Boston College Eagle Football

2005-11-01T16:19:00.000-08:00

Instant AnalysisOhio State 45 ... Minnesota 31, Oct. 29By Matthew Zemek
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At halftime of Saturday's game in the Metrodome, the Ohio State Buckeyes--tied at 17 with Minnesota--had to decide what kind of team they wanted to be... not just for the second half of play, but for the rest of a 2005 season that has seen wild fluctuations in performance and execution.
With the Buckeyes' vaunted defense struggling against Brian Cupito and a revived Golden Gopher offense, Jim Tressel--not to mention everyone in Columbus--had to wonder whether this up-and-down Autumn would feature more inconsistency or the emergence of an unmistakable winning identity. ---college fotball ---
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The team that alternately strutted, staggered, slipped up, and swaggered against most of its big-name opponents (Texas, Penn State, Michigan State) was similarly schizophrenic in the first half against the Gophers. The Troy Smith who had been sluggish for most of '05 was replaced by a razor-sharp gunslinger who continuously hit big plays. But that benefit was cancelled out by another bit of body-snatching, in which OSU's normally stout defense became a porous pack of pansies against the potency of Laurence Maroney and the effectiveness of Cupito, returned from an injury that sidelined him against Wisconsin.---college fotball ---
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This great-offense, poor-defense combination represented a 180-degree reversal of Ohio State's normal team personality; on the other hand, though, the first half--in all its inconsistency--typified the struggles the Bucks have had as a team that could go toe-to-toe with mighty Texas yet look astonishingly average on other occasions. Entering the second half against the Gophers, Tressel and his team faced a huge occasion on their journey toward the Big Ten title.It was precisely then that the Bucks decided that they really wanted to win their conference. Smith, Antonio Pittman, and all three perimeter playmakers--Anthony Gonzalez, Ted Ginn and Santonio Holmes--continued to make plays, but OSU's defense also decided to put its foot down.
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As a result, Ohio State put itself in position to remain--along with Penn State--the last team standing in a crowded and competitive Big Ten race.Pittman's 67-yard touchdown bolt set the tone coming out of the locker room, and Ginn's punt returning proved to be a decisive force in the contest, but if there was one key momentum-changing play that loomed large on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis, it was a display of defense that truly held up its end.Defensive end Mike Kudla, demonstrating the team speed of OSU's defense, made an all-world play to chase down the formidably fast Maroney on a 4th and 2 from the Buckeye 32.
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Just one play after Gary Russell failed to hit an open receiver on a halfback option pass for Minnesota, Kudla's stop--achieved by tremendous lateral movement--represented the last great chance the Gophers had to tie the game in the second half.---college fotball ---
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Once Kudla made his statement, the home team never recovered against the resurgent Buckeyes, who asserted their dominance with a level of urgency that had to please Jim Tressel and the rest of a program that now stands to have the Big Ten within its grasp by the time it travels to a well-known place called Ann Arbor in late November.Ohio State's had some nervous moments in 2005. But in the second half against Minnesota, the Buckeyes decided they had enough drama. The resolve shown on both sides of the ball by OSU gave a team not only a new life, but a new personality it hopes to retain for the rest of the Big Ten season.---college fotball ------college fotball ---

2005-10-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

Keys to the Big GamesWeek Five, Oct. 1Notre Dame vs. PurdueBy John Harris
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a. The Bonecrusher – The Minnesota run game had pretty much had its way with the Purdue defense last Saturday, and safety Bernard Pollard was a bit angry. In the second hald, a Gopher running back broke through a hole on the right side. Either he didn’t see Pollard, or couldn’t do anything about it, as the Bonecrusher put on a tackling clinic.
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With textbook form, Pollard ran through the ball carrier with such momentum that he picked up the poor Gopher and deposited him on his wallet. You didn’t have to wonder why he’s known as the Bonecrusher after that hit. Consequently, this week against Notre Dame, he’ll be a significant figure in the outcome of this game. Because of his versatility, Pollard is charged with stopping TE Anthony Fasano and being a primary run support player on RB Darius Walker.
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The Purdue star, though, will have to check a bit of his aggressiveness at the door and ensure that he’s reading his pass/run keys effectively, so as to not get burned on play action by QB Brady Quinn and Fasano. But, Notre Dame, in particular Walker, better know where he is at all times. As the Gopher RB found out late in that game, if you don’t have your head on a swivel, you might become another notch on #31’s belt. Walker has buried opponents this year with his consistent pounding, but with a physical presence like Pollard looking him up, it should make for an interesting day for the Irish sophomore. That’s right, folks, the Bonecrusher is in the building.---college football---
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b. A Cat with Nine Lives – With the loss of Taylor Stubblefield going into this year, the Purdue offense looked as though they might struggle. But, the graduation of Stubblefield, allowed other Boiler WR to step up and get more opportunities, mainly inside WR Dorien Bryant. The sophomore slot receiver leads the Boilermakers with 18 receptions, and even has 7 carries on the year, so it’s evident that the Purdue offensive staff is creatively finding ways to get the ball into #9’s hands. Playing in the slot, Bryant creates a ton of issues for the Irish secondary and linebackers. Although the Irish linebackers are a solid group, there’s no way that they can stay with Bryant in the passing game. If the dynamo gets loose, the Irish backers can’t get their hands on him, so if QB Brandon Kirsch gets time to throw, Bryant should be open for a nice, little catch and run.
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At that point, the Irish might need to roll safety Tom Zbikowski into Bryant’s area and at least give the Irish a chance to stay with him down field. This will be an interesting chess match to follow on Saturday, but no matter how Notre Dame chooses to ‘cover’ Bryant, he should get at least 8 to 10 touches. ---college football---
c. Sack Time, Part Deux – To say that the Purdue DE, Ray Edwards and Anthony Spencer, dominated the line of scrimmage last year, well, that would be about as accurate a statement as you could make. Although Quinn torched the Purdue secondary for 400+ yards, Spencer and Edwards made a statement as well. The duo had 4.5 sacks, the same number of tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles.---college football---
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About the only thing that they didn’t do was go into the stands and sell popcorn. But, if the Irish passing game is going to have the same type of success, OT Ryan Harris and Mark LeVoir are going to have to have the game of their life. However, the key is going to be, similar to last week for Minnesota, pounding on the dynamic duo in the run game as much, and as effectively, as possible. Last week, the Purdue DE combined for a total of one tackle for a loss and weren’t even able to get heat on Bryan Cupito. The Irish will mix in more pass than Minnesota, which still puts Harris and LeVoir one-on-one with Edwards and Spencer. If the Irish tackles keep them out of the backfield, Quinn should have another big day, but don’t expect this Boiler duo to be held in check for a second consecutive week.---college football---

