Photo by: GRIFFIN QUINN/Northwestern Athletics
Frank Covey IV Embraces Adversity and Leadership, Eyes Resurgent 2025 Season
8/18/2025 5:27:00 PM | Football
By Charlie Spungin, NUSports.com
A ruptured spleen cut short Frank Covey IV's collegiate debut and forced him to miss nearly his entire true freshman season. A sprained ankle sidelined him for multiple weeks early in his redshirt freshman year. Then, later in that same campaign, while having a career game at Purdue, a sprained MCL ended his season.
Entering his redshirt sophomore season, Covey's journey has been marked by continued adversity, testing both his physical resilience and mental toughness at every turn. But through it all, he's appreciative of the trials and tribulations he's faced early in his college career.
"It's been tough from the outside eye, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else," Covey said. "I think going through those injuries, those tough patches, has made me the receiver and the man I am today. I wouldn't trade it for anyone else's story."
Now, Covey — the longest tenured wide receiver on Northwestern's roster — is preparing to be one of the team's most featured playmakers. After an offseason in which he added weight and refined his route-running technique, the 6-foot-1 receiver is ready for year three as a Wildcat.
Coming off a 2024 season in which he appeared in eight games, Covey leads all returning Northwestern wide receivers in receptions (10) and receiving yards (98) — the most by a Wildcat first-year wide receiver since 2018.
Covey leads a wide receiver room that is unproven against Big Ten competition, a sentiment widely acknowledged from Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun down to the players. But Covey is ready to exemplify his talent to the conference.
"A lot of us are unproven, haven't played a lot," Covey said. "I guess I played the most out of everyone, and I only had 10 catches last year. For me personally, obviously I'm unproven, dealt with all these injuries, but I know what I can do, and I'm excited to go show it."
Wide Receivers Coach Armon Binns joined the program at the same time as Covey, who enrolled early in Winter 2023. Binns said it was at that point that the coaching staff knew they had a talented player on their hands, exemplified by his elite athleticism and maturity.
Since then, Binns has overseen Covey's rapid development from high school quarterback to Big Ten wide receiver.
"I think the game has slowed down so much for him, and now he's able to play and react even faster," Binns said. "He's not out there hoping that things go well. He's expecting things, and he's anticipating what the defense is going to do."
Seeing Covey transition from a quiet, inexperienced player at the position to one of the team's most knowledgeable, talented weapons has led Binns to push for the Arlington Heights, Ill., native to be a leader.
And he has done just that. Covey has led after-practice huddles for the wide receivers, been outspoken in meetings, and organized time for the group to bond off the field.
"I've been through games, practices, fall camps, spring balls. I'm just trying to spill my knowledge on the younger guys and set an example for them," Covey said. "We lost Bryce Kirtz and A.J. Henning. Those were two more of the vocal leaders, and I'm just trying to be more of a vocal leader."
In addition to building bonds with his fellow wideouts, Covey has established an elite connection with graduate student quarterback Preston Stone, who transferred into the program from SMU.
The two have made it a point to hit the practice field together on Saturdays to prepare for the 2025 slate.
"Since he's been here, he's been great, always wanting to throw and get extra reps and develop that connection," Covey said. "He's always talking with us after the play, saying, 'What did you see?', saying what he saw."
Covey said he is able to have productive conversations with Stone in part due to his history as a quarterback, understanding different coverages and break points at a high level.
At Prospect High School, fewer than 20 miles from Evanston, Covey first flashed his potential — as a quarterback. Upon arriving on campus, he became the first freshman under head coach Daniel DeBouef to play on the junior varsity team, starting at quarterback.
In the ensuing year, Covey made the leap to play varsity at the wide receiver position. For his junior year, he played quarterback for the varsity squad, but during his senior season, he returned to the position he fell in love with as a sophomore: wide receiver.
DeBouef said Covey's ability to transition between the two roles was aided by his work ethic. Going into his eighth year at Prospect, DeBouef said he hasn't coached a player who practices harder than Covey.
"One thing we still talk about with our players right now is having a Covey mentality at practice," DeBouef said. "He would approach practice really like it was a game. It didn't matter if it was a drill, a team session, 7-on-7, or individual work. He was full go, no matter what."
That elite work ethic has become a part of every single day at Northwestern, helping Covey reach the talent he has now.
Everyone on Northwestern's roster sees the chip on Covey's shoulder. Braun said he sees it. Stone said he sees it. Binns said he sees it. For Covey, who is eyeing a fully healthy season for the first time as a Wildcat, the chance to put his talent on full display is here.
