Usually, teams don’t run the scoreboard in practice.

However, this week NIU head coach Jerry Kill decided to take a different approach. During practice, the scoreboard at Huskie Stadium read – Rockets 70, Huskies 21. The score referred to last season’s contest at Toledo, when the Huskie defense gave up 812 yards of total offense at the Glass Bowl.

“I didn’t really harp a lot about it,” said NIU head coach Jerry Kill, referring to last season’s game. “I put the score on and said, ‘It is what it is.’ It’s embarrassing. The defense was embarrassed.”

NIU’s defense wasn’t embarrassed this time, as the Huskies only gave up seven points and forced three Rocket turnovers.

“We obviously got embarrassed and didn’t play well last year,” said senior defensive end Larry English. “We had an extra little challenge on our shoulders to come out and respond and really play well. I can say that I’m happy with the way the defense played.”

NIU hasn’t had any success against Toledo in recent years, particularly at home. The Huskies hadn’t beaten the Rockets in DeKalb since 1989, and have lost 13 out of the last 14 meetings to their MAC West rival.

The losses have been painful too. In 2006 there was the “Fog Bowl,” which almost cost NIU a bowl game as fog took over the field putting visibility at a low. During NIU’s 10-2 season in 2003, one of those losses was to Toledo. And then last year’s game.

This year, however, the Huskies were just too dominant, from NIU’s first offensive possession when running back Chad Spann ended a 67-yard touchdown drive with a 12-yard run, until the clock hit zero.

“We wanted to make it known that we weren’t here to mess around,” said quarterback Chandler Harnish. “I think we made our presence known right away that our offense was here to play.”

Who knows, maybe next year at this time the scoreboard at Toledo practice will read – Huskies 38, Rockets 7.

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