Football | September 19

---

  DOG TREATS  

• NIU wraps up non-conference play at home on Saturday (Sept. 23) when the Huskies and Tulsa complete a home-and-home series that began last year with a 38-35 TU victory in Tulsa. 
• A resurgent Huskie defense ranks third in the MAC in total defense and is first in the league in pass defense, limiting opponents to 156.67 passing yards per game. NIU is also third in the MAC in third down conversion defense, holding opponents to a 36 percent mark.
• After making 15 tackles over the last two seasons while playing primarily on special teams, Nate Valcarcel, one of 11 walk-ons to earn a scholarship over the past year, earned a starting spot at safety and came through with a game-high nine tackles at Nebraska to give him a team-leading 15 on the season.
• Thirteen different players caught passes for NIU at Nebraska, the most Huskies to catch a pass in a single game in at least the last 23 seasons with research ongoing. 
• Huskie alum and 2022 NIU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Thomas Hammock is in his fifth season at the helm of the NIU program in 2023. He guided the Huskies to the 2021 MAC Championship. 
• The "Voice of the Huskies" - radio play-by-play broadcaster Bill Baker - will retire following the 2023 football season, his 44th behind the mic for NIU. The Nebraska game is Baker's 511th NIU football broadcast. 
• There are 24 players - eight returnees and 16 newcomers - on the 2023 NIU roster who started their careers elsewhere; 18 have seen action for the Huskies this season with six in starting roles on offense or defense. 
• Quarterback Rocky Lombardi is in his seventh collegiate season, and third at NIU, in 2023. He threw for 297 yards on 23-of-38 passing versus Southern Illinois for his highest passing yardage total since November of 2021. 
• NIU 27-24 overtime win at Boston College in the 2023 season opener marked its 18th "Boneyard Win" since 1983, and second over an ACC opponent in a season opener in the last three years. 
• Over the last 15 years - since 2008 - every freshman class has left NIU with at least one MAC Championship. The Huskies' five MAC Championship game victories are more than any other current league member and NIU has made a record nine appearances in the game.  
• The Huskies were ranked third in the West Division in the Mid-American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. See the complete poll on page 2.

---

  NIU FOOTBALL FACTS  
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-2-5
First Year of Football: 1899
2022 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 3-9/2-6/6th
All-Time Record: 605-523-51
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: 49/27
Starters Returning: 17 (8 offense, 7 defense, 2 specialist)
Starters Lost: 11 (4 offense, 6 defense, 1 specialist)
 

---

  GOLDEN HURRICANE FACTS  
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Kevin Wilson (Penn State, 1997)
Record at Tulsa/Years: 0-2/1st
Career Record/Years: 26-47/6th
2022 Record: 5-7
Conference Record/Finish: 3-5/T-8th
Location: Tulsa, Okla.
Enrollment: 3,777
Conference: American Athletic
Colors: Old Gold, Royal Blue, Crimson 
Stadium: H.A. Chapman Stadium
Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf/30,000
President: Brad Carson, J.D.
Athletic Director: Rick Dickson
Athletics Website: TulsaHurricane.com
Twitter: @TulsaFootball

TULSA SCHEDULE & RESULTS
 

---

  NIU-TULSA SERIES  
Overall: Tulsa leads 1-0
In Tulsa: Tulsa leads 1-0
First Meeting: 9/10/22 - Tulsa 38, NIU 35 (A) 
 

---

  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: TULSA AT NIU on CBS SPORTS NETWORK

• CBS Sports Network will carry the NIU-Tulsa game, marking the Huskies' 18th appearance on the network all-time.
• Find the CBSSN channel in your area by using the channel finder at CBSSportsNetwork.com or check to see if it is offered by your cable provider.
• Jordan Kent (play-by-play) and Malik Zaire (analyst) will be on the call for CBSSN Wednesday.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Radio Network coverage for the Tulsa game begins 90 minutes before kickoff, at 9:30 a.m. (CT), on 94-9 WDKB with the Toyota Pre-Game Tailgate Show.
• Coverage on NIU network affiliate SportsFan AM 1330 and on The Varsity Network app begins 30 minutes before the game, at 10:30 am (CT).
• Hear the broadcast on mobile devices via the free NIU Huskies mobile app or The Varsity Network app. 
• Bill Baker begins his 44th and final season (see note) as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo is alongside for the the 39th consecutive season, while Andy Garcia is in his 11th year on the sidelines. 

INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW

• Fans are invited to attend the one-hour weekly show with this week's show moving to THURSDAY at 6 pm for one week only. 
• The show is held at Fatty's Pub & Grille in DeKalb (1312 W. Lincoln Hwy).
• Listen live on the NIU Huskies or The Varsity Network mobile app and hear the show live on 94-9 WDKB and on SportsFan AM 1330 in Rockford.
• Host Andy Garcia welcomes NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock each week, along with Huskie players and special guests. 

NIU WEEKLY ON YOUTUBE

• Host Andy Garcia talks NIU football, basketball and more with the Huskie head coaches and administrators, including a weekly spotlight on Huskie Football. Get all the latest news and updates in this fast-paced 30 minute show.
• Also, hear from Huskie legend Bill Baker in each episode with a special "Looking Back with Bill Baker" segment.  
• Watch new episodes on the NIU Athletics YouTube Channel on Thursdays. 

NIU ATHLETICS ON YOUTUBE

• See weekly and post-game press conferences, special features, game highlights, NIU Weekly 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 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  

NON-CON FINALE: NIU and Tulsa face off Saturday, September 23 in Huskie Stadium in a battle of 1-2 teams. Both teams are looking to bounce back after dropping their last two contests. The game is the non-conference finale for both teams as NIU opens Mid-American Conference play next week at Toledo while Tulsa plays host to Temple on Thursday night in its American Athletic Conference opener.  

THE FIRST AND LAST MEETING: Trailing 24-7 at halftime, NIU came all the way back to take leads of 28-24 and 35-31 in the fourth quarter before Tulsa's Steven Anderson scored on a one-yard run with 58 seconds to play to give the Golden Hurricane a 38-35 home win on Sept. 10, 2022. Tulsa ended the game on an interception after NIU had reached its 45-yard line. The Huskies used an onside kick recovery, a recovery of a muffed punt and a fourth down stop by the NIU defense to achieve its comeback with Lombardi hitting receivers Kacper Rutkiewicz and Cole Tucker for 30 and 33 yard touchdowns, respectively, scoring himself on a one-yard run and getting an eight-yard TD from Antario Brown. (See stats page 11.)

ABOUT LAST WEEK: NIU played Nebraska tight for nearly three quarters before the Cornhuskers pulled away with three touchdowns in the last 16 minutes of the game to earn a 35-11 win in Lincoln. The Huskies made it a 7-3 game in the first quarter when Jake Seibert made a 30-yard field goal after the NIU defense forced a Nebraska fumble at the 'Husker four-yard line.  NIU was held to 26 rushing yards on 22 carries  and struggled to sustain drives until Ethan Hampton came on to direct an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in the final minutes of the game. Safety Nate Valcarcel led all players with nine tackles.        

IN THE DOGS' HOUSE: NIU has won more than two-thirds of its games played in Huskie Stadium since 2003 with a 76-35 (.685) record at home over the last 20 years, NIU's all-time record at Huskie Stadium is 184-119-2 for a .606 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).

FILLING THE BONEYARD: With its 27-24 overtime win over Boston College in the 2023 season opener, NIU earned its 18th "Boneyard Win," defined as wins over prominent opponents and teams from leagues now designated?as "Power 5." The Boneyard tradition began in 1983 and NIU has collected 10 Boneyard Wins in the last 15 years, including in back-to-back games versus ACC opponents and in 2017 at Nebraska. All-time, the Huskies have Boneyard Wins over teams from the ACC (4), SEC (1), Big 12 (5) and Big Ten (7), as well as over independent BYU. 

AGAINST THE "NEW" AMERICAN: Including last year's loss at Tulsa in the teams' first meeting, NIU is 4-10 all-time against teams that currently make up the American Athletic Conference. The Huskies have played four games all-time versus both Temple, a former Mid-American Conference foe, and USF. NIU has won three of four meetings with the Owls, while going 1-3 against USF. NIU has dropped both of its games with Navy, and is 0-1 versus East Carolina, UAB and North Texas.   

