Usually having first-and-goal is a good thing – just not when you’re snapping the ball from the 36-yard line.

After having the ball on the Tennessee Tech five-yard line early in the second quarter, NIU marched its way backward with three straight penalties. But NIU quarterback Phil Horvath didn’t get down. In fact, he wasn’t worried at all.

“Coach [John] Bond called a streak route and I knew Sam [Hurd] would run right by the corner,” Horvath said. “I just knew it was gonna be a touchdown.”

Horvath was right. No. 3 launched a pass down the right sideline, where Hurd was able to get open and pull the ball in.

Normally a play like that is a rare thing, but against Tennessee Tech, it was just one of many big plays made by the Huskies receiving corps Saturday.

The receivers silenced fears the position would be shaky because of pre-season injuries. The wideouts showed no one has cause to worry.

After scoring only one touchdown through the air in the first two weeks, the Huskies scored four Saturday, all in the first half.

“The safeties were coming down fast,” NIU coach Joe Novak said. “We felt we had to pass.”

And pass they did. NIU scored on its second play from scrimmage on a 37-yard pass to Shatone Powers.

Horvath and Powers hooked up a quarter later for a 55-yard touchdown pass. No. 83 ended the game with four catches for 109 yards.

TTU coach Mike Hennigan said he was surprised by NIU’s passing attack and disappointed by the play of his secondary.

But it was the speed along with the size of the Huskies receivers that caught him most by surprise.

“We had coverage problems all day,” Hennigan said. “I was hoping our corners would rise to the challenge but it’s hard to stay with their speed.”

Before the season, Novak said he was counting on breakout years from his two starters, Hurd and Powers.

After the game, Powers talked about a motto they began this season: “Catch every ball in our direction.”

“Today we did that,” Powers said. “If the ball was thrown our way we caught it.”