Senior reciever works way back into lineup

The best thing that ever happened to Henry Frazier was being told he played like "crap."\nThat's the critique Frazier received after his performance in IU's season opener. Coach Cam Cameron told Frazier, a senior receiver, that he played soft, that he wasn't recruited to play the way he did against North Carolina State, a game in which he dropped several passes. Cameron compounded his critique by sending Frazier from first team to scout team.\nFrazier said he's glad Cameron did it.\nThe demotion left Frazier with two options: Feel shafted and pout or earn his spot back.\nHe chose the latter.\nAfter four weeks with the scout team and another two slowly returning to the rotation at split end, Frazier demonstrated against Iowa he's worthy of the starting spot he once held. He caught five passes for 92 yards against the Hawkeyes Oct. 20, and he'll start Saturday against Northwestern.\n"It helped me out in so many ways," said Frazier of Cameron's decision to bench him. "It helped me with my football. It helped me out with putting things into perspective. That was the best thing that anyone's ever done to me, because no one's ever done that to me before.\n"He basically just told me what I needed to hear."\nFrazier said he needed Cameron to come down hard, but he wasn't so sure six or seven weeks ago.\n"As the time went on, I gradually understood why they did what they did," he said. "But I was pretty much angry for the first couple weeks. And after that, I just flipped it around to something positive, something that'll motivate me, because if I stay angry, I'll never get back to where I need to be."\nFrazier knew where he needed to be -- on the field -- because he knew where he wanted to be.\nHe knew, on a team that lost its top three receivers from a year ago, he'd be counted on to lead a young receiving corps, and he figured he'd thrive in his position.\nWhile his plans took a detour after the first game, he isn't shying away from his preseason goals, one of which was to catch eight touchdowns.\n"I still have goals which I think are attainable," he said. "And I still see myself as one of the best receivers in the Big Ten, but I know I have a lot of work to do to get back since I've been out three games, four games."\nFinishing as one of the conference's top receivers will be a tougher task now, but Frazier can still count on being one of quarterback Antwaan Randle El's favorite targets.\nRandle El threw to Frazier once against Wisconsin -- a late-game deep route -- and looked for him consistently on IU's fourth-quarter scoring drive against Illinois. Against Iowa, Frazier's 92 receiving yards were the most by a Hoosier wide receiver this season.\n"I think he's our fastest receiver," Randle El said. "And that brings a lot to the table. Corners have to play you off a little bit. You can do a lot more things. He's gotta continue to catch the ball well, and he'll be fine.\n"I think he stepped up and played well against Iowa. A couple plays I still think he should've kept his feet and kept running, but he'll get better as we go along. We need him to play well these next five games."\nRandle El may like Frazier's speed, but Cameron's more impressed with other qualities.\n"It's about heart and effort and toughness in this game," Cameron said. "He's gotten tougher, and he's competing harder. And that's what we need out of every guy, especially a senior"