West Virginia Mountaineers

Oct. 15---College Football---
West Virginia 46 ... Louisville 44 3OT---College Football---
Steve Slaton scored six touchdowns, all coming in second half and overtime, with his final run putting West Virginia ahead, and then Pat White added the two-point conversion on two-point conversion throw to Dorrell Jalloh. Louisville answered with Michael Bush's fourth touchdown of the day, but the two point conversion attempt came up shot as QB Brian Brohm was stopped by Eric Weeks on the one. The Cardinals had a 24-7 lead late in the third quarter, but West Virginia got a field goal and two Slaton touchdowns runs, including a one-yard score with one minute to play, in the final 8:16 to force overtime.---College Football---
Player of the game: West Virginia RB Steve Slaton ran 31 times for 188 yards and five touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 20 yards and a score.---College Football---
Stat Leaders: West Virginia - Passing: Adam Bednarik, 8-16, 60 yds, 1 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Steve Slaton, 31-188, 5 TD. Receiving: Darius Reynaud, 3-46---College Football---
Louisville - Passing: Brian Brohm, 31-49, 277 yds, 2 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Michael Bush, 37-159, 4 TD. Receiving: Joshua Tinch, 13-130, 1 TD---College Football---
What to take away from this game: West Virginia showed tremendous heart making the comeback against Louisville just to force overtime, and then it was all Steve Slaton in overtime turning into even more of a workhorse with starting QB Adam Bednarik out. The key now will be to forget about this win as soon as possible. Louisville knows how tough it is to play at South Florida, and West Virginia's Big East title hopes can be derailed, at least momentarily, if the team isn't sharp on the road. Slaton will have to be the key to the offense yet again.
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Oct. 8---College Football---
West Virginia 27 ... Rutgers 14---College Football---
West Virginia started off the scoring on a blocked punt for a touchdown by Thandi Smith, and then quickly got up 21-0 on an 11-yard scoring run from Steve Slaton and a 21-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Myles. Rutgers made a bit of a comeback with two one-yard scoring runs from Brian Leonard, but four turnovers proved too costly. Pat McAfee provided all the scoring in the second half for the Mountaineers with field goals from 45 and 35 yards.
Player of the game: West Virginia RB Steve Slaton ran 25 times for 139 yards and a touchdown. He also led the team with three catches for 35 yards. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: West Virginia - Passing: Adam Bednarik, 9-10, 78 yds, 1 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Steve Slaton, 25-139, 1 TD. Receiving: Steve Slaton, 3-35---College Football---
Rutgers - Passing: Mike Teel, 9-15, 105 yds, 2 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Brian Leonard, 23-76, 2 TD. Receiving: Clark Harris, 4-53---College Football---
What to take away from this game: The Mountaineers did a good job of letting its defense and running game get the job done against Rutgers, but most importantly, they didn't make mistakes winning the turnover battle 4-0. QB Adam Bednarik didn't push the ball deep, but he didn't need to with the running game as effective as it was. No turnovers will be important against Louisville next week, but the offense might have to open it up a bit and take more shots down the field.
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Oct. 1
Virginia Tech 34 ... West Virginia 17---College Football---
Marcus Vick was brilliant completing 15 of 17 passes with two touchdown passes including a 15-yard strike Eddie Royal late in the third quarter effectively put the game out of reach, and closed it out with a four-yard Cedric Humes touchdown run. Pat White, who came in for an injured Adam Bednarik, threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Mike Villagrana and a 46-yard touchdown pass to Dorrell Jalloh in the second quarter, but the Hokie defense held the Mountaineers out of the end zone in the second half. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Virginia Tech QB Marcus Vick completed 15 of 17 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran 14 times for 70 yards and a touchdown. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Virginia Tech - Passing: Marcus Vick, 215-17, 177 yds, 2 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Cedric Humes, 22-78, 1 TD. Receiving: Eddie Royal, 6-71, 1 TD---College Football---
West Virginia - Passing: Pat White, 9-11, 85 yds, 2 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Steve Slaton, 11-92. Receiving: Darius Reynaud, 3-20---College Football---
What to take away from this game: The Mountaineers played reasonably well against Virginia Tech, but the offense couldn't keep the chains moving in the second half, and the defense couldn't get Marcus Vick and the Hokie offense off the field, and wasn't able to force any turnovers. For a team like West Virginia that needs its running game and an efficient passing game to beat a team like Virginia Tech, it needed to force some mistakes. Pat White looked sharp in place of Adam Bednarik, but outside of the 46-yard touchdown pass to Dorrell Jalloh, he wasn't able to push the ball downfield enough. ---College Football---
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Sept. 24---College Football---
West Virginia 20 ... East Carolina 15---College Football---
West Virginia survived a sloppy performance and a late East Carolina drive thanks to a 76-yard punt return for a score from Antonio Lewis, a 15-yard touchdown pass to Darius Reynaud and a ten-yard scoring pass to Brandon Myles. East Carolina moved the ball, but could only manage three Robert Lee field goals until Aundra Allison caught an 11-yard touchdown pass with five minutes to play. ---College Football---
Player of the game: West Virginia LB Kevin McLee made 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and half a sack.
Stat Leaders: West Virginia - Passing: Adam Bednarik, 10-12, 116 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Pernell Williams, 17-55. Receiving: Brandon Myles, 6-81, 1 TD
East Carolina - Passing: James Pinkney, 20-33, 204 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Chris Johnson, 12-92. Receiving: Aundra Allison, 10-123, 1 TD
What to take away from this game: It's always good when you can come up with a less-than-stellar effort and get the win. East Carolina gave the Mountaineers a hard time and kept the running game in check, but the passing game stepped up a little bit until the quarterback started throwing picks. Give the defense credit for continually bending, but not breaking forcing field goals on drives that were way too close to turning into touchdowns. The team is going to have to play much, much better to hang around with Virginia Tech next week.---College Football---
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Sept. 17
West Virginia 31 ... Maryland 19---College Football---
West Virginia scored 24 points in a wild fourth quarter with touchdown runs from Owen Schmitt, Pernell Williams and Jason Gwaltney on a 15-yarder with just under five minutes to play to put the game away. Maryland's offense had a hard time getting going finishing with only 50 rushing yards, but got a 73-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis and a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jo Jo Walker in the fourth quarter. West Virginia gained 301 rushing yards.
Player of the game: West Virginia's offensive line paved the way for 301 rushing yards with five players rushing for over 30 yards.---College Football---
Stat Leaders: West Virginia - Passing: Adam Bednarik, 5-6, 57 yds---College Football---
