---

  HUSKIE BITES  

• NIU opens its 36th season as a member of the Mid-American Conference versus its most frequent MAC foe when the Huskies welcome the Eastern Michigan Eagles to Huskie Stadium. 
• Saturday's game marks the 52nd meeting between NIU and Eastern Michigan. While the Huskies have won 33 of the previous games, including 24 as MAC opponents, the Eagles have won the last two games in the series, including a 41-33 win over the Huskies in the 2020 season finale
• NIU will celebrate its 114th Homecoming Saturday as the Huskies' tradition is the oldest in the state and one of the oldest in the nation. The Huskies are 73-30-10 all-time on Homecoming. 
• NIU quarterback Rocky Lombardi became the first Huskie since Anthony Maddie in 2016 (versus Ball State) to gain 400 yards of total offense in a game when he passed for 282 yards and ran for 119 in NIU's 41-33 win over Maine last week to garner MAC West Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors. 
• With 487 yards through the first four games of 2021, tailback Harrison Waylee is off to the best start by a Huskie runner since 2006, when NIU Hall of Famer Garrett Wolfe ran for 828 rushing yards in the first four games of the season. 
• Overall, NIU has put its rushing offense in another gear in 2021 as the Huskies are averaging 215.8 yards per game on the ground to rank 22nd in the country and second in the MAC. NIU has four runs of 40-plus yards by three different players this year.   
• Senior linebacker Lance Deveaux Jr. and sophomore cornerback Jordan Gandy continue to lead the way for the Huskie defense as they lead the MAC and rank among the national leaders in solo tackles (5.2/game) and passes defended (1.5/game, respectively. 
• 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. The Huskies' starting line-up includes seven COVID freshmen, six on defense. 
• 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. 

---

  NIU FOOTBALL FACTS  
Head Coach: Thomas Hammock (NIU '02)
Record at NIU/Years: 7-15/1
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: 594-509-51
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)
 

---

  EASTERN MICHIGAN FACTS  
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Chris Creighton (Kenyon/1991)
Record at EMU/Years: 33-52/Eighth
Career Record/Years: 172-98/25th
2020 Record: 2-4
Mid-American Conference Record/Finish: 2-4/Fifth West
Location: Ypsilanti, Mich.
Enrollment: 17,784
Conference: Mid-American, West Division
Colors: Green and White
Stadium: Rynearson Stadium    
    Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf /30,200
President: James M. Smith
Athletic Director: Scott Wetherbee
Athletics Website: emueagles.com
Twitter: @EMUFB

Eastern Michigan Schedule & Results
 

---

  NIU-EASTERN MICHIGAN SERIES  
Overall: NIU leads 33-16-2
In Ypsilanti: NIU leads 16-8-1
In DeKalb: NIU leads 17-8-1
In MAC Games: NIU Leads 23-6-2
Streak: EMU, 2
First Meeting: Oct. 8, 1927 - EMU 25, NIU 6 (A)
Last Meeting: Dec. 12, 2020 - EMU 41, NIU 33
 

---

  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: NIU-EASTERN MICHIGAN ON ESPN+

• The NIU-Wyoming game will be available on ESPN+, ESPN's direct to consumer video platform, accessible via the ESPN App available on both iOS and Android devices, desktop and TV-connected devices (e.g. Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV).
• ESPN+ is available at a cost of $6.99/month or $69.99/year and can be used on up to five streaming devices simultaneously.
• Doug Sherman (play-by-play) and Stan Routt (analyst) will be on the call for ESPN3 Saturday.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Radio Network broadcast for the Eastern Michigan game begins at 1 pm (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 is in his 42nd season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo has joined him for 36 seasons, 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.  

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.

 

---

  NOTING NIU  

SETTING THE STAGE: NIU opens its 2021 Mid-American Conference schedule with a Homecoming tilt versus Eastern Michigan, NIU's oldest MAC foe and the last team it played during the 2020 COVID-shortened season. 

