After two straight less-than-great performances, it’s time for a change around Huskie Stadium.

Maybe someone should remind Josh Haldi that this is a Division I athletic program, and maybe, just maybe, he could complete half his passes and throw for 100 yards.

That’s not too much to ask, is it?

Well, apparently it is.

Over the past two games, Haldi is a combined 13-for-35 passing for 134 yards.

And it’s not like things were that much better earlier in the season.

Haldi has thrown for 756 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions this season. Haldi also carries a 45-percent completion rate in the Huskies’ five games.

Haldi hasn’t completed a pass more than 20 yards since Sept. 14 at Wisconsin.

Those statistics alone simply are ridiculous. There is no need for this pathetic passing attack, regardless of whether the quarterback has started four years or four games.

Haldi isn’t a rookie anymore. He has played five games and has been in the system more than two years. The MAC season came and went with more than a wimper from Haldi.

Sooner, rather than later, teams will catch on to the the fact that Haldi can’t throw the football. If Kent State had any sense at all, it would have put eight or even nine guys in the box in hopes of slowing down NIU’s one-dimensional offensive attack.

There is nothing more entertaining than watching two teams slug it out like NIU and KSU did on Saturday. But, eventually, if the Huskies want to contend seriously for the MAC title, they must have at least the threat of a passing game.

By the way, what’s up with those receivers?

Would someone please tell Sam Hurd that someone has stolen his jersey and is making him look bad? This new guy isn’t playing like the old Hurd who caught eight passes for 161 yards against Wisconsin.

And it’s not just Hurd who has struggled. Dan Sheldon had more than one ball that was catchable against Western Illinois that hit the turf. Would some of those passes be good, even great catches? Yes.

Are those catches required in order to be the team that the Huskies set out to be at the beginning of the season? Yes.

Someone must start playing to or even above their potential.

The running game has done it all year.

It’s time to start making some changes. Not soon, but now. NIU can’t go another game with a one-dimensional offense.

If that means sitting Haldi in favor of Ryan Gilbert, so be it. If that means lighting a fire under Haldi’s back side, so be it.

Anyone who watched the KSU game knew that there were serious problems with NIU’s offense. Even some of the more casual spectators at Huskie Stadium grumbled leaving Saturday’s 13-6 win.

Coach Joe Novak and the team seemed happy at the post-game press conference after the KSU game, as well they should be.

Winning a conference opener at any level is reason for celebration.

NIU must fix the problem at hand if it expects to have any more celebrations in the future.