Columbus Dispatch - Novak Story: Novak stays course, does things his way

Like most every kid who plays high school football in Ohio, Joe Novak wanted to play for Ohio State. But Ohio State didn’t want Joe Novak.

So the Mentor native went to Miami University and played for coach Bo Schembechler, who once said Novak was "the smartest defensive end I ever coached ... and the slowest."

Good thing for Northern Illinois that administrators were willing to let Novak go slowly after hiring him as football coach in 1996. The Huskies’ record his first three seasons was 3-30.

"Every time I’d go home, I was taking boxes with me so I was ready to pack," Novak said.

Beacon News: Huskies won't mind Buckeyes looking to Texas

The pressure, says Novak, is on Tressel and his team.

"That's why I'm gonna enjoy this one," the NIU boss said. "Jim will have a tougher time enjoying this one more than I will. What a great opportunity it is for our kids to go play at Ohio State, the number one team in the country. It's a great college football moment and we are just going to go in ther and enjoy it.

Nobody expects us to win and yet again, we do. We think we have a chance. We know we have to play very well, and we have to catch things right. We think we have a chance."

New York Times and Sun-Times

From The New York Times: Moving From Down Home to the Big Time - Requires NYTimes.com Registration

At Northern Illinois, there are cornstalks taller than the tailback, barns bigger than the football office, and games of enormous consequence played on Tuesdays.

The MAC is made up of 13 universities, most of them spread across the heartland, in towns like Ypsilanti, Mich.; Oxford, Ohio; and Muncie, Ind. Despite fertile soil, the teams are traditionally undersized and underfinanced. They play in whatever time slot ESPN gives them, even if it means rescheduling homecoming.

And yet, when a major upset happens early in the season, a MAC team is often the one pulling it — Toledo over Penn State, Northern Illinois over Alabama, Bowling Green over Purdue, Miami of Ohio over North Carolina, all on the road and all in this century.

The MAC is to college football what the Missouri Valley Conference is to college basketball, and if the bowl season were traded for a 65-team N.C.A.A. tournament, Northern Illinois would be that pesky team seeded No. 12 that no one wants to play.

From the Sun-Times: OSU still just a football team to NIU

Added Garrett Wolfe, the superstar tailback who atypically got the fumbles rolling last Labor Day weekend in Ann Arbor: ''We'd rather be the underdogs in a spot like this. It's still a game of football, still a game of X's and O's. We can't go in there and try to do anything different because of who we're playing. We have to go in, keep our poise and try to attain our offensive and defensive goals. If we do that, we'll be successful.''

USA Today on Wolfe

From the USA Today

The little running back who could emerges at Northern Illinois

Today, Wolfe is not only at the top of the Northern Illinois depth chart, he's also one of the U.S.'s most talked-about senior running backs. Now listed at 177 pounds, he enters Saturday's game at Ohio State as the nation's leading returning major-college rusher, at 175.6 yards per game.

Various Articles

CBS Sportsline
Scouting the pro prospects: Running backs

Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois, 5-7, 174, Sr.:
The most dominant runner in D-I football over the past two seasons, Wolfe remains relatively unknown because of the attention heaped on Reggie Bush and Peterson. Wolfe took the "Triple Crown" of the MAC as a sophomore in 2004, winning the rushing yardage (1,656), scoring (21 touchdowns) and all-purpose yardage (2,004) races. Wolfe was on pace for even bigger numbers this past season before a knee sprain knocked him out of three games. He finished with 1,580 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, and had more 200-yard rushing games (three) than games held to less than 100 (two) while healthy. Wolfe obviously lacks the prototypical size for the next level, but has legitimate quickness and speed. Some will also question Wolfe's level of competition, but he rushed for a combined 393 yards and four touchdowns against two Big Ten opponents, Michigan and Northwestern last season.

ESPN Game Preview
Top-ranked Ohio State opens with Northern Illinois

However, the Buckeyes must replace nine defensive starters, including standout linebackers A.J. Hawk, Anthony Schlegel and Bobby Carpenter, putting extra pressure on senior defensive tackles Quinn Pittcock and David Patterson.

