Evolution.

The word took on several connotations at Tuesday’s Spring Football Luncheon.

Coach Jerry Pettibone first discussed the evolution of the Huskie football program.

“We’re getting better and better,” Pettibone said. “We have a great weight room, a full-time strength coach and an athletic administration that is just great.”

The second evolution related to the purpose of the day–the spring football game.

“In past years, we took the first team and made them the red team,” Pettibone said. “The second team became the white team and since the first team would pull away (in points), we would swap scores at halftime.

“This year we divided the seniors right down the middle. After last Saturday’s scrimmage, we took Brett (Tucker) and Ron (Delisi) to the office to have our own little version of the NFL draft.”

One part of the draft that was different was that if there was a senior starting at a position, the second-team man behind the senior automatically was placed on the other team. For instance, since Delisi is a starting senior at inside linebacker, the second-team man at inside linebacker would be placed on the other team.

“Tucker won the first toss and chose for his team to wear the white jerseys,” Pettibone said. “Delisi picked his coaching staff, and since he’s a defensive man, he took Tim McGuire (the defensive coordinator). Tucker then took Mike Summers (the offensive coordinator).

“Tucker won the next toss and we started to go back and forth picking teams. I think it took (Tucker) about three-quarters of a tenth of a second to pick Adam Dach. It took Delisi about as long to pick Cary Caliendo. Then Tucker took (Eric) Wenckowski and Delisi took (Eric) Fiene.

“I think the teams are as evenly divided as you could want it. I’m pleased with the way the teams divided the competition on each side of the ball.”

The format for the game has also changed, with this year’s game consisting of four 10-minute quarters and a 10-minute halftime.

Pettibone also commented that this year’s schedule will be the toughest in his five years at NIU.

“This season is the most challenging a team could expect to play,” Pettibone said. “We’re an independent, Division I school and we need to play a schedule like this to show we can meet the challenge.”

Some of the players on hand also had some comments on the upcoming season.

“I’d like to make myself a more complete player,” sophomore fullback Adam Dach said. “I’d like to be a better blocker. Last year I got yardage because the defense respected Marshall (Taylor). Now with an untested quarterback, he may keep the ball more.”

To prepare for the game, the teams will practice together next Thursday and Friday without pads, with the game scheduled to start at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 29.