HUSKIE BITES

• The NIU Huskies make another postseason visit to Detroit's Ford Field, their first for a bowl game, when NIU and Duke meet for the first time, in the fourth Quick Lane Bowl. 
• NIU is playing in a postseason bowl game for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons and the 10th time since 2006.
• The Huskies' are 3-4 in seven previous games in Ford Field - all for the MAC Championship - beginning in 2005 and then in six consecutive seasons from 2010-15. 
• Entering bowl season, NIU ranks in the Top 25 nationally in six defensive statistical categories, including total defense (18th), rushing defense (11th), pass efficiency defense (25th) and third down conversion percentage defense (6th).   
• Behind NCAA individual leader and consensus All-American Sutton Smith, NIU leads the nation in team tackles for loss (8.8/game) and ranks second nationally in sacks per game (3.4) with 41 on the year. 
• Smith became just the second consensus All-American in NIU history, after running back LeShon Johnson, who was a unanimous All-American in 1993 after leading the nation in rushing and all-purpose yards.  
• Smith leads the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in quarterback sacks with 14 and in tackles for loss with 28.5. He broke the NIU school records in both categories and also set the school mark with two fumble return touchdowns in 2017. 
• The Huskies are looking for their second "Boneyard" win of 2017, and 16th all-time, as NIU marks every win over what are now known as "Power 5" teams by adding a Huskie bone graphic to the wall in its locker room.  
• MAC Freshman of the Year Marcus Childers makes his eighth career start at quarterback for the Huskies in the Quick Lane Bowl. The Adairsville, Ga. native took over under center for NIU early in the MAC opener versus Kent State and has thrown for 1,440 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 454 yards and five scores on the season. 
• NIU Head Coach Rod Carey owns a 44-23 record (.657 win percentage) in five plus seasons as the Huskies' head coach and ranks fourth all-time at NIU in wins, winning percentage and games coached. Carey made his head coaching debut with NIU in the 2013 Orange Bowl. 
• Four Huskies earned first team All Mid-American Conference honors in 2017 with Smith, tight end Shane Wimann, offensive tackle Max Scharping and cornerback Shawun Lurry all receiving the honor.  
• With its trip to the Quick Lane Bowl, NIU looks for its first bowl win since the 2011 season when the Huskies defeated Arkansas State in the 2012 GoDaddy.com Bowl.

---

HUSKIE FOOTBALL FACTS
Head Coach: Rod Carey
Record at NIU/Years: 44-23/5th
Career Record/Years: 44-23/5th
Alma Mater/Year: Indiana/1993
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
All-Time Record: 579-487-51
2016 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 5-7/5-3/3rd West
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 7, 2015
Bowl Appearances (Major College): 12
All-Time Bowl Record: 4-7
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 50/31
Starters Returning: 15 (5 offense, 8 defense, 2 specialist)
Starters Lost: 12 (5 offense, 6 defense, 1 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
Acting President: Dr. Lisa Freeman
Assoc. VP/Athletic Director: Sean T. Frazier
    Alma Mater, Year: Alabama '92
Ticket Information: 815-753-PACK (7225)
 

---

DUKE FACTS
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): David Cutliffe (Alabama '76)
Record at Duke/Years: 58-67/10th
Career Record/Years: 102-96/15th
Location: Durham, N.C.
Enrollment: 6,485
Conference: Atlantic Coast
Colors: Duke Blue & White
Stadium: Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium    
    Surface/Capacity: Natural Grass /40,004
President: Vincent Price
Athletic Director: Dr. Kevin M. White
Athletics Website: www.goduke.com
Twitter: @DukeFOOTBALL

Duke Schedule & Results
 

---

FOLLOW THE HUSKIES

ESPN TO TELEVISE THE QUICK LANE BOWL

• The Quick Lane Bowl will air nationally on ESPN.
• The Huskies will appear on an over-the-air network for the sixth consecutive game and the ninth time this season, including five appearances on CBS Sports Network (Boston College, San Diego State, Eastern Michigan, Ball State, Central Michigan) and FS1 (Nebraska) along with ESPN2 (Western Michigan) and ESPNU (Toledo) appearances.
• Mike Couzens will handle play-by-play duties with Ray Bentley alongside as the color analyst and Allison Williams on the sidelines.
• The game is also available on WatchESPN (requires an active subscription from an affiliated provider).

