Everywhere you look, in every college football preview magazine around, it says the same thing.

The fate of the 1988 NIU football team is in the hands of quarterback Marshall Taylor. How he goes, the Huskies go. Stop Taylor, and you’ve stopped NIU. Right?

Not necessarily.

Not if eight returning starters on defense, a young-but-solid offensive line, and an honorable mention All-American place kicker have anything to say about it.

While the fate of the 1987 Huskies almost always relied upon the ability of the Taylor-oriented offense to outscore the opposition, the 1988 Huskies expect to find more ways to win games.

And they also expect to win a few more games.

“I’d really be disappointed if we didn’t have a winning season,” said fourth-year coach Jerry Pettibone, whose team went 5-5-1 a year ago.

“We’re just going to have to concentrate on not making mistakes early in the season,” he said. “If we can do that, we can get our program some national exposure and build from there.

“There is a sense of confidence and a good amount of experience on this team. Our players are really excited about the season.”

It’s understandable why returning Huskies might be excited. After all, the 5-5-1 record had to be somewhat disappointing in that the Huskies ranked 6th in the nation in rushing offense (295 yards-per-game average) and 20th in total offense (402.8 ypg) last year.

“I think we’ll see some big improvements on defense this year,” Pettibone said. “We’ve got really good depth all the way around the defense.

“And I think our offense is capable of having the same type of year this season as it did last season. The only difference is, we’re not quite as deep offensively as we are defensively. That’s (the team’s offensive performance) going to be based upon who’s healthy,” he said.

One place where Pettibone admits the Huskies have no depth, and where health has been a concern, is at quarterback. Taylor suffered a broken ankle in the season finale win over Nevada-Las Vegas last November, and his condition was a big question mark until he took his first hits this fall.

Now healthy, Taylor has a chance to become NIU’s all-time leader in total yards gained, needing 1,519 yards this year (he gained 1,867 total yards last year) to pass George Bork’s record total of 6,402 yards.

Last year, Taylor, who will be backed up by James Darby and Stacey Robinson, rushed for 826 yards (5.3 yards-per-carry) and threw for another 1,039 (55 percent competion ratio).

However, Marshall won’t be the only Taylor around. Senior halfback Rodney Taylor is back and cornerback Rufus Taylor, who is recovering from a late 1987 knee injury, is expected back sometime in the second half of the season.

Although Rodney Taylor brings rather small credentials (5-7, 163) to the party, he has already shown he can produce some big numbers.

Taylor, who ranked 10th in the nation last year in punt returns (12.3 avg), rushed for 442 yards last year (4.3 ypc) and accumulated 968 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving and punt and kickoff returns).

In the rest of the backfield, however, the Huskies are unproven. The graduation of Keith Hurley, a career-ending knee injury to 1987 fullback Tim Peshek (593 yards, 4.6 avg) and the redshirting of the academically ineligible Antonio Davis (155 yards, 4.1 avg at halfback) have the Huskies relying on some inexperienced people.

But junior right halfback Mike Strasser (210 yards, 5.3 avg in ‘87), who will miss the Akron game with a knee injury, is back, and Pettibone has expressed confidence in fullback Adam Dach (6-0, 210) and halfback Eugene Edmond (5-10, 182), both freshmen via redshirt a year ago.

Halfbacks Rich Favor (5-11, 187) and Chris Norman (6-1, 180) and fullback Chris Montgomery (5-9, 197) also will see time in the backfield.

When NIU goes to the air, Taylor will have senior split end Drake Shead (3 catches, 39 yards in ’87) and sophomore tight end Claude Royster (6-4, 206) to go to. Pettibone also expects to use Mark Clancy at wideout and Scott Hein at tight end.

In the line, senior Bob Montel (6-3, 280) and junior Dan Smaha (6-5, 257) return as left-side starters at guard and tackle respectively.

And two juniors, Joe Gucwa (6-4, 251), who has earned the right guard spot, and Greg Heidel (6-2, 265), who won a tackle spot before being sidelined with an injury for three to four weeks, played regularly last season.

Sophomore Eric Fiene (6-4, 265) will open the season as the No. 1 right tackle, and classmate Eric Wenckowski (6-3, 257), a standout NIU wrestler, will start at center.

A group that hasn’t changed much from last year is the Huskies’ 4-4 defense.

Top tackler Ron Delisi (107 tackles), a junior, and senior Mike Higgins (68 tackles) return at the two inside linebacker spots, and seniors Mike Manson (92 tackles) and Mike Hollingshed (94 tackles in 1986), who was declared ineligible in 1987, are back as outside backers.

So are junior tackles Ted Hennings (64 tackles) and Rodney Akis (32 tackles), and sophomore pass-rusher-deluxe Carey Caliendo (10 sacks), senior Phil Foley (66 tackles) and Phil Bucaro (32 tackles) in Pettibone’s rotation of ends.

Upon his return, Rufus Taylor (4 interceptions) will hold one of the cornerback spots, while four-year-starter Randall Townsel (5 int.) holds down the other corner. Until then, junior Brett Tucker (2 int.) will be at cornerback and 1987 freshman All-America pick (along with Caliendo) Kevin Cassidy (83 tackles) will play safety.

Mr. Clutch, sophomore place kicker John Ivanic (a Street and Smith’s Honorable Mention All-American) will be handy whenever the Huskies come up short of the endzone, and the very consistent Eric Nelson will handle the punting chores.