LAND OF LINCOLN LEADERS: Since 2010, NIU is the winningest football program among Illinois' seven Division I football programs. The Huskies are 1-1 versus in-state FBS programs with a 2014 win over Northwestern and a 2010 loss at Illinois, and are 4-1 versus in-state FCS opponents over the last 12 seasons, including wins over Illinois State (2019) and Eastern Illinois (2022) under Thomas Hammock. 

Illinois' Division I Schools Since 2010

Team	W	L	Pct.
NIU	104	66	.612
Illinois State	91	61	.599
Northwestern	84	80	.512
Southern Illinois	70	80	.467
Eastern Illinois	57	90	.388
Illinois	62	98	.387
Western Illinois	52	97	.349

HUSKIE LEGEND: The 2023 season marks the 44th and final year behind the mic for the "Voice of the Huskies," legendary play-by-play man Bill Baker. Baker will call his 511th football game this week, and has missed just one football game since calling his initial game between the Huskies and Long Beach State in Anaheim, Calif. on Sept. 5, 1980. He also has called more than 1,200 NIU basketball games – including several years when he called both men's and women's games. Baker, who ranks tied for sixth in longevity for FBS play-by-play voices, was honored during halftime of the Huskies' 2023 home opener versus Southern Illinois on Sept. 9. 

TULSA TIME: NIU and Tulsa wrap up a home-and-home series that was part of the last group announced as part of NIU's 2014 "SchedulePalooza". During SchedulePalooza, NIU announced home-and-home match-ups with seven teams, including those already concluded with Utah, Boston College, South Florida and San Diego State.  

TWICE AS NICE: In 47 games under Thomas Hammock, the Huskies have attempted 24 two point conversions and been successful on 12, including a two-for-two mark in 2023. NIU has converted on two-point conversions in each of its last two games, with Trayvon Rudolph hitting quarterback Rocky Lombardi versus SIU and Ethan Hampton completing a pass to Billy Dozier at Nebraska. NIU is 2-for-4 on two-point attempts rushing and is 10-of-20 passing on two-pointers since 2019. Rudolph's completed conversion pass was the second of his career in four attempts. Huskie two-pointers year-by-year under Hammock. 
 

Year	Games	Run	Pass	Total
2023	3	0-0	2-2	2-2
2022	12	1-3	3-5	4-8
2021	14	0-0	3-7	3-7
2020	6	1-1	1-3	2-4
2019	12	0-0	1-3	1-3
Total	47	2-4	10-20	12-24

MAXIMUM DISTRIBUTION: NIU's 17 pass completions versus Nebraska went to 13 different receivers, the most Huskie players to catch a pass in a game in AT LEAST 23 seasons as records were researched back to 2000. The catches at NU were made by eight wide receivers, three tailbacks, a fullback and a tight end. No player caught more than two passes with Davis Patterson's 30 yards leading the way. 

CATCHING FIRSTS: NIU's final completion at Nebraska - from back-up quarterback Ethan Hampton to Chris Carter - was good for a four-yard touchdown, the first of Carter's NIU tenure. Hampton also connected with Kendrell Flowers, Dane Pardridge, Keyshaun Pipkin and Billy Dozier on the fourth quarter drive with each of those players recording their first catches of the season and Flowers, Pardridge and Pipkin making their first career grabs in the game.  

MAKING AN IMPACT: Through two games, first and second year transfers have accounted for 36 of the Huskies' 54 receptions on the year, led by second year Huskie Kacper Rutkiewicz (Illinois State) with 13 catches for 192 yards and newcomers Chris Carter (7-112) and Gavin Williams (6-35). Running back Williams, a transfer from Iowa, also ranks second on the team in rushing with 21 carries for 85 yards. Notre Dame College transfer Davis Patterson (5 catches), Grayson Barnes (4) and Kendrell Flowers (1) account for the remainder of the newcomer catches.

