Recruiting Time Machine: The 2005 Class

I'm sick and tired of people saying we're in a rebuilding mode. Last year was rebuilding mode. This year we have to perform. The talent and potential on this team is on par in my opinion with the great Huskie teams of the past. Even with the coaching change, I feel as though we have enough talent to succeed in the gauntlet that is the MAC West this year. Here is the previous entry to this series of looking back at recruiting classes and how they will possibly shape this upcoming season:

Recruiting Time Machine: The 2004 Class

U of I: 11/22/04 - Fired Ron Turner, 12/7/04 - Hired Ron Zook. We had just won a bowl game. We were kings of Illinois at the time, while the boys down south were in turmoil.

Coincidentally, Akron beat us in recruiting and the MAC Championship in 2005.


This class takes in account the 4-year guys including Seniors who never redshirted and the Juniors who did and have that extra year of eligibility to return next year for their 5th.


Class Rankings

Phil Steele - #2 in the MAC (behind Akron)
Rivals - #1 in the MAC (tied with Akron), #83 Overall
Scout - #6 in the MAC, #97 Overall

Class Size - 20 of 24 remain + 3 transfers and 5 walk-ons

Location: 14 - IL, 4 - WI, 3 - MN, 2 - IN, 1 - MO


Top of the Class (In Alphabetical Order)

50 C Eddie Adamski
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.2
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking: #424 OL

Eddie has started at Center the past 2 seasons and last year graded out the highest out of any other offensive lineman.

21 TB Justin Anderson
Rivals rating: 3-stars, 5.5, #65 Athlete, #29 player in IL
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking: #54 QB
Other offers: Illinois

Became the 5th straight running back to record over 1,000 yds rushing to keep the 9-year streak alive. Voted 2nd Team All-MAC and Soph All-American. Anderson is surprisingly good at catching passes out of the backfield catching 45 balls last year which placed him 2nd in receptions. Look for him to be slimmer and speedier this upcoming season.

SR 36 CB Chase Carter
JUCO Tranfer
Scout rating: 2-stars

This transfer from Coffeyville CC in Wichita Kansas has been phenomenal from day one starting at CB for the Huskies. He stays healthy, causes turnovers and has some speed to his game that makes him invaluable this upcoming season.

SR 18 P Andy Dittbenner
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.1
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking: #68 K

It took him a while, but Andy finally got the hang of things last year with a punting avg of 43.5 yds which was good to set an NIU record, rank 5th in the MAC and 16th nationally. He deservedly won NIU's most improved player at the end of the season LY.

SR 2 CB Melvin Rice
Rivals rating: 3-stars, 5.5, #41 Cornerback
Scout rating: 2-stars, #96 CB
PS ranking: #73 DB
Other offers: Akron, Ball St

Mel Rice leads all NIU defenders with 12 career pass breakups. Those Morgan Park boys doesn't mess around. He will hit you hard, very hard. He still has a ton of potential and I can't wait to see what he does with the new defensive scheme.

59 OT Kevin Skatrud
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.2
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking: #533 OL

Was rock-solid LY starting all but one game at Left Guard. Will have to help out whoever ends up playing LT for us a ton.


Potential Breakout Players

SR 9 LB Josh Allen
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.1
Scout rating: 1-star
PS ranking: #143 QB

Now that I look at it, Josh Allen led all Linebackers and placed 3rd on the team with 89 tackles last year. He started all 12 games (avoiding the injury bug) and had 9 TFL in addition to 2 sacks. However, in the post-spring media guide, he was 2nd string SLB behind converted SS Alex Kube! I hope JA gets pissed and regains some sort of spot in the starting lineup.

49 FB Anthony Antonacci
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.1
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking: #256 DL

Tony A has the fast-track to become the first ever starting fullback in the Kill era for the Huskies as long as he's recovered from his knee injury he endured early last season.

56 DE Brandon Bice
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.2
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking: #345 LB

Bice works and works to become better at that LE spot, but is obviously going to be overshadowed by the guy on the other side in Larry English. He started 11 games last year and hopes to be a force alongside the reigning MAC MVP to help not only our rush defense, but putting pressure on the QB helping the secondary.

52 LB Phil Brown
Rivals rating: 3-stars, 5.5, #46 Outside linebacker, #28 player in IL
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking: #156 LB
Other offers: Ball St

Phil Brown played in 11 games last year, starting 3. He is unfortunately not in the starting lineup at the moment buried behind Alex Kube and Josh Allen. However, he has a ton of untapped talent and would be a force if he became a full-time linebacker. Played a little DE last year filling in for injured players.

83 TE Reed Cunningham
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 4.9
Scout rating: 1-star
PS ranking: #220 TE

This is Reed's job to lose. He's shown flashes of vast potential in the past, but last year he was hampered by various knee and ankle injuries starting 4 games and only playing in 6. Could be the next star at TE even though Kill doesn't think much of him so far.

