DeKALB, Ill. – After setting the Northern Illinois University school records for career and single season touchdown catches by a tight end while playing in 40 games over the last three years, senior
Shane Wimann is now one of "those" players. You know the ones, the names that have been around so long that even opposing fans recognize them. The ones that cause opposing coaches to say "is he still there, I thought he was a senior two years ago."
After spending his redshirt freshman season of 2014 in a blocking back role, and nabbing 11 passes for 98 yards with four touchdowns as a sophomore, Wimann enjoyed a break out campaign in 2016 with 24 catches for 254 yards and six touchdowns. His 24 catches were the most by an NIU tight end since 2005, while his 10 career TD catches have now set the standard for Huskies at the position.
NIU offensive coordinator
Mike Uremovich, who also serves as the position coach for the tight ends and fullbacks, says Wimann's preparation and attention to detail set him apart.
"The thing about Shane is he's really a student of the game," Uremovich said. "He spends a lot of time studying the film, and he really works hard on taking the things that he's not as good at off the film. He's really improved his footwork from last year in terms of the run game, and the definition of his routes and the precision in how he runs his routes is a lot better."
Wimann, the lone senior among the tight ends and fullbacks, has also developed into the group's leader, say his teammates.
"Shane's old," joked
Ty Harmston, who then respectfully conceded, "he's a great leader."
"He's experienced," said sophomore
Mitchell Brinkman. "This is his fourth year playing now, his fifth year here, he knows all the ins and outs. He helps us coach the younger guys up, he watches film with us, he pushes us on the field and off the field. "
While Wimann is the name everyone knows, the tight end/fullback position at NIU is far more than a one-man show as the Huskies often utilize two and even three tight end sets. That means players like Brinkman, who played in eight games as a true freshman in 2016, and Harmston, a junior who was a part of the two tight end rotation until going down with a season-ending leg injury in the third game of last year, will be counted on to continue their development and increase their offensive contributions. Sophomore
Daniel Crawford, who played in 12 games last year and caught his first two career passes, redshirt freshman Max Thrower, and 6-6 true freshman
Liam Soraghan fill out the tight end group with junior
Aaron Fischer the lone fullback.
In the position room, their goal is to be on the field – as a group.
"I think the goal for all the tight ends and fullbacks is to have as many of us on the field as we can," Brinkman said. "We have different formations with multiple tight ends and fullbacks and the coaches are going to put the best 11 on the field, and we want to have three of the 11."
NIU Head Coach
Rod Carey has a more defined goal, and role.
"I really look for that group to be the edge of the offensive line, and really dominate that side," Carey said. "Then when the defense overcommits, we want to get them the ball in the air, and I think you saw how we were able to do that last year with Shane. "
Uremovich said the hybrid position – with roles in the running and passing game – is undoubtedly the most challenging to master in the NIU offense.
"The tight ends in this offense really have the toughest job," Uremovich said. "They have to know the run game and be able to block like an offensive lineman, and they have to know the passing game and be able to catch balls like a wide receiver. Really they're splitting their time in practice. Half of it is with the o-line and half of it is with the quarterback and receivers. From an assignment standpoint, they have the toughest job."
He doesn't get any argument from Harmston when asked the greatest attribute of a successful NIU tight end or fullback.
"Versatility," he said. "That's the biggest thing. You've heard it before, but everything anyone has to do on the field offensively, besides throw the ball or snap the ball, we've got to do it at some point. We've been doing real well, we've been improving a lot. We're a really deep group, we've got a lot of guys playing in a lot of different spots and we're all picking it up real well."
PRACTICE #9 NOTES
The Huskies worked in full pads for just the second time this preseason on Saturday afternoon, spending an hour and 40 minutes on the turf at Huskie Stadium. Approximately half of the practice was spent in "team" or 11-on-11 situations with tackling. The Huskies practiced second and long situations during the middle of practice, and Carey backed the offense up on its own one-yard line for six series late with the challenge to achieve at least two first downs. The offense converted on every drive except its last. During special teams periods, the Huskies worked on punt return. Punt returner and wide receiver
Ezra Saffold sported a "Saints" T-shirt underneath his practice gear Saturday, a gift from his former high school and NIU teammate Tommylee Lewis, now in his second season with New Orleans' NFL team. Offensive lineman
Max Scharping is not likely to give Saffold a run for the punt return job, but he did successfully haul in a punt during post-practice fun.
CAREY ON PRACTICE #9
"[Practice] was a little shorter today because we've been going pretty hard, and it was our third day in a row. I really liked what I saw from the offense. I thought they did a good job moving the ball with consistency. Then the last play of the day they fumbled, which was bad. That was a good teaching point for our defense, because the defense probably didn't play as well as they have, and you've just got to hang around and be opportunistic when things are going like that. I think that will be good teaching film for them. I think you're seeing that normal flow in practice where the defense is ahead and now the offense is locking in. We've got to keep pushing on both sides."
Season tickets, Family Packs, three-game Mini-Plans, and single game tickets, are on sale for all 2017 NIU Football home games. Purchase tickets online at
NIUHuskies.com, by calling 815-753-PACK (7225) or in person at the NIU Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Single game tickets for the season opener versus Boston College on Friday, Sept. 1 at Huskie Stadium, are priced at $30 (reserved West Side) and $20 (general admission East Side) with special discount pricing for DeKalb County residents at just $15/ticket. The game kicks off at 8:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network and NIU wants all fans to wear black to the game, fill the stands and help #BlackOutBC.
Follow NIU Football throughout the 2017 Training Camp at Training Camp Central on NIUHuskies.com for daily updates, news and information, video and more.
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