I’m not going to discredit any work done by anyone, but NIU football has a much stiffer test coming next week than this week.

In my opinion, the game against Tennessee-Martin and this upcoming game against Army are all but free passes. I believe in that old ideology of “any given Sunday”—or Saturday in this case—but realistically, there’s not a great threat of losing.

What I do believe, however, is that they both provide valuable experience before heading into the home game against Kansas and the ensuing MAC schedule that follows.

Tennessee-Martin featured a pass heavy attack, which was a good thing to get a look at. They also featured an unheralded running game that at times was very effective against NIU.

I think those types of scenarios and experiences go a long way. The Huskies came into the game knowing about the passing ability, but the inclusion of the running game was an uncontrollable variable that the team has to adapt to.

Against Army, the Huskies will see the option run all game long. There’s no guarantees there will be no surprises, but that’s pretty much what they’re going to get against that offense.

That type of play requires patience, determination and more importantly emphasizes the need for players to stay within their schemes and follow the plan of attack laid out by their coaches.

I believe that coming off an Iowa game that was winnable, the biggest test will be next week against Kansas. This is another high profile opponent that will test NIU in all facets of the game.

There will also be a sense of revenge for many of the Huskies in that game, as NIU played a tightly contested match last season, ultimately losing.

NIU was able to dole out a 49-26 thrashing of Army last season.

With the currently comprised rosters of both teams, I foresee similar results in terms of scoring.

The Skyhawks game and Saturday’s match up with Army also allows head coach Dave Doeren to try some things he may not feel as comfortable trying against stiffer competition.

If Kansas serves as the biggest test before MAC play, the match-ups with Tennessee-Martin and this upcoming match against Army are just the entrance exams.