Northern Illinois University Head Coach Rod Carey and four members of the Huskie football team met the media Wednesday. Below are excerpts from the event.  Carey first addressed the 2018 Signing Class announced on Wednesday before turning his attention to questions about the Huskies' upcoming Quick Lane Bowl game versus Duke in the first ever meeting for those teams. NIU players Max Scharping (Jr., OT), Sutton Smith (Soph., DE), Mycial Allen (Sr., S) and Marcus Childers (Fr., QB) also answered questions about the bowl and the Huskies' preparations for the game.  NOTE:  To hear what Carey had to say about each recruit, click and watch the video above.
 
SIGNING DAY: NIU Head Coach Rod Carey
 
Opening Statement
"Obviously, we are excited about the class.  [It was a] completely different Signing Day and Signing Day feel than I have ever been through before. It does not lessen our excitement. It is probably the best class that we have had here. I know I say that every year.
 
"Last year, we worked hard for that class and this year was really a continuation of that because this recruiting started back last year when we were signing that class as well.  We were on the road, we got an early jump [on 2018], like we will with this year's [high school] juniors as well. That recruitment has already started for the 2019 recruiting class. 
 
"There is a lot of hard labor, it is a month shorter, than it has been before, usually we do not sign this class until February.  Nonetheless, we are excited, but [it had] a very different feel. Obviously, we are in the middle of bowl prep too, today is a big practice day for that.  Friday, we leave [for Detroit], so there is a lot going on, we are getting grades from the semester and getting guys back healthy again, so there is quite a bit going on." 
 
On the make-up of this class:  
"Each year, in a perfect world, what you try to do is recruit a team, a starting 11 on each [side] and some specialists, so we kind of got that accomplished. We had to concentrate on DBs and wide outs.  We are losing quite a bit in those areas with senior graduation, and those are the guys that can come in right away [and play], unlike O and D-line where it is rare [for freshmen]. I know [freshman defensive lineman] Weston Kramer has been playing a lot for us right now, but it is rare that a [freshman] defensive lineman helps you right away." 
 
On if any of the signees will join the program in January:
"Yeah, three guys are coming in second semester. Antwain Walker, Leon Payne, and Devin Haney will be the high schoolers coming in second semester, and C.J. Perez, the junior college offensive lineman is going to be coming in this semester as well.  We have four coming in the second semester, which is getting more and more [common].  I am torn about it. Like I have said before, I like guys to end their senior year, but if they are wanting to and ready, every time we will take them because we get another spring practice with them."
 
On emphasizing the Midwest and Illinois this year:
"Illinois was something we went after starting last year at this time.  We kind of saw the landscape of the class that Illinois was going to have.  Illinois always has great classes, [there is] great football in this state.  [The emphasis on Illinois] was intentional, [we said] we think there is going to be a good group here, we have good connections with the coaches, let's go after it." 
 
On the impact of the Early Signing Period:  
"It is the first time we have gone through it, so I think this is the way 98 or 99 percent of college football at the division one level will be going now.  Certainly, the ones that get more attention may be from Alabama, Ohio State, USC. Those types of schools might still be in some battles for the five star guys in February. That is the minority. It will get all of the attention but it is the minority.  I think this is the way that it is going to be going forward from here." 
 
On his coaching staff and looking ahead:
"My staff did an unbelievable job with this class. These guys are the ones out there working, so kudos to them. We got Antwain [Walker] late, Marques [Cox] in the beginning of the contact period, and we got Joe [Bonds] in the middle of the season, but other than that, everybody was pretty much [committed] in August. The early signing day worked from that standpoint. I think that's a tribute to our staff. I think that will get earlier this year too."
 
"We're well on our way to the '19s, and now with the new official visits in the spring, I think things will be a lot earlier, even than they were. Like I said, most of this class was done in August. We might be done in June, now, because we have official visits in April, May and June. Stay tuned is the best thing I can tell you." 
 