HUSKIE HOMECOMING HISTORY: After skipping its traditional Homecoming celebration in 2020 with limited to no fans in the stands due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NIU plays its 114th Homecoming game Saturday. The Huskies' annual celebration dates back to an alumni football game played Oct. 10, 1903. NIU's Homecoming is the oldest major college alumni gathering in the state and the Huskies have one of the longest celebrated Homecoming traditions in the country. The Huskies are 73-30-10 all time in their Homecoming football games and have won 20 of their last 22 in front of the alums. NIU is 39-14-2 in Homecoming football games in Huskie Stadium after defeating Akron, 49-0, in 2019. 

HOME SWEET HOME: With a 73-27 (.730) record at home since 2003, NIU's all-time record at Huskie Stadium stands at 180-110-2 for a .620 all-time winning percentage. During that stretch, the Huskies have had 15 winning records at home and five undefeated seasons in DeKalb (2003, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013). NIU is 1-1 at home so far in 2021. 

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 have returned 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.  

NON-CON SPLIT: NIU went 2-2 in its four-game non-conference slate with wins over Georgia Tech (22-21) and Maine (41-14) sandwiching losses to Wyoming (50-43) and Michigan (63-10). NIU earned two non-conference wins for the first time since 2017, when the Huskies defeated Eastern Illinois and Nebraska.  

LAST WEEK: The Huskies wrapped up their non-conference schedule with a 41-14 win over Maine as Rocky Lombardi accounted for 401 yards of total offense with 282 passing and 119 rushing yards, including touchdown runs of seven, 64 and 18 yards. NIU led 21-14 at halftime before outscoring the Black Bears 20-0 in the second half as the defense held Maine to 110 yards after halftime. 

SERIES HISTORY: NIU holds a 33-16-2 advantage in the all-time series with EMU and is 19-4 versus the Eagles since 1998. Eastern Michigan has won the last two meetings, the first time since 1957-58 that EMU defeated NIU in back-to-back years. The Eagles are NIU's oldest MAC foe as the series goes all the way back to 1927, with annual meetings from 1947-1961 before becoming league opponents. The teams then played every year from 1977-87, and have now met in each of the last 25 seasons since NIU came back to the MAC in 1997. The Huskies are 24-6-2 versus Eastern Michigan in their two stints in the MAC.

THE LAST TIME: Eastern Michigan defeated the Huskies 41-33 in the 2020 season finale in Ypsilanti despite the Huskies out-gaining the Eagles 420-373 with 199 rushing yards to EMU's 131. The Eagles took a 20-10 halftime lead and extending it to 27-10 on a 61-yard fumble return. NIU twice cut the lead to 10 in the third quarter but the Eagles responded and took a 41-24 lead with 10:14 to play. NIU came back with a safety and a late touchdown catch by Cole Tucker, but ran out of time on the final drive after forcing an EMU punt.    

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: NIU is 156-111-2 all-time in Mid-American Conference play. The Huskies are 120-66 (.645) in league action since re-joining the MAC in 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 65-21 against the MAC with three undefeated campaigns , two one-loss seasons, six-straight division championships and seven overall during that stretch. The Huskies begin their 36th season as a member of the Mid-American Conference in 2021, including an initial stint in the league from 1975-85. Since the MAC went to divisional play in 1997, NIU is 74-49 versus teams from the MAC West, including a 37-18 mark in the division since 2010. 

MAC OPENERS: The Huskies are 17-19 in conference opening games all-time. After winning three consecutive MAC openers from 2016-18, NIU has lost its last two league lid-lifters, including dropping a 49-30 decision to Buffalo in last year's November 4 game that served as the season and MAC opener.

MICHIGAN MEN: NIU's 2021 roster includes 10 players from Michigan with eight of the 10 recruited by the current coaching staff. Redshirt junior tight end Liam Soraghan (Dearborn/Divine Child HS) is the veteran, followed by junior cornerback Zhamaine March (Detroit/East English Village Prep). Defensive tackle James Ester (Detroit/Cass Tech) is a third year freshman, while QB Dustin Fletcher (Flint/Carman-Ainsworth HS), safety C.J. Brown (Canton/Walled Lake Western HS) and defensive end Ivan Davis (Canton/Plymouth HS) are now in their second years at NIU. Of the 2021 newcomers from Michigan - WR Alex Crawford (Macomb/Dakota HS), TE Blake Kosin (Davisburg, Mich./Clarkston HS), DE Jaden Wilson (Detroit/Renaissance HS) and S Muhammad Jammeh (Detroit/Renaissance HS) - Jammeh is the first to see action, as a member of the Huskies' special teams. 

