Football | September 13

THE BASICS
San Diego State Aztecs (2-0) at NIU Huskies (0-2)
DeKalb, Illinois | Huskie Stadium | 23,595
Saturday, September 17, 2016  | 2:30 p.m. (CT) | CBS Sports Network
Radio: AM 560 WIND (Chicago)  |  WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 (DeKalb)  |  TuneIn

HUSKIE BITES

• After opening the season with back-to-back road games at Wyoming and USF, NIU plays host to San Diego State in its 2016 home opener at Huskie Stadium Saturday afternoon.
• The Huskies and Aztecs have met four times, although just twice since NIU started playing "Major College" (FBS) football in 1969. San Diego State has won all four meetings, most recently a 30-10 decision in San Diego in 1971.  
• NIU has had a different player score touchdowns both rushing and receiving in its first two games. After Kenny Golladay scored three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) at Wyoming, Aregeros Turner scored both rushing and receiving last week at USF.
• The Huskies have won 35 of their last 37 games played at Huskie Stadium dating back to Oct. 3, 2009. That includes a school-record 27-game winning streak from 2009 to 2014.  
• NIU is looking for its first sack, and its first defensive turnover, of 2016. The Huskies' lone forced turnover came on a fumbled punt by USF. The NIU offense has committed just one turnover, a fumble at Wyoming.   
• The winningest (D1) program in Illinois all-time, the Huskies have played in a FBS record six straight MAC Championship games and a league record eight consecutive bowl games.   
• Rod Carey is in on his fourth season as NIU head coach with a 31-13 career record to rank sixth all-time at NIU in wins.
• NIU's three-overtime game at Wyoming was the longest in school history and dropped NIU's record in overtime games overall to 5-3.
• Off the field, NIU ranks tied for 11th nationally among FBS programs in Graduation Success Rate and is tied for third among public FBS institutions. Its 86 percent rate is 14 points above the FBS average.

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HUSKIE FOOTBALL FACTS
2015 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 8-6/6-2/T1st West
Head Coach: Rod Carey
Record at NIU/Years: 31-14/4th
Career Record/Years: 31-14/4th
Alma Mater/Year: Indiana/1993
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
All-Time Record: 566-478-51
Consecutive Bowl Appearances: 8
Last Bowl Game: 2015 SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 7, 2015
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 51/16
Starters Returning: 16 (6 off., 6 def., 4 spec.)
Starters Lost: 10 (5 offense, 5 defense, 0 specialist)
 
NIU FACTS
Location: DeKalb, Illinois
Founded: 1895
Enrollment: 19,015
Affiliation: NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision
Conference: Mid-American (West Division)
Colors: Cardinal and Black
Stadium: Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium
    Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf /23,595
President: Dr. Douglas D. Baker
Assoc. VP/Athletic Director: Sean T. Frazier
    Alma Mater, Year: Alabama '92
Ticket Information: 815-753-PACK (7225)
 
NIU 2016 Schedule
 

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SAN DIEGO STATE FACTS
2015 Record: 12-3
Mountain West Record/Finish: 9-0/1st West Division
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Rocky Long (New Mexico '74)
Record at SDSU/Years: 45-23/6
Career Record/Years: 110-92/17
Location: San Diego, Calif.
Enrollment: 33,726
Conference: Mountain West
Colors: Scarlet (PMS 185) and Black
Stadium:  Qualcomm Stadium
      Surface/Capacity: Natural Grass/54,000
President: Dr. Elliot Hirshman
Athletic Director (Interim):  Jenny Bramer
Athletics Website: www.goaztecs.com
Twitter:  @GoAztecs
Ticket Information: 619-283-SDSU
 
SDSU 2016 Schedule
 

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NIU-SDSU SERIES HISTORY
Overall.................................................................... SDSU leads 4-0
In San Diego.......................................................... SDSU leads 2-0
In DeKalb............................................................... SDSU leads 2-0
At Neutral Site........................................................................... N/A
Streak................................................................................SDSU, 4
First Meeting .................... October 21, 1967: SDSU 47, NIU 6 (H)
Last Meeting..................... October 2, 1971: SDSU 30, NIU 10 (A)
 