Rushing: Owen Schmitt, 6-80, 1 TD. Receiving: Brandon Myles, 3-52---College Football---
Maryland - Passing: Sam Hollenbach, 20-31, 291 yds, 2 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Mario Merrills, 9-35. Receiving: Derrick Fenner, 6-48---College Football---
What to take away from this game: The Mountaineers might not be the prettiest team around, but it has showed good grit in the fourth quarters on the road against Syracuse and Maryland. They're quietly 3-0 and should be 4-0 after playing East Carolina next week. There has to be more of a passing game if they're going to stay with Virginia Tech in two weeks, but the running game is rumbling as well as ever. The offensive line was tremendous against the Terps.
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Sept. 10
West Virginia 35 ... Wofford 7---College Football---
West Virginia worked in the backups with the starters throughout the game and still came through with an easy win. Adam Bednarik threw a 27-yard touchdown pass and ran for a three-yard score. Pernell Williams and Jason Gwaltney ran for short first half scores, while backup quarterback Pat White ripped off a 48-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter. Wofford's only bright spot was a one-yard Michael Hobbs scoring run late in the third quarter.
Player of the game: West Virginia QB Adam Bednarik completed six of six passes for 90 yards and a touchdown and ran for 43 yards and a score. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: West Virginia - Passing: Adam Bednarik, 6-6, 90 yds, 1 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Pat White, 11-107, 1 TD. Receiving: Brandon Myles, 3-57---College Football---
Wofford - Passing: Josh Collier, 5-9, 70 yds, 2 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Michael Hobbs, 13-40, 1 TD,. Receiving: Shiel Wood, 2-54
What to take away from this game: The easy win over Wofford was exactly what the Mountaineers needed. They were able to get the backups some meaningful work, while the starters looked very sharp. They also didn't give Maryland much to look at by keep the offense relatively vanilla, but it was still effective. Backup QB Pat White is an exciting option in case Adam Bednarik has problems down the road. ---College Football---
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Sept. 3---College Football---
West Virginia 15 ... Syracuse 7---College Football---
This wasn't one for the ages. West Virginia cranked out 339 yards of total offense, but turned it over five times. Syracuse only managed 103 yards of offense and took advantage of a turnover for a five-yard Damien Rhodes touchdown run early in the second quarter. West Virginia scored 15 unanswered points with Erik Wicks picking off a pass for the only Mountaineer touchdown. Pat McAfee connected on field goals of 33 and 26 yards.
Player of the game: West Virginia S Erik Wicks made four tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception for a touchdown---College Football---
Stat Leaders: West Virginia - Passing: Adam Bednarik, 14-21, 104 yds, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Adam Bednarik, 12-72. Receiving: Darius Reynaud, 6-39---College Football---
Syracuse - Passing: Perry Patterson, 15-31, 85 yds, 2 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Damien Rhodes, 16-55, 1 TD. Receiving: Damien Rhodes, 7-21---College Football---
What to take away from this game: The offense couldn't get into the end zone against Syracuse and there weren't any big plays from the passing game, but the Mountaineers found a way to get the job done in a hostile environment. The defense was hitting with serious intensity, and Adam Bednarik had a few decent plays including a great power run. Now the offense has to learn how to hang on to the ball. ---College Football---
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2005 Schedule ---College Football---
Sept. 3 – at Syracuse (5-6, 4-3 in Big East) – Offense: The offense struggled way too much failing to get anything going in the passing game and finishing 100th in the nation in passing. Quarterbacks Perry Patterson and Joe Fields have to be more consistent, but they also need help with a young receiving corps that could struggle early on. The attack is being changed up a bit to throw it more in a West Coast attack, so the opportunities will be there. The offensive line is decent, but non-descript.---College Football---
Defense: The hiring of Greg Robinson as head coach should do nothing but help a defense that slipped into the abyss finishing 101st in the nation. There was little production against the run, nothing happening against the pass, and few clutch stops. There should be an improvement with a ton of returning experience led by a good-looking front seven. The corner is in the secondary where the corners have to make more plays after getting repeatedly torched last season.---College Football---
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Sept. 10 - Wofford
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Sept. 17 – at Maryland (6-5, 3-5 in ACC) - Offense: The Terp offense was non-existent for most of last year averaging a mere 298 yards and 17.7 points per game. Take out the 45-point explosion against woeful Temple and the 55-point destruction of Duke and Maryland would've averaged a mere 10.6 points per outing. Things won't be much better unless there's more production at quarterback. Sam Hollenbach will get the first look, but mobile Jordan Steffy and last year's starter, Joel Statham, will be in the hunt. There's little proven production from the rest of the skills spots, but there's a world of speed and athleticism. The line should be far better; the coaching staff raves about this group.
Defense: Despite some huge losses (Shawne Merriman, Chris Kelley, Dominique Foxworth), last year's 21st best defense should turn out to be fine thanks to D'Qwell Jackson and a sensational linebacking corps. The back seven can move, and there might not be a faster cornerback pair in America than Gerrick McPhearson (4.28 40) and Josh Wilson (4.35). Pass rush is a concern without a true dominator to rely on, so the D will have to manufacture pressure early until young prospects like Trey Covington and Omar Savage can come through.---College Football---
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Sept. 24 - East Carolina (2-9, 2-6 in Conference USA) – Offense: There wasn't any consistency to the offense last year and not nearly enough points against mediocre defenses. Enough experience returns at several key areas to hope for an improvement under new offensive coordinator Steve Shankweiler who's back for his third go-around with East Carolina. Chris Johnson is one of Conference USA's best all-around backs, the receiving corps is fine, and the line won't be horrible, but the shaky quarterback situation needs to work itself out with two redshirt freshmen (Davon Drew and Patrick Pinkney) and an untested junior (Kort Shankweiler) battling it out for the job.
Defense: The defense has been abysmal allowing 39.91 pounds and 457 yards per game last season. There's hope for a quick turnaround with nine returning starters and plenty of competition at many spots. The back seven should be better with Richard Koonce moving from defensive end to outside linebacker and Jamar Flournoiy moving from linebacker to free safety. The line is another matter with no proven pass rush needing Shauntae Hunt and Lorenza Pickett to get into the backfield on a regular basis.---College Football---
