DeKALB, Ill. – According to Northern Illinois University sophomore tailback Marcus Jones, playing the running back position at NIU is special.  Jones, a Chicago product who played at Brother Rice High school, knows being a running back at NIU comes with expectations.
 
"At NIU, we're known for having great running backs," Jones said after Friday's practice at Huskie Stadium.  "If you're a running back here, you want to live up to that tradition, you want to be like Garrett Wolfe, you want to be like Michael Turner, like Joel [Bouagnon] or like LeShon Johnson.  I think that tradition aspect makes you want to be better, it makes you want to be that guy."
 
This year, the NIU running back corps is led by someone who was "that guy" - only at the quarterback position - in 2013 Heisman Trophy finalist Jordan Lynch, who begins his coaching career as running backs coach at his alma mater in 2017.  Having one of the most successful running quarterbacks in NCAA Division I history running drills, going through film and leading the unit provides even more inspiration, and competition, says Jones.
 
"Coach Lynch is awesome," Jones said.  "He brings the fun. He's young, he's fresh out. He's learning on the go, we're learning with him.  He understands us.  He's a player's coach.  He's been through this.  I think he brings excitement. We love to compete with him, we always joke around with him.  He'll say, you won't have 2,000 yards like I did.  He always pushes us."
 
For his part, Lynch appreciates the opportunity to work with a running back group that includes veterans Jones, senior Jordan Huff (Mobile, Ala./St. Paul's Episcopal) and juniors Tommy Mister (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita/Indiana) and Dwayne Milton (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) , along with Virginia transfer Tre Harbison (Shelby, N.C./Crest HS), a redshirt freshman, and true freshmen Jordan Nettles (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) and Jordan Rowell (Elmhurst, Ill./Immaculate Conception). 
 
"Obviously, it's my first year in coaching and I do miss [playing] the game a little bit, but having a great group like this and being around football helps me a lot," Lynch said.  "The thing I like about these guys is they come out and they're ready to work every day.  They're the first ones on the field, they're always asking questions in meetings and always trying to learn and be better.  They make my job easy."
 
The position is deep in talent, although not necessarily in playing experience as Huff is the only player on the roster with more than nine career carries.  The senior has 1,427 yards on 206 career carries with 16 touchdown and his 6.9 per carry average ranks among the best in NIU history.  
 
Jones, who received a medical redshirt last season after getting injured versus South Florida in week two, has taken a leadership role in the group, and was named to the team's Leadership Council, while Mister played primarily on special teams a year ago in his first season of eligibility at NIU, carrying the ball nine times for 49 yards.
 
"Marcus Jones is having a whale of camp, and I think Tommy Mister is having the best camp of the entire team, out of anybody," said NIU Head Coach Rod Carey when talking about the progress of the backs this preseason.  "Huff is the most experienced and he's been battling some nicks and bruises in camp but he's been out here the past couple of days.  Tre gives you that downhill [guy], he doesn't look like he's moving fast but he is, and Milt's a lot faster than he looks and has improved out of the backfield catching the ball."
 
Lynch likes what Mister has shown him as a blocker and says that skill, as well as catching the ball, are very important in earning playing time.
 
"Tommy Mister is a very good blocker," Lynch said. "He runs the ball hard, but he'd [almost] rather block than carry the ball so he's a good team guy. In this offense, you have to be a versatile running back, you can't just be a runner.  We'll split you out, we'll put you in pass routes and we have different blocking schemes where you have to be a good blocker. You can't play in this offense if you're not versatile."
 
Of the true freshmen, Jordan Nettles has made the biggest impression on both Carey, who has mentioned the Romeoville native several times throughout camp as a true freshman who has stood out, and on Lynch.
 
"Jordan Nettles came in and [showed] he's ready," Lynch said. "He's learning the offense as fast as possible. Huff and Tommy and Marcus Jones have been teaching him the system over the summer.  He's a quick-twitch guy, who has good hands out of the backfield. He makes some explosive plays; he can go the distance every time he touches the ball."
 
Jones is not shy in his assessment of the running backs as a unit.
 
"I think our group is the best on the team," he said.  "We have speed, elusiveness, power.  I think when it comes down to it, all four of us can be on the field.  We're all competing.  Only one running back plays, it's going to be exciting when we play Boston College in the season opener."
 
PRACTICE NOTES:
The Huskies practiced for two hours in full pads Friday with multiple 11-on-11 periods.  The defense produced several turnovers including a fumble return by linebacker Kyle Pugh and an interception by cornerback Jonathan Parker.  Pugh also had a sack, while Joe Sanders boke up a pass in team drills.  Quarterback Daniel Santacaterina led the second team offense to a touchdown during two-minute with a touchdown pass to Maalik Todd, and Andrew Parchment came up with a long reception from Anthony Thompson late in the workout, which ended on a Thompson to Cole Tucker touchdown connection.
 
PRACTICE QUOTES
Head Coach Rod Carey on Friday's practice.  
"We've got work to do before we're ready.  We've got a solid two weeks before we're ready.  They're tired of hitting each other but I think there's still great effort and energy out here and striving to get better.
 
"I think there is some really good improvement out there.  I like the way the defense responds.  The offense has a tough time scoring, but then they'll come back with some big plays and moving down there too.
 
"The effort and energy has been good, obviously it gets harder but that's the challenge to keep the energy and effort up because that's how you improve.  I think they have.  If you go comparatively to other year that we've been here, I think our effort and energy is better now at this point in camp than any other year."
 
The Huskies open the 2017 season Friday Sept. 1 when NIU plays host to Boston College in Huskie Stadium, as the Eagles become the first Atlantic Coast Conference opponent to play at NIU since 2003. Help NIU #BlackOutBC and take advantage of $15 tickets for DeKalb County residents.
 
Single game tickets for all six home games this fall are now on sale online at NIUHuskies.com or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225). Season tickets offer the best value with options like the new $199 Family Pack featuring four tickets in sections A or G and a new, lowered $60 price for season tickets on the East Side with general admission seating.  Reserved seats in sections A, B, F and G are just $115 for the season, a cost of less than $20 per game.
 
Three-game mini-plans, priced at just $40 and featuring two different options, are also available. Mini-plan purchasers receive all the benefits of season ticket members, including exclusive invitations to special events throughout the year. Check NIUHuskies.com for all the details.
 
The Huskies will be back on the practice field Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and welcomes all fans for 2017 NIU Football Family Fun Day with activities for the kids, concessions, posters, autographs, tickets for sale and more. Admission and parking is free with seating on the West Side of Huskie Stadium during practice.  
 
Check Training Camp Central on NIUHuskies.com for daily updates, videos and more from NIU Preseason Camp.
 
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