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FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
 
TV: NIU-SDSU ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK

• The NIU-San Diego State game is the last in a series of three consecutive Huskie games that will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network (CBSSN).
• Find the CBSSN channel in your area by using the Channel Finder at CBSSportsNetwork.com.
• The announce crew for the San Diego State game is Ben Holden (play-by-play), Jay Feeley (color analyst) and John Schriffen (sidelines). 

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Network broadcast for the San Diego State game begins at 2 p.m. CT, 30 minutes before kickoff.
• The game will be carried on NIU network affiliates WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 (DeKalb) and AM 560 The Answer (Chicago). 
• The broadcast can be heard online via NIU All-Access (subscription), and on mobile devices via the TuneIn app. Search for the NIU Huskies channel.
• Bill Baker is in his 37th season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo is in his 31st season, while Andy Garcia is in his fourth season on the sidelines.

 
INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW

• Airs LIVE Mondays from 7-8 p.m. CT with host Bill Baker, football head coach Rod Carey, two Huskie players and other head coaches and administrators each week.
• The hour-long live show can be heard on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb and Sportsfan 1330 AM in Rockford.
• Listen online via NIUTube and on the TuneIn app.
• Fans are invited to attend the show at Fatty's Pub & Grille in DeKalb (1312 W. Lincoln Hwy)

 
NIU WEEKLY RADIO SHOW

• Airs Friday nights at 10 p.m. CT in Chicago on AM 560 The Answer, Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. CT on WLBK AM 1360 and FM 98.9 in DeKalb and on Saturday on SportsFan 1330 AM in Rockford.
• Also hear it on NIUTube (subscription).
• Hosts are Andy Garcia and NIU Associate Vice-President/Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier.
• The 30-minute show features interviews with football head coach Rod Carey, as well as other NIU head coaches and administrators.

 
NIU ALL-ACCESS

• See weekly and post-game press conferences, video features, Huskie Olympic sports and special events.
• Hear all NIU live radio broadcasts, including football and basketball games and NIU radio shows.
• Purchase a daily, monthly or annual subsciption.
• Go to www.NIUHuskies.com for rates and information.

 
GETTING SOCIAL

• Twitter: @NIUAthletics, @NIUScores, @NIU_Football
• Facebook: NIU Huskies, NIU Football
• Instagram: niuhuskies, niuhuskiefootball
• YouTube: niuhuskiesdotcom
• See NIU Athletics' social media hub online to see all of the Huskie team and coaching staff accounts.

 

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NIU NEWS & NOTES
 
SERIES HISTORY: Saturday's home opener vs. San Diego State is the fifth meeting all-time between the two schools and the first in 45 years. The Aztecs own a 4-0 record in the series. San Diego State defeated NIU, 30-10, Oct. 2, 1971 at San Diego Stadium. The last time the Aztecs visited DeKalb was Sept. 12, 1970, a 35-3 victory over NIU.
 
LAST WE MET: A 14-point second quarter keyed a 30-10 victory by San Diego State over NIU at San Diego Stadium the last time these two schools met. The Huskies struck first, taking a 3-0 lead on a 41-yard field goal by Tom Wittum in the first quarter. The Aztecs jumped on the board in the second quarter on an Adam Victoria nine-yard TD run, sparking a string of 23 unanswered points by San Diego State. Mark Kellar scored the only touchdown of the game for NIU on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter.
 
HOME OPENERS: The NIU Football team is 29-18 in home openers since 1969 and 7-1 in home season openers since 2008, including a 7-0 mark in season opening games at Huskie Stadium. The last Huskie loss in a home opener in DeKalb was Sept. 8, 2007, when NIU fell to Southern Illinois, 34-31. Iowa defeated NIU, 18-17, at Soldier Field in what was designated as a home game for the Huskies.
 