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Oct. 1 - Virginia Tech (9-2, 6-2 in ACC) – Offense: The offense was efficient last year, but it didn't move the ball much averaging almost 31 points per game despite only averaging 366 yards. Now this should be a devastating attack as long as Marcus Vick plays like he's supposed to. There are two great quarterback prospects (Sean Glennon and Cory Holt) also in the mix, but Vick is the type of player who can make this loaded attack special. There's too much talent at running back and receiver for one football, and the line is big and will be fine in time. Expect big, explosive numbers, but the question is whether or not someone can pick up the leadership slack left by Bryan Randall.
Defense: While this probably won't be the killer defense it was last year when it finished fourth in the nation and second in scoring defense, it'll still be impressive with a tremendous front four, an experienced linebacking corps, and All-America corner Jimmy Williams leading the secondary. Depth is a bit of a problem in the back seven with decent, but mostly inexperienced prospects being shuffled around to find the right fit. Like always with the Hokies, expect plenty of great athletes, lots of big plays, and another good year.---College Football---
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Oct. 8 – at Rutgers (5-6, 2-5 in Big East) – Offense: QB Ryan Hart will once again lead one of the nation's most productive passing attacks with a loaded receiving corps highlighted by Tres Moses and tight end Clark Harris. Can the attack actually produce points on a regular basis? It struggled wildly with consistency and turnovers while getting nothing from a ground game that averaged 2.5 yards per carry and 83 yards per game. There's way too much experience in the backfield to have a repeat disaster.
Defense: It's an interesting mix of talents and strengths with a great group of ends led by Ryan Neill and an experience linebacking corps, but there has been little in the way of overall results. With many newcomers to the mix last year in key spots, things got rocky finishing 104th in the nation in total defense and 88th in scoring D. The biggest area of improvement should be the secondary where Derrick Roberson and Joe Porter are good looking corners who should be over most of their struggles.---College Football---
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Oct. 15 - Louisville (10-1, 6-1 in Big East) – Offense: Talk about reloading. Louisville loses all-star quarterback Stefan LeFors, NFL-caliber, 20-touchdown running back Eric Shelton, and 73-catch receiver J.R. Russell, but should be just as strong as the offense that was the nation's best last year. There's plenty of talent returning and several great options among the reserves to keep the party rolling. QB Brian Brohm will instantly become one of the nation's top quarterbacks now that he's the full-time starter. The Cards are loaded with talented running backs and receivers and blessed with one of the nation's deepest and most athletic lines. However, the party could crash if Brohm gets hurt with no experience behind him.---College Football---
Defense: The Louisville defense was overlooked last year due to the brilliance of the offense. The Cardinal D ranked number one in Conference USA in almost every category and finished second in pass defense. It won't be quite as strong this year replacing three starters in the secondary, some stars on the line and leader and top tackler Robert McCune. Even so, it's a very fast, very athletic defense that should rank near the top of most Big East categories.
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Oct. 22 – at South Florida (3-8, 1-6 in Big East) – Offense: The potential is there for a big improvement after struggling to be consistent. Andre Hall is Big East's best running back working behind a rebuilding, but decent line. The receiving corps is deep and experienced led by tall, speedy Johnny Peyton. The problem is at quarterback where Pat Julmiste couldn't hit water last year if he was standing in the ocean, and Auburn transfer Courtney Denson is a former defensive back. If a steady passer emerges, this should be the Big East's surprise offense.
Defense: The normally good Bull defense struggled last year with no pass defense and little success against the run with a line that was too small. Things should be better with a strong linebacking corps and the return of DT Tim Jones and SS Johnnie Jones after missing all of last year. The key will be the improvement in the corners after struggling to stop anyone, but they could use more of a steady pass rush.---College Football---
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Nov. 2 - Connecticut (6-5, 3-4 in Big East) – Offense: All the focus is on the quarterback situation where Matt Bonislawski and D.J. Hernandez will try to replace heart-and-soul leader Dan Orlovsky, but the winner of the derby will be more than capable of putting up big numbers. The backfield is the best in the Big East with Terry Caulley returning from a knee injury to join defending Big East rushing champion Cornell Brockington. The receiving corps is more than solid despite some key losses. And then there's the offensive line. The interior could be a nightmare early, there aren't any true tackles and there's no depth whatsoever.---College Football---
Defense: Is this the Big East's best defense? It'll be close with a deep and experienced front four and secondary. While the numbers are there as far as good retuning players, the star quality is gone with the departure of LBs Alfred Fincher and Maurice Lloyd along with CB Justin Perkins. Even so, don't expect much of a drop-off from the D that finished 27th in the nation last year unless there's a major fallout from losing five players to suspension due to the shooting of a vehicle window with a pellet gun.---College Football---
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Nov. 9 – at Cincinnati (3-8, 1-6 in Big East) – Offense: Last year's experienced offense averaged 406 yards and 29 points per game, and now just about everyone needs to be replaced. The backfield will be solid with redshirt freshman QB Dustin Grutza looking ready to be a more-than-capable fill-in for Gino Guidugli. There are enough running backs to come up with a steady rotation, but they're going to have a hard time early on behind a developing line. The receiving corps has potential if a number one target emerges.---College Football---
Defense: Outside of the 70-7 loss to Louisville, the defense was solid last season allowing 341 yards and 27 points per game. Eight starters need to be replaced with some major holes on the front seven. Fortunately, the Bearcats have a solid defensive coaching staff. The linebacking corps has no experience whatsoever and a pass rush has to develop. The secondary will be good if John Bowie grows into a steady corner.---College Football---
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Nov. 24 - Pittsburgh (9-2, 6-1 in Big East) – Offense: There will be a slight shift in the offense from Walt Harris West Coast offense to more of a balanced, running style under offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh. Even so, there are more than enough weapons to have an explosive air attack with QB Tyler Palko, WRs Greg Lee and Joe DelSardo, and a fantastic tight end pair of Erik Gill and Steve Buches to keep the nation's 24th best passing offense going. The ground game won't be 105th in the nation again with a loaded backfield soon to be led by freshman sensation Rashad Jennings. The line is experienced, but it needs to be more consistent.
Defense: Inconsistent throughout last year and average against the pass, there's hope for improvement with the return of seven starters and a truckload of depth. The strength is the back seven led by a linebacking corps that has several talented options to work with. The secondary has good corners in Josh Lay and Darrelle Revis, but they have to be better at not giving up the deep ball. The front four will be a concern if a reliable pass rusher doesn't develop.---College Football------College Football---

