DeKALB | For the second straight week and fourth time this season, Garrett Wolfe was named the MAC West player of the week.

The senior running back rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns in a nationally-televised victory over Miami-Ohio Sunday night.

The honor was the eleventh time in his career that Wolfe was named player of the week, making him the record holder for most times winning the award.

After this weekend’s performance, Wolfe has 1,343 rushing yards, which is still 58 yards ahead of Barry Sanders’ 1988 pace in which he set the single-season rushing record with 2,628 yards.

Up and good

NIU kicker Chris Nendick has quietly been having a solid season.

The sophomore is 8th in the nation in kicking points with 48 and second in the nation with 10 field goals made.

Quarterback pressure

Last season, sacks were few and far between.

In 12 games, the Huskies managed just 19 sacks; defensive end Craig Rusch led the way with 6 sacks in limited action.

This season has been a different story. In six games, NIU already has 12 sacks, good enough for fourth in the MAC.

Rusch and defensive end Larry English are tied for the lead on the team with three each.

Backup secondary

After corner back Adriel Hansbro went down with what NIU coach Joe Novak thought was an ankle injury Sunday night, yet another backup received prominent playing time.

Sophomore Spencer Williamson, listed second on the depth chart at safety, jumped in at corner back and played most of the second half.

Williamson finished with four tackles and was the man covering Miami-Ohio receiver Dustin Woods on the fourth-down pass that fell incomplete.

Hansbro is listed as day-to-day, NIU sports information said Monday.