DeKALB | For the second straight week, NIU will play a team with a poor record and a highly touted young quarterback.

Akron freshman quarterback Patrick Nicely was rated the number one overall quarterback in Ohio coming out of high school. Rivals.com also rated him 20th-best pro-style quarterback in the nation.

Even with all of the accolades, Akron decided to put the redshirt on Nicely. But after starting quarterback Chris Jacquemain was suspended for the year for violating team policy and backup quarterback Matt Rodgers struggled, Akron head coach J.D. Brookhart decided to lift the redshirt off Nicely.

“Anytime you do that, I think you’re pretty much settled in to what they’re going to do,” NIU head coach Jerry Kill said. “They’ve settled in on who they want to play, and are certainly getting some productivity there.”

In three games, two of which Nicely started, the Ohio native has thrown for 489 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, completing 51.2 percent of his throws.

“Patrick Nicely is playing pretty well, but the protection has not given him any help,” Brookhart said. “We have been very close to winning, but have not been able to get it done.”

The toughest thing for the youngster has been making adjustments to blitzes, something NIU will most likely do often.

“Nicely has some adjustments that he is able to make and the backs and line will adjust accordingly. He did a decent job making his adjustments,” Brookhart said. “He has a good ability to read the defense. He continues to impress me with his abilities.”

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