HUSKIE BITES  

• The NIU Huskies open their 119th season of college football - and 53rd as a Football Bowl Subdivision program - on Saturday, Sept. 4 when they travel to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech in the first meeting ever between the teams. 
• NIU returns 22 starters, including 19 on offense and defense, in 2021. One notable exception is under center where the Huskies will replace two-year starting quarterback Ross Bowers.
• With players retaining their eligibility from a year ago, NIU's 2021 roster features 87 players classified as "freshmen." That group includes 44 newcomers, 33 "COVID" (second year) freshmen and 10 redshirt freshmen.    
• Six seniors - five starters - elected to return for their "Super Senior" season in 2021, led by offensive lineman Brayden Patton. Linebackers Kyle Pugh and Lance Deveaux Jr., All-MAC wide receiver Tyrice Richie and four-year punter Matt Ference are the other returning 2020 senior starters. 
• NIU head coach Thomas Hammock, a two-time first team CoSIDA Academic All-American who rushed for over 1,000 yards to lead the Huskies in both 2000 and 2001, begins his third season as head coach at his alma mater.       
• Wide receiver Tyrice Richie caught 53 passes for 597 yards in 2020 en route to first team All-MAC honors, becoming just the eighth player in NIU history to record four 100-yard receiving games in a season. He accomplished the feat in just six games. 
• In 2020, freshman Trayvon Rudolph went from walk-on to Freshman All-American. In just six games, he returned more kickoffs (30) for more yards (717) than any player in the nation and ranked 10th in the country in all-purpose yards per game. 
• There are 16 different states and Canada represented on the Huskies' 114-man roster with Illinois natives making up 40 percent of the total. The roster includes six players from Georgia who will make the trip to their home state with NIU this weekend.  
• Three of the eight transfers who joined the Huskies in 2021 - quarterback Rocky Lombardi (Michigan State), multi-purpose back Clint Ratkovich (Western Illinois) and tight end Miles Joiner (Youngstown State) - are expected to start on offense for the Huskies.  

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  NIU FOOTBALL FACTS  

Head Coach: Thomas Hammock (NIU '02)
Record at NIU/Years: 5-13/1
Career Record/Years: Same
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
2020 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 0-6/0-6/6th
All-Time Record: 592-507-51
Last Bowl Game: 2018 Cheribundi Roca Raton Bowl (UAB 37, NIU 14)
Bowl Appearances (FBS): 13
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 8, 2018
MAC Championships, Last: 5, 2018
Experience Returning/Lost: 46/16
Starters Returning: 22 (9 offense, 10 defense, 3 specialists)
Starters Lost: 5 (4 offense, 1 defense, 0 specialists)
 

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  GEORGIA TECH FACTS  

Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Geoff Collins (Western Carolina/1994)
Record at Georgia Tech/Years: 6-16/Two
Career Record/Years: 21-26/Four
2020 Record: 3-7
Atlantic Coast Conference Record/Finish: 3-6/11th
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Enrollment: 39,772
Conference: Atlantic Coast, Coastal
Colors: Tech Gold and White 
Stadium: Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field
Surface/Capacity: Legion NXT Turf /55,000
President: Dr. Ángel Gabrera
Athletic Director: Todd Stansbury
Athletics Website: RamblingWreck.com
Twitter: @GeorgiaTechFB
Ticket Information: 888-TECHTIX
 

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  NIU-GEORGIA TECH SERIES  

First Meeting
 

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  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: NIU-GEORGIA TECH ON ACC NETWORK

• The NIU-Georgia Tech game will air live on ACC Network (ACCN). ACCN can be streamed live online in the ESPN App. Access requires that your pay TV provider carries ACCN.
• Current ACCN providers include AT&T TV, DirecTV, DISH, fuboTV, Hulu Live TV, Optimum, Sling TV, Spectrum TV and YouTube TV
• Dave O'Brien (play-by-play) and Tim Hasselbeck (color analyst) will be on the call for ACCN Saturday with sideline reporter Kelsey Riggs.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Radio Network broadcast for the Georgia Tech game begins at 6 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 AM 1330 (Rockford).
• Hear the broadcast online via Huskie All Access, and on mobile devices via the FREE NIU Huskies Mobile app or The Varsity Network app. 
• Bill Baker begins his 42nd season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo completes his 36th consecutive season, while Andy Garcia is in his ninth season on the NIU sidelines. 

INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW

• Fans are invited to attend the one-hour weekly show every Monday at Noon at El Jimador Mexican Grill in DeKalb (260 E. Lincoln Hwy).
• Listen live on the NIU Huskies mobile app and hear the show Monday at 7 p.m. on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb.
• Host Bill Baker welcomes NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock each week, along with Huskie players and special guests. 

NIU WEEKLY ON YOUTUBE

• The show features weekly interviews with the NIU football staff, including head coach Thomas Hammock, his assistants and staff, as well as NIU coaches of other sports and guests. 
• Watch new episodes on the NIU Athletics YouTube Channel on Thursday nights. 
• The show is hosted by Andy Garcia and NIU Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier.

NIU ATHLETICS ON YOUTUBE

• See weekly and post-game press conferences, video features, highlights of past games and more.
• Subscribe for FREE and click the bell to be notified every time NIU posts a new video.
• Search "NIU Athletics" on YouTube.com. 
• Archived videos and highlights, replays of some of the greatest games in school history and special features are also available 24/7 on YouTube.  

NEW! NIU HUSKIES MOBILE APP

• Download the new, free NIU Huskies mobile app from the Apple Store or Google Play.
• Link to the NIU radio broadcasts, live stats, complete team rosters, digital game programs and more.
• Connect to the NIU social media channels and sign up for notifications on any Huskie team.

 

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  NOTING NIU  

FULL SLATE: After playing a six-game, all Mid-American Conference schedule in November and December last year, NIU and the rest of the MAC return to a full 12-game slate in 2021. The Huskies faced their five MAC West foes and played one crossover game versus the East Division in 2020. While teams across the country saw games cancelled due to COVID-19, NIU went through the entire season without one player contracting the coronavirus.  

LID LIFTERS:  NIU is 19-33 in season-opening games as a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program. The Huskies fell to Buffalo on November 4, 2020 in the latest confirmed season opener in school history during the six-game league-only schedule. NIU defeated Illinois State, 24-10, in Thomas Hammock's debut as head coach to open the 2019 schedule.

DOG BONES:  NIU has been collecting "Boneyard?Wins" over?prominent opponents and teams from leagues now designated as "Power 5" since 1983. The Huskies have 16 Boneyard Wins since 1983, including eight since 2009. NIU's last Boneyard Win was a 7-6 triumph at BYU on Oct. 27, 2018.

PEACH?STATE DEBUT: Saturday's game at Georgia Tech marks the first time NIU has played a game in the state of Georgia, and the first time NIU has faced a team from the state of Georgia. 

AGAINST THE ACC: The Huskies are 2-8 all-time versus teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference, including losses to Florida State in the 2012 Orange Bowl and to Duke in the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl. NIU's ACC wins came versus Wake Forest, 42-41, in Huskie Stadium in 2002 and over 15th-ranked Maryland, 20-13, in overtime in 2003 at home. NIU is 1-1 against Wake Forest, 0-2 against both Boston College and FSU and lost its only meetings with N.C. State and Duke. NIU's most recent clash versus an ACC opponent was on Sept. 22, 2018 at Florida State.  

