Football | October 24
DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University Huskies closed out the last padded practice of their 2020 preseason camp Saturday morning at Huskie Stadium with a two-hour workout in full pads.While camp formally concludes Sunday with a "mock game" exercise in shorts and helmets, Saturday's practice concluded four consecutive days of fully padded practice that featured extensive 11-on-11 work each day. Hammock said the schedule was designed to challenge his team.
"I really wanted to challenge the team before we ended camp," Hammock said. "We went four straight days of physical practices, and I really wanted to challenge their mentality. I talked to them yesterday about physical dominance gets you to a point, but mental dominance takes you beyond that point. So we wanted to make sure we took them beyond that point of what they thought they would be able to do, and they responded. There is give and take on both sides of the ball, but the level of physicality is exactly where we need it to be."
Another reason to challenge the Huskies physically during the preseason, according to Hammock, is the youth of the team, which features 60 newcomers on the 2020 roster.
"Overall, we've had a physical camp, and that was by design," Hammock said. "When you have so many young players in the program, you want to teach them what it takes to play at this level, you want to teach them the hard way. I couldn't be more proud of our team, the way they've embraced everything – the practice, the competition, and each situation we put them in – they've embraced it, they've excelled at it."
While working hard and practicing a physical brand of football that Hammock is looking to instill throughout the roster, the team has also brought energy and spirit born by competition.
"I'm having a blast and they're having fun," Hammock said. "They've bought in and our attitude, our energy, is different. I think part of the reason it's different is because we have a lot more competition in the program. Competition forces guys to show up each and every single day, instead of feeling some type of entitlement like, 'Hey, I started last year, so I'm good.' We don't have that, because you can go from starting to third string very, very quickly."
That competition is a result of the depth built, in large part, through recruiting. That's apparent in the number of freshmen who are on the field, including in first and second team positions. Hammock sees a much deeper Huskie team in 2020.
"We really attacked the depth in recruiting," Hammock said. "I thought that was an area that we could make a big jump. At the wide receiver position, I think we have depth. I think we have depth at the running back position. I think we have depth on the D-line. I think we have depth at linebacker, I think we have depth in the secondary. We addressed the needs, and then in recruiting, we said if we need one [player], we took two. That was our philosophy."
Regardless of the position, and in part due to the depth, Hammock sees an improved and "complete" team coming out of the preseason.
"When you have experienced what it looked like before, and what it looks like now, it's hard to put my finger on it, but I think where I've seen the most improvement is as a complete team, a team that can play complimentary football," he said. "We're not dependent on one side of the ball to step up. I think we can depend on each phase – offense, defense and special teams.
"We still have work to do, obviously. We're getting closer and closer as a football team, to be ready to play, and to play the style of football we want to be able to play."
With the preseason work officially wrapping up Sunday, NIU will turn its full attention to preparing for the season opener versus Buffalo on Wednesday, November 4. The game will air on ESPN2 with kickoff at 6 p.m. from Huskie Stadium.
Remember that fans can make their presence felt even though they can't be in the stands this year by purchasing a fan cutout as part of the "Huskie Howl" presented by First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO). For just $60, put your image – or that of your child, parent or even pet – on a sturdy cutout that will be visible in the East Stands. Orders must be completed by Monday, October 26 to ensure the cutout will be in place for all three 2020 football home games. Click here to order.
Net proceeds from all fan cutouts will benefit the Huskie Athletic Fund, which is currently in the midst of Huskies Invest: The Campaign, supporting student-athletes and NIU Athletics' COVID-19 relief efforts.
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Huskies Close Out Physical, Competitive Preseason Camp - Northern Illinois University Athletics
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