DeKalb | After a breakout year, junior receiver Tommylee Lewis has continued to be one of the Huskies’ most electrifying players.

When he went down with an injury on the Huskies’ first drive of the second half in the season opener against the Iowa Hawkeyes, the offense stalled for nearly the entire second half.

With a superb work ethic, Lewis used the bye week to get healthy and returned to form with a team-best 160 all-purpose yards against the Idaho Vandals. He was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.

“His work ethic [makes him stand out],” said junior wide receiver Da’Ron Brown. “I believe he’s one of the top workers we’ve got. A lot of people from the wide receiver group feed off his energy … he comes out every day ready to work, and he prepares himself, plays well, and you see the results on the field.”

Lewis caught nine passes for 56 yards and rushed the ball four times for a career-best 104 rushing yards against the Vandals.

Against the Eastern Illinois Panthers, Lewis had a career-high nine catches for 82 yards and had one rush for 12 yards.

“I just go out and have fun, you know, just like if I was a kid going to the park getting ready to play some football,” Lewis said. “Just go out and have fun, have a lot of excitement, and just be ready to play and take the field with my guys.”

Offensive coordinator Bob Cole said he has been astounded with how Lewis’ dedication and preparation for games has inspired other players.

“Well, first, in the film room, I mean he’s in there pretty much when he’s not in class — he’s watching film,” Cole said. “Football’s his whole life. He loves football. On the practice field, he goes 100 miles per hour on every play, no matter what it is — catching the ball, blocking and running the ball. He sets such a great example for all the other guys on the offense.”

First-year wide receivers coach Thad Ward has been blown away with how Lewis has improved from last year and how he handles himself on the field.

“First of all, he’s a leader,” Ward said. “He’s a smarter football player than he was a year ago. He’s in the film room studying every day, getting better and better. On the field, he’s just a happy guy that loves to play the game of football. He brings a great energy, great emotion every single day.”

Redshirt senior quarterback Jordan Lynch, the other component in the “Lynch-to-Lewis” connection, has been astonished with some of the things Lewis has done on the field this season.

“He’s fun to watch,” Lynch said. “…I know when I get into trouble or whatever I just give him the ball and let him make plays and he kind of gets me into rhythm … I would say it’s [the chemistry we have on the field] pretty strong. This will be his third year here. I’ve been working with him ever since, and we built that chemistry in the summertime and fall camp, and it’s only to get stronger as we go.”

At 5-foot-7, 155 pounds, Lewis is not the prototypical size for a wide receiver, but he continues to prove his doubters wrong with his play on the field.

“No question [I have something to prove],” Lewis said. “I was always the smallest guy on my team — the smallest receiver. People always gonna doubt, so all I can do is come out and work hard and just perfect my own craft.”