A key to the NIU Huskies winning the 2013 Orange Bowl is the ability for defensive ends, Sean Progar (Sr., 6-foot-2, 254 lbs) amd Alan Baxter (Sr., 6-0, 240) to put pressure on FSU’s QB EJ Manuel (Sr., 6-5, 238) yet still keep him in the pocket. Emphasis pressure.
Manuel is finishing his career with the Seminoles as FSU’s career-leader in completion percentage (66.8 percent) and ranks third in ACC history in completion percentage
behind Virginia’s Matt Schaub (67.0) and Wake Forest’s Riley Skinner (66.9). He can pick any secondary apart if he has time having thrown for more than 3,000 yards this season. Six different receivers caught more than 20 passes each from the senior signal caller. Seven different receivers caught more than one touchdown pass.
But Manuel is most dangerous in terms of big plays when he gets outside of the pocket as a passer and a runner. The Huskies defense must harrass Manuel in the pocket and if successful they have a chance to force turnovers. He threw 10 interceptions for the season.
A pair of sophomore running backs, Devonte Freeman (5-8, 205) and James Wilder, Jr. (6-2, 225), will pound on the ground for rushing yardage. Wilder is described as a battering ram like his father who starred for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a contemporary to NFL legend Walter Payton.
About half of the eleven FSU starters on defense will likely draw an NFL paycheck when their college careers are over. On the defensive line Bjoern Werner (Jr. 6-4, 255) is projected as a top 10 pick in the 2013 NFL draft. Anthony McLoud (Sr., 6-2, 310) anchors the interior line and is loaded with NFL potential. OLB Nick Moody (Sr., 6-2, 237) runs like safety and hits like a mule. The entire FSU defense, including those coming off the bench, will have their eyes on Huskies QB Jordan Lynch (Jr., 6-0, 216).
Yes. Lynch is Mr. Everything. The Jordan of college football players. He’s a bruising tailback when he runs having rushed for at least 100 yards in 12-of-13 games this year, including a NCAA FBS quarterback record 11-straight games, obliterating the old record of five games. But he is the complete package as a passer. In his 13 starts, Lynch completed 222-of-353 (62.9%) passes for 2,962 yards with 24 touchdowns and only five interceptions. In the last nine games, he owns a touchdown to interception ratio of 17-2.
With all the attention Lynch is bound to get Orange Bowl fans will be reminded that football is a team sport. If RB Akeem Daniels (Jr., 5-7, 184) steps up he will rack up big chunks of rushing yards with national exposure. WR Martel Moore (Sr., 6-0, 183) could earn himself a NFL paycheck with a standout performance. Ditto Baxter. Progar could increase his likely NFL payday.
The NIU Huskies BCS Orange Bowl appearance may be more of a David vs Goliath versus a Cinderella story but make no mistake. This IS these Huskies time to shine.
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