Sports Reporter

It is said that offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships.

Since the Huskies did not sell many tickets or win any championships in Saturday’s 40-17 win over Eastern Michigan, the credit must go to the special teams.

“We got some kids that are really taking it seriously,” head coach Joe Novak said of the Huskies special team’s performance. “We had some plays in the kicking game. Our special teams have been good all year, but this was their best game.”

It didn’t take the Huskies’ offense long to set the tempo for the game.

In the game’s first play, flanker Darrell Hill dashed down the left sideline for a deep pass. Quarterback Chris Finlen’s toss glanced off the hands of a wide-open Hill and fell incomplete.

“I should have caught it,” Hill said. “I apologized to Chris and the coaches. I didn’t watch it all the way in. I got happy feet when I saw the end zone, I took my eye off it.”

While the Huskies had to punt on their first possession, a defensive stop gave Hill a chance to make up for his mistake.

On the next possession, Hill ran the same route down he ran on the first play except down the right sideline. This time Hill was able to capitalize on the pass from Finlen and scamper 53 yards for the touchdown.

Hill’s touchdown was the only scoring in the first quarter statistically dominated by the Huskies.

NIU’s defense allowed only 19 total yards while the Huskies accumulated 142.

On the first possession of the second quarter, the Huskies finished the a scoring drive that was interrupted by the first intermission. Steve Azar booted a 23-yard field goal through the uprights capping off a 10-play 52-yard drive.

After a Jimmy Erwin kickoff, it took just two plays for the Huskies to get the ball back.

Kainoa Akina’s second-down pass was intercepted by sophomore strong safety Lionel Hickenbottom.

The Huskies then took advantage of the good field position and scored their second touchdown of the day three plays later.

Finlen completed back-to-back passes to P.J. Fleck and Darrell Hill before Michael Turner found the end zone in his first game back off an ankle injury giving the Huskies a 17-0 lead.

The Huskies then added three more points on their next possession. After the Huskies defense forced one of their six first half punts, the offense took the ensuing drive 51 yards before being stopped by the Eastern Michigan defense. Steve Azar took advantage of NIU’s red zone struggles by calmly hit his second field goal of the day giving NIU a 20-0 lead.

A three and out on the Eagles next possession combined with a 24-yard punt return gave the Huskies excellent field position at the Eastern 22-yard line.

The Huskies were able to get as far as the six-yard line before the EMU defense stopped Chris Finlen on a quarterback keeper on a third down play.

Azar then came on and made a 23-yard field goal for a 23-0 lead.

Two possessions later, Eastern was able to put their first points of the game on the board when Toller Starnes hit a 27-yard field goal as the second quarter expired.

Eastern was able to get into field goal range the previous play when quarterback Kainoa Akina hit Kevin Walker for a 38-yard pass to reach the Huskies 9-yard line.

The Huskies opened the second similar to the way they opened the first half. After the Eagles were not able to move the ball on three plays, they were forced to punt.

NIU went for the block and the gamble paid off.

Kursten Strothman came right through the heart of the defense and blocked the David Rysko kick. Mike Spacucello picked up the ball and ran in for the Huskies score.

“It was textbook,” Spacucello said. “I saw Kursten come through and block it. It took a nice little bounce for me, and I got six points out of it.”

The Huskies got their third touchdown of the game two possessions later when Chris Finlen found Joey Reed for his first career touchdown to take the 37-3 lead.

The three-yard pass was set up five plays earlier when Vinson Reynolds intercepted his first career pass.

Finlen’s misdirection pass was his first touchdown of the day.

Steve Azar capped of the scoring for the Huskies on their next possession by hitting from 41-yards out.

Azar’s field goal marked his 18th of the year tying the single season school record held by John Ivanic. The Lou Groza award semi-finalist had 15 points on the day.

“I’ve had a lot of kicks this season,” Azar said of his 15-point performance.

But, Azar wasn’t the only kicker with a good day on Saturday.

Erwin used a 13 mile an hour wind to continually pin the Eagles offense deep in their own end of the field. Irwin kicked off 10 times and punted seven times. Of Irwin’s 10 kickoff’s, five went for touchbacks and the other five were returned for just 83 yards. Four of Irwin’s five punts were returned but for 11 yards total. The other punt sailed out of bounds at the EMU seven-yard line.

The win against Eastern Michigan marked the first time this season that the Huskies have not had to come from behind for a victory.

“I’m never feeling comfortable,” head coach Novak said. “I heard a few voices up in the stands telling me to substitute in the third quarter, but I ignored them. You are never up enough.”