Workouts at NIU now include everybody

DeKALB - It's not that Northern Illinois wide receivers Matt Simon and Britt Davis took it easy during their previous summers. But Davis' statement while he sat in a film room at the Yordon Center earlier this week reveals a little bit into what kind of emphasis will be put into summer workouts in new coach Jerry Kill's era at NIU. “These are the toughest (summer) workouts we've done in the past 3-4 years that we've been here,” Davis said. “It's just a lot of continuous movement.” It's all done at the direction of Northern Illinois strength and conditioning coach Eric Klein, who has the players focused primarily on conditioning and speed drills, in addition to two hours in the weight room every other day. Drills should adjust to more position-specific workouts as the season draws nearer, Klein said. The workouts are divided into a morning group and an afternoon group, depending on the players' schedules. And that other group from all the way back in spring football that consisted of 20 or so players unable to participate in full drills? It doesn't exist anymore. “Everybody is participating now, there's hardly any limitations on anybody,” Klein said. “They're doing a great job.” That means that quarterback Dan Nicholson's shoulder is healthy enough for him throw regularly. Simon and Davis are catching passes. Defensive tackle Craig Rusch is working out. Linebacker Tim McCarthy is going through his routine. Running back Montell Clanton is out there. All good news for Huskies fans. When asked if he would be comfortable with all of players who were out for spring football to play if the season started this week, Klein said yes, with one caveat. “It'll be different for some of those guys at that first practice, kind of a shock to the system only because they haven't done it for so long,” Klein said. Simon and Davis both declared themselves “100 percent” and ready to go for the season. Both spent the spring season separated from their teammates during a majority of drills because of shoulder injury issues. “That part was the hardest, watching everything and not being able to do it,” Simon said. The incoming senior wide receivers, who have both graduated already and will be pursuing graduate degrees in the fall, have spent more time watching film this summer than the past three summers combined. “This summer we've had more free time since we're not taking summer school,” Davis said. “There's a lot more time to come in and do this.” In less than two months, when NIU opens its season at Minnesota, Davis and Simon find out if all that time will have paid off for them.