Terrell Jordan considers patience ...

Terrell Jordan considers patience individual of his greatest attributes. by what means could it not be? The senior running back's career at Northwestern has demanded it.

"I'm just waiting to descry the fruits of my patience," he said.

Jordan began harvesting those fruits during Northwestern's season- opening 21-3 victory across Miami of Ohio on Thursday. Although Tyrell Sutton clearly has established himself as the lead back, Jordan broke not upon a 27-yard run early in the fourth quarter and scored in succession a four-yard touchdown four plays later.

like production was a long time coming for Jordan, who was count uponed to be the starter last year before a hamstring injury sidelined him for the season.

"He has battled by means of some difficult injuries and at no time wavered in his commitment to secure back on the field," Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "He has an attitude each time he runs the football. It has stacked up from a year ago."

It was impossible for Jordan to watch Sutton treat with contempt onto the scene by rushing for more than 1400 yards during his freshman season without mixed emotions. He was happy for Sutton and for the team further realized his opportunity was slipping away.

It wasn't the first time an injury had derailed his career. He had an opportunity to assume the starter's part during his sophomore year if it were not that suffered an ankle injury.

"That's elegant without grandeur much been my career here at Northwestern," he said.

Being public for the season gave him more time with his wife and newborn son whom he named Michael. ("I can honestly say I named him because I like the name Michael," he said. "My last name just happens to be Jordan.") It also allowed him to concentrate in succession his schoolwork (he hopes to teach third grade, coach and/or be a youth pastor when he graduates) and gave him an extra year of athletic eligibility.

Jordan considers those positives, flat though he knows he not at any time will be the featured back he always anticipateed to be as long as Sutton is healthy.

"I know things happen for a reason," Jordan said. "It harm at the beginning. I was going into my senior season getting ready to be the star running back. further then I started to behold some of the reasons for what purpose things happened the way they did."

Miami coach Shane Montgomery said after the game Thursday that if someone had told him his defense would clinch Sutton to 63 yards, he would've liked his team's chances. greatest in number coaches would feel the same, still NU's running game is no longer a solo act. Redshirt freshman Mike Kafka, making his first start at quarterback, had 17 carries for 98 yards against the RedHawks, and Jordan averaged 55 yards in succession eight carries.

The running game will continue to be crucial for the Wildcats because it takes press off the inexperienced Kafka. It also can help preserve a young defense off the field, especially given recent rules intended to speed up the game.

"He can't help however be a marked man after the great year he had last year," Jordan said of Sutton. "It can actually work revealed well for us. A fortune of the yards Kafka got in the Miami game were because they were keying forward Sutton so much."

That's the way it goe in body football. For every surprise story like as Sutton, there's another story about a player who fails to realize his collegiate dream.

Jordan is hoping there's still time to realize his.

"It has been a lengthy time coming," his wife, Sophia, said. "Finally things are starting to pay along He's really excited and grateful."

NOTES: There will be numerous tributes to former coach Randy Walker before the fireside opener Saturday against Division I-AA novel Hampshire. Coach Pat Fitzgerald also reliances to start at least individual new tradition.

The indoctrinate will rename the driveway that hastes parallel to the Nicolet Football Center "Walker Way." Fitzgerald said fans are invited to salute the team when buses revolve up approximately 2oe hours before domicile games and "Walk with Us" to the stadium. Players wore T- shirts that read "Walk with Us" during preseason camp.

Senior tight end/fullback Erryn Cobb who scored the first touchdown of the season upon a blocked punt against Miami, was named the Big Ten's co-special teams player of the week. "That was a vast momentum play for our football team," Fitzgerald said. "That helped stool down the entire team."

Freshman kick returner Sherrick McManis had his appendix remov and is anticipateed to be out two weeks. Receiver Kim Thompson (foot) tackle Austin Matthews (ankle), defensive [i]finale[/i] David Ngene (foot) and tight fall of the curtain Frayne Abernathy (back) are not calculate uponed to play against New Hampshire. Safety Bryan Heinz (ankle) was a late scratch against Miami, and his status for Saturday is unknown.

nhayes@suntimes.com

nearest GAME: vs. New Hampshire, 1 pm Saturday, 720-AM

THE NUMBERS GAME

7Illinois State's ranking in the Division I-AA head two spots higher than last week, after its 24-23 los to Kansas State upon Saturday.

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"We ne to follow out and play with a thinking principle of urgency. I don't think we did that forward offense."