DeKALB, Ill.  – Five practices and one week into the Northern Illinois University football team's 2023 preseason camp, it is quickly apparent that even with the presence of 17 returning starters, this is a new Huskie team whose newcomers, specifically transfer newcomers, will make a significant impact.
 
"I've been very pleased with some of the new guys we've been able to add to the team," said head coach Thomas Hammock following the Huskies' fifth practice Sunday morning. "Number one, they've helped the competition and number two, they've helped the depth. I'm really excited about what those guys have been able to add to our team from a competitive standpoint and we'll continue to assess them as we go."
 
Offensively, the Huskies welcomed back quarterback Rocky Lombardi and wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph, who missed some (Lombardi) or all (Rudolph) of the 2022 season due to injury, along with running back Antario Brown, receiver Kacper Rutkiewicz and five experienced starters on the offensive line. Transfers, along with players who reshirted or saw limited action a year ago, have stepped up.
 
"Offensively, we have a couple backs in Gavin Williams (Iowa) and Kendrell Flowers (S.C. State) who have done a nice job," Hammock said. "At the tight end position, Grayson Barnes (American River [Calif.] CC) has done a nice job and Chris Carter (Howard) has done an excellent job as a big threat at the tight end position. At the receiver position, we have some guys that are really stepping up with Davis Patterson (Notre Dame College) and then Cam Thompson (Eastern Illinois) is a young man that has really flashed the first week of preseason camp."
 
Williams, Barnes and Patterson joined the team in January, while Flowers, Carter and Thompson are new additions. Flowers came to NIU after two seasons, one active, at South Carolina State, Thompson redshirted the 2022 campaign at Eastern Illinois, while Carter, a 6-7, 240-pound junior, brings skill as both a blocker and receiver to the tight end group.  
 
Similar to the experience returning on the offensive line, the Huskie defensive line brings back eight players with significant game experience, while transfers are set to contribute at linebacker and cornerback.
 
"Defensively, both of the new corners - Shaad Dabney (Kansas) and Gabe Amegatcher (Nebraska-Kearney) – are playing well," Hammock said. "Then at linebacker, DaRon Gilbert (Lafayette) and Tyler Jackson (Lamar), have been phenomenal."
 
The Huskies will have the first "off" day of preseason on Monday following a two-plus hour practice Sunday morning at Huskie Stadium and the third consecutive day in pads. After seeing the Huskie defense own the edge in the first two days in pads, Hammock was happy to see NIU's offense respond Sunday.
 
"There was a response [by the offense] and that's what you want to see," Hammock said. "In the team meeting, we talked about the response. How are we going to respond to a bad play, a bad game, a bad situation. The offense has been having an uphill battle the first few days and today they had a chance to respond. To me the mark of a good team is when you have that back-and-forth competition because everyone gets better."
 
Hammock likes the progress he has seen from the Huskies through the first week of preseason.
 
"I love the progress [we have made]," he said. "There has been a lot of back and forth, give and take, and it's been very competitive, very spirited and very physical. As coaches we have to do a great job of knowing when to back these guys off, keep them healthy and get them ready for September 2^nd."
 
The Huskies open the 2023 season on Saturday, September 2 at Boston College with the first of six home games on September 9 versus Southern Illinois.
 
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). With the addition of the new Homecoming + One option, there are three "Pick Your Pack" mini-plans available, including Saturday Only and MACtion+Saturday four-game plans. See all the ticket prices and options, including premium experiences, here.
 
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