2010 Northern Illinois Huskies football team

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The 2010 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Huskies compiled an overall record of 11–3 with a mark of 8–0 in conference play, winning the MAC's West Division title. The team advanced to the MAC Championship, where they lost the Miami RedHawks. Northern Illinois was invited to the Humanitarian Bowl, where they defeated Fresno State. The Huskies were led by third-year head coach Jerry Kill during the regular season and for the MAC title game before KIll resigned to become the head football coach at the University of Minnesota. Tom Matukewicz was appointed interim head coach for the bowl game.[2] The team played home games at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois.

ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record11–3 (8–0 MAC)
Headcoach
Quick facts Northern Illinois Huskies football, MAC West Division championHumanitarian Bowl champion ...
2010 Northern Illinois Huskies football
MAC West Division champion
Humanitarian Bowl champion
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record11–3 (8–0 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMatt Limegrover (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorTracy Claeys (3rd season)
MVPChandler Harnish
Captains
Home stadiumHuskie Stadium[1]
Seasons
← 2009
2011 →
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More information Conf., Overall ...
2010 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
Miami (OH) x$ 7–1  10–4 
Ohio 6–2  8–5 
Temple 5–3  8–4 
Kent State 4–4  5–7 
Bowling Green 1–7  2–10 
Buffalo 1–7  2–10 
Akron 1–7  1–11 
West Division
Northern Illinois x 8–0  11–3 
Toledo 7–1  8–5 
Western Michigan 5–3  6–6 
Ball State 3–5  4–8 
Central Michigan 2–6  3–9 
Eastern Michigan 2–6  2–10 
Championship: Miami 26, Northern Illinois 21
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
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The season was the third consecutive in which Northern Illinois played in a bowl game. The team's victory in the Humanitarian Bowl was first bowl game win for the Huskies since the 2004 Silicon Valley Football Classic.

Preseason

NIU was considered the favorite in the Pre-season Poll to win the West Division for the MAC.

Recruiting

More information College recruiting information (2010), Name ...
College recruiting information (2010)
Name Hometown School Height Weight 40‡ Commit date
Tyler Anderson
K		 Rockford, IL Guilford H.S. 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 186 lb (84 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (72)
Greg Barksdale
LB/S		 University Park, IL Crete-Monee H.S 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 4.6 Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 3/5 stars   (76)
Jamaal Bass
LB		 Miramar, FL Miramar H.S 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 189 lb (86 kg) 4.5 Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 3/5 stars   (73)
Matt Battaglia
OT		 Chicago, IL Harper JC 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 270 lb (120 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (N/A)
Frank Boenzi
DT		 Geneva, IL Geneva H.S 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 290 lb (130 kg) - Dec 7, 2009 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 3/5 stars   (72)
Da'Ron Brown
WR		 Chicago, IL Morgan Park H.S 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 4.7 Jan 13, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 3/5 stars   (40)
C.J. Compher
TE		 Sycamore, IL Sycamore H.S 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 230 lb (100 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (40)
Akeem Daniels
CB		 Kissimmee, FL Osceola H.S 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 170 lb (77 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (40)
Dechane Durante
LB / S		 Charlotte, NC Vance High School 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 191 lb (87 kg) 4.5 Feb 1, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 3/5 stars   (40)
Luke Eakes
TE		 Kinsley, KS St. Mary's H.S 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 230 lb (100 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (40)
Michael Gegner
C		 Indianapolis, IN Warren Central 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 265 lb (120 kg) - Dec 16, 2009 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (40)
Zak Giller
S		 Unadilla Township, Michigan Chelsea H.S 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (40)
Blake Goodell
G/DT		 Traverse City, MI Traverse City West 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 270 lb (120 kg) - Dec 15, 2009 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (40)
Marckie Hayes
S		 Sycamore, IL Sycamore H.S 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 180 lb (82 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (40)
Mike Hellams
LB		 Bolingbrook, IL Bolingbrook H.S 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 220 lb (100 kg) - Jun 15, 2009 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 3/5 stars   (40)
Jasmin Hopkins
RB		 Fort Scott, KS Fort Scott C.C 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 185 lb (84 kg) - Jan 31, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 3/5 stars   (N/A)
Tyler Loos
OT		 Sterling, IL Sterling H.S 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 270 lb (120 kg) 5.4 Jan 11, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (73)
Tyler Pitt
OT		 McRae, GA Telfair County 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 278 lb (126 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (40)
Michael Santacaterina
S		 Geneva, IL Geneva H.S 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 210 lb (95 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals: 2/5 stars   (40)
Mat Sims
K		 Hannibal, MO Hannibal H.S 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (73)
Cameron Stingily
LB		 Romeoville, IL Romeoville H.S 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 230 lb (100 kg) - Dec 11, 2009 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 3/5 stars   (71)
Demetrius Stone
S		 Coffeyville, KS Coffeyville CC 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 4.7 Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (N/A)
Casey Weston
QB		 Senatobia, MS Northwest Mississippi CC 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 215 lb (98 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (N/A)
Joe Windsor
DE		 Kearney, MO Kearney H.S 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 225 lb (102 kg) - Feb 3, 2010 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 2/5 stars   Rivals: 2/5 stars   (70)
Overall recruit ranking:   Scout: 103    Rivals: 4/13 in MAC
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2010 NIU Commits". Rivals. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  • "2010 NIU Commits". Scout. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  • "ESPN". ESPN. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  • "2010 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
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  • Recruited Jasmin Hopkins from Fort Scott Community College where he rushed for 1,931 yards on 300 carries and recorded 18 touchdowns in his Sophomore campaign.[3]

