DeKALB, IL - The Northern Illinois University football team enters 2025 with five quarterbacks on the roster, a crowded room that has bred competition through the spring and fall. Of the contenders to take snaps for Huskies this fall is three upperclassmen, two returners and one transfer, and a pair of freshmen. 
The two returners are redshirt-sophomore Josh Holst (Marengo, Ill./Marengo Community) and redshirt-junior Jalen Macon (Nashville, Tenn./UAPB) while the newcomers are redshirt-junior Jackson Proctor (Kent, Wash./Dartmouth) and freshmen Brady Davidson (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) and Dane Hatfield (Elkview, W. Va./Herbert Hoover).
 
Head coach Thomas Hammock noted the high level of competition from the group and has seen the results between the lines.
 
"All of our quarterbacks have elevated their play and I feel it's made us better on offense," Hammock said. "I feel we're set for the short term and long term and we're able to play the style we want to play and do different things in our offense to feature those guys."
 
Holst enters his third season with NIU after spending his first season on scout team and appearing in seven games last season, starting three. The highlight of the Illinois native's 2024 season was capping the year with a 28-20 double overtime bowl game victory over Fresno State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Holst threw for 182 passing yards and a pair of passing touchdowns while adding 65 rushing yards on 16 attempts, earning game MVP honors.
 
Macon is in his second season with the Huskies after spending three seasons with UAPB. He saw action in the opener last season against Western Illinois and secured a rushing touchdown.
 
Hammock has seen the leadership he wants to see out of his two returners.
 
"Leadership at the quarterback position is a must," Hammock said. "Everybody is looking at that guy, he's touching the ball every snap. If you can have that position take accountability and responsibility, it makes it easy for everyone else to job their job and those guys have been outstanding all offseason."
 
Proctor lands in DeKalb from Dartmouth, where he brings his 2,255 career passing yards and 18 passing touchdowns against six interceptions. He has shown the ability to be efficient with the football, completing 70 percent of his passes over 17 career appearances in addition to adding 617 rushing yards on 79 attempts and five rushing touchdowns.
 
The starting quarterback for NIU will be carrying out the plays from first-year offensive coordinator Quinn Sanders, who joins the staff after serving as the head coach at University of Charleston (West Virginia). Under Sanders, the Golden Eagles put points on the board averaging 44 points per game over the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Sanders highlighted the quarterback room's work ethic, saying it has eased the transition into the new system.
 
"The quarterbacks are such hard workers," said Sanders. "They're eager to go and learn. For us, we're looking to make sure no matter who is back there as a starter we're adapting what we do schematically to fit them. They have different skillsets and I think we have enough in our offense to highlight what they do well."
 
Installing a new system can be challenging with learning new terminology, fits and rhythms, but Sanders applauded the quarterbacks and offensive line for being able to receive the information at a fast pace.
 
"As an offense, you can really only go as fast as the quarterbacks and offensive line can go and both those rooms have done an incredible job of grasping the system, new calls, checks and implementing that on the field," Sanders said.
 
The new play caller doesn't ask much out of his quarterbacks – just be themselves.
 
"I want them to be the best version of themselves. I'll never ask them to be Tom Brady or Michael Vick. We should be a great point guard. Our job is to distribute the ball to playmakers and if we're not doing that, I don't think we're playing the game the right way."
 
NIU opens the 2025 season one week from today, Saturday, August 30, at 2:30 p.m. against Holy Cross at Huskie Stadium. Season and single game tickets are on sale now for the 2025 NIU Football season. Season ticket prices for NIU's six 2025 home games begin at as little as $110 each for a general admission ticket. With the purchase of the Huskie 4-Pack (four or more tickets), pay $110 each for a reserved seat in sections A, B or F on the West Side. Reserved west side seats are priced at $152 or $170 with discounts available for NIU alumni, NIU faculty/staff, DeKalb County residents, seniors (62+) and members of the Varsity Club (former student-athletes). Tickets are also on sale for NIU's road games at Maryland and Mississippi State though the NIU Athletics Ticket Office.
 
Purchase tickets for the 2025 NIU Football season anytime online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets. For more information, call the NIU Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225) weekdays between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. or email huskiestickets@niu.edu.
 
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