DeKALB | The Huskies (0-2) will be without redshirt senior quarterback Drew Hare for their home opener at 2:30 p.m. Saturday against the San Diego State University Aztecs (2-0).

Hare went down during the third quarter of Saturday’s contest in which the Huskies lost 48-17 against University of South Florida and is out for the majority of the season with “behind the knee” and ankle injuries, said Head Coach Rod Carey at a press conference Tuesday in the Yordon Center.

“You never want to see your starting quarterback go down,” said redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Graham. “We all feel [bad] for him, but my job is to make sure I play the best I can and be confident that I can do this.”

Graham will take over as the starting quarterback for the Huskies as he did for four games last season when Hare was injured on Nov. 3 against University of Toledo. Graham suffered a leg injury in the Nov. 24 matchup against Ohio University and was unable to play in the MAC championship game a month later.

“Last year prepared [me] for moments like this,” Graham said. “I know how to win games as a starter like I showed last season. I always prepared as a starter even when I was a backup. Our motto is to always be prepared.”

NIU is still in search of their first win after losing a game against University of Wyoming and South Florida this past weekend.

Carey said his team and staff, while disappointed in the result of the last two weeks, are moving on to San Diego State and have short, one-week life cycles of games, whether the team is 2-0 or 0-2.

“We’re on to the next life cycle, and that’s this week,” Carey said. “There’s a lot of season ahead of us so we’re not in any type of a situation where anybody is crying for us, or we’re crying for ourselves.”

The Huskies’ defense surrendered more than 650 yards from scrimmage against South Florida and are still in search of their first sack of the season.

They will have their hands full again this Saturday as they have to stop sophomore quarterback Christian Chapman who has three touchdowns and a 151.1 quarterback efficiency rating as well as senior running back Donnel Pumphrey, who’s averaging 189.5 yards per game this season with 4 touchdowns and a 7.6 yard per reception average.

“[Pumphrey is] a good player,” Carey said. “I think you have to know where’s he’s going to be at. Obviously [when] he’s in the backfield, you know where he’s at. When you motion him out, that poses a challenge.”

Carey said he has confidence in Graham’s ability to play quarterback successfully for NIU and deliver the team a much needed victory this weekend based on what he saw in him last year.

“Like I said earlier, Ryan has won games here, crucial games,” Carey said. “Certainly that confidence helps him and me. The other coaches [and] the other players have certainly seen that and been with him on that, so there is a comfort and probably a confidence there.”

Students attending the game should remember to bring their OneCard for free entry and “wear red” to support the team. First-year students interested in running through the band tunnel before the team are advised to meet 2 p.m. at the three dogs statue in the Yordon Family Plaza.

The game will broadcast on CBS Sports Network or radio station WLBK-AM 1360/FM 98.9 and AM 560 The Answer for Chicago frequencies.