Notable returning players

  • #28 (Sr.) Running back Chad Spann First-team all MAC in 2009 (T-5 in NCAA with 19 touchdowns in 2009)
  • #54 (Sr.) Defensive end Jake Coffman Second-team all MAC in 2009
  • #20 (So.) Defensive back Tommy Davis Third-team all MAC in 2009 as a return specialist

Schedule

More information Date, Time ...
DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 27:00 p.m.at Iowa State*
CSNCL 10–2743,116[4]
September 116:00 p.m.North Dakota*
W 23–1718,046[5]
September 1811:00 a.m.at Illinois*
BTNL 22–2850,569[6]
September 257:30 p.m.at Minnesota*
BTNW 34–2349,368[7]
October 25:00 p.m.at Akron
W 50–1412,133[8]
October 911:00 a.m.Temple
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
ESPN PlusW 31–1714,011[9]
October 162:30 p.m.Buffalodagger
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
W 45–1421,230[10]
October 233:05 p.m.Central Michigan
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
CSNC/ESPN3W 33–717,042[11]
October 3011:00 a.m.at Western Michigan
ESPN+W 28–2112,578[12]
November 96:00 p.m.Toledo
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
ESPN2W 65–3018,472
November 2012:00 p.m.at Ball State
W 59–215,524[13]
November 2611:00 a.m.at Eastern Michigan
W 71–35,147[14]
December 37:00 p.m.vs. Miami (OH)No. 24
ESPN2L 21–2612,031[15]
December 184:30 p.m.vs. Fresno State*
ESPNW 40–1725,449[16]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time
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Rankings

See also: 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings
More information Week, Poll ...
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP————————RVRVRVRVRV24RVRV
CoachesRV———————RVRVRVRVRV23RVRV
HarrisNot released———RVRVRV24RVNot released
BCSNot released——————25—Not released
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Game summaries

Iowa State

See also: 2010 Iowa State Cyclones football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 0 0 3 7 10
Cyclones 7 10 0 10 27
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Despite being without the services of starting quarterback Chandler Harnish, the Huskies pulled within a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by backup signal caller DeMarcus Grady. But an Iowa State touchdown drive immediately thereafter put the game away for the Cyclones.

North Dakota

See also: 2010 North Dakota Fighting Sioux football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Fighting Sioux 0 7 7 3 17
Huskies 13 3 0 7 23
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Hours after the 23–17 win against North Dakota, head coach Jerry Kill was hospitalized for dehydration. He was released and returned to coach the Huskies against Illinois the following week.[17]

Illinois

See also: 2010 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 12 0 0 10 22
Fighting Illini 7 11 0 10 28
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The Huskie defense was scorched on the ground, allowing 319 rushing yards to the Fighting Illini, and NIU star tailback Chad Spann was held to only 15 yards on 13 carries. Harnish had a strong performance, but lost a fumble in Illinois territory in the fourth quarter that proved to be costly. Punter Josh Wilber was named the MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week. He averaged 49.0 yards on five punts, with three punts over 50 yards.[18]

Minnesota

See also: 2010 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 7 13 0 14 34
Golden Gophers 3 10 3 7 23
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The win was the third over a Big Ten school in the history of the program, and the second in as many years. Spann was named MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week and Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Week. He rushed for 223 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.

Akron

See also: 2010 Akron Zips football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 6 23 14 7 50
Zips 7 0 7 0 14
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Harnish was named MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week. He completed 16 of 20 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of action while leading the Huskies to a 50–14 victory at Akron.[19]

Temple

See also: 2010 Temple Owls football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Owls 7 10 0 0 17
Huskies 7 10 7 7 31
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In a matchup of preseason MAC favorites, the Huskies took over in the second half thanks in large part to a dominant and balanced offensive performance that wore the Owls down on a warm day in DeKalb.

