DEKALB, Ill. – The 2017 NIU football defensive group is returning a lot of players that saw playing time in 2016. At the safety position, that is as evident as any other spot on the Huskies' defense with four of the seven players playing important roles on defense last year.
 
Defensive Coordinator and Safeties Coach Kevin Kane likes the depth his group has on the back end with the group doing good things early on in camp.
 
"We've had a really good camp," Kane said. "They're veteran and their deep with a lot of guys that can go out there and I trust playing."
 
Mycial Allen (Detroit, Mich./King), Trayshon Foster (Tuscaloosa, Ala./Tuscaloosa Academy), and Trequan Smith (Boynton Beach, Fla./Boynton Beach) all played in double-digit games last season for the NIU defense. Jackson Abresch (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) saw some time on defense and special teams and Adam Buirge (Minneapolis, Minn./Park Center) played nine games, primarily on special teams, in 2016.
 
Allen is the leading returning tackler for the Huskies with a total of 61 total tackles. He also made 23 assisted tackles and added two interceptions. Allen and the coaching staff feel confident in his ability to make those necessary one-on-one tackles in the secondary and be able to fit in on his run defense assignments.
 
"I define myself as a physical player," Allen said. "I'm not the type of defensive player that will shy away from tackling and I would specifically say that the strongest part of my game."
 
"I feel great about Mycial's ability to make tackles," Kane said. "We put a lot on our safeties as far as getting our defense lined up and we use them in run fits so they're going to make tackles and we expect for them to do that."
 
The lone newcomer in the group is redshirt sophomore Mykelti Williams (Indianapolis, Ind./Notre Dame/Iowa Western CC), who's shown the ability to make plays on defense in practice as a redshirt sophomore season. Williams made one of the few interceptions at practice on Thursday and Head Coach Rod Carey likes the way he is meshing with the rest of the safeties.
 
"I think Mykelti is a good addition to the safety room from the standpoint that he has a good change of direction, great strength, great speed and is a really smart football player," Carey said. "He is pushing the entire group as well as the group pushing him and I really like all of the attributes I see out of him."
 
With only two starting spots at safety and four returners with experience, the Huskies feel confident with whichever combination of two is playing at the back end of their defense.
 
"I feel really confident about who we have on the field, no matter who it is," Kane said. "All of our guys have had a great fall camp, all these guys have come in here and done extremely well. There's obviously going to be starters and obviously going to be times when the fresher guy in the fourth quarter is going to be best, so we'll rotate some guys throughout the course of the games and whoever is in there is going to make plays."
 
PRACTICE NOTES: NIU practiced for two hours in helmets and shoulder pads on a sunny day at Huskie Stadium. Big plays were the theme on both sides of the ball for the Huskies as the offense was able to hit on a few deep passing plays and outside runs with the defense getting their hands on a couple of passes for interceptions.
 
On offense, quarterback Ryan Graham (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South) had some nice touch on his deep ball completing a few on the day, including a touchdown pass to D.J. Brown (North Little Rock, Ark./North Little Rock). On defense, corner back Shawun Lurry made an impressive, one-handed interception while fighting off the intended receiver and Mykelti William also recorded an interception for the defense.
 
CAREY ON THURSDAY'S PRACTICE: "I was really happy to see the deep ball and happy to see the way that Ryan threw the ball. I think Santa [Daniel Santacaterina] did a nice job in there too. The offense moved today, which is good to see and the defense made some key plays in there as well."
 
The Huskies open the 2017 season Friday Sept. 1 when NIU plays host to Boston College in Huskie Stadium, as the Eagles become the first Atlantic Coast Conference opponent to play at NIU since 2003.
 
Single game tickets for all six home games this fall are now on sale online at NIUHuskies.com or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225). Season tickets offer the best value with options like the new $199 Family Pack featuring four tickets in sections A or G and a new, lowered $60 price for season tickets on the East Side with general admission seating.  Reserved seats in sections A, B, F and G are just $115 for the season, a cost of less than $20 per game.
 
Three-game mini-plans, priced at just $40 and featuring two different options, are also available. Mini-plan purchasers receive all the benefits of season ticket members, including exclusive invitations to special events throughout the year. Check NIUHuskies.com for all the details.