-Running back Cameron Bell missed his second consecutive practice on Thursday morning. The redshirt senior injured his hamstring in Saturday’s practice. Bell was on the sideline in shoulder pads on Thursday, but the Huskies’ tailback was wearing the orange jersey that injured players are given to wear.

-Jamal Womble got the bulk of the carries with the first-team offense on Tuesday, but the junior tailback was forced to share more on Thursday, as sophomore Akeem Daniels got a large portion of the carries. Both Womble and Daniels enjoyed large runs at the start of team work. Head coach Dave Doeren thought the offense came out with more energy than the defense at the start of practice.

-Sean Evans has spent the last two seasons on the Huskies’ practice squad. On Thursday, however, the redshirt sophomore was the star of the show, picking off quarterback Jordan Lynch on consecutive plays. Evans jumped a crossing route for his first interception. On Lynch’s next pass, Evans read a hitch route perfectly to snag his second pick of the day.

-Doeren liked the energy the offense came out with on Thursday, but the first-year head coach wasn’t too excited about the number of drops from the NIU wide receivers. Martel Moore has been among the best performing players this spring, but the junior dropped a couple of routine passes on Thursday morning.

-Two relatively unknown players to keep an eye on through spring practices and going into the fall are safety Courtney Stephen and wide receiver Anthony Johnson. Stephen spent last season on the practice squad, but has shown a nose for the ball in the first five practices of the spring. The redshirt junior picked off quarterback Chandler Harnish in 7-on-7 work on Thursday morning. Johnson has seen quite a few reps with the first-team offense at wide receiver, and has not disappointed thus far.