NIU football goes new school with offseason training

CHICAGO – Northern Illinois University decided to go new school with its training program this offseason after injuries took away some key players last year.

Huskies head coach Thomas Hammock felt the team needed to change how it trained at the end of the season. After collaborating with players and coaches he changed NIU’s approach and is eager to see whether it will help the Huskies stay healthy to have a bounce-back season.

“When you have that many injuries in a season you look back and start to wonder what could we have done differently,” quarterback Rocky Lombardi said during NIU’s Chicago Media Day. “We did that this offseason and hopefully that helps during the season and keeps us all healthy.”

Lombardi was one of the key players who missed games last season because of injury. He played in four games and threw for 645 yards and five touchdowns while four other quarterbacks took snaps for the Huskies when he was out. One of his top offensive targets, Trayvon Rudolph, missed all of last season because of a knee injury he suffered in August.

NIU finished the season 3-9 overall, 2-6 in the MAC, and lost five straight games after winning its opener against Eastern Illinois and claiming the 2021 MAC Championship.

The team’s director of sports performance Juney Barnett put together a program that was more new-school compared to how they trained before. The Huskies started to become more versatile and focused on their specific positions instead of just building general strength.

Hammock said he felt like the change was needed after a long 2022 for NIU. The Huskies played Coastal Carolina in the Cure Bowl on Dec. 17, 2021, and then returned to action in January before players started to suffer injuries before and during the season.

“We wanted to take care of the players, make sure that we’re mentally and physically fresh,” Hammock said. “Coach Juney and his staff did a tremendous job building a program where we can get the work done that we need but also make sure that we’re taking care of the players.”

The change came after a collaborative effort between the players and coaches. Players felt like they should have a say in how they’re training since they’re the ones out on the field competing and going through different injuries.

Coaches agreed.

After the coaches heard from the players, Barnett and the coaching staff put together a plan that focused on injury prevention and other practices that took pressure off their joints. The NIU players appreciated the open process.

“That’s a big thing with a program,” Rudolph said. “You can go to your coach and even your head coach and say I feel like this isn’t working. … Having that connection means a lot.”

Lombardi and Rudoph felt like they learned a lot from their injuries. Lombardi started to use bands more in his training instead of bench pressing 400 pounds so that he can more flexible and functional as a quarterback. He also started to do more pre-rehabilitation and injury prevention work to prepare for the season.

“When you have that many injuries in a season, you look back and start to wonder what could we have done differently. We did that this offseason and hopefully that helps during the season and keeps us all healthy.”

—  Rocky Lombardi, Northern Illinois quarterback

Communication also will play a major role in the Huskies’ health. Since a good amount of players have gone through injuries, they know what the warning signs are and can tell their teammates so they know what to do in case they encounter the same symptoms.

All of this change is in hopes of rebounding from a season that was derailed because of injury. With many players returning from the 2021 team that won the MAC Championship and some good health, the Huskies are ready to get to work.

“We have the most depth and talent since I’ve been here,” Lombardi said. “I’m really excited to get to work with these guys.”