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Conclusion – Although the Boiler offense is still trying to figure out its identity (run heavy? Spread option? Air attack?), the key to their success is QB Kirsch. The gutty signal caller was instrumental in the Purdue comeback last week, and should be again this week. Purdue won’t see a better running team than what they saw last week, and even in that vein, they did slow Maroney significantly in the second half. But, as much as you hate to say a loss is good for your team, Purdue may have gotten more out of their loss to Minnesota than had they escaped with a narrow victory. At home, expect them to get back in the W column. Purdue – 31 vs. Notre Dame – 28---college football---
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2005-10-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- D.J. Shockley watched the second half from the bench. His left knee was propped up and heavily wrapped. A pair of crutches were at his side. With its senior quarterback sidelined by a sprained knee, No. 4 Georgia hardly had the look of a championship contender.
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Little-used Joe Tereshinski took over for Shockley and the Bulldogs barely survived against Arkansas, a nearly three-touchdown underdog that gave Georgia all it could handle before losing 23-20 on Saturday.
Coach Mark Richt doesn't think Shockley will need surgery or miss the rest of the season, but he's doubtful for the annual "Cocktail Party" game against bitter rival Florida next weekend.
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"We're expecting to get him back this season," Richt said. "We just don't know when."
So, Tereshinski will spend the upcoming week preparing for his first career start against a team the Bulldogs have beaten only twice in the last 15 meetings.
"We can still accomplish our goals. We will accomplish our goals," nose tackle Ray Gant vowed. "No one man makes the Georgia Bulldogs."---college football---
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But the Bulldogs (7-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) weren't nearly as effective on offense after Shockley went down with about 10 minutes to go in the first half. They finished with only 217 yards -- less than half of their SEC-leading average of 454 -- despite facing a defense that ranked 11th in the conference at 424 yards per game.---college football---
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After Tereshinski came in, Georgia basically turned the game over to its defense and special teams.
The Bulldogs didn't take any chances in the red zone, settling for three field goals by Brandon Coutu.
Tim Jennings made a leaping interception just four plays after Shockley was hurt, leading to a touchdown that gave Georgia a 14-0 lead. Tyson Browning had a 52-yard kickoff return that set up a field goal. Coutu's final 3-pointer came after Peyton Hillis fumbled a punt, with Mike Gilliam recovering for the Bulldogs at the Arkansas 19.---college football---

"The defense definitely had a lot of pressure on it after D.J. went down," Gant said. "The things he can do, he means so much to this team. To lose a guy like that is devastating."
Tereshinski did just enough to keep the Bulldogs on course for a spot in the SEC championship game. They would likely clinch the Eastern Division title with a victory over the Gators.
"When your number is called, you've got to be ready," said Tereshinski, who was 5-of-9 for 91 yards. "I think I'm ready."---college football---

The junior came up big on his third snap of the game, converting a third-and-5 with a 16-yard pass to Mohamed Massaquoi just short of the end zone. Brannan Southerland dove over for a 1-yard touchdown on the next play.
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Tereshinski also completed the longest pass of his career, a 43-yarder to Sean Bailey. That led to Coutu's 32-yard field goal just before halftime and sent the Bulldogs to the locker room up 17-7 -- just enough of a cushion, as it turned out.
The Razorbacks (2-5, 0-4) managed to keep things close, largely because of Darren McFadden. He rushed for 190 yards to set a couple of Arkansas freshman records. He also scored a pair of touchdowns, the first on a stunning 70-yard run.---college football---

"I've never been more proud of a football team than I am today," Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said. "They laid their hearts and guts out for 60 minutes. They went toe-to-toe with the No. 4 team in the country."
McFadden scored on a 1-yard run with 4:53 remaining, pulling Arkansas within a field goal. But Gordon Ely-Kelso punted Arkansas back to its own 7-yard line with just more than two minutes left, and Georgia's defense held. Will Thompson had a big sack to help finish off the Razorbacks.---college football---

Shockley, who waited three years behind David Greene for his chance to start, came into the game as the top-rated passer in the SEC and 13th nationally. He also provided a threat with his running ability, but that's what got him in trouble when he took off up the middle on a third-and-15 play, went down awkwardly on the tackle and twisted his left knee.
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Shockley hobbled to the bench and was in obvious pain as the training staff worked on his leg. Just before halftime, he limped to the locker room to a standing ovation from the Sanford Stadium crowd, done for the day, though he did return to the sideline on crutches to watch the second half. From time to time, teammates came over to console him.
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Tereshinski, normally used in mop-up roles, had a couple of crucial mistakes, botching a handoff (leading to a fumble that was recovered by Arkansas) and throwing an interception. But Georgia remained unbeaten, which was the main priority.
"I didn't feel nervous," Tereshinski said. "I just focused on what I had to do out there. Everyone stepped up when they had to for us."---college football---
McFadden took advantage of an injury depleted Georgia defense, setting Arkansas freshman records for rushing yards in a game -- he broke the old mark by the end of the third quarter -- and a season, with four more games to add to his mark.
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The Razorbacks kept everyone guessing on their quarterback, giving four players work with the first team during practice. After all that, sophomore Robert Johnson started his seventh straight game and went the distance. He completed 11-of-19 for 116 yards.
Chris Balseiro kicked a pair of field goals for Arkansas, but also missed a 45-yarder early in the fourth quarter that might have altered the outcome.---college football---

"Well, it's good to win," a relieved Richt said. "We certainly could have lost it."
Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.---college football---

2005-10-11T09:54:00.001-07:00

Red-headed grandchild scores big at ECU football game
Mike Parker
Freedom ENC

On Saturday, Oct. 1, I had the privilege of introducing my grandson Jaxen to the marvelous world of college football. - College Football -

When Lydia asked if I could keep him, I told her I had tickets to East Carolina's game, so if Jaxen stayed with me, he would have to go to the game. She assured me Jaxen would enjoy afootball outing with Papa.

