Game On! Rockets Battle Huskies for MAC West Lead

The talk and expectations this week will give way on the second Tuesday of November. No question this will be the Rockets biggest game in several years. While Northern Illinois was viewed in August as the team poised to challenge for the MAC West title, most had Toledo picked to finish in the middle of the West pack at best. Given six years of sub .500 records, I suspect not many in Rocket Nation, in their heart of hearts, envisioned the Rockets with a perfect 5-0 conference record entering November.

For both the Huskies and the Rockets, this has been a season which has unfolded much as coaching staffs and players have envisioned from the beginning of the year. The Huskies have performed up to expectations but I’m guessing that they would like to replay the Iowa State game much as the Rockets would like to have a re-do with Wyoming. But that’s not what players and coaches are thinking about now. That’s yesterday’s history. The focus is on making history beginning at Huskie Stadium.

Northern Illinois on Offense:

These Huskies love to run and it shows. They have put up at least 200 rushing yardage in each of their last six games, all Ws. The ground game combines a major dose of Chad Spann (1,000 rushing yards) and a big splash of Chandler Harnish (559 yards) followed by a big dashes of Cameron Bell (6-foot-2, 242-pound) and backup QB Jordan Lynch. Bell has 91 yards last two games while Lynch had racked up 133 yards on12 carries over the last five weeks.

Senior TB Span (5’9”, 198#) leads the MAC in rushing yardage averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He is currently ranked number 11 among all NCAA rushers averaging 111.11 yards per game. QB Harnish is averaging 5.8 yards per carry with Lynch, NIU’s smaller version of David Pasquale, averaging 11.1 yards per carry. With all this running around, the Huskies have nearly doubled their opponents on the ground.

But this year’s NIU team is far from being one-dimensional. Harnish has completed 65.8% of his passes with 12 TD tosses and just 4 INTs. He has the highest passing efficiency rating (147.31) in the MAC per NCAA rankings. With his arm and legs he’s compiling 222 yards of offense per game. Of note, with limited action, Terrance Owens has a passing efficiency rating of 181.12%.

Two of the Huskies’ concerns coming into this season were lack of experience at wide receiver and along the OL.

The receiving corps has jelled into a group of four WRs who have caught more than half of Chandler Harnish’s tosses. Their range of receptions is 21 -26 averaging between 10 to 15 yards per reception. They have caught 12 of the 13 NIU TD passes and accumulated 75% of the passing yardage.

Despite losing All MAC linemen at center and left guard, the Huskies’ OL has not missed a major beat. Their run blocking is excellent and they are allowing, on average, just one sack a game, tied with OU, for tops in the MAC. They have allowed just four QB hurries, another impressive stat.

Northern Illinois on Defense:

With nine returning starters from last year’s top ranked defense in the MAC, this unit is playing their stingy selves again. They are allowing just 216 yards per game in the air and 126 yards on the ground which is only 10 yards per game more than the Rockets. They have two less INTs (14) that UT.

Veteran DE Jake Coffman is the leader of the defense with a team best 7 TFL but he is getting a lot of support from a trio of very good line backers. Collectively, they have more than 1/4 of all tackles. CB Chris Smith leads the secondary with 3 INTs and 9 PD.

The Huskies are also in the top 20 nationally in defending their red zone as are the Rockets.

Northern Illinois on Special Teams:

K Michael Cklamovskiff has been inconsistent connecting on just 11 of 18 from 20 yards out. Punt and kickoff coverage are a bit subpar compared to the other NIU defensive efforts. P Josh Wilber has helped with punt covering by having nearly 40% of his punts fair caught.

Kickoff and punt returns are both averaging less than NIU’s opponents so when stacked against the offense as a whole, this is not a Huskie strength.

What to Look For:

Two evenly matched teams in many aspects. Both are good defending against the run and a somewhat suspect against the pass. While NIU has shown a consistent ground game, the Rockets are capable of moving the ball on the ground. QB Harnish has to be considered the front runner for All-MAC QB. That said, TO has performed at a very high level filling in for Austin Dantin against EMU.

· the Rockets to use the pass to set up the run

· the outside containment of the Rockets keeping Spann and Harnish working in the middle of the field

· another long kickoff return by the Rockets

· few penalties for both teams – six or less per team

· quick pass plays from both teams to counter defensive rushes

· a few deep routes from both squads but not many

· Rockets to win the take away battle

· NIU to go all out to block one or two of Vince Penza’s punts

· Jerry Kill doing a spot-on impersonation of Pat Hill along the sidelines

GO ROCKETS!

Media Coverage

Televised on ESPN2 HD College Football Primetime at 7:00 pm (ET) with Beth Mowins doing play-by-play and David Norrie and Robert Smith doing analysis

Live Internet audio coverage is available via RocketVision and WSPD.com Audio also available on the Rocket Sports Network (WJMO-AM 1300 Cleveland and WDTW-AM 1310 Detroit)

Internet video coverage provided by All-MAC Access and RocketVision for Rocket Nation fans outside the Toledo area. Kickoff at 7:07 pm (ET)