It is no secret that the NIU defense has struggled so far this season.

Huskies middle linebacker Pat Schiller will be looking to dominate the Kent State offense this season, spring-boarding the defense into the second half of its season.

“We each have to look at what we’re doing, and reevaluate what we’re doing,” Schiller said. “The coaches put us [in the] best possible positions every week to win.”

The redshirt senior enters the sixth game of the 2011 campaign with 42 total tackles and one sack.

Another strong performance by Schiller, the defensive leader, should motivate the rest of NIU’s defense to play at the optimum level and give the offense a chance to win the game.

“As a defensive leader, we have to execute,” Schiller said. “I have to reevaluate what I’m doing and make sure everyone else is doing their job as well.”

Schiller is confident that the Huskies’ defense will be ready to perform Saturday at Huskie Stadium against the Golden Flashes.

“It’s really good now that we’ve got two teams that we’ve already seen, that we’ve already practiced for and faced, that we’re starting to get more comfortable with our defensive scheme,” Schiller said.