NIU Huskies Seek First Win in 11 Games Against UNLV Rebels

Northern Illinois is 0-7 and has not scored more than 30 points in a single game this season. The Huskies travel to Las Vegas on Saturday to face the UNLV Rebels, a team that lost 41-31 to Air Force last week despite leading in the third quarter.

The two programs have a history that favors DeKalb. NIU has won all five previous meetings, including a 38-30 victory in 2015. The last time the Huskies played in Vegas was in 2014, when they won 48-34.

The Huskies are struggling across the board. They rank in the bottom 10 nationally in 16 statistical categories. This includes six offensive metrics, six defensive metrics, and four special teams categories. NIU is last in the FBS for red zone offense, kickoff return defense, and third down conversion defense.

Junior running back Telly Johnson Jr. is the one bright spot. He rushed for 502 yards and four touchdowns this year. His average of 5.28 yards per carry ranks 50th in the country and fifth in the Mountain West Conference. However, the team as a whole ranks 132th in rushing offense with 100.1 yards per game.

Interim coach Rob Harley said the team has had to throw the ball more because they frequently fall behind. He noted that the numbers do not always reflect the flow of the game. Harley said the coaching staff wants to do what works rather than sticking to a rigid thought process.

In the first quarter of last week's 56-21 loss to Hawaii, Johnson ran four times for just 3 yards. He finished that game with 63 yards on 14 carries. That was his lowest output since the season opening loss at Iowa.

Harley said the team is changing practice routines to reduce mistakes. The staff is spending less time on scout team drills and more time on good versus good drills. The first team offense now plays directly against the first team defense. Harley said this creates organic situations that are hard to replicate in standard drills.

The goal is not perfection, but avoiding catastrophic errors. Harley said if 75% of the plays are good and the remaining 25% are average, the team can play a decent game. He believes every position group can shine if each player does their specific job.

Junior Yassine Falke has four interceptions this season. He recorded one in each of his first three games, then went three games without one. He picked off a pass from Micah Alejado early in the fourth quarter against Hawaii. NIU scored on the next drive to cut the lead to 49-21.

Falke leads the Mountain West and is third nationally with 0.57 interceptions per game. Harley said Falke has a knack for being near the football and making plays. He is one of the most athletic and read-and-react players on the field.