What’s new for the 2024 Northern Illinois Huskies?

The Huskies will look to return to the post-season in 2024 but they have a few big changes to navigate before then.

After a rough 1-4 start to the 2023 season, the Northern Illinois Huskies found a way to win six of their last eight games, make a bowl game, and end the season with a winning record (7-6, 5-3 MAC). In the Camellia Bowl, NIU was able to defeat Arkansas State, 21-19, and end the long streak of eight-straight bowl losses, winning their first bowl game since 2011.

It was a nice bounce-back campaign after suffering through a 3-9 record in 2022, but under head coach Thomas Hammock, there has never been a historical certainty as to whether or not they will be able to keep up the momentum they’ve created for themselves.

NIU, like many other teams in modern times, will look to keep up their winning ways despite several major changes over the offseason.

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On-field changes

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

While there is a lot of returning talent this season, there are some big changes and question marks as well.

First, we know there will be a new starting quarterback in DeKalb, as Rocky Lombardi has finally run out of eligibility. And, even though the Huskies return seven of their eleven starters from last season’s great defense, they will have to replace a few key players on that side of the ball.

NIU also was ravaged by the transfer portal, losing 18 players and only bringing in eight. Here’s a quick breakdown of the transfer portal for the Huskies:

Players Lost:

Offense:

• Pete Nygra (OL) – Louisville
• Billy Dozier (RB/WR) – Butler
• Drew Cassens (TE) – Butler
• Caleb Jordan (QB) – Portland State
• Eli Reed (WR)
• Mike Florentine (LS)
• Nevan Cremascoli (QB) – South Dakota
• Bryce Harrison (TE) – Stetson
• Trey Urwiler (WR) – Aurora

Defense:

• Devin Lafayette (S) – Troy
• Louis Frye (S) – Temple
• Keshon Artis (LB)
• CJ Brown (S) – Bowling Green
• George Gumbs Jr. (EDGE) – Florida
• Kiwaun Davis (CB)
• RaSean Randall (EDGE)
• Rashon Myles (LB) – Abilene Christian
• Phillip Barnes (LB) – Tyler JC

Players Gained:

Offense:

• Jalen Macon (QB) – Arkansas-Pine Bluff
• Kenny Leuth (QB) – American River CC
• Kenji Lewis (WR) – Arkansas-Pine Bluff
• Andrew McElroy (WR) – St. Thomas
• Jake Appleget (TE) – Nebraska

Defense:

• Marc Pretto (LB) – Fordham
• Christian Fuhrman (LB) – Southeast Missouri
• Kiwaun Davis (CB) – Washington State

The most glaring question mark for the Huskies is who will take over at signalcaller. In Lombardi’s three years at NIU, he threw for 5,516 yards and 31 touchdowns while completing 58.9 percent of his throws. He also added 602 yards and 17 TDs on the ground as well.

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Currently, it looks like Ethan Hampton will be under center for NIU come opening day, but there are a few other contenders as well. Hampton has played in each of the last three seasons for NIU, starting six games and coming in as relief in two. While he has thrown for nearly 1,000 yards in his career, his TD/Int ratio is a modest 9/8 and the Huskies are 0-7 in games in which he has attempted more than three passes.

Challenging him are a pair of transfers, Jalen “Chance” Macon and Kenny Leuth, both of whom are juniors and have proven themselves at their former schools.

Macon fought for the starting role at Arkansas-Pine Bluff for parts of two seasons, eventually earning the top role in 2023 before a season-ending injury took him down. In that season, he completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 631 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while rushing for 119 yards.

Leuth went 10-2 last year and was a teammate of fellow Huskie Grayson Barnes at American River CC back in 2022. Macon led the Golden Lions in passing last year while splitting the job with two other quarterbacks. He completed 66.2 percent of his passes for 651 yards and had three scores.

On defense, the Huskies will need to fill the holes left by Devin Lafayette, George Gumbs Jr., James Ester, and CJ Brown.

Lafayette and Brown, both safeties, will be hard to replace but there is still a lot of depth at the position, with Nate Valcarcel, Jordan Hansen, Muhammed Jammeh, and Cyrus McGarrell all returning.

The Huskies lost James Ester (now in the NFL) and George Gumbs Jr. (now a Florida Gator) on their defensive line. Gumbs, who transition from tight end to the defensive line, had an amazing season for NIU last year. He was tied for second in sacks (3.5) and led the team in forced fumbles, while Ester led the team in sacks (four) and was fifth on the team with 49 total tackles. Without adding any new linemen, the Huskies defensive front will be a little weaker this season but all hope is not lost. Northern has a ton of depth here and returns seven defensive linemen who have 200+ snaps under their belt, including Raishein Thomas, Devonte O’Malley, Roy Williams, and Skyler Gill-Howard.

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Off-the-field changes

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Thomas Hammock returns for his sixth season at NIU, with a 24-33 record overall. It has been a roller coaster for Northern over the past four seasons, going 0-6 in 2020 straight to MAC Champs in 2021, before heading back down to 3-9 in 2022, and then finishing 7-6 last season. NIU fans have no idea what to expect under him with one exception: the games will most likely be close.

Most of the coaching staff has remained consistent with a few minor changes. Eric Eidsness is no longer the play caller or offensive coordinator, as he has dropped to Assistant Coach/Quarterbacks.

The Huskies quietly made this change last year after scoring less than 16 points per game over the first four weeks of the season. After the change, NIU jumped up to 29 points per game. Replacing him as the OC is Wesley Beschorner, who will also be the running backs coach. Beschorner, who is now in his second season at Northern, has coached at Pittsburgh, Rice, and Maryland and was an All-American quarterback at South Dakota back in 2005.

NIU lost their offensive line coach, Daryl Agpalsa, who took the same position for the Kansas Jayhawks earlier this year. He will be replaced by Luke Meadows. Meadows was the OC/OL coach at Troy after a stint at Kansas. He also has previously coached in the MAC, coaching EMU’s offensive line in 2017 and 2018.

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The final new addition for the Huskies is neither “on” nor “off” the field: it is the field itself.

Northern Illinois replaced their old turf with brand new AstroTurf from wall to wall at Huskie Stadium. The field turf had last been replaced back in 2015 and before that in 2009. But this is the first time since 2001 that the entirety of Brigham Field got an upgrade, with the new turf being installed on both sidelines all the way to the bleacher walls, Yordon Center and berm on the south side.

There is new branding in both end zones and behind both goal posts as well, with the llinois state outline behind the script “NIU” removed from the infield. The Huskies primary logo will adorn the area between the 45-yard lines instead starting this season.