"Any time you get out ahead and run the football, you've got a chance to win," noted Kill after the game. It was a formula the Huskies followed to precision in dismantling Eastern Michigan Saturday.

 

Four different players scored rushing touchdowns for a Northern Illinois offense that racked up 235 yards rushing on the day while the Huskies' rushing defense held the Eagles ground attack to only 119 yards.

 

The Huskies drew first blood early after Eastern Michigan starting quarterback Kyle McMahon was knocked out of the game on EMU's second possession of the contest. McMahon, who had just rushed for ten yards and a first down to the EMU 46-yard line, injured his right shoulder on the play and was unable to continue.

 

McMahon was starting in place of junior signal-caller Andy Schmitt who himself was recovering from a shoulder injury suffered two weeks earlier. Schmitt however was pressed into duty sooner than the team had hoped and the Eagles' drive stalled.

 

The Huskies then took over on their own 17-yard line and drove 83-yards in twelve plays, taking a 7-0 lead on Me'co Brown's 26-yard touchdown run but the drive was aided significantly by wide receiver Marcus Perez who broke up an apparent interception to keep the drive alive.

 

Eastern Michigan free safety Ryan Downard appeared to have intercepted an errant Dan Nicholson pass however replay review revealed that Downward was separated from the ball before he came down with it after a hard hit by Perez.

 

"That's a play indicative of a fifth-year senior," noted Kill of Perez's pass break up. "I don't think a young player makes that play."

 

Perez's momentary transition to defender kept the drive going, leading to the game's first points.

 

Northern Illinois' defense then set up the next score of the game when linebacker Tim McCarthy intercepted EMU quarterback Andy Schmitt at the Eagles' 31-yard line and returned it to the EMU 10-yard line.

 

"Craig Rusch did a great job getting pressure on the quarterback and getting him off his target," said McCarthy. "Really, it (the ball) practically did fall right in my lap."

 

The Huskies needed only two plays to open up a 14-0 lead after quarterback DeMarcus Grady, splitting time with Dan Nicholson, scampered eight yards into the end-zone as Northern Illinois opened up a 14-0 lead and for all practical purposes, the route was on.

 

The Huskies would extend their lead to 21-0 before halftime when Marcus Perez rushed two yards for a touchdown that capped a 6 play 65-yard drive after the Huskies' defense stopped the Eagles on fourth-and-one at the NIU 35-yard line forcing the Eagles to turn the ball over on downs, which would become a common theme on the day for the Eagles.

 

The Huskies' final touchdown drive of the first half was also a bad series of downs for Eastern Michigan linebacker Jermaine Jenkins who was called for a roughing the passer penalty for a late hit on NIU quarterback Dan Nicholson, giving the Huskies first and goal the EMU three yard line. Then, following a timeout, Jenkins came running onto the field late as the Eagles were in disarray and the Huskies took quick advantage with Perez's end-zone rush.

 

Offensively, thing weren't any better for the Eagles who were continually flustered by a staunch Huskies' defensive effort.

 

For the contest the Eagles were 2-6 on fourth downs and never entered the Huskies' red-zone. EMU's deepest penetration on the day would be to NIU's 30-yard line in the second quarter but the Eagles came up empty on that drive after Joe Carithers' 47-yard field goal attempt was no good.

 

The Huskies kept the pedal to the metal, taking their opening drive of the second half 85-yards in eleven plays with Dan Nicholson finding fullback Kyle Skarb for a four-yard touchdown as NIU opened up a 28-0 advantage. Nicholson was an efficient 11-15 for 92 yards on the day.

 

Northern Illinois completed the romp with a fourth quarter touchdown when tailback Justin Anderson got in on the rushing touchdown parade with an eight -yard run that finished off an 8-play 60-yard drive while the defense put the final pair of points on the board when DJ Pirkle sacked EMU quarterback Jason Williams with 1:29 left in the game.

 

It wasn't all good news however for the Huskies as game-leading rusher Me'co Brown (17 carriers, 111 yards, one touchdown) left the game early after injuring his foot in the second half. His status was not immediately known following the game. But that was about all that didn't go well for the Huskies who were able to dip into a deep well of backfield talent.

 

"We play a lot of players," said Kill. "You are playing twelve games in college football and you better build some depth and the only way to build it is to practice a lot of people. That will benefit us down the road."

 

Or sooner, as the Eagles' saw first hand.

 

EMU coach Jeff Genyk did not mince words regarding his team's performance after the game, shouldering some of the blame for this team's first shutout loss since losing at home to Northern Illinois 27-0 in the final game of the 2006 season.

 

"I was disappointed in the entire effort," said Genyk. "We got outplayed. We got outhit. We got outcoached. "

 

"It starts with me," continued Genyk. "I obviously didn't get our team ready to play. Our assistant coaches didn't do a good enough job of getting our kids ready to play. I know there is a lot of talent in that locker room. We have good coaches and I know we are going to get better."

 

When asked if this was the most disappointed he has been in his team, Genyk stated tersely, "I don't know, there is no meter to measure it, you know the meaning of the word."

 

Genyk also offered no further information on the nature of quarterback Kyle McMahon's injury, referring to it only as an "upper body" injury but McMahon was noted to have his right arm in a sling on the sideline with an ice pack applied to his shoulder.

 

But for Kill and the Huskies, it was a matter of an important step in his early tenure as head coach at Northern Illinois.

 

"We played together as a team for the first time in our young season," noted Kill. "As a new coach I thought this was a crucial game for us."

 

The Huskies evened their conference record at 1-1 with the win and are 2-2 on the season as they get ready for what will no doubt be their biggest test of the young season, traveling to Tennessee for game against the Volunteers next Saturday.

 

Eastern Michigan fell to 0-2 in conference play and have now dropped four straight games since opening the season with a 52-0 win against Indiana State. The Eagles travel to Bowling Green next Saturday as they continued to look for their first MAC win of the season.