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Gridiron Strategy

An analytical exploration of the 2002 Northern Illinois Huskies football team's performance, strategic insights, and key personnel.

Season Overview ๐Ÿ‘‡ Game Analysis ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ

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Season Overview

Conference Co-Champions

The 2002 Northern Illinois Huskies football team achieved significant success, representing Northern Illinois University as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Joe Novak, the Huskies compiled an impressive overall record of 8 wins and 4 losses. Crucially, their conference performance was stellar, finishing with a 7โ€“1 record in MAC play, which secured them a share of the MAC's West Division title. This accomplishment highlights a season of strong strategic execution and player performance.

Division Dominance & Post-Season

The Huskies' 7โ€“1 conference record placed them in a tie for the division lead with the Toledo Rockets. Due to a head-to-head victory over Northern Illinois, Toledo advanced to the MAC Championship Game. Despite achieving bowl eligibility with their 8โ€“4 overall record, the Huskies were not extended an invitation to a postseason bowl game, a notable outcome given their successful season. Home games were played at the venerable Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois.

Key Personnel

The team's leadership and standout performances were critical to their success. Head Coach Joe Novak entered his seventh season, bringing continuity and experience. Notable players recognized for their contributions included:

  • Michael Turner and Larry Williams, who were recognized as team MVPs, demonstrating exceptional offensive prowess.
  • Key captains such as Eric Didesch, P. J. Fleck, Thomas Hammock, Vince Thompson, Tim Vincent, and Larry Williams provided leadership on and off the field.

Conference Standings

2002 Mid-American Conference - West Division

The Huskies' strong conference performance culminated in a co-championship of the MAC West Division. The following table details the final standings for the 2002 season:

2002 Mid-American Conference football standings
MAC West Division Overall
Team W L W L
East Division
No. 24 Marshall x$ 7 โ€“ 1 11 โ€“ 2
UCF 6 โ€“ 2 7 โ€“ 5
Miami (OH) 5 โ€“ 3 7 โ€“ 5
Ohio 4 โ€“ 4 4 โ€“ 8
Akron 3 โ€“ 5 4 โ€“ 8
Kent State 1 โ€“ 7 3 โ€“ 9
Buffalo 0 โ€“ 8 1 โ€“ 11
West Division
Toledo xy 7 โ€“ 1 9 โ€“ 5
Northern Illinois x 7 โ€“ 1 8 โ€“ 4
Bowling Green 6 โ€“ 2 9 โ€“ 3
Ball State 4 โ€“ 4 6 โ€“ 6
Western Michigan 3 โ€“ 5 4 โ€“ 8
Central Michigan 2 โ€“ 6 4 โ€“ 8
Eastern Michigan 1 โ€“ 7 3 โ€“ 9
Championship: Marshall 49, Toledo 45
  • $ โ€“ Conference champion
  • x โ€“ Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Game Schedule & Results

The 2002 season featured a challenging schedule, including non-conference matchups against Power Five opponents and crucial divisional contests. The following table details the Huskies' game-by-game results:

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance Source
August 29 6:30 pm Wake Forest*
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
FSN W 42โ€“41 OT 19,653
September 7 6:00 pm at South Florida*
  • Raymond James Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
L 6โ€“37 23,559
September 14 11:00 am at No. 22 Wisconsin*
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
ESPN Plus L 21โ€“24 77,460
September 21 6:30 pm Western Illinois*
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
L 26โ€“29 23,598 [1]
September 28 1:00 pm Kent State
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
W 13โ€“6 16,302
October 5 1:00 pm at Ball State
  • Scheumann Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
  • (Bronze Stalk Trophy)
W 41โ€“29 14,499
October 12 1:00 pm at Miami (OH)
  • Yager Stadium
  • Oxford, OH
W 48โ€“41 15,234
October 19 1:00 pm Central Michigan
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
W 49โ€“0 20,186
October 26 12:00 pm at Western Michigan
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
W 24โ€“20 15,049
November 9 1:30 pm No. 20 Bowling Green
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
FSN W 26โ€“17 25,822
November 16 12:00 pm at Eastern Michigan
  • Rynearson Stadium
  • Ypsilanti, MI
W 49โ€“21 5,567
November 23 11:00 am Toledo
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
FSN L 30โ€“33 20,154
  • * Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

Team Roster & Staff

The foundation of the Huskies' success lay in their dedicated roster and coaching staff. Below is a detailed breakdown of the players and key personnel for the 2002 season.

2002 Northern Illinois Huskies football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
TE 89 Brad Cieslak Fr
WR 82 P. J. Fleck Sr
QB 6 Ryan Gilbert Jr
QB 10 Josh Haldi So
TB 28 Thomas Hammock Sr
RB 24 A. J. Harris Fr
WR 84 Sam Hurd Fr
WR Edgar Rodriquez Redshirt Fr
WR 83 Shatone Powers Fr
TB 8 Jeremy Pugh Redshirt Fr
WR 88 Turner Pugh Jr
TE 80 Pat Raleigh Fr
FB 34 Mike Scaramella Jr
G 64 Shaun Schroeder Jr
WR 5 Dan Sheldon So
G 69 Graham Sleight Jr
RB 32 Michael Turner Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DT 91 Leonard Cooksey Jr
DT 51 Eric Didesch Sr
FS Keafta Dokes Fr
SS 37 Justin Dole Sr
CB 18 Randee Drew Jr
LB 45 Nick Duffy Jr
CB 29 Deon Smith Redshirt Fr
SS 48 Ray Smith Fr
LB 40 Willie Smith So
Special Teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
  • Joe Novak
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • George McDonald โ€“ Wide receivers

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster
Last update: October 2, 2002

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References

References

A full list of references for this article are available at the 2002 Northern Illinois Huskies football team Wikipedia page

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Important Notice

This page has been generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is derived from publicly available data, primarily the Wikipedia article on the 2002 Northern Illinois Huskies football team, and may not reflect the most current information or possess the full nuance of primary sources.

This is not professional sports analysis or coaching advice. The information provided herein is not a substitute for expert consultation regarding sports strategy, team management, or player development. Users should consult with qualified professionals for specific applications or interpretations.

The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided. Users are encouraged to cross-reference information with official team records and academic sports research where applicable.