DeKALB | NIU quarterback Phil Horvath has gone through a lot in his five years with the Huskies.

From filling in for three starts for the injured Josh Haldi in 2004, earning the starting job in 2005 and then coming back from a broken arm this year, Horvath has done it all.

With his college career winding down, the Northern Star got a chance to speak with the fifth-year senior about one of his favorite holidays, how scary Cindy Lauper is and if there is a quarterback controversy here in DeKalb.

Northern Star: Phil, in your five years, what has been your favorite away stadium to play at?

Phil Horvath: I have to say last year at Michigan. Just because my sister went to school there, my family is all around that area, and it was always a dream of mine. I grew up a big Michigan fan. I always wanted to play football for that school.

NS: Halloween is coming up. Any ideas for a costume?

PH: I was going to be a salt and pepper shaker with one of my roommates, but we haven’t finalized anything. But, it’s one of my favorite holidays since I was a little kid.

NS: When was the last time you went trick-or-treating?

PH: Probably two years ago. We went trick-or-treating around the neighborhood.

Me and my old roommates — Jake Nordin, Matt Rogers, A.J. Harris and Brad Benson — we used to do a pumpkin carving contest. We would do it one night and then all go out and rate them.

NS: Did you ever win?

PH: No. We had a pretty extravagant one, Jake and I. We were pretty upset with the voters because ours was pretty amazing. But one of our roommates had fireworks in his, so he ended up winning. We were pretty upset at the end that we didn’t win.

NS: That should have been a disqualification since fireworks are illegal in Illinois.

PH: [Laughing] See that’s what we said. But the voters went the other way with it.

NS: What scared you as a kid?

PH: There was an old ‘80s song that I think Cindy Lauper sang. Every time I hear it, it reminds me of being little and hearing it in a movie. It’s kind of funny if I hear that song on the radio or a party now.

NS: So some people are calling for a quarterback change. Coach says there is no controversy, it’s just what the media is making of it. Does it ever get annoying to hear about the situation?

PH: A little bit, but to be honest with you, I don’t pay attention to it. The whole thing with the situation is like a head coach. When the team wins the head coach gets all the credit, and when they lose he gets all the blame. It’s kind of like that with quarterback. When you’re winning everyone loves you, when you’re losing everyone wants the second string guy to go on. Everyone wants your head on the plate. That’s the nature of the position. I chose to be a quarterback.