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FB22 - James Ester celebration (Kentucky)
Mark Mahan

NIU Faces Ball State in MAC Opener Saturday in Muncie

Battle for the Bronze Stalk Set for 1 pm CT on ESPN+

September 27

 
FB22 - Ball State game release header (Game 5)

  HUSKIE BITES  
  • The NIU Huskies open Mid-American Conference play versus MAC West foe Ball State as the teams play for the Bronze Stalk Trophy for the 15th time. 
  • NIU reclaimed the Bronze Stalk a year ago with a 30-29 win over Ball State thanks to John Richardson's game-winning field goal as time expired. The Cardinals won the previous two meetings between the teams. 
  • This year's game marks the 50th in the all-time series with Ball State and the teams will play for the 26th consecutive season. NIU owns a 25-22-2 edge in the all-time series.   
  • The Huskies dropped a 31-23 decision at No. 8 (AP) Kentucky last Saturday although the NIU defense provided bright spots with arguably its best game of 2022, holding the Wildcats to season lows in total offense and rushing yards.  
  • Tight end Tristen Tewes recorded the first two touchdowns of his career Saturday and is the third NIU receiver to catch two touchdown passes in a game this season. 
  • NIU linebacker Daveren Rayner was named the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week while punter Tom Foley garnered Specialist of the Week honors for their play at Kentucky. Rayner led NIU with 10 tackles while Foley averaged more than 47 yards per punt with three inside the 20 and a 61-yard boot. 
  • Following the 8-point loss at Kentucky, 22 of the Huskies' 36 games under Thomas Hammock now have been decided by one score with 10 determined by three points or less. NIU is 7-3 since 2019 in games within a three-point margin. Over the last two seasons, NIU is 8-5 in one score games.    
  • NIU head coach Thomas Hammock, a two-time first team CoSIDA Academic All-American who rushed for over 1,000 yards in both 2000 and 2001, is in his fourth season as head coach at his alma mater. Hammock, a finalist for 2021 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honors, will be inducted into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame on October 8.        
  • Linebacker Kyle Pugh has made NCAA FBS history as he is back for his eighth season at  NIU. Pugh saw his 2017 and 2019 seasons cut short, missed 2021 with a knee injury sustained in the spring, and earned the COVID-19 "re-do" for 2020. The two-time All-MAC (2018, 2020) linebacker currently ranks third on the team with 26 tackles.  

  NIU FOOTBALL FACTS  
Head Coach:Thomas Hammock (NIU '02)
Record at NIU/Years: 15-21/4th
Career Record/Years: Same
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-2-5
First Year of Football: 1899
2021 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 9-5/6-2/1st
All-Time Record: 602-515-51
Last Bowl Game: 2021 Tailgreeter Cure Bowl (Coastal Carolina 47, NIU 41)
Bowl Appearances (FBS): 14
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 9, 2021
MAC Championships, Last: 6, 2021
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 52/15
Starters Returning: 22 (8 offense, 13 defense, 1 specialist)
Starters Lost: 7 (3 offense, 2 defense, 2 specialists)
 

  BALL STATE FACTS  
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Mike Neu (Ball State, 1994)
Record at Ball State/Years: 29-44/7
Career Record/Years: Same
2021 Record: 6-7
Conference Record/Finish: 4-4/T-4th-West
Location: Muncie, Ind.
Enrollment: 21,597
Conference: Mid-American
Colors: Cardinal and White 
Stadium: Scheumann Stadium
Surface/Capacity: Field Turf/22,500
President: Geoffrey Mearns
Interim Athletic Director: Ken Bothof
Athletics Website: BallStateSports.com
Twitter: @ballstatefb

Ball State Schedule & Results
 

  NIU-BALL STATE SERIES  
Overall: NIU leads 25-22-2
In DeKalb: Series tied 12-12-2
In Muncie: NIU leads 13-10
In MAC Games: NIU leads 19-18
Streak: NIU, 1

