Antwaan Randle El is not afraid to tell his story.

It's on his Web page on the Indiana server. It has not been updated for more than a year, but that should be expected.

The man has no time.

See, Randle El does it all.

He befuddles defenders with his lightning-quick moves and thunderous cannon arm. He has hooped under Bob Knight and has practically picked the fellas' pockets on Chicago's tough playground blacktops. He plays baseball, too, and the Chicago Cubs nabbed the 21-year-old hometown hero in the 14th round of the 1997 draft.

But log on to his personal page. Not the one that tells the story of a Heisman candidate, the one Indiana Sports Information runs. It has photographs from almost every contest Randle El has snapped on his chinstrap for the Cream and Crimson. That site has every yard he has garnered (and there are quite a few) and almost every quote a coach has remarked.

Randle El's own page is constructed in the way the Hoosiers quarterback lives his life — modest. Sure, Randle El cannot hide that he is an exceptional football player that could win college football's most coveted honor this season. And he cannot hide the people who helped him become the most electrifying player in college football.

Start with the picture of his brother Curtis. The man he calls his greatest gift. Curtis and Antwaan are South Siders, the strong who overcame The Windy City's mean streets. There are churches on almost every corner and liquor shops selling the devil's brew on almost every other.

To persevere through the impoverished, crime-stricken area and find a home on the tranquil Bloomington campus, it took the Randle Els' faith. And brotherly love.

Curtis and Antwaan (or 'Twaan, as Curtis affectionately calls his brother) are less than a year apart in age. But they are hardly apart in anything else — even their numbers. Curtis wore No. 10. 'Twaan sports No. 11.

When 'Twaan was an adolescent on the tough streets, he would antagonize the older kids. The man's mouth runs about as fast as he can. And that is fast.

On these gritty streets adjacent to their Marshfield Avenue home, no one backs down from anybody. That left 'Twaan, a scrawny little kid whose baggy clothes looked like they could slide off his bony body, in a precarious situation. But Curtis was always there to protect his younger brother from harm.

"They are really close," said their mother, Jacqueline. "They have always been like that."

But after the events of March 22 of last year, it was 'Twaan who rescued Curtis. And the two brothers became even closer.

Curtis was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was a chilly Monday evening in Bloomington and there was a party in the Varsity Villas apartments.

A brawl broke out between football players and Indiana Phi Beta Sigma fraternity brothers. Curtis now has a 15-inch scar stitched across his abdomen and a stab wound from a knife that cut four inches into his body and a half-inch away from a blood vessel — and a half inch away from death.

Curtis sees the scar every morning before he puts on his shirt. It serves as a painful reminder.

It reminds Curtis, who graduated from Indiana with a criminal justice degree and works in Indianapolis for the attorney general as a fraud investigator, to live each day like it is his last. It reminds Curtis to appreciate everything he has, including his life. And it reminds Curtis of 'Twaan's love.

Curtis lost 21 pounds and was not even a shell of the player that had earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors about four months earlier. The recovery was long and hard, but Curtis was never alone on his journey to revitalization.

'Twaan stopped being Curtis' younger sibling the minute he was pulled from a study hall session and brought to his brother's room. Doctors and nurses attended to Curtis as they worked like hell to save Curtis' life.

'Twaan demonstrates poise in the huddle. But with chaos surrounding Curtis, whose intestines spilled from his stomach, 'Twaan maintained serenity as he walked into his brother's Bloomington Hospital room. 'Twaan walked to Curtis' bed. He leaned over and whispered a few soft words in Curtis' ear.

"He said, 'You are going to make it through this,' " Curtis said. " 'You are going to fight through this.' "

Those words would save Curtis' life. But the stabbing still scars Curtis. He cannot sleep at night as he relives the painful minutes of the incident in his mind. But he cannot forget 'Twaan's words, which gave Curtis inspiration to persevere from the hospital bed, to the rehabilitation process and to the first game of his senior season against Ball State about five months later.

The experience, just as all the adversity in 'Twaan's life, has taught the brothers that everything happens for a reason, although they are not always certain the purpose.

"It helped me understand that life is short," 'Twaan said. "We thank God that he is still alive. It always makes me think life is short and tomorrow is not promised."

