NIU Huskies UAB Blazers
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2018 NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY HUSKIES 2018 SCHEDULE Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 - 6 PM CT Boca Raton, Fla. Day, Date Opponent (TV) Time (CT) FAU Stadium (29,419) Sat., Sept. 1 at Iowa (BTN) L, 33-7 TV RADIO Sat., Sept. 8 UTAH (ESPNews) L, 17-6 Sat., Sept. 15 C. MICHIGAN* (ESPN+) W, 24-16 Sat., Sept. 22 at Florida State (ESPNU) L, 37-19 Sat., Sept. 29 at E. Michigan* (ESPN+) W, 26-23 (3OT) Sat., Oct. 6 at Ball State* (ESPN3) W, 24-16 UAB Blazers Sat., Oct. 13 OHIO* - HC (ESPN+) W, 24-21 (10-3, Conference USA Champions) Sat., Oct. 27 at BYU (ESPNU) W, 7-6 Head Coach: Bill Clark (24-14, Third Season) Thu., Nov. 1 at Akron* (CBSSN) W, 36-26 Wed., Nov. 7 TOLEDO* (ESPN2) W, 38-15 VS Wed., Nov. 14 MIAMI* (ESPNU) L, 13-7 Tues., Nov. 20 at W. Michigan* (ESPNU) L, 28-21 NIU Huskies MAC Championship Game Fri., Nov. 30 Buffalo (ESPN2) W, 30-29 (8-5, Mid-American Conference Champions) Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl Head Coach: Rod Carey (52-29, Sixth Season) Tues., Dec. 18 UAB (ESPN) 6 p.m. *Mid-American Conference Game; All Times Central. HUSKIE FOOTBALL FACTS Head Coach ........................................................................Rod Carey Record at NIU/Years ....................................................52-29/Sixth Career Record/Years ....................................................52-29/Sixth Alma Mater/Year ........................................................Indiana/1993 Basic Offense/Defense ..............................................Multiple/4-3 First Year of Football ................................................................. 1899 2017 Record/MAC Record/Finish ........... 8-5/6-2/T2nd West All-Time Record .............................................................587-492-51 Last Bowl Game ..................... 2017 Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit) ............................................................................. Duke 36, NIU 14 Bowl Appearances (FBS) ............................................................... 12 MAC Championship Appearances, Last ...................... 8, 2018 Letterwinners Returning/Lost ...............................................54/28 Starters Returning .... 17 (9 offense, 6 defense, 2 specialists) TABLE OF CONTENTS Starters Lost ....................9 (3 offense, 5 defense, 1 specialist) NIU Bowl Practice/Media Schedule ........2 2018 Record Book Update ......................29 NIU Game Notes ............................................2 2018 Team & Individual Statistics .........30 NIU FACTS NIU Athletics Communications.................4 2018 Participation Chart...........................33 Location ......................................................................DeKalb, Illinois UAB Results & Quick Facts ......................12 Game by Game Statistics .........................34 Founded......................................................................................... 1895 2014 Boca Raton Bowl Recap .................12 NIU in the NCAA & MAC Stats ..............34 Enrollment..................................................................................19,015 NIU Bowl Results & Records ...................13 2018 Career & Season Highs..................37 Affiliation ................................NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Head Coach Rod Carey .............................14 The Last Time ................................................40 Conference .................................Mid-American (West Division) NIU Coaching Staff .....................................15 2018 Highs and Lows ................................42 Colors ...................................................................Cardinal and Black NIU Players to Watch .................................16 2018 Superlatives ........................................43 Nickname .................................................................................Huskies Stadium .................................. Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium NIU Honors and Awards...........................21 NIU Rosters ....................................................44 Surface/Capacity .......................................... FieldTurf /23,595 2018 Game Recaps ....................................22 NIU Depth Chart..........................................46 President ...............................................................Dr. Lisa Freeman Assoc. VP/Athletic Director ................................. Sean T. Frazier Alma Mater, Year .................................................. Alabama ‘92 Tickets ............................................................815-753-PACK (7225) NIUHuskies.com | Twitter: @NIUAthletics | Facebook & Instagram: NIU Huskies 1 2018 CHERIBUNDI BOCA RATON BOWL NIU BOWL PRACTICE/MEDIA SCHEDULE HUSKIE BITES ***Schedule is Tentative and Subject to Change*** • The MAC Champion NIU Huskies take on Conference USA champs UAB Tuesday, Dec. 11 - DeKalb in the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl in the first meeting between the Noon - Press Conference - Yordon Center two schools. 