Preview: Miami football opens up MAC play on the road against Northern Illinois

The Miami University football team is set to kick off Mid-American Conference (MAC) play this weekend with its first clash against Northern Illinois University (NIU).

The RedHawks and the Huskies are both 1-3 this season, with Northern Illinois’ only win coming in its season opener against Holy Cross. The RedHawks just picked up their first win against Lindenwood University in their second home game this season after a late-game loss to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebels.

After sitting out for a week due to injury, seventh-year Baylor transfer and former MAC MVP DeQuan Finn was practicing in the week leading up to the NIU game. In the second quarter against UNLV, Finn scrambled out of the pocket and threw downfield while also taking a big hit, leading to his departure from the game and sitting out the week after for homecoming.

After a week of rest, Finn said he is hoping to lead Miami to its second win of the season, and Finn’s first as a starter. He so far this year has thrown for 465 yards on a 57% completion rate with two touchdowns and four picks. Finn has 119 yards on the ground, averaging a little more than four yards per carry.

With the MAC already beginning conference play a week prior, the RedHawks are looking to join five other teams in starting 1-0. They started 1-3 last year in the non-conference slate and finished the year 7-1 with a bid into the conference championship.

The RedHawks are hoping to rebound from their non-conference performance and get a head start in MAC play.

“Now that we’re in MAC play, we are not worried about our record,” Finn said. “We are just worried about being 1-0 right now and staying in the moment.”

Sixth-year running back Kenny Tracy has been the lead back for the RedHawks this season. Through four games, Tracy is averaging five-and-a-half yards per carry, totaling 266 yards on the year so far. He only has one touchdown on the ground, but his ability to make plays in the passing game, with 121 receiving yards and two touchdowns, makes him the team's swiss army knife. The team will be relying on him with Finn coming off injury.

Defensively, the RedHawks allowed 17 points against Wisconsin in week one, but then gave up 45 and 51 points against Rutgers and UNLV, respectively.

The defense was on point again against Lindenwood, shutting them out for a 38-0 win. The team allows 28 points and 359 yards a game on average, which is ranked 69th in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

“We need to play the game the right way,” defensive coordinator Bill Brechin said.

NIU is led by its run game, where sophomore Telly Johnson Jr. leads the roster. He has 250 yards on the ground through four games. With a struggling sophomore under center in quarterback Josh Holst, who already has two picks and only one touchdown, the Huskies will be pounding the rock against the RedHawks.

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“They got a really good tailback,” Brechin said, “so we got to really hone in on their tailbacks and be ready to tackle.”

Miami’s 62nd-ranked passing defense is led by redshirt senior defensive back Eli Blakey. Blakey has 40 tackles so far along with just two passes defended. Blakey and redshirt senior linebacker Corban Hondru lead the defense in tackles. They understand what it is like to play in the MAC, having played several years at Miami already

Blakey said his role as a leader will be vital for the transfers and freshmen on the team who haven’t experienced MACtion yet.

“I think that’s my role: getting everybody focused and [doing] our jobs,” Blakey said. “You got to bring your own juice and your own intent to play.”

The RedHawks are favored by a field goal in this Saturday's contest at 3:30 p.m. in Huskie Stadium. Seeing how Miami plays will be a big indicator on how the season goes from here.

mccartd6@miamioh.edu