The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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130 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Northern Illinois was one of the worst teams in college football in 2020, going winless during its six-game, conference- only season. Third-year head coach Thomas Hammock is looking to get the Huskies back to being competitive in the Mid-American Conference West Division and contending for a bowl game berth. Northern Illinois' schedule doesn't do it any favors, with the Huskies set to begin the year at Georgia Tech Sept. 4, two weeks before a game at Michigan Sept. 18. A squad that ranked 88th in total offense and 90th in scoring offense is hoping Michi- gan State transfer quarterback Rocky Lom- bardi, a name Wolverines fans are familiar with, can be the one to inject some life into the unit. Lombardi threw for 1,090 yards with eight touchdowns last season, and played a stellar game at The Big House, passing for 323 yards and three scores in an upset victory. While the offense was rough last year, Lombardi will have a reliable target to throw to in fifth-year senior wideout Tyrice Richie. The 6-0, 194-pounder led the club in receiv- ing last season, posting 53 catches for 597 yards and four touchdowns. Freshman running back Harrison Waylee led the Huskies in rushing, churning out 456 yards and one touchdown on 107 car- ries, while junior back Erin Collins found paydirt four times and gained 192 yards on 50 attempts. A young offensive line is highlighted by sixth-year senior center Brayden Patton, who has started in 26 career games. He was named to the All-MAC third team last season, allow- ing just one sack and two quarterback hurries. Northern Illinois' defense was just as bad as its offense in 2020, with the unit finishing 74th nationally in yards allowed and 119th in scoring defense. Opponents scored a whop- ping 38.7 points per game against the Huskies. The defensive line is inexperienced, with all four projected starters — tackles Demond Taylor Jr. and James Ester, and ends Pierce Oppong and Raishein Thomas — all being second-year freshmen with just six games under their belts. The linebacking crew will be tasked with masking some of the mistakes the young line will inevitably make. The good news for Ham- mock is that there's experience and talent on the second level, starting with middle line- backer Kyle Pugh, a sixth-year senior who has registered 186 tackles, including 12.5 stops for loss, over the course of his career. His 3.5 tackles for loss topped the team a year ago. Returning starter Daveren Rayner received some valuable experience at outside line- backer as a freshman last season, notching 27 tackles, two stops for loss and one sack. Despite allowing opponents to rack up 245.3 yards per game through the air, which ranked 80th in the land and eighth in the MAC, there is reason for optimism about the young but already proven pieces in the secondary. Sophomore cornerback Jordan Gandy was a second-team All-MAC pick, and became the team's top defender. He led the unit in tackles with 41 and passes broken up with seven, while also contributing one interception. Freshman safety Jordan Hansen intercepted two passes last season and graded out as the team's top coverage man in the secondary, according to Pro Football Focus, with a 67.6 mark. Fellow safety Devin Lafayette was a third-team All-MAC choice last season, post- ing one interception and 36 tackles. Notes Northern Illinois was 120th in the land in third-down conversion rate last year, moving the chains just 28.6 percent of the time in those situations … Freshman Trayvon Ru- dolph was a second-team All-MAC selection as a kick returner. ❏ Sixth-year senior linebacker Kyle Pugh's 36 tackles were tied for the second most on the squad in 2020. PHOTO BY SCOTT WALSTROM/COURTESY NORTHERN ILLINOIS The Huskies Will Try To Rebound From Rough 2020 Season 2021 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2020 Result Sept. 4 at Georgia Tech — Sept. 11 Wyoming — Sept. 18 at Michigan — Sept. 25 Maine — Oct. 2 Eastern Michigan L, 41-33 Oct. 9 at Toledo L, 41-24 Oct. 16 Bowling Green — Oct. 23 at Central Michigan L, 40-10 Nov. 3 at Kent State — Nov. 10 Ball State L, 31-25 Nov. 17 at Buffalo L, 49-30 Nov. 23 Western Michigan L, 30-27 PLAYERS TO WATCH Offense: Tyrice Richie, 5th-Sr., WR His 597 receiving yards were the fifth most in the MAC last season … Caught 32 passes for 415 yards and a team-high four touchdowns in 2019. Defense: Jordan Gandy, So., CB Transferred in from South Dakota State ahead of the 2019 campaign … Allowed 27 receptions on 43 targets in 2020. GAME 3 • NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES • SEPT. 18 QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Michigan leads 1-0 First Meeting: U-M 33, NIU 17 (Sept. 3, 2005 at Ann Arbor) Head Coach: Thomas Hammock, 5-13 at Northern Il- linois and overall (3rd year) 2020 In Review: 0-6 overall, 0-6 MAC (6th West) Final 2020 Ranking: Unranked Returning Starters: 19 (7 offense, 10 defense, 2 spe- cialists) Last Bowl Appearance: 2018 (Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl vs. UAB, L 37-13) Returning Leaders Passing: Rod Thompson (34 yards, 0 TD) Rushing: Harrison Waylee (456 yards, 1 TD) Receiving: Tyrice Richie (597 yards, 4 TD) Tackles: Jordan Gandy (41) Sacks: Devonte O'Malley (8) Interceptions: Jordan Hansen (2)