NIU broke camp on the 2010 season after Saturday’s morning practice session. As with any football team there are questions and storylines that are still playing out before opening kickoff.

Coming off a 7-6 season the Huskies entered camp as the favorite to win the MAC West and play in the MAC Championship game in Detroit.

The team also returns Jake Coffman, who previously announced his NIU career would be over before having second thoughts. With the obvious storylines of the 2010 season out of the way, what else have we learned about the Huskies during the 2010 camp?

The quarterback race is tight, real tight.

Redshirt juniors DeMarcus Grady and Chandler Harnish are coming to a photo finish. Harnish was limited in spring while recovering from a knee injury and in that time Grady has shown vast improvement.

The duo has looked too similar to name one the starter right now, and it might take the CIA to crack head coach Jerry Kill on who he’s leaning toward. Harnish’s knee will certainly be a factor. He’s been the starter for the past two seasons, but Grady has significantly reduced the gap, if there’s even a gap left. It also shouldn’t be lost on the coaching staff that Grady is 5-0 as a starter in two years. NIU is 13-13 in those two seasons.

Cameron Bell is every bit as powerful as he looks.

Bell was a linebacker at Iowa State and at 6’2″ and 242 pounds the redshirt junior will line up as a running back.

During a scrimmage this past Tuesday the Huskies worked on goal line situations, and it took five defensive players to finally drag Bell down. Bell might not be the second coming of Brandon Jacobs but he’s definitely a back that NIU hasn’t seen in awhile. He’s also been assigned with Michael Turner’s old number, No. 32.

There’s still some work to do at kicker.

Redshirt junior Ryan Fillingim has shown the best leg and most accuracy of the three. Freshmen Tyler Anderson and Mathew Sims have looked good at times.

Consistency has been the biggest issue. The Huskies have had a good run of kickers between Chris Nendick and Mike Salerno in the past, so inconsistency could throw a wrench into things.

The defensive line is one of the deepest positions on the team.

Of course there’s Coffman’s return, and Mike Krause is also back after missing all of 2009.

D.J. Pirkle (6’0″, 283) is in his senior season and right end Darnell Bolding enters his redshirt senior season. Sophomore Alan Baxter would have replaced Coffman but is now delegated to a backup role. Redshirt sophomore Sean Progar will be competing with Bolding for a starting job at right end, while junior Ron Newcomb (6’3″, 283) will back up Pirkle at defensive tackle.

The offensive line will be as important as ever.

Kill has had to replace center Eddie Adamski and guard Jason Onyebuagu, both who earned tryouts with NFL teams this offseason.

Scott Wedige will replace Adamski while Ed Jackson and Logan Pegram will take reps at left guard. Redshirt juniors Trevor Olson, Keith Otis and Adam Kiel will work at the two guard positions and Joe Pawlak mans the right guard spot.

A lot rides on the line in 2010. If Harnish starts, his knee will need protection.

Add to that the breakout year by Chad Spann in 2009 and the high expectations surrounding Bell, and this year’s line will dictate how successful the offense is in 2010.