Eric Decker may not have been the most talked-about wide receiver in the Big Ten before the season, but anyone who watched the Minnesota-California game last week knows the Gophers’ senior wideout has proven himself one of the best in the country. Against the Golden Bears, Decker caught eight passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns. As if that wasn’t enough, he also threw for a touchdown.
“(Decker) runs good routes, he runs physical routes, he runs with good speed and he catches the ball well,” coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “He and (quarterback Adam) Weber have a great rhythm with each other. When Weber gets in trouble, he looks for Decker, and when it’s a big play he’s going to Decker.”
The Wildcats’ secondary will face its toughest challenge when Decker and the Golden Gophers arrive at Ryan Field on Saturday. Familiarty isn’t an issue, as the Cats have had to prepare for Decker in the past. Last year in Minnesota, the defense limited Decker to 62 receiving yards, though he was playing with an injury.
“It’s good just to know what kind of receiver he is, to get a feel for him,” sophomore cornerback Jordin Mabin said. “When you play a receiver a couple times, you get a feel for the receiver – what he likes to do, how he likes to lean into you, stuff like that. It definitely helped playing him last year. We’ll take a little bit of that, plus the film we’re watching, and hopefully we prepare for him well this week.”
The Cats are hoping to have extra help this week, as senior cornerback Sherrick McManis is looking to take the field for the first time since being sidelined with a foot injury during the Towson game.
protecting the rock
Last week in Syracuse, NU coughed up the ball three times to increase their season mark to seven, putting it second in the Big Ten total turnover tally. At practice, Fitzgerald reiterated the importance of holding onto the ball.
“We stress it in everything we do,” he said. “I’d love to be a part of a game where we commit no turnovers. They are few and far between, but usually I’m pretty excited when they happen. We’ve just got to keep stressing it, and typically you achieve what you emphasize.”
Though quarterback Mike Kafka has thrown only two interceptions in three games, both have proven costly. His first, with seven minutes left against Eastern Michigan, resulted in the Eagles tying the score. His second, with one minute left against Syracuse, allowed the Orange to take the lead for good with a game-winning field goal.
Kafka said the difference lies in
decision making.
“Just going through reads and progressions,” he said. “That’ll all figure itself out. That has a lot to do with me making good decisions.”
turn my swag on
Three games into the season last year, Corey Wootton had 12 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Thus far in 2009, the senior defensive end has compiled four tackles and no sacks. To be fair, Wootton tore his right ACL in the Alamo Bowl last year and is coming off surgery. The 2008 First Team All-Big Ten selection was named a Playboy Pre-Season All-American and a finalist for numerous national awards.
“He’s nine months removed from as major a surgery as you’re going to go through,” Fitzgerald said. “He’s got high expectations for himself, and so do I. Those expectations are to do his best, play with heart and have fun. He’s getting better each week.”
Fitzgerald knows the struggle of returning from an injury senior year first hand. He had two offseason surgeries after breaking his leg during his junior year.
“It takes you a good month, month-and-a-half to get your swagger back,” Fitzgerald said. “And he’s closing in on that day.”
For Wootton, Captain Cat has proved to be an invaluable resource.
“It’s been good having him as a reference, someone that’s gone through it,” Wootton said. “He knows what it feels like, he knows the pain and soreness you get in it. He’s just been helping me through the process.”
