Fast 40 countdown: Northern Illinois

Northern Illinois Last season: 11-3, 16th in the MRI The good: The Northern Illinois offense tore up the MAC last season, outgaining opponents in conference games by almost 200 yards per contest. That was mostly due to the skills of Chandler Harnish who is back for another year behind center. That center, Scott Wedige, and the rest of the Huskie line are one of the most experienced groups in FBS and Harnish should have plenty of time to construct a repeat of last year's success. Northern also has one of the easiest schedules in the country, thanks mostly to feasting on its own MAC brethren. That does include the neutral site game against Wisconsin, or a trip to Kansas, both of which could be demoralizing games for the Huskies. The bad: Why would those games be the low point of the year? Because Northern returns just two starters on the defensive side of the ball. That does mean that the defense is inexperienced, but it does mean that this a new group, almost from...