Football | August 19

DeKALB, IL – A constant running theme throughout preseason camp for the Northern Illinois University football team is depth on the field at multiple positions. The Huskies' linebacker corps has the right mix of experience and talent to make an impact for a defensive unit that looks to be improved from a year ago.
 
"We've got guys that have a lot of experience with Nick [Rattin], Kyle Pugh, Daveren [Rayner] and Jaden Dolphin," said head coach Thomas Hammock following Friday morning's practice. "Those four guys give us a tremendous amount of experience, depth, competition and game experience. We're certainly excited to see what those returning linebackers can do along with the younger guys that have been showing up all camp."
 
Kyle Pugh (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom Township) is most experienced of the group, entering an unprecedented eighth season in the program as noted by Andy Staples of The Athletic on Thursday in a feature on NIU's most senior linebacker. A two-time All-Mid-American Conference selection, Pugh is ready for the 2022 season after missing 2021 due to injury. In 2018 Pugh had a career-high 106 tackles as NIU went on to win the MAC title. His leadership, both on and off the field, has been a big lift to the Huskies' linebacker room.
 
"Coach Hammock always talks about how the best type of leadership is player leadership," said Robert Wimberly, executive assistant coach and linebackers coach. "When you have someone like Kyle Pugh who's been here for as long as he has, when he speaks the young men listen. They respect him and the way he carries himself. He's been working hard and running well, and our goal is to get him to the first game and allow him to be able to enjoy his last go-round."
 
Another player that brings the right combination of experience and talent is Nick Rattin (Palatine, Ill./Fremd). The junior is NIU's returning leader in tackles for loss from 2021 with 7.0 and was third on the team last season with 72 total stops. Rattin has been named a nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and to the Wuerffel Trophy watch lists for his work in the community off the football field.
 
"His leadership has been tremendous," Hammock said. "His ability to get guys lined up and on the same page is valuable. He's another guy on defense that's a coach on the field and the guys respect him."
 
Sophomore Jaden Dolphin (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West) had a breakout 2021, making 39 tackles in 14 games with 6.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He had a 59-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Huskies' win over Eastern Michigan. Dolphin led NIU with 10 tackles in the MAC Championship victory over Kent State. Rayner had 29 tackles in eight games a season ago, with six in the season-opening win at Georgia Tech that included a sack. Dolphin and Rayner each had a tackle for loss in the team periods of Friday's practice as the defense got the best of their offensive counterparts on the day.
 
Behind that quartet of linebackers are young guys such as Dayven Shinhoster (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) who played 12 games as a true freshman in 2021, redshirt-freshmen Akanimo Asuquo (Forney, Texas/North Forney) and Elijah Hamm (Watkinsville, Ga./Oconee County), and true freshmen Nick Alvarado (Bloomfield, N.J./Union City) and Rashon Myles Jr. (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg).
 
"When we're looking for linebackers we're looking for secondary abilities but also that physicality and energy and a love for contact," Wimberly said. "When you look at Nick Alvarado and Rashon Myles Jr., what they've shown so far in fall camp is that if they have to be in the box they're going to show up and be physical. If you put them on the edge, they can still cover ground and be productive out in space."
 
The Huskies will have their second scrimmage of preseason camp on Saturday at Huskie Stadium, beginning at 11:30 a.m. To read all the position previews from this preseason, go to the 2022 Camp Central page at NIUHuskies.com.
 
Purchase NIU Football tickets now online at NIUHuskies.com or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225) during regular business hours. Ticket options include season tickets to see all six Huskie home games, Mini-Plans featuring either the All-Saturday ($90) or All-Weekday ($78) package, and single game tickets, priced from $18-$40 depending on the game. Season tickets provide the best value with prices as low as $14.67 per ticket with the Huskie Family 4 Pack (do not have to be related), $97 for East Side general admission seating or $144 for West Side reserved seats. Premium area tickets are also available on both a season and per game basis. For more information and to see all the options and prices, click here.
 
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