NIU football head coach Thomas Hammock was honest after the game. Of all the success he had in his first six seasons, Hammock didn't spend much time reveling in any of it.
"I told my players ‘for six years I didn’t enjoy wins," NIU head coach Thomas Hammock said after the game.
After a 19-17 win over FCS Holy Cross, it was a perfect time for a lesson. Saturday was a lesson in winning. Not how to win, exactly. It was a lesson in making sure the Huskies give themselves props for their accomplishments, no matter if they're expected or if they're colossal.
Those lessons started with the head coach.
"From this point forward, I’m going to enjoy every one of them," Hammock said.
The backstory:
Freshman and Carmel Catholic High School alum Dev’ion Reynolds returned a fourth-quarter kickoff for a 96-yard touchdown as NIU held off Holy Cross 19-17.
Reynolds' return was part of a wild fourth quarter, where NIU entered with the lead, lost it and rallied to claim a win for the Huskies. After the Crusaders took a 10-6 lead, Reynolds regained the lead.
"I trusted my special teams and coaches to put me in the right position, and I went out there and made a play," Reynolds said about his first career touchdown. "It felt unreal. I appreciate the opportunity they’ve given me and everybody trusting me."
Later, running back Chavon Wright extended to 19-10 with a 2-yard touchdown run; Wright picked up 45 yards on his first touch in a Huskies uniform and finished with 77 yards on 11 carries. However, Holy Cross responded as Alijah Cason closed the gap with a 97-yard kickoff return late in the game.
"We have a lot of new players and new coaches that we brought together and we fought through things,"
Hammock said. "That shows our culture."
Northern Illinois' offense under first-year offensive coordinator Quinn Sanders struggled, but still had some explosive plays. Starting quarterback Josh Holst had to be helped off the field due to injury, and Jackson Porter replaced him before Holst returned.
"Obviously it’s good to be 1-0," NIU head coach Thomas Hammock said after the game. "It’s hard to win."
What they're saying:
Hammock's honesty has caught the attention of the nation after his thoughts on the transfer portal and the present state of college football.
He had pointed words on his biggest moment.
"Last year, the Notre Dame game was eye-opening for me," Hammock said. "I didn't enjoy it, to be honest with you. I moved on."
Of course, Hammock enjoyed it in the locker room, but he had to move on. There was another game the next week.
Now, he stressed the only guarantee is that he has 12 games with the team he has in front of him. Not staying in the present won't do his team justice.
"Every time we win, I'm going to enjoy it until the end of my career," Hammock said. "I'm getting to old not to enjoy this thing."
That comes with teaching players how to celebrate, too. Hammock said there was an uncomfortable air in the locker room after the game. This Huskies team didn't know how to celebrate with each other, which makes sense. There are a handful of transfers new to DeKalb.
NIU might not have convinced many on Saturday. Holy Cross was 6-6 last season in the FCS Patriot League. The Huskies were a 13.5-point favorite, too.
But, Saturday was a lesson in how to come together both on and off the field. What Hammock does know is this was the first win in 2025. If they want more, they'll need to know what the reward of getting to celebrate with each other looks like.
"I love this team. I love what they’re about," Hammock said. "I believe in what they’re doing and how they do it. We talk about six-second focus and they did that. We know we can play a lot better."