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Network broadcast of the Quick Lane Bowl on December 26 begins at 3:30 p.m. CT, 45 minutes before kickoff. 
• The game will be carried on NIU network affiliates WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 (DeKalb), AM 560 The Answer (Chicago) and SportsFan Radio AM 1330 (Rockford). 
• Hear the broadcast online via NIU All-Access (subscription), and on mobile devices via TuneIn. Download the app free and find the NIU Huskies channel. 
• Bill Baker completes his 38th season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo joins him for the 32nd consecutive season, while Andy Garcia wraps up his fifth season on the sidelines.

LISTEN TO NIU-DUKE ON SIRIUS XM RADIO

• The Huskie Sports Network broadcast of the Quick Lane Bowl will be available nationally on Sirius XM Radio. Listen on Sirius Channel 137 and XM Channel 202.

NIUTube (HUSKIE 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 subscription.
• Go to NIUHuskies.com for rates and information.

GETTING SOCIAL

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

---

NEWS & NOTES

BOWL GAME SPECIFICS

HUSKIES IN BOWLS: NIU will play in its 12th bowl game as a Division I FBS program and its 17th bowl all-time with this year's trip to the Quick Lane Bowl. The Huskies appeared in a MAC-record eight consecutive bowl games from 2008-15. NIU will be playing in its 11th bowl game in the last 14 seasons dating back to a 2004 appearance in the Silicon Valley Classic. NIU is 4-7 (FBS) and 5-11 overall in bowl games. The Huskies' modern bowl history began in 1983 at the California Bowl under head coach Bill Mallory. 

MOTOR CITY REGULARS: The Huskies will be playing in Detroit's Ford Field for the seventh time in the last eight years and for the eighth time overall when they take the field against Duke in the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl. NIU's previous seven trips to the venue were all for Mid-American Conference Championship games. NIU's first game at Ford Field was in 2005 when the Huskies faced Akron in the MAC Championship Game. The Huskies made six straight trips to the conference title game in Detroit from 2010-15. 

FORD FIELD FAMILIARITY: NIU has played more games, seven, in Detroit's Ford Field than in any neutral site location. The Huskies have played three games at Soldier Field in Chicago and in San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium. The three games at Qualcomm Stadium were for the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. NIU is 3-4 in the building and their last win at Ford Field came Dec. 5, 2014 when the Huskies defeated Bowling Green, 51-17.

LET'S GO BOWLING!: The NIU football program is playing in its ninth bowl game in 10 years. In its last bowl appearance, NIU suffered a 55-7 defeat to Boise State in the 2015 Poinsettia Bowl. NIU's last bowl victory came in the 2012 GoDaddy Bowl, where the Huskies defeated Arkansas State, 38-20, on January 8, 2012

AGAINST THE ACC: The Huskies have played eight games versus teams that were members of the Atlantic Coast Conference at the time of the game and are 2-6 in those contests. NIU's ACC wins came versus Wake Forest, 42-41, in Huskie Stadium in 2002, and versus 15th-ranked Maryland, 20-13, in overtime in 2003 at home. NIU is 1-1 against Wake Forest and Maryland and has lost one meeting to ACC-members Florida State and N.C. State as well. Most recently, the Huskies are 0-2 versus Boston College after suffering a 23-20 setback to the Eagles in the 2017 season opener at Huskie Stadium, and losing a 17-14 game in Chestnut Hill in 2015.

NIU-ACC BOWL HISTORY: NIU's bowl match-up with Duke is its second all-time versus an opponent from the ACC and the first since the Huskies faced off against Florida State in the Discover Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2013. The Seminoles won that meeting, 31-10, after scoring a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns to break open a 17-10 game.

SERIES HISTORY: This is the first meeting between NIU and Duke on the football field. The Huskies and Blue Devils have met in three other sports. The most recent meeting between the two schools was Nov. 2, 2008 when Duke defeated NIU 3-1 in men's soccer. The schools also met in women's volleyball (Sept. 11, 2004) and women's basketball (Feb. 14, 1987), both Blue Devil wins.

ACC-IDENTAL MEETING: NIU's bowl game with Duke marks the first time in school history the Huskies will face two teams from the ACC in the same season. NIU took on Boston College at Huskie Stadium in the season opener. 

DO I KNOW YOU: A pair of former high school teammates will face off against each other as Huskie defensive tackle Ben LeRoy and Blue Devil tight end Jake Marwede both attended Loyola Academy at the same time. LeRoy, who has started every game for the Huskies year, is a sophomore, while Marwede is redshirting this season. Both are also natives of Wilmette, Illinois.

