Redshirt junior quarterback Drew Hare knew after the Boca Raton Bowl loss in December that his first season as football’s starting quarterback was far from great on a personal level.

Hare guided the ship as the Huskies won their third MAC Championship in four seasons. But, he knew he was far from being the best player he could be.

“He’s got to do a better job of throwing a deep ball. That’s No. 1,” said Bob Cole, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. “And then we have to be able to move the pocket with him in there, so he needs to do a better job of throwing the ball on the run. Those would be the two main things right there.”

Heading into spring camp, Hare had a leg up on the competition to win the quarterback job since he started the final 12 games last season. Head coach Rod Carey said without hesitation after Friday’s practice that Hare will be the starter this season. He added that Hare has looked good in spring camp but still has room for improvement.

“As a football coach I’m never, ever satisfied; I want to see more,” Carey said. “I think he’s been good. I think his progression he’s gotten better. I think he knows there’s more in there. And I think we know there’s more in there. So, we’re pushing for it.”

Offseason

Hare’s work to improve for 2015 began when he returned home to O’Fallon, Mo., after the bowl loss as the team had a break until classes resumed in January. He used the time off to talk and work out with his old buddies from Fort Zumwalt West High School.

When Hare and the rest of the Huskies returned to DeKalb for classes he said they took three or four days off before getting back on the field. From then until spring camp he worked out at player-run throwing sessions, which he said the team’s done every offseason he’s been at NIU.

“Everybody’s issue with me is the deep ball,” Hare said. “I’ve been working on that a lot. Just continue to get more comfortable with all the reads and stuff, more comfortable with the offense. For the most part I feel like I’ve done a good job with it.”

Hare also participated in the team’s offseason weight program when he got back to campus. He looked like he had put on more upper-body muscle since last season, but he said he was unsure if he actually had. Overall, he said he’s down a few pounds from last season’s playing weight; he was listed at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds in 2014 and is now listed at 210 pounds.

Spring practice

During Friday’s practice, the 10th of 15 spring camp practices, Hare took all the reps with the first-team offense. He had some added zip on his 5- to 10-yard throws and consistently hit his receivers right at the numbers. He completed all three of his deep passes during the live scrimmage, and the ball didn’t flutter as much at the end of the arc as it has in the past.

“My deep ball feels a lot better,” Hare said. “I feel a lot more confident in it. When I drop back to throw it I feel like I want to throw it and feel a lot better with it.”

Junior wide receiver Aregeros Turner said the biggest difference he’s seen in Hare from last season through Friday’s practice is Hare’s increased level of confidence in himself and leadership on the field.

“Last year at the beginning of the season they were all battling for a spot,” Turner said. “Now I feel like Drew knows that it’s his spot and knows that it’s his team and knows that he has to lead.”

Hare has looked more loose yet more composed on the practice field and said he feels more comfortable in his all-around game although he knows there will always be room for improvement.

“Every day I come in with a compete mentality,” Hare said. “You can’t ever get complacent. I don’t ever try to look at it like I’m the starter and that’s it.”