Slow starts are nothing new to the NIU football team.

Conference championships are.

Fortunately, the Huskies’ defense of their 2001 MAC West Division Co-Championship starts Saturday when Kent State (2-2, 0-1) visits Huskie Stadium for a 1:05 p.m. kickoff.

“When you’re 1-3 you can’t be real high,” coach Joe Novak said. “We had a chance to win three of the four and even the one we got beat in South Florida, the score didn’t indicate the game. We have to make certain plays at certain times better than we have.

“Certainly we’d like to see the results better, but I’m not discouraged. I know we got a good football team. We got to make the plays at the critical times.”

The main focus of the NIU (1-3, 0-0) defense will be stopping Kent State quarterback Josh Cribbs.

Cribbs currently is fourth in the nation with 154.5 rushing yards per game and is second in the country with a 9.22 yards per carry average.

Novak has no doubts about the sophomore’s ability. He even compares Cribbs to former Indiana University standout quarterback and current Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antwaan Randle El.

“I think he’s one of the most exciting players in college football,” Novak said. “He reminds me a little bit of Randle El. One of our coaches said that this week and I’d have to concur. If you don’t care about the game he’d be a fun kid to pay to watch him play.”

Cribbs contributes more than half of Kent State’s 273.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks first in the MAC.

As for the Huskies, they will be without the services of tight end Matt Dunker for the first time this season. Dunker injured his right shoulder in the Western Illinois game and will miss the Kent State game with nerve damage.

NIU also will play without wide receiver P.J. Fleck, defensive backs Vince Thompson and Lionel Hickenbottom, as well as tailback Thomas Hammock.

Hammock continues to sit while undergoing further cardiac testing in Minnesota.

Of the Huskies’ six captains, three will miss the Kent State game.

With Hammock out, Michael Turner has emerged as an offensive leader. Turner racked up 282 yards against Western and averages 134.8 yards per game. Novak will look to Turner to carry the Huskies offense as quarterback Josh Haldi has struggled.

Haldi has completed 47 of 100 passes for 696 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Novak has been especially worried about his team’s play late in games.

“It concerns me that we haven’t finished,” Novak said. “Wisconsin and Western, we had a chance to get it stopped and we didn’t do it. It concerns me that both of those games offensively we had a chance to get some first downs and kill some time; that’s finishing. We have not done a good job of finishing and that’s a concern.”

Kent State will mark the Huskies’ first game in defense of their co-division title. The Huskies haven’t won back-to-back conference titles since coming to Division I in 1969.

“Our division to me is so even,” Novak said. “Every Saturday is going to be a battle. You could win or you could lose. That’s fun and exciting but it’s going to be a real challenge for everyone in the league.”