NIU vs. THE MOUNTAIN WEST: The Huskies dropped their record to 9-11 versus teams that currently comprise the Mountain West Conference following their 40-34 triple-overtime loss at Wyoming in the season opener. NIU owns winning records against UNLV, Fresno State and San Jose State. NIU has played two teams from the Mountain West in each of the last two seasons. Last year, NIU defeated UNLV in the season opener and lost to Boise State in the 2015 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.
 
School                     NIU vs.         Last Meeting
Boise State                  0-1             BSU W, 55-7, Dec. 23, 2015
Fresno State                3-2             NIU, W, 40-17, Dec. 18, 2010
Nevada                        1-1             UNR, W, 35-31, Oct. 1, 1994
San Diego State          0-4             SDSU, W, 30-10, Oct. 2, 1971
San Jose State             1-0             NIU, W, 18-17, Sept. 16, 1995
UNLV                           5-0             NIU, W, 38-30, Sept. 5, 2015
Utah State                   0-2             USU, W, 21-14, Dec. 26, 2013
Wyoming                    0-1             WYO, W, 40-34, Sept. 3, 2016
 
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: With a 60-13 record since 2003, NIU's all-time record at Huskie Stadium is 166-99-2 for a .625 winning percentage. Five of those 13 home losses occurred in just one season - 2007. The Huskies have won 35 of their last 37 games at Huskie Stadium, dating back to a 38-3 victory over Western Michigan, Oct. 3, 2009. The Huskies lost their last home game to Ohio, 26-21, in the 2015 regular-season finale.
 
LONG ROAD HOME: The NIU football team has already traveled 4,372 miles in its first two games this season. The Huskies headed 945 miles west to face Wyoming for the season opener. Last weekend, the NIU football team made the 1,241-mile trek to Tampa Bay for its game at South Florida.
 
GROUP EFFORT: The Huskies' contest with San Diego State is the third and final nonconference game against an opponent from the "Group of 5" in 2016. NIU faced Wyoming (Mountain West) in Laramie Sept. 3 in the season opener and South Florida (American) last weekend.
 
STEPPING IN: NIU quarterback Ryan Graham completed 9-of-15 passes for 65 yards and a touchdown when he was pressed into service following an injury to starter Drew Hare in the third quarter at USF. Graham threw for 691 yards on 55-of-102 passing with six touchdown passes and three interceptions in four starts for NIU in 2015. He stepped in for Hare last season in the second quarter at Toledo, leading NIU to victory over the Rockets. He then led NIU to wins in starts at Buffalo and vs. Western Michigan. He suffered an injury in the regular season finale against Ohio, a 26-21 setback to the Bobcats, but returned to action in the SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl.
 
DON'T CHANGE THAT CHANNEL: NIU's season opener against San Diego State is the third straight Huskie game broadcast on the CBS Sports Network. NIU's season opener at Wyoming was televised live on the network, while last week's game at USF was also shown on CBS Sports Network.
 
TWO FOR 22: NIU wide receiver Aregeros Turner lived up to his nickname Saturday at South Florida as "Ducey" scored both Huskie touchdowns in the game, one on the ground and the other through the air. Turner scored on a four-yard run on fourth down in the second. He and Ryan Graham hooked up on an 11-yard score in the fourth quarter.
 
GET A KICK OUT OF THIS: Senior Jake Ambrose attempted a career-high 11 punts at USF last weekend. It was the most punts by a Huskie punter since Mike Kent booted 11 punts at Miami (Fla.) Oct. 4, 1986. Ambrose is one of four Huskies to tally 11 punts in a game. He joins Tom Wittum, who did it four times, Dave Patterson and Kent, who each accomplished the feat twice. The record for most punts in a game is 16 by Wittum (Sept. 13, 1969).
 