SWEET GEORGIA BROWN ... and Myles, Lafayette, McGee, Pinkney and Hamm: The Huskies' 2021 roster includes six Georgia products, including Savannah running back Antario Brown, the highest rated recruit in program history. Four of the Georgians are new to DeKalb in 2021, including UCF transfer Jalen Pinkney, while defensive backs Devin Lafayette and Myles McGee are second-year Huskies. The complete list: 
 

No.	Name	Pos.	Elig.	Hometown	High School/Previous
3	Devin Lafayette	S	Fr.-C	Brunswick	Brunswick
13	Myles McGee	CB	Fr.-C	Canton	Sequoyah
15	Ty Myles	CB	Fr.	Blackshear	Pierce County
18	Elijah Hamm	LB	Fr,	Watkinsville	Oconee County
26	Antario Brown	RB	Fr,	Savannah	Beach
54	Jalen Pinkney	DL	Jr.	Norcross	Norcross/UCF

DOMINO EFFECT:  In some ways, Thomas Hammock has Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins and the Yellow Jackets to thank for earning his opportunity to be the head coach at NIU. Hammock got the job in January 2019 when former Huskie head coach Rod Carey departed DeKalb to become the head coach at Temple. That opening came up when Collins left Temple to take over at Georgia Tech. 

LAND OF LINCOLN LEADERS: Since 2010, NIU is the winningest of the three FBS program in Illinois with a .641 winning percentage and a 91-51 record. Northwestern comes in with a 79-58 record for a .577 win percentage over the last 11 seasons, while Illinois is 48-84 (.364). The Huskies defeated Northwestern in the teams' most recent meeting in 2014, and dropped a 28-22 decision to Illinois in 2010 the last time those teams met. NIU has played in eight bowl games and a record seven MAC Championship games during the same time span.

LEADERS OF THE PACK: Six players were elected team captains for 2021, including newcomers Rocky Lombardi (QB) and Clint Ratkovich (RB). Super seniors Lance Deveaux Jr. (LB) and Brayden Patton (C) and third-year players Nick Rattin (LB) and James Ester (DT) round out the group. This is the first year under Hammock that NIU has selected captains prior to the season. 

STAFF ADDITION: The 2021 NIU full-time coaching staff features one newcomer as Huskie alum Jason Onyebuagu joined the staff as tight ends coach. Onyebuagu, a four-year starter on the NIU offensive line from 2006-09, was Hammock's first recruit during the head coach's 2005-06 stint as an NIU assistant coach. He joins fellow Huskie alumni Hammock and defensive ends coach Travis Moore on the 2021 staff. 

CANTON CAN: The four freshmen on NIU's roster from Canton hail from three different states. Safety C.J. Brown and defensive end Ivan Davis are from two different high schools in Canton, Michigan; defensive tackle Jacob Waskow is from Canton, Illinois and cornerback Myles McGee is from Canton, Georgia. Who knew there were at least 22 states with cities or towns named Canton in the United States. 

STARTING BLOCKS: NIU has eight active players on the roster with eight or more career starts, including five players on offense and three on defense. Brayden Patton is NIU's most experienced starter with 26 career starts, while wide receiver Cole Tucker has started 19 games as a Huskie, followed by OT Marques Cox and LB Lance Deveaux Jr. with 16 starts each. LB Nick Rattin and WR Tyrice Richie check in with 12 starts apiece with S Dillon Thomas (9) and OG Logan Zschernitz (8) rounding out the list.  
  
NEW TO NIU: NIU brought in eight transfers for 2021; three are listed as starters for the Huskie offense and all eight are slated to make the trip to Atlanta. Junior quarterback Rocky Lombardi (Michigan State), multi-purpose back Clint Ratkovich (Western Illinois) and tight end Miles Joiner (Youngstown State) all ranked first at their respective positions following fall camp. Also expected to see action is freshman linebacker Dayven Shinhoster, who transferred to NIU after initially enrolling at Nebraska-Kearney. (see complete list on personnel chart)

FR.-C: NIU's roster includes 33 "COVID" or second year freshmen, designated as Fr.-C on NIU printed materials. The team's 87 total "freshmen" includes 2020 and 2021 high school grads, as well as redshirt freshmen who played in four or less games in 2019. The 33 2020 high school grads started their collegiate careers without a traditional preseason, going through online classes and with no fans in the stands. Eighteen COVID-19 freshmen saw action during NIU's six-game 2020 season, and six started four or more of the Huskies' games. 

