AKRON, Ohio – Akron coach J.D. Brookhart’s studying paid off.

The second-year coach spent all of last week studying game tape.

He watched NIU running back Garret Wolfe break through holes against Michigan and Northwestern. He watched all the big plays he had against Akron last year. He took notes of all the different ways Wolfe was able to squirm through the line and pick up first downs.

But most of all, he watched what teams did to stop him.

“We were committed to stopping the run,” Brookhart said. “That was our goal. We blended what we learned from watching film of other teams and expanded on it.”

And after watching all the game film, Brookhart got to watch his team not only slow down Wolfe, but shut down NIU’s entire running game.

Entering the game, NIU was averaging 264.3 rushing yards per game. Akron was able to hold the Huskies to 50 rushing yards.

The gaps Wolfe had been using to become the nation’s fifth-leading rusher were nowhere to be seen in the Rubber Bowl.

Akron’s defensive linemen were consistently reaching him in the backfield. And if Wolfe eluded the linemen, he usually had a linebacker waiting for him.

At halftime, Wolfe walked into the locker room having rushed for only 15 yards. And his backup A.J. Harris hadn’t done much better with only seven yards on one carry. Wolfe would finish with 52 yards on 21 carries.

After the game, NIU coach Joe Novak admitted that in the second half, all game plans were thrown out.

NIU’s run-first offense found itself going backward as often as it did forward.

And despite the fact quarterback Phil Horvath threw for close to 500 yards, NIU was unable to pull out a victory without its running game.

“If we can’t run, we’re gonna lose,” NIU coach Joe Novak said. “They were stuntin’ and moving, but we didn’t block well. Garrett and A.J. are great backs but even they need blocking.”

Akron linemen Kiki Gonzalez said he hated watching film of last season’s game, when Wolfe rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns.

“We came into the game planning on stopping him,” the junior said. “Once they started throwing, our game plan went out the window. After that we just had to play hard-nosed football and we did that.”