June 23, 2003

CAN THIS BE YEAR FOR NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOTBALL? MAGS, WEBSITES LIKE 2003 HUSKIE PROSPECTS

DeKALB, IL --- Okay, it’s only June. So most people are thinking about the Cubs and the White Sox, golf, cookouts, and vacations. Now, if you’re one of those hardcore Northern Illinois University football fans who have started flipping through the pre-season magazines already on the newsstands or perusing some websites, this Huskie news is fit to print.

Coach Joe Novak’s squad---which finished 8-4 last year and opens the 2003 campaign hosting the University of Maryland August 28 in Huskie Stadium at 6:35 p.m. (CDT)---receives more than its share of pre-season props, publicity, you name it. The word on Northern Illinois is on the street, in print, or in cyberspace.

Can this, finally, be the year? The media seems to concur at this juncture. According to these experts, Northern Illinois ranks as high as No. 45 nationally in one National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1-A poll, seems to be among the top three picks in the Mid-American Conference’s West Division, boasts four All-America candidates---including a legitimate Heisman Trophy prospect, features some nationally-rated units, plus touts at least 12 All-MAC performers.

“Sure, the national recognition is nice,” Novak said. “But remember, it’s June. All this stuff doesn’t mean anything once we kick it off versus Maryland. These magazines and websites don’t win football games. We’ve got to win some games. We’ve got summer workouts and August two-a-days ahead of us. And don’t forget, everyone on our schedule will be reading the same publications. We’ve told Michael Turner that he’ll be wearing a target on his back all season.”

Nevertheless, here’s a rundown on the Huskie pre-season “pub” to date:

On the current collegefootballnews.com website, Northern Illinois boasts seven players with national reputations---including four pre-season All-America picks and three on major “watch lists” for 2003---led by “The Burner” and “The Returner.” In the MAC race, the Huskies are picked second in the West Division behind Bowling Green State.

Senior TB Michael Turner (North Chicago)---better known as “The Burner” and the nation’s No. 1 returning rusher (MAC-record 1,915 yards) and all-purpose yardage (school-record 2,284 yards) performer---not only made Second-Team All-America, but rated as the nation’s No. 1 RB and the No. 5 player overall on the collegefootballnews.com College Football Fantasy ratings. Junior WR Dan Sheldon (Elgin / Burlington Central)---the defending NCAA punt return champion (22.7-yards-per-return average)---also made Second-Team All-America on special teams. Sheldon ranked as the No. 28 overall player in the nation on the College Football Fantasy site---based on overall production (1,542 all-purpose yards in 2002).

Meanwhile, senior PK Steve Azar (Colorado Springs, CO / Highlands Ranch) and senior CB Randee Drew (Milwaukee, WI / Glendale Nicolet)---as a kickoff returner (Mid-Am leading 26.1 ypr. average)---earned Honorable Mention All-America notoriety. Drew and senior SS Akil Grant (Kankakee) made the collegefootballnews.com national “DB” watch list. Ditto for senior C Todd Ghilani (Elkhorn, WI / Area) on the O-line and junior DE Travis Moore (Robbins / Blue Island Eisenhower) on the D-line lists from collegefootballnews.com.

According to the ESPN.com website, Turner ranked on a pre-season Top 20 Heisman Trophy list with RB Maurice Clarett of Ohio State, RB Anthony Davis of Wisconsin, WR Larry Fitzgerald of Pitt, RB Kevin Jones of Virginia Tech, QB Eli Manning of Mississippi, RB T. A. McLendon of North Carolina State, WR Reggie Williams of Washington, TE Kellen Winslow of Miami (FL), WR Rashaun Woods of Oklahoma State, etc.

ESPN’s comments on Turner include: “...the best runningback you never heard of is ‘The Burner’ Turner. He rushed for nearly 2,000 yards last year and had five games with over 200 yards. Watch how he starts when NIU (plays Maryland). A big game there and his Heisman campaign could have some legs.”

For the visually-inclined, Turner shared the cover of the Big Ten Conference edition of Phil Steele’s 2003 College Football Preview with Notre Dame RB Ryan Grant and Iowa RB Fred Russell---thanks to NIU Imaging photographer Scott Walstrom. Novak’s Huskies are tabbed to win the Mid-Am West, plus rank No. 5 nationally on special teams and No. 23 in the offensive backfield.

