09-25-2004, 08:47 PM
In end, Falcons crying Wolfe
Diminutive back carries Huskies
By Bill Jauss
Tribune staff reporter
September 24, 2004, 11:34 PM CDT
DeKALB -- Garrett Wolfe packed two good games worth of running into two quarters Friday night as Northern Illinois walloped Bowling Green 34-17.
He rushed for 202 yards and three touchdowns on runs of 42, 21 and 8 yards in 30 carries.
And all of this in the second half.
That's what Wolfe did Friday night when, thanks to national television , he was transformed from a 5-foot 7-inch, 174-pound, second-string rookie tailback into a household name.
At least in DeKalb.
Using jitterbug steps, explosive bursts and great blocking, Wolfe led the Huskies (2-2, 1-0) to a big victory in the teams' Mid-American Conference opener.
Phil Horvath completed 16 of 23 passes for 191 yards and didn't have a turnover in yet another strong performance in relief of the injured Josh Haldi. The offensive line blocked splendidly for Horvath and Wolfe. And unsung defensive linemen Adam Schroeder and Quince Holman made momentum-turning plays.
But Wolfe, a Chicago native and graduate of Holy Cross High School, was the big story. His only carry in the first half resulted in a 2-yard loss on fourth down from the 1-yard line. After that, he was unstoppable.
"My line's blocking was unbelievable," Wolfe said. "They made my job very easy. My first touchdown (42 yards) and my second one (21 yards) came on the same play. Everything that happened on the first play happened on the second one."
Wolfe had three touchdowns and 204 yards in the second half when NIU outscored the Falcons 27-10.
"They dominated us," Bowling Green (1-2, 0-1) coach Gregg Brandon said. "Every phase of the game. That little No. 1 (Wolfe) is a scatback. He runs close to the ground. We didn't tackle him."
Falcons linebacker Jovon Burkes praised Wolfe as "a great back. He runs close to the ground. He hurt us today. They hurt us by lining up and beating us with smash-mouth football."
Wolfe's running chores in the first half were limited to that one carry in relief of starter A.J. Harris, who sprained his left ankle.
Despite his small stature, Wolfe was a workhorse. In one key second-half drive, he carried on 14 of 16 plays. After carrying 30 times in one half, could he carry 60 times in a game?
"I'd like that," Wolfe said, smiling.
The sellout crowd of 25,819 fans saw Bowling Green take a quick 7-0 lead when quarterback Omar Jacobs directed an 80-yard drive and scored on a 1-yard counter play. The Falcons seemingly were bound for another score and reached the NIU 17-yard line before Schroeder and Holman made their decisive plays.
Schroeder, a freshman tackle from Rockford Boylan, tackled Jacobs for a 6-yard loss on 3rd-and-2 from the NIU 17, forcing a field-goal try.
Then Holman crashed in and blocked Nate Fry's 41-yard attempt.
These plays so exhilarated the Huskies that they marched 76 yards on 14 plays to tie the game. The rest of the game belonged to the Huskies … and to Garrett Wolfe.
Copyright © 2004, The Chicago Tribune
Diminutive back carries Huskies
By Bill Jauss
Tribune staff reporter
September 24, 2004, 11:34 PM CDT
DeKALB -- Garrett Wolfe packed two good games worth of running into two quarters Friday night as Northern Illinois walloped Bowling Green 34-17.
He rushed for 202 yards and three touchdowns on runs of 42, 21 and 8 yards in 30 carries.
And all of this in the second half.
That's what Wolfe did Friday night when, thanks to national television , he was transformed from a 5-foot 7-inch, 174-pound, second-string rookie tailback into a household name.
At least in DeKalb.
Using jitterbug steps, explosive bursts and great blocking, Wolfe led the Huskies (2-2, 1-0) to a big victory in the teams' Mid-American Conference opener.
Phil Horvath completed 16 of 23 passes for 191 yards and didn't have a turnover in yet another strong performance in relief of the injured Josh Haldi. The offensive line blocked splendidly for Horvath and Wolfe. And unsung defensive linemen Adam Schroeder and Quince Holman made momentum-turning plays.
But Wolfe, a Chicago native and graduate of Holy Cross High School, was the big story. His only carry in the first half resulted in a 2-yard loss on fourth down from the 1-yard line. After that, he was unstoppable.
"My line's blocking was unbelievable," Wolfe said. "They made my job very easy. My first touchdown (42 yards) and my second one (21 yards) came on the same play. Everything that happened on the first play happened on the second one."
Wolfe had three touchdowns and 204 yards in the second half when NIU outscored the Falcons 27-10.
"They dominated us," Bowling Green (1-2, 0-1) coach Gregg Brandon said. "Every phase of the game. That little No. 1 (Wolfe) is a scatback. He runs close to the ground. We didn't tackle him."
Falcons linebacker Jovon Burkes praised Wolfe as "a great back. He runs close to the ground. He hurt us today. They hurt us by lining up and beating us with smash-mouth football."
Wolfe's running chores in the first half were limited to that one carry in relief of starter A.J. Harris, who sprained his left ankle.
Despite his small stature, Wolfe was a workhorse. In one key second-half drive, he carried on 14 of 16 plays. After carrying 30 times in one half, could he carry 60 times in a game?
"I'd like that," Wolfe said, smiling.
The sellout crowd of 25,819 fans saw Bowling Green take a quick 7-0 lead when quarterback Omar Jacobs directed an 80-yard drive and scored on a 1-yard counter play. The Falcons seemingly were bound for another score and reached the NIU 17-yard line before Schroeder and Holman made their decisive plays.
Schroeder, a freshman tackle from Rockford Boylan, tackled Jacobs for a 6-yard loss on 3rd-and-2 from the NIU 17, forcing a field-goal try.
Then Holman crashed in and blocked Nate Fry's 41-yard attempt.
These plays so exhilarated the Huskies that they marched 76 yards on 14 plays to tie the game. The rest of the game belonged to the Huskies … and to Garrett Wolfe.
Copyright © 2004, The Chicago Tribune