KACPER CONNECTION: Senior Kacper Rutkiewicz has developed into Rocky Lombardi's top target in 2023 with 13 catches for 192 yards, including a career high six-catch, 139-yard day versus Southern Illinois. Rutkiewicz' total receiving yards ranks as the second most in a game in the MAC this season and included a 62-yard touchdown, the ninth of his NIU career. He ranks third in the MAC in receiving yards per game. 

ON THE LINE: The Huskies returned one of the most experienced offensive line groups  in the country with 118 career starts among the six players who started at least six games a year ago. However, 32-game starter Logan Zschernitz has yet to play in a game in 2023, and tackle Evan Buss - with 13 career starts - sat out the Nebraska game. Redshirt sophomore Drew Hoth saw his first action as a Huskie while getting the start at left tackle last week at Nebraska and redshirt freshman Evan Malcore has logged snaps at both tackle spots.  
 
DUAL THREAT BACK: Running back Antario Brown scored the Huskies' first two touchdowns of the season versus Boston College, on a seven-yard catch and run in the second quarter, and on a two-yard rush in the third. Brown is the first NIU back to score touchdowns both receiving and rushing in the same game since Jordan Huff versus Ball State in 2017 (Nov. 9). Brown's receiving touchdown was the first of his NIU career and came on his second career catch. He has scored 14 total touchdowns in 22 games over the last three seasons.

VERSATILITY: The versatility of NIU fullback Brock Lampe and running back Justin Lynch was on display at Boston College as Lampe served as a lead blocker while lined up at tight end, a ballcarrier with three third down conversion runs and a one-yard touchdown, and a receiver with two catches for 28 yards. The second, a one-handed grab, put NIU inside the Eagles' 10-yard line in overtime. Lynch carried the ball three times for 12 yards, was targeted as a receiver and, threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Antario Brown off a direct snap. Not to mention they both play special teams.   

SOLID START: The Huskie defense has put together three solid performances to open the season, as opponents are averaging 24.3 point, 156.7 passing yards and 304.3 yards of total offense per game. Compare to last year's opponents' averages of 32.8 points, 252.8 passing yards, and 395.7 yards per game. The Huskies are holding opponents to a 36 percent rate on third down conversions to rank third in the MAC, including a 1 of 11 mark by SIU. The Huskie defense shut out Boston College for the first half, the first shutout half for NIU since the first half of the 2021 MAC Championship Game versus Kent State (12/4/2021). 

SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION: After two seasons playing a hybrid tight end/wide receiver position for NIU, redshirt sophomore George Gumbs made the transition to defensive end following 2023 spring practices. He saw his first action at the position in the season opener at Boston College and recorded his first career sacks with 1.5 takedowns a week later versus Southern Illinois. Gumbs added a sack and forced a fumble at Nebraska and now leads NIU in quarterback sacks with 2.5 while contributing  eight tackles. 

TRANSFER to WALK-ON to LEADING TACKLER: Safety Nate Valcarcel has developed into another walk-on success story so prevalent in the Huskie program. He came to NIU as a transfer from South Dakota in the summer of 2021 and has spent the last two seasons contributing primarily on special teams. He came into 2023 with 15 career tackles while playing in all 26 games, earning a scholarship, then was named most improved player on defense following 2023 spring practices. He claimed a starting safety spot during fall camp and after leading NIU with nine tackles at Nebraska, has equalled his career total with 15 entering the Tulsa game to lead all Huskie defenders.    

GROUP EFFORT: The NIU defense has relied on its depth in 2023 with 24 different players seeing significant snaps, including 10 defensive linemen, four linebackers, six safeties and four cornerbacks. Seven Huskies have collected tackles for loss, six have been in on a quarterback sack and six have pass break-ups. Through three games, nine players have made at least 10 tackles this season.

RUT ON THE RETURN: In three games and on three returns, new punt return man Kacper Rutkiewicz has surpassed NIU's 2022 team total for punt return yards. NIU finished the 2022 season with six punt returns for 13 yards. Versus Southern Illinois, Rutkiewicz returned two punts for 37 yards on returns of 19 and 18 yards. His 19-yard return in the second quarter was NIU's longest since Tyrice Richie's 23-yard punt return versus Toledo in 2021.  

