Where I Come From: My All-Time Favorite NIU Team
by Mike Breese on Jul 6, 2010 10:10 AM CDT
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At first it was kind of hard for me to decide on a favorite all-time team, but eventually it became a no-brainer. 2003 is the season that everybody hasn't stopped talking about to this day. Every year it seems like we talk about "When is this team going to achieve the success that it did during 2003?"
After a breakthrough 8-4 season in 2004, this was the first Northern Illinois squad to be picked to win the MAC West for the first time ever. A win over the #15 ranked Maryland to start the season. A win at Alabama just two weeks later. The Huskies were stunning everybody, which led them to national attention for the first time ever. Everybody remembers the SI article. The Huskies were set out to be the original BCS busters, placing #10 in the original rankings before their upsetting loss at Bowling Green.
Michael Turner, the current Atlanta Falcon was the center of the offense, rushing for 1,648 yds and 17 TDs but it didn't end there. Josh Haldi was an extremely successful game manager throwing for 2,544 yds, 25 TDs and 9 INTs. P.J. Fleck had a monster year and became one of the biggest fan-favorites for the Huskies pulling in 77 catches for 1,028 yds and 6 TDs. Fleck also doubled as a punt returner with the electrifying Dan Sheldon.
CB Randee Drew led an opportunistic defense with 6 INTs and 15 pass deflections while pulling double duty returning kickoffs. Brian "The Beast" Atkinson led the aggressive Huskies at linebacker with 108 tackles, 6 sacks and 12 QB presures. Finally injury-plagued players LB Nick Duffy and SS Akil Grant also had extremely productive seasons when they were on the field.
This was a team built on hard work and scrappiness. The Huskies went against some of the best competition in the country and never backed down. Huskie Stadium that season was a mad house. Attendance numbers were up and crowds and crowds of new fans were along for the ride.
It still boggles my mind today that the Huskies could be 10-2 and not make a bowl game. Nevertheless, it was a season to remember, and set up the football team and university for the future. Expectations have always been extremely high, because we had been to the top and had seen what it feels like. A blessing and a curse, the fleeting MAC Championship remains the logical next step in the progression of the program.
Runner up teams: 2002, 2004, 2005.
Who is your favorite NIU team of All-Time?
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While I suspect most might say the 2003 team is their favorite
And while it’s hard to argue with that, I might have to go with the team before that one that went 8-4. That’s the team that really solidified my standing as a Huskie fan after a bit of a post-graduation lull.
Some friends and I decided to drive up to Camp Randall that year to see the Huskies take on the Badgers. One of my buddies (he was actually my roommate at NIU) was a diehard Badger fan having grown up in Milwaukee. He kept saying that even though it was impossible for him to root against the Badgers, this Huskie team was big time tough and was going to give the Badgers all they wanted.
At the time, I didn’t know much about the actual make-up of the team or their strengths and weaknesses. Steve kept telling me, “NIU has a hell of a kicker”. Whatever, right?
Well, NIU did give them all they wanted and really should have won the game but didn’t thanks to one of the worst pass interference calls I’ve ever witnessed. There wasn’t one Badger fan sitting near me that would even make eye contact with me after that call. They just kinda shrugged, nodded, and said, “oh well, we aren’t giving it back.” And neither would I.
Anyway, that team went on to be a little up and down but it was a great look into what the next year would bring. It definitely hooked me and I’ve been immersed in Huskie football ever since.
Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid.
- John Wayne
2002 was great
Especially the Wisconsin game. I wish I could find highlights of that game somewhere. Remember sacking Brooks Bollinger 8 times?
Red and Black Attack - Northern Illinois Pride
Oh yeah.
The Huskies absolutely demolished the Badger line that day. I remember the Badger fans grumbling louder and louder each time a Huskie defender tossed Bollinger on his backside.
That game made a believer out of me.
Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid.
- John Wayne
2003 was awesome...
But I think my favorite team was 2004. 2004 was the only one I spent in the stands cheering as a student instead of in the press box working. I still remember the Bowling Green game to this day, when both A. J.Harris and Adrian Davis got hurt in the first half. Right before halftime NIU got the ball back and ran a little swing pass to some really tiny running back. Myself and my friends looked at each other and said…who the heck is that, he’s so small! That play got stopped for -2 yards. When the second half started, I could tell we were in trouble, as that small running back was still out there. I think we all remember Mr. Garrett Wolfe running for 204 yards in the second half and scoring 3 TDs to beat Bowling Green handily. Wolfe, Haldi, and the rest of the team ended up 9-3 that year, with a win over Troy in the Silicon Valley Classic, in a game that featured such poor weather, the telecast didn’t start til almost all the way through the first quarter. While it didn’t feature the high-profile wins of the previous year, 2004 was one of those years that I will never forget.
Win a few against the big boys and everyone sings your praises
Then lose a few in conference and everyone turns away. Look at Houston last year for example.
I don’t think people realize the difficulties of playing teams like Bowling Green week in and week out. There is a measurable difference, but not nearly as large as many make it out to be.
Oh, and being a fan of the first actual BCS busters is AWESOME!
BCS Evolution -- Punctuating the Equilibrium - twitter
Has to be 2003
Started out by going to the Maryland game and seeing an amazing outcome. I bought my first jersey right before the game and one that is still in heavy rotation today (#32 – Turner). We sat on the East side (and forever will) towards the North endzone about 3/4ths of the way up at around the 20. It was absolutely packed and electric. One of the few times in my life that I’ve “felt” the electricity in the air. I’m not afraid to say I shed a tear or 2 that night during the game because I was so proud of “my” school as well as after the cannons went off. And this was just the start of the season. Then there was watching the Ohio game from a local bar with my dad. I was the only one there decked out in Huskie gear and cheering at every turn and the amazing outcome. Then being in attendance for the Iowa State win. I remember thinking “Wow… we really have a chance to run the table!”. Of course that didn’t materialize but man it was a fun season. People would come up to you left and right if you had any Huskie gear on and mention that they saw the Maryland game or that they thought it was great how they were having a great season. It truely was a great season to be a Huskie fan!
2003
Absolute no doubter. The first game I attended as a student and a somewhat educated NIU fan was the Maryland game. I specifically remember seeing a decked out hummer driving down Normal as I was leaving Faraday and yelling at them that they were gonna get their asses kicked. I attended every home game that season but unfortunately missed the road trip to the BGSU game due to another obligation. Anyway, the 2003 season was way too crazy to even consider anything else.
can't edit for some reason...
a Maryland decked out hummer with flags flying etc etc
two thousand aught three
2002 got me hooked on NIU football, but 2003 year was magical. I knew we were going to be good and snapped up every preseason magazine and ranking I could find. With the first game against Maryland (the school where my parents got their educations) it was a perfect storm. I saw every game I could that year and even made the trip out to BGSU for the showdown. It hurts to know we didn’t even make a bowl game, but it cemented my love for NIU football forever.
by projectmayhem011 on Jul 9, 2010 9:58 AM CDT reply actions
2003
It’s gotta be 2003, that season got me hooked on NIU football forever, through thick and thin.
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