Sheldon made Phil Steele’s Third-Team All-America unit as a punt returner and Turner followed as a Fourth-Team All-America at RB. National ratings? Sheldon ranked No. 3 as a punt returner, Turner No. 8 at RB, Azar No. 9 at PK, Ghilani No. 21 at C, senior Nick Duffy (Wheaton / Warrenville) No. 23 at LB, and Grant No. 27 at SS. Eleven Northern Illinois players were cited on 13 All-MAC spots----Azar, Drew, Duffy, Ghilani, Grant, Sheldon on punt returns, and Turner on the first-team, plus DE Jason Frank (Lakeville, MN / Senior) and Drew (as KO return man) on the second-team, Moore and junior LB Brian Atkinson (Chicago / Fenger) on the third-team, plus senior NT Leonard Cooksey (Harvey / Thornton) and Sheldon at WR on the fourth team. How accurate is Phil Steele? In 2000, the publication put Huskie WR Darrell Hill on its pre-season Honorable Mention All-America squad before “The Thrill” got drafted by the National Football League Tennessee Titans the next April. It was the only magazine to go to bat on a national basis for the NIU wide receiver at the time.

In Street & Smith’s 2003 College Football magazine, Northern Illinois received the Mid-Am West nod in a preview written by Elton Alexander of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. In addition, Turner rated as one of 19 players on the S&S national Heisman / Walter Camp / Doak Walker / Maxwell Trophy award list. “The Burner” found his name on the Street & Smith’s Second-Team All-America squad with Azar and Sheldon making the Honorable Mention All-America unit. Six Novak products were cited on the S&S First-Team All-MAC team---Atkinson, Drew, Ghilani, Moore, junior OG Mark Orszula (Lisle), and Turner.

“The Burner” and “The Returner” also received national support in both Athlon Sports Big Ten and National College Football publications this summer. Sheldon made Athlon’s Second-Team All-America at punt returner and Turner found his name on the Third-Team All-America squad at RB. Duffy, Drew, Ghilani, Grant, Sheldon, and Turner were named All-Mid-Am. Athlon projected the Huskies as the No. 2 pick in the MAC West and at No. 57 nationally. NIU’s offensive backfield rated ninth best in the nation. In last February’s National Letter of Intent recruiting wars, Athlon put Novak’s new incoming class second in the league. DeKalb Daily Chronicle staffer Bobby Narang contributed to the Mid-Am section in both Athlon Sports books.

In Lindy’s Big Ten 2003 Football magazine, Northern Illinois---even with a league-high seven pre-season First-Team All-MAC selections (Azar, Duffy, Drew, Ghilani, Moore, Sheldon, and Turner)---gets picked for third in the West Division. “The Burner” ranked No. 6 in the country on a Top 25 RB list and Azar finished No. 10 on the U.S.A. PK rating. Lindy’s predicted that Turner would be the Mid-Am’s (1) overall MVP, (2) No. 3 NFL prospect, and (3) “most explosive player.” Huskie junior QB Josh Haldi (Madison, OH) was called the “coolest in the clutch” and Drew won “best cover corner” plaudits from the Lindy’s staff.

Nationally, The Sporting News College Football magazine gave Northern Illinois its highest rating (No. 45 in the NCAA) and No. 1 pre-season status in the MAC West. Four Huskies made TSN national player rankings---Sheldon No. 5 among punt returners, Azar No. 10 in placekicking, Duffy No. 16 among middle linebackers, and Turner No. 17 in RBs. Again, the NIU special teams were listed No. 7 in the nation. Seven Northern Illinois standouts made First-Team All-Mid-Am (Atkinson, Azar, Duffy, Drew, Ghilani, Sheldon, and Turner).

Mid-Am sportswriter Doug Zaleski of the Muncie Star Press called Novak’s braintrust the best in the league in The Sporting News. “The Huskies have the MAC’s top runningback, the best set of linebackers, best secondary, and the last two picks for league special teams player of the year” Zaleski wrote. “There’s impressive development of talent being done by Joe Novak’s staff.”

Roster-wise, Northern Illinois returns 44 lettermen and 14 regulars from the 8-4 MAC West co-champs that beat (1) Wake Forest, (2) East Division leader Miami (OH), and (3) 16th-ranked and unbeaten Bowling Green State. In mid-November, Novak’s Huskies received votes in the Associated Press major-college poll for the first time since 1989. NIU fell 41 seconds short of beating Toledo in a 33-30 setback and winning a berth in the MAC Championship Game last fall.

For 2003 Huskie ticket information, please contact the NIU Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center at (AC 815) 753-0353 or toll free (in Illinois) 1-800-332-HOWL.

(For further information, please contact Mike Korcek) -30-

Northern Illinois University Football

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