Welcome to the latest edition of the HuskieWire.com Q&A.
Every Thursday, I'll answer your NIU and MAC-related questions right here. Do you have a question about NIU or the MAC? E-mail your questions to me at jsahly@daily-chronicle.com and I'll answer them next Thursday.
Here are this week's questions and answers:
Eric A. asked: How much is the Iowa State payout in 2010? I know this game was scheduled in 2003 so i'm sure the payout is very low.
John Sahly: We're working on this right now actually and I hope to have something soon for you. I suspect you're correct in thinking it is low. As soon as we get confirmation we'll have it up on our Huskie Wire blog.
Ed asked: [Tuesday] it was published what NIU is receiving in compensation for playing Wisconson and Purdue this year. Question is for next year when we are only having 5 home games what is our expected compensation going to be for playing Iowa State, Illinois, and Minnesota? Will it be comparable?
JS: Minnesota is $575,000, Illinois, if memory serves, is $650,000 and Iowa State is coming soon.
C cmfp asked: Where's Victor Jacques been? He was in the linebacker rotation throughout spring and fall camps and has since dropped out of sight.
JS: How is this for an analogy: Victor Jacques moving to linebacker is like the start to Shannon Elizabeth's poker career. Both came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, winning every battle and drawing rave reviews. But when they've gone back to really dedicate themselves on learning how to play, sometimes you take a few steps back before you move forward.
That's where Jacques is right now. He had an amazing spring, but learning all of the concepts that come with a new position take time. Meanwhile, NIU brought in three linebackers in Devon Butler, Tyrone Clark and Jordan Delegal and they all had at least some experience playing the position and have moved ahead of him in terms of reps. Don't give up on Jacques yet, though.
C cmfp: It looks like true freshmen Martel Moore, Perez Ashford and Alan Baxter are in the lineup to stay. Does the playing time Devon Butler, Tyrone Clark and Nabal Jefferson received in the WIU game mean they have officially given up their redshirt status? Although he's not a freshman I guess the same goes for Garrett Barnas.
JS: Here is the definition of a redshirt, straight from the NCAA Web site:
"The term "redshirt" is used to describe a student-athlete who does not participate in competition in a sport for an entire academic year. If you do not compete in a sport the entire academic year, you have not used a season of competition. For example, if you are a qualifier, and you attend a four-year college your freshman year, and you practice but do not compete against outside competition, you would still have the next four years to play four seasons of competition.
"Each student is allowed no more than four seasons of competition per sport. If you were not a qualifier, you may have fewer seasons of competition available to you. You should know that NCAA rules indicate that any competition, regardless of time, during a season counts as one of your seasons of competition in that sport. It does not matter how long you were involved in a particular competition (for example, one play in a football game, one point in a volleyball match); you will be charged with one season of competition."
So, by that logic, Moore, Ashford, Baxter, Butler, Clark, Jefferson and Barnas (don't forget Josh Wilber) have all burned their redshirts.
C cmfp: Have the coaches given any thought to running more of a wide-open spread offense like Toledo has had so much success with this season? How about the no-huddle?
JS: I don't think you change your style of play two games into the season just because another team has put up a couple of good offensive games. Also keep in mind that Colorado's defense is comically bad this season. I think NIU runs a decent amount of the spread but wants to stick with some fullback and two tight end sets. Besides, if you junk those formations to strictly go with a wide-open spread attack, you're stuck with a bunch of kids (fullbacks and tight ends) who suddenly have little to no use on the team.
I'm waiting to fully evaluate this offense until about the midway point of the season just because of the nature of some of the opponents and to see if or how the younger players grow up.
C cmfp: Given the ease with which WIU was moving the ball until they got behind and had to go to the pass, how will the defensive coaches adjust to stop Purdue and other upcoming opponents?
JS: I think if you've watched closely you've seen a few things they've been trying, mainly bringing in four defensive ends on a few obvious passing downs to generate more of a pass rush. I have no idea how much you'll see that against Purdue, though, just because of how running back Ralph Bolden has shredded defenses.
I don't think you'll see changes in scheme, though. That kind of stuff is a major overhaul that's tough to do while preparing for an opponent. The coaches believe in the scheme they have and I think because half of the rotation is young and inexperienced, fans might have to exercise a little patience while they grow up.
C cmfp: How have the coaches prepared to deal with Swine Flu if it attacks the Huskies as it has numerous other teams around the country?
JS: I asked NIU coach Jerry Kill about this on Tuesday and he basically said the trainers and everyone around the program has done what they can to inform players about it. It's been a hot topic among coaches across college football in the past few weeks and the message has basically been the same – inform the kids as often as you can and everybody wash their hands.
