Football | August 2

DeKALB, IL - The Northern Illinois University football team was out on the Huskie Stadium field bright and early Wednesday morning for the first official practice of the 2023 season.
 
Head Coach Thomas Hammock had a group of returnees on the field at 7 a.m. to start the day, putting them through individual and team periods for 90 minutes. After a 30-minute period of special teams, the second group comprised of newcomers and developmental players took the field.
 
"I thought today was good," said Hammock as he enters his fifth season as head coach. "It was good to get a bunch of guys a bunch of reps. We have to get into football-shape, and that's our job as coaches to make sure that they're in optimal shape to both understand and execute the plays."
 
"We split the practice up because the last thing you want is 117 guys just watching 22 out on the field. I thought it was productive. We want to maximize our roster over the first two days.   We are a developmental program, so we wanted to make sure our freshmen and second-year guys continue to develop and become better football players."
 
Safety CJ Brown (Canton, Mich./Walled Lake Western), one of 17 returning starters for the Huskies, was excited to get back on the practice field to get the season going.
 
"It's great to come back on the field, get the guys right and see the improvement that we've made over the offseason," Brown said. "It's also good to see the young guys get out here and get better."
 
Two players taking advantage of some extra reps in the first session of the morning were redshirt-senior quarterback Rocky Lombardi (Clive, Iowa/Michigan State) and redshirt-junior wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee). Both players return after injuries cut short their 2022 season and Hammock is excited to see them back on the field in 2023.
 
"Rocky had a good day in practice," Hammock said. "He's healthy and running and excited for the season. Trayvon's return brings a level of explosiveness to our offense. He caught a 60-yard pass today. I think he's going to have a big season as long as he stays healthy."
 
The Huskies are back on the practice field at Huskie Stadium Thursday morning at 7 a.m. for another split-squad practice.
 
Season, single game and mini-plan tickets for the 2023 Huskie home games are all on sale now 24 hours a day, seven days a week online at NIUHuskies.com/myhuskies or by calling the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225). Season tickets provide the best overall value at as little as $17 per game for general admission seating on the West Side of Huskie Stadium ($102 total). Sit in the same reserved seat for all six games for just $144 (sections A, B, F) or $162 (sections C, D, E). There are two "Pick Your Pack" mini-plan options, including Saturday only and MACtion+Saturday option. See all the ticket prices and options, including premium experiences, here.
 
--NIU--