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Things are looking up

Wildcats football team adds depth, quality with spring game this week

Northern Michigan University football player run leg coordination drills Friday afternoon during practice at the Superior Dome in Marquette. (Journal photo by Rachel Oakley)

By RYAN SPITZA

Journal Sports Writer

MARQUETTE — The snow is slowly beginning to melt meaning that spring is in the air — so it must also mean it’s time for football, spring college football, that is.

The Northern Michigan University football team is in its third week of spring practice and head coach Kyle Nystrom claims progress is going slowly but surely.

“We’re not a finished product and … all of the pieces are definitely not in place, but we look like a functional college football program,” he said. “We’re transferring and transpiring to be a lot better than what we looked like last spring at this time.”

Spring camp wraps up with the annual NMU spring game scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday in the Superior Dome. A kids clinic will be held before the game from 4:30-5:30 p.m. These events are free.

Nystrom touched on some of the changes to the Wildcats this spring before last Thursday’s practice session.

The second-year head coach spoke about a variety of positions, including the secondary, quarterbacks, receivers and offensive line.

“We’re a little bit thin in the secondary for spring, but everybody’s got some sort of Achilles heel as far as depth goes in spring football,” he said. “I was watching (coach Nick) Saban down at Alabama after his first spring practice and they only have one cornerback right now, so they’re moving wideouts over to corner. So if they’ve got the problem, everybody’s got it.”

Despite shallow depth at the cornerback position, the Wildcats have seven incoming defensive backs to help fill the gaps. The three cornerbacks who committed to NMU on national signing day in February included Ratavian Rinkines of Lansing, Antonio Howard Jr. of Chicago and Tyler Geiman of Beach Park, Illinois.

“Guys will come in and we’ll get our numbers back to even over there,” Nystrom said.

On offense, the Wildcats have new players in to add depth at quarterback, too.

Sophomore QB Ryan Johnson returns after appearing in nine of the team’s 10 games last season, passing for 1,581 yards and nine touchdowns.

NMU also returns QBs Kole Stealy and Latrell Giles, who redshirted last season, as well as sophomore Duane Jackson.

The Wildcats have two incoming QB recruits, Tyler George of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, and Isiah Wright of Milwaukee.

“The quarterbacks are way ahead of where they were,” Nystrom said. “RJ is doing good, Latrell is doing good and we’re still waiting on Kole after bicep surgery last summer. But we’re ahead in that position.”

The offensive line has also impressed Nystrom, stating the unit is finally looking like a collegiate line.

That’s especially important to the success of senior running back Jake Mayon. Appearing in every game last season, he rushed for a conference-leading 1,377 yards and eight TDs. Mayon also led the GLIAC with an average of 137.7 yards per game. That performance was good enough to earn him GLIAC Offensive Back of the Year honors.

Mayon said the Wildcats are vastly improved.

“It’s going great,” he said. “We’ve made a lot of progress so far and the focus of the team has improved greatly. Just after last season, we had about one week off and everybody got back into the zone.

“After that, we got into the weight room and did great there. There was enthusiasm, no one’s head was down, and having that type of attitude going into spring and carrying it into the season is crazy important for the team and the community as well.

“(It’s) getting people behind us and having that energy. We’re focused, ready to move on and do some great things in the future.”

Asked about putting up another big individual performance this fall, Mayon said he’s only focusing on team success.

“I want to improve every day and be the best player I can for my entire team,” he said.

“Be a great leader. That’s really important because I want to make everyone around me better. I don’t really focus on the records or anything else. I really just want this team to succeed.”

As for those catching the ball, junior Ryan Knight and sophomore Dallas Dixon are two of the top wide receiver returnees.

Knight caught five TDs as a sophomore last season and gained 453 yards receiving in nine games. Dixon also played in nine games and had 260 yards and two touchdowns.

Nystrom added in sophomore WRs Marcus Kidd and Benjamin Loutsis, who have breakout potential this season.

“There’s four guys right there that are way ahead of what we were playing with last spring,” he said.

Asked for an early outlook on the fall, Nystrom wouldn’t make any promises, citing his roster is still young and there’s several holes to fulfill before fall.

“This season will be a battle,” he said.

“At the end of the season last year, people are asking me ‘Are all the pieces in place?’ No. The 22 freshmen we played are all going to be sophomores now. Those are second-year players going up against fourth- and fifth-year players.

“We’re also bringing in a big freshmen class again. Retention and development is improving, but do I say we’re a legit, upper-echelon Division II program? No.

“We’re still working to get our wings and our feet underneath us. We’re a lot better than we were, though. I know we’re going to the right place. We’re going to the right place and we’re doing it the right way. You’ve got to have patience.”

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.

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