SHREVEPORT, La. | Now in Shreveport, the NIU Huskies are preparing to take on the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in Sunday’s Independence Bowl.

The Bulldogs have one of the toughest rushing defenses in the nation, but have played in the WAC, which is primarily a passing offense conference.

This might explain while Louisiana Tech has one of the worst passing defenses, as it is tested time after time during conference play.

The Northern Star takes a look at what the Huskies will have to face in the Bulldogs defense and special teams.

Defensive Line

The heart and soul of the Bulldogs defensive line is in the middle with defensive tackle D’Anthony Smith.

As the leader of the defensive line, Smith has 31 career starts over the past three seasons.

The junior has produced eight tackles-for-a-loss this year. Five of these have been quarterback sacks. To go along with this, Smith has added extra pressure onto opposing quarterbacks. In 2008 the defensive tackle has forced two quarterback hurries and broke up three passes in 12 games.

“He’s a great player,” said NIU head coach Jerry Kill. “He’s not just a good player, he’s great.”

While the 6-foot-2 300 pound defensive tackle is standing out among the defensive line, the group as a whole has been causing issues for offenses this season. The Bulldogs’ starting four defensive linemen have put quarterbacks onto the ground 11.5 times this season.

The group has also broken up seven passes and left defensive end Matt Broha has returned an interception for 40-yards.

One weak spot for Louisiana Tech has been the right defensive end position. The Bulldogs have used a combination of three defensive ends at that position this year. This combo, however, has produced 10 sacks.

Recently, junior Kwame Jordan has taken a majority of snap at the position for the Bulldogs.

Linebackers

When Louisiana Tech head coach Derek Dooley took over the Bulldogs he switched to a 4-3 defense.

This move gave the Bulldogs an overload of linebackers during the 2007 season. In 2008, however, Louisiana Tech found itself shorthanded at this crucial position.

The only linebacker with experience who returned to the linebacker position was Brannon Jackson. And Jackson wasn’t planning on playing, at least at the college level, this season.

The red-shirt senior, who was rated the No. 17 high school linebacker in 2003, began his college career in 20004. He started every game for the Bulldogs until 2007, when Jackson suffered a knee injury that required surgery.

Forced to use a year to rehab, Jackson returned to the Bulldogs as a graduate student in 2008. In his final year, the linebacker is fourth on the team with 59 tackles and has caused two of Louisiana Tech’s 10 fumbles this season.

Sophomores Dominique Faust and Kiamani Washington, playing the strong and weak side linebacker positions respectively, have supported Jackson this season. They have, however, been learning on the job.

Thus, their production has not been up to the level of Jackson, or past linebackers for the Bulldogs.

Overall, the group has combined with the defensive line to produce the No. 11 rushing defense in the nation. The Bulldogs are limiting teams to a mere 99.8 yards per game on the ground.

In order to beat this NIU running back Chad Spann said the running backs have gone back to the basics.

“We’ve simplified everything,” Spann said. “We’ve gone back to the roots.”

Secondary

With 118 tackles, three picks, and seven broken up passes, free safety Antonio Baker earned a spot on the 2007 All-WAC team.

During his 2008 campaign, the junior past the 100-tackle mark again, recording 111 tackles. This ranks him as the Bulldogs No. 1 tackler, and makes him the No. 21 tackler in the nation.

But Baker did more than put wide receiver, tight ends, and running backs on to the ground this season.

The second consecutive All-WAC team member also intercepted quarterbacks three times, broke up four passes, forced and recovered two fumbles, and just for kicks, blocked a kick in 2008.

Statistics, however, don’t paint the full picture.

As a group, the secondary has ten interceptions, 23 broken up passes, and four of the top six tacklers for the Bulldogs.

Despite these positive signs, Louisiana Tech lags in the most important categories – pass defense. The Bulldogs are allowing opponents an average of 279.9 yards per game through the air. This ranks them as the fourth worst pass defense in the country.

Northern Illinois quarterback Chandler Harnish believes the Huskies can take advantage of this defensive group, despite their speed, athleticism, and coverage strategy.

“It’s simply about execution,” Harnish said. “I need to just get into a good rhythm.”

Special Teams

If you take a look at the Bulldogs’ special teams unit one name instantly sticks out – wide receiver Phillip Livas.

The sophomore from Houma, La. is ranked No. 5 in the nation for return yards per punt. Livas is bring punts back an average of 16.6 per kick. He’s also a threat to reach the end zone, as two times this season Livas has broke out and scored six points.

His longest put return this year was an 81-yard touchdown run down the sidelines.

With an explosive weapon like this, Jerry Kill, Northern Illinois head coach, sees Livas as a game changer like the Chicago Bears’ Devin Hester or Danieal Manning.

“Kick it out of bounds,” Kill said his punt return plan was. “Their punt return guy is dynamite.”

Yet Kill will have to kick to either Livas or wide receiver Phillip Beck on kickoffs. On 31 attempts this season, Livas is averaging 23.5 yards per kick off return. Beck has been out performing his counter part, returning kick offs for an average of 24.6 yards during his 12 tries this season.

Brad Oestriecher served as the place kicker for the Bulldogs. The senior is booting the ball an average of 61.3 yards per kickoff, but has only converted 13-26 field goal attempts this season.

A majority of kicks missed by Oestriecher have been when he has attempted 40-plus yard attempts.

When attempting kicks from 20-29 yards, the place kicker has converted 8-of-9 attempts. The Metairie, La. has been successful from 30-39 yards, making 2-of-3 tries.

Once Oestriecher moves past 39 yards, however, his success rate has dropped quickly. From 40-49 yards the senior has only hit two of his eight tries.

And past 50 yards, the place kicker has only completed one of six attempts this season.