Northwestern will return two experienced linemen for their sixth seasons in 2016.
The program announced that offensive lineman Shane Mertz and defensive lineman C.J. Robbins were both granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA.
Mertz had mostly been a reserve for the Wildcats until making six starts at guard this season. Overall in his career, the 6-foot-8, 310-pound Mertz has appeared in 22 games. He redshirted his first year on campus in 2011 and then missed all of 2012 with an injury, which allows him to return for the 2016 season.
Robbins has been a regular on the Wildcats’ defensive line over the past three seasons. In 30 career appearances and 16 starts – including eight this year – Robbins has totaled 27 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. Like Mertz, Robbins redshirted the 2011 season and then missed the entire 2012 campaign due to injury.
Northwestern, which jumped up No. 18 in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings, hosts Purdue on Saturday. The Wildcats improved to 7-2 (3-2 Big Ten) with a 23-21 win over Penn State last Saturday.
For more Northwestern news, visit WildcatReport.com.
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