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PAGE HEADER HISTORY M AC W E S T 2001 2002 2004 2005 C H A M P I O N S www.niuhuskies.com Section Title 119 HUSKIE FOOTBALL: THE FIRST CENTURY new word. In the quote from The Norther linois State Normal School prior to his arrival “...We feel safe in predict- yearbook, it is hyphenated. On the flier re- in DeKalb. Since NISNS enrolled only 25 male ing that so long as foot-ball is printed on the opposite page, it’s two words. students “...football was the most difficult conducted in the businesslike At least author Mark Twain, after witnessing (sport to start)...and only with Professor way that it was during the the Yale-Princeton game in 1900, said: “It Keith as one of the players were they able first year of our school, it will beats croquet...” to field a team,” wrote Earl W. Hayter in his continue to be the principal Little did coach Keith know what he book, Education in Transition—The History game of the Northern Illinois started. In the 103 memory-filled seasons of Northern Illinois University. State Normal School.” since (except for 1917, 1918, and 1919 when “The football season was half gone when The Norther yearbook (1900) Northern Illinois did not field a team due to the idea occurred to that ingenious man, Mr. World War I), the Cardinal and Black molded a Keith, that the NISNS might get up and sup- rich tradition in football. Sixty-three of those port a team,” The Norther reported in the Huskie campaigns wound up .500 or better. spring of 1900. With the 5-foot-9, 136-pound The 104th Season. The Northern Illinois Since 1899, there have been 472 Northern Keith at quarterback, Northern Illinois with University Football Centennial. The First Illinois victories to celebrate, 423 defeats to a roster of 14 “men and boys” (the vintage Century. The Way We Were. The New Mil- agonize, and 51 ties to frustrate. team picture on this page only features 13 lennium. The Second Century. There has been a National Championship players) defeated DeKalb High School, 16-0, C H A M P I O N S Such an amazing juxtaposition—the Huskie (1963), seven bowl teams (1946, 1947, 1962, in its gridiron debut on November 10, 1899. past and future. A linear timeline does not 1963, 1965, 1983, and 2004), four unbeaten- Victory No. 1. The first of many. do justice to all the accomplishments, the untied seasons (1904, 1944, 1951, and 1963), Two years later, Keith’s fledging Huskies many team and individual milestones, or the eight conference championships (1938, 1944, recorded their first intercollegiate success. joy and despair connected with Northern 1946, 1951, 1963, 1964, 1965, and 1983), and On November 2, 1901, Northern Illinois Illinois football. Or the parallel develop- three division titles (2001, 2002, and 2004). blanked North Central College of Naperville, ment of a major-college athletics program There have been Huskies in pro football since 10-0, in DeKalb. James I. Frederick—listed from such humble origins that mirrored the the 1930s, All-Pro performers (six), Super as the starting left tackle—ran for a 75-yard phenomenal growth of a Normal School into Bowl champions (one), Heisman Trophy vote- touchdown vs. NCC. Halfback Sanford Givens a full-fledged state university. getters (four), national individual statistical scored the other TD on a “smash through the Do you think pioneer Northern Illinois State champions (16), All-America selections (76), line.” In those days, TDs—when the point Normal School player-coach-team manager and Academic All-America picks (12). Not after kick was missed—were worth only five John L. Keith or the Huskies’ first team cap- bad as legacies go. points. Season-wise, Northern Illinois would tain Victor Kays could envision the Cardinal Northern Illinois took its first football steps finish 6-1 overall and outscore the opposition, and Black’s current role as one of the 119 in 1899. Keith, a professor of pedagogy 108-18. National Collegiate Athletic Association Divi- (teaching), was exposed to the game on the By 1902, championship fever struck in sion 1-A gridiron programs? If transported East coast as a graduate student at Harvard DeKalb. The Norther called it “...defend- by a time machine from 1899 to 2005, how and coached that sport and basketball at Il- ing The Castle”—in reference to the original far would Kays’ jaw drop campus building, Altgeld upon seeing the modern Hall. Keith’s Northern 28,000-seat Huskie Sta- Illinois eleven produced dium on West campus? a 5-1-1 record “...and Could Keith comprehend Eastern (Illinois) Normal the monumental leap challenged his team for