Korcek's Corner: Few have done it better

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Editor's note: This is the second in a two-part series of columns on former Northern Illinois football coach Joe Novak. Mike Korcek is currently the Northern Illinois Sports Information Director Emeritus., and can be reached at mkorcek@niu.edu. In our “what-have-you-done-for-me-lately” world, often it appears that our various societal hierarchies display extremely short institutional memories. Northern Illinois University is no exception. Sometimes. If you read “Why Novak was a success, Part I” in Friday's Daily Chronicle (and thanks to the readers for their kind comments via e-mail), then you know I'm only trying to put Novak's Huskie coaching tenure into a proper context. For many years, I have stated that my Northern Illinois alma mater has more potential than the majority of the mid-major schools in this country. The reason? The region, population, proximity to Chicago, etc. Yes, even though I worked in NIU Intercollegiate Athletics full-time for 34 years, I always recognized the importance of our academic mission, plus the research and service role the university played in this region. As the cliche goes, Huskie athletics was the front porch, the first and most visible aspect of the school seen by the community, taxpayers, alumni and the media. Just because I worked with the “jocks,” I never wanted academics compromised here. In my years experience, few if anyone managed to manifest that potential and put Northern Illinois on the proverbial map as well as Michael “The Burner” Turner, Garrett Wolfe, Joe Novak, et al. What follows are five more subtleties that lead to Novak's success here.

Reason No. 6: His personality never changed. Either 0-11 or 10-2, Novak never went Hollywood as some in his profession do. Same sense of humor, same honesty, same humility, same passion. Melissa Issacson of the Chicago Tribune once described him as “avuncular.” At first, I thought “no way.” As time passed, the adjective did fit perfectly. Novak acted like your favorite uncle. Old-school, funny, personable, forthright, low-key but serious when necessary. How could student-athletes, recruits, parents, high school coaches, fans, donors and media resist? To all those constituencies, his reputation was nearly impeccable. Every external event was a Novak fireside chant to the burgeoning Huskie Nation. Reason No. 7: Novak rarely comprised his values, goals, or beliefs. During the 23-game losing streak and the 3-30 start those first three seasons, he did begin questioning himself, his staff, the janitors, everybody. But Novak stuck to his guns and his plan to recruit quality high school talent and mold the program into a MAC contender. The reconstruction project actually turned out to be a deconstruction model. By the end of the 1996 season, many holdover players could not tolerate the structure and discipline and Northern Illinois finished the schedule at Oregon State with 65-70 bodies on the entire roster. Always a fierce competitor (despite the avuncular tag), Novak would teach all of us the virtues of patience.

Reason No. 8: Just like Michael Jordan late in his second run of NBA championships, Novak also made some key adjustments in his “game.” Think about this one. Because of to all the success, Northern Illinois became the new “Cradle of Coaches” as Novak lost at least 35 young and knowledgeable assistants to other programs, many in the BCS and the NFL. Novak maintained his core values and basic offensive and defensive philosophies with the new staffers. And, late in his career, he started multi-tasking by spending more and more time friend-raising with the Huskie Nation for the much-needed Yordon Center end zone facility. While the state-of-the-art $14 million, 62,000-square foot all-sports building is named after Jeff Yordon and his family - and rightfully so - one cannot forget that the building represents brick and mortar testimony to Novak's contributions, accomplishments, and creditability on and off the football field. You can make the pitch easier with great personal integrity and seven consecutive winning seasons. How did Northern Illinois sell 62,000 tickets in Soldier Field last September and net a seven-figure profit? Many VIPs were involved, but it doesn't happen without seven straight winning seasons, etc. In the case of the Yordon Center and Soldier Field, the Huskie Nation bought into both projects at unprecedented levels.