Through it all 'Twaan pushed Curtis whether it was with his motivational words or encouragement to finish that final, grueling push-up. 'Twaan would not let his brother go through the recovery alone and pushed Curtis to return to the gridiron even faster than doctors advised.

Curtis became the Hoosiers' seventh leading tackler last season with 44 stops (36 solo), one interception, one forced fumble and one recovered fumble. Just playing again, though, was a minor miracle for Curtis.

But 'Twaan, a proven winner all his life, felt remorse that he could not give Curtis another gift — a Christmas gift — an appearance in a bowl game. But what still hurts Curtis is that every time he looks in the mirror and sees the scar, he cannot help but think what might have been.

Curtis, like 'Twaan, loves football. Football and basketball and baseball were their salvation through the tough times in their Riverdale neighborhood. It kept their time occupied and their priorities straight. But without a postseason, Curtis ended his football career having never competed in a bowl game in his four-year career at Indiana.

Curtis tried to catch on with the NFL, but had no luck as teams were wary to take a chance after his setback. But after he walks out from the RCA Dome Saturday following the game between his alma mater and Penn State, Curtis should know the XFL team that drafted him.

"It's my dream to play ball again," Curtis said.

As for Antwaan, though, those dreams can wait. The redshirt junior has no intention to play ball in the pros — at least for now. But here is the thing: He might be like former Chicago White Sox outfielder Bo Jackson and play both football and baseball.

'Twaan would like to do both for the Hoosiers, but time is short. 'Twaan had played for about 30 games last season for Indiana's baseball team. He has a cannon for an arm and could chase down a fly ball much better than a defensive lineman can chase 'Twaan when he straps on his shoulder pads.

But as a partial qualifier who must graduate in four years to play next season, 'Twaan was forced to leave the baseball team to get his grades up and prepare for the upcoming football season.

"He didn't want to leave," Indiana baseball coach Bob Morgan said. "He really wanted to play. He didn't want to leave at all."

It was the same story for 'Twaan with basketball, although he wants to play baseball this year now that he follows a detailed schedule that has organized his somewhat chaotic life.

He had played two years under Knight, but did not see much action — at least nothing comparable to football — after he broke his second and later his fourth metacarpal bone in his right hand.

"He's a kid with a lot of potential," Knight said. "He is a guy with a great personality. And a personality is very important."

That was evident to Rocky Hill. The Thornton Township High School basketball coach witnessed 'Twaan's leadership as the floor general on the basketball court long before he marched the Hoosiers football team like General Sherman downfield.

'Twaan was a sophomore and toasting the competition as a point guard for the junior varsity team. Hill boosted 'Twaan up to the varsity squad and the lean penetrater became a leader on the team that also featured former Michigan wide receiver Tai Streets. With 'Twaan at the helm, Thornton became the state runner-up his junior and senior seasons as he became the Illinois high school assist leader his final year.

"He is an apple-a-day, peanut-butter-and-jelly, apple-pie kind of kid," Hill said.

See, 'Twaan is smooth. He had the whole high school — the students, the teachers and his coaches -- in his whole back pocket. Everybody looked up to 'Twaan.

They wanted to do the seemingly impossible things he did with ease on the athletic terrain. They wanted to be a part of his entourage. They were in love.

'Twaan is a good kid who was never sent to Hill's office. Hill is more than just a basketball coach, he is also Thornton's dean of students. Not that he was a trouble-maker, but 'Twaan was so likable, Hill says it would be impossible for a teacher to refer the 5-foot-10, short-haired, fast-talking young man to his office.

"He's the type of kid that everyone looked up to," Hill said. "Everyone liked Antwaan. He had this charisma that made everyone follow him."

'Twaan is a likeable guy, especially by his teammates and coaches. But those who faced (as the Nittany Lions will Saturday) 'Twaan in high school, do not look forward to competing against the talented athlete.

"He's a great player," said Brandon Watkins, a Penn State guard and St. Joseph's High School alum. "He's quick. He's very agile. He's definitely a well-rounded athlete and he can do it all."

'Twaan has done it all in a football uniform, too.

As a passer: He has completed 364 passes in 731 attempts for 5,269 yards and 32 touchdowns (with 22 interceptions).

As a runner: He has rushed 574 times for 2,388 yards for a 4.2 yard-per-rush average and 31 touchdowns.

