Mid-American preview: N. Illinois finally on title track
By J. Darin Darst
Certain things in life go hand-in-hand.
Peanut butter and jelly. Chips and salsa. Love and marriage.
Add Northern Illinois' Garrett Wolfe and Doug Free to that list too.
Wolfe is the face of Northern Illinois football. He enters this season with 3,236 career rushing yards, including a 1,580-yard, 16-touchdown performance last season despite missing three games. He is a Heisman contender, on the Maxwell Award watch list, and a lock for the MAC's Offensive Player of the Year.
He truly is a star, but he hasn't done it alone. He's had some help from Free.
"He's on his way to a fine NFL career," said Wolfe. "I've been very fortunate and very blessed to play with a guy like Doug. It's a dream come true."
Free (6-foot-7, 302 pounds) is one of the best offensive lineman in the nation, a two-time All-MAC selection, on the preseason Outland Trophy watch list and the anchor on a line that finished 16th in the NCAA in rushing last year.
He's been at left tackle for every one of Wolfe's games, paving the way for the senior's 6.5-yard career average.
"With the play calling and the way we do things up front, the offensive line, tight end and wide receivers take pride in blocking," said Wolfe. "They want to be more than just football players, they take it to a whole another level. They put a lot of effort in what they do and I'm the beneficiary of that."
Wolfe is one the nation's best rushers, but having Free opening up holes has been a major reason.
Remember Michael Turner? He holds the school's career rushing record with 4,941 yards. Free blocked for him in 2003 during Free's sophomore season. All Turner did that season was reel off 1,648 yards and 14 TDs.
"I love running the football," said Free. "You can really control the game by running the ball, especially if it's going well. You can crack off five yards, five yards, five yards and really control the game."
The Huskies will once again look to their dynamic duo to get them to a bowl game, but with 17 starters returning on both sides of the ball, the goals are a little higher.
"We still have some things we haven't accomplished. Every team always has a goal of a conference championship and we haven't done that yet," said head coach Joe Novak. "We've had some positive things happen, but we have yet to win the conference championship and that's a great motivating factor for our team."
As long as Northern Illinois' peanut butter and jelly (Free and Wolfe) stay healthy, the Huskies should enjoy the sweet taste of a MAC title.
Predicted Finish
East
1. Akron
2. Miami (Ohio)
3. Bowling Green
4. Ohio
5. Kent State
6. Buffalo
West
1. Northern Illinois
2. Toledo
3. Western Michigan
4. Central Michigan
5. Ball State
6. Eastern Michigan
Team to beat:
Northern Illinois
Sleeper team:
Central Michigan
Offensive MVP:
Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois
Defensive MVP:
Dan Bazuin, Central Michigan
Coach of the year:
Tom Amstutz, Toledo
Offensive MVP
Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois:
He might not win the Heisman, but a 2,000-yard season isn't out of the realm of possibility. He closed out last season with two monster rushing performances, gaining 270 against Akron and 277 vs. Western Michigan. He is the workhorse of the offense and one of the most exciting players in the nation.
Defensive MVP
Dan Bazuin, Central Michigan:
The senior defensive end is coming off an amazing season when he recorded 74 tackles, 26.5 of them being for a loss (tops in the nation). He also was ranked second in the nation with 16 sacks. Bazuin is up for every major award as he is on the watch lists for the Bednarik, Nagurski, Lombardi, Hendricks and Lott trophies.
East
Akron: Quarterback Luke Getsy is back after leading Akron to a win in its first-ever bowl game. He might miss Domenik Hixon, but he has developed a nice rapport with tight end Kris Kasparek. A very talented defense will keep this team in games.
Miami (Ohio): The RedHawks will challenge for the East title, but will have to do so with a new quarterback. Mike Kokal and Daniel Raudabaugh will fight for the job but will have a great receiver to throw to with the return of Ryne Robinson.
Bowling Green: A difficult non-conference schedule awaits Bowling Green (vs. Wisconsin and Ohio State), but the Falcons could emerge as a contender. A strong offensive line, led by Kory Lichtensteiger, will help new quarterback Anthony Turner.