26 LB Cory Hanson
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.2
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking: #479 DB

Yet another current backup LB that can start. Started 12 of 13 as a redshirt Freshman. LY appeared in 8 and started 6 while flirting with injuries.

57 LB Zach Larsen
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.1
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking: #175 LB

I think we can call this "The Linebacker Class". Larsen played in 11 games and started the last 6. Was co-winner of most-improved award.

SR 24 DB Bradley Pruitt
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.1
Scout rating: 1-star
PS ranking: #338 DB

Along with Patrick George, Bradley will be filling in as the 3rd CB in nickel and dime situations this year. Played in all 12 games starting 11 LY, all while switching back and forth from CB to S. Finished 2nd on the team with 92 tackles, although the little guy got dragged on a few of those takedowns.

SR 17 WR Greg Turner
Walk-on
PS Ranking: #139 DB

Slated in as the 3rd WR this year. He appeared in 10 games LY starting 4 of them and is known as more of a posession guy. Hopefully he gained some speed this off-season to match Coach Kill's liking.

11 K/P Mike Salerno
Winona St Tranfer
Scout rating: 3-stars, #8 Kicker

Salerno's kicking job to lose. If he can hold the walk-on from Joliet JC Steve Ivanisevic off. A virtual unkown other than he was highly touted by scout coming out of high school and has set some Winona Stat records for kicking already.

27 SS Spencer Williamson
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.2
Scout rating: 1-star
PS ranking: #525 LB

Spencer is the main "3rd guy" coming out to play the safety position. He has good size and I bet he could cause a few "oohs" and "aahs" this year.


The Backups

4 RB David Bryant
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.1
Scout rating: 1-star
PS ranking: #468 LB

This converted linebacker was Justin Anderson's backup for most of last year while all of the other RBs went down with injuries. He's behind Clanton & Spann but is still a guy that may get some carries.

32 FS Jeff Fontana
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.0
Scout rating: 1-star
PS ranking: #355 DB

Well, well, well. Jeff had a tough time last year with coverage. Hopefully this year he can step it up and push the new starting safeties for their spots.

66 OT Tony Holmes
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.4
Scout rating: 1-star
PS ranking: #514 OL

Current 3rd string tackle that saw time in 8 games last year. A little on the big side weighing 330 lbs.

48 LB Mike Kritikos
Walk-on

Good luck seeing time being Larry English's backup. Will have to add some weight to his 220 lb frame if he wants to stick on that line.

1 DB Anthony Mason
Valparaiso Transfer

Ant Mason was a spark-plug for the Special Teams and nickel/dime back last year. Is ballsy for taking Wolfe's old number.

77 OG Tim Mayerbock
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.3
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking: #333 OL
Other offers: Akron

Tim started the first 4 games at LG last season but has fell off since. Kill's post-spring depth chart has him behind both Skatrud and Tense for the LG spot this year.

15 QB Ryan Morris
Walk-on

Ryan performed mop-up duty for Dan Nicholson when he was dinged up last year. Has had his moments filling in, but doesn't have the arm strength or accuracy to be the starter full time over Dan Nicholson or Chandler Harnish this year.

12 DB David Pratt
Walk-on

Pratt walked-on LY as a Junior and redshirted. I should have done this. Probable practice squad guy.

9 TB Matt Schiffler
Walk-on

Solid special teams guy who will only make an appearance at RB in the Spring Game or when we blow out Indiana State (2006 and week 4 this year)

64 OT Jake Wertz
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.0
Scout rating: 1-star
PS ranking: #331 OL

Another guy with limited experience that only played against Indiana St in 2006. I hope we actually have more of a rotation in the offensive line this year more than we did last year with the same guys playing the entire game with nobody subbing in.

82 WR Preston Williams
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.1
Scout rating: 1-star
PS ranking: #475 WR

Probably is more famous for being mentioned in a DMS song than the football field.


Who are these guys?

OL Ethan Gill
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.2
Scout rating: 1-star
PS ranking: #675

Quit before 2006 season

DL Adam Grimm
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.0
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking: #238 OL

Career ending back injury.

WR Orlando Moore
Rivals rating: 3-stars, 5.5
Scout rating: 2-stars
PS ranking - #48 WR
Other offers: Michigan St, Bowling Green & Toledo

Was highly touted coming in, but ended up having grade issues. One day I going to class, some coach was lecturing him about this same issue. Remember what Mr. T says: "Don't be a fool, stay in school"

WR Justin Williams
Rivals rating: 2-stars, 5.0
Scout rating: 1-star
PS ranking: #475 WR

Quit before 2006 season, ?