Mr. Heisman: Wolfe making waves for national award with record-setting effort

Northern Illinois tailback Garrett Wolfe (1) scampers for 75 yards during the Huskies’ 40-28 victory at Ball State on Saturday. Wolfe set the school record with 353 rushing yards on 31 carries. The senior’s performance garnered national attention and bolstered his Heisman Trophy candidacy. NIU Media Services photo SCOTT WALSTROM

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DeKALB - The white Gatorade towel, wrapped strategically around his head, provided little disguise. One by one, the players on Ball State's football team found Garrett Wolfe. First, it was free safety Trey Lewis. Then tailback Larry Bostic. Wide receiver Louis Johnson, offensive guard Dan Boocher and fullback Seth Rainey all waited for their turn to greet Wolfe at the 45-yard line. Sadly, Ball State waited until after the final whistle to finally get a GPS location on Wolfe. The parade of hugs by the Cardinals was in response to Wolfe's record-shattering performance. The senior tailback chewed up the Cardinals for a school-record 353 rushing yards and three touchdowns to lift the Huskies to a 40-28 triumph on Saturday night. Wolfe played the role of the hero on the wet natural grass surface at Scheumann Stadium. He marched off the field to a standing ovation by the small, but dedicated bunch of Northern Illinois fans, even taking the time to sign a few autographs along the fence. Wolfe rewrote several school and national records on Saturday night. His numbers were staggering: 353 yards on 31 carries; 11.4 yards per carry; touchdown runs of 51, 48 and 53 yards; a season-long 75-yard dash to BSU's 11-yard line; two touchdowns called back because of holding (70, 45); and 230 yards rushing on 16 attempts for a second-half per carry average of 14.4 yards. Sick. That was the primary word used to describe Wolfe's exhibition on Saturday night. Sunday, the adjective turned into a noun - Mr. Heisman. When word of Wolfe's record-breaking, highlight-filled performance filtered throughout the country on Saturday night and Sunday, the 5-foot-7, 177-pounder was thrust to the top of the Heisman list. The awards streamed in faster than an untouched Wolfe touchdown scamper. Suddenly, the former ninth-string tailback is becoming a blue chip stock, elbowing for space with the likes of national players from Ohio State, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Michigan and West Virginia in the Heisman race. The national spotlight will be on Wolfe this week, with the Huskies heading to Miami-Ohio for a rare Sunday night contest on ESPN. The Walter Camp Football Foundation named Wolfe as its National Offensive Player of the Week. The nation's leading rusher is one of four players nominated for the Cingular National Player of the Week. ESPN College Football Final studio host Rece Davis opened up Saturday night's show by declaring, &#8220When we start with Northern Illinois and Ball State, you know something special happened.” College football analyst Mark May declared his support for Wolfe, &#8220Outstanding night for Garrett Wolfe. It's clear to me I've seen enough. If the Heisman Trophy voting was tomorrow, this young man would be number one on my list.” Late Saturday night, Wolfe wasn't concerned about his numbers. He elected to concentrate on his first lost fumble of the season, which led to a Ball State touchdown. Wolfe even got a friendly message from running back coach Thomas Hammock, who rushed for 2,432 yards at Northern Illinois from 1999-2002. &#8220That's something that will stick in my head more than the yards,” Wolfe said of his fumble. &#8220Coach Hammock wants to run me tomorrow because I fumbled. That caused Ball State to score seven points.” Wolfe used his entire array of moves to give the Cardinals a case of whiplash. Wolfe padded his season totals despite true freshman Jason Onyebuagu earning his first career start at right guard. Wolfe raised his season total to 1,181 yards, the most yards in the first five games of a season than any player in Division I-A history. Wolfe is averaging 236.2 yards per game, outgaining all but six I-A teams. His per carry average increased to a mind-boggling 9.3 yards per rush. At his current pace, Wolfe would finish with 2,834 yards in 12 games, annihilating Barry Sanders' single-season mark of 2,628 yards. Wolfe needs to average 206.7 yards per game in NIU's final seven games to break Sanders' single-season record. Wolfe's Heisman campaign might gain more steam on Sunday. The RedHawks rank ninth in the Mid-American Conference in rush defense, allowing 184.6 yards per game. Soon, Wolfe will be heading full steam toward another landmark - the Dec. 9th presentation of the Heisman Trophy in New York. Bobby Narang can be reached at bnarang@daily-chronicle.com.