Quote:Head coach Joe Novak, linebacker Zach Larsen, safety Mark Reiter and offensive guard/center Jason Onyebuagu met with the media during Tuesday's weekly press conference to preview NIU's game at Wisconsin on Saturday. Below are selected quotes from the media session.

Head Coach Joe Novak
On injuries
"I do not think I have been through anything like this before with the injuries. It is just frustrating. We have had so many injuries to the point that we talk more about who is not going to play in the game than who is going to play in the game. This is extremely unusual. What is most interesting is that we have had most of our injuries on the defensive side of the ball. We have been hit hard there and what surprises me is that we rank number one in scoring defense, number one in red-zone defense, and number two in 3rd down efficiency in the MAC. And all three of these are pretty important categories if you think about it. We have been beat up, but we are still hanging in there."

On playing Wisconsin
"Any time you play a Big Ten team it is a big deal. We've got some kids that think they should be playing in Madison, and rightfully so. Any time you play a Big Ten team, it will get the kids excited. We got guys wishing that they played for Michigan or Notre Dame and that is the way I want them to think. One of the greatest places to play in the country is in Madison. It's a huge place, it's fun, it's exciting and I hope it will be by the end of the day. It's a great place to play college football. We've just got to go up there and play as hard as we can and see what happens.

On comparing this Wisconsin team to recent seasons
"They are a good strong football team. They are big, strong, and physical. Even their tailback is huge. He is a load and a big, physical kid. They just pound on you the whole game until you have no energy left. They also have a very good wide out. They are also physical on the defensive side. Wisconsin is a typical physical Midwestern football team and they are that way again this year. We just have to see if we can keep their offense off of the field a little bit more. They were fourth in the country until a couple of weeks ago until they got beat by a very good Illinois team. They had a little let down at Penn State, which is not good for us because they have lost two in a row, which they do not do very much, so they are probably going to be pretty hostile towards us. I would rather have them undefeated to be honest with you. They are a very good football team."

On the thought of playing the best game of the year on Saturday
"If we do play our best game of the year, it still might not be enough. I mean, who knows if we are going to play our best game, because I have been waiting for it all year. We are doing some better things, though. We are not turning it over as much and had one fumble on Saturday. I am real proud of [quarterback] Ryan Morris. He did not play great, but he did not turn it over. We have critical holding penalties at the wrong time; we still are having trouble in the red zone. I do not know when we are going to put it together, but when we do, we will be decent. We have been waiting all year for that to happen."

Does it help the team to have Wisconsin on the schedule?
"I do. I have a lot of respect for our kids. The kids have come out and practiced and they keep working and they keep their heads up. Having a game like that certainly is good to have. Toledo is still down the road for us and we also play at Navy. We do not have a winning season or a championship to play for, but it is still good to play tough competition, even when you are down. I mean 98% of our football team is coming back, so they could start getting a taste for next year too. Our seniors are to the point now where they are thinking `we have five games left to play in our career' and you want to play hard every chance you get, and they have been. The team has responded well. If you go into Madison and you look up into that stadium and see all those people and you can't get fired up for football on that, then you do not have a pulse. I do and I am 62 years old. It is a hard place to win, but it is a fun place to play. It's a long shot, and we are big underdogs, but then again so was Stanford [at USC] and so was Appalachian State [at Michigan]."

Linebacker Zach Larsen
On getting the first start of his career last Saturday
"I was a little nervous going into the game, but I took a few snaps and from there I got into the rhythm and just played. I felt like it had been my time to play for a while and I had been waiting around for my chance. I think that I finally proved that I can play at this level. I want to win for the team just as much as everybody else. If I try my best I feel I can make my team better. I feel that as a team we have come together pretty well as a whole, though."

Safety Mark Reiter
On motivation for the remainder of the season
"Obviously our goals have changed now, from the goal of winning a MAC championship, to just finishing the season strong. We have come such a long way. For the senior class that is playing here for the fifth year, it does not take a whole lot to get us motivated anymore. The long-term goal of playing in the postseason is out, but it does not take too much to get motivated to play football. We have missed some opportunities and have not had much luck, but we still go into every week with the same chip on our shoulder whether we are winning or losing."

On playing in a hostile environment at Wisconsin
"We look forward to the hostile environment. It is very motivating. When you get that many people cheering against you, you just get the chills running down your back. You just want to go out there and to hear them be silenced is just the highlight of your day."

Offensive Lineman Jason Onyebuagu
On making the switch from guard to center Saturday against Western Michigan
"For me, it was not much of a change. I was the backup center all last year and I have been playing a lot of guard this year. To me it seems more natural, but the only difference is I lose a glove to snap the ball. It is all the same to me. You know one position you know the other."