DeKALB – NIU football produced one of the best offensive performances in school history Saturday in a 54-15 beatdown of the Western Illinois University Leathernecks at Huskie Stadium, all while led by its newly-named starting quarterback.
NIU head football coach Thomas Hammock, who began his sixth season at the helm of the Huskies, said his confidence in his roster helped ease his mindset entering his first matchup of the season.
“I think this was the calmest I’ve been for a game,” Hammock said. “Based on what I’ve seen from these guys, they checked every box up until this point. Obviously, that performance was one that we haven’t done here in a while, and (I’m) proud of them, proud of their effort.”
Redshirt junior quarterback Ethan Hampton was announced as NIU’s starter minutes before kickoff Saturday, ending a quarterback battle dating back to spring practices. He went on to have one of the best outings by an NIU QB in over a decade.
Hampton was a near-perfect 18-of-20 passing with a career-high 328 yards and five touchdowns before being pulled from the game near the end of the third quarter. His five TD passes were the most by a Huskie since Chandler Harnish threw six against the University of Toledo on Nov. 1, 2011.
OFFENSIVE ONSLAUGHT
NIU recorded 706 yards of total offense, the third-highest mark in school history.
Though such a feat hasn’t been achieved since the Huskies’ heyday in the early 2010s, it’s one that comes as no surprise to Hampton.
“We go against a really tough defense, one of the best defenses in the MAC (Mid-American Conference), every day,” Hampton said. “So, when we do that, we stress ourselves out in practice, games become a little easier.”
Redshirt senior wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph played a large role in NIU’s offensive eruption, finishing as the game’s top receiver and second-leading rusher. Rudolph carried the ball twice for 67 yards, including a jet sweep he took 60 yards to the end zone untouched in the second quarter.
AIR DOMINATION
Each of Hampton’s five touchdown passes went to a different receiver, with redshirt sophomore wide receivers Dane Pardridge, Cam Thompson and Keyshaun Pipkin and Rudolph catching a touchdown in the first half.
Hampton got to work early with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Pardridge, a play that was set up by senior running back Antario Brown’s 23-yard carry on NIU’s first play from scrimmage.
NIU struck again early in the second quarter as Thompson caught his first touchdown reception as a Huskie – an 11-yard score. Hampton surpassed his previous single-game touchdown record with an 11-yard shovel pass to Pipkin with 1:55 remaining in the first half.
Seventy-five seconds later, Hampton delivered a dart to Rudolph for a 43-yard touchdown with 40 seconds until halftime, pushing NIU to a 34-3 lead.
POURING IT ON
Hampton picked up right where he left off in the second half, launching a 60-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Grayson Barnes down the left sideline. On NIU’s next offensive drive, redshirt freshman running back Jaylen Poe punched in his first career touchdown on a 7-yard carry. The ensuing extra point attempt was blocked by Western Illinois and returned 100 yards for a defensive two-point conversion.
Hampton was replaced on NIU’s final possession of the third quarter by redshirt junior quarterback Jalen Macon, who competed for the starting job over the offseason. Macon scored his first touchdown as a Huskie in the fourth quarter with a five-yard rush on third-and-goal, giving NIU its largest lead of the game.
Western Illinois tacked on the final score of the game when senior quarterback Nathan Lamb connected with senior running back Torrance Farmer Jr. for a 27-yard touchdown with 2:59 left.
NIU bled off the remaining time to defeat Western Illinois for the first time since 2009 and win its fourth-consecutive season opener.
NEXT UP: NOTRE DAME
With a road trip to the University of Notre Dame next on NIU’s schedule, Hammock said his team is ready for the nationally-ranked challenge ahead.
“We’re not going to be enamored, but we know what it is,” Hammock said. “It’s going to be a physical battle, and we’ve got to get ourselves ready this week to try to play our best.”