Frankly, I was a little apprehensive. We would have to make a hefty walk from our parking spot to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Would a crowd of 35,000-plus intimidate the little fellow?

Still, I had a few aces in the hole. Food, for one. Jaxen likes hot dogs, pizza, Skittles, popcorn, and gummy bears - and the concession stands offer all these and more. Jaxen's beverages of choice are milk or water, and the concession stands sell water. - College Football -

My seats in the upper deck provide a commanding view of the field. Would Jaxen appreciate that view? Restrooms are right around the corner, so potty breaks would not be a problem.

When traveling with a small child, cover all essentials.

The game started, the crowd cheered, the cannon boomed - and Jaxen held his ears.

"It's loud," he observed.

"Yes. Remember: Papa told you it would be loud."

Then Jaxen discovered the railing in front of my seats and quickly found he could stand on the railing to improve his view. - College Football -

As he stood on the second rail directly in front of me, he suddenly turned loose and fell back into me. Although startled, I caught him. Jaxen had just invented the game he would play the rest of the first half.

He would yell "Drop!" and then fall backwards into my arms. After four or five drops, he'd turn his face toward mine. - College Football -

"Is it over yet?"

"No, not yet," I'd reply.

"Yes, it is," he would assure me.

"No, it isn't," I'd mutter, looking around him to see the action on the field.

"Yes it is," he'd sing-song back. - College Football -

"Jaxen, you don't get to say when the game is over. See that clock on the scoreboard. It will tell us when the game is over."

After a potty run at the half, we stopped at the concession stands - again. During the first half, he ate a hot dog sans bun, the biggest part of a slice of Papa John's pizza, and most of a bag of Skittles.

At the start of the second half, he asked for gummy bears. I noted that the gummy bears were mostly fruit juice, so I acquiesced. Instead of playing "Drop!" and asking his favorite question, he sat beside me, or on me, and consumed gummy bears. Then he began working on a tub of popcorn. - College Football -

Just how wired will this kid be on the way home?

I needn't have worried. Before we cleared the Greenville city limits I heard a deep, raspy breathing from the car seat in the backseat - and knew that Jaxen had run off-tackle to that great dreamland end zone. - College Football -

Sunday morning I asked him if he enjoyed the game.

"Yes, sir!" he said.

I am not certain which game he meant, but I am pretty sure he was not talking about football.

The Free Press.

2005-10-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

Sycamore smackdown: Indiana State football runs losing streak to 12 games

By Todd Golden/Tribune-Star

Indiana State's football team was convinced it was poised to crest the psychological hump it has been trying to overcome since October 2004, when the Sycamores earned their last victory.

Instead, the Sycamores rolled right back down the hill. Never coming close to gaining a foothold that would earn them a victory. - College Football -

Youngstown State proved it was a legitimate Gateway Football Conference contender Saturday as the Penguins manhandled the Sycamores 45-0 in front of 2,310 at Memorial Stadium.

The loss extends ISU's losing streak to 12, which is the longest major college streak in the nation. The loss also clinched the Sycamores' ninth-straight losing season.

The defeat, especially the resounding nature of it, was galling to the Sycamores, who led Division I-AA No. 3 Western Kentucky in the fourth quarter last week. Most players believed the matchup with the Penguins (5-1, 2-0) afforded them the opportunity to earn that elusive first win. - College Football -

”We expected to win this game. Coming off the disappointment of last week, we felt real good about this one. I think we come out of this one more heartbroken,“ said ISU receiver Carl Berman, one of ISU's few bright spots with five receptions for 109 yards.

ISU's depth was cut down by injuries. Youngsters Cory Blunk and Shelby Smith earned their first significant playing time at defensive tackle, as Anipati Mailo missed the game and Prenny Stokes played hurt. Alexander Thomas made his first start at wide receiver, replacing Markus Naves.

But the kick in the gut from ISU's perspective was the loss of right tackle Fred Staugh, one of the Gateway's best lineman. Staugh suffered a last-minute infection in his shin and was held out as a precaution. He's expected to return to practice Tuesday. - College Football -

”It was an all-of-a-sudden type of infection. The doctors decided to keep him out to avoid having the hit on. They think it came from Athlete's Foot,“ ISU Coach Lou West said. ”It was something we didn't initially think was serious, but we wanted to take precautions to make sure it didn't get worse.“ - College Football -

ISU (0-6, 0-2) was ravaged by injuries, but there were also plenty of occasions where injuries had nothing to do with ISU miscues. Ill-timed penalties, missed tackles, and special teams mistakes were rampant and all contributed to YSU's dominance of the first half as it led 35-0.

”Ninety percent of it was execution. Even though those guys aren't starters, they're football players. I expect them to block, tackle, catch the football. I make no excuses for kids who miss tackles,“ West said.

YSU continually bruised and battered ISU up the middle, as the Penguins gained 379 yards rushing, much of it between the tackles as Marcus Mason (152 yards) and Monquantae Gibson (99 yards) tortured the Sycamores. The Penguins had 238 rushing yards at the half and their first three touchdowns were on runs up the middle. - College Football -

”We were able to sustain drives and keep things going. We played well,“ YSU Coach Jon Heacock said.

ISU's offense had little in response, dogged by poor field position and mistakes of its own. ISU's converted none of its six third down conversions in the first half, on its way to a 1-of-11 mark for the game. The Sycamores' best chance to make a game of it went by the wayside on the first play of the second quarter. On 4th-and-1 from the YSU 36, Jamie Petrowski jumped offside, and ISU punted, never to threaten contention again.

YSU used the run to set up the pass with backup quarterback Vince Gliatta in the second quarter as Gliatta threw touchdown passes to Demetrious Ison and Damian Wright to give YSU a 35-0 halftime lead. - College Football -

It doesn't get any easier for ISU. The Sycamores travel to No. 7 Northern Iowa next Saturday, followed by its Homecoming game against No. 2 Southern Illinois. The Salukis may be No. 1 by Monday, as current No. 1 New Hampshire lost on Saturday.

