P.J. Fleck admits he was overly confident in NIU’s overtime win over Ohio Saturday.

Who could tell?

En route to breaking a career record for receptions and an NIU record for receiving yards in a game, Fleck oozed confidence in all his words and actions.

Throughout the game, as Ohio prevented NIU from running the ball as much as it would’ve liked, Fleck continually chirped in coach Joe Novak’s ear that he wanted the ball thrown his way.

With NIU down seven and taking possession with 3:35 remaining in the game, Fleck told linebacker Nick Duffy he was going to score the team’s touchdown.

On the last NIU possession of regulation, Fleck told quarterback Josh Haldi to make sure he threw him the ball.

“I had a lot of confidence in myself [Saturday],” Fleck said. “There are only so many opportunities you get to show people what you can do, and I wanted to do that. I have a lot of pride in this team, and I wasn’t about to let us lose.”

A 5-foot-11, fifth-year senior, Fleck became the top Huskie wide receiver in school history with 14 receptions and 234 receiving yards in a game.

Fleck admits those numbers were inflated in part because of the absence of fellow starting wide receiver Dan Sheldon. Sheldon left the game in the first half with a dislocated elbow and will be gone for the rest of the season, Novak said.

Sheldon filled in last year for Fleck, who missed the year because of a right leg hamstring injury, at both the wide receiver position and punt returner. Fleck did the same for Sheldon Saturday.

“He stepped in for me last year, and he’s going to want me to do that too,” Fleck said. “We are all concerned for him, but somebody had to step up. I kind of moved to his position, and I got a few more balls than what I usually do.”

NIU needed Fleck and the passing game to be in sync Saturday, especially as Ohio coach Brian Knorr was set on taking away NIU’s Michael Turner and the Huskies’ running game.

“Our philosophy was to stop the run, and if the pass hurts us a little, then we take it,” Knorr said.

Fleck had no qualms with the Bobcats’ philosophy.

“I liked it,” Fleck said. “I kept telling Coach that if everything breaks down, throw me the ball and I promise you I’ll get open.”

With NIU holding one last possession, down by seven in regulation and looking 80 yards up the field, Fleck knew it was his time to shine.

“I was sitting on the sidelines,” Duffy said. “Then P.J. came over to me and told me before they even went on the field that he was going to score the touchdown. I believed him.”

The Sugar Grove native made sure he didn’t make a liar of himself. And it began in the huddle with NIU looking at a fourth-and-four with 1:47 left in regulation. In the huddle, Fleck had a strong feeling Haldi was going to come his way.

“I knew he was going to throw it to me,” Fleck said, “because I looked at him in the huddle and I said, ‘Throw me the ball.’”

That is when Fleck ran a straight corner route to the left side of the end zone. Dragging his foot to make a diving catch, Fleck proved he is no liar.