NIU quarterbacks ready for big changes to the offense
How much different is the Northern Illinois offense, with a completely new coaching staff on board?
"It's a lot different," said Marcus Childers, the returning starter at quarterback. "Last year I think I ran the ball 200 and something times. We're not going to do that this year. We're not going to have a quarterback power every other play."
Added Anthony Thompson, last season's backup: "The quarterbacks have a lot more responsibility within the offense, but they also have a lot more options, which I think is going to benefit us a lot."
The new coaching staff has more options as well. NIU added grad transfer quarterback Ross Bowers to the mix. He started 13 games at California, mostly during the 2017 season.
So even though Childers started every game last season and Northern Illinois won the MAC championship for the first time in four years, he's in a battle for the starting job.
"Obviously, all positions are open," said new offensive coordinator Eric Eidsness. "So far, it's been good. It's competitive. It makes everybody better when it's that way."
Eidsness left a very successful FCS program to join head coach Thomas Hammock at NIU. For 12 of the previous 18 years, Eidsness was offensive coordinator at South Dakota State. He also had a six-year run as head coach at Division 2 Southwest Minnesota State sandwiched in between.
If the Huskies' new offense includes fewer quarterback runs, that's good news for the 6-foot-2 Bowers, who sees himself as a pocket passer primarily.
"I run a 4.4-ever, so that's not very fast," Bowers joked. "I know I can get out of harm's way if need be and run in some touchdowns if that's what the look tells us to do."
Bowers left the quirky urban enclave of Berkeley, California, for the fertile flatlands of DeKalb but says he fits in better than one might expect.
Bowers is used to moving around because his parents are coaches. His mother, Joanne, is head gymnastics coach at San Jose State, while his father, John, coached football at a number of schools. In fact, Bowers was born in Charleston, Illinois, while his parents worked at Eastern Illinois.
"I lived in the Midwest for nine to 10 years, then moved out to Seattle, Washington, and then went to California for four years," Bowers said. "So got to be in a couple different regions. I feel like I can adapt and kind of be a chameleon wherever I go."
Bowers started the season opener for the Golden Bears against North Carolina last year but was replaced at the start of the second half and didn't play again. He had thumb surgery after the season. When it came to choosing a new school, Bowers said the decision wasn't difficult.
"They stuck with me (through the thumb surgery)," Bowers said. "The coaches that reached out to me just really made me feel wanted, said I'd be a great fit for this offense. (NIU) ended up being my first visit and after the first day, I had a conversation with my dad at the hotel like, 'There's not going to be many fits better for me.' "
Hammock and Eidsness sought to bring in Bowers, but Childers and Thompson got a head start with the offense. Both participated in spring practice, while Bowers arrived in the summer. At this point, Eidsness is declaring no leader in the quarterback competition. In an intrasquad scrimmage Saturday, Childers threw for 2 touchdowns and ran for another.
Childress completed 59 percent of his passes for 2,175 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. He also was the team's second-leading rusher with 531 yards.
Defense was NIU's strong suit, but Childers had his best game in the MAC championship against Buffalo. He tossed 3 touchdown passes in the final 16 minutes to rally the Huskies to a 30-29 victory.
"Just taking it one day at a time," said Childers, a fourth-year junior. "I'm trying to enjoy myself and have fun with life and football. Do what I can when I can, and make the right choices and the right plays at the right time, and just hope everything works out "
Added Bowers: "It's been fun for me, because I have all the answers to the test, but it feels like I'm a freshman again. It's so nice being 22 and having a clean slate to go follow the dream. I'm just so thankful and grateful that these coaches believed in me. Now just trying to convince the team and the coaches to buy in a little bit more."
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