  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  
TV: NIU-BALL STATE ON ESPN+
  • The NIU-Ball State game will be streamed on ESPN+, accessible via the ESPN App available on both iOS and Android devices, desktop and TV-connected devices (e.g. Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV).
  • Subscriptions to ESPN+ are available on both a monthly and annual basis and can be used on up to five streaming devices simultaneously.
  • Jim Barbar (play-by-play) and Marcus Ray (color analyst) will be on the call for ESPN+ Saturday.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK
  • The Huskie Sports Radio Network coverage for the Ball State game begins 90 minutes before kickoff, at 11:30 a.m. (CT), on 94-9 WDKB with the Toyota Huskie Nation Pre-Game Party.
  • Coverage on WDKB, as well as NIU network affiliates AM 560 The Answer (Chicago) and SportsFan AM 1330 begins 30 minutes before the game, at 12:30 pm (CT).
  • 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 43rd season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo is alongside for the the 37th consecutive season, while Andy Garcia is in his 10th season on the NIU sidelines. 

INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW
  • Fans are invited to attend the one-hour weekly show every week at 1 p.m. in the Novak Room at Fatty's Pub & Grille in DeKalb (1312 W. Lincoln Hwy).
  • Shows will take place on Thursdays in September and October before Saturday games. 
  • Listen live on the NIU Huskies or The Varsity Network mobile app and hear the show on the same day at 6 pm on SportsFan AM 1330 in Rockford.
  • Host Andy Garcia chats with NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock each week, along with Huskie players and special guests. 

NIU WEEKLY ON YOUTUBE
  • The show features weekly interviews with NIU football personnel, including head coach Thomas Hammock, as well as NIU administrators, coaches and student-athletes from other sports programs. 
  • Watch new episodes on the NIU Athletics YouTube Channel each week. 
  • The show is hosted by Andy Garcia.

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 or go to YouTube.com/NIUAthleticsOfficial. 
  • 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  

OFF TO INDIANA: The Northern Illinois University Huskies open Mid-American Conference play in Muncie, Indiana Saturday afternoon in the "Battle for the Bronze Stalk" game versus MAC West foe Ball State. NIU plays on the road for the third time this season and the second straight week looking to end a three-game losing streak.  

STALK TALK: For the 15th consecutive year, NIU and Ball State will play for "The Bronze Stalk," a traveling trophy designed specifically for this rivalry in honor of the farming community locales of both institutions. DeKalb artist Renee Bemis designed the trophy, which depicts a cornstalk. In 14 Bronze Stalk games, NIU is 11-3, and reclaimed the Trophy in 2021 after Ball State had possession of it following their wins in 2019 and 2020.   

SERIES HISTORY: NIU leads the all-time series with Ball State 25-22-2, and the Huskies have won 11 of the last 13 games between the teams. Ball State snapped NIU's 10-game winning streak – the longest such streak in series history – in 2019 and made it back-to-back wins in 2020.  The last four games in the series have been one possession affairs, including last season's one-point Huskie win. NIU has won 18 of the 23 games with Ball State since 1999, with the Cardinals winning 16 of 17 games between 1974-98.   

THE LAST TIME: John Richardson made a 32-yard field goal as time expired to cap NIU's fourth-quarter comeback as the Huskies defeated Ball State, 30-29, on November 10, 2021 at Huskie Stadium. Running back Jay Ducker scored on a 10-yard run with 2:42 to play to give NIU a 27-26 lead before Ball State responded with a 48-yard field goal by Jacob Lewis to take a 29-27 lead. Rocky Lombardi threw for 264 yards and a touchdown on 23-of-38 passing and receivers Trayvon Rudolph (108) and Cole Tucker (103) each recorded 100-yard receiving days for NIU. Ducker added 155 rushing yards on 24 carries. The Cardinals completed 11-of-26 passes for 126 yards.