HUSKIE HOMECOMING: The Huskies list three players on the 2017 roster from Detroit. Starting safety Mycial Allen and cornerback Jalen Embry prepped at Detroit's Martin Luther King High School, while freshman Rodney Hall is a graduate of Cass Tech in Detroit. Offensive lineman Ryan Roberts is a native of Northville (Northville HS), tight end Max Thrower is from Royal Oak (Shrine Catholic HS), and freshman Liam Sorgaham is from nearby Dearborn (Devine Child HS).

ADDING TO THE BONEYARD: NIU improved to 15-61-1 all-time versus teams that were in an autonomous conference (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC & Pac-12) at the time the Huskies played them with its 21-17 victory at Nebraska. Of those 15 wins, nine have come in the last 15 years, beginning with NIU's 42-41 victory over Wake Forest Aug. 29, 2002. The Huskies have played a team from one of those five conferences 34 of the last 35 years, with the exception in 2016. 

NOT LION: Former Huskie wide receiver Kenny Golladay was the third round pick of the Detroit Lions in the 2017 NFL Draft. The 6-4, 213-pound product of St. Rita played two years for the Huskies, and ranks in the top 10 in catches (160), receiving yards (2,285) and touchdown catches (18). In his rookie season with the Lions, he has played in nine games, starting three, and has tallied 22 receptions for 369 yards and two touchdowns. 

AWARD WINNERS

ALL-MAC HUSKIES: The Huskies placed 10 players on the 2017 All-MAC Team, including four first teamers, two on offense, two on defense, one second team selection and five third-team honorees. NIU's 10 selections rank third among league schools as Ohio and Western Michigan each had 12. Left tackle Max Scharping is the only repeat performer on the first team All-MAC from 2016.

SPECIAL HUSKIES: In addition to the 10 All-MAC selections, two Huskies earned MAC Specialty Awards as Sutton Smith was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year and quarterback Marcus Childers was named MAC Freshman of the Year. Smith joins Larry English (2008) as the only NIU players to collect the defensive award, while Childers is the first MAC Freshman of the Year for NIU since the school rejoined the league in 1997. He is the third Huskie all-time to win the award. Quarterbacks Marshall Taylor (1985) and Pete Genatempo (1984) were the only previous NIU freshmen honored.

DEGREES IN HAND: The list of college graduates on the NIU roster now stands at 13 after five Huskies earned their degrees from NIU on December 17.  Eleven players earned their degrees from NIU, while two others came to DeKalb as graduate transfers.

Jackson Abresch (S) - Business Administration
* Mycial Allen (S) - General Studies
* Chad Beebe (WR)  - Organizational/ Corporate Communications
Ty Harmston (TE) - Biology
Jordan Huff (TB) - Studio Art-Design & Media Arts
Bobby Jones IV (LB) - Sociology
William Lee (DT) - History
* Josh Orne (P/K) - Nursing
Max Scharping (LT) - Kinesiology
* Alex Schwab (LB) - Finance
* Shane Wimann (TE) - Sociology
Jaden Huff (LB) - Business Administration    St. Cloud State
Jonathan Parker (CB) - Biology     Iowa

*December 2017 graduate

HEAD OF THE CLASS: NIU left tackle Max Scharping was named to the 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-America® Division I Football second team. Scharping, a junior who earned his undergraduate degree from NIU with a 3.99 GPA in kinesiology and is currently pursuing his master's in exercise physiology and fitness leadership, is the first Huskie football player selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® team since 2012 when a school record three players were honored. Scharping is the 13th NIU football student-athlete all-time to be named an Academic All-American by CoSIDA and the first Huskie offensive lineman since Jim Jacobson was a second team choice in 1976.

IT'S ALL ACADEMIC: NIU placed 12 players on the 2017 Academic All-MAC Team, led by four-time honoree Shane Wimann. The Huskie tight end is the second player in school history to be named Academic All-MAC four times, joining Chandler Harnish with that distinction. Offensive linemen Max Scharping and Luke Shively and kicker Christian Hagan were each three-time Academic All-MAC selections.

