Sports writer Patrick Smith breaks down key players for the Eagles, who will take on the Huskies at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Huskie Stadium. NIU defeated EMU 28-17 when the teams met in 2014 and have beaten them seven straight times.

Quarterback:

Sophomore quarterback Brogan Roback has had a solid season through seven games. He currently has 1,297 pass yards and is completing 63.7 percent of his passes. Roback has nine touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 129.1 quarterback rating. Roback was a backup quarterback in 2014 and only played in four games, throwing for 125 yards with a 51.1 completion percentage and no touchdowns. He’s already exceeded his production from last year. The Eagles’ offense is currently averaging 28.29 points-per-game.

Running Back:

Senior running back Darius Jackson is the Eagles’ feature back with 719 rushing yards on 5.8 yards-per-carry and 10 touchdowns. He’s also been big in the passing game, coming into week eight with 17 receptions, 181 yards and a touchdown. Jackson was the Eagles’ fourth leading rusher last year, running for 302 yards and a touchdown. He’s having an improved season this year and can be a player to watch in Saturday’s game. Standing at 6-feet-tall, 219 pounds, Jackson is a dual threat who is important in the Eagles’ offensive success.

Wide Receiver:

Freshman wide receiver Eddie Daugherty is a wide-out to look out for, picking up 25 receptions with 382 yards and three touchdowns thus far in the year, leading the team in all three categories. Not many freshman come in with stats as high as Daugherty. The Eagles currently have four receivers with at least 15 catches and have no problem spreading the ball around. Look for Daugherty to be a big factor in the passing game for EMU.

Linebacker:

Senior linebacker Great Ibe has been a tackling machine for EMU. He led the team with 133 total tackles last season, 69 solo and 64 assisted. Ibe currently leads the team in tackling again with 66 total tackles through seven games, 24 solo and 42 assisted. Junior Anthony Zappone is also a solid linebacker for the Eagles’ defense. He’s second on the team with 50 tackles, 20 of them solo. Zappone had a total of 90 tackles last season and makes for a great one-two combo with Ibe. The two combine for 444 pounds, and can make a lot of stops in the running game.

Defensive Lineman:

Sophomore defensive lineman Luke Maclean is a transfer from the University of Pittsburgh. He played three games his freshman season and picked up six total tackles. Maclean has played in all seven games this year and has 32 total tackles with 2.5 sacks. If the Eagles’ defensive line can give the Huskies’ offensive line trouble, they can create problems.

Secondary:

Sophomore defensive back Jason Beck currently ranks third on the Eagles’ defense in tackles with 45 and has made a name for himself as an impact player. Eastern Michigan has just one interception on the season, which Beck is responsible for. Beck picked up 86 tackles and an interception in 12 games last season. He is on pace to surpass those numbers if he keeps up his play.