Mids Adjust to Break From Usual Routine

Sophomore quarterback Ricky Dobbs will make his first collegiate start when Navy plays Northern Illinois, so it's probably a good thing the game will be played, rather unusually, on a Tuesday night. As a result, Dobbs will get two extra days of practice to prepare for the Huskies. But it also means waiting an extra couple of days.

"I kind of wish the game was Saturday," Dobbs said. "I'm so anxious to get out there."

The teams originally were scheduled to play tomorrow, but before the season, the game was moved by the Mid-American Conference and ESPN. It originally was supposed to be televised on ESPN2, but instead will be shown on ESPN Classic.

"It's about exposure," said Navy Athletic Director Chet Gladchuk, who is in charge of football scheduling. "There's no other reason to play on a Tuesday."

Navy's game at Northern Illinois (6-5) will mark the seventh time since 2000 that the Midshipmen have played a regular season game on a day other than Saturday. Last year, they had two Friday night games (at Temple and at Rutgers) and one Wednesday night game (at Pittsburgh). Earlier this season, they played at Ball State on a Friday night.

Navy will agree to play on a weeknight if the game is on the road and is nationally televised, according to Gladchuk. Tradition, and the Midshipmen's television contract with CBS College Sports, dictates that all of Navy's home games be played on Saturdays. Game days in Annapolis include the march-on by the Brigade of Midshipmen and a pregame fly-by.

"We also have alumni reunions. We're not going to move the games, based on the fact that people make plans for us to play here on Saturday," Gladchuk said. "It's Annapolis, it's the academy, it's the fan who comes into town for the environment. Weeknight games don't work for us, nor will they work for us."

For Northern Illinois and other schools in the MAC, however, playing during the week has become routine. The Huskies' last Saturday game was on Oct. 25; every game since has been played on either a Tuesday or Wednesday. Ball State, which is undefeated and ranked 14th in the country, has played on every day of the week except for Sunday and Monday this fall.

One of the drawbacks to playing midweek is smaller crowds. Northern Illinois averaged 19,409 fans for its four Saturday games, but drew 13,543 for a recent Wednesday night game against Central Michigan. On Tuesday at Kent State, just 2,267 braved the snowy weather to watch the Huskies win, 42-14.

Northern Illinois Coach Jerry Kill said it is difficult to predict what kind of crowd will fill Huskie Stadium next week, because many students will have already left for the Thanksgiving break. But 600 Midshipmen are expected to attend the game, as well as 700 sailors from Naval Station Great Lakes near Chicago.

A more pressing concern for Navy's football team is how the midweek game affects its preparation for both Northern Illinois and Army on Dec. 6. The Midshipmen traditionally have a full two weeks to prepare for their season finale against their rival, but won't this year. The Army-Navy game news conference, which is attended by the head coaches and select players, usually is held on the Tuesday of the off week; this year, it will be moved to the Monday of game week.

"I don't like Tuesday games," Niumatalolo said. "It's just a new frontier for all of us. What day do we give them off? It's all brand new. We're doing a lot of stuff by trial and error."

The Midshipmen, who normally practice Monday through Thursday, were given Tuesday off. They will practice today, tomorrow and Sunday, with the latter session scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. to simulate playing at night. (Tuesday's game will be Navy's second night game of the season.)

"Being Navy, you're used to routine, routine, routine. You're waking up at the same time, eating the same stuff every week -- which you get sick of," senior fullback Eric Kettani said. "But sometimes it's good to mix things up and get a little change."