A Small Factor

Northern Illinois' Wolfe Can't Match the Hype Given To the Big Three, but His Name Belongs in Heisman Talk

(Chris Bergin - AP)

Garrett Wolfe has amassed statistics previously seen only in college football video games. But winning the Heisman Trophy requires more than gaudy numbers, which is why the Northern Illinois running back is no lock to be invited to the ceremony, much less claim the award.

At 5 feet 7, Wolfe is dwarfed by other strong Heisman hopefuls both in stature and reputation. To gain further acclaim, Wolfe, who has more rushing yards through five games than anyone in Division I-A history, must wrestle away the spotlight from three of the sport's most recognizable names.

There is the Notre Dame quarterback, Brady Quinn, who essentially has his own television network in NBC. There's the quarterback of America's unquestioned top-ranked team, Troy Smith of Ohio State. And there's Oklahoma's running back, Adrian Peterson, who was runner-up for the Heisman two seasons ago as a freshman.

"Coming from where I come from," said Wolfe, "being in the top five would be like a win. Unfortunately, I have to look at it that way."

Wolfe remembers watching the Heisman ceremony last season thinking that the "hype machine deservedly was behind" Southern California's Reggie Bush all season. This season, hype is squarely in the corner of the Big Three.

Fans watching NBC today likely will see Quinn pad his statistics against defensively challenged Stanford. Smith will perform on center stage as long as the Buckeyes appear unbeatable. And Peterson, who is averaging 75 fewer yards per game than Wolfe, gets a Super-sized showdown in today's Red River Shootout.

While Northern Illinois is mounting no gimmicky Heisman campaign, Wolfe will appear on national television at least on two non-traditional days: Tuesday, Nov. 7, against Toledo on ESPN2, and tomorrow at Miami (Ohio) on ESPN.

Wolfe's jaw-dropping 353 rushing yards last week at Ball State gave him 1,181 this season, which is on pace to break Barry Sanders's record of 2,628. Over the next two months, statistics will have to speak louder than headlines.

Wolfe knows his case was best made during his season opener at Ohio State, when he accumulated 285 rushing and receiving yards. "I can make no larger statement," he said, "than I did against the number one team in the country."