Just the notes and nothing but the notes as the Big Ten braces for what might be the league’s most important game of the season–No. 7-ranked Ohio State at No. 2-ranked Penn State.
Ohio State Coach John Cooper is a teensy-weensy sensitive to the idea of in-state players ditching the Buckeyes for rivals such as, say, Penn State. Asked about two such Ohio defectors–Nittany Lions runnning back Curtis Enis and wide receiver Joe Jurevicius–Cooper snapped, “Those guys didn’t give us the time of day.”
Cooper recovered quickly, reminding everyone of his “great respect for both of those players.”. . . Michigan has lost another senior starter to another knee injury. First it was defensive tackle Ben Huff, now it’s linebacker and co-captain Eric Mayes. Mayes is gone for the season.
Indiana is 1-4 and is in the middle of a gruesome scheduling stretch that includes Kentucky, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State (Saturday at Bloomington), Ohio State and then Iowa. If nothing else, the Hoosiers are the only team in the league to feature Bill Cosby on its coach’s show. Cosby was a guest on Cam Cameron’s weekly television show, and by all accounts it was one for the VCR. . . . ESPN’s Lee Corso now says Iowa’s Tavian Banks, based on a so-so performance against Ohio State last Saturday, is no longer a serious candidate for the Heisman Trophy. Corso also thinks Michigan quarterback Brian Griese deserves Heisman consideration. . . . Now that swelling has finally subsided in his knee, Iowa junior linebacker Vernon Rollins will undergo surgery Thursday.
Wisconsin place-kicker Matt Davenport, who has won two consecutive games with late field goals, was interviewed after beating Northwestern. The TV sideline reporter introduced him as, “Matt Cavanaugh.” . . . In the Illinois football meeting room is a sign that reads, “Desire, Determination, Dedication, Discipline = A Champion.” Star Illini running back Robert Holcombe isn’t sure which one is missing with winless Illinois. “I can’t put my finger on it,” Holcombe said. . . . Michigan State is 4-0 for the first time since 1966, which just happens to be the same year the Spartans finished 9-0-1. The tie? The memorable 10-10 game with Notre Dame.
If he had a Heisman vote, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said he would choose Wolverines cornerback/wide receiver Charles Woodson. Ohio State’s Cooper said he would select Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning. . . . As the weather cools, expect to see Woodson getting more time on the offensive side of the ball. . . . Indiana’s Cameron on Michigan State: “They’re almost a carbon copy of Michigan.” Cameron said Spartans quarterback Todd Schultz is “a little more talented” than Griese. . . . Joe Paterno makes no apologies for not running Enis more often during the Nittany Lions’ early-season blowouts. “I just haven’t felt it was appropriate to play him (more),” Paterno said. That explains why Enis only is averaging 88.5 yards a game and why Paterno remains a class act.
From the second-guessing department, Iowa Coach Hayden Fry is now wondering why the Hawkeyes didn’t account for Ohio State linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer last week. Katzenmoyer had nine tackles and an interception as the Buckeyes beat Iowa State 23-7.
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“I’d dang sure have a better game plan than I did for this one,” said Fry, when asked what he would do different. “We didn’t do anything special for Andy and that was a big, big mistake.”