The Huskies open their season at home for the first time since 2011 when they host the Presbyterian Blue Hose 6 p.m. today. The Blue Hose have had a tough go of things since moving up the Football Championship Subdivision in 2007. Football beat writer Ryan Barnard breaks down Presbyterian’s players to watch.

Quarterback: Heys McMath

Sophomore quarterback Heys McMath played and started in the final six games of the 2013 season for the Blue Hose. The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder had his redshirt taken off midway through last season and impressed as a dual-threat quarterback. He completed 85 of his 149 pass attempts, throwing for 1,142 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was the only Big South player to record four multi-touchdown pass games and was one of four players in the league to record at least two 300-yard total offense games.

Running Back: Darrell Bridges

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound running back redshirted his freshman year for the Blue Hose but will get to see time this season. When he was last on the turf his high school football team went 13-2 in 2012, earning the regional championship and finishing as the state championship runner-up. He broke the area and school rushing record with 2,430 yards and posted a school-record 39 touchdowns his senior season. Now, he will face a new-look NIU defensive line that could have its hands full.

Wide Receiver: Tobi Antigha

Senior wide receiver Tobi Antigha started in all 11 games in 2013 for the Blue Hose. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound wideout recorded three games with more than 100 yards receiving, one of just nine players in the league to do so. Antigha led the team in receiving and was fifth in the conference in touchdowns with eight, and he finished the season with 764 total yards on 54 catches. Antigha is known to be an end-zone threat and should be the main target for quarterback Heys McMath against the Huskie defense.

Offensive Line: Devinn Ritter

Senior right guard Devinn Ritter started in eight of 10 games he played in 2013. Ritter, at 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, is part of an offensive line that allowed the Blue Hose to convert 61 percent of their fourth-down attempts last season, which ranked third in the conference and 29th in the nation. The offensive line kept the quarterback on his feet, surrendering only 11 sacks, which was top in the league. Due to the offensive line’s protection, the offense produced more than 3,500 yards, including 1,600 on the ground.

Defensive Line: Ugonna Akoh

Redshirt sophomore Ugonna Akoh played in 10 games, starting in the final game of the season against Gardner-Webb. Akoh posted a career game against Gardner-Webb with a team-leading eight tackles, 1.5 sacks, five tackles for a loss and one forced fumble to earn Big South Freshman of the Week honors. His five tackles for loss tied the Big South single-game record. The 2014 season can potentially be a breakout year for the Presbyterian defensive lineman, but the Blue Hose defensive line may struggle against NIU’s experienced offensive line.

Linebacker: Isaiah Lynn

Redshirt senior Isaiah Lynn started in the first five games of the season before being sidelined with an injury. The 6-foot, 215-pound linebacker led the team in tackles in two games, with nine against Brevard and eight against Charlotte. Lynn recorded four tackles in Presbyterian’s 2013 season opener against Wake Forest. He’ll look to rebound from an injury in his return against the Huskies in the 2014 season opener.

Secondary: Ed Britt

Junior strong safety Ed Britt was a key defensive player for the Blue Hose in 2013. The 6-foot, 185-pound defensive back can fly across the field and finds a body to hit. He posted double-digit tackles in two games, with 10 against Furman and a career-high 11 against Liberty. Britt was second on the team in total tackles (69) and assisted tackles (23), as well as tackles for loss (six). He was also tied for the team lead in pass breakups (six).

Special Teams: Jeremiah McKie

Senior punt returner Jeremiah McKie is one of the most versatile and talented players on Presbyterian’s roster. The 6-foot, 180-pound speedster is listed as the starting punt returner and backup kick returner on Presbyterian’s two-deep, and he could present some problems for NIU on special teams.

Last season McKie returned 20 kickoffs for 490 yards for a 24.5 average per return. He brought back 12 punts for a total of 150 yards for 12.5 yards per return. McKie also plays wideout for the Blue Hose and was the team leader in all-purpose yards with 1,202 yards, and he was second in the conference with 109.3 yards per game.