”We needed to win to change that mentality of how others see us as,“ said ISU defensive end Madison Miller. ”We were so close [last week], but it just slipped away.“ - College Football -

Copyright © 2005 Tribune-Star

2005-10-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

LOUGH COLUMN: First Harris poll as odd as its voters

By Michael A. Lough
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER

College football fans waited eagerly, tuning into their favorite sports network or peering over their keyboards. - College Football -

The suspense of the first Harris Interactive Poll of the season was immense.

After all, it was voted on by a panel that included the son-in-law of a coach and had 114 people of varying jobs, access, objectivity and agendas. And pulse rates. Former coach John Mackovic wondered eloquently about the qualifications in an interview with the Palm Springs (Cal.) Desert Sun:

"There are several people on the panel who have long since departed their active roles in football. ... To tell you the truth, I did not know a couple of them were still alive."

Oh my.

But the Harris gathering is making the writers and coaches look good.

Idaho is 0-4. Got five points. Apparently somebody didn't take their Metamucil. There were concerns that whoever took the poll over the phone might have misheard the vote, that maybe "Iowa" sounded like "Idaho."

Maybe not.

One win against an overrated ranked team does not a ranking make, but South Florida at 2-2 got more points than 3-0 Nebraska. Syracuse at 1-2 got a vote.

Somebody likes the Mid-American Conference, because 1-2 Bowling Green got more points than 3-1 Toledo. - College Football -

The Harris gang voted for 50 teams. There are 119 Division I-A teams. I'd not be surprised if somebody tried to sneak in some Division I-AA teams.

The good news is that nobody nodded off while voting for the top dozen or so teams, for there was nothing outlandish. Interesting how similar a poll out for the first time in late September matches the ones that began with the preseason. - College Football -

Assorted media folks went goofy with the poll and some of its silliness, forgetting that it was only the first one and some kinks. Plus, hey, it's a production of the BCS, and if we know one thing about any production of the BCS, it's this: There will be tweaking.

Plenty of tweaking.

Alumni update

Gardner-Webb senior running back George Pressley (Westside) is averaging 54.7 yards rushing, third-best on the team. He has 1,214 yards on 233 rushes in his career at G-W, racking up a career-high 149 yards last November against Charleston Southern.

Two more Middle Georgians are on the G-W roster: running back Bryan Wallace (Dublin) and offensive tackle Jordan Sikes (Toombs County). ... - College Football -

Nebraska defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith (Stratford) is 13th in tackles with seven, with two sacks on the list. The Huskers lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing 5.3 points a game. ...

Wide receiver/returner Willie Reid (Warner Robins) is expected to play today when Florida State hosts Syracuse (ABC regional telecast). ...

Defensive back Ronnie Jackson (Windsor) had a team-high nine tackles in Central Michigan's 40-3 loss to Penn State two weeks ago. ...

Jeremy Wiggins (Northeast) is the leading tackler at Appalachian State with 41 stops, 12 better than the No. 2 Mountaineer. ...

Quarterback Adrian Johnson (Peach County) is second in rushing at Clark Atlanta with 49.8 yards a game, and is completing 37.5 percent of his passes (24 of 64) for 77 yards a game. ...

Defensive lineman Johnny Williams (Southwest) is fourth in tackles for Tuskegee with 16, including a sack. ...

Quarterback Justin Tyler (Jones County) is at Arkansas-Monticello, a Valdosta State rival in the Gulf South Conference, and is listed as a junior. He hasn't played yet this season. ...

Houston County's Kyle Moore in in the equation for top-ranked Southern Cal this year as a true freshman.

The 6-foot-7 defensive end had a fumble recovery in the opener against Hawaii, but has been sidelined with a sprained knee. He's listed as possible for tonight's game against Oregon and is listed as the No. 2 defensive end on one side. - College Football -

Gridmouthings

A sign things might return to normal in Statesboro: Georgia Southern is second nationally in Division I-AA rushing with 387.5 yards a game. - College Football -

A problem? The Eagles are 103rd in rush defense, giving up 224.3 yards each Saturday. ...

The Conference Call radio show started a nice discussion a few days ago:

Why is Alabama getting more poll love than Auburn?

Auburn was, yes, upset in the season opener by a team that despite a pounding last week remains ranked.

And that's the only opponent for either team so for that's likely to reach a bowl.

Alabama is 15th and 16th while Auburn is tied for 25th and unranked. In the new Harris poll, two-loss Michigan is 25th, but no Auburn. - College Football -

The Tigers have to dispatch unpredictable South Carolina today, while Alabama is an underdog against Florida. Other games today that may help Auburn rise: No. 13 Notre Dame at No. 22 Purdue, unbeaten Kansas at No. 16 Texas Tech, No. 1 Southern Cal at No. 14 Arizona State, No. 18 Minnesota at undefeated Penn State, and No. 23 Iowa State at 3-0 Nebraska. ...

Southern Cal is fallible.

The Trojans fall around the midway point of I-A statistically in pass efficiency defense (52nd, 119.21 points), net punting (54th, 35 yards a boot), 92nd in punt returns (5.4 yards a return, amazing since they should be well-versed in it), and 68th in pass defense (234.3 yards a game allowed). - College Football -

OK, being second in total offense (615.67 yards, 38 yards behind Texas Tech) and scoring offense (59.3 ppg, seven behind Texas Tech) sort of makes up for all that.

2005-09-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

Alcorn State-Southeastern Louisiana game postponed

LORMAN, Miss. -- The Alcorn State-Southeastern Louisiana football game scheduled for Thursday night in Hammond, La., has been moved to Saturday because of problems caused by Hurricane Katrina, Alcorn State said Tuesday.

Officials said kickoff would be at 4 p.m. CDT.

''From what I hear, Hammond was hit harder than we were so it's probably good we're playing the game a couple of days later,'' Alcorn State coach Johnny Thomas said. ''It should give them more time to clean up. Considering everything that has happened with this hurricane, we're just happy to be playing, regardless of what day it is.''

