DEKALB — As deafening artificial crowd noise was pumped in during practices this week, Northern Illinois coach Rod Carey and his staff suffered from headaches.
But sophomore quarterback Drew Hare, preparing to make just his second collegiate start Saturday night at Arkansas, said he welcomes more noise and the hostile surroundings at Razorback Stadium.
“I am just trying to get as prepared as I can,” Hare said this week. “It’s going to be a good environment. We’ve been in loud games before. We have a loud game plan, per se. Once we get in the flow of the game, everything is going to be all right.”
Hare has emerged as the starter from a three-man competition including Anthony Maddie and Matt McIntosh.
“It was competitive from the get-go and all three played extremely well,” NIU offensive coordinator Bob Cole said. “It was a matter of when they get in the game, how are they going to play. (Hare) just looks confident out there. He’s relaxed and calm and does a good job of operating the offense. He doesn’t make bad decisions and gets the ball to the guys we need to get it to. We’re real happy with where he is right now.”
Hare completed 18 of 28 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns along with 74 yards rushing on 14 carries Saturday night in the Huskies’ 48-34 victory at UNLV. He led NIU to all of its points in the 23-15 victory over Northwestern on Sept. 6.
Following in the footsteps of Mid-American Conference MVPs Jordan Lynch and Chandler Harnish, Hare must focus on his individual skill set to give the NIU offense the best chance to succeed.
“He’s not going to pull a Lynch and run the ball 35 times a game,” Cole said. “But he is good enough to get his first downs on third-and-long when things aren’t open. That’s a real positive. He’s a heck of a thrower, he is really accurate. He is his own guy, (but) the offense will be different and we have a ton of players around him.”
Cole reminds Hare the weight of the offense is not entirely on him.
Cameron Stingily rushed 17 times for 102 yards as the Huskies totaled 331 yards on the ground at UNLV. Wide receiver Da’Ron Brown recorded his second straight 100-yard receiving game with six catches for 138 yards.
“He has plenty of a supporting cast around him, and he knows that,” Cole said. “And the offensive line has been around together for two years. Just manage the game and we’ll be in good shape.”
Cole also has been impressed with Hare’s leadership skills on the field.
“He’s a quiet kid during the week, but I have heard now from numerous players that when the game gets going, he gets going. That’s a good thing to hear,” Cole said. “Then the mental aspect of it, he knows everyone’s assignment on offense for each play. He is kind of like a coach on the field, which you kind of hope for.”
Hare seems to have the trust of his teammates, as well.
“He has stepped up, showed leadership,” senior tight end Luke Eakes said. “He has been playing really well, making passes that he needs to make, getting the ball to the running backs. His playing sound football has really helped our offense.”
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