DeKALB — On paper, NIU and San Diego State seem like polar opposite football teams.
The Huskies are 1-2 after a blowout road loss to Mississippi State, while the Aztecs sit at 2-1 following a 34-0 home trouncing of previously-unbeaten California. But when they face one another on Saturday, they’ll look nearly identical.
“This is really a mirror image of each other,” head coach Thomas Hammock said. “I think they’re a very physical team. We’re going to be physical. They’re an aggressive team. We’re going to be aggressive. So, it’s just going to come down to who’s going to out-strain the other opponent.”
Similar as their play styles may be, the all-time record between the teams heavily favors this week’s visitor. NIU seeks its first-ever win over SDSU after losing the first six meetings — the latest being a failed comeback in San Diego in 2017, when the Aztecs were the 19th-ranked team in the country.
Chemistry in the trenches
This year, San Diego State will come to DeKalb as one of the top defenses in the Group of Six, having limited opponents to 260 yards and 12 points per game this season. Meanwhile, NIU will send out one of the worst scoring offenses in the country. The Huskies have averaged 12.7 points per game this season — the second-worst rate in the Football Bowl Subdivision, only ahead of Western Michigan’s 12.5.
Even with the offense’s recent shortcomings, Hammock said the offensive line has provided a good base for the unit to build around. NIU has allowed five sacks all season and rushed for 161 yards per game with an offensive line that returned just one starter — left tackle Evan Malcore.
“If you can get your line to play together, you can build from there,” Hammock said. “Our line is giving us a chance in the run game. It’s giving us a chance from a protection standpoint — where the quarterback can feel comfortable — and you start building from there.”
One of the new faces on the starting line is center Landon Hron, the latest in a succession of centers that includes Brayden Patton — now NIU’s tight ends coach — Pete Nygra and Logan Zschernitz. Hron said trust between linemates has been key to fostering the unit’s cohesion thus far.
“The biggest thing is, whether I have Tommy (Paasch) at guard with me, or (Aidan) Tweedy or AC (Abiathur Curry), we all trust each other, and we trust what (offensive line coach Luke) Meadows says, and it works great,” Hron said.
It’s good to be home
When the Huskies take the field at Huskie Stadium on Saturday, it’ll be their first time playing in front of the home crowd in nearly a month. They’ve traveled for their last two contests — heading east to face Maryland on Sept. 5 before going south to meet Mississippi State this past Saturday.
NIU was met with rains of boos in both games — and even some cowbells in Starkville. Though senior nickelback Ty Myles said those environments weren’t all that bad to play in, a homecoming is a nice change-of-pace.
“As a kid, you dream of those atmospheres, playing against Maryland, Mississippi State, so that’s a big-time thing,” Myles said. “But it’s always nice to come back home after environments like that and have somebody cheering for you.
Hammock pointed to the cowbell-clanging crowd in Starkville as a prime example of how much a home crowd can influence a game. And this weekend, he’s hoping for prime turnout from the fanbase.
“There’s really no excuse not to come out to Huskie Stadium,” Hammock said. “The tickets are very cost effective. The atmosphere, the weather, the team is getting better. It should be a great day — 2:30, so it’s not too early. You can eat, you can have a beverage — soda, water — then come cheer on the Huskies.”