LAST WEEK: NIU wrapped up non-conference play at No. 8 (AP) Kentucky and battled the Wildcats to the final minutes before succumbing, 31-23. Behind back-up quarterback Ethan Hampton and a valiant defensive effort that limited UK to 103 rushing yards thanks to five quarterback sacks, NIU made it a one score game by scoring the final 10 points of the game after falling behind 31-14. The Huskies opening the scoring with a 75-yard drive to lead 7-0 and tied the game at 14 just before halftime with tight end Tristen Tewes catching touchdown passes from Hampton and receiver Shemar Thornton, respectively. 

TESTED: NIU tested itself during non-conference play by taking on SEC teams Vanderbilt and No. 8 Kentucky in back-to-back weeks after opening with in-state rival Eastern Illinois at home, followed by a game at Tulsa out of the American Athletic Conference (AAC). NIU played consecutive games versus Southeastern Conference teams for the first time in school history and this year marked just the second time the Huskies faced two SEC teams in a season (1994). 

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: The Huskies enter the 2022 Mid-American Conference season, their 37th as a member of the league, with a record of 162-113-2 all-time in league play. The Huskies are 127-68 (.651) versus MAC foes since re-joining the league in 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 71-23 (.755) against the MAC with three undefeated campaigns, two one-loss seasons, seven division championships, including a run of six-straight (2010-15). NIU originally competed in the MAC from 1975-85.

MAC WEST MARK: Since the MAC went to divisional play in 1997, NIU is 78-48 versus teams from the MAC West, including a 41-17 mark in the division since 2010. The Huskies went 4-1 against divisional foes a year ago with the only loss in the regular season finale to Western Michigan. 
 
NIU ON THE MAC ROAD: The Huskies are 24-11 in conference road games since 2013 and 87-97-1 all-time in league games away from Huskie Stadium. NIU was 3-1 in road conference games a year ago with the lone loss at Kent State. The Huskies are 0-2 on the road so far this year.   

CHAMPS, AGAIN: With its 41-23 win over Kent State in the 2021 Rocket Mortgage MAC Championship game, NIU's five MAC Championship game victories are more than any other current league member. NIU has made a record nine appearances in the game, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2021. NIU has won six Mid-American Conference titles all-time, as the Huskies' first MAC crown came in 1983 under head coach Bill Mallory before the days of conference championship games.

LAND OF LINCOLN LEADERS: Since 2010, NIU is the winningest football program among the state of Illinois' seven Division I (3 FBS & 4 FCS) football programs. During that time, the Huskies are 1-1 versus their fellow in-state FBS programs with a 2014 win over Northwestern and a 2010 loss at Illinois. NIU is 4-1 versus in-state FCS opponents over the last 12 seasons, including the opening week win over Eastern Illinois. With nine bowl games and eight MAC Championship game appearances in the last 12 years, NIU has played more games, 158, than any other school in the state.

Illinois' Division I Schools Since 2010
Team W L Pct.
NIU 101 58 .635
Illinois State 85 56 .603
Northwestern* 83 70 .542
Southern Illinois 64 76 .457
Eastern Illinois 54 83 .394
Illinois         56 92 .378
Western Illinois 52 87 .374

CARDIAC CANINES CONTINUED: In four seasons under Thomas Hammock, 22 of the Huskies' 36 games, including last week's game versus No. 8 Kentucky and three of four games in 2022, have been decided by one score (eight points) or less. Last year, 10 of the Huskies' 14 games came down to one score. The Huskies are now 8-5 in one score contests over the last two seasons and are 11-11 mark in games decided by one score over the last four years. NIU is just as good when the games are closer with a 7-3 record in the last four seasons in games decided by three points or less, including a 4-0 record in those games a year ago.   

KENTUCKY KERNELS: The Huskie defense acquitted itself well against the No. 8 team in the nation last week even with young players, including freshmen, stepping into key roles due to injury. The defense held the Wildcats to NIU season lows in total offense (406 yards), rushing yards (103), pass attempts (26) and plays (61) while forcing  UK to punt an opponent's season high three times. The Huskies' five sacks at Kentucky were a season high and the most since last year's MAC opener versus Eastern Michigan.

