The NIU football team is tired of looking at each other — coach Joe Novak cannot wait to get the season started.

Novak, who has been coaching at NIU since 1996, sat down with the Northern Star to talk about the upcoming season.

Northern Star: As the season gets underway, is the team getting ready to get out there and play?

Joe Novak: We are very anxious. We are tired of looking at each other. You prepare all year for these 11 games in the fall. Our team is ready to go, and I am sure South Florida is too.

NS: As you go into the season, what things can we look for in the team?

JN: We lose some good kids on the offense, but we got a lot of our skill players coming back. We lose McCareins, who was a great, great receiver. But we got Chris Finlen, who is back for his fifth year. Our tight ends, in Joey Reed and Matt Dunker, are heck of a good pair, maybe one of the best in the MAC (Mid-American Conference). Our offensive team, though not as potent as last year, will be very good.

NS: Chris Finlen returns for his fifth year, but you lose Dan Urban to baseball. Talk about the return of Finlen and if he does go down, how much of a worry will it be?

JN: Well, if you have a kid like him go down, you’ll always be worried because you’ll have a kid go in there with no experience. We have a red-shirt freshman in Josh Haldi that I have a lot of confidence in. He’s a really intelligent kid. We got our fingers crossed that nothing happens to Chris, but if he does, I have a lot of confidence in Josh.

NS: How good is it to have (Michael) Turner and (Thomas) Hammock back this year?

JN: That is a pretty good pair. Probably one of the best in the country. They are two really fine players. At that position, you need that. It’s good to have two like them to help keep each other fresh.

NS: One of the reasons why Turner rushed for 500 yards in the last two games was because of the offensive line. Your lose three great offensive linemen this year. What can you see from the line this year?

JN: Last year our offensive line was really good — a dominant group because of our maturity. We know we won’t be as dominating up front, but if we are sound with these young kids, know who to block and get a helmet on everyone on defense, we could still be very good on offense.

NS: The linebacking crew could be one of the strongest points of the team this year, even though you lose Cameron Saulsby and Kevin Selover. Talk about the linebackers you have coming back and the freshmen coming in.

JN: Larry Williams had a great sophomore year for us. He’s going to get nothing but better. Nick Duffy played a lot for us last year. I think he is a good athlete, a very instinctive kid, a real fine player. The other spot is Ryan Laurenti, but he’s getting pushed by Brian Atkinson. We got some freshmen that I hope won’t have to play. They could if they had to. But this position has some good depth to it and some good competition.

NS: You have Marshall and Western Michigan here at home. How important is it to have those two teams here?

JN: You always like to play at home. You are always a better team at home. It’s good to get Marshall here, it’s good to have six home games. Our kids work awfully hard to play 11 times. You don’t let any of them slide. They are all important.