Just about everything that could go wrong for the NIU football team this year has.

Injuries, mental mistakes and second-half meltdowns have contributed to the Huskies’ first 0-3 start since 1999.

With one quarter of the season now in the books, NIU looks to start out the second quarter of the season on the right track as the Huskies travel 1700 miles to Moscow, Idaho to face the Idaho Vandals at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

With the Huskies down two more players – this time losing starting defensive tackle Craig Rusch and special teams player Anthony Antonacci – head coach Joe Novak is looking for his team to minimize the mistakes and make some big plays that have eluded the team all year.

“We are looking for soundness,” Novak said. “I see good things, yet big plays, against our defense and turnovers by our offense is killing us. We just haven’t made enough big plays. We just gotta make the plays to make us a winner.”

Much of the criticism of the Huskies has been directed toward quarterback Dan Nicholson. The junior has thrown for 597 yards so far this season but has also been intercepted seven times in three games.

“You sure want to eliminate those interceptions and I’m not going to make excuses for him and he doesn’t either,” Novak said. “He was 20 for 28 the week before and completed 15 in a row. He has shown a lot of positive things too.”

Awaiting the Huskies defense on Saturday is redshirt freshman running back Deonte Jackson. Jackson was recruited by former Idaho and NFL head coach Dennis Erickson and has already rushed for 426 yards in three games, making him the seventh-leading rusher in the nation.

“He’s a good player,” Novak said. “He’s a little like Garrett [Wolfe] and probably a little bigger. He’s got quickness and great vision.”