Tuesday, October 9, 2001

Connally, Madison may compete for starting post
By Kelly Morris
Skiff Staff

Offensive coordinator Mike Schultz has a problem on his hands — but he doesn’t mind it.

Sophomore Corey Connally, formerly the third string tailback, is coming off running a season team high 199 yards against Houston Sept. 29 in his first career start.

Schultz said because of that performance, Connally will compete with sophomore tailback Ricky Madison for the starting position.

“I don’t know yet exactly what we’re going to do, but you will see Corey Connally more,” Schultz said. “There will be more of a dual role between Corey and Ricky (at the tailback position.)”

Madison, who had 215 rushing yards before the Houston game as the starter at his position, ran for just 20 yards against the Cougars. A quadricep injury hindered his performance, causing him not to start for the first time this season.

David Dunai/SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Sophomore Corey Connally will compete with sophomore Ricky Madison for the starting tailback spot, said offensive coordinator Mike Schultz. Connally, who was third on the depth chart, has moved up in the Frogs rotation at tailback after running for 199 yards against Houston Sept. 29.

Madison said the thought of losing his starting position to Connally.

“It crosses my mind, but (Corey) only makes me work harder,” Madison said. “This past summer, Corey was working hard, and if he wasn’t there, I probably wouldn’t be where I am now. Since we have been freshmen, I have encouraged him and he has encouraged me. There’s competition, but we’re friends.”

Schultz said he is unclear what the role of senior tailback Andrew Hayes-Stoker, who is suffering from a knee injury, will be.

“Andrew is still two to three weeks away until he is back at 100 percent,” Schultz said. “I don’t feel at ease to comment on where Andrew stands until he gets back to 100 percent.”

But Madison said as long as he is doing something on the football field, he will not have a problem giving up his spot to Connally.

“I don’t mind Corey and I rotating because we did that all spring,” Madison said. “If he is playing well, I’m going to have to pick up on something on special teams or do something else. I don’t care. As long as I’m on the field playing and helping my team, then I don’t have a problem with it.”

David Dunai/SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Senior tailback Andrew Hayes-Stoker’s role in the Frogs backfield is uncertain with his ailing knee and after sophomore Corey Connally’s 199 yard rushing effort at Houston Sept. 29.

Before that can happen though, Schultz said Madison’s injury to his quadricep and ankle must get better.

“What we got to do is get Ricky back to 100 percent,” Schultz said. “I don’t really think he has been 100 percent since the North Texas game, but he’s a gutsy player. He’s worked his butt off and has worked through a lot of pain and injury.”

In the Frogs’ game against Houston, Connally had 30 carries, which was the most of any tailback this season. Before the game, Connally had only carried the ball seven times for 8 yards in three games.

Despite the performance, Connally said he was expecting another game like he had against Houston soon.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and it’s been extremely exciting,” Connally said. “I felt like it was part of a plan. Maybe it was a confidence thing, but it wasn’t really a shock. I didn’t expect it to go that well, but if you don’t believe in something, nobody else will. It was my goal, and I reached down and got it.”

Connally also had the longest run of the season for the Frogs in the game against the Cougars as he ran for 80 yards for his first touchdown of the season.

But it was not Connally’s running ability that impressed Schultz the most.

“I expect Corey to run great, that’s a given,” Schultz said. “The big thing Corey had to overcome is being inconsistent. I was most excited about what he did blocking versus what he did running with the ball. He didn’t miss one pass protection check. He still has a long way to go, but he made positive steps for himself.”

Kelly Morris
k.l.morris@student.tcu.edu