DEKALB, Ill. – With camp winding down, the Northern Illinois University football team held a mock game at Huskie Stadium Friday afternoon.
 
The Huskies ran through offensive and defensive drives and special teams situations in shorts and helmets in the 30-minute workout. Among the special teams scenarios NIU ran through were kickoff, onside kicks and field goal.
 
The special teams aspect of football has always been important at NIU. This season, the Huskies return an experience leg in senior kicker Christian Hagan (Omaha, Neb./Westside). He has worked hard on his craft over the summer with the help of new special teams coordinator, Dan Sabock.
 
"When I came in this summer, I knew Christian was a good kicker," Sabock said. "I know what he did two years ago. I know what he did last year. We had to find a way to get him back to a great mindset. He has all the talent in the world. I think he's had a great summer.
 
"We changed a couple little things technique-wise early in the summer. I asked him if he was comfortable doing it. He said absolutely and he's had a tremendous camp for us with some great competition from the young guys, which always makes it better."
 
Hagan went 11-for-18 in field goal attempts and 45-for-46 on PATs last season and is 60.6 percent on field goals (34-for-48) for his career. Hagan also has his full-time holder, wide receiver Chad Beebe (Aurora, Ill./Aurora Christian), and long snapper, Hayden Sak (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora), back as well.
 
"I feel probably the best I ever have going into a season especially with coach Sabock helping me out," Hagan said. "He's pointed out a couple things over the past couple months that has taken my kicking to a whole other level."
 
Senior Josh Orne (Wales, Wis./Kettle Moraine), who punts, kicks and is the back up holder, also returns for his final season.
 
The Huskies have a few new faces in the special teams room. Freshman Matt Ference (St. Louis, Mo./Lafayette) has looked impressive in camp at punter, booming punts in practice everyday, while freshman Jacob Ballain (Greenwood, Ind./Whiteland) has also been working on his game in camp behind Hagan and Orne.
 
"I lucked out coming into this thing," Sabock said. "We've got two seniors and two young guys that are all very, very good. It's almost like the question, who's going to be the quarterback at schools all over the country, but we have one of those dilemmas with kickers and punters."
 
The Huskie special teams unit will look to replace electrifying kick returner Aregeros Turner this season. Four Huskies have been working at kick return looking to be the man to fill that void.
 
Tailback Jordan Huff (Mobile, Ala./St. Paul's Episcopal) and Christian Blake (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons) have been working at the No. 1 kickoff returners, while newcomers Jonathan Parker (St. Louis, Mo./Christian Brothers) and Jalen Embry (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) have been the second group in.
 
As for punt return, it has been a host of Huskies taking cracks at fielding punts in camp this summer. One of those is Beebe, who returned 14 punts for 119 yards. Last season, when the senior was out with an injury, four Huskies filled his void returning 17 punts for 70 yards.
 
"Knowing who Chad is and his mindset, is huge," Sabock said. "He's done it in games and you like a kid with that type of mindset. It reminds me of a couple of returners from back in the day.
 
"On the flipside, we've got four or five guys that look tremendously comfortable catching the ball. They're super athletic. That's the best thing about coach Carey, we put our best players out here, whether they're starters or not. The best guys go out. We've got some competition back there."
 
Shawun Lurry (West Palm Beach, Fla./W.T. Dwyer) returned seven punts for 51 yards, while both D.J. Brown (North Little Rock, Ark./North Little Rock) and Ezra Saffold (Riviera Beach, Fla./W.T. Dwyer) added four returns each for a total of 18 yards last season.
 
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.
 
The Huskies will be back on the practice field Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. Check Training Camp Central on NIUHuskies.com for daily updates, videos and more.
 
-NIU-