DEFENSE

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES: The NIU defense has experienced quite a turnaround in 2017, allowing 123.5 fewer yards of total offense and nine-and-a-half fewer points a game this year than last season. The Huskies defense has also forced six more turnovers this year, with one more interception and four more fumble recoveries, scoring 50 more points off those turnovers in 2017. The Huskies' 250 points allowed this season are the fewest since 2008 when NIU allowed 234 points.
 

Category	2016	2017	Difference
Average Points	30.3	20.8	-9.5
Points Allowed	364	250	-114
Rushing Yards/Game	200.8	112.2	-88.6
Passing Yards/Game	250.7	215.8	-34.9
Total Offense/Game	451.5	328.0	-123.5

THE DEFENSE DOES NOT REST: NIU leads the MAC and ranks 18th in the nation in total defense, allowing an average of 328.0 yards per game. Last year, the Huskies finished the season ranked 98th nationally in total defense, allowing 451.5 yards a game, 128.8 more than the current number. NIU allowed a season-low 131 yards of total offense to Kent State (Oct. 7), the lowest total by an FBS team since Oct. 8, 2011 when the Golden Flashes gained just 64 yards.

TURNING OVER POINTS: The Huskies have converted 13 of the 21 turnovers forced on the season into 83 points. Last season, NIU tallied just 33 points off 15 turnovers. NIU has turned three fumble recoveries into touchdowns – either on the actual recovery itself, or subsequently by the offense. In addition to its three INT return touchdowns, the Huskies have come up with touchdowns on three drives after interceptions.

HUSKIE SEE HUSKIE DO: Nine different Huskie defenders have accounted for NIU's 15 interceptions this season. Linebacker Jawuan Johnson leads the way with five, while safety Mycial Allen and cornerback Shawun Lurry have two each. Linebackers Bobby Jones IV and Kyle Pugh, safeties Jackson Abresch, Mykelti Williams and Trayshon Foster and defensive end Josh Corcoran each intercepted one pass.

BALL-HAWKING BACKER: Linebacker Jawuan Johnson tied the school record for interception returns for a touchdown in a season and in a career with his second pick-six of the season and his team-leading fifth interception of the year at Central Michigan. Johnson returned his first interception for a touchdown in NIU's win at Nebraska. He is the first Huskie linebacker with at least five interceptions in a season since Rich Marks, who finished with six INTs in 1972, which are the most by a linebacker in school history. His five INTs are the most by a FBS linebacker this season.

SCORE (ANOTHER) ONE FOR THE DEFENSE: Jawuan Johnson's 37-yard interception return for a touchdown at Central Michigan was the Huskies' fifth defensive touchdown of the year, which is a school record. The Huskies rank third in the country and lead the MAC in defensive scores. NIU returned two fumbles for a touchdown, both by Sutton Smith - a 58-yard return against Western Michigan and a 16-yard at Bowling Green - and three interception returns for a score, two by Johnson and one by Shawun Lurry. Johnson and Lurry each had an INT for a TD in the Huskies' win at Nebraska. 

AT A LOSS: As a team, the Huskies lead in the country in tackles for loss, averaging 8.8 per game. NIU recorded six tackles for loss in the regular season finale at Central Michigan to give the Huskies 106 on the year,  breaking the previous school record of 104, set in 2008. NIU totaled a school-record 18 TFLs against Ball State, the most by any team in the FBS this year. 

THREE OF A KIND: The Huskie defense currently has three different defenders with double digit tackles for loss. Sutton Smith leads the way with his school-record 28.5, Jawuan Johnson has 13.5, and Bobby Jones IV 11. The last time multiple NIU players finished the season in double digits in tackles for loss was when Alan Baxter (11.5), Sean Progar (10.5), Joe Windsor (10.5) and Tyrone Clark (10) did it in 2012.

MODEL OF EFFICIENCY: A key to the Huskies' defensive success in 2017 has been its ability to get off the field.  NIU ranks sixth in the country and leads the MAC in third down conversion percentage defense as opponents are converting at just a 28.4 percent rate. The Huskies held San Diego State to a season-low 1-of-14 on third down conversions, Kent State to 2-of-16 and Buffalo to 2-for-14 on third down in consecutive games earlier this year. 

PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES: The NIU defense's 28.4 third down conversion percentage defense (57-of-201) is the lowest in school history (records dating back to 1986). The previous low by a Huskie defense was 35 percent in 1994, when the Huskies held opponents to 55-of-158 on third down. Last season, NIU's opponents converted 38 percent (70-of-185) of their third down attempts.  