Reason No. 9: Despite the number, this might be the most important attribute. In the making of the Huskie Nation, Novak, first and foremost, was a team player, a consensus builder. Right from the start by displaying the “Those Who Stay Will Be Champions” sign in the locker room, Novak's machinations reflected and zeroed in on t-e-a-m. I can still vividly remember the staff-wide athletics meeting in the first preparation for the Silicon Valley Football Classic trip. The first thing Novak said to former NIU Athletic Director Jim Phillips: “Jim, I'd like to take the entire team to the bowl game. The red-shirts, the injured guys, all the managers, everybody who has contributed to the success of our program. They are all part of the team.” Impressive thought - keeping team morale, chemistry, not to mention enhancing future alumni relations. Phillips agreed. Even the veteran SID learned a lesson. On Media Day in August, 2003, even I must admit we went bananas on Michael “The Burner” Turner promotional items. We had “Turner the Burner” T-shirts, notepads, the famous hot sauce (credit Tekla Martin), the official Web site (called the “best of its kind” by Sports Illustrated), and at least eight pages in the media guide - including the “Burner” cover. If LeShon Johnson could finish sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting on a 4-7 team and with no televised games in 1993, then imagine what Northern Illinois could do with “The Burner” in 2003. The next morning, Novak called me. “Mike, nobody does this stuff better,” Novak said calmly. “Nobody. I know where your heart is. But, you know what, I've got 105 kids on our roster. What do you think the other 104 are thinking right now?” Good point, coach. All the student-athletes handled the “Burner” campaign well. That afternoon at practice, Turner dropped a short pass. “Too much hot sauce,” several Huskie teammates said, laughing in unison. Northern Illinois alums were also vital in the Novak team-building process. It's no coincidence that the Brigham Classic Golf Outing for gridiron alums started in the Novak era. Early mornings of the first Brigham Classic outings, Novak and I would go over the RSVP list in the car of the former Huskie players - quizzing me on who they played for, etc. Joe wanted to meet and greet each ex-Northern Illinois player by name and did. The late Howard Fletcher participated in the early Brigham events. “I really like Joe and what he's doing with our alums,” he told me. “Joe's going to do well.” For whatever reason, former quarterback George Bork - one of the biggest “names” in the Huskie football galaxy (and a College Football Hall of Famer) - was estranged from the program. Novak made sure Bork was there, comfortable, visible and involved.

Reason No. 10: Creating the home environment. “The Dog House.” Filling the seats and press box at Huskie Stadium. Tailgating. Cardinal and Black pride, etc. Most of the younger Northern Illinois fans might not realize that it took 30 years from the origin of Huskie Stadium (1965) to the arrival of the new East Grandstand (1995). Once we got the other side of the stadium, the logical question would be this: How - and when - do we pack the (then) 28,000-seat configuration? Slowly, but surely, Novak's program improved. The back-to-back 6-5 seasons whetted the Northern Illinois appetite. The loss at Auburn (31-14) might have been an early turnaround sign, along with close setbacks at Illinois (17-12) and Wake Forest (38-35). No doubt, 2002 was the breakthrough season, starting with the overtime Wake Forest (42-41) triumph. As the year passed, the real Huskie fans kept an eye on Bowling Green - winning week after week and heading to DeKalb on Nov. 9. Unbeaten, Top 20 BG coached by precocious Urban Meyer versus the upstart Northern Illinois. Finally, for the first time since Toledo in 1983, a meaningful football game at Huskie Stadium. Armageddon time. Were the hosts for real? The world, the MAC and the Falcons found out on the wrong end of a 26-17 score. Forgive the cliche. Not only had Northern Illinois arrived in those realms, but the stage was set for 2003. What do I remember most about that memorable afternoon against BGSU? Two startling reactions. One was from NIU grad and long-suffering Huskie named Rick Cerrone, who happened to serve 11 years as the PR director for the New York Yankees with four World Series rings to show for it. You name the MLB stadium or big-time event, Rick's been there. Between the tour of the new Convocation Center on Friday night and his sideline media pass for Saturday's BGSU confrontation, Cerrone was in Huskie nirvana, or so he thought, until kickoff. At halftime before a sellout crowd and with his alma mater winning, Cerrone nearly levitated (sans elevator) up to the press box all by himself. “Mike, I can't believe it,” Cerrone gushed. “I mean, you can't hear yourself think on the field it's so loud. This is unbeievable. We've all dreamt about this moment for years. The Huskies are beating an unbeaten, nationally ranked team before a great crowd on TV and at home. Wow! I don't know what to say.” In the post-game press conference, Meyer talked about Huskie Stadium being the loudest sideline venue he'd ever been part of. True story. Two years later, his Bowling Green State successor, Gregg Brandon, said Northern Illinois' home field was louder than either Oklahoma or Ohio State. Holy decibel. Huskie Stadium was officially on the audible map. The ultimate postscript: Ninety minutes prior to the Maryland season opener in 2003, a Northern Illinois assistant rushed into Novak's office. “Coach,” the young aide stated, “you won't believe this, but the game is a sellout. A sellout! And they're scalping tickets on Annie Glidden Road.” Now, the Huskie Nation was officially on the map, too. Over the nearly three decades that I've known Joe Novak, we've spend hours and hours talking about the program here. “Mike, this is your alma mater. You're a Northern Illinois guy and this is your football program. I hope you are proud of the program,” Novak told me on one of our many car trips to Chicago. “But you know what? I'm a Miami grad. I just happen to be the caretaker here.” Just the caretaker, eh? Huskie Nation, that's typical Joe Novak understatement. Few have done better here. In the famous words of famous Clevelander and comedian Bob Hope. Thanks for the wonderful Northern Illinois memories, Joe.