Sedrick Shaw enters this season with the chance to become only the eighth player in Big Ten Conference history to rush for over 1,000 yards in three different seasons, but he doesn't like to think about it.

The team's success is his top priority - his only priority.

"I try not to think about the records much," Shaw said. "I just focus on the team and preparing for the next game. I don't think about the yards that I am gaining - I go out and do what I can to help."

Shaw doesn't consider himself humble. His approach is that it takes 10 other guys to make a play go - his job happens to be running the ball. He doesn't deserves the attention, the whole unit does.

"If my role means making the big block, catching a pass or taking a fake to help the team, then that is what I want to do," Shaw said.

Last season he set the Iowa single-season record in attempts with 316, 42 of them against Michigan State on Oct. 7.

Shaw finished the season with a 4.7 yards-per-carry average. This season, play fakes are not on Iowa head coach Hayden Fry's mind.

Shaw gained 1,477 of the quietest yards in the nation last season, finding the end zone 15 times. In comparison, Darnell Autry of Northwestern ran for 198 more yards than Shaw, but returns this season as one of the top Heisman Trophy hopefuls.

When asked about what he thought of being in Autry's shadow, Shaw said, "I really don't care about all that. If I did, I would lose sight of what I have to do for Iowa."

But that doesn't mean he enjoys being in the shadow, and he especially doesn't like it when Iowa is in the shadow.

"Every game is so important for us this season," he said. "Arizona is the first one and that is what I am focusing on now. Arizona has a fine team and a very good defense. We know that, and we are preparing for a tough game. They don't give you anything f or free."

An inexperienced offensive line could pose a bigger problem for Shaw, with three linemen and tight end Scott Slutzker gone due to graduation.

"There are a few new faces, but the new starters are fine football players," Shaw said. "They are big, physical men that are excited to be in, so I don't think that we have dropped off that much."

With this being Iowa's first game, it could take some time to get everyone on the same page. Shaw said he knows at times it could get frustrating, but he has developed a way to overcome it. He looks at his wrists.

Sometime last season he started it. He wrote "Grandma" with "165%" under it on his left wrist and on his right, he wrote "Mom" in large letters.

Growing up in Austin, Texas, they were all he had. Now he is in a foreign place without them and sometimes it can get kind of crazy.

"Whenever I got frustrated, then I would look at their names. It gave me support," Shaw said.

His biggest support now comes from Fry. Recruiting Shaw all the way from Texas, Fry convinced him that he belonged in Iowa City.

"Fry is an enthusiastic, motivating coach," Shaw said. "He is a great coach. I have learned so much from him."

"Sedrick is a super human being," Fry said. "He's very humble. This kid could be less concerned about his statistics. He just wants to win."

Saturday's game will be the beginning of the end. Shaw will begin his senior year when he steps onto the grass of Kinnick Stadium. He already has more than 3,000 career yards for Iowa, but he has never been to the Rose Bowl. That would top all of his reco rds, all his yards. It would put him and his teammates in the spotlight.

Shaw said he didn't know for sure if Grandma and Mom will be with him on the field, but he guaranteed that they would be in his head throughout the game.

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