Keys to the Big Games
Week Eight, Oct. 20
Virginia Tech vs. Maryland

By John Harris

a. The New Breed – You could make a strong case for Vernon Davis of Maryland as the best tight end in the nation and not find too many to argue with that statement (well, the Virginia Tech fans will argue Jeff King, but let’s move on). Davis is the prototypical modern day tight end. You can’t cover him with a linebacker. He runs away from them. You can’t cover him with a safety. He’s too big and strong for them. And, there are some safeties that he can run away from as well. In any event, the emergence of QB Sam Hollenbach has been a godsend for this Maryland offense, but his continued progress depends heavily on Davis getting open and making big time plays. A TE making big time plays? What, you’re a non-believer? Well, how about the fact that Davis has 24 catches for 490 yards. Do the math, big fella, that’s over 20 yards per catch, for a TE?!? That’s a phenomenal number, and Davis is the type of player who Hollenbach must use Thursday night against the talented Virginia Tech defense. If Tech stays in their base look, then it really puts pressure on the outside linebackers to either get their hands on him or run with him in coverage. Just that act alone will slow them on run pursuit, perhaps, giving the Terp RB some open cutback lanes. Furthermore, as the Terp running game picks up key yardage, Davis is going to be a key receiver in play action situations. If Tech tries to bring heat on Hollenbach, the Terp QB has a great ‘short’ outlet, and when Davis has the ball in his hands, it’s tough to bring him down. Just ask the boys from West Virginia who he virtually ran over on his way to a 73 yard touchdown earlier this year. Maryland needs a complete offensive performance from its charges this week and Davis gives them the chance to do just that.---college football---

b. No Solo Act Needed – For the past three years, Maryland LB D’Qwell Jackson has been nothing short of spectacular. In past years, though, he was able to play with guys like Madieu Williams (Bengals starting safety), Dominique Foxworth (Broncos CB) and Shawne Merriman (Chargers first round pick). But, this year, he doesn’t have that luxury. There are some ‘nice’ players like William Kershaw, but with all due respect, Jackson is, essentially, having to pick up the slack for much of the defense this year. The numbers somewhat bear that out – he’s 29 tackles ahead of Kershaw and has played one less game. Sure, the Maryland defensive scheme turns most everything back into Jackson, but you can see at the end of games, the Terp star is dragging. He sat out the last game against Temple two Saturdays ago to rest his ‘leg’, but it’s time that someone else help Jackson out, be it Kershaw, David Holloway or Wesley Jefferson, who started for Jackson against the Owls. There’s no question that Jackson gets help from his front four, but the task of stopping the Hokies is too big for just Jackson in the middle. He’s got to make plays from sideline to sideline, be a factor in the passing game and even spy on Marcus Vick. He needs help and if he can get some help from other Terp defenders, he might be fresh in the fourth quarter. If not, well, let’s just not go there, ‘k?---college football---