BLAKE BREAKING OUT: Entering the 2016 season opener, NIU wide receiver Christian Blake had eight receptions for 73 yards. This season, Blake has surpassed his two-year totals in both categories in two games. He had a career-high 82 yards on four receptions at Wyoming, while his six-catch, 53-yard effort at USF was a single-game best for receptions.
 
SWEET HOME CHICAGO: The NIU football team returns to Chicago this season when NIU plays host to Mid-American Conference rival Toledo, Nov. 9 at Guaranteed Rate Field in the Huskie Chi-Town Showdown. It will be the first college football game ever played at the stadium, which is the home of the Chicago White Sox.
J.J. ON THE PLAY: Linebacker Jawuan Johnson tallied a career-high seven tackles, including four for loss, in NIU's contest at USF. They are the most tackles for loss by a Huskie since Joe Windsor made four in a 45-3 victory over Buffalo, Oct. 13, 2012. The school record for tackles for loss in a game is six set by Larry English at Temple (Oct. 20, 2006).
 
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: NIU added Raymond James Stadium to its list of NFL stadiums the Huskies have played in. The Huskies have played in seven NFL arenas in school history. NIU has played seven MAC Championship games in Detroit's Ford Field and have taken the field at Chicago's Soldier Field (2007, 2011 & 2012) and Qualcomm Stadium (2006, 2013 & 2015) in San Diego three times each. NIU has also played a game at Lincoln Financial Field (2007), the Metrodome (2008), the former home of the Minnesota Vikings, and Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. in 2013.
 
DEBUTS: The list of Huskies making their NIU debuts this season increased to 13 as Nathan Veloz and Antonio Jones-Davis saw action at USF. Defensive tackle Ben LeRoy is the only true freshman to see action, while redshirt freshman Quintin Wynne and junior college transfer Joe Sanders are the only newcomers to start a game. Wynne and Sanders started at defensive end at Wyoming and USF, respectively. JC product cornerback Damarius Brinson, Jr. (CB), another newcomer, and seven more players who redshirted last year have seen their first action in 2016.
 
STATE CHAMPS: With a 566-478-51 overall record, NIU boasts a .541 winning percentage which is tops among all seven of Illinois' Division I (FBS and FCS) football programs. Last week, NIU will take on the team ranked second on the list, Western Illinois.
 
School                      GP        W-L-T                 Pct.
NIU                       1,095        566-478-51      .540
W. Illinois             1,043        537-470-36      .532
Illinois                  1,213        595-567-51      .512
E. Illinois              1,060        504-514-43      .496
Illinois St.             1,063        479-521-63      .480
S. Illinois                  978        440-506-32      .466
Northwestern      1,216        518-654-44      .444
 
FLORIDA HUSKIES: The 2016 Huskie roster includes 13 players from the state of Florida. Freshmen Lance Deveaux, Jr., and Andrew Parchment, and junior college transfer Damarius Brinson, Jr. join 10 returning Florida Huskies – juniors Christian Blake, Renard Cheren, Shawun Lurry, Ezra Saffold, and Albert Smalls, redshirt junior Bobby Jones IV and redshirt freshmen Antonio Davis-Jones, Jeffrey Hill and Trequan Smith.  With two of Huskies' last four bowl games taking place in Florida, the 2013 Orange Bowl and 2014 Boca Raton Bowl, NIU football is well-known in the Sunshine State. Only two of NIU's 13 Florida natives are from outside the Palm Beach-Ft. Lauderdale-Miami area.
 