 
THE QUICK LANE BOWL: NIU Head Coach Rod Carey
 
On Duke:
"[They are] good would be the short answer. The long answer is, you look at their six-game losing streak, which I watched all those games in their entirety. All were really close games. This team could be sitting here 10-2 just as easily as 6-6. They have unbelievable skill. All of the games came down to four or five critical plays, and they were on the wrong end of that for six games, and then for the last two, they were on the right end of it. So, I have a lot of respect for this team and what Coach Cutcliffe has done there in his time.
 
This is going to be an enormous challenge for us, make no doubt about it. This is a team that is well-coached, is big, is strong, is athletic. They try to get you in space on offense and try to use their skill. They've got dynamic running backs and a big quarterback that moves extremely well. On defense, I think six out of their two-deep on defensive line are all freshmen or sophomores. They have really, really dynamic players, outstanding linebackers, one in particular, and then they have that one DB who is big, long and impressive. A challenge is what I'd say."
 
On how NIU has used its bowl preparation time:
"Every other time we've been in a bowl game, we were also in the [MAC] Championship game, so we had a condensed version [of bowl practice]. We weren't in the Championship, so it gave us a little more time to get rested and a couple more practices. We've never gotten to 15 bowl practices before. We will this year, so we've had good time to focus on really a 'fall camp' mentality of some individual work instead of more group and team work. That's, I think, where you will really see some improvement. We were just talking about it upstairs, there are some guys right now that are playing better football, right now, than they were playing during the season, guys that have played a lot for us. That's because of this extra month of practice."
 
On comparisons to any other team on NIU's schedule:
 "Well, they are an ACC team, so the immediate comparison would be BC, but they're different from the standpoint of their scheme, maybe, but not their physicality or their athleticism. There are some comparisons there, I'd say. It's really similar."
 
On going to Detroit:
"We're excited. We weren't in a bowl game last year, and we are this year. We have an unbelievable opponent. Combined with going to Ford Field, a place that we love. We love that whole organization and to play in that place. We have guys on our team from Detroit, and it's a place that we recruit. There are way more positives than negatives here.
 
"I went on the site trip for the bowl and the press conference. When I've gone up there all those times [for the MAC Championship], I've never had a chance [to see the city] because we're right in game mode. You drive in, you play the game, and you drive home. We got a chance to go out for dinner, on Tuesday night, and downtown was electric. We went to the Townhouse. There were people walking all around downtown and everything. I'm excited for the guys to enjoy Detroit."
 
On the impact of the bowl game on the recruiting class:
 "We really worked really hard for last year's class. It's a really good class. This year is an extension of that. Obviously, when you get to bring guys here on official visits and we're practicing for a bowl game and they get to see that, that's a huge advantage."
 
On how the team will handle Christmas Day in Detroit:
"It's not just another day. We've done this before, our first Poinsettia Bowl in 2013 was the day after Christmas. We've been through this. It's Christmas and everyone wants to be with their family on Christmas. That's a normal thing. We're not going to be able to, so we're going to be together as a family. We're going to take that morning, do an event, have a nice Christmas brunch and celebrate. Then, take a break in the afternoon, let people do what they want to do, and then Christmas Day night, we're going to get into our normal routine.
 
"It's a little bit better than the Poinsettia Bowl, from the standpoint of, because it's in Detroit more families will be there. It was harder for families to get to the Poinsettia Bowl. They'll be around them more."
 
On players that might have a chance to play that didn't during the regular season:
"I can tell you one, who is eligible now because he got his grades right, is Tifonte Hunt, who was ineligible the whole year. He'll be back and playing quite a bit, which will be a good boost to our secondary."
 
 
NIU Player Quotes on the Quick Lane Bowl:
 
Sutton Smith on his approach after receiving all the awards and accolades:
"It has been the same throughout the year, you just have to take one mentality. You cannot have a different mentality now that people are throwing labels at you.  I think if you just keep the same mindset and same mentality to prepare for the game, and every single day, the same way, everything will be just fine." 
 
Smith on what he has seen from offenses:
"I have definitely seen a lot of stuff from defenses.  A lot of running back shifts, a lot of double teams and triple teams.  That just goes back to how you prepare for the game and how good you want to be, and just know what they are going to send to you.  You have to be prepared for every obstacle to overcome it." 
 