c. How Good is he? – His brother thinks that he’s the best college QB in the nation, after only half a year as a starter. There are those that won’t go quite that far, but still think that he’s definitely the best QB in the ACC. No matter how you ‘label’ Virginia Tech QB Marcus Vick, there’s not a lot of question about what he’s done this year for the Hokies. But, for all the good that Vick has brought to the Virginia Tech offense, it’s debatable whether we’ve seen the best he has to offer. He hasn’t been challenged much lately, but against D’Qwell and the Terp defense, he might have to pull out a few more tricks. Vick has shown that he can pitch it with the best in the nation. He’s thrown ball with touch. He’s zipped it into a closely guarded receiver. He’s handled the ball extremely well. Now, don’t be surprised if OC Bryan Stinespring doesn’t have a few more runs in the game plan for Vick to try to ‘freeze’ Jackson and the rest of the Terp linebackers, so that he can hit TE Jeff King behind them on play action passes. Is it possible that Vick has only scratched the surface of what he can do? Perhaps, and that’s scary for the Terps. ---college football---

Conclusion – With no Stephon Heyer to help stop Daryl Tapp, et al, the Terp offensive line is going to have major problems with the Virginia Tech front four. The problem in max protecting against the Hokies is that it could possibly take Davis out of the passing game. The Terps could, should and will use their backs to help the offensive tackles, but it might not be enough. Expect Hollenbach to be on the run plenty Thursday night. Vick will be effective, if not magnificent and will lead the Hokies to another win. Virginia Tech – 31 vs. Maryland – 21---college football---
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Handicapping the HeismanThe road to college football's top award


By Richard Cirminiello

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 ----collegefootball----

Heisman Contender of the Week1. RB Reggie Bush, USC — There is no end to what Bush will do to help his Trojans win. He runs, he catches, he returns kicks….he’ll even push QB Matt Leinart into the end zone if it’ll keep USC unbeaten and atop the polls. As the star of last week’s thriller in South Bend, Bush has ascended like a rocket to the top of many voters’ leaderboards. When Leinart was struggling, it was No. 5 who carried the offense.
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And when Leinart was struggling to reach the end zone as time expired, it was No. 5 who was there to provide that little extra helping hand. Last Week: 15 carries for 160 yards and 3 TDs (Notre Dame) 2005 Season: 86 carries for 761 yards and 9 TDs – 17 catches for 226 yards and 2 TDs Barometer: Rising2. QB Matt Leinart, USC — How in the name of Todd Marinovich do you size up Leinart’s performance in South Bend? He threw two picks, failed to toss a touchdown for the second time in three games and generally was sub-par for 58 minutes. And yet, in those final two minutes, he was the epitome of a Heisman winner, connecting with Dwayne Jarrett on a 61-yard pass on a fourth-and-8 from his own 26 and averting the upset with a last second, second-effort keeper.
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Last Week: 17-of-32 for 301 yards and 2 INTs – 1 rushing TD (Notre Dame) 2005 Season: 125-of-198 for 1,947 yards, 12 TDs and 5 INTS – 3 rushing TDs Barometer: SteadyHeisman Contender of the Week II3. QB Vince Young, Texas —Young must be wondering what he has to do to shatter the Cardinal and Gold ceiling that’s preventing him from moving beyond the No. 3 hole. Even after having more touchdowns than incompletions against Colorado in one of the great games for a quarterback in ‘Horn history, he’s widely considered a bronze medalist behind Bush and Leinart. Young gets a third-straight spotlight opportunity to woo voters this week against No. 10 Texas Tech. ----collegefootball----

Last Week: 25-of-29 for 336 yards and 2 TDs – 10 carries for 58 yards and 3 TDs (Texas)2005 Season: 93-of-138 for 1.357 yards, 12 TDs and 5 INT – 75 carries for 413 yards and 5 TDs Barometer: Rising4. QB Marcus Vick, Virginia Tech — Whether Vick’s glass was half full or half empty Thursday night in College Park will vary widely from voter to voter. On one hand, he slipped past the Maryland D for a career-high 131 yards in another one-sided Tech win. On the other hand, he was picked off three times in the third quarter, which is going to sully his once sterling passer rating. Average numbers mean one Hokie loss eliminates Vick as a strong Heisman contender.----collegefootball----

Last Week: 14-of-23 for 211 yards and 3 INTs – 17 carries for 131 yards and 1 TD (Maryland) 2005 Season: 87-of-130 for 1,254 yards, 10 TDs and 5 INT – 72 carries for 265 yards and 3 TDs Barometer: Steady5. QB Brady Quinn, Notre Dame — Just like his Irish team, losing a heartbreaker to USC last Saturday did little to hurt Quinn in the polls. He remains a viable Top 5 contender after playing well in front of a colossal television audience, but, oh, what might have been for Quinn had Notre Dame stopped the Trojans on that final drive and ended their hallowed 27-game winning streak. ----collegefootball----

