HUSKIE BITES

• NIU opens the 2017 season on Friday, Sept. 1 when Boston College becomes the first Atlantic Coast Conference team to visit Huskie Stadium since 2003. The non-conference schedule also includes the third meeting all-time between NIU and Nebraska (first since 1990). 
• The NIU Huskies return 50 letterwinners and 15 starters for 2017 - including eight defensive starters, five on offense and two specialists.
• NIU returns three starters, including All-America candidate Max Scharping, off an offensive line that led the FBS in fewest sacks allowed a year ago. The Huskies gave up just eight sacks in 2016. 
• With 70 wins over the last seven seasons, NIU has averaged 10 victories per year between 2010-2016.     
• The 2016 Huskies won four of their last five games to finish the season with a 5-7 record, and were 5-3 versus the MAC. 
• Entering his fifth season as NIU head coach, Rod Carey ranks fourth all-time at the school in wins (36) and his winning percentage (.654) ranks second among coaches with at least 30 games coached at NIU. Carey has a school-record three wins over Big Ten teams and a 26-6 record in MAC games.   
• Tight end Shane Wimann enters his senior season as the school record holder for touchdown catches in a season and in a career by a tight end. The Wisconsin Dells product scored six receiving touchdowns a year ago and has 10 career touchdown catches. 
• Already the NIU record holder for single season and career interception return yards after leading the nation with nine interceptions during his All-America sophomore season, Shawun Lurry enters the 2017 season with 12 career interceptions and 27 pass break-ups. Lurry needs five interceptions and 12 pass break-ups to break the NIU career records in both categories.  

---

HUSKIE FOOTBALL FACTS
2016 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 5-7/5-3/3rd West
Head Coach: Rod Carey
Record at NIU/Years: 36-19/5th
Career Record/Years: 36-19/5th
Alma Mater/Year: Indiana/1993
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
All-Time Record: 571-483-51
Last Bowl Game: 2015 SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 7, 2015
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)
 

---

BOSTON COLLEGE FACTS
2016 Record: 7-6
Atlantic Coast Conference Record/Finish: 2-6/6th Atlantic 
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Steve Addazio (Central Connecticut State/1981)
Record at Boston College/Years: 24-27/5th
Career Record/Years: 37-38/7th
Location: Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Enrollment: 14,100
Conference: Atlantic Coast
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Stadium: Alumni Stadium    
    Surface/Capacity: Turf /44,500
President: Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J.
Athletic Director: Martin Jarmond
Athletics Website: www.bceagles.com
Twitter: @bceagles 
Ticket Information: 800-552-4622

2017 Boston College Schedule
 

---

NIU-BC SERIES FACTS
Overall: BC leads 2-0
In DeKalb: First meeting
At Chestnut Hill: BC leads 2-0

Previous Meetings:
1971 - BC 20, NIU 10 (A)
2015 - BC 17, NIU 14 (A)
 

---

FOLLOW THE HUSKIES

TV: NIU-BC ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK

• The NIU-Boston College game is the first of at least six NIU games this season to be nationally televised.
• Find the CBSSN channel in your area by using the Channel Finder at CBSSportsNetwork.com.
• CBS Sports Network does not stream or offer games via mobile app. 
• The announce crew for the NIU-Boston College game is Jason Horowitz (play-by-play), David Diehl (color analyst) and Erik Coleman (sidelines).

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The NIU Sports Network broadcast for the game versus BC begins at 8 p.m. CT, 30 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 Sports Fan Radio 1330 (Rockford).
• Hear the broadcast online via NIUTube (subscription), and on mobile devices via TuneIn. Download the app free and find the NIU Huskies channel. 
• Bill Baker begins his 38th season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo joins him for the 32nd season, while Andy Garcia is in his fifth season on the sidelines. 

INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW

• Fans are invited to attend the one-hour show every Monday at Noon (except Sept. 18) at Fatty's Pub & Grille in DeKalb (1312 W. Lincoln Hwy).
• Listen live with the TuneIn app; Hear it Monday at 7 p.m. on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb, 8 pm Mondays on 560 AM The Answer in Chicago and Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on SportsFan Radio 1330 AM in Rockford.
• The weekly show features host Bill Baker, NIU Head Coach Rod Carey, Huskie players and athletic department guests. 