KENTUCKY KERNELS II: The Huskie offense also enjoyed success versus a vaunted Kentucky defense as NIU's 23 points were the most scored against the Wildcats this year, while the Huskies' two passing touchdowns were the first UK had given up. NIU became the first Kentucky opponent to score a second half touchdown with Justin Lynch's two-yard score in the fourth quarter.

TOUCHDOWN TOSS: Wide receiver Shemar Thornton, a transfer from FIU, showed off his passing form at Kentucky with a perfectly thrown touchdown toss to a wide open Tristen Tewes as NIU tied the score at 14 just before halftime. Thornton became the first NIU non-quarterback to throw a touchdown pass since Michael Love completed a seven-yard pass to tight end Mitchell Brinkman versus Western Michigan on Nov. 26, 2019. The last non-QB to complete a pass was Trayvon Rudolph who hit Tewes with a two-point conversion pass in last year's game at Central Michigan (Oct. 23).      

ONE OF A KIND: NIU linebacker Kyle Pugh is the first player in FBS history to play eight years of college football - although due to a series of different injuries, he has not actually played in all eight seasons. Pugh, who is earning his second master's degree, signed with the Huskies in February 2015 and redshirted as a freshman. Pugh was an all-conference player in 2018 and 2020. He has been at NIU through three presidential administrations, four bowl games and three MAC Championship games;  his freshmen teammates were in sixth grade when he arrived at NIU.
  
TEWES TDS AND MORE: Tight end Tristen Tewes became the second Huskie tight end to record his first career touchdown this season with not one, but two TD receptions at Kentucky. Tewes finished NIU's game opening drive by catching a two-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Hampton and was on the receiving end of Shemar Thornton's three-yard TD pass to tie the game before halftime. The former walk-on from Pleasant Plains, Ill. finished the game with a career high six catches for 37 yards.

BEEN A WHILE: Tristen Tewes became the first NIU tight end to catch two touchdown passes in a game in 70 games, since Shane Wimann had a pair of TD catches at San Diego State in 2017.  Add Liam Soraghan's touchdown versus Eastern Illinois, and NIU tight ends have three touchdown catches this year, surpassing last year's total when Miles Joiner recorded the only two touchdowns for Huskie tight ends.

TDS IN TWOS: Tristen Tewes became the third Huskie to catch two touchdown passes in a game this season. Newcomer Kacper Rutkiewicz caught TD passes of nine and 30 yards from Rocky Lombardi at Tulsa, while Cole Tucker split his two touchdown receptions versus Vanderbilt with a one-yard grab from Lombardi and a 70-yard scoring catch and run from Ethan Hampton. Tewes also had two different passers with Hampton hitting him from two yards out before connecting with wide receiver Shemar Thornton from three yards away. Last year, Trayvon Rudolph was the only Huskie to record multiple touchdown catches in a game as he caught two TD passes at Central Michigan and three the next week at Kent State.   

RAYNER SHINES: Sophomore linebacker Daveren Rayner leads NIU in tackles with 42 and posted his third double-digit tackle game at Kentucky with 10 stops. He added his first sack of the season to earn MAC West Defensive Player of the Week honors. Rayner has already surpassed his previous single season career high in tackles (29 in 2021) and ranks second in the MAC in tackles per game. Rayner joined Eric Rogers as Huskie defenders to earn MAC Player of the Week honors this season. 

POWER PUNTER: Huskie punter Tom Foley, in his second season at NIU after transferring from Minnesota, earned MAC West Specialist of the Week honors after averaging 47.2 yards on six punts at Kentucky. More importantly, three of Foley's punts forced Kentucky to start inside its 12 yard line, include one that bounced out of bounds at the two. Foley recorded a season-long 61-yard punt in the game. 