LAND OF LINCOLN LEADERS: Since 2010, NIU is the winningest of the three FBS program in Illinois with a .637 winning percentage and a 93-53 record. Northwestern comes in with a 80-61 record for a .567 win percentage over the last 11 seasons, while Illinois is 48-88 (.353). The Huskies defeated Northwestern in the 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.

NOT QUITE FRESHMEN: Nine second-year or "COVID" freshmen have started games for the Huskies this year, including eight defensive players and starting tailback Harrison Waylee. Waylee, defensive end Ray Thomas, linebacker Daveren Rayner, cornerback Eric Rogers and safety Jordan Hansen have started every game while safety C.J. Brown and defensive end Devonte O'Malley have each started three of NIU's four games. Defensive end Pierce Oppong and safety Devin Lafayette started one game each. 

HARRY'S HOT: With a league-leading 487 rushing yards (121.8/game) through four games in 2021, NIU's Harrison Waylee is off to the best start by a Huskie running back in 15 years. The last Huskie to rush for more yards through the first four games of a season was NIU Hall of Famer and all-time leading rusher Garrett Wolfe, who totaled 828 rushing yards (207.0/game!) versus Ohio State (171), Ohio (196), Buffalo (263) and Indiana State (198) in 2006. 

WAY(LEE) TO GO: Harrison Waylee gained 130 yards on 23 carries versus Maine, and scored from seven yards out for NIU's first touchdown of the game. He has run for at least 100 yards in five of his last six games, dating back to the final two games of 2020. Waylee carried 23 times for 122 yards on 23 carries at Eastern Michigan in the 2020 season finale. He currently ranks seventh in the country and leads the Mid-American Conference in rushing yards (487) and rushing yards per game (121.8). 

"ROCK"IN THE OFFENSE: Quarterback Rocky Lombardi earned MAC West Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors after throwing for 282 yards on 17-of-24 passing with one touchdown and rushing for 119 yards on 10 carries with three scores Saturday versus Maine. Lombardi tallied 401 yards of total offense and his day included a trio of touchdown runs - the first rushing TDs of his collegiate career - of 7, 64 and 18 yards. He also recorded a season-long completion of 66 yards on his top passing day as a Huskie.     

BEEN A WHILE: Quarterback Rocky Lombardi became the first Huskie to accumulate 400 yards of total offense in a game since October 1, 2016, 56 games ago. On that day, first-time starter Anthony Maddie threw for 298 yards on 26-of-41 passing with two touchdowns, and ran for 160 yards on 14 carries, including a 75-yard touchdown run, to lead NIU to a 31-24 win at Ball State.     

HE'S NO ROOKIE: Quarterback Rocky Lombardi came to NIU as a well-seasoned veteran with nine starts in 22 games 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. His father, Tony, was a long-time college and high school football coach whose resume includes three years (1998-2001) at Eastern Michigan, where he served as the interim head coach for the final home game of the 2000 season. 

THEY'VE GOT LEGS: Harrison Waylee is not the only Huskie who showed off his running ability versus Maine as Rocky Lombardi joined him in the triple digits category with 10 carries for 119 yards, much of that picked up on a 64-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Lombardi and Waylee became the first NIU duo to run for at least 100 yards in the same game since November 7, 2018 when Tre Harbison (139) and Marcus Jones (103) each went over the 100-yard mark versus Toledo. 

JOINING THE CLUB: Wide receiver Cole Tucker became the 37th member of NIU's 1,000-yard receiving club Saturday as he caught four passes for 114 yards to record the second 100-yard receiving game of his career. Tucker now has 1,029 career receivng yards on 81 catches to rank 35th all-time at NIU. Teammate Tyrice Richie is currently tied for 27th all-time at NIU in receiving yards with 1,193 yards on 102 catches. 

