With usual starters Sam Hurd and Shatone Powers serving one-game suspensions, true freshman Marcus Perez didn’t miss a beat filling in.

Out of high school, Perez, also a baseball and track star, said he didn’t receive any scholarship offers for football. That is, until a relationship NIU coach Joe Novak had with Perez’s track coach came in handy.

If Powers and Hurd don’t make up their missed study sessions and can’t play at Iowa State on Saturday, Perez, 18, will be ready to go.

Northern Star: When did you find out you were going to start?

Marcus Perez: I found out Tuesday. We had a couple of guys who couldn’t play. I just came in and saw it on the board as No. 1 on the depth chart for that position. I was like, ‘Starting? Wow.’

NS: When/if they come back, are you trying to make it tough for them to get their starting jobs back?

MP: That’s what everyone does. You want to get out there and compete every day. We’ve got a lot of great receivers on this team, so getting out there – it’s not easy. When those two guys went down, I was really surprised when I was called on.

If [Powers and Hurd] do what they have to do, they’ll be back next week. And that’s great because those are both great guys, great receivers.

NS: When you stepped out on the field, were you pretty nervous?

MP: I was more nervous in the locker room getting ready to go out. Once you get out there and you are so soaked up in the crowd and they are so pumped up for you, it’s just great.

NS: When did you find out the pass play was called for you?

MP: Going into that position I knew it would be called. Going into the huddle they called it, I was like, ‘that is a great play, great play.’ I was so excited when I saw [Sheldon] get that ball. He’s so fast. I was just so excited.