COLE HARD FACTS: A year ago, Trayvon Rudolph (51 catches), Tyrice Richie (44) and Cole Tucker (41) accounted for 66 percent of the Huskies' 205 pass receptions. Richie graduated and Rudolph is out for the season due to injury, leaving Tucker. The sixth-year senior established a new career high for single game receiving yards with 123 at Tulsa and leads NIU with 18 catches for 333 yards on the season. The DeKalb native and Huskie legacy, whose parents Brett and Cindy were NIU football and gymnastics student-athletes, respectively, has caught 128 passes for 1,731 yards in his career to move up to No. 15 on NIU's all-time receiving yards list, the highest total by a Huskie since current New York Giant Kenny Golladay totaled 2,285 receiving yards (4th all-time at NIU) in 2015-16.  

LYNCH FOR 6: That was JUSTIN Lynch with NIU's final touchdown at Kentucky, a two-yard run after a fake that fooled approximately 60,000 Big Blue fans as well as the UK defenders. Lynch, the younger brother of NIU All-American and Heisman finalist Jordan Lynch, made his Huskie debut after transferring from Temple University in January. He gained 21 yards on seven carries, culminating in the fourth quarter touchdown that made it a one score game. 

FINE FORM: Kyle Pugh made a season high 12 tackles versus Vanderbilt, his highest total since a 14-tackle effort versus Central Michigan in 2020, and added three stops at Kentucky, giving him 26 tackles on the year which ranks third on the team. Versus Vanderbilt, Pugh surpassed 200 tackles for his career and he now has 213 tackles in 38 games. He has 12.5 career tackles for loss and three sacks in 27 starts. Pugh's most successful season was 2018 when he made 106 tackles, 63 solo with five tackles for loss.

SO CLOSE: The Huskies' 14 consecutive completions by quarterbacks Rocky Lombardi and Ethan Hampton (seven each) to start the Vanderbilt game fell one short of the unofficial NIU record of 15 set by Dan Nicholson versus Southern Illinois on Sept. 8, 2007. The last player to complete 14 consecutive passes was Drew Hare versus Ball State on Oct. 10, 2015 during a game in which he completed 29-of-32 throws to set the NIU single game record for completion percentage. Versus Vanderbilt, NIU's first incompletion did not occur until 10:08 of the third quarter.

ALREADY THERE: Against Tulsa, freshman safety Muhammad Jammeh collected NIU's third interception of the season, matching the Huskies' SEASON total from a year ago. Jammeh added his first career interception to sophomore cornerback Eric Rogers' two picks versus Eastern Illinois. Last season, NIU defensive backs had just one interception, with safety C.J. Brown scoring on a 26-yard interception return in the MAC Championship game. 

TURNOVERS GAINED: With six turnovers forced (three interceptions, three fumbles) through four games, the Huskie defense is halfway to its 2021 total of 12 turnoves gained, which was accomplished in 14 games.  Last season, NIU ranked 118th in the country in turnovers gained; currently the Huskies rank 20th nationally and second in the MAC in that category.

PROTECTING THE PIGSKIN: On the opposite side of the ball, the Huskie offense has lost the ball just twice with one interception at Tulsa and another versus Vanderbilt. NIU ranks seventh nationally in fewest turnovers lost. Last year, the Huskies had just one game (Central Michigan) in which they did NOT commit a turnover; they have two such games already this season (Eastern Illinois, Kentucky). 

LONG DISTANCE BACK: NIU running back Antario Brown scored his eighth career rushing touchdown, and his third this season, on a career long 51-yard run versus Vanderbilt. Brown had an eight-yard touchdown at Tulsa and a 35-yard rushing score versus Eastern Illinois. The average length of his eight TD runs is 33.75 yards. Six of Brown's eight TDs have come on runs of at least 35 yards with the only exceptions a seven-yard touchdown run in the Cure Bowl game versus Coastal Carolina and the eight-yarder at Tulsa. Last year, he scored from 37 yards out at Toledo, on a 47-yard run at Buffalo and had TD runs of 44 and 41 yards versus Western Michigan in addition to the Cure Bowl score. 

