Carifio: It’s time to unleash the NIU passing game

ANN ARBOR, Michigan – Every game and every opponent is different, a truism both NIU coach Thomas Hammock and quarterback Rocky Lombardi acknowledged after the Huskies’ 63-10 loss Saturday at Michigan.

But one common thread throughout the Huskies’ 1-2 start has been the relative conservativism of the NIU passing game.

In a season-opening 22-21 win at Georgia Tech, Lombardi – a highly touted transfer from Michigan State who led the Spartans to an upset win at Michigan last year – was 11 for 17 for 136 yards, but did lead the comeback on the final drive.

Against Wyoming, he was 19 of 36 for 233 yards and three interceptions, although the high number of attempts was a product of NIU rallying back from 26-down to take the lead in the fourth before losing, 50-43.

And Saturday, he was 9 of 17 for 46 yards and a pick.

Saturday the Huskies focused on the run, and Lombardi said that’s where he helped out with seven carries for a team-best 72 yards.

“It’s going to be a different game each week,” Lombardi said.

Hammock called Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson one of the best in the country, as he had three sacks and seven tackles entering Saturday’s game.

He had two tackles and no sacks against the Huskies.

“If you are playing a team that has good defensive linemen and you’re holding the ball back there that creates some other problems,” Hammock said. “[Hutchinson] is probably one of the best players in the country, and I’m not sure how many plays he made today. But we tried our best to neutralize him today. But what we’re not going to do is let our quarterback stand back there and let people tee off on him.”

Lombardi did throw a touchdown pass, finding Cole Tucker late in the game for a 9-yard score, the first touchdown of the game for NIU.

But a big difference in the Michigan game from the first two games of the season was the Huskies’ run game. Harrison Waylee reached 144 yards against Georgia Tech and 179 against Wyoming, both career highs. He carried only 12 times for 38 yards against the Wolverines.

The Huskies did end up with 162 rushing yards on 26 carries.

But even with the running game not producing as it had the first two games, Lombardi was kept on a short leash, checking down and not looking downfield.

On paper, it makes sense. Like every position, NIU has a young offensive line, and the Michigan line, like the Wyoming and Georgia Tech defensive lines, are decidedly not.

“I’m excited for it to open up,” Lombardi said. “I think he’s doing the right thing for our team. And think he’ll continue to do the right thing for our team the rest of the season. It’s a little different for me, but you have to play each opponent differently because sometimes, like today, you are just outmatched. That’s just how it goes.”

Next up, the Huskies play Maine, an FCS school. The week after that MAC play starts with Eastern Michigan, predicted to finish fifth in the MAC West - NIU is predicted to take sixth.

Hopefully those teams are different enough from ranked Big Ten teams to produce different numbers for Lombardi and the offense.