GETTING OFF THE FIELD: The Huskie defense is tied for third in the country in defensive three-and-outs entering bowl season. Four times this season, NIU has recorded a season-best eight three-and-outs in a game – versus Central Michigan, Ball State, San Diego State and Kent State. NIU is averaging 6.1 three-and-outs a game. The Huskies have either forced teams to punt or forced a turnover in the first three plays of a drive in 67 of 165 drives by their opponents. The Huskies also tallied six three-and-outs versus Eastern Illinois, five at Nebraska and four versus both Western Michigan and Boston College.
 

Team (G)	Avg.	3 & Outs-Total Drives	Pct.
1. Indiana (12)	6.50	78-177	44.1
2. Michigan (12)	6.25	75-146	51.4
3. NIU (12)	6.17	74-180	41.1
4. Texas A&M (12)	5.75	69-166	41.6
5. Clemson (12)	5.50	66-156	42.3

WORKING ON THE LINE: The young NIU defensive line, led by Sutton Smith, has accounted for 30 of NIU's 41 sacks, 59 of the Huskies' 106 tackles for loss and four of NIU's 20 forced turnovers. Ten different defensive linemen have recorded at least one sack this season with four of NIU's five sacks versus Western Michigan and six of seven versus Ball State made by linemen. Sophomores Ben LeRoy (DT) and Smith, and redshirt freshman Jack Heflin (DT), who came up with his first career tackle for loss versus WMU, are all first-time starters. 

STOPPING THE RUN: NIU is giving up just 112.2 yards per game on the ground which ranks second in the MAC and 11th in the country.  That number is the lowest allowed by a Huskie defense since 1963, when NIU gave up just 107.4 yards/game, and is the best rushing defense by NIU as an FBS program. NIU has held five opponents to less than 100 rushing yards, including Buffalo which gained only 39 yards, including just one net yard in the second half. The vaunted rushing attack of Western Michigan was limited to just 110 net yards on 44 carries with MAC leading rusher Jarvion Franklin gaining 115 yards and just 23 after the first quarter.  

SACK STREAK: Ben LeRoy extended the NIU defense's sack streak to 22 games when he took down CMU quarterback Shane Morris in the second quarter.  The Huskie team's sack streak dates back to the Huskies' Sept. 17, 2016 contest against San Diego State. The 2017 Huskies lead the MAC and rank third in the country with 3.45 sacks a game.

SACK ATTACK: Twice this season, NIU's defense has recorded seven sacks in a game, reaching the mark against both Ball State and Kent State. Seven sacks are the most recorded by a Huskie defense since Sept. 14, 2013 when NIU amassed a school-record nine sacks at Idaho.

SACK-SATIONAL DEFENSE: NIU's 41 sacks this season rank second all-time in school history. The school record for sacks in a season is 47 set in 2002. The Huskie defense tied the 2012 team with three sacks at Central Michigan. 

SCORE ANY WHICH WAY YOU CAN: NIU's school-record seven non-offensive touchdowns is a school record. In addition to the three interception and two fumble returns for touchdowns, the Huskies have blocked two punts for touchdowns in 2017. The previous school record for non-offensive touchdowns was four when NIU returned four interceptions for touchdowns in 2001. NIU's three interception returns for touchdowns this season are the second most in school history.

OFFENSE

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Despite averaging 79.5 fewer yards a game this year, NIU is averaging almost as many points a game in 2017 (30.2) as they did a year ago. Last season, the Huskies averaged 463.8 yards and 30.5 a contest.

QUARTERBACK COMPARISON: Marcus Childers is the first redshirt freshman to start at least seven games at quarterback for NIU since Chandler Harnish in 2008 and to date, Childers has out-performed the Huskie great. While Harnish did leave his second start early due to injury, Childers has 16 more carries, thrown for more TDs and yards, and averages more passing yards a game. Harnish averaged just over a yard per carry than Childers and had a better passer efficiency rating, 139.17-122.48.
 

	W-L	Rush	Yards	TD	Avg.	C-A-I	Pass Yds	TD	Yds/G
Harnish (2008)	3-4	87	399	4	4.6	80-138-5	1,178	7	168.3
Childers (2017)	5-2	103	331	4	3.2	123-216-2	1,309	12	187.0

ALL MY CHILDERS: Marcus Childers became the first Huskie quarterback to throw four touchdown passes in a game since Drew Hare threw four versus Murray State on Sept. 12, 2015 with his career-best four TDs versus Ball State. Childers connected with four different receivers in three quarters of work. Childers finished the game with 141 yards on 10-of-22 passing. 

