89   Stephen O'Neal
	Class: RS Senior Hometown: Park Forest, IL High School: Rich East Height / Weight: 6-3 / 235 Position: DE Experience: 2L

Has 21 tackles, six for loss, and 4.5 sacks in his first two seasons at NIU, while forcing two fumbles.

2011: Played in 12 games as a reserve defensive end. Did not play versus Army (9-3) or Bowling Green (11-8). Finished the year with 12 tackles and registered 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks on the year. Ranked fourth on the team in sacks for losses totaling 29 yards. Led the Huskies in fumbles forced with two. Made a career-high five tackles against Wisconsin (9-17). Recorded a sack and forced a key fumble against Kent State (10-8), leading to the game-winning score. Posted a sack, forced a fumble and tallied a tackle for loss in the GoDaddy.com Bowl against Arkansas State (1-8). Registered a three-yard sack in the MAC Championship Game to force a key three-and-out following NIU's first touchdown of the game. Made one tackle for loss at Toledo (11-1).

2010: Reserve defensive end saw his first action as a redshirt freshman, playing in every game except the Humanitarian Bowl versus Fresno State (12-18) after suffering an injury. Totaled nine tackles, five solo, with one-and-a-half tackles for loss. Made a pair of tackles and combined with Nabal Jefferson to sack UI quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase in the third quarter. Notched solo stops versus Temple (10-9) and Central Michigan (10-23). Sacked CMU quarterback for loss of six yards in the NIU win for his first career solo sack. Credited with a career-best three stops, two solo, at Eastern Michigan (11-26). Added assisted tackles at Akron (10-2) and at Ball State (11-20).

2009: Redshirted

High School: Awarded first team all-conference honors as a senior. Threw for 513 yards and 11 touchdowns and tallied five sacks and three pass break-ups in his final season. Played quarterback and free safety his final two seasons of high school. As a junior, threw for three scores and recorded 10 sacks to go with four pass deflections. Played wide receiver as a sophomore and had 13 catches for 643 yards and 11 touchdowns. Two-time all-conference performer in basketball and was named to the all-tournament squad at the Big Dipper Classic. Named to the Rich East Bronze Honor Roll list each of the last two semesters.

Personal: Born May 29, 1990. Son of Rachael Cummings and Charles O'Neal. Admires Keyshawn Johnson and Vince Carter. A communications major.

O'NEAL'S CAREER GAME HIGHS
Tackles: 5, vs Wisconsin, 9-17-11
Tackles For Loss: 1.5, vs Arkansas State (GoDaddy.com Bowl) 1-8-12
Sacks: 1, four times, last vs Arkansas State (GoDaddy.com Bowl) 1-8-12