Aug. 17, 2007
Editor's Note: Over the next six days, Northern Illinois' daily practice reports will contain a position-by-position look at the 2007 Huskie team. Today, a preview of the offensive line. Coming Saturday: the cornerbacks.
DeKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois offensive line has been a hot topic during the offseason and is still a point of discussion for Huskie followers. The question primarily revolves around how the Huskies will replace Dallas Cowboys draftee Doug Free, but more importantly who will be the starting five in 2007?
NIU does return the three interior linemen who started in the Poinsettia Bowl with Freshman All-American Eddie Adamski (Kildeer, Ill./Carmel), fellow sophomore Jason Onyebuagu (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central), and senior Chris Acevedo (Lyons, Ill./Curie). Also in the mix is Jon Brost (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove), who has started 23 games in two seasons and figures to be an anchor on the 2007 line.
"We've got some rocks on the line," said head coach Joe Novak. "Adamski, Onyebuagu and Brost have had good camps for us. Kevin Skatrud (Brodhead, Wisc./Brodhead-Juda) and Dan Keller (Racine, Wisc./St. Catherines) have had good camps as well and are battling it out at left guard. And the left tackle spot is wide open with Acevedo and Tony Holmes (Woodbury, Minn./Senior) in a good competition there.
"Every day we are getting better and it's a work in progress and it will be as we go through the season," added Novak.
Offensive line coach Harold Etheridge is in his first season leading the group and continues to mold a unit that will be one of the keys to the success of the NIU offense in 2007.
"We've had a decent camp, not great, but we are getting better as a unit," said Etheridge. "I feel good about seven or eight guys and we are trying to mold them and make them more cohesive. They are making strides and we are heading in the right direction."
The competition has been strong among the group which makes it key for each lineman to maintain their level of performance day in and day out. With several linemen battling for the two open spots, versatility with also come into play when decisions are made as to who will take the field.
"Panan Tense (Hillside, Ill./Fenwick) and Tim Mayerbock (Chicago, Ill./St. Patrick) have also stepped up for us, so there are a lot of guys in the mix," added Etheridge added. "We are cross training them so that they can learn to play more than just one position. The best five will start and we'll go from there."