It's the second straight hurricane-related postponement for Alcorn State. The Braves were scheduled to begin their season opener last Saturday against Grambling State, but that game was postponed until Dec. 3.

2005-08-31T08:19:00.000-07:00

COLLEGE:When money isn't there, faith has to be

BY JOHN O'CONNOR

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Football at Virginia and Virginia Tech makes money, with record ticket sales, television revenue and bowl payouts.

At lower levels, football is a religion. You've got to have faith.

Colleges that play the sport in Division I-AA and below rely heavily on student fees and private contributions to offset costs. But there is no discussion about droppingfootball at I-AA William and Mary, Division II Virginia State or Division III Hampden-Sydney, etc., despite the fact that football is not a money-maker.

"In I-AA, football has a value on campus that can't be measured in dollars," said Dave Clawson, the University of Richmond's coach.

Amen, they say at Division II Saint Paul's, which restarted varsity football this season. The 627-student college in Lawrenceville shut down its football program after the'87 season because of financial considerations. Money remains a significant issue at Saint Paul's, but football was rejudged to be a worthwhile component.

Willard Bailey, the veteran coach hired to guide the Tigers, says: "Football adds so much to the aroma of a college campus."

School spirit. Quality of student life. Loyalty. Excitement. Exposure. Alumni involvement. Community interest. These all are part of that unquantifiable "aroma" about which Bailey spoke.

Villanova had bowl teams in 1961 (the Sun Bowl) and 1962 (the Liberty Bowl). Comparable programs built bigger stadiums or expanded existing facilities. Villanova was land-locked, stayed in its 12,000-seat stadium, played most of its notable opponents on the road and suffered competitively. Interest waned. The Wildcats droppedfootball after the 1980 season.

"When the decision was made, it was done very quietly. When it hit the fan, it upset everybody. Alumni immediately went into war mode," said Andy Talley, who assumed leadership of Villanova's restarted program in 1985 and remains the coach. "[Eliminatingfootball] basically stopped alumni giving, and there was all sorts of unrest. Those four years were a very rough time at Villanova."

Villanova still doesn't make money playing football, but, said Talley, "There are so many things a university uses to make that beautiful quilt. Football is part of that. The bottom line is that you have to be willing to make a financial commitment."

2005-08-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

Football Dreams Crash For Some Louisburg College Student-Athletes

Many Players Promised Spot On Team Find Themselves On Bleachers

LOUISBURG, N.C. -- A coaching controversy has some students packing their bags before classes start at Louisburg College.
More than 100 students found out they did not make the football team even though coach Tim Newman promised them a spot."He told me that he could use somebody with my size, my height on the defense and I was guaranteed a spot," said John Taylor, who was cut from the team.College officials will not say why, but they admitted Newman recruited too many athletes."[It was] really more than the college could accommodate on a football program. That was a concern that we had," said Dr. Reginald Ponder, president of Louisburg College.Newman said he was not given a warning."I'm really saddened for the players and the parents paying $19,000 to attend Louisburg and then they pulled the carpet out from under their feet," Newman said."After this whole thing, I don't want to play football anymore," said Jeremy Samuels, who was cut from the team.The NAACP met with school leaders. Newman said a lawsuit is probable.

WRAL.com

2005-08-16T07:56:00.000-07:00

2005 PREVIEW: Purdue Boilermakers

O.K. now this should be the year Purdue is one of college football's elite teams again. After starting out like a house of fire throwing up 189 points in the first four games, the wheels came off in the close games losing in brutal fashion in back to back to back to back weeks against Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern and Iowa. The season didn't end any better with a heart-ripping last second loss in the Sun Bowl to Arizona State. That's five games decided by 14 points. Five games, the team's only losses, that could've easily swung the other way. Who wins those types of close games? Veteran teams. Purdue has 41 returning lettermen and 20 returning starters including everyone back on defense. In other words, look out.
Even with the big personnel losses like quarterback Kyle Orton and top receiver Taylor Stubblefield there's hope for more explosiveness on offense with the exciting Brandon Kirsch finally getting his turn as the starting quarterback and a slew of talented receivers ready to make him look great. The defensive line is one of the best in the nation, and the back seven makes up for it's lack of all-around talent with heart and tackling ability. - College Football -
So now the question is whether or not the team knows how to close the tight games. With the Big Ten looking as strong as ever from top to bottom, there won't be any room for inconsistency. This is the best team head coach Joe Tiller has had since Drew Brees led the way to the 2000 Rose Bowl. If you want your deep sleeper to get to Pasadena, this is it because ....
The Schedule: There's no Ohio State or Michigan on the slate. Merry frickin' Christmas. The tough road trips are at Minnesota, Wisconsin and Penn State, and all are very winnable for a team as good as Purdue will be. Iowa will be the only real concern coming in a week after the high-profile Notre Dame showdown. Things couldn't close out any easier than against Illinois and at Indiana. - College Football -
Best Offensive Player: Senior TE Charles Davis. While not the team's flashiest offensive player, the 6-6, 260-pound Davis is a fantastic all-around talent as a great blocker and great hands.
Best Defensive Player: Junior DE Ray Edwards. The 6-6, 270-pound junior is an NFL millionaire waiting his turn to step to the next level. He has too much quickness for a player of his size, and he's a rock against the run. - College Football -
Key player to a successful season: Junior QB Brandon Kirsch. The junior is a high-energy playmaker who loves to improvise and makes things happen on the fly. That's not always a positive trait in this offense. While there are issues on the offensive line and in the pass defense, everything is in place for a huge season, but Kirsch has to be a star.
The season will be a success if ... Purdue wins the Big Ten title. Who knows when the Boilermakers will have this much experience again, and you don't miss the league's big two teams every year. - College Football -
Key game: October 8th vs. Iowa. Let's put the pressure on; with a win over the loaded Hawkeyes, Purdue will win the Big Ten title. There are other landmines along the way, but Iowa is the biggest bad boy on the slate. - College Football -
2004 Fun Stats: - Second quarter scoring: Purdue 105 - Opponents 37- Sacks: Purdue 35 for 228 yards - Opponents 31 for 207 yards- Average yards per play: Purdue 5.9 - Opponents 4.9

