DeKALB – The NIU football team hosted its annual spring showcase Saturday, giving the Huskie fanbase its first look at the team’s new-look lineups.

After opening the practice with warm-ups and position drills, the Huskies spent most of the day in 11-on-11 scrimmages before transitioning into special teams work. NIU later concluded its penultimate practice of the spring with kicking drills, where senior kicker Andrew Glass ended the day with a 57-yard make and a narrow miss from 63.

“I like where we’re at,” head coach Thomas Hammock said. “I liked that we had clean execution today. Physicality, guys were smart – we had a couple of guys on the ground – but for the most part, they understand what we want to do conceptually.”

Each of NIU’s three quarterbacks – redshirt sophomore Josh Holst, redshirt junior Jalen Macon and freshman Brady Davidson – piloted a scoring drive as the offense scored five total touchdowns while avoiding any turnovers.

RUNNING WILD

Three of NIU’s scoring drives were capped off by a rushing touchdown – each from a different running back. Redshirt senior Justin Lynch scored first on the second possession after he took a direct snap out of the Wildcat formation and rushed through the left side for a 5-yard touchdown.

Three drives later, redshirt sophomore Jaylen Poe finished off a series with a 5-yard run up the middle on third-and-goal. Soon after, redshirt freshman Ahmir Smith took off down the right sideline for a 25-yard score to end a four-play drive.

Hammock called the group “outstanding” and praised new running backs coach Ty Boles, who was promoted from his graduate assistant role this offseason.

“He’s got those guys playing out of their mind,” Hammock said of Boles. “If we can continue to have that type of production from that position, I think good things are in store.”

Sophomore Telly Johnson Jr., who took the majority of first-team reps this spring, had a light workload Saturday. 

“Obviously, he didn’t get much work today, because we know who he is and what he’s about,” Hammock said. “I wouldn’t have gave him No. 1 if I didn’t think he was going to be that type of playmaker for us.”

QB1 NOT OFFICIAL YET

After starting three games last season – including NIU’s double-overtime win in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl  – Holst entered spring practices as the Huskies’ presumed starter. The Marengo product has primarily served as the first-team quarterback, occasionally getting work in with the second team.

“I feel like I had a really good spring and, obviously, some tough days, but that’s just what’s going to happen when you’re a quarterback. It’s a tough position,” Holst said.

Holst was one of two quarterbacks, along with Macon, to finish the day with a passing touchdown.

One play after having the ball snapped over his head, Holst completed a deep pass over the middle to sophomore wide receiver Gary Givens, who ran the distance for a 68-yard score. Two drives later, Macon connected with Smith for a 7-yard touchdown pass.

Following Saturday’s practice, Hammock didn’t officially name Holst as the starter for next season, but put him atop the QB pecking order heading into the summer.

“Right now, Josh is the guy,” Hammock said. “Jalen will be two and Brady will be three, and then we’ll go from there.”

While Hammock was otherwise mum about NIU’s quarterback situation, the seventh-year head coach made a point to highlight the growth of the group as a whole.

“We have raised the floor and the ceiling at that position,” Hammock said. “And so now it’s about who gives us the best chance to win the most amount of games.”

UNFINISHED PRODUCT

Though the Huskies have been working since January, Hammock noted that the team he put out Saturday won’t look the same come the Aug. 30 season opener.

“We really haven’t put in what we’re going to be as an offense and a defense yet because, really, we have to identify our personnel,” Hammock said. “After 14 practices, we have a good idea of what we need to build, how we need to build it, and I’m excited about the growth that we can have this summer.”

The Huskies will hold their final spring practice Tuesday before heading into the summer, during which the team will reconvene for conditioning.