NIU WEEKLY RADIO SHOW

• Airs Friday at 10 p.m. CT in Chicago on AM 560 The Answer, Saturday at 8:30 a.m. on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb and on Sports Fan Radio 1330 in Rockford at 6:30 a.m.
• 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 coach Rod Carey, other NIU head coaches and guests. 

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 subsciption.
• 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.

---

NIU NEWS & NOTES

LID LIFTERS: As a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program, NIU is 18-30 in season-opening games. The Huskies have won three of their last four season openers. NIU lost the 2016 season opener at Wyoming, 40-34, in triple overtime. However, the Cardinal & Black defeated UNLV, 38-30, in the 2015 season opener at Huskie Stadium, opened the 2014 season with a 55-3 win over Presbyterian at home, and knocked off Iowa, 30-27, at Kinnick Stadium in 2013. 

HUSKIE HOMESTAND: The Northern Illinois University football team will open the season at home for the first time since a 38-30 victory over UNLV on Sept. 5, 2015. It is also the first time since 2015 NIU will play back-to-back home games to open a season. Following their victory over the Rebels, the Huskies defeated Murray St., 57-26, Sept. 12, 2015.

FOR OPENERS: Since 1969, NIU is 27-20 in home openers at Huskie Stadium. The Huskies suffered a 42-28 setback to San Diego State in last season's home opener. 

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: With a 60-19 record at home since 2003, NIU has raised its all-time record at Huskie Stadium to 168-102-2 for a .621 winning percentage. During that stretch, the Huskies have had 12 winning records at home and three undefeated seasons in DeKalb (2003, 2010 and 2013). 

SERIES HISTORY: Friday night's season opener is the third meeting overall between NIU and Boston College and the second meeting in three years between the teams. The Eagles won the previous two meetings in a series that dates back to Nov. 13, 1971, a 20-10 victory by BC. NIU suffered a 17-14 setback to the Eagles in Chestnut Hill Sept. 26, 2015. This is Boston College's first visit to DeKalb.

NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED: NIU's season opener versus Boston College is the first of three games scheduled for CBS Sports Network with six games slated for TV broadcast this season. NIU appears on the network Sept. 30 when the Huskies travel to San Diego State and again on Nov. 9 when Ball State comes to Huskie Stadium. The Eastern Michigan (Oct. 26), Toledo (Nov. 2) and Western Michigan (Nov. 15) are slated for either CBSSports Network or one of the ESPN family of networks (ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN3). The Huskies' Sept. 16 contest at Nebraska will be shown on FS1.

THE LAST TIME WE MET: The Huskies suffered a 17-14 setback to Boston College in a defensive struggle at Alumni Stadium Sept. 26, 2015. The Huskie defense held the BC offense to 17 points on 326 yards of total offense. The Huskie offense was held to 153 yards and a Joel Bouagnon two-yard touchdown run. Aregeros Turner added an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to pull NIU within three points. The NIU offense drove to the BC 35 in the closing minutes, but three straight incompletions ended the threat and sealed the win for the Eagles.

HUSKIE POWER: Boston College is the first team from an autonomous conference, and the seventh overall, to face NIU at Huskie Stadium since Kansas came to DeKalb Sept. 22, 2012. The Huskies defeated the Jayhawks, 30-23, during NIU's Orange Bowl season. The Huskies are 4-2 versus "Power Five" teams at Huskie Stadium, and have won four straight games against teams from the larger leagues.
 

School	Conference	Date	Result
No. 21 Kansas State	Big 12	Sept. 6, 1997	47-7, KSU
Vanderbilt	SEC	Oct. 11, 1997	17-7, VU
Wake Forest	ACC	Aug. 29, 2002	42-41 (OT), NIU
No. 15 Maryland	ACC	Aug. 28, 2003	20-13 (OT), NIU
Iowa State	Big 12	Sept. 27, 2003	24-16, NIU
Kansas	Big 12	Sept. 22, 2012	30-23, NIU

ACC AT HUSKIE STADIUM: Not only is Boston College the first Power Five team to come to DeKalb in five years, the Eagles are the first Atlantic Coast Conference team to play at Huskie Stadium since Aug. 28, 2003, when NIU defeated Maryland, then a member of the ACC, 20-13.  

AGAINST THE ACC: The Huskies have played seven games versus teams that were members of the Atlantic Coast Conference at the time of the game and are 2-5 in those games. NIU's ACC wins came versus Wake Forest, a 42-41 decision over the Demon Deacons in Huskie Stadium in 2002 and 15th-ranked Maryland, 20-13, in overtime in 2003. NIU is 1-1 against Wake Forest and Maryland has lost one meeting to ACC-member Boston College, Florida State and N.C. State as well. The Huskies loss to Florida State came in the 2013 Orange Bowl.