PLAYING LIKE A SENIOR: Senior tight end Shane Wimann became an offensive weapon in 2017 with at least one reception in 11 of NIU's 12 games this season. The Huskie tight end caught a career-high 30 passes for 283 yards en route to first team All-MAC honors in a year of career bests. The senior caught a career-high six passes for 37 yards at Toledo, tallied a career high 70 yards - on four catches - against Eastern Michigan with a career-long 50 yard grab in the contest. 

TE FOR THE TD: Shane Wimann caught his team-leading seventh touchdown pass of the season on a four-yard shovel pass from Marcus Childers in the first quarter versus Ball State to set a new NIU record for most touchdown catches by a tight end in a season. Wimann broke his own record of six touchdown receptions set last year, while his 17 career scores are also a Huskie tight end record. Wimann is the only player on the current roster to have caught a touchdown pass from each of the last five NIU starting quarterbacks. 

NO MORE TEARS: Wide receiver Spencer Tears leads NIU with 39 catches and 461 yards on the season. He posted three five-catch games on the year and recorded his first 100-yard receiving game when he tallied 105 yards on five receptions, including a touchdown, at San Diego State. The redshirt sophomore has four touchdown receptions on the year which ties him with Christian Blake for the most TD catches by a wide receiver. 

FOUR OF A KIND: NIU has four players with 300 or more receiving yards in 2017. The last time NIU had that many players with as many receiving yards for the season was in 2011 when Martel Moore, Nathan Palmer, Perez Ashford and Da'Ron Brown hit the mark. Spencer Tears leads the way with 461 yards, while Chad Beebe is next with 417, followed closely by Christian Blake with 414. D.J. Brown rounds out the quartet with 342 yards. Tight end Shane Wimann needs just 17 yards to join the 300-yard club.  

GOING DEEP: Six Huskie players have caught a pass of 50 yards or longer in 2017, another sign of the depth of the NIU receiving corps. Spencer Tears (81 yards), Chad Beebe (73), Jauan Wesley (70), D.J. Brown (69), Christian Blake (50) and Shane Wimann (50) all have at least one long reception, with Wesley's 70-yarder from Daniel Santacaterina versus Ball State the most recent.   

ON THE BRINK: Sophomore tight end Mitchell Brinkman has made his presence felt with a pair of touchdown catches, including the game-winner from 26-yards out versus Western Michigan. Brinkman has just four catches on the season, with two going for scores. The 26-yard reception was the longest of his career.   

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: Wide receiver Jauan Wesley caught his first career touchdown pass and blocked his first punt in NIU's 63-17 victory over Ball State. Wesley was on the receiving end of a 70-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Santacaterina in the fourth quarter. Two Cardinal possessions later, he blocked Morgan Hagee's punt in the end zone, which Jackson Abresch recovered for the score.


SPECIAL TEAMS

JUST FOR KICKS: NIU has forced a school-record 96 punts this season, surpassing the previous total of 76 set in 1976. Conversely, on their first punt of the Quick Lane Bowl, NIU will set the school record for most punts in a season. NIU's 81 punts this year currently are tied for the first with the 1969 team.

SPECIAL FORCES: NIU freshmen punter Matt Ference is averaging 41.2 yards a punt and has landed 28 punts inside the 20-yard line. Last season, NIU totaled only eight punts inside the 20 while averaging 38.1 yards per punt. The last Huskie punter to average more than 40 yards a punt was Tyler Wedel, who posted a 41.7-yard average in 2014.

PINNING THEM DEEP: Of NIU punter Matt Ference's 28 punts that have dropped inside the 20-yard line, 17 have landed on or inside the 10-yard line. Ference and the NIU punt team placed a season-high three punts on or inside the 10-yard line at Nebraska and at San Diego State. Back-up punter Josh Orne, called on to rugby punt on a windy night versus Western Michigan, saw one of his first two career punts drop inside the 10 as well.

BLOCK PARTY: The Huskies lead the nation in blocked kicks with six and are third in the country in blocked punts with four. NIU blocked at least one punt in three straight games with one each against Eastern Michigan and Toledo, and two versus Ball State, all by different players. NIU also blocked a field goal at Nebraska and another against Eastern Michigan. The school record for punt blocks in a season is six, set in 2010.

