NIU defensive end Vinson Reynolds has only had one birthday party in his life. I For Reynolds, though, nothing could compare to winning a football game on your birthday, especially the biggest game of your life. I When NIU heads south to Tuscaloosa to play Alabama on Sept. 20, Reynolds hopes to celebrate his 22nd birthday with a win. I “When I was a little kid, I used to watch Alabama on TV,” Reynolds said. “I used to root for them and now it’s exciting to be going there to play. A win would be the best gift.”

Reynolds, a Detroit native, followed former Huskie Joe Hightower to DeKalb.

Hightower, who lettered in 1999 before leaving the team for academic reasons, played high school football with Reynolds. Reynolds took Hightower’s advice to come to DeKalb.

“He said this was the place to be,” Reynolds said. “We both had a good feeling things would turn around here.”

The 6-foot-1, 240 pounder made the switch to defensive end after playing his first two years at linebacker. At the time, NIU had a lot of depth at linebacker and Reynolds decided to take the route fellow NIU defensive end and former linebacker Travis Moore took.

“I wanted to be on the field every play,” Reynolds said. “I saw the success Travis had. I felt I could do the same thing.”

Moore made the switch and was selected first team All-MAC last season.

“Vince is phenomenal,” said Moore, Reynolds’ best friend. “He’s a tremendous athlete. We are going to see a lot more of him.”

After making the switch to end last year, Reynolds finished sixth in the MAC with seven sacks. Of returning players, only Western Michigan’s Jason Babin had more. He tied for first on the team with 17 quarterback hurries and tied for fourth on the team with 10 tackles for loss.

Along with Moore, fellow defensive end Jason Frank is impressed with Reynolds.

The three split time at end.

“He’s a good guy,” Frank said. “He’s got a great attitude. He won’t let anybody stop him.”

In the opener against Maryland, Reynolds led the team with seven solo tackles and two tackles for loss. Against Tennessee Tech, Reynolds added three more tackles and another tackle for loss.

But, both of those contests are in the past.

When Reynolds and the Huskies suit up in Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium, the last thing on Reynolds’ mind will be his only birthday party. What will be on his mind is the party that will take place back in DeKalb.

“If we win that game …,” Reynolds said, gazing into the sky, “the party will start as soon as we get off the bus in DeKalb.”

Now that would be a real birthday party.