n o r t h w e s t e r n f o o t b a l l • D I G I T A L P R O G R A M • N O R T H W E S T E R N v s . I O W A
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That evening against the Buckeyes, Bowser
carried the ball 16 times for a net of 65 yards,
Anderson would carry 13 times for a net of 39
and McGowan would carry twice for 14.
The two biggest triggers of depression, are illness
and the loss of a love. That is just the condition of
an injured (ill) athlete who cannot play (love lost),
and so it was no surprise to hear Bowser say,
"There was some depression at first, especially
when I was trying to come back and my knee's
giving out when I'm running. I wasn't sure how
long it would be like that or how many games I'd
have to miss. There was depression not knowing
when I'd be back. My guys kept me up. But I
wanted to be out there with them for the battle,
trying to win games with them. It sucked seeing
them lose, especially knowing I could help them
win. But I'm back now, so I'm happy for that."
Occasionally, as he labored to come back,
Fitzgerald would laud Bowser's willfulness, once
saying that many would have not even bothered
with rehab and just shut themselves down for the
year.
"He's a tough kid," Ayeni reaffirmed this week
when asked about that. "You saw last year.
We're playing Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Iowa (on
successive Saturdays) and he's taking about
25, 30 carries. Sunday morning, couldn't walk.
Monday, couldn't walk. Tuesday, could barely
move around. Wednesday, we'd practice a little
bit. Thursday, we'd practice. Friday, we'd rest up.
Saturday, go do it again. So I don't question that
kid's toughness one bit. The injury he suffered
against Stanford was unfortunate. It was too bad.
But he's back ahead of schedule from that. He
was a bright spot for us last week and we need to
get this train going for the stretch run."
"From growing up," Bowser will say when asked
the source of his toughness. "My family. My mom.
Grandpa. Grandma. They showed me toughness
their whole life. They don't take days off. They're
always going to work."
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