Getting a Head Start
Early enrollees learning on and off the field
 
DEKALB, Ill. – While many high school seniors are wrapping up the final months of their school year, there are a handful of young men on campus here at Northern Illinois University that have decided to get a head start on their college experience.
 
Ethan Hampton, Blake Kosin, Pete Nygra and Cyrus McGarrell are all on campus attending classes and participating in spring drills.
                                              
"Our early enrollees are really good players," NIU head coach Thomas Hammock said. "We had the same situation last year. You look at Ray Thomas. If he doesn't come in early, would he be ready to play? Just to go through the offseason and the conditioning, the training, I think that makes a big difference. Those guys coming in early have given themselves every opportunity to play early in their career."
 
Two of those early enrollees, Hampton and McGarrell, took unique paths to get to DeKalb.
 
A native of Elburn, Ill., Hampton, a quarterback, would be taking the field for his alma mater, Aurora Christian, this spring, if not for a decision he made in the middle of his junior year of high school.
 
"I originally planned to graduate early, back in February of 2020, before COVID was a thing really," Hampton said. "Then COVID hit, and it became a big thing. Were we going to have a season, were we not going to have a season? I was still practicing with the team. We got word in July, I think it was, that we were not going to have a season and I just decided it was probably best to move on from high school and honor that commitment I made to NIU."
 
While he made the decision to leave Aurora Christian, it wasn't a decision he made lightly.
 
"Obviously, I made a commitment to my high school as well, but I talked to my teammates and talked to my coaches and they understood the circumstances I was in and how fortunate I was to go to NIU," Hampton said. "They were backing me 100 percent and that made my decision easier. I would've loved to stay at Aurora Christian and play with them, but an opportunity comes and sometimes you have to make hard decisions, but I'm confident I made the right one."
 
Although Hampton was a peace with his decision to forgo the opportunity of staying high school one more semester to finish off his career at Aurora Christian, Hammock had some reservations at first, but feels Hampton's decision has put him in a good position heading into next season.
 
"Hampton, a quarterback from Aurora Christian, he's was one I kind of felt conflicted about," Hammock said. "Aurora Christian plays in the spring, but he wanted to come early and give himself a jump start on college. He certainly has done that, so he'll be in the mix."
 
While Hampton is from just down the road, McGarrell is from north of the border. The Huskie cornerback hails from Windsor, Ontario, Canada and continues a long-standing tradition of Canadian Huskies, that includes Huskie greats Patrick and Courtney Stephen, Orlando Bowen and Juwan Brescacin.
 
McGarrell, who graduated a year early from Holy Names Catholic High School in Windsor, Ontario, injured his collarbone his final year. Instead of waiting a full year to attend NIU, he came to the States, was able to reclassify, and was granted an extra semester of high school.
 
He spent the fall attending Clearwater Academy International where he was able to play football. Rather than take a semester off, just working out and to avoid "getting bored" as he put it, McGarrell wanted to get his career at NIU started.
 
"Since I'm already done with school, instead of taking another semester off and working out, I thought it would be better if I came in early to meet the team, get a head start and get some playing time before the season," McGarrell said. "It's great, I got even closer with the team. I've been able to experience what D-I football is all about. Spring ball has been a great experience so far. Hard practices, but I've been learning a lot so far. I like it a lot."
 
McGarrell has already made an impression this spring.
 
"McGarrell is our No. 3 or 4 corner working at practice, with a chance to elevate himself," Hammock said.
 
The Huskies begin their third week of practice Saturday morning when they take Brigham Field at 11 a.m. Fans will be admitted to the West Stands of Huskie Stadium but are not allowed on the field. Masks and social distancing are required and per state of Illinois regulations, tailgating is not permitted. Post-practice gatherings with players and/or coaches is prohibited.
 
For more information on 2021 NIU spring practices, visit Spring Central 2021 on NIUHuskies.com which will be updated with links to stories, videos and more.
 
-NIU-