DeKALB, Ill. –The good news for Northern Illinois University assistant coach Melvin Rice is that his 10-man position group includes three experienced fifth-year seniors in Albert Smalls (Miramar, Fla./Monsignor Pace HS), Jalen Embry (Detroit, Mich./M.L. King HS) and Tifonte Hunt (Harvey, Ill./Thornton Township HS) who, he says, are "an extension of the coaches."
 
Good thing, because the rest of the cornerbacks on the rosters – aside from converted running back Maalik Todd (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township HS) – are all freshmen. 
 
"We've got a lot of freshmen – both true and redshirt – and we've got the three seniors," said Rice, an excellent cornerback himself at NIU from 2005-08.  "Still, I like our experience.  Those three seniors have played a lot of football and they've been here for a long time.  They bring a lot of leadership and they did a good job over the summer of getting those young guys, taking them under their wings, watching extra film with them, and if [the freshmen] had any questions, they were there to ask.  With the seniors, they've got that mindset that they are a coach on the field."
 
Smalls, the most experienced corner of the group, has played in 42 games over the last four seasons, with 24 starts, 107 tackles, 20 pass break-ups and three interceptions.  He started every game for NIU as a junior and like Rice, he is excited about what he's seen out of the freshmen.
 
"I love the cornerback group, I think we've got a lot of depth," Smalls said. "We've got a lot of freshmen so we're teaching them our ways. Me and Jalen [Embry], we're the veterans getting them with the playbook, trying to get them reps on the field so they can be ready any moment in the season."
 
Embry played in all 13 games in 2017, backing up former All-American Shawun Lurry and Smalls. He totaled 33 tackles, 26 solo, with three pass break-ups. Hunt missed last season with eligibility issues but returned to play in the Quick Lane Bowl.
 
Any other Huskie who enters the Iowa game at cornerback will be making his NIU debut, including the five true freshmen cornerbacks.  With that type of disparity in experience, freshmen Antwain Walker (Oswego, Ill./Oswego East HS) and Devin Haney (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill HS), who arrived on campus in January and participated in spring ball, qualify as "experienced."  Jalen McKie (Gurnee, Ill./Waukegan HS) is the lone redshirt freshmen in the room, while Zhamaine March (Detroit, Mich./East English Village Prep), J.D. Harris (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North HS) and Rod Rivera (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard South HS) are the newest faces in the room.
 
"For Devin and Antwain, being here in the spring has helped because, first, they get acclimated into the college lifestyle, and also into college football," Rice said. "They know how practice is run, they know what we expect.  As far as football, it's like they're going through a second spring right now, so that's always helpful.  When we go through our installs it's a little easier for those guys to pick it up."
 
Smalls is proud of his young protégés and looks forward to seeing – and overseeing – their development, beginning as soon as next week.
 
"I love [our freshmen]," Smalls said.  "Antwain, he's physical;, Haney is coming out every day competing.  The whole freshman class is picking up the plays, picking up the defense.  We're excited. We've got a scrimmage in a couple of days and I want to see what they can do."  
 
Rice has also seen improvement in his entire group through the first week of preseason training camp, including a number of interceptions by young and old alike.
 
"I've seen improvement in the whole group as far as competing," Rice said. "A big emphasis we've had this summer is creating turnovers. We've been doing a good job so far in camp, and we've got to keep it up.  I like where the young guys are at right now.  They know the calls, now they have to execute plays. We lost a dynamic player in [Shawun] Lurry, and we've got to fill those shoes. Hopefully we've got the guys to do it."
 
Practice #6 Notes: NIU went through a two-hour practice in full pads at Huskie Stadium Friday afternoon with multiple "team" periods. Quarterback Marcus Childers regularly connected with receivers D.J. Brown and Spencer Tears, including for a 38-yard touchdown pass late and for a 15-yard score in two-minute action. Kicker Andrew Gantz connected on a pair of field goals, including one from 45 yards out, to complete drives. Defensively, linebacker Kyle Pugh picked off a Childers pass and returned it for a score. In the final 15 minutes of practice, true freshmen took center stage with rookie quarterback Jiya Wright connecting with Leon Payne and Cole Tucker, among others.  
 
Head Coach Rod Carey on Practice #6: "I thought we pushed through pretty well. It was good to see the offense score the ball, through the kicking game and getting in the end zone.  That was good.  Flip side of that is defense gave up too much.  But we pushed, we got back out in the heat – not at 5:30 in the morning - so it stresses them, and we need to be stressed, and we need to be pushed. We're going to keep doing that."
 
Next:  NIU returns to the practice field Saturday at 3:30 p.m. before a mandatory off day on Sunday.
 
Full season and single game tickets, as well as three-game mini-plans, for 2018 NIU Football games are on sale now through the NIU Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center, online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets and by calling 815-753-PACK (7225). Season tickets start at as little as $55 each (via the Family Pack) and mini-plans, featuring two Saturday and one #MACtion game, are $70. Single game tickets are also on sale.  See all the options here and get your tickets today.
 
-- NIU --