DEKALB, Ill. – With less than a third of its total receptions returning from a season ago, wide receiver is a land of opportunity for both returnees and newcomers on the Northern Illinois University football team. Throughout fall camp, Huskie wide receivers coach Houston Jones has been pleased with the group's growth.  

"They have grown a lot in between the ears," Jones said of his receivers. "That is a great thing as a coach because a lot of what we do in the meeting room is from the neck up. We have a great strength staff, they take care of everything physical, these young men are very talented, it's a young group but they have worked hard every single day. I've been proud of the progress that they have made up to this point." 

Easily the most experienced of the Huskie wide receivers is senior Spencer Tears (Chicago, Ill./H.L. Richards) who has played in 36 career games and ranked third on the team last season with 40 catches and 422 receiving yards. After catching just 13 passes in his first seven games played in 2018, Tears raised his level of production over the final five games, making 27 catches. That late season surge included his first career two-touchdown game when he caught scoring passes of 13 and 32 yards in the MAC Championship Game victory over Buffalo. 

"Spencer has a lot of in-game experience and he shares a lot of great information with the younger guys, some of the expectations that he has of the group," Jones said of Tears. "He is my voice on the field a lot of times and that is very appreciated with us having a young group."

Sophomores Cole Tucker (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) and Dennis Robinson (Hollywood, Fla./South Broward) made contributions to the Huskie offensive as freshmen a season ago, making 18 and 15 catches, respectively, but both will be looked to for increased production in 2019. 

"Cole Tucker, he is the guy who can kind of do it all," said Jones. "Dennis Robinson had limited game experience last year, but he is a young man who has made some really good progress, so I am excited for both of them."

Junior Tyrice Richie (Chicago Heights, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor/Dodge City CC) joined the Huskies in January and participated in spring practice. That experience, along with two years at Dodge City Community College where he totaled 50 career catches, gives him a level of experience to aid the Huskies right away. 

"Being here in the spring really helped shrink that learning curve for him," Jones said of Richie. "Tyrice has invested a lot of time and energy into perfecting his craft and getting better. I'm very proud of the progress that Tyrice has made." 

Other returnees at wide receiver include Rodney Hall (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech) and Ryan Gibbons (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South), both of whom contributed on special teams a season ago, Leon Payne (Chicago, Ill./Simeon) who played in four games, making a pair of catches, before receiving a redshirt, along with Jyran Mitchell (Matteson, Ill./Rich Central) and Matt Pollack (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln Way Central), who both redshirted the 2018 season.  They are joined by a quartet of freshmen: Michael Love (LaGrange Park, Ill./Nazareth Academy), Fabian McCray (Chicago, Ill./Phillips), Mohamed Toure (Irvington, N.J./Irvington) and Messiah Travis (Chicago, Ill./Solorio Academy). 

Time will tell which players from that group will emerge and contribute on the field, but whoever it may be, Jones has confidence in his group of wide receivers. 

"I feel like the best asset that they have, collectively as a group, is the continuity," Jones said. "They all know each other, they all trust each other, they learn from one another. They ask a ton of questions; it is an eager group. 

"I just want the fans to expect a group that's going to get out here and play hard. We are going to have a group of youngsters that will show up, play hard and give it everything they've got."

Following an off day on Monday, the Huskies returned to the practice field in full pads on Tuesday afternoon. With a light rain falling, the practice began inside the Chessick Practice Center before moving outside after the first 30 minutes as dark clouds gave way to blue skies over DeKalb. 

Season Tickets for all five 2019 NIU home games are still available, starting at as little as $60 for an East Side (general admission) season ticket. Purchase four tickets for family or a group of friends on either the East or West Side for as little as $55 or $75 per person with the Huskie Family Pack, including the ability to purchase tickets at those rates for additional people. 
 
Three-game Mini-Plans, which include a choice of any two Saturday and either #MACtion (weeknight) game are just $70 each for all three games, while the new Huskie Flex Pass offers the chance to purchase a minimum of five tickets to any game or combination of games for $75, or just $15 each. The new Saturdays Special includes a ticket to all three Saturday home games as well as a voucher good for a hot dog, chips and a soda for each game for just $110.
 
To renew or purchase new season tickets and #JointhePack for 2019, click the links above, which are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tickets are also available by calling 815-753-PACK (7225), emailing huskiestickets@niu.edu or stopping by the NIU Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center, which is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.