By Woodrow Carroll
When Northern Illinois University starts this football season, August 31, at home in DeKalb against Illinois State, a new, yet familiar, face will be in charge of Huskies’ fortunes: The Age of Coach Thomas Hammock will be upon us.
Hammock is one of Northern Illinois’ own! As a player, Hammock gained more than 1,000 yards rushing his freshman and sophomore seasons, 2000-2001, at Northern Illinois. After opening the 2002 season with 172 yards gained in an overtime victory against Wake Forest, Hammock was felled by a heart problem that ended his playing days.
Hammock’s ties to Northern Illinois resurfaced in 2005-2006 when he served as Northern Illinois running backs coach under head coach Joe Novak. Novak coached Hammock as a player.
Prior to coaching at Northern Illinois, Hammock worked with the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League for five seasons as an assistant.
Coach Hammock will have his work cut out for him. School appearances in Mid-American Conference championship games and bowl games have become the order of the day at Northern Illinois.
Last season under departed head coach Rod Carey, the Huskies finished with an 8-6 record. The season was highlighted by a comeback victory over Buffalo in the MAC championship game and a road victory over Brigham Young University. The downside was a 37-13 loss to Alabama-Birmingham in the Boca Raton Bowl.
Northern Illinois have 16 starters returning, including quarterback Marcus Childers and running back Tre Harbison. On defense, Hammock can count on linebacker Kyle Pugh and safety Trayshon Foster, among others.
Replacing all-America defensive end Sutton Smith and offensive tackle Max Sharping may not be easy.
The Huskies’ non-conference schedule is loaded.
After opening with Illinois State, Northern Illinois will take to the road for games with power five conference foes Utah (Pac-10), Nebraska (Big Ten), and Vanderbilt (Southeastern Conference), in September.
Seven of Northern Illinois’ first 10 games are on the road before the Huskies close out the season with two midweek games against MAC West foes, Eastern Michigan November 19, and Western Michigan November 26.
In a recent preseason national coaches’ poll not one MAC team gained so much as one vote.
The Huskies play in the MAC West Division with Toledo, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, and Ball State.
A major key to Northern Illinois’ success of late has been the team’s ability to defeat Eastern Michigan and Ball State. The Huskies have defeated Eastern Michigan in 11 straight games and have a 10-game winning streak against Ball State.