FIRST AND COLE: DeKalb native Cole Tucker continues to come through in the clutch. Of the junior's 12 catches, 11 have resulted in a first down or a touchdown. That trend continued versus Maine with all four of his catches resulting in first downs, including a career-long 66-yard catch on third and 18 to the Maine 11-yard line. Tucker caught his first touchdown pass of 2021 - and the fourth of his career - in the fourth quarter at Michigan.  Versus Wyoming, five of Tucker's six receptions went for first downs, including a sliding catch at the one-yard line to convert on fourth down. 

GO YOUR OWN WAY(LEE): Second year freshman Harrison Waylee earned his second consecutive MAC West Offensive Player of the Week honor after rushing for a career high 179 yards on 26 carries versus Wyoming to power the Huskies' fourth-quarter comeback. After carrying the ball eight times for minus three yards in the first half, Waylee averaged more than 10 yards per carry in the second half with two touchdowns. His 75-yard touchdown run was the longest by a Huskie since Oct. 1, 2016. He scored again just 13 seconds later on a 14-yard run after a turnover. 

ULTRA-BACK?: To date, senior running back Clint Ratkovich has lived up to his billing as a "do everything" back whose versatility was heralded during the preseason by NIU head coach Thomas Hammock. Ratkovich leads NIU in scoring with five touchdowns (two receiving, three rushing), ranks third on the team in rushing (132 yards) and fourth  in catches (4), is back as a kickoff returner AND has made two tackles on special teams He scored three rushing touchdowns versus Wyoming, the most in a single game by a Huskie since Jordan Huff versus Eastern Michigan in 2016.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES: After recording just seven rushing scores in six games a year ago, NIU has scored 10 rushing touchdowns already this season. Both Rocky Lombardi and Clint Ratkovich have notched three rushing scores in a game, while Harrison Waylee has a rushing touchdown in three of NIU's four games. The Huskies' five rushing TDs versus Wyoming were the most by NIU in a game since Nov. 1, 2016 versus Bowling Green.

ON THE RUN: After averaging just 127 yards per game in 2020, the lowest rushing average for a Huskie team since 1998, NIU is on the run again in 2021 with a rushing average of 215.8 hrough four games, including two versus Power 5 opponents. NIU ranks 22nd in the country and second in the MAC in rushing offense and the Huskies are averaging 5.4 yards per rush.

RED ZONE O: The Huskie offense has been perfect on 13 trips to the red zone so far in 2021 and have scored 10 touchdowns, while John Richardson has made three short field goals. NIU is one of just 11 teams in the FBS with a 1.000 mark in red zone offense.  

BIG PLAY HUSKIES: With seven rushing plays of 25 yards or longer so far in 2021 - including touchdown runs of 75 and 35 yards by Harrison Waylee, a 52-yard rush by Clint Ratkovich and runs of 64 and 45 yards by quarterback Rocky Lombardi - NIU has more long runs already this year than in the entire six-game 2020 season. The Huskies' longest rush a year ago went just 28 yards. Lombardi also has seven passing plays of longer than 25 yards, including a season-long 66-yard completion to Cole Tucker versus Maine. In four games, NIU has 16 long plays, six shy of last year's season total of 22.
 
TWO DO: Thomas Hammock's decision to go for two to win the Georgia Tech game after scoring with 38 seconds to play should not have been a surprise. Under Hammock, NIU has attempted 10 two-point PATs and converted four, including a 50 percent mark (2-4) in 2020. The popularity of two-point tries is a fairly new phenomenon. Prior to 2018 (when NIU went 1-for-5 on two point conversion tries), the Huskies' last successful two-point PAT was in 2011. 

ALL THE RECORDS: Fifth-year punter Matt Ference already holds nearly every NIU punting record and after four games, he has Andy Dittbenner's 2007 mark for single season punting average (43.5) in his sights. Through four games, Ference has punted 20 times for a 45.0-yard average. He punted seven times for a 48.3-yard average at Michigan and his 65-yard punt versus Maine was his longest since 2017.  Ference picked up his fifth career MAC Player of the Week honor earlier this season after twice pinning Georgia Tech inside its 10-yard line.  