Pete Fiutak / CollegeFootballNews

2005-08-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Survey reveals 3 prep football players died from heatstroke in '04

CHAPEL HILL -- Scorching summer temperatures across much of the nation this month, including record-breaking highs, have prompted a University of North Carolina injury expert to issue a special warning about football players as practice for the 2005 season gets underway."Football practice is beginning around the country, and the weather is just brutal in many states," said Dr. Frederick Mueller, professor and chair of exercise and sport science in UNC's College of Arts and Sciences. - College Football -
"Coaches, players, parents and others need to take extra precautions to prevent heatstroke and heatstroke deaths."In 2002 and 2003, no heatstroke deaths occurred among U.S. football players, but last year, there were three, Mueller said."Players die from hidden medical conditions and from freakish accidents just about every year, but no athlete should ever die from getting too hot during practice or games," he said. "Such tragedies are 100 percent preventable."Twenty-four healthy players have died needlessly from heatstroke since 1995, an average of two and half a year, Mueller said."Players should get all the water they want in practice and have frequent cooling-off breaks," he said. "Shorter practices and non-contact drills during which players don't wear helmets can help prevent heatstroke and also reduce accidents."Coaches and trainers need to keep a close watch on temperatures and humidity, especially in August and September. - College Football -
Practices should be held early or late in the day, and if it's too hot, coaches need to consider canceling them for a day or so until temperatures and humidity drop."Players should be encouraged to tell coaches or trainers if they don't feel good," Mueller said. "They should never be made to feel weak if they have trouble. Although many coaches used to do that and thought it was the right thing, now we understand that can be disastrous."Mueller, chairman of the American Football Coaches' Committee of Football Injuries, directs the UNC-based National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injuries. - College Football -
Each year, the center produces reports on deaths and severe injuries from amateur and professional sports. The goal is to make football and other sports safer, he said.Reports are based partly on newspaper stories from around the United States collected and submitted by about 150 volunteers who monitor sports accidents, along with information from the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the National Federation of State High School Associations.Four high school and one youth league players died from injuries suffered on the playing field during 2004, including four from head injuries, Mueller said.Another 10 deaths resulted from "indirect" causes such as heatstroke, heart conditions, sickle cell disease and lightning. The cause of three could not be undetermined. - College Football -
"Besides heatstroke, another growing concern was the rise last year in the number of catastrophic injuries involving some kind of permanent paralysis," he said. "Last year, there were 12, mostly among high school players, and that was the first year since 1990 that there were more than 10."Coaches need to remind players often that the head has no place in football, he said.No one should make first contact with his -- or her -- head when blocking and tackling.That's against the rules, but more importantly, it's dangerous.Between 1960 and 2003, 101 players died from heatstroke, Mueller said. Eight players died from heatstroke in 1970 alone, the highest one-year total. - College Football -
Before 1955, no heatstroke deaths were recorded among football players.Few schools and homes could afford air-conditioning, and it was likely players were better acclimated to hot weather.About 1.5 million junior high school and high school students play football in the United States each year.Colleges and universities field about 75,000 players.

DAVID WILLIAMSON, UNC NEWS SERVICES

2005-07-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

Site predicts mediocre seasons for USC, Clemson

CollegeFootballNews.com continued its college football preview last week with a look at South Carolina. - College Football -
The prediction for the Gamecocks is a 5-6 record, with wins against Central Florida, Troy, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Florida. - College Football -
"Despite losing top runner Demetris Summers and dealing with a host of other off-the-field issues (not to mention impending probation), this is a better team than Spurrier and others are saying it is," Pete Fiutak writes. "No, it isn't good enough to win the East, but there are some great pieces in place, from a stellar secondary and physical if inexperienced front seven to a pair of offensive tackles (Jabari Levey and Na'Shan Goddard) as good as there is in the league.
"What there isn't is a fun 'n' gun quarterback to open up the offense with, but there will be far more downfield passes and a lot more fun than Gamecock fans have had in recent years. It'll be an interesting ride." - College Football -
Fiutak writes that the season will be a success if "South Carolina finishes third or higher in the East. With Florida, Georgia and Tennessee all thinking they have a shot at the national title, finishing in the upper (half) of the division with this flawed team would be a fantastic first step for the Spurrier era." - College Football -
According to the article, the Gamecocks' 10 best players are, in order, free safety Ko Simpson, Levey, Goddard, running back Cory Boyd, linebacker Ricardo Hurley, cornerback Fred Bennett, running back Daccus Turman, wide receiver Syvelle Newton, tight end Andy Boyd and cornerback Johnathan Joseph. - College Football -
Fiutak believes Carlos Thomas, a wide receiver from College Park, Ga., is the star of USC's 2005 recruiting class. Fiutak lists Brandon Isaac, a safety from Georgia Military College, and Shea McKeen, a defensive end from Mays Landing, N.J., as impact newcomers
The site also previewed Clemson recently and predicted a 6-5 record, with wins against Texas A&M, Maryland, Boston College, Temple, Duke and South Carolina. - College Football -
"Clemson is a team looking to become more relevant in a land of fantastic teams," Fiutak writes. "This is a program that thinks of itself as one of the elite, even though it hasn't been in years, and appears ready to make a leap and become an actual ACC title contender."
Fiutak says the season will be a success if "Clemson finishes second in the Atlantic Division. They aren't better than Florida State, but the Tigers wouldn't mind the November 12th showdown to be for the division title. Winning the Atlantic is asking a bit too much for this slightly flawed team, but it can be in the hunt." - College Football -
The key game, Fiutak believes, is against Maryland, the second game of the season. "Clemson had a win over Georgia Tech in hand in the second game of last season, but lost in brutal fashion and didn't pull up out of a nose dive until a month later. A loss to Maryland in the ACC opener might be a huge blow for morale just when a pumped-up and much better Miami (team) blows into town." - College Football -
Fiutak names James Davis, a running back from Atlanta, the star of Clemson's 2005 recruiting class. Fiutak's impact recruits are Chris Chancellor, a defensive back from Miami, and Barry Humphries, an offensive lineman from Honea Path.

BRIAN SHOEMAKER
Columnist

2005-07-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

Michigan appears solid at quarterback
Henne looks stronger and is studying the game intensely, and Gutierrez is healthy.