BUSY MAN: Punter Tom Foley punted a career high nine times at Nebraska for a 40.9 yard average. Three of his punts forced the Cornhuskers to start drives inside their own 20 yard line, including at the 8, 12 and 13 yard lines. Foley had four punts of 50 yards or longer in the game with a season long of 54. He is averaging 39.5 yards on 19 punts this season with eight inside the 20. 

THEY'RE ALL HUSKIES NOW: Transfers are a way of life in college football in 2023 and NIU added 16 new transfers this offseason to the eight returnees who started their collegiate careers elsewhere. NIU attracted players from nearly every level of college football from junior colleges to "Power 5" and Group of 5 schools, HBCUs, FCS, Division II and Division III. Eighteen of the 24 total transfer Huskies have played and nine, including two specialists, have started at least one game in 2023. The list of transfers who have played with returning players in bold and career NIU games started under GS. 
 

No.	Name	Pos.	Elig.	GS	Hometown (Previous School
16	Gabriel Amegatcher	CB	Sr.-R		Romeoville, Ill. (Nebraska-Kearney
81	Grayson Barnes	WR	Jr.		Rocklin, Calif. (American River CC)
11	Chris Carter	TE	Jr.	1	Detroit, Mich. (Howard)
12	Cam'Ron "Shaad" Dabney	CB	Jr.		Atlanta, Ga. (Kansas)
98	Tom Foley	P	Jr.-R	15	Peoria, Ill. (Minnesota)
23	DaRon Gilbert	LB	Sr.	3	Detroit, Mich. (Lafayette)
58	Skyler Gill-Howard	DT	So.-R		Milwaukee, Wis. (Upper Iowa)
0	Tyler Jackson	LB	Sr.-R		Alief, Texas (Lamar)
12	Rocky Lombardi	QB	Sr.-R	18	Clive, Iowa (Michigan State)
5	Justin Lynch	RB	Jr.	3	Chicago, Ill. (Temple)
9	Davis Patterson	WR	Sr.-R		Arlington, Va. (Notre Dame College)
37	Joey Rattin	LB	Jr.		Palatine, Ill. (Upper Iowa)
8	Kacper Rutkiewicz	WR	Sr.	1	Mount Prospect, Ill. (Illinois State)
28	Nevaeh Sanders	DE	Jr.		Flint,Mich. (Iowa Western CC)
30	Jake Seibert	K	So.R	3	Cincinnati, Ohio (Ohio State)
32	Quinn Urwiler	LB	Jr.-R		Mooseheart, Ill. (North Dakota)
9	Nate Valcarcel	S	Jr.	3	Greenfield, Wis. (South Dakota)
21	Gavin Williams	RB	Jr.-R		Altoona, Iowa (Iowa)

LEADERS OF THE PACK: Five players were named 2023 permanent team captains this week. Quarterback Rocky Lombardi, offensive tackle Nolan Potter, safety C.J. Brown, linebacker Jaden Dolphin and defensive tackle James Ester were chosen in voting by the Huskie team. Lombardi and Ester were named captains for the third consecutive season, while Potter is in his second year in the role. They will be joined by a different teammate selected each game.

GRADS: NIU's 2023 roster includes 16 players who have already earned their undergraduate degrees in fields including  - either at NIU or from another institution. The complete list with school and major.

CB Gabe Amegatcher (Nebraska-Kearney) Major: General Studies; Minors: Construction Management, Mathematics
LB Keshon Artis (Virginia Tech) Major: Business Information Technology
TE Chris Carter (Howard) Major: Strategic, Legal & Management Communications
DT James Ester (NIU) Major: Communication, Media Studies
RB Kendrell Flowers (South Carolina State) Major: Family & Consumer Sciences
P Tom Foley (NIU) Degrees: B.S. in Accountancy; M.S. Finance
LB DaRon Gilbert (Lafayette) Major: Economics; Minor: Anthropology & Sociology
LB Tyler Jackson (Lamar) Majors: Industrial Engineering and Business
QB C.J. Jordan (Idaho) Major: Psychology; Minor: Communication
OL J.J. Lippe (NIU) Major: Leadership & Management
QB Rocky Lombardi (Michigan State) Major: History
WR Davis Patterson (Notre Dame College) Major: Strategic Communications & Public Relations
OT Nolan Potter (NIU) Major: Organizational & Corporate Communications
WR Kacper Rutkiewicz (NIU) Major: General Emphasis
DT Demond Taylor Jr. (NIU) Major: Communication, Media Studies
TE Tristen Tewes (NIU) Major: Environmental Studies