WALK-ON U: Thomas Hammock has made a habit of rewarding players who walk-on to the Huskie program with scholarships. The list of former walk-ons includes players like senior punter Matt Ference, holder of nearly every NIU punting record, and current impact players like Nick Rattin, Devonte O'Malley, Trayvon Rudolph and Jordan Gandy. During 2021 preseason camp, offensive lineman Matthew Schooley and tailback Mason Blakemore were awarded scholarships. They join a long and distinguished list of NIU players from the past that arrived as walk-ons including 2010 MAC MVP Chad Spann and NFL veteran Rashaan Melvin. 

WATCH OUT: Four Huskies garnered recognition on one or more preseason watch list over the summer. Tailback Harrison Waylee (Doak Walker), center Brayden Patton (Rimington Award), Matt Ference (Ray Guy) and running back Clint Ratkovich (Paul Hornung) were each tabbed with preseason honors. Ratkovich was also recognized as a player to watch by the Senior Bowl. 

NO (NIU) ATTEMPTS: NIU does not return a single quarterback who has completed a pass as a Huskie. Of the five quarterbacks on the 2021 roster, two are first-year freshmen (Ethan Hampton and Jeffery Lowery) and two are transfers (Rocky Lombardi, Michigan State and Ryan Yost, Wagner). Second-year freshman Dustin Fletcher is the only quarterback who was on the Huskie roster in 2020. He played in three games a year ago but was used primarily as a runner (16 carries, 99 yards) and was sacked on his only pass attempt.

HE'S NO ROOKIE: While Rocky Lombardi has not thrown an official pass as a Huskie, he started nine games and played in 22 over the last three seasons at Michigan State. The Iowa native, whose grandfather Bob was a hall of fame coach in the Illinois high school ranks, completed 159-of-332 passes for 1,902 yards with 11 TDs and 14 interceptions from 2018-20 at MSU and was a 1,000-yard passer in 2020.

SUPER SENIOR: Wide receiver Tyrice Richie returns for his third year at NIU after a breakout season in 2020 led to first team All-MAC honors. In 17 career games, Richie became the 36th player in school history to pass the 1,000-yard mark in receiving yards. He totaled nearly 600 receiving yards in NIU's six games last year and led the MAC in catches per game with 8.8. With 100-yard games versus Ball State, Western Michigan and Toledo, Richie was the first NIU player since Darrell Hill in 2001 to post three consecutive 100-yard receiving games and was the first player since current New York Giants receiver Kenny Golladay with four 100-yard games in a season. 

SUCCESS STORY: Tyrice Richie achieved another milestone as he is NIU's 2021 nominee for the William Campbell Trophy, presented by the National Football Foundation to the top football Scholar-Athlete in the country. Richie, who went to junior college out of Homewood-Flossmoor High school to get his academics in order, has compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.24 in sport management and is set to graduate from NIU in December. 

JACK OF ALL TRADES: The biggest question mark about transfer Clint Ratkovich is where to list him in terms of position. He arrived at NIU in the spring after graduating from Western Illinois with his engineering degree and quickly established himself as the strongest player on the Huskie team with a 607-pound squad and a 409 bench press.   Ratkovich was a two-time first team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference player for the Leathernecks who compiled 1,204 receiving yards on 128 catches and rushed for 429 yards on 97 carries in three seasons. 

