Thigdiculous superstar

IU did something last week that it hasn't done since 1999. \nWhat's that, you say -- win a football game? \nNo, no. That's not it, but good guess. \nTuesday, IU sophomore Marcus Thigpen was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for the first time in more than half a decade. The last time an IU player claimed that title was when punter Drew Hagan won it in Oct. 31, 1999. \nThat's right, our punter -- once again demonstrating that IU football has a history as illustrious as NBC's short-lived sitcom "The Single Guy" starring Jonathan Silverman. Oh, you don't know what that is? That's the point. \nBut now IU has got "The Return Guy" in Marcus, and you know what? He's Thigdiculous.\nLast Saturday against Illinois, Thigpen had 311 all-purpose yards including 197 yards on four kickoffs and 91 yards at running back. The Detroit native ran for a 98-yard touchdown in the third quarter, giving the Hoosiers their first lead in a football game since IU did so three weeks ago against Southern Illinois University. \nAnd the accolades continue. Thigpen is first in the nation with 543 return yards. He is 16th nationally and fourth in the league in all-purpose rushing yards per game with 137.2. Thigpen leads the nation with an average of 41.8 yards per kickoff return. \nAnd football isn't the only sport Thigpen excels at. He is also a track and field star -- er, superstar. Thigpen ran the 40 - yard dash in 4.4 seconds when he arrived at IU in 2004, according to Peegs.com. He also ran IU's fastest time at the 60 meters with a 6.77 last spring at the Hoosier Hill Invitational. \nIn short, he is a Thigdiculous Superstar. \nHere's the point: If IU plans to sneak a win by the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday, it's going to need big plays from Thigpen and, more importantly, solid play from special teams. So far this season Iowa is No. 3 in the conference in passing yards per game, and quarterback Drew Tate is third among Big Ten quarterbacks in the category. But special teams are Iowa's Achilles heel. This is why IU needs its special teams to be the Trojan horse and Thigpen to play the role of Paris. \nOf course, Thigpen is no secret to the warriors to the west. \n"(Thigpen is) scary. He's averaging, what, 43, 44 yards a touch?" Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said in an Oct. 10 press conference. "Our lack of consistency (on special teams) gives us reason to be concerned." \nThere is an easy way for Iowa to take Thigpen's returns out of the game: don't kick to him. The Hawkeyes can squib the ball or onside kick it. Hell, the kicker can thrust his entire body forward and knee the ball. Do anything. Anything that doesn't have Saturday's game-day announcer utter the phrase "Marcus has done it again." But whatever Iowa's game plan is, Ferentz is well aware of Thigpen's Thigdiculous talents. \nIn the last few weeks, he has been re-Marc-able on the football field. That's why I had to give him a nickname Marcus is the Mad Electrician. Give him a little light, and he'll create sparks.