Football | October 30

DeKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University defensive end Sutton Smith (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell HS) has been named one of 18 semifinalists for the 2017 Chuck Bednarik Award as the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year, the Maxwell Football Club announced Monday.
 
Smith, a redshirt sophomore in his first season as a starter, leads the Football Bowl Subdivision in tackles for loss with 20 (2.5/game) and ranks second in quarterback sacks (1.19/game) through the Huskies' first eight games. Nearly half of his 42 total tackles on the year have gone for loss.  He also ranks ninth nationally in fumbles recovered and 10^th in fumbles forced and has knocked down two passes.
 
He is the first Huskie player to be named a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, which has been presented by the Maxwell Football Club as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee, since 1995. Current Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald won the inaugural award in 1995 and was a repeat winner in 1996.  Smith is the only MAC player among the 18 Bednarik semifinalists this year.
 
"I'm really happy for Sutton, and for the entire defense, because it's a recognition of them as well," said NIU Head Coach Rod Carey.  "For him to come out this year and do what he's done, no one could expect that. We knew we have a pretty good left tackle, and he's struggled to block [Sutton] at times in practice.  When we saw that, we thought he could have a good year."    
 
With three tackles for loss and a quarterback sack among his six tackles last Thursday in NIU's overtime win over Eastern Michigan, Smith tied the 33-year-old NIU school record for tackles for loss in a season set by Scott Kellar in 1984.  His 9.5 quarterback sacks this season are tied for sixth all-time at NIU and within reach of the school single season record of 12 held by Larry English (2006) and Kellar (1984).
 
Smith scored on a 16-yard fumble return at Bowling Green on a sack, strip and score play. Two of his top performances came versus Power 5 opponents Boston College, with five tackles for loss, a sack and six tackles, and Nebraska, where he had four tackles for loss and two sacks in the Huskies' upset win.  He has twice been named the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week, following the Kent State and Eastern Michigan games.
 
The sophomore has helped lead a resurgent Huskie defense that ranks in the Top 16 defenses in the FBS and leads the MAC in 10 statistical categories. The Huskies are ninth in rushing defense, 16^th in scoring defense and 15^th in total defense.
 
NIU (6-2, 4-0 MAC), after becoming bowl eligible, will travel to Toledo, Ohio to take on the Rockets (7-1, 4-0 MAC) on Thursday, Nov. 2 in a battle between the MAC West's top-two teams. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 5 p.m. (CT) and will air on ESPNU.
 
Tickets to the Huskies' two remaining home games are still available, beginning Thursday, Nov. 9 when NIU takes on Ball State at Huskie Stadium. Tickets are on sale through the NIU Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center, by calling 815-753-PACK (7225) or online at NIUHuskies.com/myhuskies.
 
-- NIU --