It was billed as the grand finale for Marshall and Rodney Taylor and the rest of the Huskies’ talented senior class.

It was going to be the year of the defense, where nine returnees were supposed to keep NIU in every game.

And it was the year where NIU football was going to “turn the corner,” and… just maybe… go to a post-season bowl.

But that was just pre-season talk. “Hype,” said those who had seen the NIU program crumble since the California Bowl days.

Maybe so. But even though NIU ended its season Saturday—and won’t be playing over the holidays, the 1988 Huskies did accomplish one thing. They won.

A 7-4 record—the program’s second-best since 1969, the school’s first-ever win against Big 10 competition and a win over Mid-American champ Western Michigan are evidence enough.

If NIU football hasn’t turned the corner, it’s headed in the right direction. Coach Jerry Pettibone and staff have built what it takes for a program to stay above .500.

How, you say, can that be when a program just lost a senior class with people like Marshall and Rodney Taylor. With people like Mike Higgins, Bob Montel and Phil Foley. And people like Mike Hollingshed, Mike Manson and Randall Townsel.

Things are looking up for the NIU program because the Huskies now have four quality classes of players.

For the first time since 1983, the Huskies produced a winning record, and they did it like a Miami, Michigan or a UCLA does—with good recruiting classes every year. Check any top program. Although most of the publicized guys are juniors or seniors, graduation doesn’t keep good programs from winning.

And from this point on, graduation shouldn’t keep NIU from winning at least seven or eight games a year.

Look at this year’s leading tackler, Ron Delisi. He’s a junior. How about the leading rusher, Adam Dach. He’s a freshman. And the top pass defenders. Top pass rusher Cary Caliendo and safety Kevin Cassidy are sophomores, and leading interceptor Brett Tucker is a junior.

And the offensive line, where sophomore center Eric Wenckowski won the line’s MVP honor several times, and classmate Eric Fiene has dominated opponents at right tackle.

And, don’t forget that kicker John Ivanic is a sophomore too.

Get the picture? Talented classes of players are beginning to cycle through the program.

While a loss to Toledo and a lop-sided loss to Southwest Louisiana might keep some from saying the Huskies have “turned the corner,” at least the 1988 squad proved that NIU knows where the “corner” is.

And as far as a 7-4 record is concerned—it’s a good season. Only a select group of Division I-A programs can say otherwise.