"Frank has got the mindset that nothing's going to break that kid. He's always going to believe in himself," Binns said. "He's always going to continue to push and fight through anything that's in front of him, and that's why you're seeing him at the place that he's at right now with the opportunities in front of him."
A ruptured spleen cut short Frank Covey IV's collegiate debut and forced him to miss nearly his entire true freshman season. A sprained ankle sidelined him for multiple weeks early in his redshirt freshman year. Then, later in that same campaign, while having a career game at Purdue, a sprained MCL ended his season.
Entering his redshirt sophomore season, Covey's journey has been marked by continued adversity, testing both his physical resilience and mental toughness at every turn. But through it all, he's appreciative of the trials and tribulations he's faced early in his college career.
"It's been tough from the outside eye, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else," Covey said. "I think going through those injuries, those tough patches, has made me the receiver and the man I am today. I wouldn't trade it for anyone else's story."
Now, Covey — the longest tenured wide receiver on Northwestern's roster — is preparing to be one of the team's most featured playmakers. After an offseason in which he added weight and refined his route-running technique, the 6-foot-1 receiver is ready for year three as a Wildcat.
Coming off a 2024 season in which he appeared in eight games, Covey leads all returning Northwestern wide receivers in receptions (10) and receiving yards (98) — the most by a Wildcat first-year wide receiver since 2018.
Covey leads a wide receiver room that is unproven against Big Ten competition, a sentiment widely acknowledged from Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun down to the players. But Covey is ready to exemplify his talent to the conference.
"A lot of us are unproven, haven't played a lot," Covey said. "I guess I played the most out of everyone, and I only had 10 catches last year. For me personally, obviously I'm unproven, dealt with all these injuries, but I know what I can do, and I'm excited to go show it."
Wide Receivers Coach Armon Binns joined the program at the same time as Covey, who enrolled early in Winter 2023. Binns said it was at that point that the coaching staff knew they had a talented player on their hands, exemplified by his elite athleticism and maturity.
Since then, Binns has overseen Covey's rapid development from high school quarterback to Big Ten wide receiver.
"I think the game has slowed down so much for him, and now he's able to play and react even faster," Binns said. "He's not out there hoping that things go well. He's expecting things, and he's anticipating what the defense is going to do."
Seeing Covey transition from a quiet, inexperienced player at the position to one of the team's most knowledgeable, talented weapons has led Binns to push for the Arlington Heights, Ill., native to be a leader.
And he has done just that. Covey has led after-practice huddles for the wide receivers, been outspoken in meetings, and organized time for the group to bond off the field.
"I've been through games, practices, fall camps, spring balls. I'm just trying to spill my knowledge on the younger guys and set an example for them," Covey said. "We lost Bryce Kirtz and A.J. Henning. Those were two more of the vocal leaders, and I'm just trying to be more of a vocal leader."
In addition to building bonds with his fellow wideouts, Covey has established an elite connection with graduate student quarterback Preston Stone, who transferred into the program from SMU.
The two have made it a point to hit the practice field together on Saturdays to prepare for the 2025 slate.
"Since he's been here, he's been great, always wanting to throw and get extra reps and develop that connection," Covey said. "He's always talking with us after the play, saying, 'What did you see?', saying what he saw."
Covey said he is able to have productive conversations with Stone in part due to his history as a quarterback, understanding different coverages and break points at a high level.
At Prospect High School, fewer than 20 miles from Evanston, Covey first flashed his potential — as a quarterback. Upon arriving on campus, he became the first freshman under head coach Daniel DeBouef to play on the junior varsity team, starting at quarterback.
In the ensuing year, Covey made the leap to play varsity at the wide receiver position. For his junior year, he played quarterback for the varsity squad, but during his senior season, he returned to the position he fell in love with as a sophomore: wide receiver.
DeBouef said Covey's ability to transition between the two roles was aided by his work ethic. Going into his eighth year at Prospect, DeBouef said he hasn't coached a player who practices harder than Covey.
"One thing we still talk about with our players right now is having a Covey mentality at practice," DeBouef said. "He would approach practice really like it was a game. It didn't matter if it was a drill, a team session, 7-on-7, or individual work. He was full go, no matter what."
That elite work ethic has become a part of every single day at Northwestern, helping Covey reach the talent he has now.
Everyone on Northwestern's roster sees the chip on Covey's shoulder. Braun said he sees it. Stone said he sees it. Binns said he sees it. For Covey, who is eyeing a fully healthy season for the first time as a Wildcat, the chance to put his talent on full display is here.
"Frank has got the mindset that nothing's going to break that kid. He's always going to believe in himself," Binns said. "He's always going to continue to push and fight through anything that's in front of him, and that's why you're seeing him at the place that he's at right now with the opportunities in front of him."
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