(RB Antario Brown – Mark Busch/shawmedia.com)
Key Players Returning:
RB Antario Brown, RB Gavin Williams, WR/KR Trayvon Rudolph, TE Grayson Barnes, OG John Champe, OG JJ Lippe, OT Evan Buss, DE Raishein Thomas, DE Roy Williams, DT Skyler Gill-Howard, DT Devonte O’Malley, LB Jaden Dolphin, CB Javaughn Byrd, CB Jacob Finley, NB Jashon Prophete, FS Cyrus McGarrell, FS Nate Valcarcel, SS Jordan Hansen, PR Dane Pardridge, PK Kanon Woodill, and PT Tom Foley.
Key Players Departing:
QB Rocky Lombardi, WR Kacper Rutkiewicz, OC Pete Nygra (Louisville transfer), OT Nolan Potter, DE George Gumbs, DT James Ester, LB DaRon Gilbert, LB Tyler Jackson, and NB Devin Lafayette (Troy transfer).
(EDGE Ivan Moore – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: DE Ross Liegel (Baraboo, Wisconsin), OT Ben Gustafson (Omaha, Nebraska), EDGE Ivan Moore (Chicago, Illinois), TE Jake Appleget (Nebraska transfer), ATH Taylor Lowell (East. St. Louis, Illinois), WR Adrian Thomas (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), RB Ahmir Smith (St. Matthews, South Carolina), LB Marc Pretto (Fordham transfer), LB Christian Fuhrman (SE Missouri State transfer), and EDGE Lance Ingold (Rochester, Illinois).
2023 Results:
G01 @ Boston College W (OT) 27-24
G02 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS L 11-14
G03 @ Nebraska L 11-35
G04 TULSA L 14-22
G05 @ Toledo L 33-35
G06 @ Akron W 55-14
G07 OHIO W 23-13
G08 EASTERN MICHIGAN W 20-13
G09 @ Central Michigan L 31-37
G10 BALL STATE L 17-20
G11 WESTERN MICHIGAN W 24-0
G12 @ Kent State W 37-27
BOWL vs. Arkansas State W 21-19
Team Info:
2022 Overall: 7-6 (2nd in MAC West)
Home: 3-3
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 1-0
MAC: 5-3
Non-MAC: 2-3
Head Coach: Thomas Hammock
Northern Illinois: 24-33
Career: 24-33
Bowls: 1-1
(WR Trayvon Rudolph – AP Photo)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Ethan Hampton (19-33, 147 yards, 57.6 avg., 4.5 avg., 2 TD, 2 INT)
Rushing: Antario Brown (212 car., 1296 yards, 6.1 avg., 10 TD)
Receiving: Trayvon Rudolph (51 rec., 531 yards, 10.4 avg., 2 TD)
TD’s Scored: Antario Brown (11)
Sacks: Roy Williams (3.5)
Tackles: Raishein Thomas (74)
Interceptions: Javaughn Byrd/Nate Valcarcel (3)
Pass Deflections: Jashon Prophete (8)
Tackles For Loss: Raishein Thomas (7.5)
Forced Fumbles: Neveah Sanders (2)
Kick Returns: Trayvon Rudolph (11 ret., 220 yards, 20.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Dane Pardridge (8 ret., 65 yards, 8.1 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Kanon Woodill (11-17 fg/fga., 65%, 27-27 xp/xpa., 60 pts.)
Punting: Tom Foley (51 punts, 2070 yards, 40.6 avg., 20 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 2 Ethan Hampton (RS JR)
RB: 1 Antario Brown (SR)
WR: 12 Kenji Lewis (JR/TR)
WR: 10 Kyle Thomass (RS FR)
WR: 3 Trayvon Rudolph (RS SR)
TE: 81 Grayson Barnes (RSR?TR)
LT: 54 Evan Malcore (RS SO)
LG: 79 JJ Lippe (RS SR)
OC: 65 Logan Zschemitz (RS SR)
RG: 76 John Champe (SR)
RT: 60 Evan Buss (SR)
KR: 3 Trayvon Rudolph (RS SR)
PK: 92 Kanon Woodill (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 4 Raishein Thomas (SR)
DT: 10 Demond Taylor Jr. (RS SR)
DT: 8 Devonte O’Malley (SR)
DE: 97 Roy Williams (JR)
LB: 26 Jaden Dolphin (SR)
LB: 44 Christian Fuhrman (SR/TR)
NB: 1 Jashon Prophete (SR)
CB: 5 Amariyun Knighten (RS SO)
CB: 2 Javaughn Byrd (SR)
FS: 9 Nate Valcarcel (SR/TR)
SS: 7 Jordan Hansen (SR)
PR: 23 Dane Pardridge (RS SO)
PT: 98 Tom Foley (RS SR/TR)
(DE Raishein Thomas – NIU Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/31 WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS | Northern Illinois lost (23-28) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
09/07 @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish | First meeting between schools.
09/21 BUFFALO BULLS | Northern Illinois leads the series 13-2. The Huskies won (31-27) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/28 @ NC State Wolfpack | Northern Illinois lost (14-41) the only prior meeting between schools in 1997.
10/05 UMASS MINUTEMEN | Northern Illinois leads the series 2-0. The Huskies won (63-19) the last meeting between schools in 2013.
10/12 @ Bowling Green Falcons | Northern Illinois trails the series 11-12. The Huskies won (34-26) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
10/19 TOLEDO ROCKETS | Northern Illinois trails the series 17-34. The Huskies are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series win (22-20) was in 2021.
10/26 @ Ball State Cardinals | Northern Illinois leads the series 25-24-2. The Huskies are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series win (30-29) was in 2021.
11/06 @ Western Michigan Broncos | Northern Illinois trails the series 22-27. The Huskies are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series loss (21-42) was in 2021.
11/13 AKRON ZIPS | Northern Illinois leads the series 12-6. The Huskies won (55-14) last season’s meeting between schools, and they lost (12-44) the prior meeting in 2022.
11/19 @ Miami (OH) RedHawks | Northern Illinois trails the series 9-11. The Huskies lost (23-29) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
11/30 CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS | Northern Illinois trails the series 25-33-1. The Huskies are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series win (39-38) was in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 3-3
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
MAC: 3-5
Non-MAC: 1-3
Overall: 4-8 (8th in MAC)
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