NIU vs. THE POWER FIVE: NIU is 14-68 versus teams that were in a major conference (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC & Pac-12) at the time the Huskies played them. Of those 14 wins, eight have come in the last 14 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. The only the Huskies didn't face one of those teams was 2016.  

SCHEDULING CHALLENGES: The Huskies' contest with the 2016 Quick Lane Bowl champion Boston College Eagles is the first of seven bowl teams NIU will face in 2017. NIU will also face 2016 bowl teams Nebraska, San Diego State, Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Western Michigan and Central Michigan. 

HUSKIE HEAD MAN RANKINGS: NIU head coach Rod Carey currently ranks fourth on NIU's all-time coaching list for wins with 36, he needs 28 to pass the next Huskie head man on the list, Joe Novak (1996-2007). George "Chick" Evans (1929-54) is NIU's all-time leader with 132 wins. 

MOVING UP IN THE MAC: With 36 wins on his ledger; NIU head coach Rod Carey (2013-Present) is 12 wins away from cracking the Mid-American Conference's Top 20 list for wins by a MAC coach. Terry Hoeppner (Miami, 1999-2004) and Frank Lauterbur (Toledo, 1963-70) are tied at 20 with 48 career wins. Carey's winning percentage of .655 currently ranks 13th and he needs to get to .658 to get into the top 10.

MEET THE NEW GUYS: Two-time NIU All-American and 2013 Heisman Trophy finalist Jordan Lynch is one of three new members of the coaching staff for 2017. One of the top FBS running quarterbacks of all-time, Lynch is coaching the Huskie running backs. Jeff Knowles (linebackers) and Steve Crutchley (wide receivers) are the other new additions. 

SUNSHINE STATERS: The 2017 Huskie roster includes 12 players from the state of Florida. Freshmen Jalen McKie, Dennis Robinson and Jordan Robinson, no relation, join nine returning Florida Huskies – seniors Christian Blake, Shawun Lurry and Ezra Saffold, redshirt senior Bobby Jones IV, redshirt junior Albert Smalls, redshirt sophomores Antonio Davis-Jones and Trequan Smith and redshirt freshman Andrew Parchment.  
 

Name	Class	Pos.	Hometown (High School)
Christian Blake	Sr.	WR	Ft. Lauderdale (Cardinal Gibbons)
Lance Deveaux, Jr.	So.	LB	Pompano Beach (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Antonio Jones-Davis	So.-R	LB	Vero Beach (Vero Beach)
Bobby Jones IV	Sr.-R	LB	Miami Gardens (Monsignor Pace)
Shawun Lurry	Sr.	CB	West Palm Beach (W.T. Dwyer)
Jalen McKie	Fr.	CB	Ft. Lauderdale (Waukegan, Ill.)
Andrew Parchment	Fr.-R	WR	Ft. Lauderdale (Cypress Bay)
Dennis Robinson	Fr.	WR	Hollywood (South Broward)
Jordan Robinson	Fr.	WR	Miami (Norland)
Ezra Saffold	Sr.	WR	Riviera Beach (W. T. Dwyer)
Albert Smalls	Jr.-R	CB	Miramar (Monsignor Pace)
Trequan Smith	So.-R	S	Boynton Beach (Boynton Beach)

WELCOME BACK: Three Huskies who missed most or all of last season are back for NIU in 2017, Wide receiver and punt returner Chad Beebe, who suffered a knee injury before the start of 2016 camp and missed all of last year, is back as one of NIU's starting wide receivers. Cornerback Albert Smalls, who suffered an injury in the season opener at Wyoming, and Marcus Jones, who was injured on the opening kickoff of the second half at South Florida are also back contending for starting roles. 

QUARTERBACK SIX PACK: The quarterback that takes the first snap of 2017 will be only the sixth different season-opening signal caller for NIU since 2008. Chandler Harnish started the initial games of the 2008, 2009 and 2011 seasons, while DeMarcus Grady started the 2010 season opener. Jordan Lynch took the first snaps of the year in 2012 and 2013, and Matt McIntosh started the 2014 season. Drew Hare started both the 2015 and 2016 campaigns. 

