Enis gets personal revenge against OSU

By ROB AMEN
Collegian Sports Writer

If Penn State feels like one got away on Saturday, just imagine how John Cooper must feel.

But for the Ohio State coach, the one is not a game -- the Buckeyes won 28-25 -- it is a player.

Cooper heavily recruited Lion tailback Curtis Enis while the true freshman was still at Kiski Prep. Even after Enis committed to Penn State, Cooper and staff tried to convince Enis that Columbus, not Happy Valley, was the place for him to further his education and football career.

Enis, however, did not change his mind. And although Cooper has Eddie George -- who has been recognized as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate -- Enis proved Saturday he is a prize catch at tailback.

"I don't know how in the world we let Enis get away from us," Cooper said. "You're talking about a good football player. He really had a great game against us today."

Enis, who has emerged as the featured tailback in the Lion backfield, rushed 25 times for 146 yards. He averaged nearly six yards every time he touched the ball.

In fact, he was the only reliable force on a mostly unpredictable Lion offense. At times the offense looked good. It moved the ball downfield with authority after the Buckeyes opened a 21-10 lead, mostly behind Enis' running.

On the drive that pulled the Lions to within three, 21-18, Enis carried the ball six times for 31 yards. Enis, along with the running of fullbacks Jon Witman and Brian Milne, helped the Lions hold on to the ball for over seven-and-a-half minutes and turn the momentum in the Lions' favor.

Although Lion Coach Joe Paterno did not say that Enis is his man in the backfield, the veteran coach did mention that Enis should be performing different tasks in the future.

"There are some things that Mike (Archie) does that are things that Enis can't do," Paterno said. "We got to start to get (Enis) to do other things."

The things he does now, though, seem to be effective. His running draws linebackers and defensive backs closer to the line of scrimmage, helping the Lion passing attack.

"He ran hard," quarterback Wally Richardson said. "That's what he's supposed to be doing .... He ran the ball effectively."

Except for one time. With the game on the line midway through the fourth quarter, the Lion defense stuffed Ohio State on two separate occasions -- once with a Brian Miller interception and once on downs. All the Lion offense needed was a few first downs to kill the clock and secure the win.

But it was the Buckeye defense's turn to stuff the Lion offense. Enis carried the ball just twice on two possessions, gaining five yards. A false start penalty on the second possession sent the Lions into a second-and-14 situation, forcing Richardson to air it out twice.

The clock stopped after a Richardson misfire and the Lions were forced to punt, giving Ohio State the ball.

The Buckeyes would score and eventually win, and what should have been Enis' day would be overshadowed by the loss.

"He stepped up big for a freshman," flanker Freddie Scott said, complementing Enis' second and third efforts. "He impressed me a lot."

As well as Paterno, which could find Enis in many more featured roles.

"He has three more years to go and he has matured so fast," Witman said. "You might see a lot of high points in him yet this year. He's getting more and more playing time .... You're going to see him every week. He's just going to get better and you're seeing it."