Aug. 21, 2007
Editor's Note: Over the next 3 days, Northern Illinois' daily practice reports will contain a position-by-position look at the 2007 Huskie team. Today, a preview of the safeties. Coming Wednesday: the Quarterbacks.
DEKALB, Ill. - One of the toughest positions to play on the defensive side of the ball is safety. On one hand, they are members of the secondary and are expected to play a major role in stopping the opposing team's passing game. On the other hand, they play a big role in a team's run-stopping defense. With the Huskies, it's no exception.
"In our defense, they are expected to make a lot of plays in the run," said NIU defensive backs coach John Hauser. "We're looking to be better tacklers than last year. We didn't tackle great at times. Those guys also have to be pass players too. We're trying to get them to understand when they can be a little more aggressive on the run and when they have to sit back and play the pass. That's what our kids have to learn and I think they've been picking it up."
One of the toughest things to learn as a safety is when to play the run and when to play the pass.
"You're telling a kid on one play to fly down there and stop the run," he said. "Then the next play, it might be a different defense called where he has to watch two different receivers and stay on top of everything."
"The big thing with safeties is discipline and knowing when it's time to be a little more aggressive or when it's time to sit back and play pass and be secondary run supporter. We're just trying to get them to understand that and not take chances when they're not supposed to."
Between players returning from injuries and young players trying to prove their wares, this year's camp has seen a lot of competition.
"We've got some young kids that are going to be back there," Hauser said. "With some injuries, Bradley Pruitt (Chicago, Ill./Hyde Park) has been getting most of the reps at strong safety. Alex Kube (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) is a freshman who has had a pretty good camp.
"Spencer Williamson (Elkhart, Ind./Central) and Mark Reiter (New Lenox, Ill./Providence) were our starters in the spring, but they got banged up and they haven't practiced much. Right now they're No. 2's. Those guys are battling to get back on the field, pushing the ones and creating that competition to make everybody better."
Dog Days
August is traditionally known as the dog days of summer. While most people spend those days off their feet relaxing and trying to stay cool, the Huskie football team is hard at work on the practice field. Now in their third week of camp, the Huskies are starting to feel the effects of hitting each other day in and day out. So when Northern Illinois head coach Joe Novak wasn't happy with the way Tuesday morning's practice was going, he stopped practice and pulled his team together at midfield to remind them to concentrate and focus.
"It's typical (of this time in camp). I know that," Novak said. "As a coach you have to push them through a little bit. Part of camp is that corny term, mental toughness. It's pushing through when your tired, sore and bored with practice. Right now their bored with practice, and so I am I, but you have to push through. It's that time in camp."
Northern Illinois opens the 2007 season on Saturday, Sept. 1 at Chicago's Soldier Field versus Iowa. The sold-out game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. and will be televised by ESPNU. The Huskie Stadium opener will take place Saturday, Sept. 8 versus in-state foe Southern Illinois. Season tickets for NIU's five Huskie Stadium games are on sale now for just $95 at www.niuhuskies.com or by calling the Athletics Ticket Office at 815-752-6800.
--NIU--
