BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Mark Philmore didn’t start at wide receiver or return a single punt in Northwestern’s first six games.
But on Saturday, the 5-foot-10 sophomore led the Wildcats with five catches, and his electrifying 60-yard punt return in the fourth quarter sparked NU’s 37-31 comeback victory.
“He’s a talented guy with the ball in his hands, and we’ve been looking for ways to get him some space,” running back Jason Wright said. “He is a playmaker and he’s very quick.
“That punt return was the play of the game.”
Indiana scored 24 unanswered points to grab the lead in the fourth quarter, and the Hoosiers had all of the momentum until Philmore returned Tyson Beattie’s 39-yard punt to the Indiana six-yard line.
Philmore, who replaced senior wide receiver Kunle Patrick as NU’s punt returner Saturday, dodged the first tackler with a stutter step and than raced through the seam in the center of the coverage before being chased down from behind by the Hoosiers’ Buster Larkins.
“I didn’t think I was gone because I started getting tired and I felt the guy coming up from behind me,” Philmore said. “I should have dove for the end zone.”
The punt return was not the only time Philmore had a sniff at the endzone.
In the second quarter, Philmore ran uncovered through the Hoosier defense and hauled in a 68-yard strike from Brett Basanez. A Hoosier defender wrapped up Philmore at the four-yard line, but the play was called back for an illegal procedure.
“The penalty was actually on me so I have nobody to get upset at,” Philmore said.”I wasn’t lined up right and having the flag thrown on me was really frustrating.”
Philmore had a career-high five catches — including two on third downs to keep drives alive — while starting at wide receiver in place of Ashton Aikens, who suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury against Minnesota.
With Aikens sidelined, Philmore was not the only sophomore receiver who made an impact. Philmore’s roommate, Brandon Horn, caught a 79-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter.
“You saw Mark Philmore make a big play and Brandon Horn make a big play today, ” NU coach Randy Walker said. “We need those guys to step up.”
On a third-and-seven from the NU 23-yard line, Basanez lobbed the ball high in the air down the right sideline toward Horn. The Indiana safety went for the interception, and when the ball sailed past the defender Horn had nothing but green between him and the end zone.
“At first I thought it was going to be knocked down,” Horn said. “But then the ball just fell in my hands and I ran it into the endzone.”
Horn’s catch was NU’s longest of the season and it was the first touchdown reception by any wide receiver all year.
“When he scored all the receivers ran up to him and gave him a big hug,” Philmore said. “We were all so excited.”
After the game, Philmore walked around with a big grin on his face discussing the Cats’ first Big Ten victory of the season.
But when the Ohio native started to think about being caught from behind he grimaced a little before laughing.
“All I can say is I got to work on my legs in the offseason so it doesn’t happen again next year,” he said.