THE GANDY MAN CAN: Cornerback Jordan Gandy has started every game for NIU since transferring back to his hometown team in July 2020. In the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, he led NIU in tackles (41) and passes defended (8) en route to second team All-MAC honors. Already in 2021, his six pass break-ups lead the MAC and rank 17th in the nation, and he added a pair of tackles for loss versus Maine.  

LIKING LANCE: After playing in just one game over the last two seasons due to injury, super senior linebacker Lance Deveaux Jr. has returned to lead the Huskies in tackles with 32 through the first four games. Deveaux made a career high 13 tackles to lead a strong defensive effort versus Georgia Tech to earn his first MAC Player of the Week honor. He ranks first in the MAC in solo tackles going into the Maine game. The Florida native has made 138 tackles, 92 solo, in 37 career games and had a career-best 67 stops in 2018.
 
FOURTH DOWN STOPS: The Huskie defense has been tough on fourth down in 2021 as opponents have been successful on just three-of-nine on fourth down tries this season. With NIU holding onto a 21-14 lead versus Maine, the defense made a huge fourth down stop on the Black Bears' first drive of the second half, stuffing running back Freddie Brock on fourth and one. Michigan went just 1-for-3 on fourth downs, helping the Huskies hold the Wolverines scoreless in the fourth quarter, while Wyoming was 0-for-1 and Georgia Tech 2-for-4.

SUPER SENIOR: NIU senior Tyrice Richie is once again atop the Huskie receiving charts with 17 catches for 181 yards in 2021. Richie caught a season-high seven passes for 76 yards versus Maine. His season totals do not include the diving grab of a game-winning two-point conversion pass with 38 seconds to play to give NIU the upset victory. He has caught at least one pass in every game of his Huskie career, a streak of 21 consecutive games.  

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. 

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.

ADDING TO THE BONEYARD: With its 22-21 win over Georgia Tech in the 2021 season opener, NIU claimed its 17th "Boneyard Win," which are ?wins over prominent opponents and teams from leagues now designated as "Power 5." The Boneyard tradition began in 1983 with a win over Kansas and NIU has collected nine Boneyard Wins in the last 12 years. NIU has seven Boneyard Wins over Big Ten teams all-time, most recently with a 21-17 win over Nebraska on Sept. 16, 2017 when the Huskies became the first Mid-American Conference team to win in Lincoln. 

BIG WIN: The Huskies stunned Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Sept. 4 when Tyrice Richie's diving catch of Rocky Lombardi's two-point conversion pass with 38 seconds left gave NIU a 22-21 lead. After the Jackets' last second field goal attempt was blocked, NIU had a season-opening Boneyard Win. Harrison Waylee ran for 144 yards on 27 carries and Lombardi completed touchdown passes to Miles Joiner and Clint Ratkovich. Lance Deveaux Jr. led the defense with 12 tackles as NIU made two fourth down stops and forced three punts to go along with three Georgia Tech missed field goals. 

MAC SWEEP: NIU made a clean sweep of the MAC West Division Player of the Week honors after its win over Georgia Tech as freshman tailback Harrison Waylee earned the Offensive Player of the Week honor, senior linebacker Lance Deveaux Jr. was named the Defensive Player of the Week and senior punter Matt Ference the Special Teams POTW. It was the first "sweep" of the MAC Weekly awards for NIU since Sept. 24, 2004 when Garrett Wolfe (offense), Javan Lee (defense) and Chris Nendick (special teams) were winners after NIU's 34-17 victory over Bowling Green. 

LEAD DOGS: 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 that NIU has selected captains prior to the season under Hammock.
   
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 senior punter Matt Ference, holder of nearly every NIU punting record, and current starters Nick Rattin, Devonte O'Malley, Trayvon Rudolph and Jordan Gandy. During 2021 preseason camp, offensive lineman Matthew Schooley and tailback Mason Blakemore were put on scholarship. They join a long and distinguished list of NIU players who arrived as walk-ons including 2010 MAC MVP Chad Spann and NFL veteran Rashaan Melvin.