PASS PRO PROS: The Huskie offensive line has picked up where it left off a year ago in terms of pass protection when NIU ranked second in the country (FBS) in fewest sacks allowed with just 10 sacks surrendered in 14 games. Through four games this season, NIU opponents have one sack and the Huskies are once again second nationally in fewest sacks allowed. The line features four returning starters in left tackle Marques Cox (34 starts), right guard Logan Zschernitz (26), right tackle Nolan Potter (24) and left guards J.J. Lippe (15) and John Champe (7), along with redshirt freshman Pete Nygra (4).   

ON(SIDE) IT: The Huskies are now one-of-two on onside kick attempts this year. At Tulsa, NIU kicker John Richardson recovered his own onside kick in the third quarter, spurring a 17-point second-half comeback in that game. Following NIU's final touchdown at Kentucky, the Huskies could not corral Richardson's bouncing onside attempt. 

DOG TREATS: Sixth-year senior tight end Liam Soraghan scored his first career touchdown versus Eastern Illinois on a 13-yard reception. He came into the year with four career receptions for 24 yards and has four catches this season for 43 yards. .... Illinois State transfer Kacper Rutkiewicz is tied for the team lead with three touchdown catches and each of his first two catches as a Huskie went for scores. In 29 games over three seasons at ISU, Rutkiewicz had just one touchdown catch ... cornerback Eric Rogers became the first Huskie to earn MAC Player of the Week honors this season after picking off a pair of passes in the 2022 season opener versus Eastern Illinois, becoming the first Huskie with two INTs in a game since Jalen McKie versus Akron in 2018 ... returner Billy Dozier had a 42-yard kickoff return at Kentucky, the  

NEW TO NIU: Six players who transferred to NIU this year have seen action so far this season with wide receiver Shemar Thornton (FIU) and defensive end Izayah Green-May (Wisconsin) both earning starting roles. Thornton ranks second on the team in receiving and fellow transfer receiver Kacper Rutkiewicz has three touchdown catches on the year to tie for the team lead. Green-May earned his first sack at Tulsa and is tied for the team lead with 2.5 tackles for loss. Tranfer QB Justin Lynch made his Huskie debut at Kentucky and safety Jordan White, who came to NIU from Youngstown State, saw his first action at Vanderbilt. Both Quinn Urwiler (North Dakota) and Joey Rattin (Upper Iowa) have contributed on special teams.  

KICKING IT: NIU kicker John Richardson has scored 24 points on the year with 15 PATs and three field goals to raise his career total to 239 points, 46 field goals and 101 PATs. He ranks sixth in most points scored kicking, is fifth in field goals made and sixth in PATs made. He entered the season first or tied for first on the Huskies' career lists for field goal percentage (.796) and PAT percentage (1.000). Richardson has also been adept at the onside kick (see above). 
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BACK HOME TO INDIANA: Six Huskies, including three starters, will be in familiar territory when the Huskies head to Indiana this weekend. Starting center Pete Nygra (North Indianapolis), linebacker Daveren Rayner (Indianapolis) and long snapper Isaac Hatfield (Georgetown) all hail from the Hoosier state as do wide receiver Jeremiah Howard (Merrillville) and freshmen Rashon Myles Jr. (Brownsburg) and Keyshaun Pipkin (Indianapolis).

AND ONE MORE: Of course one of Indiana's most prominent Huskies is none other than Huskie head coach Thomas Hammock, who came to NIU as a running back out of Fort Wayne, Indiana and Bishop Luers High School.  

