1 AA JoeJoe NovakNovak ClassicClassic It came down to this. Belief in The But it all fit. It came to fly home. System. A-here’s-how-Northern-Illinois- together. This was a Novak Back in August, who University-football-will-succeed plan. The story. Northern Illinois classic. A true knew that Northern The program turnaround. Averaging nine wins grit, blue collar, stick-your- Illinois would go a year in each of the last three seasons. It’s a nose-in-it 34-21 victory over bowling? People in Joe Novak classic. Troy. That win, the entire DeKalb wondered if there Just rerun that ESPN2 footage from the season, and Haldi’s TD run all would be life after All- 2004 Silicon Valley Football Classic. On a damp, had Novak’s middle-class, America tailback Michael dreary late December night in San Jose, CA, work ethic methodology “The Burner” Turner, Huskie senior quarterback Josh Haldi written all over it. Novak’s popular split end P. J . executed the symbolic play in the program's vision became an ESPN Fleck (and his “flock”), penultimate test of the last three decades and “SportsCenter” reality. prolific placekicker Steve set an unofficial school record for resolve. The Proudly holding the Azar, or talented typical no-frills Novak play: A simple, but Silicon Valley Football Classic defensive backs Randee effective one-yard “naked” bootleg right run on trophy over his head in Drew and Akil Grant. slippery, rain-soaked turf. triumph was validation for The long-suffering On a resolve scale of ten, the determined Novak, his staff, his players, and Cardinal and Black faithful Northern Illinois quad-captain scored a “12.” numerous others who helped lamented over the bowl Haldi’s touchdown burst to the end zone and retool a Huskie program that snub and hoped it would the ensuing extra point would put the Cardinal had sunk below ground zero and now finished not be another 21 years before another 10-win and Black ahead, 24-14, at halftime against Troy. its second straight season in the nation’s Top Huskie campaign in the cornfields. All along, No. 10 realized he was carrying more 30. Novak’s perseverance won. His plan Novak—who knew the foundation was in than the football. The hopes, the aspirations, worked. In 103 previous years, no Northern place—had an inkling. So did the national the dreams of The Huskie Nation rested on his Illinois football team had ever recorded 19 media. broad shoulders. Particularly when your school triumphs in back-to-back seasons or 27 wins in For the first time since 1990, Northern was playing in its first bowl game since 1983. three consecutive campaigns. Illinois garnered preseason votes in both the Haldi’s symbolic TD was no different than So what was Novak thinking at that Associated Press (media) and ESPN / USA the game on several levels. The first rule of precise moment—11:53 p.m. (PST)—on Today (coaches) polls. Novak’s Huskies would Novak football: Run the ball. Northern Illinois December 30? open the 2004 schedule at Maryland, ranking did that, pummeling the nation’s No. 7 major- “All the progress we’ve made. How No. 40 in the AP and No. 48 in the ESPN / USA college rushing defense for a season-high 213- rewarding that moment was for everybody Today. yard yield. Due to a week of winter rain, San involved in our program. There’s only a few of “This is a different team. It has a different Jose State’s Spartan Stadium playing surface us who know how far we’ve really come,” personality. The roster is 40 percent different, was transformed into a sea of mud. Shades of Novak recalled. “The trophy says ‘Champions.’ but I think this can be a good football team,” Woodstock in 1969. The midfield Silicon Valley That’s what it’s about. Our kids are champions. Novak indicated prior to the Maryland game. Football Classic logo started fading in the “It’s been a long time coming, but such a “How good? I don’t know.” downpour. The bright Huskie cardinal uniform great win. This is really a testament to the Good enough, America. Maybe the Boys tops were darkened due to all the water or team’s character. These kids made a commit- of Novak weren’t the Cinderella story or the covered with gray mud and sand. Northern ment and tonight they fulfilled it. They’re not national media darling they were in 2003, but Illinois free safety Lionel Hickenbottom might about to quit. Eight years ago, the kids in the they won. After a slow start, Northern Illinois be still shivering some place. Novak’s rainproof program didn’t expect