Feb. 4: No Q&A this week because of the live chat we did on Wednesday. The next Q&A will take place on Feb. 11.
Welcome to this week's 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:
Mikey asked: Since the start of new year, NIU got trounced in Toronto, Miles Osei decommitted, P.J. left for Rutgers and now [Jake] Coffman leaves the program. Is there any reason to think NIU can compete for a MAC West title or make a bowl game next season? Even with 37 bowl games next year, I wonder if they will be able to get to 6-6 to qualify.
John Sahly: There's been a whole lot of doom and gloom surrounding the NIU football program lately and Mikey does a good job of summing up the exact reasons why.
In reverse order of your comments, I wouldn't necessarily count on 37 bowl games next year. I would expect the MAC to have a minimum of three bowl bids, though, with a partnership with the Humanitarian Bowl.
As for making a bowl game, yes I think NIU will go a bowl game next season. Not only that, the Huskies should compete for a MAC West title. Here are my reasons why.
1. Attrition in the conference
As I wrote after the International Bowl, defending champion Central Michigan already has lost coach Butch Jones to Cincinnati. Record-setting quarterback and the face of the conference Dan LeFevour graduates, as do defensive end Frank Zombo and wide receiver Bryan Schroeder. Antonio Brown has since declared for the draft. Western Michigan loses its own record-holders in quarterback Tim Hiller and all-purpose man Brandon West. Ohio says goodbye to quarterback Theo Scott. Toledo loses safety Barry Church, who single-handedly beat the Huskies this season.
That's a whole lot of well-known names that are leaving the MAC. Jake Coffman is a big name and the Huskies will have to find a way to replace offensive line stalwarts Eddie Adamski and Jason Onyebuagu, but there are some major losses at big positions for teams around the conference, especially on the West side.
Now, is it a good sign for NIU that what other teams lost is my No. 1 reason for why the Huskies will compete for a division title? Not really. But I do have other reasons.
2. Look who comes back
Six of the top seven rushers. Seven of the top eight receivers. Eleven of the top 15 tacklers. Punt and kick returner Tommy Davis, who got better as the year progressed. Two quarterbacks with experience as starters.
Specifically at defensive end, since that's the hot topic with Coffman leaving, the Huskies do lose two senior starters at defensive end in Coffman and Brandon Bice, but Sean Progar (six sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries) has a very bright future and Alan Baxter showed flashes as a true freshman.
The coaching staff managed to keep a redshirt on Anthony Wells, but the coaches really liked what Wells did in practice. Also on the defensive line, don't forget that Mike Krause, who sat out the year with a heart condition, could see the field next year.
3. Growth from experience
NIU had one of the younger teams in the conference last season and played a high number of freshman and inexperienced players. With a year under their belt and an offseason in the weight room, players who saw their first year of significant playing time in 2009 like Progar, Baxter, Davis, Martel Moore, Perez Ashford, Tyrone Clark, Devon Butler, Brian Lawson, Nabal Jefferson, Adam Kiel, Joe Pawlak, Ron Newcomb, Chris Smith, Jordan Delegal and Garrett Barnas should improve.
I think this is definitely the year when fans will get their answer on the coaching staff's ability to develop players as they get older because that is a large sample size with a good mix of starters and contributors at various positions.
4. The schedule so far
Because the conference office doesn't really care about things like selling tickets or fans planning trips as far ahead as they can, the full schedule isn't usually released until about March. But on the West side, we do know that NIU will travel to Ball State, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan and will have home dates with Central Michigan and Toledo. In my view, Ball State will be the toughest road trip and Toledo has enough talent to make a run, so getting the Rockets at home will help NIU.
That also means that the Huskies get two East division teams at home and only has to travel to one. Which teams will they play? Your guess is as good as mine, but it could shift this point dramatically one way or the other. My complete guesses are at Buffalo and home games with Temple and Kent State.
