Aug. 15, 2011
DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois senior quarterback Chandler Harnish continues to see his name added to the lists of the top quarterbacks in the nation this preseason as he was one of 31 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) quarterbacks named to the Manning Award Watch List Monday.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.
Already named to the watch lists for the Maxwell Award (top player in college football), the Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award (top quarterback) and the Walter Camp Player of the Year honor, the Manning Award holds special significance for Harnish, a native of Bluffton, Ind. who grew up watching Peyton star for the Indianapolis Colts. He is one of two Mid-American Conference signal-callers on the list as Western Michigan's Alex Carder was also recognized.
Five NIU players have now been named 10 times to preseason award watch lists for 2011. Offensive tackle Trevor Olson was named to the Outland Trophy (best lineman) Watch List and center Scott Wedige is on the Rimington Trophy (top center) listing. Olson, Wedige and defensive end Sean Progar were all named to the Rotary Lombardi Award (top down lineman or linebacker) Watch List, while safety and return specialist Tommy Davis is on the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player) radar.
Harnish has garnered unprecedented preseason attention for an NIU quarterback after a record-breaking junior season, his third as the NIU starter. A year ago, Harnish set Northern Illinois school records for total offense in a career (7,332 yards), and in a season (3,366 yards) while leading the Huskies to the most wins in school history (11) and the team single season marks for scoring (38.0 points per game), touchdowns (69) and yards per game (450.0). He completed 189-of-292 passes for 2,530 yards and 21 touchdowns with just five interceptions in 13 starts while rushing for 836 yards and seven scores in 2010.
Harnish leads a Northern Illinois offense that returns nine of 11 starters in 2011. The first Huskie quarterback ever to earn first-team All Mid-American Conference honors from league coaches, Harnish was also named the MAC Player of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Columbus following the 2010 campaign. He was named the MVP of Northern Illinois' 40-17 win over Fresno State in the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl after passing for 300 yards and a score and rushing for 72 yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns, and enters his senior season with 40 career touchdown passes and 13 rushing scores.
The Manning Award Watch List was selected together based on previous collegiate performance. (See complete list here). Additional quarterbacks may be added to the Watch List after the start of the season. The list of 10 finalists will be released on Monday, Nov. 28 with the winner announced on Wednesday, Jan. 18.
Tickets for the 2011 Northern Illinois football season, which opens Sept. 3 when the Huskies play host to Army, are on sale now through the NIU Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center and online at www.NIUHuskies.com. Season tickets for all six Huskie football home games are available for just $99 for the general public and $88 for NIU faculty and staff, senior citizens, NIU Alumni Association and Varsity Club members. Season tickets provide a 33 percent discount compared to single game ticket prices, and season ticket holders still receive a $15 discount off the purchase of an equal number of tickets to Soldier Field Showdown II. Three-game mini-plans are also available for just $50 each with customers allowed to choose their own games.
Northern Illinois fans can also purchase tickets to Soldier Field Showdown II, the Sept. 17 game between NIU and Wisconsin at Chicago's Soldier Field. Tickets to the game are $90, $75 and $60 and can be purchased online at www.Ticketmaster.com or www.HuskieFootball2011.com.
For more information on NIU season tickets or Soldier Field Showdown II tickets, call the NIU External Office at 815-753-1923 Monday-Friday between 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
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