DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRENCHES. Forreston graduate Jake Coffman, Marine reservist, Northern Illinois defensive end.

Coffman says facing a tough test in the classroom followed by a long, hard afternoon on the practice field is nothing compared to what he experienced in Iraq and what many of his friends and colleagues are still going through. His old unit was recently redeployed to Afghanistan.

"I still have friends there I think about all the time. I stay in contact with a lot of them, and they're on my mind every day," he says.

And so are friends and acquaintances who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Coffman has dedicated his career to them and writes, "For the fallen," on his wristbands before games. He then leads the Huskies onto the field while carrying the U.S. flag. "That's really a rush," he says. "To really know what it stands for means a lot."

When Navy played in DeKalb last season, the Midshipmen invited Mr Coffman to join the singing of Navy's alma mater after the game. Today, Northern Illinois did a lot of scoring early, then hung on to win after a wild final two minutes.