The helmets and the shoulder pads are in storage, the Huskie Stadium turf is covered with snow, the players go about their business without worrying about two-a-days. Yet these are the days when the future success of NIU’s football team will be determined.

Charlie Sadler’s first season as head coach is still months away, but Sadler and his staff are keeping busy trying to persuade top high school football players to come to NIU and trade their athletic skills for an education.

So far, Sadler feels that the Huskies are fairing well in the recruiting wars. “We are getting some quality players,” Sadler said, “and we have a chance to get some more.”

Tom Lewinski, who previously served as NIU’s on-campus recruiter, has taken over under Sadler as recruiting coordinator.

“It’s an exciting and busy time, you have your ups and downs,” Lewinski said. “You never know year from year (how recruiting will go), but we had a good list of kids to work with.”

NIU’s efforts were hampered because recruiting got off to a late start due to the coaching change which took place in December.

“Obviously it hurt, since we had half the staff (during the transition) that didn’t recruit,” Sadler said. “The coaches who stayed did a tremendous job.”

“It hurt a little bit, but we were keeping in contact,” Lewinski added.

One of the prize catches the Huskies have landed so far is Vaurice Patterson, an All-State wide receiver from Conant. The 6-1, 170-pound Patterson averaged 17 yards per reception. Patterson has made an oral commitment to NIU pending the official national signing day, Feb. 6.