NIU opens spring football in much healthier position
DEKALB - Less than three months after its 2008 season ended at the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., Northern Illinois returned to work Tuesday for its 2009 spring practices.
Eighty-four Huskies took the field at Huskie Stadium early Tuesday morning as Head Coach Jerry Kill begins his second season at NIU.
Kill says he feels much better about this team entering spring practice in 2009 than he did a year ago. Unlike last season, he has already seen the majority of his players in action in an NIU uniform (five newcomers have joined the team since January).
"Last year, we started out with (more than 20) players out (for spring) and we only had one person have a major surgery this offseason," Kill said. "That's the biggest difference, we get to go through spring with the kids that have the opportunity to play next year, which is really going to help our team. Plus we had the extra bowl practices, so to me this is like a second spring ball."
Northern Illinois returns 13 starters with seven on offense, four on defense and specialists Mike Salerno (K) and Nolan Owen (DS). Offensively, the Huskies have experience returning at nearly every position, but will be looking for new starters to emerge at right tackle and right guard to replace Jon Brost and Dan Keller, respectively.
NIU also lost five senior receivers, including Matt Simon, Marcus Perez and Britt Davis. However, junior Landon Cox started eight games and both Nathan Palmer and Willie Clark saw extensive playing time as redshirt freshmen.
On defense, Northern Illinois lost several seniors to graduation including two-time Vern Smith Award recipient Larry English, the 2008 MAC Defensive Player of the Year. However, last year's philosophy of rolling in new players at linebacker and defensive line every few plays leaves the Huskies with experience returning at those key positions.
At linebacker, Alex Kube, Pat Schiller and Cory Hanson, as well as John Tranchitella, have played a lot of football for NIU, Kill said. In addition, former safeties Spencer Williamson and David Pratt have been moved to linebacker and redshirt freshman Victor Jacques will also work out at the position.
All-conference kicker Mike Salerno returns for the Huskies, but NIU must replace four-year punter Andy Dittbenner. Junior college signee Josh Wilber arrived on campus in January and will compete with redshirt freshman Ryan Neir.
"You always look forward to spring to build on what you did last year, and also look for players who maybe did not contribute a year ago to see if they have improved themselves and are ready to make the transition to the field," Kill said.
The Huskies are scheduled to practice three times a week for the next five weeks as they will practice on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and either Friday night or Saturday morning. The Friday practices will be on March 27 and April 17 beginning at 6:50 p.m., while Saturday workouts will be held April 4 and April 11 and begin at 9:50 a.m.
Spring drills will conclude Saturday, April 25, with several events scheduled around the final practice, which will begin at 1 p.m. at Huskie Stadium. Practice dates and times are subject to change, but all all practices are open to the public.