[NU Sports] FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL: Day 24

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Camp Kenosha is in full swing and opening kickoff is one day closer ... smile!

FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL
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> DAYS 1-10: The top coaches of the decade

10) Glen Mason, Minnesota
09) Bret Bielema, Wisconsin
08) Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
07) Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin
06) Randy Walker, Northwestern
05) Lloyd Carr, Michigan
04) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
03) Joe Tiller, Purdue
02) Joe Paterno, Penn State
01) Jim Tressel, Ohio State

> DAYS 11-20: The top games of the decade

10) 2000: Purdue 32, Michigan 31
09) 2001: Michigan State 26, Michigan 24
08) 2005: Michigan 27, Penn State 25
07) 2003: Minnesota 37, Wisconsin 34
06) 2004: Northwestern 33, Ohio State 27 (OT)
05) 2008: Penn State 13, Ohio State 6
04) 2009: Ohio State 27, Iowa 24 (OT)
03) 2002: Ohio State 10, Purdue 6
02) 2000: Northwestern 54, Michigan 51
01) 2006: Ohio State 42, Michigan 39

> DAYS 21-30: The top players of the decade

10) Laurence Maroney/Marion Barber, Minnesota
09) Antwaan Randle El, Indiana
08) Jamar Fletcher, Wisconsin

> DAYS 31-40: The top teams of the decade

TOP PLAYERS
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07) Dallas Clark, Iowa

Every receiver needs a safety valve when the heat is on, and no one had a better one in the Big Ten the last decade than Brad Banks did while at Iowa in Dallas Clark.

The 2002 season made Clark a household name and he left a year of eligibility on the table to become Payton Manning's best friend in Indianapolis. And he has excelled in that role so much that it's hard to remember that he got his start as a linebacker and joined the Hawkeyes as a walk-on.

Clark played limited snaps at linebacker and was on special teams during the 2000 season before being moved to tight end. He became a starter in 2001 and scored four touchdowns while racking up more than 500 yards in the air. But the big breakthrough was also the year of Iowa's resurgence in 2002 when Clark was named to numerous All-American teams and won the John Mackey Award for the nation's top tight end.

The signature game of that 2002 season came against Purdue (who came within 2 thrilling fourth-down plays of beating both of the Big Ten's unbeaten co-champs that year in the Hawkeyes and Buckeyes), where the Hawkeyes passed an early test to open eyes nationally. For most tight ends, a short pass turned into a 95-yard touchdown would be a career high point. But that was just Clark's third quarter warm-up act. He sealed his reputation as the league's Mr. Good Hands with just over a minute remaining and Iowa facing fourth down and trailing 28-24. Banks found Clark in the corner of the end zone for a catch that sent Kinnick Stadium into a roar and put a little magic into Iowa's season, as they somehow escaped with a win after being outplayed most of the day.

But perhaps the most interesting stat with Dallas Clark is that the Hawkeyes were 16-1 in games where he caught at least three passes - the only loss coming in Clark's final game against a juggernaut USC team in the Orange Bowl. It was a pretty simple formula and Payton's figured it out with the Colts - to win the game, just get the ball to your best receiver - who may technically be called a tight end.

Coming Thursday: The one and only?

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

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STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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