MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — With his partner in crime out with an injury, Thomas Hammock had to carry the load against Central Michigan.

Michael Turner had to sit out Saturday’s game against Central Michigan with a left ankle sprain, and Hammock knew it was all on him to get the job done.

The junior responded with a career day, rushing for 195 yards and one touchdown. Hammock’s previous career high came against South Florida earlier this season when he rushed for 177 yards against the Bulls.

“Like I said, he’s a proud kid,” said NIU coach Joe Novak. “I think he was embarrassed for a couple of weeks there. Now he has come back the last two weeks and ran the ball very well.”

It wasn’t an easy game for Hammock, though. The Fort Wayne, Ind., native was held to 65 yards in the first half and 87 after three quarters.

But it wasn’t until the fourth quarter when Hammock took over for the Huskies. Hammock rushed for 108 yards on 11 carries, including a 39-yard burst on his first carry of the fourth quarter. It was Hammock’s eleventh 100-plus yard game of his career and fifth this season.

“I usually try to push harder in the second half because you usually get a feel for the defense and how they are playing,” Hammock said. “The offensive line did a great job. The more I got stronger, so did the line.”

The Huskies are 8-3 when Hammock rushes for over 100 yards. Hammock is the big cog in the offense. When Hammock is faltering, so are the Huskies.

In the Huskies’ three-game losing streak, Hammock rushed for a combined 120 yards — 10 against Toledo, 67 against Marshall and 43 against Kent State.

In the Huskies’ current two-game winning streak, the bruising tailback has rushed for 334 yards — 139 against Western Michigan and 195 against CMU.

Despite the three-week dropoff, senior quarterback Chris Finlen never saw a difference in Hammock

“I have never seen him not run the ball hard,” Finlen said. “The running game is pretty much our staple. The games that we have lost we didn’t run the ball well.”

With Turner out and the MAC Championship light at the end of the tunnel, the Huskies are going to have to ride the coat-tails of Hammock for the rest of the season.

And as Hammock gets better after each game, so will the Huskies.