Saturday was big game for the SIUC football team, so the Salukis needed a player to come through with huge plays and a captain provided just that.

SIUC senior safety Darnell Hendricks provided big play after big play for the Dawgs in their 48-30 triumph over Nicholls State.

Hendricks, one of the Salukis tri-captains, came up with including two interceptions, one for a touchdown, and made 11 tackles. Many of the tackles were of the bone-crushing variety.

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The defense and the team got on my case during this week, he said. They told me I wasn’t playing and performing up to my status that I was playing at last year, because last year I was the pretty much the big hitter.

So, today was like a challenge game to me I had to prove to the team that I was the same Darnell Hendricks that wore number 19 last year and wears number 27 this year.

Hendrick’s first interception bounced off a Nicholls State receiver and he picked it out of the air a ran 40 yards for the score. He added another pick in the third quarter, which set up a Karlton Carpenter three-yard touchdown run.

The picks were lovely, he said. I haven’t had two picks in a game since last year and that was in the third game of the year.

Especially taking one in for a touchdown was a great feeling today.

It was easy to tell it was going to be Hendrick’s day when he unloaded on the Colonel’s Henri Ranseford on the second play of the game.

I say if you can dream it you can do it, he said. I went home last night and I dreamt I was going to have a big game and I came out and did it.

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I guess the rest of the team had the same dream I had, and we all came out here and carried out the game plan the coaches set out for us.

Hendricks credits much of his success and that of the team’s on the coaching staff’s preparation.

The coaches set up a good game plan for us the game plan was set up so we could win, he said. All we ( the defense) had to do was to stop them, not allow them so many points because our offense put enough points on the board.

Last year, Hendricks was fourth on the team in tackles (111) and led the Dawgs with four interceptions. This year Hendricks is currently tied for the team lead in tackles with 41 and has three picks on the season.