The Huskies’ (3-9, 2-6 MAC) season has officially ended with a heartbreaking 35-31 loss to Kent State (5-7, 4-4 MAC), and all I can say is good riddance.
NIU turned what could’ve been a bittersweet goodbye to the MAC into yet another frustrating performance by giving up 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
What makes this loss sting even more isn’t just about the collapse. Kent State entered the season under an interim coach while undergoing a program-wide rebuild. A team with far more turbulence than NIU caught the Huskies with their pants down. As always, here are three of my biggest takeaways from Friday’s game.
NIU DOMINATED THE GROUND GAME
The run game has been NIU’s strength all season and that was no different against Kent State. The Huskies ran for an astounding 307 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry and scored 4 touchdowns.
Redshirt senior running back Chavon Wright deserves all the praise from the game. On 30 carries, he rushed for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns, proving that he has long been the heart of the offense.
Redshirt junior quarterback Jalen Macon added 65 rushing yards and two touchdowns to the mix. If the past three weeks taught me anything, it’s that this guy is a real run threat. The power run formula seen in this game kept the Huskies competitive for 45 minutes.
The Huskies run game dominated the field all game and they still lost a game they controlled for three quarters. When you run the ball this well, you should win the game. NIU didn’t.
DEFENSE GOT TORCHED
This defense has been inconsistent all season. One night they’re holding the 9-3 San Diego State to 6 points and another night they’re getting blown out.
This game was the latter. The Huskie defense gave up 438 yards, including back-to-back long touchdowns that erased an 11 point lead and sealed the game, which sums up the season perfectly.
A defensive team that was once prided here in DeKalb has been broken down to its core in recent weeks.
Redshirt senior linebacker Quinn Urwiler was a standout from the unit as always. Urwiler forced a big interception that led to a lead taking touchdown in the second quarter, and he once again filled the stat sheet, with 12 total tackles and a forced fumble. As I’m writing this, Urwiler has fallen to third in tackles nationally, where he will likely stay. Still a remarkable achievement nonetheless.
PASSING GAME WAS NONEXISTENT (YET AGAIN)
The passing game has been a fading identity for weeks now, and that’s no different in this game. NIU finished the game with 27 passing yards on 5 completions. Trust me, that’s not a typo.
It’s been difficult for the passing game to get into any sense of rhythm, and that’s no thanks to the rotating quarterback carousel the Huskies have dealt with all season. Three different players took turns at the starting spot, all having the same degree of success. There’s hardly been any continuity game to game.
This game showed the effects of that. 27 total passing yards just isn’t good. I understand Macon is a run-first quarterback but if you want success there needs to be a passing game threat on the field.
If NIU wants to have real success next season, the passing game needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. That starts with finding stability at quarterback, something that has been missing all season. That means either developing freshman quarterback Brady Davidson into a passing threat or going into the transfer portal to bring in someone who is. NIU simply cannot afford this level of instability next year.