SI.Com
Crashing the Party - ten teams that might crash the BCS

5. Northern Illinois (MAC)

2005 record: 7-5 (lost to Akron 31-30 in MAC championship game)

Returning starters: 13 (six offense, seven defense)

Key games: Sept. 2 at Ohio State, Oct. 28 at Iowa, Nov. 7 vs. Toledo

The skinny: The Huskies boast the nation's leading returning rusher, senior tailback Garrett Wolfe, who along with veteran QBs Phil Horvath and Dan Nicholson and standout LT Doug Free will form a highly dangerous offense. Wolfe, who averaged 175.6 yards per game last season, ran for 148 against Michigan, 245 against Northwestern and 270 in the MAC title game.

How it could happen: It's quite simple, really: NIU needs to knock off one of the Big Ten heavyweights, Ohio State or Iowa, and win all its conference games. "If we catch any of 'em sleeping," Huskies coach Joe Novak told the Associated Press, "you never know."

MAC-Sports.com
MAC Football Season Begins Thursday Night

The two defending MAC Divisional Champions open the season versus the defending co-champions from the Big Ten. 2005 MAC and East Division Champion Akron opens at Penn State (3:30, ESPN2) and 2005 MAC West Division title holder Northern Illinois takes on No. 1 Ohio State (3:30 ABC Sports) on Saturday.

NIU YouTube Video

It's long (7:51) but goes by quickly.

Tribune's NIU Preview & Chronicle Podcasts

College football preview: Northern Illinois

Wolfe will run a lot behind 6-7, 302-pound senior tackle Doug Free, whom Novak thinks could be the highest NFL draftee NIU has had.

"The effort he gives is really unbelievable," Wolfe said. "He has been dominant. It's been an absolute pleasure to play behind him."

Here are two new Chronicle Podcasts containing interviews with coaches Mike Sabock and Thomas Hammock.

Sun-Times - Utschig & Season Preview

Utschig one of the keys to Huskies' hopes

...the Huskies' defensive MVP with a MAC-high 121 tackles and three interceptions, including two in a critical 35-17 victory at Toledo. That was NIU's first victory against the Rockets in the Joe Novak era and greatly accelerated the Huskies' stretch run to the conference championship game.

REASONS FOR OPTIMISM
Returning skill and hunger, plus enhanced athleticism, only can stoke the Huskies' high hopes. The program's upward arc has been relentless, and the senior leadership -- West, Wolfe, Free, Utschig and Horvath -- does not want to drift away without MAC title rings.

A Few Stories from the Tribune, Sun-Times & Beacon News

Naperville's Horvath gets the Nod at NIU

Naperville Central graduate Phil Horvath has been selected to start at quarterback in Northern Illinois' opener Sept. 2 at No. 1 Ohio State.

Huskies OL grows into All-American candidate

Free then was a 6-foot-6-inch, 240-pound All-State defensive end with visions of his own, and they didn't include playing tackle. Novak correctly predicted Free, now 6-7, 302, would grow into an offensive lineman, but not necessarily one who could become the highest-drafted player in NIU history.

NIU #1 in Illinois

THE UNSUNG ONE

Who has the best team in Illinois? The experts say it's not the fellas from the buttoned-down Big Ten. Rather, it's the little guy peeking through the cornstalks in DeKalb.

Yes, Northern Illinois, the preseason favorite in the Mid-American Conference, stacks up as the best Division I team in the state.

Illinois, which is trying to wake up its own echoes, should take heart from the experience of NIU, which has become a MAC power since going 3-30 during Joe Novak's first three years.

Northwestern, which escaped the jaws of the Huskies 38-37 last fall, checked in as this year's preseason runner-up.

The Illini, meanwhile, should be glad that the directional state school that's coming to Champaign on Sept. 2 answers to Eastern rather than Northern. Maybe down the road ... when Zook has his pieces in place.

Freshmen have Impact

"Jason Onyebuagu (Indianapolis Warren Central) will be our backup center, Marcus Lewis (Gurnee Warren) will be in our wide receiver rotation, Tommy O'Brien (Tehachapi, Calif.) will be our long snapper and linebacker John Tranchitella (Addison Driscoll) will be in our rotation and play a lot," Novak said. "He could start at either one of our two outside linebacker positions."

