September 20, 2004

Northern Illinois WR-PR Dan Sheldon Wins Third MAC Special Teams Player Of The Week Award

DeKALB, IL --- Northern Illinois University senior wide receiver and return specialist Dan Sheldon has been often described by his head coach Joe Novak as a “playmaker” or a “big play” guy.

For the third time in his career, Sheldon has been defined as a Mid-American Conference West Division Special Teams Player of the Week. League commissioner Rick Chryst made the weekly announcement Monday (September 20).

“Last week, we talked about getting Danny some more touches, so he can get more involved and make things happen,” Novak said in reference to Sheldon’s season-high 197 all-purpose yards last week against Big 12 Conference representative Iowa State University. “And that’s exactly what he did for us.”

Sheldon (Elgin / Burlington) caught six passes for 107 yards and made a 47-yard touchdown reception, plus returned five punts for 90 yards that put the Huskies in some good field position versus the Cyclones. Along the way at ISU’s Jack Trice Stadium, the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder established another Northern Illinois punt return record.

His current 760 career punt return yards rewrote the school standard (716 yards in 1999-2003) set by Sheldon’s old NIU receiving corps buddy P. J. Fleck. Sheldon holds at least five other Huskie punt return marks---including (1) most single-game punt returns (nine vs. Central Michigan University in 2002), (2) most single-game punt return yardage (119 vs. CMU in 2002), (3) most single-season punt return TDs (three in 2002), (4) most single-season punt return yardage (477 in 2002), and (5) longest punt return TD (90 yards vs. Kent State University in 2002). His career PR yardage also ranks No. 6 on the all-time MAC list.

“As a punt returner, Danny is one of the best I’ve ever been around,” Novak said. “The last two years he has made some monumental plays for this program. The winning touchdown catches vs. Maryland and Alabama and the three punt return TDs the year before. He was fearless on those punt returns. What big plays.”

Sheldon led the nation in punt returns with a 22.7-yard average as a sophomore, made Mid-Am Special Teams Player of the Year, and was named Second-Team Football Digest All-America, Secnd-Team Collegefootballnews.com All-America, and Honorable Mention CNN-Sports Illustrated All-America that year. In 2003, Sheldon caught those winning TDs against No. 15-rated University of Maryland (20-yarder in overtime) and versus No. 21 University of Alabama (48-yarder with 7:28 left in the fourth quarter) prior to a season-ending elbow dislocation early against Ohio University.

Known to his teammates by the nickname “Seabiscuit” for his big heart, Sheldon should be re-named the “Artful Dodger” for his stop-and-go attempts, head fakes, and guile to earn that extra yard. His two previous MAC Player of the Week awards came as a soph against Kent State and the Uniersity of Toledo.

For Northern Illinois, Sheldon is the second Huskie Mid-Am Player of the Week recipient this season. Strong safety Ray Smith (Crown Point, IN / St. John Lake Central) earned the MAC Defensive Player of the Week accolades against Southern Illinois University.

This week’s other MAC Players of the Week honorees included Toledo QB Bruce Gradkowski (West Offense), Western Michigan University LB Paul Tuhof (West Defense), Kent State WR Darrell Dowery, Miami (OH) DL Marcus Johnson (East Defense), and Miami (OH) University PR Ryne Robinson (East Special Teams).

(For further information, please contact Mike Korcek) -NIU-