On Saturday, when the Benedictine University football team travels to Eureka College for a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game, the first ever conference meeting between the two programs, running back Joshua Williams will switch jersey numbers.

Williams will don the number 27 instead of his usual 21 to honor teammate and fellow senior, Grant Jochums. The campus of Eureka College is just 26 miles from where Jochums and Drew Barth played as preps. Barth is the starting quarterback for Eureka. Jochums, Barth, and two other Eureka players (Ryan Barth and Cody Johnson) attended Fieldcrest High School in Minonk, Ill. Jochums was a First Team All-State and First Team All-Conference player while at Fieldcrest.

Jochums was a Second Team All-NACC selection for Benedictine last year but was injured in week two and hasn't played since. Jochums will not have the opportunity to play so close to home, so Williams will wear his number instead to support one of the leaders of the program. Jochums will represent the team as a a captain.

Benedictine sits 2-4 and 2-1 in the NACC while Eureka is a perfect 6-0 and 3-0 in conference in the first year as a football member of the NACC.