As a receiver: He has caught three passes for 60 yards and scored a receiving touchdown.

"I thank God for blessing me to do those kind of things," 'Twaan said.

And last week during the Hoosiers' 51-43 win against Minnesota, 'Twaan hauled in an on-side kick that preserved victory and kept his bowl aspirations alive.

"He is just the whole offense," said Joe Paterno, a former quarterback for Brown 51 years ago. "I don't think I have ever seen a football game played as the one he did against a really good defensive football team last week against Minnesota. He had almost 500 yards by himself. It is scary to watch him.

"He is so quick that if you don't get on him and you wait for him to pitch the ball, he will take off on you. He is just an amazing athlete and has done an amazing job. I don't know how you get ready for him."

'Twaan is a big deal in Bloomington. Not quite up to Knight's level, but in basketball's heartland, he is as big as they come. In Memorial Stadium, the kids don 'Twaan's number in the stands. He is their hero. 'Twaan knows it, too.

'Twaan understands the pressure that comes with being a quarterback. Not just the pressure of the pocket. Or the burden that goes along with being the scapegoat when his one-man show at times cannot overcome the nation's best defenses in the Big Ten.

See, 'Twaan loves kids like he loves his mother. But there is one kid with whom he is especially close. 'Twaan works with the Monroe County Chapter of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America. He has a special friend named Adam, an 8-year-old involved with the program who sent 'Twaan an e-mail and whom the quarterback has taken under his wing.

"That's his idol," said Marc Voland, a case manager for the chapter.

'Twaan might not have as much time as he would like to spend with Adam, but he makes time whenever a spare minute becomes available. Like during the summer when 'Twaan umpired Adam's baseball games. 'Twaan gave Adam his game jersey from the contest against the Golden Gophers and autographed it. He takes Adam to the movies and also shows Adam his athletic abilities in another sport — bowling.

"I can't have him around everyday like I would like," 'Twaan said. "I want to help him out."

'Twaan does other things, too. He and other football players have worked with Habitat for Humanity and built houses for the disadvantaged and Indiana. But he loves kids. And he wants to show youngsters the right way to success.

"I want to relay the message to kids that no matter what they have done, no matter where they are from, they can do whatever they want to do," 'Twaan said. "That way, they won't get in trouble."

Drugs had followed 'Twaan as a boy in Riverdale like linebackers do today. And every time someone offered 'Twaan to stray and try the harmful substances, he ran.

'Twaan preached that message to Bloomington kids Jan. 18 at Templeton Elementary School and gave them a lesson they will never forget as part of the district's Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program. He spoke for about 45 minutes, but his impact was deep.

"It was a powerful message," Templeton Principal Cathy Diersing said. "They admired him even more after he left. They admired him as more than a football player after he left. They admired him as a person."

'Twaan is just a person, although he does not appear mortal with the things he can do on the football field. But he feels like everybody else. It has been a tough go at Indiana for 'Twaan.

Losing has been hard. Leaving the basketball and baseball teams has been hard. But the death of assistant head coach and quarterbacks mentor Pete Schmidt to lymphoma has been hardest of all.

"I just can't tell you how close he and Pete were," Indiana coach Cam Cameron said. "Those two guys loved each other."

Schmidt counseled 'Twaan to become a Heisman Trophy frontrunner, by spending countless hours and late nights with his star pupil.

"It's affected me a lot," 'Twaan said. "I'm dealing with it and I am moving on."

It is how he has managed to overcome all the adversity in his life and remains focused on his schoolwork and football career. He maintains a level head in the pocket and when walking on Bloomington's aesthetic campus. And through it all, he has matured. And learned.

"He's learned that things are going to happen," Hoosiers wide receiver and co-captain Versie Gaddis said. "You got to move on. Stuff like that is going to happen. If you let it affect you, you are going to have a tough time. He has learned to handle that. He has had to move on."

'Twaan again has leaned on his brother for support through the tough times. They talk every night.

But with his brothers' love and support from the people on his Web site, 'Twaan keeps moving forward to help his team get to that elusive bowl game. The Hoosiers (3-4, 2-2 Big Ten) still have a chance to go to the postseason, but must overcome Penn State Saturday.

"Antwaan Randle El is a great athlete," Purdue quarterback Drew Brees said. "He is a great leader and a great player."

And a great person. But with no time.