Last Week: 19-of-35 for 264 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT – 1 rushing TD (USC)2005 Season: 143-of-225 for 1,885 yards, 14 TDs and 4 INTs Barometer: Steady6. RB Laurence Maroney, Minnesota — Whatever traction Maroney may have lost in the previous two weeks, he fully regained with last weekend’s career-best 258-yard day and 93-yard touchdown jaunt, in which he appeared to be thrust out of a cannon. Maroney is probably outside the inner circle of candidates that have a legit shot of winning the award, however, he has a better than 50-50 chance of being selected as one of the five finalists that’ll get travel to New York City in December. Last Week: 43 carries for 258 yards and 1 TD (Wisconsin) 2005 Season: 208 carries for 1,133 yards and 8 TDs – 11 catches for 131 yards and 1 TDBarometer: Rising7. RB Maurice Drew, UCLA — Drew struggled to find daylight in the face of a game Washington State defense, but continued to impersonate a Swiss Army knife, picking up 187 all-purpose yards and scoring the Bruins’ game-winning touchdown in overtime. Drew needs to hang around the leaders for the next month, and then have the game of his life on Dec. 3 when UCLA visits the Coliseum to play USC. ----collegefootball----

Last Week: 29 carries for 109 yards and 1 TD – 3 catches for 78 yards and 1 TD (Washington State)2005 Season: 95 carries for 485 yards and 9 TDs – 14 catches for 206 yards and 2 TDs – 3 punt return TDs Barometer: Steady8. RB Brian Calhoun, Wisconsin — Calhoun took a backseat to Maroney in their Heisman showdown in the Metrodome, but it wasn’t by much. The Badger workhorse still accounted for 139 yards and scored three times in Wisconsin’s come-from-behind miracle win. Calhoun now leads the country in yards from scrimmage, ironically, just 19 yards ahead of Maroney. Last Week: 23 carries for 110 yards and 3 TDs – 3 catches for 29 yards (Minnesota) 2005 Season: 199 carries for 959 yards and 14 TDs – 29 catches for 324 yardsBarometer: Steady9. QB Cody Hodges, Texas Tech — Hodges has debuted on many voters’ short lists after he decimated Kansas State for five touchdowns and 643 yards, the fourth highest single-game total in NCAA history. Unlike his predecessors, such as Kliff Kingsbury and B.J. Symons, he’s getting serious Heisman attention because his Red Raiders are a Top 10 team. Hodges gets a golden opportunity against No. 2 Texas this week for upward mobility and a chance to prove he’s more than just a stats compiler or a system quarterback. ----collegefootball----

Last Week: 44-of-65 for 643 yards, 5 TDs and 2 INTs (Kansas State)2005 Season: 192-of-268 for 2,461 yards, 22 TDs and 5 INTs – 2 rushing TDsBarometer: Rising10. QB Drew Stanton, Michigan State — Stanton is still the nation’s top-ranked passer, but average games in losses to Michigan and Ohio State have begun to erode his support base. With his highest-profile games now in the rear view mirror, it’s become clear he’s a longshot for New York City, and his best chance for Heisman immortality will come in 2006. Last Week: 26-of-36 for 340 yards and 1 TD (Ohio State)2005 Season: 125-of-174 for 1,806 yards, 15 TDs and 3 INTs – 66 carries for 127 yards and 2 TDs Barometer: Falling11. QB D.J. Shockley, Georgia — Not unlike his predecessor David Greene, Shockley just keeps winning games, limiting his mistakes and managing the game like a seasoned veteran. It’s not a sexy formula, but it is enough to keep the senior in the discussion. Barring a major spike during the second half of the year, Shockley won’t have the numbers necessary to amass a groundswell of support. ----collegefootball----

Last Week: 15-of-30 for 298 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT (Vanderbilt) 2005 Season: 89-of-154 for 1,464 yards, 11 TDs and 4 INTs– 43 carries for 224 yards and 3 TDs Barometer: Steady12. RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis — Something about a pink bunny comes to mind because Williams just keeps going and going and…The nation’s leading rusher fell two yards shy of reaching 200 yards for the fourth time this year, but did move into the Top 10 list for all-time rushing. The magic number for Williams is 2,000 yards, which means he’ll have to average 200 yards a game over the Tigers’ final five games. Last Week: 33 carries for 198 yards and 2 TDs (Houston) 2005 Season: 156 carries for 1,083 yards and 10 TDs Barometer: Steady----collegefootball----

College Football Notebook: BC coach wants ACC to review late hit

By The Associated Press

Boston College coach Tom O'Brien said yesterday he will ask the Atlantic Coast Conference to review a late hit on Mathias Kiwanuka so they can tell him "if that's the way we're going to play football in this league." - College Football -

"I don't want to prejudge what the ACC should do," O'Brien said a day after BC beat Virginia, 28-17. "I just think it's a situation they need to look into."

BC (5-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) improved from 18th to 14th in The Associated Press poll yesterday. It's the Eagles' highest ranking since they were 13th in the final poll of the 1993 season, when they beat Virginia in the Carquest Bowl. - College Football -

Kiwanuka, the preseason conference defensive player of the year, and defensive lineman Al Washington will be allowed to play in Saturday against Wake Forest despite being ejected against Virginia, O'Brien said.

The score was 7-7 early in the third quarter when Virginia offensive lineman Brad Butler chop-blocked Kiwanuka after the whistle. Washington retaliated and was ejected; BC linebacker Brian Toal hit Butler one play later and drew a personal foul. - College Football -

Virginia coach Al Groh said yesterday that he hadn't seen the play until about 24 hours after the game. He said he had spoken to Butler about the hit but declined to reveal to reporters what his player said.

