At 6-foot-4 and 253 pounds, junior tight end Jake Nordin looks more like a lineman than a pass catcher. But with eight catches and 98 yards through the first two games of the season, Nordin is tied for second on the team in receptions and is an essential cog for the Huskies’ vaunted running game. With the first home game Saturday, Nordin sat down with the Star to discuss his relationship with former Huskie tight end Brad Cieslak, the glamorous position of tight end, and the warm joy he gets when he knocks out an opposing linebacker.

Northern Star: What is your role in the offense? Do you see yourself as a central part of the offense with pass catching?

Jake Nordin: [Quarterback] Phil [Horvath] has done a great job of finding the open man. The tight end position is a pivotal part of the offense and they count on us to get first downs and work down the field.

NS: How much did former NIU tight end Brad Cieslak mentor you before his graduation?

JN: A lot. Even now he still does. I talk to him every week and he gives me advice on how to improve my game. He always played real physical when he was out here and he taught me how to be really physical on the line too.

NS: You’re the size of an offensive lineman. What made you want to be a tight end?

JN: I wanted the ball in my hands. I was a running back in high school, but I was also a middle linebacker and I liked hitting people. So tight end is a good position to do both of those things.

NS: Be honest. You just chose it because it’s a glamorous position and you get all the chicks, right?

JN: (Laughs). No, definitely not. We’re in the trenches so we don’t get much notoriety. But that’s the way we like it. It’s not a glamorous position.

NS: Why do you think there is suddenly a tight end renaissance in the NFL right now?

JN: This generation of players [is] bigger, faster and stronger than ever. The NFL coaches want big guys who can run and catch as well as block.

NS: What aspect of the offense needs the most improvement so far?

JN: We just need to be more crisp on our two-minute offense. Every time we do it, we need to put points on the board.

NS: Who is the strongest guy on the team who can lift the most in the weight room?

JN: Doug Free. He is a horse and an unbelievable athlete. [Garrett] Wolfe isn’t the biggest guy but when he gets in the weight room, he can bench. He lifts almost as much as me.

NS: A good number of football players are nice guys off the field, but once they step on, they turn into rabid beasts. Are you one of those guys who turns into an animal?

JN: Absolutely. You must flip the switch once your get out there on the field. You have to respect your opponent when the play is over. But there’s no holds barred from whistle to whistle.

NS: What’s more satisfying – a great catch or knocking a defender on their butt with a great block?

JN: Knocking out a defender. I love hitting and inflicting punishment. (Laughs). I’ve had a couple good hits so far this year.

NS: What was it like playing at two Big Ten schools like Michigan and Northwestern? Were you nervous at all?

JN: A lot of us have been in situations like that before like with Maryland the last couple years. We knew what it was going to be like going into it. But how can you prepare for 112,000 people?

NS: How do you think it will feel to play in front of your home crowd in the first home game of the season?

JN: I’m very excited. There are no fans like ours. They are the rowdiest, [most fun] fans in the MAC, or even the nation. It’s great coming out of that tunnel and hearing the crowd. I get goose bumps right now just thinking about it.

NS: Tennessee Tech is a Division I-AA school and you beat them badly in 2003. Is the team really hungry for a win after two opening losses?

JN: Absolutely. We’re preparing as if it were Michigan or any other big opponent. We can’t take them lightly. We have to win to get momentum for the MAC games coming up. This is a pivotal game for our season.

NS: Any Super Bowl picks after Week 1?

JN: I’m from Minnesota so I’m a Vikings fan. The Patriots are always really good too, so they could meet in the Super Bowl.