Wisconsin, Auburn backs find stardom after transfers

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Posted 7:34PM on Thursday, December 29, 2005

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Brian Calhoun didn't want to switch positions and Kenny Irons couldn't bear life on the bench. So the two tailbacks changed schools instead, Calhoun transferring to Wisconsin and Irons to Auburn. Apparently, their brilliant moves aren't confined to the field. ``It's probably been tough on both of us,'' said Calhoun, ``but I think it's definitely worked out for both of us.'' It couldn't have worked out much better this season. Calhoun and Irons both became instant stars after sitting out the 2004 season following their transfers, leading No. 21 Wisconsin (9-3) and No. 7 Auburn (9-2) into Monday's Capital One Bowl meeting. Calhoun, a Colorado transfer, set a school record with 23 touchdowns, tied for second nationally with Southern California's LenDale White. Irons, who spent two seasons at South Carolina, wound up leading the Southeastern Conference with 1,205 rushing yards despite not being much of a factor in the first two games for the seventh-ranked Tigers. Both Calhoun and Irons were first-team all-conference performers. ``I didn't think it would happen if I stayed at South Carolina, but I transferred and I hoped for something else,'' Irons said. ``That's something you never think about: Am I good enough to be the SEC's leading rusher or be up for a Heisman, or anything else that is coming. I never thought that would happen. But if you just go out and play, great things will come.'' The speedy 5-foot-10, 194-pound Calhoun was so successful he's considering a move to the NFL instead of returning for his senior season. He says he hasn't made up his mind. His versatility shows why Colorado's Gary Barnett had asked him to move to receiver in the first place, a request that largely prompted Calhoun's transfer. ``I felt like I'm a Division I, Big Ten-type running back and I felt like I was going to stay with that,'' he said. ``I decided to make the change and it's worked out perfectly for me.'' Calhoun led the Big Ten in all-purpose yards, averaging 165.5 per game. He ran for 1,423 yards and set school marks for a running back with 52 catches for 563 yards. No other player in the nation had more carries and catches combined than his 370 despite his diminutive stature. Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez knew Calhoun's potential from recruiting him and watching him work on the scout team while he was sitting out. He praises his off-the-field demeanor just as much as his talent. ``You talk about low-key and unassuming and just a very talented young man who's a gentleman at all times,'' Alvarez said. ``He's just been a joy.'' Opposing defenses might disagree. Auburn defensive coordinator David Gibbs calls Calhoun ``probably the best we've seen all year.'' ``He's an explosive runner with great speed, but he's also like having another wide receiver coming out of the backfield,'' Gibbs said. ``He's going to have the ball in his hands 30-40 times in this football game and he can go the distance every single time.'' Irons joined his defensive back brother, David, at Auburn after getting just 19 carries as a sophomore at South Carolina. He gained just 34 yards in the first two games then started the next three before losing the job briefly to Brad Lester. When Lester went down early in the Arkansas game with a groin injury, Irons responded with 33 carries for 183 yards. He hasn't been held below 100 yards since, only the second Auburn back with six consecutive triple-digit games. Joe Cribbs also did it in 1978. ``The coaches were giving me chances after chances after chances. You can only get so many chances before the coaches say, 'We're through with this guy. Let's move on,''' Irons said. ``In the locker room at halftime, I kind of felt like I know I can do this. Let's go.'' He was at his best in Auburn's biggest games, combining for 500 yards and four touchdowns against LSU, Georgia and Alabama. ``He hits the hole real fast and real hard, and he's a real tough runner,'' Wisconsin linebacker Mark Zalewski said. ``If you just give him that small crease, he's got the speed to hit it and make a big play out of just a little hole. He's a pretty explosive back.'' Calhoun sees another similarity to Irons besides the fact that both transferred. Like him, Irons isn't big at 5-11, 202 pounds but he was also a workhorse. He had five games with 25-plus carries. ``We're not 230 pounds and we've been durable and we've put up good numbers and we've helped our teams win,'' Calhoun said. ``I think that's something we can definitely hang our hats on.'' (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)