June 27, 2007
DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois junior defensive end Larry English and senior placekicker Chris Nendick lead a group of Huskie players who are earning recognition in this summer's 2007 football preseason publications so far. NIU opens the 2007 season Saturday, Sept. 1 at 2:30 p.m. with a home game versus Iowa in the "Soldier Field Showdown" in Chicago.
English, who was one of just 49 players named to the initial Watch List for the 2007 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, joined Nendick on the Football Writer's Association of American (FWAA) All-America checklist, while the kicker was listed by The Sporting News College Football Preview as the No. 9 player at his position entering the year.
Aurora native and Marmion Academy product English tied the NIU school record with 12 sacks a year ago to rank second in the MAC and tied for 10th nationally in that category. He added 16 tackles for loss among his 51 total tackles before going down in the Poinsettia Bowl game versus TCU with a knee injury that forced him to miss spring drills.
Nendick ranked ninth in the nation with 1.54 field goals per game a year ago (20) and totaled 95 points. The Naperville, Ill. (Central HS) product has scored at least one point in 37 consecutive games for the Huskies and has recorded a consecutive PAT streak of 108 straight.
English, Nendick and junior linebacker Tim McCarthy (Neenah, Wisc./Neenah HS) were each named to the Mid-American Conference preseason all-conference first teams by The Sporting News and by MACReportOnline.com. The Sporting News called English the "most disruptive end" in the MAC, while McCarthy was chosen as the "hardest-hitting linebacker" in the league.
McCarthy is NIU's leading returning tackler with a career-high 111 tackles and seven tackles for loss in 2007. The Huskies' middle linebacker intercepted two passes, broke up five and recovered a fumble in 12 games played.
The Sporting News also rated NIU's overall defense as the top unit in the league entering the year while the linebackers ranked No. 2 in the MAC in TSN's unit rankings.
In addition to NIU's three first-team selections by MACReportOnline.com, offensive lineman Jon Brost was named to its All-MAC preseason second team.
The Huskies, most of whom are on campus working out and taking classes this summer, officially report to "camp" in DeKalb on August 5.
Tickets to the NIU-Iowa game are on sale now through all Ticketmaster outlets and at www.Ticketmaster.com. Season tickets for Northern Illinois' five home games in Huskie Stadium are on sale now through the NIU Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center. Northern Illinois faces Southern Illinois in its Huskie Stadium opener Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m. For information on season tickets, call 815-752-6800 or go on-line to www.niuhuskies.com.
-- NIU --
