NIU eyes immediate help in trenches

DeKALB – Northern Illinois football coach Dave Doeren said he hoped five to seven of the men who committed to the Huskies will play as freshmen.

The Mid-American Conference champions signed 31 players in Doeren’s second year as head coach with Wednesday’s National Signing Day. He brings in 16 offensive players to bolster a program coming off back-to-back 11-win seasons and four consecutive bowl trips.

Doeren signed seven offensive, six defensive linemen and 10 players who weigh at least 275 pounds. Also signed three 300-pounders.

Doeren said the goal was to have 16 offensive linemen on scholarship, making the team three-deep at each position.

Illinois: At Champaign, new Illinois football coach Tim Beckman loaded up on running backs and defensive backs in his first signing class, a group that some recruiting-ranking services said was among the Big Ten’s weakest.

Beckman signed 19 players, many of them holdovers recruited by his predecessor, Ron Zook. The recruiting service Scout.com rated Illinois’ class last among the 12 Big Ten teams and 67th in the country.

Northwestern: At Evanston, the 21-player signing class announced by Northwestern is heavy on offensive linemen and defensive backs as the Wildcats try to bounce back from a 6-7 season.

Coach Pat Fitzgerald’s 2012 recruiting class includes four offensive lineman and four defensive backs as well as three linebackers. The Wildcats also are adding a high-profile transfer in former USC receiver Kyle Prater.

Notre Dame: At South Bend, Ind., quarterback Gunner Kiel topped Notre Dame’s 2012 recruiting class of 16 freshmen along with a high-profile transfer – running back Amir Carlisle, who left Southern Cal after a single season to join the Irish.