A look at the college football season, which is less than two months away.
Q: Quarterback Chad Henne returns for his sophomore season at Michigan with a pretty solid year of starting under his belt. But with backup Clayton Richard leaving for baseball and Matt Gutierrez coming off shoulder surgery, how will Michigan fare at the position?
A: The good news is Henne looks physically stronger than he did last season, and he seems even more determined to know the playbook and opponents' tendencies, based on all the extra film viewing he's doing this summer. The other bit of good news is Gutierrez, who showed signs during practice last spring he has healed well, is indeed healthy and ready to compete for the starting job. - College Football -
Obviously, it would be difficult to unseat Henne, but expect to see an extremely determined Gutierrez getting playing time during the nonconference schedule.
Q: Michigan has a deep group of running backs. Will there be enough room in the backfield for all of them? - College Football -
A: Hard to say, but this much is true -- they will have to wait their turn behind sophomore Michael Hart. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Hart is expected to get the bulk of carries this fall, but the element of surprise is gone. Teams will be more geared to stop Hart, which probably means a bit more playing time for sophomore Max Martin and freshman Kevin Grady.
Hart and Grady will be in the backfield together and will prove a formidable pair. But Martin will be the key. His position coach, Fred Jackson, already has said he's the fastest big back Michigan has had since Tyrone Wheatley. Hart is smaller and shifty and difficult to bring down while Grady is short, strong and barrels through defenders. With that kind of changeup in looks -- defenses should be kept on their heels. - College Football -
Q: Michigan State will be without receiver Agim Shabaj, who will miss the season after being declared academically ineligible. Shabaj, who would be a senior this season, was Michigan State's third-leading receiver last year, and he was the leading receiver in 2003. How big a hit is this for the Spartans? - College Football -
A: The Spartans have enough depth at receiver right now that Shabaj's loss is not a major hit. During his career, Shabaj has been oft-injured and in coach John L. Smith's doghouse for off-the-field issues. His production fell off after a quick start last fall.
The top candidates to replace Shabaj at the slot are Jerramy Scott and redshirt freshman Carl Grimes. Although the receiving corps is not loaded with nationally known talent, it is a solid group and should be productive. - College Football -
Q: Which Big Ten teams will others in the conference not want to face this fall?
A: Michigan State and Penn State appear to be the two teams with the potential to upset the favorites.
If quarterback Drew Stanton stays healthy, Michigan State could push itself into the upper tier of Big Ten contenders. - College Football -
And Penn State is due, simple as that.
The Nittany Lions are 7-17 the last 24 games, and coach Joe Paterno has said there will be a turnaround this fall. The biggest thing Penn State has going for it is its defense, which returns nine starters.

Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News

2005-07-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

New poll incorporated into BCS formula
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: New poll of coaches and players replaces the Associated Press poll.

NEW YORK - The Bowl Championship Series has a new poll, one that begins a month into the college football season and will include former coaches and players, plus media members.
Called the Harris Interactive College Football Poll, it will rank the top 25 teams on a weekly basis, starting Sept. 25. Plans call for 114 voters. - College Football -
The BCS has said it would like to see the elimination of preseason polls, which some believe give highly touted teams an unfair headstart in the rankings.
"This allows for some games to be played in the current season rather than allow teams to be ranked purely on preseason expectations," BCS coordinator and Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said Monday during a conference call. - College Football -
The season's first BCS standings will be released Oct. 17.
The new poll replaces the Associated Press poll, which the BCS had used in its formula for ranking teams since 1998. Last season, however, the AP told the BCS it could no longer use its media poll.
In addition to the new poll, the BCS will continue to use the USA Today coaches' poll and a compilation of six computer rankings -- each counting for one-third of a team's grade. The coaches will continue with a preseason ballot. - College Football -
Recently, ESPN pulled out of participating in the coaches poll.
The coaches agreed to have their final ballots made public for the first time this season. The new Harris poll will take the same approach, releasing only the final ballots.
"We thought it was important for there to be consistency with the two human polls," Weiberg said. "To make the ballots public on a weekly basis during the season, we feel the focus would be on who voted for whom and detract from the games being played."
Weiberg said voters in the new poll will be allowed to make their votes public at any point in the season if they choose. - College Football -
The AP preseason poll will be released Aug. 20, with the first regular-season poll Sept. 6. The AP national champion will be crowned after the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4. Ballots of AP poll voters are made public all season.
Last season, Southern California and Oklahoma held the top two spots in both the AP and coaches' polls in the preseason and kept those positions throughout undefeated regular seasons.
Auburn, which began the season ranked in the teens in the polls, went unbeaten but never could pass the Trojans and Sooners. The Tigers did manage to tie Oklahoma in the AP poll for one week late in the season. - College Football -
All three teams finished the regular season unbeaten and USC and Oklahoma played for the national title in the Orange Bowl. Auburn went to the Sugar Bowl, finished the season 13-0 and had to settle for a final ranking of No. 2 behind national champion USC.
Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said the preseason rankings put his team at a disadvantage because they had too much ground to make up in the BCS standings before games were even played.
Harris Interactive Inc., a marketing company hired by the BCS last month to coordinate the new poll, is in the process of compiling a panel from 300 possible participants. Voters' names will be made public and all 11 Division I-A conferences and independent teams will be represented in the panel. - College Football -
Each conference nominated 10 people to be placed into a pool of possible poll voters.

RALPH D. RUSSOASSOCIATED PRESS

2005-07-06T11:44:00.000-07:00

3 fledgling networks trying to give it the college try
Heated competition among TV rivals means more live games for football fans.

