Career: One of NU's great walk-on stories ... Began senior season with one career catch -- 13 games later had recorded one of the best seasons by a receiver in school history -- 91 receptions (second-most in a single season at NU) ... Earned a scholarship at the beginning of his senior season ... Became NU's starting "H" (inside) wide receiver ... Extremely dedicated worker who was consistent with his route running, blocking and catching the football ... Served as NU's holder on special teams in 2009 ... First-team Academic All-American in 2009.

2009: Graduate student ... ESPN The Magazine first-team Academic All-American and first-team Academic All-District selection ... Recipient of team's George W. Ballantine Award (given to a player who demonstrates the enthusiasm and leadership that exemplifies George's contributions to NU football) ... Second in Big Ten and 13th nationally with 7.0 catches per game ... Closed his stellar campaign with 91 catches, the second-most in NU single-season history (three shy of the record) ... Also had 858 receiving yards, eighth-most in a season at NU ... His 91 catches are the seventh-most in a season by a Big Ten player ... Also ranked fifth in the league with 66.0 receiving yards per contest ... Second in the Big Ten with 7.62 catches per game against conference opponents (69.0 receiving yards per league game) ... Equaled NU's single-season record with at least one catch in 13 straight games ... Caught 12 passes for 84 yards vs. Auburn in the Outback Bowl ... Named team's offensive player of the game vs. Miami, Michigan State and Illinois and offensive big playmaker against Purdue and Indiana ... Threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Stewart after catching a screen pass in the second quarter of NU's 33-31 win over Wisconsin ... Also caught three passes for 37 yards vs. the Badgers ... Led NU with 104 receiving yards on six catches with one touchdown vs. Illinois ... Three catches for 20 yards at Iowa ... Caught a team-best nine passes for 60 yards against Penn State ... Tied for team lead with eight catches in NU's comeback win over Indiana, compiling 94 yards as well as an over-the-shoulder touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone ... Exploded for 16 catches for 111 yards -- both career bests -- and his first career TD at Michigan State ... His 16 receptions were the most catches by a Wildcat in 27 years and one off the school record of 17 ... One of only seven players in the FBS to catch at least 16 passes in one game this season ... NU's leading receiver vs. Miami with five catches for 68 yards ... Caught 10 passes at Purdue in racking up 56 receiving yards ... Led the team in catches (six) and receiving yards (70) vs. Minnesota ... At Syracuse, caught nine passes for a career-best 86 yards, including a career-long 30-yard grab ... Two catches for 38 receiving yards against Eastern Michigan, including a 22-yard grab ... Caught two passes for 30 yards vs. Towson ... Academic All-Big Ten.

2008: Caught his first career pass vs. Syracuse for six yards ... Named team's offensive practice player of the week for the Michigan game ... Academic All-Big Ten.

2007: Played in five games ... Named team's offensive practice player of the week vs. Illinois and the team's special teams practice player of the week vs. Michigan State.

2006: Joined the team as a walk-on after the start of the season ... Did not see action ... Named team's offensive practice player of the week vs. Ohio State.

2005: Did not play football.

High School: A three-year all-area and all-conference wide receiver/defensive back for the Vikings ... Helped lead program to a 38-4 record during a four-year stretch (2001-04) ... As a receiver, caught 37 passes for 750 yards and 15 touchdowns his senior season ... Tabbed the Rockford Register Star Athlete of the Week once for football ... Also named the Boone County Sports Athlete of the Week and Athlete of the Year ... Caught 10 passes for 212 yards and two TD's against Ashton Franklin Center HS his senior year ... Starred in track and field, participating in the state championships for the 100- and 200-meters, and discus events ... Also lettered in basketball and baseball four years ... Earned a total of 14 letters during his prep career ... Team captain for all four sports -- football, basketball, baseball and track and field ... Honor Roll all four years and NHS member ... Illinois State Scholar ... Ranked in top three of class all four years ... Coached by Dale Purvis.

Personal: Born Zeke Robert Markshausen ... Son of Kim and Susan Markshausen ... Father played football at Iowa ... Graduated in June 2009 with a degree in mechanical engineering ... Enrolled in graduate school (master's of engineering in design and innovation).

The Markshausen File
Q: Name a favorite song (and artist) on your I-Pod:
A: Under Pressure -- Queen
Q: What is the greatest lesson in life that you have learned?
A: Never give up
Q: Something people would be surprised to know about me is:
A: I spent all my summers in Canada at my parents' fishing resort until I was 18 years old
Q: My favorite place to visit is:
A: Red Lake, Ontario, Canada
Q: My favorite thing about NU is:
A: The quality of people
Q: Best part about being a Northwestern football player is:
A: Getting to do what I love to do
Q: Describe Coach Fitzgerald in five words or less:
A: Focused, Determined, Leader
Q: Describe your position coach (Kevin Johns) in five words or less:
A: Intense, Focused, Motivator
Q: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
A: The journey I took to get on the Northwestern football team
Q: The best book I have ever read is:
A: The Bible
Q: The person that inspires me the most is:
A: My father
Q: When I played football as a kid, I pretended to be:
A: Walter Payton
Q: My favorite food is:
A: Steak
Q: My ultimate SportsCenter highlight would be:
A: Game-winning catch that makes the show's Top Ten list
Q: If I were not playing football, I would be:
A: Traveling the world
Q: The three words that best describe me:
A: Hard-working, Determined, Focused

Markshausen's Career Stats

RUSHING G Att Yds TD Lg Avg/C Avg/G2007................ 5 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02008................ 9 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02009................ 13 4 9 0 4 2.2 0.7TOTAL............... 27 4 9 0 4 2.2 0.2
PASSING G Att Cmp Int Yds TD Lg Pct Avg/P Avg/G Effic2007............... 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.02008............... 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.02009............... 13 1 1 0 38 1 38 100.0 38.0 2.9 749.2TOTAL............... 27 1 1 0 38 1 38 100.0 38.0 1.4 749.2
TOTAL OFFENSE G Rush Pass Total Avg/G2007............... 5 0 0 0 0.02008............... 9 0 0 0 0.02009............... 13 9 38 47 3.6TOTAL............... 27 9 38 47 1.7
RECEIVING G Rec Yds TD Lg Rec/G Avg/C Avg/G2007................ 5 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.02008................ 9 1 6 0 6 0.1 6.0 0.72009................ 13 91 858 3 30 7.0 9.4 66.0TOTAL............... 27 92 864 3 30 3.4 9.4 32.0
SCORING G TD Rush Pass Retn PAT 2PAT FG Total Avg/G2007................ 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02008................ 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02009................ 13 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 18 1.4TOTAL................ 27 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 18 0.7
ALL PURPOSE G Rush Rec PR KR IR Total Avg/G2007................ 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02008................ 9 0 6 0 0 0 6 0.72009................ 13 9 858 0 0 0 867 66.7TOTAL............... 27 9 864 0 0 0 873 32.3
TACKLES G UA A Total TFL-Yds PD FF FR Blkd2007................ 5 1 0 1 0.0-0 0 0 0 02008................ 9 0 0 0 0.0-0 0 0 0 02009................ 13 3 0 3 0.0-0 0 0 0 0TOTAL............... 27 4 0 4 0.0-0 0 0 0 0