Wolfe hype heats up at annual media day

Northern Illinois tailback Garrett Wolfe runs for a touchdown in the Huskies’ 42-7 victory over Western Michigan last season. Wolfe, who has rushed for 3,289 yards and 34 touchdowns in his 20-game career, was the cetner of attention at Monday’s Mid-American Conference Media Day. The senior lentertained hordes of media requests and ed a prayer before the 2006 XOS/MAC Football Luncheon. Wolfe and the Huskies open the season on Sept. 2 at Ohio State. Chronicle file photo

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DETROIT - It might be coincidence, but the unofficial face of the Mid-American Conference was the lone player to speak at the 2006 XOS/MAC Football Kickoff Luncheon. Northern Illinois tailback Garrett Wolfe was the most popular player during the MAC Football Media on Monday. Wolfe was besieged by requests from the print and electronic media, and even led the prayer session prior to the luncheon. The senior received heaps of praise from the conference officials, players and head coaches. Ohio coach Frank Solich recruited and coached two Heisman Trophy winners, tailback Mike Rozier and quarterback Eric Crouch, at Nebraska. The veteran coach isn't looking forward to trying to stop Wolfe when the Bobcats travel to Northern Illinois in the second week of the season (Sept. 9). &#8220Garrett Wolfe is a great football player,” Solich said. &#8220He has great quickness and running instincts. He is one of the best football players in the country. He's not running up and down the field against air. He has gotten his yards against everybody. I've been very impressed with what I've seen from Garrett Wolfe.” At 5-foot-7 and 177 pounds, Wolfe doesn't fit the mold of an old-school big back, but Solich pointed out that Barry Sanders and Darren Sproles had successful careers in the Big 12 Conference despite comparable size to Wolfe. &#8220Garrett gets his yardage with great toughness,” Solich said. &#8220He's obviously the difference-maker on their football team. Size doesn't matter when you've got great toughness like Garrett. He has the right mental make-up.” Second-year Western Michigan coach Bill Cubit watched with horror as Wolfe spoiled a fairy-tale season for the Broncos last year. Western Michigan's 7-4 record last year represented the biggest one-year turnaround in Mid-American Conference history, but Wolfe ended WMU's dream of a West title by rushing for 277 yards and six touchdowns in NIU's 42-7 victory. &#8220He's a special player, one of the players in this league who is a clear, clear difference-maker,” Cubit said. &#8220That guy is a big difference to them as a football team. He's a special guy who has an air about him. People know who he is.” Toledo coach Tom Amstutz got an eye full of Wolfe's running ability last year. Wolfe spearheaded the end of an 11-game losing streak to the Rockets, rushing for 177 yards and two touchdowns as the Huskies notched a rare 35-17 win at Toledo. &#8220He has that toughness needed for a running back,” Amstutz said of Wolfe. &#8220He fights for that extra yard and is a fearless runner. He has the speed and is shifty enough to make those big plays.” The 2006 NIU media guide devotes two full pages to Wolfe, but falls short of the six-page spread given to Michael &#8220The Burner” Turner in the 2003 guide. In 20 career games, Wolfe has rushed for 3,289 yards and scored 34 touchdowns. Wolfe is 764 yards shy of becoming the 11th player in MAC history to rush for 4,000 or more yards. The Chicago native declared his shoulder and knee healthy, but shied away from talk of breaking Turner's career school-rushing mark of 4,941 yards. &#8220The main thing that I want to do is win a MAC Championship,” Wolfe said. &#8220If I don't break his record, it won't mean anything to me if we win a MAC Championship. If I break his record and we win a MAC Championship, I will definitely throw that in his face.” Bobby Narang can be reached at bnarang@daily-chronicle.com.