Iowa head football coach Hayden Fry isn’t taking any chances in preparation for his team’s contest with the Huskies.

Fry’s analysis of the game will provide no fodder for NIU’s locker-room bulletin board.

Even though the Hawkeyes enter the contest 2-0, are ranked ninth by the AP and are huge favorites, Fry said the 1-2 Huskies will present some problems for his team when they meet at 70,000-seat Kinnick Stadium this Saturday at 1:05 p.m..

“Northern’s option is much more diverse than Hawaii or Iowa State’s (Iowa’s previous opponents) option. Northern runs a lot more fullback trap plays up the middle which puts more stress on our linebackers,” Fry said.

“Northern is still learning (head coach Charlie) Sadler’s option, but they showed last week against Kansas State that they can throw the ball too,” Fry said of NIU quarterback Stacey McKinney’s 9-of-18, one touchdown passing performance in Saturday’s 34-17 loss to the Wildcats.

Fry also spares no praise in assessing the talents of the Huskies’ personnel.

“They do have some outstanding individual football players. Their quarterback (McKinney) is exceptional, the fullback (Adam Dach) runs as hard as anyone we’ll see,” Fry said.

“Their linebacker (Steve Henriksen) is as good as anyone we’ve seen on film this year—he was all over the field last week,” he said.

Fry does admit, however, that the Hawkeyes, who haven’t played since Sept. 14, didn’t spend their off week preparing for the Huskies.

“We worked on some things regarding Michigan and the Big Ten season,” Fry said. But the Hawkeyes are spending this week getting ready for NIU, Fry said.

Iowa had little trouble in its first two outings, downing Hawaii 53-10 and handling upset-minded Iowa State 29-10.

The NIU game marks the Hawkeyes’ final non-conference match before they face third-ranked Michigan at Kinnick Stadium, Oct. 5.

Against cross-state rivals Iowa State, tailbacks Mike Saunders and Marvin Lampkin rushed for 144 yards and quarterback Matt Rodgers threw scoring strikes of 46 and 28 yards. On the season, Rodgers is 18-of-33 passing with four touchdowns.

With a win, Iowa would have a perfect 3-0 record for the first time since 1986.

The Hawkeyes are ranked sixth nationally in scoring (41 ppg.) and tenth in total defense, allowing 252 yards per game.

Iowa has made a habit of starting fast this season—the Hawkeyes have scored on their opening possession in both games and has outscored opponents 44-0 in the first quarter.

The Hawkeyes run a pro-set offense, a 5-2 defense and return 16 starters from last season’s 8-4 squad that advanced to the Rose Bowl where they lost to Washington 46-34.

In the last NIU-Iowa meeting in 1986, the Huskies suffered a 57-3 thrashing at Kinnick Stadium. NIU finished 2-9 for the ‘86 season.