Christian Blake                   Jr.        WR         Ft. Lauderdale (Cardinal Gibbons)
Damarius Brinson, Jr.      Jr.-R       CB          St. Petersburg (Boca Ciega)
Renard Cheren                   Jr.         LB          Lake Worth (Park Vista)
Antonio Jones-Davis      Fr.-R       LB          Vero Beach (Vero Beach)
Lance Deveaux, Jr.            Fr.         LB          Pompano Beach (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Bobby Jones IV                Jr.-R       LB          Miami Gardens (Monsignor Pace)
Shawun Lurry                     Jr.         CB          West Palm Beach (W.T. Dwyer)
Alton Meeks                     Jr.-R       DE          Orlando (Dr. Phillips)
Andrew Parchment           Fr.        WR         Fort Lauderdale (Cypress Bay)
Ezra Saffold                        Jr.        WR         Riviera Beach (W.T. Dwyer)
Albert Smalls                      Jr.         CB          Miramar (Monsignor Pace)
Trequan Smith                 Fr.-R        S           Boynton Beach (Boynton Beach)
Jeffrey Hill                         So.        CB          Miami (Miramar)
 
HUSKIE HOMECOMINGS: Seven of the 13 Huskies hailing from the state of Florida played in their home state last weekend at USF. Christian Blake led the Huskies in receiving with 53 yards on six receptions, while linebacker Bobby Jones, IV led the defense with eight tackles, seven solo, and one tackle for loss. Park Vista, Fla. native Renard Cheren was right behind Jones with seven stops. Damarius Brinson, Jr., who is from the Tampa Bay area, recorded three solo stops. Antonio Jones-Davis, who made his Huskie debut Saturday, had a tackle, as did Shawun Lurry.
 
SOME STRETCH: No FBS team in the nation has played more football games since 2010 than NIU. With appearances in six straight conference championship games and bowl games, the Huskies have played in 14 football contests in each of the last six seasons for a total of 86 games. Florida State and Alabama have each played in 84 games, while Stanford and Michigan State tallied 83 games played the last seven seasons.
 
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: NIU has amassed a 65-21 record since 2010. That win total puts NIU in some esteemed company. The Huskies rank sixth behind Alabama (74), Oregon (71), Florida State (69), Stanford (67), Michigan State (66) and Boise State (66) in wins over the last six years.
 
LUCKY NUMBER 13: Safety Mycial Allen set a career-high in tackles at Wyoming with a game-high 13 stops, including eight solo. His previous personal best was six tackles at Miami on Oct. 17, 2015.
 
RUSHING PAST 2015: Kenny Golladay shattered his rushing total from 2015 on his first carry of 2016 as he broke loose for a 34-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Golladay led the Huskies in rushing with 82 yards on six carries. Golladay tied his rushing touchdown tally from last year on that run as well.
 
PERFECT 10: Kenny Golladay recorded the first 10-catch game in his Huskie career when he tallied 10 receptions for 144 yards at Wyoming. He is the first Huskie receiver with 10 or more receptions in a game since Tommylee Lewis had 12 catches at Ball State Nov. 13, 2013.
 
POWER OF NIU'S "19" DUO: Double numbers are common on college football teams, but rarely do two players star with the same number. All-American cornerback Shawun Lurry and NIU's leading receiver from 2015, Kenny Golladay both wear No. 19. Other than playing on opposite sides of the ball, there is another "big" difference between the two. Golladay stands 6-4, 213, while Lurry has a 5-8 180-pound frame. Golladay leads the Huskies in receiving with 187 yards on 14 receptions and is third on the team in rushing with 87 yards on seven carries. Lurry has four tackles and a team-leading two pass break ups.
 
MILENNIALS: For the first time in school history, NIU returned a 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver from the previous season. Senior tailback Joel Bouagnon rushed for 1,285 yards on 283 carries in 2015. After sitting out the 2014 after transferring to NIU from North Dakota, redshirt senior Kenny Golladay amassed 1,129 yards receiving on 73 receptions. Both players also had at least 10 touchdowns on the season, with Bouagnon scoring 18 TDs, while Golladay reached the end zone 10 times last year.
 
NIU'S ALL-AMERICAN: In addition to returning a 1,000-yard receiver and 1,000-yard rusher, NIU also returns an All-American in cornerback Shawun Lurry.  Last season, Lurry led the nation in interceptions with nine and earned first team All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America, second team accolades by the Walter Camp Foundation and third team honors from the Associated Press.
 
UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY: With loses at Wyoming and USF, the Huskies have lost their first two games to open the season for the first time since 2007. NIU suffered a 16-3 setback to Iowa at Soldier Field to start the season, before being edge out by Southern Illinois, 34-31, in week two.
 
GIVING BACK: Senior linebacker Sean Folliard is one of seven players from the Mid-American Conference named as a nominee for the 2016 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. Established in 1992 by the American Football Coaches Association, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® recognizes a select group of college football players who have made a commitment to service and enriching the lives of others. There are 165 nominees for the 25th anniversary of the award, which selects 22 players, 11 from the Football Bowl Subdivision.
 
DEGREES IN HAND: Five Huskies – Ladell Fleming, Clayton Glasper, Drew Hare, Lincoln Howard and Levon Myers – were among the 58 NIU student-athletes to walk across the stage at graduation and receive their degrees in May. Glasper and Howard earned their degrees in kinesiology, Fleming graduated with a degree in organizational & corporate communications, Hare and Myers earned degrees in leadership and management and marketing, respectively. The five are all in postgraduate studies or grad school this fall.
 
MAKING THE GRADE: The NIU football program continues to be as successful in the classroom as it is on the field. The Huskie football program matched its multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 970, a school record, which it set last year.  The multi-year APR for each NCAA Division I team is based on the past four year' totals for eligibility and retention of each scholarship student-athlete. NIU's 970 ranks above the national average of 964 for Football Subdivision schools and tied for second in the MAC.
 
SENIOR SALUTE: The Huskies' 2016 roster includes 22 seniors, with 18 listed on the depth chart and 11 slated to start against San Diego State. The offensive line features seniors Levon Myers, Lincoln Howard and Josh Ruka with reserve guard Ron Brown. Tailback Joel Bouagnon and wide receivers Kenny Golladay, Clayton Glasper, Aregeros Turner, and Anthony Maddie round out the NIU seniors on the offensive side of the ball. Defensive linemen Mario Jones, Corey Thomas and Ladell Fleming, linebackers Jamaal Payton and Sean Folliard, and cornerback Anthony Brooks comprise the Huskie seniors on the defense. Punter Jake Ambrose, kicker Josh Orne and long snapper Bobby Ramlet provide experience on the special teams.
 
ORANGE YOU GLAD YOU CAME TO NIU: The 22-man 2016 NIU senior class, the largest in Rod Carey's tenure as head coach of the Huskies, boasts 15 redshirt seniors. Of those 15, 11 made the trip to South Beach for NIU's appearance in the 2013 Orange Bowl. They are the last remaining Huskie class who had the Orange Bowl experience.
 
NEW ADDITIONS: NIU head coach Rod Carey welcomed five new coaches to his staff (see chart on page 3) during the offseason. Three of those five coaches are very familiar to Huskie fans. Kevin Kane, who was with the Huskies from 2011-14, returns to serve as NIU's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Mike Uremovich, the Huskies' running backs coach 2012, comes back to DeKalb as offensive coordinator, assistant head coach and running backs coach. Meanwhile, Melvin Rice, who lettered at NIU from 2005-08, returns to coach his old position group, cornerbacks. Veteran line coach Bob Bostad and longtime successful NAIA mentor Josh Homolka have signed on to coach the NIU tight ends/fullbacks and safeties, respectively.
 
MAC PRESEASON MEDIA/COACHES POLL: The six-time defending Mid-American Conference West Division champion NIU Huskies, who won three of the last five conference titles and made six consecutive trips to the MAC Championship game as MAC West Division Champions, were picked to finish in third place in the division in 2016 by the MAC Media Association, while the league coaches selected NIU to finish second. Both the MAC Media Association and MAC Coaches picked Western Michigan and Bowling Green to win the MAC West and East divisions, respectively. It is the third year in a row the MAC Media Poll has not picked the defending MAC West champions to win its division.