March 22, 2007

DeKALB, Ill. - Although preparations for the 2007 Northern Illinois football season unofficially began back in February with an early-morning workout program, NIU takes to the Huskie Stadium field for the first time Saturday for the "official" start of spring football practice.

Practices, which are closed to the public, begin this Saturday at Huskie Stadium, with the last of the 15 sessions scheduled for Saturday, April 21 at 1 p.m. when the public is invited to take in the Huskies' annual Spring Game.

Northern Illinois, which is coming off a 7-6 season that saw the Huskies make their second postseason bowl appearance in the last three years with a trip to the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, returns 15 starters, including seven on offense, six on defense, kicker Chris Nendick and punter Andy Dittbenner.

NIU Head Coach Joe Novak, who enters his 12th season at the helm of the Huskie program in 2007, will use the spring to attempt to establish a 2007 depth chart.

"We want to get the two-deep established," Novak said. "We want to answer some of the questions - who are the starters, who are the back-ups, who is the left tackle, the running back. We have 15 practices to get it sorted out. In the fall, it's about getting ready for the games. This is really the opportunity for the coaches to evaluate every player on the roster."

Junior Dan Nicholson, who started the last two games of the 2006 season after senior starter Phil Horvath suffered a knee injury, enters spring as the Huskies' top signal-caller. Nicholson has five total starts in two seasons at NIU and enters spring drills after a solid off-season.

"Dan has worked hard and had as good an off-season as he has had since he's been here," Novak said. "He knows he should be the guy for us at quarterback and he sees himself in the leadership role."

Two of the biggest holes to fill this spring are at running back and left tackle, the spots vacated by 2006 NCAA leading rusher Garrett Wolfe and 49-game starter Doug Free, respectively. Northern Illinois has had a player rush for 1,000 yards or more in each of the last eight seasons, the second longest streak in the country, and a host of young backs will vie for the top spot on the depth chart at the position. Among the names are Montell Clanton, who backed up Wolfe in 2006 before suffering a knee injury in the third game of the season, sophomore Justin Anderson and redshirt freshman Ricky Crider.

On the offensive line, NIU will return four players who saw extensive playing time, as Eddie Adamski and Jason Onyebuagu begin their sophomore years while Jon Brost, who will open spring at left tackle, is a junior and Chris Acevedo a senior.

"The biggest holes to fill are Garrett and Doug," Novak said. "You just don't replace the NCAA leading rusher and a guy who started 49 straight games. Jon Brost will start out at left tackle and it will be good to see Montell out there again."

In addition to Clanton, NIU will welcome back linebacker Phil Brown, who sat out the 2006 season due to injury; Novak expects good competition for starting roles at linebacker with Brown and 2006 starters Cory Hanson and Tim McCarthy returning, while several young players, including John Tranchitella and Josh Allen, will enter the mix.

"The competition at linebacker is going to be interesting," Novak said. "We are six or seven deep there so we will see how it sorts itself out."

Novak also likes the Huskies' depth in the secondary and at receiver.

"This is the deepest secondary we've had in a while; I like our athletic ability," Novak said. "I'm interested to see what [redshirt freshmen] Mike Sobol and Justin Stewart bring there. I like our receivers. We've got four or five who I feel very good about who will help us spread the ball out with Britt [Davis], Greg Turner, Matt Simon, Marcus Lewis and Marcus Perez."

Along with the evaluation of players and establishment of a depth chart, Novak said the Huskies will add a few wrinkles to the offense while integrating some of the ideas of the four new coaches who have joined the Huskies' staff on the offensive side of the ball.

"I'm excited about our new staff," Novak said. "They have come in with some good ideas. We will keep our terminology the same, but we will add some wrinkles and diversity to what we're doing on offense."

Several players will sit out spring drills due to injury, including tight ends Brandon Davis and David Koronkiewicz, Onyebuagu, running back Cas Prime, and defensive linemen Larry English and Zach Holycross.

Northern Illinois opens the 2007 season Saturday, Sept. 1 versus Iowa at Chicago's Soldier Field. Tickets for that contest, as well as the Huskies five-game schedule in Huskie Stadium, are on sale now through the Huskie Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center at 815-752-6800 or on-line at www.niuhuskies.com.

-- NIU --