"This was a very intense competition throughout the game, with two highly motivated players," Groh said. "This was just one of a number of plays in the game on either side in which maybe there was a little more exuberance than necessary. - College Football -

"The thing has to be viewed ... relative to other incidents that did not get national television exposure."

Asked if the school would consider disciplinary action against Butler, Groh said, "There are a number of offices that have an interest in the circumstances with whom we've had conversations." - College Football -

Kiwanuka was ejected in the fourth quarter for trying to exact his revenge.

"I was embarrassed with how we reacted," O'Brien said. "I thought we did a very poor job, and that reflects on me and everyone on this football team. We tried to escalate it, and we almost lost the football game because of it." - College Football -

Oklahoma

Tailback Adrian Peterson is expected to play Saturday at Kansas, coach Bob Stoops said one day after the tailback was limited by a sprained right ankle in a loss to Texas.

Stoops said Peterson did not play enough during the 45-12 loss to the second-ranked Longhorns to make the injury worse and should be closer to full speed on Saturday in Kansas City, Mo.

"He got better and better as the week went, and was close the other day. He just didn't have the lateral movement and the pace that he needs," Stoops said.

Peterson, who aggravated the ankle injury Oct. 1 against Kansas State, had only three carries for 10 yards against Texas. - College Football -

The runner-up for the Heisman Trophy last season, Peterson has 402 yards on 88 carries this season with eight touchdowns.

He set a freshman record last year with 1,925 rushing yards.

Colorado

Colorado climbed into the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in more than two years. Staying there for more than a week won't be easy. The Buffaloes, ranked 24th in the poll after a 41-20 win against Texas A&M, travel to No. 2 Texas Saturday. - College Football -

"I'd say about the middle of the third quarter, a lot of our guys started thinking about Texas," coach Gary Barnett said.

And why not?

In improving to 4-1 -- their best start since going 5-1 in 2001 -- the Buffaloes thoroughly handled Texas A&M, scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter and never giving the Aggies any reason to believe they could win. - College Football -

Copyright ©1997-2005 PG Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved.

College football column Hokies proving they belong on top
Those outsiders are trying to get inside again.

When you think of college football's traditional powers, Virginia Tech doesn't leap to mind.

The program doesn't have the pedigree of USC, Texas, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Georgia, Alabama and other teams enjoying quick starts this season. - College Football -

The Hokies don't have the history to command that depth of respect ... Yet.

Virginia Tech seems nouveau rich. That surprising breakthrough into its first national title game against Florida State in 1999 almost seemed flukish. The Hokies, after all, went 36 years without being ranked in the Associated Press poll (1957-93). Before Michael Vick led them in that magical season, they had cracked the AP Top 10 poll just once in the program's entire history, for a single week, in 1996, according to the school's media guide. - College Football -

Now the Hokies won't go away.

They've been a regular in the Top 25 ever since and crept to No. 3 this week.

Coach Frank Beamer, 58, epitomizes this program's understated power.

Anybody who follows college football knows Florida State's Bobby Bowden and Penn State's Joe Paterno have won more games than anybody else in college football with more than 300 victories each. - College Football -

Guess who's No. 3 among active coaches?

With 181 victories, it's Beamer, whose work in that remote campus in the Blue Ridge Mountains is much admired by his coaching brethren if not celebrated by national pundits.

With Michael's little brother, Marcus, at quarterback, and another ferocious Virginia Tech defense and gifted special teams units in place, the chemistry is familiar. - College Football -

The Hokies (4-0) travel to West Virginia on Saturday in a bid to keep alive Tech's hopes of a first trip to the Rose Bowl and a return to the national championship game.

"Every time we play we try to go out there and prove to the country that we belong," cornerback Jimmy Williams told the Roanoke Times this week. "If we keep doing what we're doing, the world will see that we do belong."

While Vick is showing some of the same gifts that made his brother special, the Hokies' defense is the foundation of this run. - College Football -

In the wake of Virginia Tech's 51-7 rout of Georgia Tech last weekend, the Walter Camp Foundation broke tradition in the presentation of its defense player of the week award. For the first time, the foundation gave the award to an entire defensive unit, honoring all the Virginia Tech defenders.

The Hokies have allowed just 23 points and two touchdowns in their four victories.

"I think they're the best football team I've seen since I've been in the ACC," Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey said. - College Football -

Folks in Blacksburg would like to see how that defense would fare against USC's high-powered offense in the Rose Bowl.

The blitz

Stewart Ray "Red" Faught, pioneering football coach, dies

Associated Press

FRANKLIN, Ind. - Stewart Ray "Red" Faught, who coached Franklin College's football team for 32 seasons and helped pioneer the high-flying run-and-shoot offense, has died. He was 81.

Faught, who died Friday, coached Franklin from 1957-88, producing teams known for lining up from sideline to sideline and airing it out. - College Football -

"His quarterbacks would throw the ball as soon as they stepped off the bus, and they wouldn't stop throwing until they stepped back on," said Don Treibic, a friend of Faught's and the former announcer of Grizzliesfootball games.

"He wanted to win games, and he felt that was the way to win them," Treibic said.

At least 50 of his former players became coaches, including Indiana University head coach Terry Hoeppner.

Hoeppner, Treibic and former NFL quarterback Jeff George were among the close circle of friends who visited Faught in his final hours Friday. - College Football -

"He was my second father and mentor," Hoeppner said. "I wouldn't be where I am today without Coach Faught, and I always called him that. He was my coach."

