Northern Illinois Football: Can Huskies return to MAC contention in 2021?

Huskies banking on transfer QB to get things rolling

Northern Illinois was average on offense last season, but they have higher expectations of themselves, and depending on how the young players improve and the new transfers settle in, this could be a boom or bust unit.

After going through spring practice, Michigan State transfer quarterback Rocky Lombardi won the starting job and he will be tasked with getting the NIU offense back on track and high scoring once again.

Lombardi has plenty of starting experience, but his play has been uneven, hence him transferring. If Lombardi can raise his game to another level, it would be a big deal for this offense and raises the ceiling of the team.

At running back, the Huskies return last year’s leading rusher Harrison Waylee, who finished the short 2020 season with 456 yards rushing and one touchdown. The yards per carry was not great, but Waylee is still young and he showed improvement later in the season when had 100-yard rushing games against Eastern Michigan and Toledo. Those games were pretty competitive and keeping Waylee going could be the key to being competitive on offense.

The Huskies return their top three wide receivers and the group is led by Tyrice Richie, who led the team with 53 catches for nearly 600 yards and four touchdowns. Because it was a shortened season, those numbers could be even bigger in 2021. Cole Tucker and Trayvon Rudolph are the other starters and they should be good complements to Richie. Youngstown State transfer Miles Joiner is slated to be the new tight end. The offensive line showed improvement towards the end of the season and they bring back four of the five starters from 2020.

This offense has the pieces to be successful, but a lot of it hinges on younger players taking steps forward and Lombardi having a smooth transition as the new starting quarterback.