Grady’s confidence growing
By JOHN SAHLY - Shaw Suburban Media
After watching the film of Saturday’s 27-22 victory at Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois coach Jerry Kill believes quarterback DeMarcus Grady’s comfort level grew as the game progressed.
“I think he settled in a little bit,” said NIU coach Jerry Kill. “He made some plays with his feet. If he doesn’t, we’re not sitting here talking about winning the game.”
Grady started his first game of the season in place of the injured Chandler Harnish, who could be out 2-3 weeks with an unspecified knee injury. He finished the game 6 of 10 for 60 yards and had 55 yards rushing.
Kill said Grady should feel a lot more comfortable this week as the 4-3 (2-1 MAC West) Huskies prepare to play Akron (1-6, 0-3 MAC East) in an 11 a.m. home game Saturday.
NIU running back Chad Spann said he saw an uptick in Grady’s poise throughout the Miami game, something Grady will need in a three-game homestand crucial to the Huskies’ hopes of making it to a bowl.
“He just got more comfortable,” Spann said. “He was making plays, not only throwing the ball, but he was making them with his feet, which is what we need out of him. We need him to make those third-and-short plays when he’s running the ball.”
Kill also said that redshirt freshman defensive tackle Brian Lawson has a hand/finger injury, which kept him out of the Miami game and it is unknown how long Lawson will be sidelined. Kill didn’t rule out that the injury could be season-ending.
Lawson’s hand was injured before the Toledo game when it got caught up in a shoulder pad on a play, but doctors cleared him to play against the Rockets. Lawson had surgery on the hand this past Friday.
Jake Coffman started at nose guard in Lawson’s place against Miami and recorded 2.5 sacks. Kill said he would prefer to move Coffman back outside to end and some of that movement will depend on the improvement of Nabal Jefferson and Adam Coleman.
“A lot of it will be according to who we play,” Kill said.
Finally, sophomore wide receiver Nate Palmer was not on the dress list for Saturday’s game because of an issue with team policy, Kill said. Kill also said the issue was strictly team-related and not legally-related.
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