Player  (Block Type) - Opponent
William Lee (FG) - Nebraska
TEAM (FG) - Eastern Michigan
Mitchell Brinkman (P) - Eastern Michigan
Jackson Abresch (P) - Toledo
Trayshon Foster (P) - Ball State
Jauan Wesley (P) - Ball State

TWICE AS GOOD: NIU's two blocked punts against Ball State marked the first time NIU has blocked multiple punts in a game since Nov. 20, 2010 when they blocked three punts - coincidentally - at Ball State.

IN THE NCAA RECORD BOOKS: Jackson Abresch scored a pair of touchdowns on NIU's two blocked punts versus Ball State to become just the third player in NCAA history to score twice off of blocked punts in the same game. Abresch joined Air Force's Frank Staine-Pyne (1997 vs. Hawaii) and Auburn's David Langner (1972 vs. Alabama) as the only FBS players to achieve the rare feat. 

IN THE HUSKIE RECORD BOOKS: Abresch's first blocked punt return score in the Ball State game, which he returned 13 yards, was NIU's first touchdown off a blocked punt since Sept. 3, 2011 when Jimmie Ward returned one 14 yards against Army. Abresch tied Ward for career blocked punt returns for a touchdown when he recovered NIU's second blocked punt of the night in the end zone. He is also the first Huskie to block a punt (vs. Toledo) and score a touchdown on a blocked punt since Ward in 2010.

CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN: Christian Hagan, who has hit 91 straight point-after attempts, including a season-high nine against Ball State, moved up to seventh on NIU's all-time scoring list with five PATs versus Western Michigan. The Huskie senior surpassed NIU great Jordan Lynch on the scoring list when he tallied six points at Central Michigan with three made extra points and a field goal. Hagan also moved past Chris Nendick to rank second on the Huskies' all-time list for career PATs made, although he is not within reach of all-time leader Mathew Sims (196). Hagan is fourth on NIU's list for most points kicking, tied for fourth in field goal attempts (64) and fifth in field goals made (43). 

UTILITY PLAYER: Senior receiver Chad Beebe showcased another skill in his repertoire when the senior added kickoff return duties beginning in the Eastern Michigan game. Already serving as the team's punt return man and holder on PATs and field goals, Beebe's yards per game average of 46.3 on kickoffs leads NIU in 2017, he is averaging 24.8 yards on kickoff returns and 3.9 yards on 16 punt returns.

REVOLVING RETURNERS: Following in the footsteps of Aregeros Turner and Tommylee Lewis, a duo who rewrote the Huskie career kickoff return record book, NIU has used a revolving set of deep men on kickoff return in 2017. Receivers Christian Blake, Chad Beebe and D.J. Brown, running backs Jordan Huff and Jonathan Parker, and defensive back Jalen Embry have all taken a turn, with Beebe and Brown handling the assignment of late.


SEASON BESTS

COMEBACK ABILITY: NIU came back to win a game in the fourth quarter for the second time this season when the Huskies scored a touchdown with 6:20 to play and then ran out the clock with a final drive to defeat Western Michigan, 35-31. NIU led at the half, but fell behind 28-21 in the third quarter and again 31-28 in the final period. NIU's 30-27 overtime victory over Eastern Michigan was the first win for the Huskies this season when trailing heading into the fourth quarter as NIU came back from a 24-10 deficit to tie the game in regulation.

FINISHING THE JOB: With its 63-17 victory over Ball State, NIU has won 52 of 53 games when carrying a lead into the fourth quarter. The Huskies took a 49-17 lead into the final quarter of play against the Cardinals. The last NIU loss when leading after three quarters was a 31-24 setback to Toledo at Guaranteed Rate Field on Nov. 9, 2016. The Huskies led the Rockets, 21-17, after three quarters.

WORKING OVERTIME: NIU improved to 7-4 in overtime games all-time with its 30-27 comeback win over Eastern Michigan on October 26 as the Huskies rallied for a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit. It is the Huskies' only overtime game of the season to date. Last year, NIU played in a school-record three overtime contests, including two triple OT games.

WHAT ARE YOU DRIVING AT?: NIU scored its fourth touchdown of the game against Bowling Green on a six-play, 95-yard scoring drive, culminating in a Marcus Childers to Chad Beebe 73-yard touchdown strike. It was the longest scoring drive of the season and the longest since the Huskies marched 96 yards for a touchdown in a 43-39 victory over Eastern Illinois on Sept. 21, 2013.  