DEEP BACKFIELD: A year ago, just two Huskies gained more than 100 yards rushing on the season and NIU had only one player - true freshman Harrison Waylee - with more than 200 yards. Thomas Hammock, who ran for 195 yards  versus Central Michigan as a Huskie in 2001, and watched his teammate Michael Turner run roughshod over the MAC in 2002 and 2003, is ready to see those kind of numbers next to NIU backs' names again. The Huskies will travel seven running backs to Georgia, with returnees Waylee and Erin Collins joined by a trio of freshmen and two transfers. 2020 signee Jay Ducker, a former Gatorade Player of the Year in Nebraska, is set to make his NIU debut, while true freshmen Antario Brown and Mason Blakemore have impressed in fall camp. Running back is just one spot grad transfer Clint Ratkovich could line up with Youngstown State transfer Braxton Chapman rounding out the group.

TIGHT END TALE: Two years ago, NIU tight ends Daniel Crawford and Mitchell Brinkman combined for 71 catches, 888 receiving yards and five touchdowns; Crawford added 21 catches for 183 yards and a score in six games last season before graduating with his master's degree. That leaves NIU without a tight end on the 2021 roster who has caught a pass for the Huskies. The Huskies' top quartet at the position includes Youngstown State transfer Miles Joiner, who caught 33 passes for 521 yards and seven TDs in 22 games for the Penguins. Junior Liam Soraghan is NIU's most experienced returnee at the position who has played in each of NIU's last 18 games. A pair of players converted from other positions are also in the mix as Tristen Tewes returns to tight end after filling in at linebacker for NIU in 2020, while Drew Cassens served as the Huskies' scout team quarterback last year.

LINE IT UP: The five players who started the last three games of 2020 for the NIU offensive line are all back in 2021, led by center Brayden Patton, a Rimington Trophy candidate who has started at guard and center during his Huskie career. He is flanked by third-year freshman Logan Zschernitz and second-year freshman John Champe at guard, with third-year freshman J.J. Lippe also challenging for a spot in the middle. Marques Cox - a 16-game starter at tackle - and Nolan Potter, who earned his first starts last year, are the projected tackles.   
  
ELDER STATESMEN: Of the 14 players listed as linebackers on the NIU roster, 12 are freshmen and three of those (Eddie Jackson, Jaden Dolphin, Daveren Rayner) are returning or "COVID" freshmen. Sixth year senior Lance Deveaux Jr. and third year sophomore Nick Rattin are the clear leaders of the room with 176 combined tackles, 106 by Deveaux in 33 career games. The Florida native and elder statemen has played in just one game over the last two seasons, missing the entire 2019 season with a knee injury and going down again after playing in the season opener in 2020. He made a career high 67 stops in 2018.

GANDY MAN: DeKalb native Jordan Gandy made a big impact on the Huskies in 2020 after transferring back to his hometown school from South Dakota State. Gandy led NIU in tackles (41) and passes defended (8) while starting all six games at cornerback in 2020 en route to second team All-MAC honors. He twice made 11 tackles in a game and recorded five pass break-ups versus Western Michigan. 

HUSKIE PRIDE: As a two-time Academic All-American, Thomas Hammock's emphasis on academic success and graduation is real, and he has the numbers to prove it. Over the last three semesters, Hammock's Huskies have posted the best cumulative team GPAs in school history, compiling a school record 3.08 GPA for the spring 2021 semester. 
 
GRADS: The NIU roster includes 14 players who have already earned their undergraduate degrees - either at NIU or from another institution, and one who already has two degrees. The list is topped by punter Matt Ference, who is currently pursuing his third degree from NIU. Transfers Braxton Chapman, Miles Joiner, Rocky Lombardi, Luke Mallette and Clint Ratkovich all came to NIU with degrees from their previous institutions. Erik Abrell, Erin Collins, Lance Deveaux Jr., Michael Kennedy, Brayden Patton, Kyle Pugh, Dillon Thomas and Cole Tucker are Huskie alumni.

ALL THE RECORDS: Fifth-year punter Matt Ference already holds nearly every NIU season and career punting record. His 265 career punts have traveled just under 6.25 miles (that's 10,994 yards). Nearly a third of his punts (86) have forced opponents to start inside their own 20 yard line. The only single season record left standing is Andy Dittbenner's 2007 mark for single season average (43.5).