On preparing for the Bowl game:  
MYCIAL ALLEN:  "I feel like since we have had more time to prepare for the team and everybody is getting mentally sharp, the main thing is to know their assignments, what type of scheme they are going to have, what [plays] they like [on certain] down and distances, what kind of routes they have. Basically everybody is going to learn them inside and out, and what their strengths and weaknesses are.  Our coaches are doing a great job throwing different stuff at us throughout practice so we are not lost in the game.  As long as we are doing our fundamentals, we will be alright." 
 
MAX SCHARPING:  "The coaches are doing a great job preparing us for this game.  The time off has really helped us all that have played a lot, getting our bodies ready, we have been in the treatment room, we have been in the weight room getting ready for the game. You play a full season, you are going to get some nicks and bruises, you got chance to heal up before the bowl game so we are getting back and ready." 
 
MARCUS CHILDERS:  "With 15 days, it is lot of time to rest, and Coach gave us those days off that we needed. We even go in the film room and make sure we knew what was going on with the team and what they are going to play, so a lot of time and preparation was involved in those 15 days." 
 
SUTTON SMITH: "It is a lot of recovery time. We have played a long, so I think it was good that we got the time off to really recover in the training room and ice tub and get recovered and also getting mentally sharp. That is a lot of preparation days and we can only do so much with that, so we really had to get in the film room and get working on that."
 
On being able to focus only on football with the semester over:
SCHARPING: "Yeah it is always easier because you are not switching back between two hats.  Right now, it is all football, all the time, so that is what we like because we are football players. It is always fun when you have these games when all you do is worry about is that other team." 
 
CHILDERS:  "It is a lot more fun now.  You do not have to go to class, you do not have to get up at 8 a.m.  Just doing football all the time, is a lot more fun." 
 
Childers on Scharping's ability and the offensive line overall:   
"With Max and the offensive line, it is great to have them because there are a lot of veterans on that  line. As a freshman coming in taking over the [starting quarterback] role, they really helped me out, opening up holes for me and just them being veterans has really helped me out.  We think Max is one of the best players on the line, and he always is playing on my left side, to protect my blind side, so it is a great fit for him and to protect me."  
 
On getting back to a bowl game:  
SMITH:  "It is a really good feeling and I think will be a good opportunity for us.  Last year, I cannot really speak a lot about that, it was not the best year that we had, but bouncing back and having a good season this year felt really good.  Being able to play for a [bowl] championship, not a lot of people get to do that. Some MAC teams actually went 6-6 and did not get a bowl, so we are just really thankful to have this opportunity to play for a championship." 
 
ALLEN:  "The hard work that we put in early in the year from last season, from January up until now, it all pays off, this was the ultimate goal. This is for us to have a chance to win a championship so I feel like the team put ourselves in a position to win it and to be in a bowl." 
 
SCHARPING: "Last year was tough not to be able to be in a bowl game. Me and Mycial both played in San Diego in the last bowl. We were out there and it left a bad taste in our mouth then, and last season definitely did too, so we want to finish this off right and get a bowl win." 
 
Childers on what he has seen on Duke on film:
"Watching film, they are going to play man to man on us.  They are going to press our wide receivers and we just have to win our match-ups.  All it is, is matchups.  The corners, they are going to press, outside we need to win, up front we've got to win. It is just basic football, man-on-man and whoever is going to win the matchups, wins the game."
 
Allen on returning to play his last game in Detroit:
"It has been a long road here in DeKalb.  Me as a kid coming in to DeKalb, it is a city that is pretty slow paced. I adapted to that, but from my freshman year until now, I always wanted to end my last game in my hometown playing in front of my family and friends, so I am glad that I get to do that and share the experience with my teammates and coaches.  I'm going to finally get them around some really good food. It is just going to be a great experience. It is just a great experience to have my final game in my hometown so my family can experience that as well." 
 
Marcus Childers on playing indoors in Ford Field (for the first time):  
"It is going to be a great experience. It is going to be really warm and really nice and being from the south, it is going to be a lot of fun."    
 
-- NIU --