FILLING THE VOID: With the graduations of Kenny Golladay and Aregeros Turner, the Huskie receiving corps is losing 58.4 percent of its total yardage from last season. Golladay led the Huskies with 1,156 yards on 87 receptions, while Turner tallied 40 catches for 415 yards. Christian Blake, NIU's returning leading receiver, was second on the team last season with 457 receiving yards on 34 catches. Tight end Shane Wimann is behind him with 254 yards on 24 receptions.

WORKING ON THE LINE: Of last season's starting defensive line, only defensive end Josh Corcoran and William Lee return. Redshirt freshman Jack Heflin and sophomore Ben Leroy have been the starting tackles all through camp and Sutton Smith, who was a back up last year has been working as the other starting defensive end. Newcomers Devin Webster (DT) and Michael Lorbeck (DE) are also expected to see action in the season opener.

STACKED SECONDARY: While the Huskie front seven has five new starters this year, NIU's secondary returns all four starters and then some in 2017. Both starting safeties from last year – Mycial Allen and Trequan Smith – as well as cornerbacks Shawun Lurry and Mayomi Olootu return. Albert Smalls, who started at cornerback to open the 2016 season, is also back.  

FINISHING AT NIU: NIU welcomed two graduate transfers to the 2017 squad Tail back Jonathan Parker comes to NIU after spending the previous four seasons at Iowa. Jaden Huff transferred to NIU from St. Cloud State, where he was a team captain for the St. Cloud State Huskie in 2016, for his final season of college football.

HIGH SCHOOL CHUMS: The NIU football team has nine pairs of Huskies that prepped at the same high school. Of those nine, eight were in high school at the same time and two of those pairs were classmates in high school.

Shawun Lurry (Sr.) & Ezra Saffold (Sr.) -- W.T. Dwyer (Fla.)
Tifonte Hunt (R-Jr.) & Jauan Wesley (R-Jr.) -- Thornton Township (Ill.)
Aaron Fischer (R-Jr.) & Devin Webster (Jr.) -- Sun Prairie (Wis.)
Anthony Thompson (R-Fr.) & Michael Kennedy (Fr.) -- Mount Carmel (Ill.)
Bobby Jones IV (R-Sr.) & Albert Smalls (R-Jr.) -- Monsignor Pace (Fla.)
Mycial Allen (R-Sr.) & Jalen Embry (R-Jr.) -- M.L. King (Mich.)
Ryan Gibbons (R-Fr.) & Vinny Labus (Fr.) -- Maine South (Ill.)
Jimmy Russell (R-Sr.) & Cole Tucker (Fr.) -- DeKalb (Ill.)
Jonathan Parker (R-Sr.) & Quintin Wynne (R-So.) -- Christian Brothers (Mo.)

HALL CALL: Two Huskie football greats, Steve Azar and Garrett Wolfe, will be inducted into the NIU Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017. The Huskies' all-time leading rusher with 5,164 career rushing yards, Wolfe led the nation in rushing with 1,928 yards and touchdowns with 18 in 2006 and earned the Vern Smith Leadership Award as the league's MVP. NIU's all-time leading scorer, Azar is the only player in NIU football history to earn all-conference honors four times. He also earned First team All-America honors by Football News and Second Team Freshman All-America accolades the Sporting News.

DEGREES IN HAND: Eight Huskies will take the field Friday night against Boston College with their bachelor's degrees already in hand. Six have earned their degrees from NIU, while two others came to DeKalb as graduate transfers. Below is a list of th graduates and their majors. 

Jackson Abresch, Operations and Information Management
Ty Harmston, Biology
Jordan Huff, Pre-Computer Science
Bobby Jones IV, Kinesiology
William Lee, Journalism
Max Scharping, Kinesiology
Jaden Huff, Finance (St. Cloud State)
Jonathan Parker, Business (Iowa)

MAKING THE GRADE: The NIU football team continues to excel in the classroom. NIU again leads the MAC and ranks in the Top 20 nationally with a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 84 percent, which is 10 points above the national FBS average. Additionally, the Huskies' 976 in the most recent Academic Progress Rate (APR) report from the NCAA, is the third-highest score in school history.

MAC PRESEASON MEDIA/COACHES POLL: The Huskies were picked to finish in third place in the MAC West Division in 2017 by both the MAC Media Association and MAC Coaches. Toledo was picked to win the league by both polls. It is the fourth straight year the MAC Media Poll has not picked NIU to win its division. Ohio was picked to win the East in both polls.