The Daily Chronicle: Homecoming weekend for Harnish

Harnish got a serious look from the Boilermakers under then-coach Joe Tiller, which was great news for Harnish, who grew up a fan of Purdue, although he said Tuesday he probably was more of a fan of Notre Dame in his youth.

"I was heavily recruited by [Purdue], and that's the school I felt like I was going to my whole high school career," Harnish said. "It just fell through and Northern gave me the opportunity and I don't regret it at all.

The Beacon News: Less is more for NIU offense

More isn't necessarily better when it comes to an offensive game plan, especially if you have a young team.

"Against Wisconsin, we probably had too much in there," Northern Illinois football coach Jerry Kill said during Monday's Mid-American Conference coaches teleconference.

Fox39 - Rockford: NIU to face Purdue

"We have a tremendous challenge ahead of us," said NIU coach Jerry Kill as his weekly press conference Tuesday. "We're going against probably, not probably he is, the best runningback in the nation at this point and time. Purdue has been a team in the past that has thrown it a little bit more, so I think it's caught some people off guard. They're very multiple on offense. Very explosive. It's led by a very, very good offensive line."

NIU Football: Weekly Football Press Conference Quotes

Jerry Kill: "We have a tremendous challenge ahead of us. We are going against the best running back in the nation at this point in time. Purdue's been a team in the past, under coach Tiller, that has thrown the ball a little more, so I think it's caught people off guard. They're very multiple on offense, and very explosive. Its led by a very good offensive line, very big and very talented. So we definitely have our work cut out for us on defense."

WREX - Rockford: Former NIU athletic director Phillips visits Rockford

"We played at 11 o'clock the last two Saturday's and Northern Illinois played in the evening, so I sat down and watched them play," Phillips said." [I was] screaming at the TV and cheering on coach Kill and the young men that represent that program."