to win. This group now regrouped, took eight of its last nine contests, coaching gear was soaked. His shoes were expects to win. They think they can beat finished 9-3 overall, and recorded the caked with muck. Veteran equipment man anybody.” program’s first-ever fifth consecutive winning Dick Townsend’s retirement gift would be With the Silicon Valley Football Classic campaign during its National Collegiate washing the Huskie trophy in their Athletic Association Division 1-A tenure (since uniforms at least five times possession, these 1969). Novak and apiece. Huskies didn’t Company shared need a charter jet their third Mid- 2 AA JoeJoe NovakNovak ClassicClassic American Conference West Division title in four young kid went out there and made some game in Huskie Stadium history and in front of years, and wound up No. 29 in both final major plays.” After watching film, Novak didn’t feel a national ESPN2 audience, Northern Illinois polls. The locals lead the league in home the sting of being 0-1 for the first time since went old school—read Novak style—vs. new attendance (a school-record 27,052 spectators- 2000. “You never know about your team until wave Bowling Green State and posted an per-game average), All-MAC performers (12), you play a game. We made some mistakes, but impressive 34-17 triumph. “By far, it was our loop players of the week (10), National Football those things are all coachable. We’ve got some best game of the year,” the Huskie bossman League senior free agents (eight), and Mid-Am kids who can make plays. I like the attitude, the said. “Our running game was great. We kept all-academic picks (five). kids don’t ever think they can’t come back. I their (BGSU) offense off the field. An eight- “I certainly think we are bowl worthy,” just don’t want to be in that position too often. minute drive that goes 91 yards to start the Novak said after going 8-3 in the regular They sure don’t quit, I’ll say that.” fourth quarter, that was ideal.” NIU held the season. “We’ll go anywhere, Saginaw, MI, if we Next came the Civil War Southern Illinois ball for 32:18 and gained a (then) season-high have to.” Rumors put the Huskies in the GMAC, showdown—a 1-A vs. 1-AA throwback 292 ground yards in 54 attempts. At QB, Independence, and Silicon Valley bowls. The traditional battle that attracted the largest Horvath did a 180-degree turn from Iowa State official invitation to San Jose came on Decem- Huskie Stadium crowd (28,071) for a home by hitting 16-of-23 passes for 191 yards and ber 5. First-year NIU Director of Athletics Jim opener. Northern Illinois took bragging rights converted 6-of-12 third-down situations. Phillips accepted immediately. and prevailed by a 23-22 score when the “Horvath played a perfect game,” Novak added. All things considered, Maryland was not a Salukis failed on a two-point conversion “I don’t think Josh Haldi could’ve played any bad start to the 2004 season. For one, visiting attempt with 0:54 seconds left in the contest. better. Phil learned. He came to (offensive Northern Illinois did prove the 20-13 overtime With the relatively inexperienced quarterback, coordinator) John Bond last week and said ‘I’m victory the previous year in DeKalb was no the Huskies fumbled three times, missed some not throwing any interceptions.’” With A. J. fluke. The Huskies came back from an early 17- Red Zone scoring opportunities, and let a 23-9 Harris grounded by a left ankle sprain late in 2 deficit and rallied back in a 23-20 setback to lead dissolve in the final 14:13. “We’ve been the first half, soph TB Garrett Wolfe exploded the No. 20-rated Terrapins. In a strange set of sloppy,” Novak said. “That’s not us.” for a game-high 202 yards on 31 carries and circumstances, Northern Illinois would end the If there was a pivotal game in the Silicon three TDs (42, 21, and 8 yards). game on the UM 33-yard line and, due to the Valley Football Classic season for Northern During the next five weeks, Northern game officials, would not snap the ball during Illinois, then, in hindsight, it was the 48-41 loss Illinois would run its winning streak to six, the final 17 seconds of the game. Novak at Iowa State. In a topsy-turvy game where the improve its overall won-lost mark to 7-2, and downplayed the officiating snafu and looked Cyclones lost a 20-7 lead in the second period push into the Top 30 rankings again—moving ahead. On the first series against Maryland, and the Huskies failed to hold a 34-20 to a season-best No.