Three Huskies Named in CollegeFootballNews Top 200

Wolf at #37

37. RB Garrett Wolfe, Sr. Northern Illinois The diminutive 5-7, 173-pound senior is quick enough to zip around defenders and strong enough to power his way over bigger ones. He's one of the strongest pound for pound players in the game to go along with phenomenal instincts and a burst of speed when he gets into the clear; he's simply one of the game's most dynamic backs. What gets lost is his workhorse ability. He carried the ball 107 times over the final three games of the year, including the MAC title game against Akron, for 724 yards and nine touchdowns. Had he not suffered a knee injury midway through the season forcing him to miss three games, he likely would've been a lock for 2,000 yards and well over 20 touchdowns. While not used all that often as a receiver, he has nice hands.

Doug Free at #63

63. OT Doug Free, Sr. Northern Illinois The rest of the college football world has finally starting to recognize how good the 6-7, 302-pound senior is. Free will be a ten-year NFL cog and an early first day draft pick next year thanks to his freakish combination of tight end speed and defensive tackle strength. The next-level scouts would probably like to see him add another 15 pounds to his relatively lanky frame, but that's nitpicking. It'll be his quickness and athleticism that gets him the big payday.

Sophomore OG Jon Brost is listed at #186.

A Few New Stories

Huskies have a plan - give it to Wolfe

"I've never given up a sack in my career," said Wolfe. "I haven't let anyone get to the quarterback. That's actually something I've come to enjoy. ... A lot of guys think, because of my size and stature, that they're going to come and run me over. When we run and meet, it's kind of a different thing."

Illinois High School Prospects

Plainfield South outside linebacker prospect Dan Hilbert (6-3, 210) received an offer from Northern Illinois in late July, and he wasted no time in giving the Huskies his early commitment. Hilbert, whose overall recruiting stock was picking up in a big way this summer, will continue to hear from several schools this fall despite his early pledge to the Huskies.

Northern Illinois has added some early verbal commitments as well. Besides Hilbert, the Huskies added a second outside linebacker in Lake Zurich's Kyle Skarb (6-0, 200). NIU also added three prospect from out of state this summer, and expect the Huskies to add at least 5-7 more in-state verbal commits in the recruiting Class of 2007.

Huskies Go Through Loud Day of Preparation for Ohio State

Playing a combination of generic crowd noise, racing engines and Ohio Stadium songs, including the Buckeyes' fight song and "Hang on Sloopy," the NIU players became familiar with not just what they would see on the field from the Buckeyes, but what they would hear from the crowd in the 102,000-plus seat stadium.

Wolfe Named to Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List

Here's another story on Wolfe from the NIU website.

Wolfe adds the Walter Camp mention to his spot on the Maxwell Award Watch List and to his selection as a preseason first team All-American by Playboy and Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook. He has been tabbed as the top choice to earn the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year honor by The Sporting News, Lindy's and CBS Sportsline.

Fox Sports MAC Preview

Fox Sports has come out with their MAC Preview.

The spotlight will shine brightest on NIU and star RB Garrett Wolfe, who’ll be a threat for 2,000 yards giving the league a much-needed marquee star after losing Bruce Gradkowski, Greg Jennings and Omar Jacobs.

Game of the Year: Nov. 7th Toledo at Northern Illinois.
The Rockets had absolutely owned the Huskies until a stunning 35-17 NIU win last year in the Rubber Bowl changed all of that. These should be the two best teams in the MAC with the winner of this nationally televised showdown almost certain to represent the West in the conference title.

FOX Sports MAC Preview
FOX Sports All-MAC Team
FOX Sports MAC Unit Rankings
FOX Sports MAC Top 5's

Daily Chronicle Podcasts - 8/18

The Daily Chronicle has a new NIU Football August 18th Podcast from Nick Gerts and Bobby Narang. There are interviews with Dan Nicholson, John Bond (Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach) and Phil Horvath.

