owls glad to be in MAC; they lost 23 of last 24 games as independent

Oct. 13 W. MICHIGAN* 3 p.m. Broncos retain 17 starters from first bowl appearance since 1988

Oct. 20 at Wisconsin TBA NIU's lone win over Big Ten foe came Sept. 17, 1988 at Camp Randall

Oct. 27 at Toledo 6 p.m. Rockets crippled NIU's title hopes with last year's 17-13 win in DeKalb

Nov. 10 KENT ST.* 3 p.m. Veteran-heavy Golden Flashes pegged just behind Ohio in MAC East

Nov. 17 at Navy 2:30 p.m. First meeting with Midshipmen; they own a four-year bowl streak

Nov. 24 BALL ST.* 3 p.m. True soph QB Nate Davis one of two MAC reps on Manning watch list

Projected starters

*Returning starter

Offense

QB: Dan Nicholson (6-2, 196, Jr.)

TB: Montell Clanton (5-9, 185, Jr.)

WR: Britt Davis* (6-2, 205, Jr.)

WR: Marcus. Perez* (5-11, 180, Jr.)

TE: Brandon Davis* (6-4, 268, Sr.)

TE: David Koronkiewicz (6-3, 263, Jr.)

LT: Chris Acevedo* (6-5, 304, Sr.)

or Tony Holmes (6-6, 330, So.)

LG: Tim Mayerbock (6-4, 311, So.)

C: Eddie Adamski* (6-2, 286, So.)

RG: Jason Onyebuagu (6-2, 314, So.)

RT: Jon Brost* (6-6, 303, Jr.)

Defense

DE: Brandon Bice (6-3, 241, So.)

DT: Craig Rusch* (6-4, 274, Jr.)

NT: Alex Krutsch* (6-2, 258, Jr.)

DE: Larry English* (6-3, 255, Jr.)

OLB: Josh Allen (5-11, 217, Jr.)

MLB: Tim McCarthy* (6-0, 232, Jr.)

OLB: John Tranchitella (6-2, 215, So.)

CB: Melvin Rice* (5-10, 192, Jr.)

CB: Chase Carter (5-11, 172, Jr.)

FS: Bradley Pruitt* (6-1, 195, Jr.)

SS: Alex Kube (6-1, 202, r-Fr.)

Specialists

PK: Chris Nendick* (5-11, 183, Sr.)

P: Andy Dittbenner* (6-1, 201, Jr.)

LS: Nolan Owen (6-0, 215, Fr.)