DaytonDailyNews.com

DEKALB, Ill. — Eugene Harris said he didn't even expect to play against the Northern Illinois Huskies.

The Miami sophomore wide receiver and punt returner had hurt his knee the week before and had missed some practice. But when the team arrived at Huskie Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, Harris told his coaches "I felt great."

In the second quarter he proved it, returning Andy Dittbenner's punt 63 yards for a touchdown with 4:49 left in the first half of Miami's 17-13 loss to NIU.

Miami coach Shane Montgomery said it was a "rugby punt," a low liner which often hits the turf before the return man has a chance to get his hands on the ball.

"He caught it and got by the first couple people before they even knew what happened," Montgomery said. "When you kick a line drive like that you take a chance catching it. A lot of times the ball gets on the ground so quickly you don't get a chance to return it. Luckily for us, it hung in the air and Eugene made a great play and got us back in the game."

Miami had trailed 10-0 before the return.

"I feel like I'm a playmaker and that's what playmakers do," Harris said.

It was his second touchdown on a punt return this season. His first was a 44-yard return against Charleston Southern on Sept. 13.

First-quarter woes

The RedHawks have gone 87 minutes, 7 seconds without scoring a point in the first quarter this season. During that span, Miami has been outscored 54-0.

The last time Miami scored in the first quarter — and the only time this season — came less than four minutes into the opener against Vanderbilt when Nathan Parseghian kicked a 37-yard field goal. That was Aug. 28.

The RedHawks couldn't even come up with a first down in the opening period against NIU.

Both of Miami's first-quarter drives were stopped 1 yard short of a first down. On the first possession, on third-and-4, quarterback Daniel Raudabaugh completed a 3-yard pass to tight end Tom Crabtree. On the second possession, on third-and-18, Raudabaugh completed a 17-yard pass to Andre Bratton.

That trend continued in the second quarter. On Miami's third possession, on third-and-1, Thomas Merriweather was stopped for no game.

Richardson's rocket

Miami senior Jake Richardson, who came into the game as the nation's leading punter with a 48.1-yard average, saw a 60-yard punt that was downed at the Northern Illinois 3-yard line in the first quarter go by the boards when Miami was called for a holding penalty.

So Richardson had to kick again, and this time he launched a 73-yard punt, 1 yard short of his career long against Michigan. Unfortunately for the RedHawks, this one landed in the end zone for a touchback, giving the Huskies the ball at their own 20.

Richardson certainly didn't hurt his chances of finishing the season on top of the NCAA punting list. He averaged 50.4 yards on his five kicks.