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(05-30-2017 11:12 AM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  

(05-30-2017 07:43 AM)MiamiHuskie Wrote:  The Northern Illinois Huskies are No. 87 in the Orlando Sentinel 2017 preseason college football rankings. The traditionally strong Huskies are working to bounce back from a tough 2016 season.

Today at No. 87: Northern Illinois

Coach: Rod Carey (36-19, entering sixth season; 36-19 overall)

2016 record: 5-7, 5-3 in Mid-American Conference, third in West Division

Look back: Injuries and inconsistent play threw the Northern Illinois team for a loop last season, with the Huskies failing to qualify for a bowl berth for the first time in a decade. After opening the season with four consecutive losses, the team bounced back to win five of its next eight games. However, only one of those wins were against a team with a winning record.

Offensive starters returning: 5

Offensive starters lost: 6

Defensive starters returning: 7

Defensive starters lost: 4

Key losses: QB Anthony Maddie, RB Joel Bouagnon, WR Kenny Golladay, WR Aregeros Turner, OL Josh Ruka, OL Levon Myers, LB Jamaal Payton, LB Sean Folliard

Top returnees: RB Jordan Huff, OL Max Scharping, DB Shawun Lurry, DL Josh Corcoran, DB Mayomi Olootu, Jr.

Strengths: Injuries forced Northern Illinois to start three different players at quarterback, including Ryan Graham, Drew Hare and Anthony Maddie. Graham and sophomore Daniel Santacaterina along with redshirt freshman Marcus Childers will battle for the starting job in the fall. Former Huskies QB Jordan Lynch joins Carey’s staff this offseason and his experience will be important.

Northern Illinois finished with the best overall rushing offense in the MAC despite not having a 1,000-yard rusher. Senior Joel Bouagnon led the team for the second consecutive season, while junior Jordan Huff provided the team with a change of pace in the backfield.

The secondary was a bright spot on the defense after registering 14 interceptions in 2016. CB Shawun Lurry (11 pass breakups) and CB Mayomi Olootu Jr. led the team with three interceptions apiece and their presence will be huge in 2017.

Weaknesses: Northern Illinois led the nation in fewest sacks allowed (8.0) in part because of a strong offensive line that featured two all-conference selections in OL Levon Myers and OL Max Scharping. Myers is gone, along with OL Josh Ruka. They accounted for more than 40 career starts and leave the left side of the line with serious concerns moving forward.

Huskies will have to do without the help of two of their top three receivers from last season in Kenny Golladay and Aregeros Turner, who were both All-MAC selections. Golladay led the team in receptions (87), receiving yards (1,156) and touchdowns (8), while Turner was one of the top return men in the league.

The defense was below average last season, allowing more than 30 points and 450 yards per game. Making matters worse, four of the front six players on the unit are gone, with just DE Josh Corcoran (3 sacks) and DT William Lee (18 tackles) left anchoring the group.

Outlook: The Northern Illinois program has been the gold standard in the Mid-American Conference for almost a decade but that mantle appears to have shifted to Western Michigan. In order to bounce back, the Huskies need to avoid an injury bug that’s plagued them at quarterback over the past few seasons while developing a defense that can stop opponents.

2017 Schedule

Sept. 1 Boston College

Sept. 9 Eastern Illinois

Sept. 16 at Nebraska

Sept. 30 at San Diego State

Oct. 7 Kent State

Oct. 14 at Buffalo

Oct. 21 at Bowling Green

Oct. 26 Eastern Michigan

Nov. 2 at Toledo

Nov. 9 Ball State

Nov. 15 Western Michigan

Nov. 24 at Central Michigan

Matt Murschel, mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
Previous Rankings

Thanks for posting MiamiHuskie. We need a bowl bid this season to remind the media we're still one of the P5 darlings. Fingers crossed.

Not with how we perform in the bowl games.

Can you please list the results of every Non-WMU MAC bowl game last year for me? No cheating.

Gee! Wow!!! Maybe we ARE one of the "P5 (sic) darlings"!!! We didn't play and didn't lose! LOL

Nobody cares about bowl games, including you except for when you use it as a reason to make yourself mad.