As an Illinois alum, I never thought I’d see the day where I thought I would be envious of Northern Illinois football. Then again, after the Illini’s winless Big Ten season in 2012, there’s plenty of room for envy for virtually every team.
NIU experienced the ultimate last year, earning an unlikely trip to the Orange Bowl. It all proved to be remarkable timing for Daniel Verdun, who was working on a book on NIU football.
His book, Northern Illinois Football, now includes the biggest chapter in the school’s history. Verdun talks about the program in a Q/A.
How much did NIU’s trip to the Orange Bowl impact the timing of this book? Was the book in the works prior to last season? If so, unbelievable timing.
I started working on the book in 2009. Originally it was supposed to hit bookshelves in time for the 2012 season with the Huskies coming off their first Mid-American Conference title since 1983. However, the book got delayed for a variety of reasons. I was pretty disappointed at the time, but then along came a second straight MAC championship and the Orange Bowl berth. Things could not have worked out better. The proverbial ball bounced my way.
Did you ever envision NIU would ever play in the Orange Bowl? What was that experience like for the school and its fans?
I’m going to quote Huskie great George Bork on the first question because I asked him the exact same thing back in December. “No, I never thought the Huskies would be in the Orange Bowl but I am proud and happy. What a thrill for all of us,” said Bork, who quarterbacked Northern Illinois to an NCAA College Division national championship in 1963.
As for the second question, Mike Korcek has been associated with NIU since his days as a student in the late 1960s. Korcek spent 34 years in the NIU sports information office and another three as SID emeritus before retiring in 2009. According to Mike, the Orange Bowl “is the most significant event in Northern Illinois athletic history–maybe the entire school’s history.”
Talk about the program through the years. What stands out for you?
For people just coming around to NIU Huskie football, there was a long and rich history prior to last season’s success. My book chronicles that history from the school’s very first team in 1899 through its historic Orange Bowl appearance. Along the way Northern Illinois pioneered the shotgun spread offense. It had the first 3,000-yard passer in NCAA history (George Bork). NIU has two members in the College Football Hall of Fame in Tom Beck and George Bork. This fall, NIU will celebrate the anniversaries of three great teams from its past–1963, 1983 and 2003. With five straight bowl invitations, two consecutive MAC titles and the Orange Bowl appearance, the Huskies have been the most consistent winning program in the state of Illinois for the past decade.
Who are some of the most memorable players and coaches?
Starting back in the 1930s, DeKalb native Reino Nori earned 17 varsity letters in five sports. He tied inaugural Heisman Trophy winner Jay Berwanger for first place in the long jump at a dual track meet. He competed against Jesse Owens. Later, Nori played in the NFL. Larry Brink was the first Huskie ever drafted by the NFL (1948). Brink became a three-time All-Pro selection with the Los Angeles Rams. Bob Heimerdinger, whose son Mike was a longtime NFL assistant coach, quarterbacked the 1951 Huskies to a perfect season. I’ve already mentioned Beck and Bork.
Receiver John Spilis played in the College All-Star Game at Soldier Field in the late ’60s before becoming a Green Bay Packer. Tom Wittum was an All-Pro punter with the 49ers. Mark Kellar led the nation in rushing in 1973 and LeShon Johnson did the same thing 20 years later. Johnson finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy balloting while playing for a team that won only four games and never appeared on TV. Think about that! Dave Petzke led the nation in receiving in 1978. Hollis Thomas played 12 seasons in the NFL. In recent times, it’s been the likes of Tim Tyrrell, Todd Peat, Ryan Diem, Justin McCareins, Michael Turner, P.J. Fleck, Sam Hurd, Doug Free, Garrett Wolfe, Larry English (the 16th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft), Chandler Harnish and Jordan Lynch.
There were great coaches the likes of Chick Evans, Howard Fletcher, Bill Mallory, Jerry Pettibone, Joe Novak, Jerry Kill and Dave Doeren. Lee Corso coached NIU for part of the 1984 season before bolting for the USFL. Now that’s an interesting chapter in the book.
Where does NIU go from here?
Things have never looked better for the Huskies. Coming off the high of last season, NIU has upgraded its facilities to become the envy of the MAC. NIU now has an indoor practice facility that is second to none. All of that should pay dividends with recruits. However, NIU still faces the challenge in that for every successful season, there is the likelihood that its head coach leaves for a more lucrative job as Jerry Kill and Dave Doeren have done in recent years. Then again, who can blame a coach for tripling his salary by leaving?
Final comments about the book:
The book is roughly the size of a college yearbook. It’s printed on high quality stock that should last for years. There are over 250 pages and approximately 150 photos in the book, many of which are color. Some of the photos have never been seen before by the general public. One of my favorites shows NIU mascot Victor E. Huskie flanked by Harry Caray and Ray Meyer. There is a little controversy with evidence that Northern Illinois hosted its Homecoming game seven years before the University of Illinois, the institution that has long been credited with originating the concept. There are sidebars on the marching band, recruiting and rivals. The book ends with a computer simulation to determine the greatest Huskie team of all-time.