EARNED IT: Thomas Hammock has made a habit of rewarding players who walk-on to the Huskie program with scholarships. Since his arrival at NIU in 2019, 21 players have earned scholarships after arriving at NIU as walk-ons, including 19 players on the 2022 roster and eight – fully one third – of the Huskies starters on offense, defense or special teams. Of those 19, 15 are from the state of Illinois. The group joins a long and distinguished list of NIU players from the past that arrived as walk-ons including 2010 MAC MVP Chad Spann, who will be inducted into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame this fall, and recently retired NFL defensive back Rashaan Melvin. See the complete list of current former walk-ons in the column to the left.

LEAD DOGS: Six players were elected team captains for 2022 by their teammates. Quarterback Rocky Lombardi, linebacker Nick Rattin and defensive tackle James Ester (DT) were named captains for the second straight season. Linebacker and eighth-year senior Kyle Pugh, offensive tackle Nolan Potter and sophomore defensive back Jashon Prophete were also chosen. 

STAFF DIVERSITY: One of 14 African-American men to lead a FBS program, Thomas Hammock's staff also reflects the university's and NIU Athletics', commitment to diversity. Of the 10 full-time assistant coaches on staff, seven are minorities which ranks tied for second among all FBS schools. NIU's staff includes six African-American coaches and one Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. The six African-American coaches are tied for second-most in FBS. Last year, NIU won the NCAA/MOAA Diversity and Inclusion Award for the second time. The top four (credit: the University of Colorado):
 
Team  Minority Asst. Coaches  Breakdown
Hawai'i 8 4 P, 2 Asian/P, 1 AA, 1 Asian
Miami (Fla.)    8 5 AA, 2 H, 1 P
NIU 7 6 AA, 1 H/P
Virginia 7 7 AA

(AA—African American, include bi-racial; H—Hispanic; ME—Middle Eastern; P—Polynesian, includes Pacific Islanders and native Hawaiians).
 
HALL OF FAMER: NIU head coach Thomas Hammock is one of three former Huskie football players who will be inducted into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame during Homecoming Weekend on Oct. 8. Hammock gained more than 2,400 rushing yards and was a two-time first team CoSIDA Academic All-American during his NIU playing career (1999-2002). He will be joined by fellow running back Chad Spann (2007-10) and quarterback Chandler Harnish (2008-11) in the 2022 Hall of Fame Class. 

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE: Senior defensive end Michael Kennedy is NIU's 2022 nominee for the William Campbell Trophy, presented by the National Football Foundation to the top football Scholar-Athlete in the country. Kennedy earned his undergraduate degree in management with an emphasis on entrepreneurship and social responsibility and is currently pursuing his MBA.  

GRADS: NIU 2022 roster includes 13 players who have already earned their undergraduate degrees - either at NIU or from another institution, and one who already has two degrees. Huskie eighth-year senior Kyle Pugh has both an undergraduate and a graduate degree. Transfers Miles Joiner, Rocky Lombardi, Izayah Green-May, Kaymar Mimes and Shemar Thornton all came to NIU with degrees from their previous institutions. In addition to Pugh, Brett Bostad, Marques Cox, Jeffrey Griffin Jr., Michael Kennedy, Nolan Potter, Liam Soraghan and Cole Tucker are Huskie alumni.

HISTORY-MAKING: In 2021, NIU became the first team in FBS history to win its conference championship game one season after going winless. The Huskies went 0-6 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, with three of the losses by one score. NIU's nine-win improvement was the largest one-year jump in school history. 

YOUNGSTERS: A year ago, the Huskies won the MAC with the second-youngest roster in the country, including 71 players who graduated from high school in 2020 or 2021. Of the 120 players on this year's roster, 59 are freshmen, including 28 who redshirted in 2021. Add the 14 "true" (second-year sophomores) and 73 players, or 60.8% of the roster, graduated high school in the past two years.  

NEXT UP: The Huskies celebrate the school's 115th Homecoming next Saturday, October 8th, when they play host to Toledo in the only October home game on the 2022 schedule. Kickoff is at 2:30 pm (CT) on ESPN+.   






 
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