Jordan Lynch

Classroom

After earning his degree in kinesiology and exercise science this summer, Lynch is pursuing a second degree in organizational and corporate communications. He achieved Huskie Scholar status (3.0-3.49) within NIU’s Academic Excellence program during the 2012-13 academic year.

Character

Lynch, the 2012 Mid-American Conference MVP, is a leader on and off the field for the Northern Illinois University football team. In his first season as the starting quarterback, Lynch turned in a record-setting year leading NIU to a 12-2 record, its second-straight Mid-American Conference title and a berth in the Discover Orange Bowl, the first BCS berth for a MAC school. Jordan is just as active off the field as he is on it. Tallying 22 community service hours a year, he participates in multiple community serve efforts throughout the area working with various groups.

Community

Lynch, a native of Chicago, has been very active in the DeKalb-Sycamore Community working with young and old alike. He visits area elementary and middle schools, playing games with the children and reading books to them. He also shares his love and passion for football with local children by running football camps in the surrounding area. He and his teammates played bingo one night a week at a local senior center. He was also a celebrity judge for Relay For Life’s Chili Cook off during the spring and this past summer, Lynch and some off his teammates took part in “Tuesdays on the Town” in nearby Sycamore. Lynch is also active in the campus community as well. He took part in the NIU Pride program, handing out stickers to Northern Illinois students wearing NIU gear. If a student were not donning Huskie gear, he would give them a coupon to the school’s bookstore so they could pick up some NIU apparel.

Competition

In his first year as a starter, Lynch broke four NCAA, two MAC and 14 NIU records en route to earning All-America honors as an all-purpose player from the Associated Press and Phil Steele’s Magazine and as a quarterback from CBSSports.com and SI.com. He led NIU to a 12-2 record, including a 12-game winning streak, and the first BCS berth ever earned by a MAC team. The Mt. Carmel H.S. product finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting with 52 points and won the Vern Smith Leadership Award as MAC MVP, as voted by league coaches, and was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. A consensus first team All-MAC selection, he ranked second in the nation in total offense yards (4,953) and fourth in rushing yards (1,815). Lynch became the first player in NCAA FBS history to run for more than 1,500 yards and pass for more than 3,000 (3,138) in a season and set the NCAA FBS records for rushing yards (1,815) and 100-yard rushing games (12) by a quarterback. He also led the nation in 100-yard rushing games and had a school-record 11 consecutive 100-yard days. Lynch averaged 353.8 yards of total offense per game to rank fourth in the country, and tied for third in points responsible for with 264. Named West Division MVP of NIU’s MAC Championship game overtime victory over Kent State Lynch tallied 160 rushing yards on a school single-season record 36 carries with three touchdowns.