Harnish was named MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week. Harnish accounted for 282 yards of total offense with 211 yards passing and 71 rushing in NIU's 31–17 victory over Temple.[20]

Buffalo

See also: 2010 Buffalo Bulls football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 0 14 0 0 14
Huskies 0 21 10 14 45
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Safety Jimmie Ward was named MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week. The freshman from Mobile, Alabama recorded his second blocked punt of the season in a 45–14 win over Buffalo.[21]

Central Michigan

See also: 2010 Central Michigan Chippewas football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Chippewas 0 7 0 0 7
Huskies 3 6 14 10 33
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Northern Illinois continued its second-half dominance against MAC foes, not allowing a point after halftime for the third straight week. Linebacker Tyrone Clark was named Mid-American Conference West Division Defensive Player of the Week. Clark picked off two passes in the Huskies' 33–7 win over Central Michigan. His two interceptions both came in the second quarter off of tipped balls.

Western Michigan

See also: 2010 Western Michigan Broncos football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 0 13 7 8 28
Broncos 7 7 0 7 21
Close

Harnish found Willie Clark with a 21-yard TD pass with 3:42 to play to lift the Huskies to their six straight victory, their longest winning streak since 2004. Defensive end Jake Coffman was named MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week. Coffman came down with a win-clinching interception during the Huskies' 28–21 victory at Western Michigan. Coffman also had four tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and half a sack.[22]

Toledo

See also: 2010 Toledo Rockets football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Rockets 0 0 23 7 30
Huskies 7 21 28 9 65
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Toledo could not hold on against Northern Illinois's offense as the Huskies dominated the Rockets with Spann scoring three touchdowns and Harnish going 11-of-16 for 162 yards. Harnish was named MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season. He went 11-of-16 for 162 yards and rushed for 149 yards as well as scoring a touchdown on a 28-yard run.[23]

Ball State

See also: 2010 Ball State Cardinals football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 14 21 10 14 59
Cardinals 0 7 14 0 21
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While winning their eighth straight game and clinching the MAC West Division title, the Huskies excelled on offense, defense, and special teams in a 59–21 victory. Llinebacker Jordan Delegal was named MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week. He blocked two punts as the Huskies set a school record with three blocked punts in the game.[24]

Eastern Michigan

See also: 2010 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 20 17 21 13 71
Eagles 0 3 0 0 3
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The Huskies had 654 yards on 46 plays, rushing for 552 yards, with most of the starters on the sideline for the second half. The Huskies swept MAC play for the first time in school history and will play Miami (8-4, 7-1) in the MAC Championship. The 71 points was the fifth most scored by the Huskies in program history. Coffman was named MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week. He finished with five solo tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.[25]

MAC Championship: Miami (OH)

See also: 2010 Miami RedHawks football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
RedHawks 13 0 7 6 26
#25 Huskies 14 0 0 7 21
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Armand Robinson caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Austin Boucher with 33 seconds remaining, lifting Miami to a stunning 26–21 upset of No. 25 NIU in the MAC Championship Game at Ford Field. The win marked the second time the RedHawks had won the league title game and completed a worst-to-first league finish.

Humanitarian Bowl: Fresno State

See also: 2010 Fresno State Bulldogs football team
More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
Bulldogs 7 3 0 7 17
Huskies 6 17 10 7 40
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Scores by quarter

More information Total ...
1 2 3 4 Total
NIU 103 148 114 127 492
Opponents 51 86 61 50 248
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[26]

Postseason awards

Award watch lists

More information Award, Player ...
AwardPlayerYear
Doak Walker Award[27] (Outstanding Running Back) Chad Spann Sr.
Lowe's Senior CLASS Award[28] (Outstanding Senior NCAA Division I Student-Athlete) Jake Coffman Sr.
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All-MAC

More information Team, Player ...
TeamPlayerPositionYear
1st Chandler Harnish QB JR.
1st Scott Wedige C JR.
1st Trevor Olson OT JR.
1st Chad Spann TB SR.
1st Sean Progar DE SO.
1st Chris Smith CB SR.
2nd Joe Pawlak OL JR.
2nd Jake Coffman DE SR.
3rd Jason Schepler TE JR.
3rd Landon Cox WR SR.
3rd Alex Kube LB SR.
3rd Devon Butler LB SO.
3rd Tommy Davis KR SO.
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[29][30]

References

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