You can go to the Daily Chronicle Podcast Page to listen to the Podcasts or subscribe if you want new ones automatically downloaded to your podcasting software (iTunes). To "download and listen immediately", go to the bottom of the Chronicle Podcast page and click on the individual segment you want to hear.

Here's Nick's 8/18 Intro as a little teaser...

New Stuff on Wolfe

Here's a blurb from SI.com...

Here are a few more under-the-radar Sept. 2 matchups I'm looking forward to:

∙ Northern Illinois at Ohio State: You won't have to wait until the following week's Texas game to get a read on the Buckeyes' rebuilt defense. Right off the bat, they're faced with the nation's leading returning rusher, Garrett Wolfe (175.6 yards per game), who sprang for 148 yards on just 17 carries in last year's opener at Michigan.

Here's the Big Man on Campus Photo of Wolfe from SI.com.

And finally from CSTV.com...Nation's Top Running Back May Hail From The MAC

Garrett, who enters the 2006 season averaging 175.6 yards per game, is undoubtedly one of the best players in Northern Illinois program history, and should be one of the top players this season in college football, as the Huskies look to finally capture the elusive MAC championship.

A.J. Harris Signs with Redskins

The Redskins signed A.J. Harris because one of their Running Backs went down with a knee injury (plus Portis is out for the remainder of the pre-season). The picture the Redskins have of A.J. doesn't look so good but it should be updated soon. 8/22 - His picture has finally been updated to A.J. in his Huskies Jersey.

The Redskins have signed linebacker Jeff Posey, offensive lineman Spencer Folau and running back A.J. Harris, the team announced on Tuesday.

Harris, 6-1 and 230 pounds, is a first-year player who appeared in 43 games during his career at Northern Illinois.

During his college career, Harris rushed for 1,687 yards on 342 carries and recorded 12 touchdowns. He also recorded 31 catches for 197 receiving yards.

Harris was a try-out for the Redskins during their 2006 rookie camp at Redskins Park.

Former Huskies in the NFL (or trying) are:
Brad Cieslak - Bills
Ryan Diem - Colts
Justin McCareins - NY Jets
Dan Sheldon - Colts
Michael Turner - Chargers
Hollis Thomas - Saints
Rob Lee - Bills
Sam Hurd - Cowboys
Darrell Hill - Chiefs
A.J. Harris - Redskins

USA Today MAC Preview

Perks sent in this MAC Preview from USA Today.

The Mid-American Conference has something in Northern Illinois tailback Garrett Wolfe it hasn't had in awhile — a bona fide preseason contender for the Heisman Trophy.

Wolfe is a long shot, for sure, to win the award, which historically goes to a player from a high profile program. But he's in the discussion early in the season by being the leading returning rusher in the nation (1,580 yards last season despite missing two games).

Here's the link to the rest of the story in USA Today.

Daily Chronicle Podcasts - 8/2 and 8/10

The Daily Chronicle is posting NIU Football Podcast from Nick Gerts and Bobby Narang. Podcasts from August 2nd and 10th are available.

You can go to the Daily Chronicle Podcast Page to listen to the Podcasts or subscribe if you want new ones automatically downloaded to your podcasting software (iTunes). To "download and listen immediately", go to the bottom of the page and click on the individual segment you want to hear. They might be a little slow downloading but its worth listening to them.

Watch out for the volume, the Chronicle has it set to full blast.

NIU Media Day - 54:37

This video is a bit long but if you have the time you might find it interesting. Its almost worth listening to the first minute so you can see how Donna Turner (Associate Athletic Director-Communications) performs in front of the media.

Media Day

Hurd Catching on Fast

Sam Hurd has been getting some attention at Cowboys camp.

You didn't hear Sam Hurd's name called during ESPN's two-day coverage of the 2006 NFL draft, but don't be surprised if the Cowboys rookie wide receiver pops up on ESPN's "SportsCenter" on a regular basis this season.

Hurd, who played his college football at Northern Illinois, has been the best receiver at the Cowboys training camp over the first two weeks, making spectacular catches and displaying maturity well beyond his years.

Here's the article about Hurd from the Ventura County Star. He had 4 catches for 40 yards in the first pre-season game.