Ohio: Frank Solich is starting to put together a decent core of players, led by linebackers Matt Muncy and Tyler Russ. On offense, the Bobcats will run early and often with Kalvin McRae and three returning offensive lineman.
Kent State: The Golden Flashes look to improve on last year's 1-10 season. Quarterback Michael Machen returns and has solid receivers in Marcus Hill and Najah Pruden. Nine starters are back on defense, including the entire secondary.
Buffalo: Turner Gill is trying to pump some excitement into one of the worst programs in Division I-A. There is at least one bright spot; Kareem Byrom can become a star on defense. A brutal road schedule -- Auburn, Boston College and Wisconsin -- will make for a long season.
West
Northern Illinois: The most experienced team in the conference is poised to finally win the conference crown. One of the best running backs in the nation, an excellent offensive line and a solid quarterback make the Huskies the leaders of the pack.
Toledo: Tom Amstutz has a big hole to fill with the loss of quarterback Bruce Gradkowski. Clint Cochran looks ready to take over the reigns and will use WR Steve Odom as he primary target. The defense is steady with the return of LB Mike Alston and DB Tyrrell Herbert.
Western Michigan: The Broncos really came on at the end of the 2005 season, winning seven of their last nine. Quarterback Ryan Cubit is back, but the Broncos will need to find replacements at RB, WR and TE. The defense is the biggest question mark; Western Michigan allowed 303.1 yards per game through the air.
Central Michigan: The Chippewas could be the surprise team in the conference if all the pieces fall into place. DE Daniel Bazuin is one of the best pass rushers in the nation and finished with 16 sacks last season. RB Ontario Sneed became a star as he stepped into the lineup, rushing for 1,065 yards.
Ball State: Quarterback Joey Lynch showed promise last season, but all eyes will be on an offensive line that must improve for Ball State to compete. The Cardinals have a pretty good front seven, led by linebacker Anthony Corpuz.
Eastern Michigan: Wide receiver Eric Deslauriers took a step back after an impressive 2004 season, so he'll need to return to the top of his game to help new quarterback Tyler Jones ease into the lineup. Kicker Andrew Wellock is the best in the conference.
By J. Darin Darst
Certain things in life go hand-in-hand.
Peanut butter and jelly. Chips and salsa. Love and marriage.
Add Northern Illinois' Garrett Wolfe and Doug Free to that list too.
Wolfe is the face of Northern Illinois football. He enters this season with 3,236 career rushing yards, including a 1,580-yard, 16-touchdown performance last season despite missing three games. He is a Heisman contender, on the Maxwell Award watch list, and a lock for the MAC's Offensive Player of the Year.
He truly is a star, but he hasn't done it alone. He's had some help from Free.
"He's on his way to a fine NFL career," said Wolfe. "I've been very fortunate and very blessed to play with a guy like Doug. It's a dream come true."
Free (6-foot-7, 302 pounds) is one of the best offensive lineman in the nation, a two-time All-MAC selection, on the preseason Outland Trophy watch list and the anchor on a line that finished 16th in the NCAA in rushing last year.
He's been at left tackle for every one of Wolfe's games, paving the way for the senior's 6.5-yard career average.
"With the play calling and the way we do things up front, the offensive line, tight end and wide receivers take pride in blocking," said Wolfe. "They want to be more than just football players, they take it to a whole another level. They put a lot of effort in what they do and I'm the beneficiary of that."
Wolfe is one the nation's best rushers, but having Free opening up holes has been a major reason.
Remember Michael Turner? He holds the school's career rushing record with 4,941 yards. Free blocked for him in 2003 during Free's sophomore season. All Turner did that season was reel off 1,648 yards and 14 TDs.
"I love running the football," said Free. "You can really control the game by running the ball, especially if it's going well. You can crack off five yards, five yards, five yards and really control the game."
The Huskies will once again look to their dynamic duo to get them to a bowl game, but with 17 starters returning on both sides of the ball, the goals are a little higher.
"We still have some things we haven't accomplished. Every team always has a goal of a conference championship and we haven't done that yet," said head coach Joe Novak. "We've had some positive things happen, but we have yet to win the conference championship and that's a great motivating factor for our team."