Faught's "Red Shoot" offense helped one of the smallest schools in its conference become successful. - College Football - - College Football -

When he retired in 1988, Faught had amassed 18 winning seasons at Franklin - more than all 14 of his predecessors combined dating back to thecollege's first football season in 1886.

He closed with a career record of 160-139-6, which at the time ranked fourth in NAIA Division II victories. - College Football -

Faught became the offensive coordinator for one of Franklin's fiercest rivals, Georgetown College in Kentucky, from 1990 to 1992. He was there in 1991 when the team went 13-1 and won the NAIA national championship.

In 1999, Franklin College named its stadium in honor of Faught, who was a World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient. - College Football -

Visitation will be at Flinn and Maguire Funeral Home on Tuesday. He will be remembered Wednesday during a service at Franklin College's Spurlock Center, with burial with military honors at Greenlawn Cemetery.

Walk rekindles the school spirit

About 15,000 fans cheer on the team as it arrives for the Gator Walk at the stadium.

Steve Elling and Tania Deluzuriaga
Sentinel Staff Writers

GAINESVILLE -- Well before the buses pulled up to deposit Florida players in front of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, fans already were buzzing about Urban Meyer's "new tradition."

Never mind the apparent contradiction of terms, fans were so excited about the new coach's debut, the only surprise was that the faithful who stopped traffic to welcome the team didn't carry Meyer into the stadium on their shoulders. - College Football -
GAINESVILLE -- Well before the buses pulled up to deposit Florida players in front of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, fans already were buzzing about Urban Meyer's "new tradition."

Never mind the apparent contradiction of terms, fans were so excited about the new coach's debut, the only surprise was that the faithful who stopped traffic to welcome the team didn't carry Meyer into the stadium on their shoulders.

"This'll be the loudest it's been in five years," said Mike Zerofsky, a season-ticket holder since 1981, as he waited for the team to arrive. - College Football -

In terms of Meyer's oft discussed offense, the rest of the season better proceed more smoothly than the Gator Walk, which Meyer and his team unveiled before their season opener against Wyoming.

Trying to rekindle school spirit, Meyer asked fans to welcome the team as it stepped off the buses on the north side of the Swamp and marched through the crowd two hours before kickoff. An estimated 15,000 showed up, chanting and blocking traffic in both directions.

Maybe the players have a better view of the enormity of the task at hand after three lackluster years since the departure of Gator icon Steve Spurrier, since they filed through the throng with straight faces and nary an acknowledgement. - College Football -

Meyer, coming off two hugely successful tenures at Bowling Green and Utah, was hired last fall in an attempt to resuscitate a program that had struggled the past three seasons under former coach Ron Zook.

By and large, the Florida tailgate scene was fairly subdues in comparison to Spurrier's opener in South Carolina on Thursday. But few fans were looking back. - College Football -

"I didn't want him [Spurrier] to come back," said Robert Brown, 36, of Gainesville, who has attended 10 of the last 12 season openers. "Believe it or not, not all of us wanted him back."

"I'm not big on nostalgia. You never get the same feeling you get from the first time around."

No question, after three years of less-than-overwhelming results under Zook, Florida fans were ready to take a flier under Meyer, who brings a pass-oriented offense to a program that won six conference titles and a national championship airing it out under Spurrier.

"The second coming of Spurrier would be great- maybe win some SEC championships again, maybe win another national championship," said Dave Meadows, who tends bar at Dirty Bird's a watering hole across the street from the stadium. "I don't know, he hasn't won anything yet."

Comparatively speaking, the difference in electricity between the scene at South Carolina and Florida could have been measured in kilowatts. Whereas Gamecock fans bought Spurrier-related apparel in bulk, options were far more limited for Gator fans. The Official Gator Sportshop, located in the shadow of the stadium, didn't offer fans even one Meyer T-shirt, though other shops had ones sporting the new milk-related marketing cliche "Got Urban?"

Still, for a season opener at Florida-- the school's non-conference opponents have never created much of an appetite for tickets-- demand seemingly exceeded supply. Two hours before game time, one middle-aged man groused that "now that they got rid of that Zook guy" tickets could be in short supply. - College Football -

Meyer, unlike Zook, was at the front of the line when it came to replacement options, a fact that the latter will seemingly never live down. Zook, now at Illinios, was the reported third choice for the job when Spurrier left for the NFL three years ago.

Adam Martin, a UF senior whose Delta Upsilon fraternity house is located roughly 300 yards from the football stadium, surveyed the crowd as it filed past, seemed almost wistful that the program's past and future might soon intermingle. - College Football -

"It hasn't been like this around here," he said, "since Spurrier left."

OUR ROAD TRIP
College football is the ultimate feel-it-in-your-gut sport for fans, and a new season brings renewed hope and vigor for everybody. And the only way to bring that home is to get on the road and show up at the games. To read the earlier stories, go to OrlandoSentinel.com/sports.

Aug. 29: Preparing for the trip.

Aug. 30: A visit to UCF, where Knights fever isn't exactly contagious.

Aug. 31: On the road to Columbia, S.C.

Sept. 1: Spurrier-mania hits Columbia.

Friday: The scene in Columbia at Steve Spurrier's first game.

Saturday: On the road to Gainesville. Forget Jack Kerouac; we've traveled to the Swamp.

Today: The scene in Gainesville at Urban Meyer's first game.

Monday: On the road to Tallahassee. Where, exactly, is the Mason-Dixon Line for UF and FSU fans?

Tuesday: The scene in Tallahassee at the FSU-Miami showdown.

Copyright © 2005, Orlando Sentinel