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DeKALB —The Northern Illinois University football team ranked 117th out of 130 teams in sacks last season.
Defensive end Izayah Green-May, a Wisconsin transfer, is looking forward to changing that.
“We’re definitely going to make some jumps,” said Green-May, a Bolingbrook graduate. “We’re going to have a lot of sacks this year, and I’m here to contribute to that. We’re looking good, we’re looking physical, and we’re definitely going to bring it this year.”
The 6-foot-6, 242-pound senior had limited action in his Wisconsin career but already had bulked up 20 pounds since arriving in DeKalb. He joins an experienced-but-still-young line loaded with sophomores.
He’s hoping to spark a turnaround in getting to the quarterback, something the Huskies did 19 times in 14 games last year. Devontae O’Malley, back for his sophomore year, led the team with four sacks.
“He plays vertical, adds hands at the line of scrimmage and utilizes his length at 6-6 to make the quarterback throw through trash when he gets those hands up,” NIU defensive ends coach Travis Moore said. “I think he does a great job of that. He’s athletic enough to flip his hip and turn a corner. Because of that, he’s going to cause quarterbacks to be uncomfortable in the pocket.”
Moore said Green-May’s Big 10 experience, maturity and leadership have been noticeable since he came from Wisconsin via the transfer portal in December.
To Green-May, leadership just means showing up and doing your job well.
“Guys will look to you,” Green-May said. “They’ll see you do things, and people start gravitating toward you when you do your business the right way. You become a natural leader that way.”
Green-May said he was glad for the chance to play so close to home after he transferred.
“It was the first visit I took,” Green-May said. “Bolingbrook is home for me, and it’s right down the road. I took the visit, [and] I liked what I saw. I had to make a decision quick so I didn’t miss any semester deadlines for classes and things like that. It was an easy decision to make.”
NIU head coach Thomas Hammock said beefing up Green-May was a top priority when he came on board.
“He’s a guy that can be an every down player,” Hammock said. “He’s put on a lot of weight. The heaviest he’s ever been was 225 at Wisconsin. He’s up to 245. Coach Moore has done a great job [of] holding him accountable as far as the offseason, as far as watching what he eats and how much calorie intake he has. We put him on a plan, and he’s done it and stuck to the plan. He’s everything we could have anticipated and more.”
Hammock said he’s liked the overall progression of the defensive line, going from pups last year to what he expects will be a force for the Huskies this year.
“I think they came together more as a unit,” Moore said. “They’re older, they’re more experienced, even though they’re semi-young. They’re faster. When you start putting those ingredients together, it becomes the recipe for a good season up front.”
NIU went 9-5 last year and was 7-3 in one-score games, Green-May said a fearsome pass rush is what can turn a close game into more of a blowout.
“I don’t think a lot of those games that were close last year [will] be close this year if we [are] getting after the quarterback,” Green-May said. “I’m here to change that. Our D-line has been working their tail off all spring, all summer and all winter to change that. We’re trying to up the ante around here.”