As long as Northern Illinois' peanut butter and jelly (Free and Wolfe) stay healthy, the Huskies should enjoy the sweet taste of a MAC title.
Predicted Finish
East
1. Akron
2. Miami (Ohio)
3. Bowling Green
4. Ohio
5. Kent State
6. Buffalo
West
1. Northern Illinois
2. Toledo
3. Western Michigan
4. Central Michigan
5. Ball State
6. Eastern Michigan
Team to beat:
Northern Illinois
Sleeper team:
Central Michigan
Offensive MVP:
Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois
Defensive MVP:
Dan Bazuin, Central Michigan
Coach of the year:
Tom Amstutz, Toledo
Offensive MVP
Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois:
He might not win the Heisman, but a 2,000-yard season isn't out of the realm of possibility. He closed out last season with two monster rushing performances, gaining 270 against Akron and 277 vs. Western Michigan. He is the workhorse of the offense and one of the most exciting players in the nation.
Defensive MVP
Dan Bazuin, Central Michigan:
The senior defensive end is coming off an amazing season when he recorded 74 tackles, 26.5 of them being for a loss (tops in the nation). He also was ranked second in the nation with 16 sacks. Bazuin is up for every major award as he is on the watch lists for the Bednarik, Nagurski, Lombardi, Hendricks and Lott trophies.
East
Akron: Quarterback Luke Getsy is back after leading Akron to a win in its first-ever bowl game. He might miss Domenik Hixon, but he has developed a nice rapport with tight end Kris Kasparek. A very talented defense will keep this team in games.
Miami (Ohio): The RedHawks will challenge for the East title, but will have to do so with a new quarterback. Mike Kokal and Daniel Raudabaugh will fight for the job but will have a great receiver to throw to with the return of Ryne Robinson.
Bowling Green: A difficult non-conference schedule awaits Bowling Green (vs. Wisconsin and Ohio State), but the Falcons could emerge as a contender. A strong offensive line, led by Kory Lichtensteiger, will help new quarterback Anthony Turner.
Ohio: Frank Solich is starting to put together a decent core of players, led by linebackers Matt Muncy and Tyler Russ. On offense, the Bobcats will run early and often with Kalvin McRae and three returning offensive lineman.
Kent State: The Golden Flashes look to improve on last year's 1-10 season. Quarterback Michael Machen returns and has solid receivers in Marcus Hill and Najah Pruden. Nine starters are back on defense, including the entire secondary.
Buffalo: Turner Gill is trying to pump some excitement into one of the worst programs in Division I-A. There is at least one bright spot; Kareem Byrom can become a star on defense. A brutal road schedule -- Auburn, Boston College and Wisconsin -- will make for a long season.
West
Northern Illinois: The most experienced team in the conference is poised to finally win the conference crown. One of the best running backs in the nation, an excellent offensive line and a solid quarterback make the Huskies the leaders of the pack.
Toledo: Tom Amstutz has a big hole to fill with the loss of quarterback Bruce Gradkowski. Clint Cochran looks ready to take over the reigns and will use WR Steve Odom as he primary target. The defense is steady with the return of LB Mike Alston and DB Tyrrell Herbert.
Western Michigan: The Broncos really came on at the end of the 2005 season, winning seven of their last nine. Quarterback Ryan Cubit is back, but the Broncos will need to find replacements at RB, WR and TE. The defense is the biggest question mark; Western Michigan allowed 303.1 yards per game through the air.
Central Michigan: The Chippewas could be the surprise team in the conference if all the pieces fall into place. DE Daniel Bazuin is one of the best pass rushers in the nation and finished with 16 sacks last season. RB Ontario Sneed became a star as he stepped into the lineup, rushing for 1,065 yards.
Ball State: Quarterback Joey Lynch showed promise last season, but all eyes will be on an offensive line that must improve for Ball State to compete. The Cardinals have a pretty good front seven, led by linebacker Anthony Corpuz.
Eastern Michigan: Wide receiver Eric Deslauriers took a step back after an impressive 2004 season, so he'll need to return to the top of his game to help new quarterback Tyler Jones ease into the lineup. Kicker Andrew Wellock is the best in the conference.
