October 7, 2003

NORTHERN ILLINOIS WR P. J. FLECK GOES NATIONAL, WINS USA TODAY.com PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD

DeKALB, IL --- A national performance deserves a national award. So it was no surprise to Northern Illinois University head football coach Joe Novak that his fifth-year senior wide receiver P. J. Fleck was named the recipient of the USA TODAY.com Player of the Week Tuesday (October 7).

“That was a national performance,” Novak said in reference to Fleck’s career-high 14 receptions for a school-record 234 yards and a late game-tying touchdown in the Huskies’ 30-23 overtime Mid-American Conference triumph over Ohio University last week. “That was one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in my 37 years coaching on either side of the ball. P. J. belongs on some All-America list.”

The weekly USA TODAY.com award is based on input from that publication’s sports staff and national fan voting via the internet. The other four candidates this week included Boise State quarterback Ryan Dinwiddle, Oregon State runningback Steven Jackson, Texas Tech quarterback B. J. Symons, and Auburn runningback Carnell Williams.

Selected earlier as the MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week and the CollegeSportsReport.com National 1-A Performer of the Week, Fleck came through when All-America tailback Michael “The Burner” Turner was stymied by a stacked defense and fellow Northern Illinois wide receiver Dan Sheldon was sidelined with a dislocated elbow.

“P. J. put us on his shoulders that night,” Novak added. “You know, he doesn’t dazzle you with great speed or size. But, I guarantee you that he is playing as well as any receiver in the country. He runs great routes, has great instincts, and has great hands. He’s a competitor. P. J. means more to this team than any other wide receiver in the country. I mean that.”

Including the game-tying 15-yard TD on a spectacular diving catch with 1:42 left in regulation, Fleck made five receptions for 52 yards in the Huskies’ final 12-play, 80-yard drive and then caught a 23-yarder to open the overtime session.

The 2003 Northern Illinois quint-captain also contributed five punt returns for 51 yards and 285 all-purpose yards vs. Ohio.

With the mega 14-catch performance, Fleck (Sugar Grove / Maple Park Kaneland) moved into the No. 1 spot in Mid-Am receiving with 42 receptions for 464 yards and went from No. 17 in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1-A catches-per-game last week to No. 3 this week (8.4 per game average). In 2001, Fleck led the Huskies with 59 catches for 732 yards and five TDs.
Northern Illinois, now 5-0 and ranked No. 16 in this week’s Associated Press media poll and No. 18 by the USA Today coaches’ ratings, travels to Mount Pleasant, MI, Saturday (October 11) for a 1 p.m. (EDT) kickoff at Central Michigan University.

(For further information, please contact Mike Korcek) -NIU-