08-29-2006, 09:06 PM
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/f...olfe_x.htm
![[Image: topper-wolfe.jpg]](http://images.usatoday.com/sports/_photos/2006/08/29/topper-wolfe.jpg)
[quote]When Garrett Wolfe saw he was listed as the No. 9 tailback on the Northern Illinois depth chart before his freshman season in 2002, he felt a sense of normalcy rather than discouragement.
At 5-7, 167 pounds, Wolfe was accustomed to having doubts stacked up in front of him like a row of blocking dummies.
"Even when I was No. 9, it wasn't an 'I hope' issue," Wolfe says. "It was, 'I will be successful.' Nobody ever hands you anything. You have to start at the bottom, no matter what you do in life. It's been an uphill battle my whole life to get any respect. It wasn't a big deal to me to be at the bottom."
Today, Wolfe is not only at the top of the Northern Illinois depth chart, he's also one of the U.S.'s most talked-about senior running backs. Now listed at 177 pounds, he enters Saturday's game at Ohio State as the nation's leading returning major-college rusher, at 175.6 yards per game.
"He is the most instinctive running back I've been around in my coaching career and I've been around some good ones," says Northern Illinois coach Joe Novak.
Wolfe does play against some smaller Mid-American Conference schools, but it's not easy to discount his numbers. He opened his junior season by rushing for 148 yards in a loss at Michigan and followed up by ringing up 248 yards and three touchdowns in a one-point loss at Northwestern.
"He isn't just running up and down the field against air," says Ohio University coach Frank Solich. "Northern Illinois has played excellent football teams in non-conference play and it really hasn't made any difference who he has been lined up against
[quote]When Garrett Wolfe saw he was listed as the No. 9 tailback on the Northern Illinois depth chart before his freshman season in 2002, he felt a sense of normalcy rather than discouragement.
At 5-7, 167 pounds, Wolfe was accustomed to having doubts stacked up in front of him like a row of blocking dummies.
"Even when I was No. 9, it wasn't an 'I hope' issue," Wolfe says. "It was, 'I will be successful.' Nobody ever hands you anything. You have to start at the bottom, no matter what you do in life. It's been an uphill battle my whole life to get any respect. It wasn't a big deal to me to be at the bottom."
Today, Wolfe is not only at the top of the Northern Illinois depth chart, he's also one of the U.S.'s most talked-about senior running backs. Now listed at 177 pounds, he enters Saturday's game at Ohio State as the nation's leading returning major-college rusher, at 175.6 yards per game.
"He is the most instinctive running back I've been around in my coaching career and I've been around some good ones," says Northern Illinois coach Joe Novak.
Wolfe does play against some smaller Mid-American Conference schools, but it's not easy to discount his numbers. He opened his junior season by rushing for 148 yards in a loss at Michigan and followed up by ringing up 248 yards and three touchdowns in a one-point loss at Northwestern.
"He isn't just running up and down the field against air," says Ohio University coach Frank Solich. "Northern Illinois has played excellent football teams in non-conference play and it really hasn't made any difference who he has been lined up against