in competition from the championship,” Hay- the early games against ter described. “With the high schools, local town 2001 2002 2004 2005 largest crowd in three teams, or nearby acad- seasons on hand, North- emies to the Big Ten, the ern defeated Charleston Big 12, the Southeastern (10-0 on November 15) Conference, the Atlantic and declared itself the Coast Conference, etc.? ‘champion Normal team Could anyone from those of the State.’” early days visualize NIU’s Circa 1903, another new 37th season as a ma- chapter opened in the jor-college and games Northern Illinois football against such national story. NISNS moved to its powers as Nebraska, new home for the next M AC W E S T Florida, Michigan, Iowa, 60 football seasons—the Miami (FL), and Ohio rustic 400-seat Glidden State? Or high profile Field on East campus Huskie appearances on next to the Kishwaukee national television? River where the Art and Football. Back then, Music buildings are now no one could spell the The first Northern Illinois football team (1899) located. 120 History www.niuhuskies.com HUSKIE FOOTBALL: THE FIRST CENTURY Obviously, hundreds of student-athletes downer came when NIU’s governing body, state and joined a (then) select group of 118 and many coaches contributed to the Huskie the State Teachers College Board, turned nationwide. success story. The fourth-winningest taskmas- down a bid to the Florida-based Tangerine In major-college year No. 4, Northern Illi- ter in the Northern Illinois football legacy Bowl since it would extend the season seven nois posted a 7-4-0 season with four triumphs turned out to be the popular Willard W. weeks. in its final five games—including a 28-7 tri- M AC W E S T Wirtz. Not only did Wirtz produce a 33-17-9 Another lineman—an All-Little 19 tackle umph over defending MAC champion Kent won-lost-tied record during 1910-16, his son named Howard Fletcher—from Evans’ 1938 State with superstar linebacker Jack Lambert (also Willard W.) would later succeed Arthur league champs followed in “Chick’s” foot- and a 30-7 road victory at Toledo—for coach Goldberg as the Secretary of Labor in the steps 18 seasons later as Huskie head coach. Jerry Ippoliti. John F. Kennedy administration While the highlight of NIU’s in 1961. first tenure in the Mid-Am (1975- In three seasons (1920-22), 1900 Line-Up 85) would be The Championship Paul Harrison coached North- Season in 1983, one cannot Northern Illinois State ern Illinois to 3-5-0, 3-5-0, and Normal School ignore the individual brilliance 5-4-1 campaigns. of fullback Mark Kellar (NCAA His claim to Huskie fame? Pos. Player (Hgt., Wgt.) 1-A rushing champ in 1973) and 2001 2002 2004 2005 According to The Norther, LE Richard DeYoung (5-9, 138) split end Dave Petzke (NCAA 1-A Harrison beat all the National LT David Madden (5-11, 165) receiving champ in 1978), both Football League teams cur- LG Lloyd Stetzler (5-6, 140) future Huskie Hall of Famers and rently training in Wisconsin C Eugene Phillips (6-2, 170) All-Century Team selections. by several decades. In 1922, RG Edward Malone (5-4, 158) Under head coach Bill Mal- he took the Cardinal and Black RT Ray Mofet (6-1, 170) lory, Northern Illinois cracked the to Lake Geneva for a week of RE Edgar Hipple (5-11, 168) Top 40 in 1983—finishing No. calisthenics, heavy work, prac- QB John Keith (5-9, 136) 30 in the final AP poll, winning tice, chalk talks, hikes, sunburn, FB Victor Kays (6-0, 140) the MAC, and going 10-2-0—in- LHB Sanford Givens (5-9, 155) swimming, letter writing, and cluding a season-opening 37-34 RHB Henry Hausen (5-7, 170) newspaper reading. triumph at Kansas, the school’s Ever heard the advertising first success against the Big 12. slogan for M&Ms? “Melts in your mouth, From 1956 until 1968, “Fletch” produced a Mallory’s Huskies topped Cal State-Fullerton, not in your hands.” Sound familiar? That 74-48-1 record and became Northern Illinois’ 20-13, in California Bowl III, live on ESPN Madison Avenue classic was created by ex- second winningest coach. Fletcher lived and the Mizlou networks. This Hall of Fame Huskie football captain, NIU Athletics Hall of by the pass and the Dutch Meyer Spread team would ultimately boast seven NFL draft Famer, and All-Little 19 Conference offensive or “Shotgun” formation, won three IIAC choices and 19 professional players. During guard John McNamara (1927-31). McNamara crowns (1963, 1964, and 1965), and captured the final 15 games of the Mallory regime, served as the president of M&M Mars, Inc., the College Division National Championship the Huskies won 13 of them. invented M&M peanut candies, and was also (1963).