3:35 p.m. - Practice - Chessick Practice Center • The Huskies become the first team to make two appearances in Boca Wednesday, Dec. 12 - DeKalb Raton’s bowl game as NIU fell to Marshall in the inaugural contest in 3:35 p.m. - Practice - Chessick Practice Center 2014. Thursday, Dec. 13 - DeKalb • NIU is making its 10th bowl appearance in the last 11 seasons, a record 3:35 p.m. - Practice - Chessick Practice Center of consistency matched by just one other current “Group of Five” team Friday, Dec. 14 - DeKalb/Boca Raton (Boise State). 6:50 a.m. - NIU Arrives at Rockford Airport (Main Terminal) • The Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl is one of just three bowl games - and 8:30 a.m. - Flight Departs Rockford for Palm Beach Airport 12:30 p.m. (ET) - NIU Arrives at Palm Beach Airport the only game outside of the College Football Playoff - that matches 2:15 p.m. - NIU Practice (Oxbridge Academy) two conference champions. 5 p.m. - Head Coaches Press Conference (AV Rental Depot) • NIU won its fifth MAC Championship with a 30-29 comeback victory 7 p.m. - Team Welcome Party (PGA National Resort) over Buffalo on November 30 in Detroit. The Huskies trailed 22-10 at Saturday, Dec. 15 - Boca Raton halftime and 29-10 at the 11:25 mark of the third quarter. Quarterback Noon - NIU Practice (Oxbridge Academy) Marcus Childers threw his fourth and final touchdown pass to D.J. 3 p.m. - Team Beach Party (Marriott Singer Island Resort) Brown with 1:09 to play to secure NIU’s win. Sunday, Dec. 16 - Boca Raton 11:45 p.m. - NIU Practice (Oxbridge Academy) • With a 52-29 record and .642 winning percentage (all at NIU), sixth- year head coach Rod Carey ranks fourth all-time among Huskie head Monday, Dec. 17 - Boca Raton coaches and is in the Top 20 in the MAC, in wins and winning percentage. 8 a.m. - Select players visit West Palm Beach VA Medical Center Noon - Kickoff Luncheon (Palm Beach Convention Center) • Left tackle Max Scharping, who will start his 53rd game in the 1:45 p.m. - Pregame Press Conference (Carey, seven players) Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl, was selected as one of 13 National (Palm Beach Convention Center) Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes and was honored in New York on 6 p.m. - Pregame Pep Rally for Fans, Band, Spirit Dec. 4 as a finalist for the 2018 William V. Campbell Trophy. (CityPlace, West Palm Beach) • The Huskie defense has held an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing Tuesday, Dec. 18 - Boca Raton 7 p.m. (ET) - Kickoff, UAB vs. NIU (FAU Stadium) in seven games this season and NIU opponents are averaging just 2.7 yards per rush and 109.7 rushing yards per game in 2018. Wednesday, Dec. 19 - Boca Raton/DeKalb 11 a.m. - NIU Arrives at Palm Beach Airport • Huskie junior defensive end Sutton Smith leads the nation in sacks Noon - Flight Departs Palm Beach for Rockford Airport with 15 and ranks second in the FBS in tackles for loss with 24.5 2 p.m. (CT) - NIU Arrives at Rockford Airport after recording two sacks and 3.5 TFLs in the MAC title game to earn 3:30 p.m. - NIU Arrives at campus in DeKalb Defensive MVP honors. NIU will practice at the Chessick Practice Center Tuesday through Thurs- • Sutton Smith became the first NIU player to be named a first team day, Dec. 11-13. Please contact Donna or Joe with NIU Athletics Com- All-American in back-to-back seasons when he was selected to the munications prior to coming out to practice as times are subject to AP, SI.com and ESPN first teams for 2018. Smith was a consensus All- change. Huskie players and coaches are available for interviews at the conclusion of practice. American a year ago. • Behind Smith, senior defensive end Josh Corcoran (10.0 sacks) and NIU PLAYER AND COACH AVAILABILITY sophomore defensive tackle Jack Heflin (6.0), who earned first, second NIU players and coaches are available for interviews through Sunday, and third team All-MAC honors, respectively, the Huskies lead the Dec. 16 prior to the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl with seven Huskies and Coach Carey also available Monday at the press conference following nation in sacks with 50, breaking the NIU single season record. the Kickoff Luncheon. Note that phone availability may be limited due to • Quarterback Marcus Childers threw for a career-high 300 yards with team schedule. In person, NIU practices will be open to media for video/ four touchdown passes - two each to wide receivers Spencer Tears and photo opportunities for the first 15 minutes with coaches and players available for interviews following practice. D.J. Brown - to earn Offensive MVP honors in the MAC Championship game; the sophomore with