While one Huskies starter went down Friday, another looks to return Saturday.

After spraining his left ankle late in the second quarter Friday, running back A.J. Harris is probable, NIU coach Joe Novak said.

“It’s more tentative than I thought,” said Novak on Monday. “He’s feeling better this morning, but last night I was a little worried.”

Novak also said that as long as Harris is healthy he will start, despite his backup, Garrett Wolfe, rushing for 202 yards against Bowling Green.

Quarterback Josh Haldi may play for the first time since the opening drive Sept. 4 against Maryland.

The senior, who has been sidelined with a stress fracture in his right foot, is a strong probability to start, Novak said.

Defensive tackle Eric Pittman is still about four weeks away with a right knee sprain.

Trio of Huskies awarded

Ball State’s Dante Ridgeway was the only thing stopping the Huskies from an all-NIU sweep of the MAC west awards this week.

On Monday, Ridgeway, who had nine catches for 275 yards, and Wolfe were named co-MAC west offensive players of the week. The Huskies Javan Lee won the award for defense and NIU freshman kicker Chris Nendick for special teams.

Wolfe honored (again)

Despite settling for the co-MAC west Offensive Player of the Week, Wolfe is one of five players up for the USAToday.com national Player of the Week award

Wolfe is up against Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton, Clemson kick returner Justin Miller, Wisconsin defensive lineman Erasmus James and Hoefstra quarterback Bobby Seck.

Last season, NIU wide receiver P.J. Fleck won the award for his play in the Huskies Sept. 4 win over Ohio.

Wolfe was third with 19.82 percent of the votes at press time. People can vote at www.usatoday.com.

Steward Mandel of CNNSI.com named Wolfe the player of the week in his column.

Carr demoted

Redshirt freshman quarterback Zach Ullrich was named the No. 2 quarterback for the Bowling Green game.

Ullrich was upgraded ahead of fellow freshman Chris Carr, who had been starter Phil Horvath’s back up th entire season.

“He had some team issues,” Novak said of Carr. “It will probably be like this for a while.”

Vote NIU

The Huskies received their first vote for the ESPN/Coaches Top 25 poll Sunday.

Novak, who has a vote, said he didn’t vote for NIU.

Last season NIU was ranked as high as No. 12 in The Associated Press poll.

New starters produce

Rockford native Adam Schroeder and junior Quince Holman each started for the first time this season Friday. Both players each made impact plays to help the Huskies beat BG.

With the Falcons already up 7-0, Holman blocked a Shaun Suisham 41-yard field goal attempt for the Huskies.

Schroeder, a freshman defensive tackle, made the sack on third down that set up the Suisham field goal attempt.

“They both played very well, I was very pleased,” Novak said. “Adam Schroeder is getting better and better and he played Friday like the Adam Schroeder we recruited out of high school.”