Posted by: Chris Vannini on December 3, 2012

While most of the focus on Northern Illinois was on their Orange Bowl berth and the uproar it caused, the Huskies quietly introduced a new head coach.

Offensive coordinator / offensive line coach Rod Carey was promoted to replace Dave Doeren, who was being introduced at NC State while the NIU/Orange Bowl news came out.

"When you have a program like this, it's not about what you can change, it's about what you can keep," Carey said Sunday. "We've got great players and we want to keep this ball rolling."

As for that Orange Bowl berth, Carey has no problem with the BCS debate, as he explained on ESPN's College Football Daily on Monday.

"The first thing I always say is that's what makes the BCS great, all the opinions," Carey said. "Everyone wants to say the BCS is this and that. I think it's been great, because we get a solid month of people going back and forth. As much as I'm a football coach, obviously from my profession, I'm a fan of college football, and I think that's the great part of the BCS."

Shortly after the announcement was made, some ESPN analysts ripped the Huskies and said they didn't belong. Others have compared them to Boise State, who finally got a chance in 2006 and upset Oklahoma. Carey isn't thinking about any of that.

"I think there are a ton of cards, and certainly (Boise State) in the deck to play," Carey said. "But I've said this to our team, guys, if we need the media, if we need something that's happened before to draw on for inspiration for this game, we don't have the right mindset. We've got all the inspiration we need going down and playing in the Orange Bowl, the first MAC team that's ever done that.

"It's great for our university, playing Florida State on New Year's Day. Just that alone, there's enough."

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Chris Vannini is the lead writer for CoachingSearch.com and has covered Michigan State sports for The State News, The Oakland Press and MLive.com. He writes a weekly column for the Detroit Free Press on behalf of SB Nation. Vannini lives in Big Ten country, so his foot speed is far from SEC caliber, but his pulse on coaches is hard to match. Be sure to follow @CoachingBuzz on twitter and send your feedback to chris@coachingsearch.com