WATCH-LISTED: Five Huskies were named to preseason watch lists in 2023. Running back Antario Brown earned a spot on the Doak Walker Award WAatch List for the second consecutive year. Wide receiver/return man Trayvon Rudolph was on the Paul Hornung Award list, while defensive tackle Devonte O'Malley and offensive tackle Nolan Potter were named to the Bronko Nagurski and Outland Trophy Watch Lists, respectively. Quarterback Rocky Lombardi earned a spot on the Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List. 

THE POWER OF THREE: Over the years, good things have happened for NIU Football in years that have ended in the number "3". 

• The 1963 Huskies finished 10-0, won the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and were voted College Division National Champions by the Associated Press.
• In 1983, NIU won its first Mid-American Conference Championship and finished the season with a 10-2 record after winning its first bowl game as a "Major College" (now FBS) program.
• In 1993, NIU running back LeShon Johnson - a native of Haskell, Oklahoma - led NCAA Division I-A in rushing with 1,976 yards on 327 carries with 2,028 all-purpose yards to become the first consensus All-American in school history; Johnson finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting.  
• The 2003 Huskies defeated No. 15 Maryland (20-13 OT), No. 21 Alabama (19-16) and Iowa State (24-16) to open the season and were ranked as high as No. 12 in the country (AP) behind eventual All-Pro running back Michael Turner. 
• Quarterback and Heisman finalist Jordan Lynch finished third in voting for the Trophy in 2013. He earned AP All-America honors after leading NIU to an undefeated regular season, setting NCAA quarterback records for rushing (1,920) and touchdowns (23).

DOGS IN OT: NIU's season opening win at Boston College in overtime marked the Huskies' 10th, improving its all-time overtime record to 10-5. The Huskies have now won five of their last six overtime games after its four-game winning streak in OT was snapped at Ball State last year. NIU is 4-3 in overtime games on the road and is 1-0 in neutral site OT games. The Huskies have won three of four overtime games versus non-conference opponents and are 7-4 when MAC games go to extra periods.  

NEW FACES: NIU welcomed four new members to the Huskie coaching staff in 2023. Cornerbacks coach D.J. Bland, tight ends coach Cory White, linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Adam Breske, and running backs coach and passing game coordinator Wesley Beschorner are the newest members of the NIU staff. Bland joined the Huskies from Eastern Illinois, White was at San Diego and Breske came to NIU from Washington State. Beschorner was the head coach at Wisconsin-Eau Claire for the last three seasons.

FIRSTS: Several Huskies have recorded career "firsts" so far in 2023. Junior running back Antario Brown collected his first receiving touchdown, fullback Brock Lampe scored his first touchdown (rushing) at Boston College while also earning his first carries and Justin Lynch threw his first touchdown pass as a Huskie. Newcomers Chris Carter and Grayson Barnes caught their first passes in a NIU uniform and Carter's first touchdown catch came at Nebraska. Versus Southern Illinois, receivers Davis Patterson and Jalen Johnson caught their first passes as Huskies and Keyshaun Pipkin, Dane Pardridge and Kendrell Flowers joined that group last week with Flowers also earning his first carries.  Defensively, cornerback JaVaughn Byrd's third quarter interception at BC was the first of his career while sophomore defensive ends Roy Williams (at Boston College) and George Gumbs (versus SIU) tallied their first career sacks.

COAST TO COAST: The Huskies' 2023 roster includes players from 18 different states stretching from coast to coast, as well as Canada. Among the newcomers on the roster are players from California, Oregon and Texas. Georgia has outpaced Florida with 12 Peach state natives compared to five from the Sunshine State.

OFF THE FIELD: Huskie kicker Kanon Woodill is a member of the ROTC program at NIU. Over the summer, the Huskies once again participated in a Habitat for Humanity build in Rockford, Illinois, the second year in a row the team has collectively participated.