Only one game on Friday in the GLIAC this week...let's take a look:

Quincy (4-6) at Northwood (2-9)

The Timberwolves will tee it up this Friday, looking to get back on form after a lackluster 2011...and let's face it, things haven't been quite the same in Midland for a while now. 2006 marked three consecutive playoff appearances for the Woodies, but in the five seasons since they've only managed a single campaign with a winning record. The hopes of 2012 will no doubt ride, at least in part, on the shoulders of QB Aaron Shavers. Shavers has battled injuries since his arrival, and was especially hampered last year. He's shown he has the physical tools to make The Woodbone go, so if he can stay healthy a return to winning ways is a possibility. He'll have the help of eight other returning starters on offense, including fullback Cameron Jackson, who in 2011 became the first 1,000-yard back at Northwood in more than 20 years. It's kinda hard to believe that nugget...I mean, when you look back at the height of the Woodbone's power and they were racking up 350 a game on the ground, seriously no one else cracked 1,000 yards? 'Tis true! The O was last in the GLIAC in several categories last year, so Shavers, Jackson and Company have to find a way to keep things rolling in 2012.

Ten starters are back on defense for Northwood, and this group should see some improvement. They were middle-of-the-league in most categories, and actually kept the T'Wolves in some of their games (close losses to Ashland, Hillsdale, and Tech come to mind). The D should get itself tuned in this one, as they'll face a Quincy outfit looking for new starters at QB and a few other skill spots...and this was an offense that wasn't exactly potent last year, netting less than 300 yards per game of total offense and only posting six rushing touchdowns.

With a healthy Shavers, a home date, 18 returning starters, and an opponent that didn't play any D2 opponents last year on its way to a losing record, I like Northwood to get a win under their belts in Week One. Northwood 28, Quincy 17.