The NIU Huskies closed out their football season with an impressive 38-20 win over the Red Wolves of Arkansas State University in the Jan. 8 GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
Since several NIU players are from the Tri-Cities, I thought I’d share some of the images captured by photographer Scott Walstrom during the bowl game trip.
It capped one of the best seasons ever for the Huskies, who won MAC West bragging rights, claimed their first Mid-American Conference championship since 1983 and came from behind to gain the bowl victory.
Senior Patrick Schiller of Geneva is one of four Huskies who will play in postseason collegiate all-star games. Schiller and offensive linemen Scott Wedige and Trevor Olson will participate in the 2012 Astroturf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, Calif.
The game, which will kickoff at 1 p.m. (CT) on the NBC Sports Network, will feature head coaches Tom Flores and Dick Vermeil.
Schiller led the 2012 Huskie defense with a career-best 115 tackles, 10 for loss, from his middle linebacker position. He finished his NIU career with 239 tackles. One of only three seniors on defense for the 2011 Huskies, he led a young unit that improved throughout the season and gave up 20 points or fewer in four of NIU’s last five games.
NIU quarterback Chandler Harnish, named an honorable mention All-American by SI.com after a record-setting 2011 campaign and stellar four-year career, also will play in the postseason. He earned an invitation to the 87th annual East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, Fla.
