Huskies adjust to defensive injuries
By JOHN SAHLY
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jsahly@daily-chronicle.com
For more NIU coverage, visit HuskieWire.com
DeKALB – Tracy Claeys has been at various stops in his coaching career, but when he was a student assistant, there was one rule that has stuck out lately: Don't talk about injuries.
There was a second part to that rule, though. One that Claeys, the Northern Illinois defensive coordinator, is starting to live by this season.
"This is what you've got, line up and play with it. find out what they do best and that's how you go down," Claeys sad. "That stuck with me for a long time."
In the face of season-ending injuries over the past six months to defensive linemen Mike Krause, Mike Kritikos, Brian Lawson and Kyle Jenkins and safety David Bryant out another 1-3 weeks, it's little wonder that second part has meant so much to Claeys this season.
"The next one you put in there is the next one to go," Claeys said.
So far, it's worked for Claeys and the Huskies. In the past few weeks, aside from giving up 348 passing yards to Miami quarterback Zac Dysert, NIU's defense has been stout, evidenced by Saturday's 27-10 NIU victory against Akron.
Thirty-four percent of Akron's offense came on a trick play with an 80-yard halfback pass for a touchdown. Other than that play, it was a dominant performance against a weak Zips offense. True freshman Nabal Jefferson emerged as a player on the defensive line with a sack and a tackle for loss and coaches have heaped a lot of praise on Ron Newcomb for stepping up this play in the past few weeks.
Their improvement, and Jake Coffman's move from end to nose guard have coincided with some pretty impressive numbers.
The Huskie defense has given up a total of 20 rushing yards in the past two games. NIU ranks first in rush defense and second in scoring defense in the MAC. The pass defense ranks 11th, but NIU has succeeded in making teams one dimensional and, most important, keeping them away from the end zone.
"I think the defense's identity is that we're a fast defense, we're physical," safety Tracy Wilson said.
However, it's gotten to the point where another injury on the defensive line could result in the coaches doing something they absolutely don't want to do, pulling a redshirt off a freshman two-thirds of the way through the regular season.
"We can't afford to lose anybody else," Claeys said.
Claeys said the next redshirts to be pulled might be defensive end Anthony Wells or Stephen O'Neal, but it's an avenue the Huskies don't want to explore.
"Anthony Wells has improved so much," Claeys said. "If we can keep the redshirt on them that will help."
With Bryant out, Wilson said there have been a few changes in how the secondary operates, but the Huskies will continue to line up with whatever they have.
"It's pretty much the same because we've got Mike Sobol to replace David," Wilson said. "Mike knows what he's doing. Mike's a veteran. Without Dave, some things are lost, but communication wise it's OK because Mike knows what he's doing."
And NIU feels its defense has shown improvement in the face of adversity.
"We have competed," Claeys said. "We have battled. I felt like we weren't battling enough earlier in the season."
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