NIU safety Devin Lafayette back after missing most of 2021 season

DeKALB – Devin Lafayette’s breakout play as a freshman was a bright spot in a winless 2020 season for the NIU football team.

Last year, his missing almost the entire season was a dark spot during a MAC championship run for the Huskies.

Hurt in the opening game against Georgia Tech, the safety missed the rest of the season with a leg injury. When spring practice started for the Huskies on Wednesday, the redshirt sophomore was on the field for the first time since that game.

“It feels great for me to be out there,” Lafayette said. “I haven’t played in months. To be able to play again is good for me.”

Although the Huskies were 0-6 in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, Lafayette had a breakout year as a true freshman. He was second on the team with 36 tackles, was a third-team All-MAC selection and had a sack and an interception.

Expectations were high for 2021, but he didn’t play long enough in NIU’s upset at Georgia Tech to record a tackle. He watched from the sidelines as the Huskies went on to win the MAC championship and reach a bowl game for the first time under coach Thomas Hammock.

“I learned you never know when your time is up,” Lafayette said. “You’ve got to give every day your hardest, to be honest.”

And although he wasn’t on the field roaming the secondary, Lafayette said he still had to keep up on the mental aspect of the game.

“I have to make sure I still know everything,” Lafayette said. “Leadership as well, because I’m still classified as a leader. I need to make sure everybody in my position group, the guys on the defense are still doing their thing.”

Hammock said Lafayette has done everything right in battling his way back onto the field.

“I think, obviously, he was dealt with some adversity,” Hammock said. “I like the way he’s responded. He’s a young man who came here, started as a true freshman, got better as a sophomore and got hurt the first game of the season. All he’s done is fight back to get back to where he needs to be.”

Hammock said CJ Brown did a good job filling in for Lafayette, recording 119 tackles and an interception.

With Lafayette back, Hammock said the competition and depth not only helps the secondary but on kick and punt coverage as well.

“When you look back there, you’ve got five or six guys that can play,” Hammock said. “You’ve got CJ, you’ve got Devin, you’ve got [Jordan] Hansen, you’ve Muhammad Jammeh, who played in the championship game, you’ve got Louis Frye, who started the bowl game. We added Jordan White [a sophomore transfer from Youngstown State]. Jashon Prophete. When you’ve got safeties that can play multiple positions, they also help you in special teams. Hopefully those are the guys running down on the kickoff, running down on the punt that makes your special teams good as well.”

The secondary managed only three interceptions last season and allowed 238 passing yards a game, 84th in the country.

But with the experience back and the added depth of Lafayette’s return and White’s transfer, Lafayette said the secondary should be a strength for the Huskies this year.

“The secondary should be a strong aspect on our team just because we’re returning everybody,” Lafayette said. “We have all-conference players in the corner and the safety groups. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be a strong aspect of the team.”