NIU hopes to spoil Ball St.'s bowl plans
Before this season began, Joe Novak said he'd wait until it ended before deciding whether to return for another year.
"One or two more years, that's what I'm thinking," Novak said on Aug. 22. "Right now, that's what in my mind."
In the middle of this season, when it became clear it would develop into the Huskies' worst showing in almost a decade, Novak said the struggles would have no bearing on his plans.
Now that Northern Illinois only has Saturday's home game with Ball State left on the 2007 docket (3 p.m., Comcast Sports Net), has Novak decided whether to return for a 13th season?
Novak said this week that he'll meet with athletic director Jim Phillips on Monday to determine his fate. Nothing new there.
But he also dropped hints that sounded like a man who's not ready to pack up and head to his retirement paradise in the Carolinas.
In addition to "putting in a plug" for an indoor facility with FieldTurf, which could ease the offseason pounding the Huskies take doing their conditioning in the Rec Building, Novak also allowed that "our kids will start lifting on Monday" to prepare for 2008.
If these are correct assumptions, then that makes Saturday's game far more than winning one for the Gipper.
By knocking off the Cardinals and stopping them from clinching their first bowl berth since 1996, NIU could head into offseason workouts with two wins in its last three games.
"Coming off a victory at the end is huge because it gives you a little bit more momentum and the offseason is just a little bit more enjoyable," Novak said. "I'm not saying it will make a difference in our season opener next year, but it will definitely make the offseason feel a lot better."
If Northern Illinois needs an immediate cause for which to play, perhaps Senior Day will suffice even though the Huskies lose just nine seniors.
That includes just two full-time starters (tackle Chris Acevedo and kicker Chris Nendick) and two others (tight end Brandon Davis and safety Mark Reiter) who were regulars this year.
Nendick, the Naperville Central product who has started ever since he hit campus, needs 12 points Saturday to break Steve Azar's career scoring record (340 points).
"As a senior playing my last home game, I would tell every underclassman to take every day and live it like it were your last," Nendick said. "Time will fly. College football is fun and time flies when you are having fun."
Ball State (6-5, 4-2) at Northern Illinois (2-9, 1-5)
When: 3 p.m. today at Huskie Stadium
TV: Comcast Sports Net Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Series: Ball State 18-14-2
Coaches: Brady Hoke (21-36, fifth year at Ball State); Joe Novak (63-75, 12th year at NIU).
Players to watch: Ball State sophomore QB Nate Davis ranks 14th nationally in total offense. He has thrown for 3,050 yards and 25 TDs versus just 6 interceptions. Junior Chris Miller (Carmel) ranks third nationally in punting (45.9 average).
NIU has several all-MAC candidates, including sophomore RB Justin Anderson (1,236 rushing yards, 45 catches for 263 yards, 11 total TDs) and DE Larry English. The Marmion product has played 828 of NIU's 850 defensive snaps this year and piled up 64 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 16 TFLs. Redshirt freshman safety Alex Kube (Cary-Grove) leads the nation's freshmen with 111 tackles.
The skinny: Depending on the verdict, NIU will finish with either its worst record since 1998 (2-9) or 1997 (0-11). Look for backup QB Ryan Morris, who played well in the loss at Navy, to play again for Dan Nicholson (two concussions in the last month). Ball State clinches its first bowl since 1996 with a win.