Despite relatively small distribution, the three fledgling cable outlets devoted to college sports will mean a lot more televised football games this season.
Among Fox (which includes Fox College Sports), ESPN (which includes ESPNU) and College Sports Television, the number of games will increase from 285 last year to about 405 this year.
The number for this year is an estimate by the outlets because schedules haven't been released. The number of games from the broadcast networks will remain about the same.
"Yes, you're seeing more games, and you're not seeing a drop-off in ratings," ESPN spokesman Mike Humes said. "People are interested."
Bob Thompson, president of Fox Sports Networks, thinks even more games will be available in future years.
The reason is the advent of replay to help officiating. After a trial by the Big Ten Conference last season, the NCAA Football Rules Committee gave permission for all conferences to experiment with replay this season.
Not all leagues are going to use replay this season, but it is a popular idea that is expected to grow.
"You're going to see a level of television production and cameras at virtually every college football game," Thompson said. "If the games are being produced, why just let the replay official see them?"
Fans can already watch the men's basketball NCAA Tournament on the Internet. The Internet easily could be the place for people to watch more college football games.
"They'll be produced at a level that, at minimum, will be OK for the Internet and, with some minor upgrades, for airing on television," Thompson said.
It's a long way from when the NCAA controlled televised college football, limiting the exposure of games and top teams. The association believed that helped protect attendance and gave schools increased bargaining power.
The Supreme Court struck down the NCAA's control in 1984, opening the door for schools and leagues to make their own deals. That led to explosive growth in the number of televised games.
Some say that Supreme Court decision also unleashed the commercial forces that have created many of the problems in modern college sports.
Thompson said college football appeals to television for several reasons, including the viewer demographic of young adult males. Another reason is the fervor with which many fans follow their schools.
Then there's the fact that sports is live reality television. There's relatively little recording and zipping past commercials.
"The programming is relatively DVR- and TiVo-proof," Thompson said. "People tend to watch sports live."
The general increase in television channels gives conference rights-holders more places to show games.
Fox College Sports, introduced last year, is a package of three regional channels (Atlantic, Central, Pacific). It is in 3 million households. It has Big 12 and Pacific-10 games.
ESPNU, introduced earlier this year, is in about 4 million households. It has the power of the ESPN behemoth behind it. ESPNU will have about 75 games for its first football season.
CSTV created the idea of a channel devoted to college sports, making its debut in 2003. It has a rights deal with Conference USA starting this season and the Mountain West Conference starting next season. It's in 10 million households.
All three outlets are available on satellite. In Indianapolis, Comcast and Bright House are among the providers that carry FCS and CSTV on their digital packages.
The college sports channels often have to settle for lower-tier games, even if one or both teams come from a major conference. ESPNU, for example, will televise Indiana University's game Sept. 2 at Central Michigan.
The channels are giving more exposure to traditionally black colleges and other schools.
CSTV has a deal to show Navy's home games, except against Notre Dame and Army.
"Some of those games are ones viewers wouldn't otherwise get a chance to see," Humes said. "There's a fan base for those schools. There is interest."
The competition has sometimes become nasty. CSTV has mocked ESPN's slogan, calling it the "worldwide follower in sports" by creating ESPNU.
CSTV blundered by announcing it had acquired certain rights owned by ESPN to televise games from historically black conferences. When both networks announced a deal with Conference USA, ESPN reportedly quibbled over the size of its logo on the news release.
"I think we can all survive," Thompson said of the college sports channels. "Thrive depends on what level you're talking about."
College cable connection
The addition of ESPNU to the other cable channels devoted to college sports will increase the number of televised college football games this season. This chart shows how many games will be televised by the various outlets. (Broadcast networks such as ABC, NBC and CBS will be about the same as last year.)

Mark Alesia

2005-06-29T07:05:00.000-07:00

Uhl would not be denied in football or baseball

Carl Uhl's high school athletic career was almost finished before it began.
As a freshman, Uhl was in a serious motorcycle accident. He broke his leg and both ankles while making a jump in Pinon Hills, one of the tri-communities that feed into Serrano High School.
He was only 5-foot-6 to begin with, and then he was in a double-cast, tooling around the hilly Serrano campus in a motorized wheelchair. He was about as far away from a CIF-Southern Section title game as one could get.
But Uhl also had ability, having starred in football and baseball on the youth level. More important, he had heart. The latter helped him battle back from the injuries and made him a leader on Serrano's 2004-2005 football and baseball CIF title teams.
Because of his accomplishments, he is The Sun's Boys Athlete of the Year.
"Carl just has that winning edge," Serrano athletic director Gary Weiberg said. "He's a leader and a good athlete, and there's just no quit in him. He has a good attitude, and he gets along with his teammates. If you had one of him every year, you'd do very well."
Serrano certainly excelled this past school year, going 14-0 in football, capped by its pulse-pounding 25-18 CIF D8 title-game victory in Phelan against Palm Springs. Time and again in the first half, the 5-8 Uhl bedeviled the Indians with naked bootleg runs or pinpoint passes.
For the season, Uhl completed 70 of 116 passes (60.3 percent) for 1,315 yards. He threw for 16 touchdowns and had four interceptions.
He was named the MRL's most valuable offensive player.
In baseball, Uhl starred as a center fielder for the 21-1-1 Diamondbacks. He hit .442, was a blur on the base paths (27 stolen bases) and flagged down nearly everything hit his way.
Out of Uhl's 34 hits, 10 were for extra bases, including five doubles and four triples.
On the diamond, as on the football field, he made the All-CIF and Sun All-County teams.
A few days after baseball season ended, Uhl was a draft-and-follow pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates will follow his progress at Chaffey College, where he will play only baseball. The major league team has one year to sign him.
Looking back at all of his accomplishments, even Uhl is amazed.
"I never thought we'd win one title, let alone two," he said. "After we beat Palm Springs (in football), I was standing on the field during the awards ceremony and my knees were shaking, just thinking about it.
"Then after we won football, some of the guys were saying, `Now we have to win baseball.' I just said `Yeah, right.' But after we beat St. Bonaventure (in the semifinals), I knew we had a good chance."
Serrano defeated Santa Fe Springs St. Paul 5-3 in the title game at UC Riverside, with Uhl doubling in his first two at-bats.
After the final out, he sprinted from center field to do a swan dive into the middle of a pack of Serrano players. Later, he did a backflip in right field before a team photo was taken.
His spirit and enthusiasm was infectious all year long.
"Carl's just a winner," Serrano baseball coach Joe Knowlton said. "When he steps on that field, he's all about winning. He works hard, has a great personality and enjoys every game he plays. He plays the game the way you want kids to play."
By John Murphy, Staff Writer

Boston College Eagle Football

2005-06-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

Boston College Eagle Football