If Luke Eakes, redshirt senior tight end, never caught a pass or scored a touchdown he’d be perfectly fine with that.

Eakes isn’t worried about pretty stats; his focus is on doing what the team needs done in order to be successful. One of the Huskies’ main blocking tight ends over the last three-plus seasons, he played in his 50th game Oct. 25 in Ypsilanti, Mich., against the Eastern Michigan Eagles. He’s caught six passes for 68 yards this season and totaled 32 receptions for 498 yards and three touchdowns in his career at NIU.

Eakes describes himself as a “hardworking guy that goes to work every day, shows up and does what he’s asked to do.” His teammates and coaches would have a hard time arguing with Eakes’ assessment.

“Luke’s one of the hardest-working guys I’ve ever met,” said redshirt sophomore quarterback Drew Hare. “The guy just does an outstanding job, whether it’s blocking in the pass game, blocking in the run game or catching passes and running routes. He’s really just a great teammate. The guy really does a good job. … He’s as good as anybody.”

Eakes played tight end his senior season at St. Marys High School in St. Marys, Kan., catching 14 passes for 312 yards and five touchdowns and carrying the ball six times for 86 yards. He played offensive guard and tackle in his first three years at St. Marys, where he learned blocking techniques and skills.

Eakes was recruited by former coach Jerry Kill, whose offense would have utilized Eakes more in the passing game. Eakes redshirted his freshman season, 2010, but Kill left the program in December 2010, before Eakes took the field.

Under coaches Dave Doeren and Rod Carey, Eakes has been utilized more in the blocking game. He lines up either in the slot, attached to the offensive line or in the backfield, putting his blocking talents on display.

“I’m OK with it,” Eakes said. “We’ve been winning games with it, so I just keep doing what they ask me to do.”

Eakes sees his role with the Huskies as being able to “get the play started. Get the block, move my person, get the play going and see what happens from there.”

Eakes has only caught eight passes this season, so when he fumbled in the third quarter Oct. 18 at Huskie Stadium against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks, offensive coordinator Bob Cole expected Eakes to be down on himself. Instead, the 6-foot-3, 253-pound tight end “just went back out there and does what he does.”

“If we had 100 Luke Eakeses we wouldn’t lose a game,” Cole said. “He’s just a great kid, he’s a great player [and] a great person. He’s quiet, goes about his business, does his work and now he’s a true leader for us as a senior.”

Eakes said he’s “not real talkative” and instead prefers to lead by example. Craig Harmon, tight ends and fullbacks coach, said Eakes “is one of the hardest-working players I’ve ever coached.”

“If my son grew up to be like him I’d be happy with that,” said Harmon, who’s in his first season with the Huskies. “He’s a great guy. He’s a hard worker, a great kid and is always in there watching film. Anything you’d ask him to do he’d do it.”