Linebacker Tye Niekamp was voted the Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year. The junior set career highs in multiple categories. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Dan Verdun
Tye Niekamp is a major reason head coach Brock Spack’s Illinois State Redbirds returned to the FCS playoffs for a second straight season.
The junior is quick to credit the coaching staff — which includes his father, defensive coordinator Travis Niekamp – and his teammates, along with his improved health and conditioning.
“I’ve gotten stronger,” Tye Niekamp said. “Last year I was in position to be a really good football player, but injuries were kind of nagging me.”
As a sophomore, Niekamp battled hamstring issues the first four games of the 2024 season. Then came a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his thumb.
“I had a cast on for the last half of the season,” he said. “It was one of those things where injuries kept piling up.”
Niekamp said he emphasized stretching in his conditioning this season to alleviate those past hamstring pulls.
“I’ve worked on making sure my muscles aren’t so tight,” he said. “I’ve made sure my body is in better shape. As I’ve gotten older, I work on it more and more.”
All of that commitment paid off this season as Niekamp established career highs in tackles (139), solo tackles (69), assisted tackles (70), tackles for loss (13) and passes defended (seven).
Niekamp’s efforts earned him the Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year Award, as well as his second first-team all-league honor.
Niekamp was the first Redbird to win the MVFC’s top defensive player award since outside linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh in 2022. He was also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award — which Vandenburgh won — as the top defensive player in FCS and finished eighth in the voting.
In last week’s first-round playoff win at Southeastern Louisiana, Niekamp led ISU with 13 tackles, a sack and an interception.
That victory sent the Redbirds (9-4) into Saturday’s noon matchup with top-seeded North Dakota State (12-0).
Niekamp, a Normal West High School graduate, takes satisfaction from ISU’s improved defensive efforts, which were on full display in the 21-3 first-round victory.
“This year I’ve gotten into the leadership role. We started out with a young group, experience-wise, and I’ve watched them grow so much. It’s been fun to see,” Niekamp said.
Part of that group is Niekamp’s younger brother, redshirt freshman linebacker Dexter.
“It’s really cool,” Tye said. “He’s done such a great job. Every week, he’s gotten better and better.”
Spack agreed that Dexter emerged this season.
“He was a three-sport high school athlete, which is pretty rare these days,” Spack said. “He can be fully committed to football now and you see the results.”
This week’s opponent
North Dakota State has dominated the FCS, winning 10 national championships in the last 14 years. … Head coach Tim Polasek, who recently agreed to a seven-year contract extension, guides a team that possesses stars on both sides of the ball. … Quarterback Cole Payton, receiver Bryce Lance and linebacker Logan Kopp were all finalists for FCS national awards. Payton made the final three for the Walter Payton Award. … The Bison have the second-longest FCS home winning streak at 18 games and have been ranked in the Stats Perform Top 25 poll for a record 215 straight weeks, dating back to 2010.
“They have the best (FCS) offense and defense we’ll have played all year, and then you factor in the (Fargodome) atmosphere and it’s going to be a tough one,” Niekamp said.
Kickoff: Noon; TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: WJBC.com.
Key matchup to watch
ISU defense vs. NDSU QB Cole Payton
Payton, a redshirt senior, is the epitome of a dual-threat quarterback. The Omaha native has completed 74% of his passes, 15 of which have gone for touchdowns. Payton has rushed for 791 yards and 13 touchdowns.
“It all starts with Cole Payton at quarterback,” Niekamp said. “He’s special. He’s a (Walter) Payton Award finalist. He’s the real deal. He’s not one of those guys that just sits back and throws the ball. He can run. He might take off and go for 80 yards. He might be the fastest guy on the field.”
What’s at stake
A win sends Illinois State into the quarterfinals and marks its first win against North Dakota State since 2010.
“It’s going to be tough. We played them at home during the regular season and they got us (33-16), so it’s going to be a lot tougher to go up there and beat them at their own place,” Niekamp said.
News and notes
Twelve Illinois State players earned All-MVFC honors earlier this week. In addition to Niekamp’s award, receiver Luke Mailander was selected as the league’s Freshman of the Year. Niekamp was a first-team pick along with receiver Daniel Sobkowicz, offensive lineman Jake Pope and cornerback Shadwel Nkuba II. … Second-team selections included running back Wenkers Wright, fullback Scotty Presson Jr., offensive lineman Landon Woodard, safety La’Shavion Brown and long snapper Dylan Calabrese. … Quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse, tight end Javon Charles and defensive tackle Jake Anderson were honorable mention picks. …Brown, Mailander and Nkuba II were named to the All-Newcomer team along with running back Victor Dawson, offensive lineman Jack McGarry and Dexter Niekamp. … NDSU running back coach Sam Ojuri served in that capacity at Illinois State from 2020 to 2024. The Barrington native was a three-time national champion running back for the Bison in his playing days.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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