Synopses & Reviews
1951: Bob Heimerdinger leads Northern Illinois to a perfect record. 1963: Record-setting quarterback George Bork guides the Huskies to the 1963 National Championship. 1983: Bill Mallory coaches the Huskies to a MAC Championship and victory in the California Bowl. 1993: Running back LeShon Johnson finishes sixth in the Heisman Trophy race. 2003: Northern Illinois shocks national powerhouses Maryland and Alabama en-route to a 10-win season. 2011: Quarterback Chandler Harnish sparks the Huskies to a thrilling MAC Championship over Ohio.
Larry English. Doug Free. Michael Turner. Garrett Wolfe. Theres nothing quite like being a Huskie, and only the chosen few can comprehend the feeling of pride, loyalty, and honor that defines the experience. Northern Illinois Huskies Football captures that feeling through revealing interviews with some of the greatest players to ever wear the Huskie uniform. Sports journalist Dan Verdun chronicles the memories and stories of the countless young men who blocked and tackled their way to victory as a part of the great Huskies football tradition. Telling the fascinating story of Huskies football decade by decade, Verdun recalls all the important moments, unforgettable games, and lasting traditions that have been a part of football at Northern Illinois for over 111 years. From the schools very first team led by coach John L. Keith in 1899 to Dave Doerens most recent squad and its unforgettable trip to the 2012 GoDaddy.com Bowl, Northern Illinois Huskies Football will dazzle and delight fans of the subject with its irresistible mix of pride and nostalgia. Lavishly illustrated with photographs from throughout the programs storied history, and with a foreword by beloved former head coach Joe Novak, Verduns book deserves a place in the collection of any football fan ever to sing: Forward together forward. Theres victory in view. Come on you Huskies. Fight on you Huskies. And win for NIU.
Synopsis
At Northern Illinois University football is king. With fans still savouring NIU’s victory over Fresno State in the 2010 Humanitarian Bowl, the Huskies have never been more popular. And with the team continuing to improve after several strong seasons, the ranks of its loyal supporters will only increase.
Newcomers and hardcore Huskie lifers alike will want to get their hands on Dan Verdun’s extensively researched guide to football at NIU. Verdun takes on Huskie history decade by decade, and each chapter is filled with fascinating interviews with dozens of players, coaches, and reporters on the local sports beat. Evoking a potent mix of school pride and nostalgia, Northern Illinois Huskies Football highlights important moments, memorable games, and enduring traditions. Lavishly illustrated with images from throughout the program’s storied history, and with a foreword by beloved former head coach Joe Novak, Verdun’s vivid and exciting work deserves a place on any college football fan’s bookshelf—or next to the cooler at your next Huskie tailgating party.
About the Author
Dan Verdun is a sports journalist based in Naperville and an alumnus of Northern Illinois University.
Joe Novak was head football coach at Northern Illinois University from 1996 to 2007.