Around the Big 10

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By Steve Batterson | Thursday, October 19, 2006 12:48 AM CDT | () comments

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Wisconsin running back P.J. Hill, right, is one of two backs in the country to top the 1,000-yard mark so far this season.

Fast start

Wisconsin freshman P.J. Hill continues to pile up yards as quickly as the Badgers collect victories.

The 5-foot-11, 242-pound running back joins Northern Illinois’ Garrett Wolfe as the only backs in the country to top the 1,000-yard mark so far this season.

Hill has rushed for 1,011 yards while helping the Badgers build a 6-1 record, and the play of the East Elmhurst, N.Y., native has not surprised first-year coach Bret Bielema one bit.

“When I saw him for the first time, I was hoping to make a linebacker out of him,” Bielema said. “He came into our program last fall and made a first impression that has lasted a long, long time.”

Hill emerged quickly as former coach Barry Alvarez looked for someone to back up Brian Calhoun, but a broken leg during the second week of the Badgers’ 2005 preseason camp ended his season.

Bielema believes that experience is helping Hill compete this fall.

“He went through a lot of pain and suffering, being injured and away from home. It forced him to mature and that’s helping him handle anything he comes up against right now,” Bielema said.

Hill has topped 100 yards six times this season and his Big Ten-leading 144.4 rushing yards per game ranks fifth nationally.

He’s just the third Wisconsin freshman to run for 1,000 yards in a season, adding his name to a list which includes Ron Dayne and Anthony Davis, and because of his size, Hill is quickly drawing comparisons to Dayne.

“I played against Dayne when I was a senior and he was a freshman and they’re similar,” Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “He’s big and physical, but he’s quick, too, and that creates the problem.”

By the numbers

1985

Last time Big Ten teams filled the top two spots in the Associated Press poll. That October, Iowa was No. 1 and Michigan was No. 2

1976

Last time Ohio State and Michigan ranked

1-2 in the AP poll. It happened during the first two weeks of September.

No pain, no gain

Consecutive losses to Indiana and Ohio haven’t set well with Illinois coach Ron Zook, but he has found a hint of progress in the Illini’s back-to-back losses.

“The biggest improvement we’ve made from last year to this is in the attitude of our football team,” Zook said. “Half of the guys in our locker room are new and they expect to win and they don’t accept losing.

“After the Indiana game, it was the first time I walked into that locker room and felt like guys were actually hurt that we had lost. Last year, there were times when I wondered if guys cared.”

Zook sees that as an encouraging sign.

“When a team hurts after a loss, it indicates that they are beginning to believe they can win. Are all of the guys believing? Probably not, but more and more are and that tells me we’re making strides.”

The Iowa cover jinx

Poor Zach Gabelmann. The former Bettendorf prep is the next Iowa football player to be featured on the cover of the Hawkeye game program, something that hasn’t exactly been associated with the best of luck this season.

Safety Marcus Paschal did not play because of injury when he was featured on the front of the program for the Iowa State game and quarterback Drew Tate missed practice time and threw three interceptions the week he was featured on the front of the Ohio State program.

At Iowa’s most recent home game, Albert Young had plenty of time to look at his picture on the cover of the Purdue program. He watched the game from the sidelines because of a knee strain.

Superstitious coach Kirk Ferentz has noticed the trend.

“I haven’t even asked who is on the cover next week. I’m afraid to ask,” he said.

Michigan stalker arrested

Ferentz also is aware that a man who had been accused of stalking Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and members of his staff had been arrested last week.

“I haven’t had to deal with anything nearly as exciting as that, but in this day and age, you can’t dismiss things like you could a few years ago. It’s unfortunate,” Ferentz said.

Police in Ann Arbor, Mich., arrested a 23-year old who they claim had sent “threatening, harassing and obscene e-mails” to Carr and members of his staff.

According to the Detroit News, the arrest was made on the steps of the Michigan Union where the man was waving a baseball bat and making threatening comments.

The arrest came one day after the man had been warned not to return to university property after he was observed peering into car windows parked outside of the Michigan football complex.

A Look around

Indiana: Hasn’t had much of an opportunity to celebrate its first back-to-back Big Ten wins since 2001. Following wins at Illinois and against Iowa, the Hoosiers visit No. 1 Ohio State.

Michigan State: Injuries have taken their toll on the Spartans, but MSU does expect to regain the services of Matt Trannon when it visits Northwestern this weekend.

Minnesota: After four straight losses, Gophers coach Glen Mason isn’t resting anybody this week as hoped to do as Minnesota prepares to host I-AA North Dakota State (6-0) on Saturday.

Penn State: Is expecting to learn today if its top two quarterbacks, Anthony Morrelli or Daryll Clark, will be able to play Saturday against Illinois. Concussions have sidelined both this week.

Purdue: Receiver Selwyn Lymon has returned to practice this week after suffering an eye injury Oct. 9 that occurred during a paintball game with teammates.

Wisconsin: Became the third Big Ten team to become bowl eligible when the Badgers routed Minnesota 48-12 last week, Wisconsin’s third straight win by 32 points or more.

Saturday’s TV matchups

Illinois at Penn State, 11 a.m., ESPN2

Wisconsin at Purdue, 11 a.m., ESPN

Michigan State at Northwestern, 11 a.m., KGCW, Ch. 26 (Mediacom 13)

Indiana at Ohio State, 11 a.m., ESPNU

Iowa at Michigan, 2:30 p.m., WQAD, Ch. 8