NIU football coach Joe Novak is thankful for his depth at running back right about now.

Starting junior running back Garrett Wolfe and senior backup A.J. Harris both suffered injuries in Saturday’s game versus Eastern Michigan that will likely keep both out of this week’s road contest at Kent State.

Wolfe tallied 161 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown when he suffered a knee injury with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. The junior remained on the turf after the play and was helped off the field by trainers.

Novak said Wolfe is out indefinitely, for a minimum of one to two weeks and a maximum of the whole season. The exact diagnosis is not yet known, but Wolfe will probably receive an MRI on his left knee later this week when the swelling goes down.

Harris left the field with a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter. He is listed as very questionable and will likely not play at Kent State.

Taking over as the interim starter will be third-string back Adrian Davis. The senior entered the game in the fourth quarter for Harris and accounted for 73 of the Huskies’ 330 rush yards. Freshman Montell Clanton will also get some carries as Davis’ primary backup.

“I think Adrian is very capable,” Novak said. “I’m excited for Montell to get some looks. I wish it wasn’t under these circumstances. You don’t lose a Garrett Wolfe and an A.J. Harris and say it doesn’t affect you.”

THE ENGLISH PATIENT

With freshman right end Larry English nursing a balky shoulder during the week, fellow freshman Craig Rusch earned the start against Eastern Michigan. While English was a game-time decision, Novak said he was not 100 percent and he elected to start Rusch.

In only his second collegiate game, Rusch filled in admirably with four tackles, a forced fumble and his first sack.

English will probably be available to start Saturday at Kent State, but Novak was pleased with Rusch’s performance and said it makes for good starter competition.

SCHROEDER OUT FOR SEASON

Sophomore nose tackle Adam Schroeder will miss the rest of the season after undergoing back surgery Oct. 3. In four games this season, Schroeder tallied seven tackles, a forced fumble and one sack.

TWINTASTIC

It took six games, but the NIU secondary finally recorded an interception. Junior cornerback Alvah Hansbro recorded his first career pick by intercepting EMU quarterback Matt Bohnet with nine minutes left in the third quarter at the NIU 26-yard line.

His twin brother Adriel also got into the act with a critical fourth-quarter pass deflection in the end zone on a fourth-down play by EMU. The pass was intended for junior wide receiver Eric Deslauriers, who was coming down with the ball but had it stripped by Hansbro.

With only their second interception of the season, the Huskies are projected to get four picks on the season after compiling 13 as a unit last year.

STOPPED IN THEIR TRACKS

After surrendering more than 400 yards in three previous games this season, the much-maligned NIU defense allowed only 178 yards of total offense to EMU. Their previous best was 205 yards against Tennessee Tech. The NIU defense surrenders 228 yards and 12.7 points per game at home, compared with 491.3 yards and 39.7 points per game on the road.