Hurd's Cowboy Bio

Quotes from Novak and Senior Captains

Here are media day quotes from Coach Novak, OT-Doug Free, FS-Dustin Utschig, DE-Ken West and TB-Garrett Wolfe.

Garrett Wolfe - On the program's exposure:

"Surprisingly enough, when I was at the Playboy All-America festivities, all those guys said they were big fans of mine, and they've watched our games on television. That really caught me by surprise, you know, those guys, those big schools, they have other things to do during the week besides watch Northern Illinois football. That really meant a lot and that really says a lot about what Jim Phillips has been able to do with our exposure and getting our games on national television."

The picture is the Playboy All-American Offense. In case you were wondering, Wolfe is 5'7" - 177 and #76 OL-Dan Mozes (West Virginia) is 6'4" - 290.

Fleck Moves to Columbus

It looks like PJ will be coaching against the Huskies on September 2nd.

The former Kaneland High School and Northern Illinois University standout wide receiver has ended his playing career and started his coaching career this morning, in Columbus, Ohio. Fleck, who was cut several weeks ago by the San Francisco 49ers, has been hired as an offensive graduate assistant by Ohio State University coach Jim Tressel.

Here's the story.

CBS Sportsline MAC Preview

Here's the MAC Preview from CBSSportsline.com. They're saying Northern is the "team to beat" in the MAC...

Northern Illinois: The most experienced team in the conference is poised to finally win the conference crown. One of the best running backs in the nation, an excellent offensive line and a solid quarterback make the Huskies the leaders of the pack.

...and they're picking Wolfe as MVP.

He might not win the Heisman, but a 2,000-yard season isn't out of the realm of possibility.

CBS Sportsline Heisman Hopefuls

Fox Sports NIU Preview

This is from July but it still has some interesting information.

Northern Illinois is eight years removed from when it was one of the worst teams in the MAC, so the rags-to-riches angle doesn't really apply anymore. Six straight winning seasons and several high profile wins have changed Joe Novak's program to the point where there are now big expectations.

Here's the rest of the story...

OHIO STATE - SEPT 2, 2:30 CT

This should cover the information we need for our trip to Ohio State.

HOTEL: The Varsity Inn
DIRECTIONS: Mapquest to Hotel
WEATHER: Columbus Weather
BARS: Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe - next door to the hotel
Brazenhead Irish Pub - about 1/2 mile from the hotel
St. James Tavern - less than 2 miles from the hotel
Woody's Sports Club - about 2 miles from the hotel
Out-R-Inn - about 2 miles from the hotel
South Campus Gateway - about 2 miles from the hotel
Arena District - about 2 miles from the hotel
Thirsty Scholar - about 2 miles from the hotel
Pockets Sports Bar and Grill - about 5 miles from hotel
Winking Lizard Tavern - about 7 miles from the hotel
Fitzgerald's Sports Tavern - about 8 miles from hotel
TAILGATING: NIU Alumni Association Reception
GAMEDAY: Seating
GAMEDAY: Stadium Info
GAMEDAY: Game Notes

Post a comment if you know of any other bars or if there's anything else that we'll need for our trip.

Garrett Wolfe Highlights - 5:34

The first 30 seconds is the run against Michigan.

Ohio State Ranked #1 By USA Today

NIU received a couple votes but it looks like Ohio State will be #1 when they play on September 2nd. According to USA Today...

Ohio State, behind the electrifying offensive talents of quarterback Troy Smith and wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., is No. 1 in the USA TODAY Coaches' preseason poll released Friday, their first time in the top spot since the end of the 2002 season.

USA Today Rankings

Northern Illinois Tabbed as MAC Preseason Favorite

DETROIT, Mich. - Northern Illinois is the preseason favorite to win the Mid-American Conference West Division and to triumph in the MAC Championship game according to the MAC News Media Association, which released its 2006 Football Preseason Poll Monday in conjunction with the MAC Football Preview held in Detroit.
NIUHuskies.com Press Release

2006 Pictures

At Ohio State




Ohio University







Buffalo























Indiana State



















Temple
















Iowa









Toledo - Week day tailgating is lame





















2007 Tailgating Pictures

2008 Tailgating Pictures