QUARTER-BLAKE: Christian Blake's 10-yard completion to Marcus Childers at Toledo was his second pass completion of the season and third of his career. He completed a pass to Ryan Graham in the season opener against Boston College and is 2-for-3 with 17 yards passing this season. Blake is the first Huskie wide receiver with two completions in a season since Britt Davis in 2005, who also went 2-for-3 passing.

FOUR FOR 100: D.J. Brown became the fourth Huskie receiver this season to record a 100-yard receiving game with 104 yards versus Eastern Michigan, joining Chad Beebe who tallied 124 yards at Bowling Green, and Christian Blake and Spencer Tears, who recorded 160 and 105 yards, respectively, at San Diego State. It's the first time in NIU's FBS history that four different Huskie receivers have tallied a 100-yard receiving game in the same season. In 2015, three different Huskies (Kenny Golladay, Tommylee Lewis and Jawaun Brescacin) each had 100-yard receiving games.

THREE FOR THREE: Marcus Childers became the third quarterback to start a game for NIU this season when he took the first snap at Buffalo and started every subsequent game. This season marked the third-straight year the Huskies started at least three different quarterbacks. In 2015, Drew Hare, Ryan Graham and Tommy Fiedler each started a game for the Huskies, while Hare, Graham, Anthony Maddie and Daniel Santacaterina all started at least one game for NIU in 2016. Graham (1 start) and Santacaterina (4) have the remainder of the starts this year.

GETTING THE POINT: The three points scored by Kent State were the fewest allowed by a Huskie defense in a MAC game since NIU shut out Massachusetts on Nov. 3, 2012. It's the fewest in a game overall since a 55-3 victory over Presbyterian on Aug. 28, 2014.

NO PASSING ZONE: Kent State's 29 yards passing were the fewest passing yards allowed by the Huskies since Sept. 26, 2015 when NIU held Boston College to 92 yards passing. Conversely, NIU's 64 passing yards versus Western Michigan was its lowest total since Dec. 23, 2015 when the Huskies threw for just 38 yards versus Boise State in the Poinsettia Bowl.  

CONVERTING INTs INTO TDs: With his 87-yard interception return for a touchdown at Nebraska, Shawun Lurry tied the school record for career interception returns for a touchdown with two. His first came in the 2015 MAC Championship game against Bowling Green (Dec. 4) when he ran a Matt Johnson pass back 64 yards for a score.

MAKING HISTORY: The NIU defense returned two interceptions for touchdowns in a game for the first time in school history in its victory at Nebraska. Shawun Lurry ran the first interception of the day back 87 yards in the first quarter, while Jawuan Johnson followed suit with a 25-yard INT return score for a 14-0 NIU lead.

GRADUATION SUCCESS: The Huskie football program continues to rank among the MAC and FBS best with a Graduation Success Rate of 84 percent in the latest report issued by the NCAA in November.  That mark is good for second in the MAC, one percentage point behind Miami (Ohio). NIU remains one of the FBS' top football programs in graduating its student-athletes as the 84 percent mark tied for 20th among all NCAA Division I FBS schools.

HUSKIE HARDWARE: Eight Huskies have earned 10 MAC West Player of the Week honors in 2017 with Sutton Smith adding his third defensive honor versus Western Michigan. NIU has twice had two players honored in the same week. Overall, the Huskies' honors have been spread among the offense (twice), defense (five times) and special teams (three times).

Defense: Jawuan Johnson (LB)  - Nebraska (Sept. 16)
Offense: Christian Blake (WR) - San Diego State (Sept. 30)
Special Teams: Matt Ference (P)  -  San Diego State (Sept. 30)
Defense: Sutton Smith (DE) - Kent State (Oct. 7)
Defense: Bobby Jones (LB)  - Buffalo (Oct. 14)
Special Teams: Christian Hagan (K)  - Bowling Green (Oct. 21)
Offense: Marcus Childers (QB) - Eastern Michigan (Oct. 26)
Defense: Sutton Smith (DE) - Eastern Michigan (Oct. 26)
Special Teams: Jackson Abresch (S) - Ball State (Nov. 9) 
Defense: Sutton Smith (DE) - Western Michigan (Nov. 15)




 

Related Videos

Now Playing:

• Play Video