College Football Top 25 Capsules: Utah stuns No. 15 Pittsburgh in OT
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah was wavering between stifling defense and play sloppy enough to blow an 11-point lead before Brian Blechen saved the Utes.
The freshman safety intercepted a pass on the first play of overtime, setting up Joe Phillips for a 21-yard field goal that gave the Utes a 27-24 victory against No. 15 Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
"The quarterback rolled out and looked to the flat and we were ready for that play," Blechen said of his read on Pitt's Tino Sunseri. "I saw it happening and just went for it."
Blechen bolted in front of Mike Shanahan and grabbed Sunseri's pass at the Utah sideline, keeping a late collapse at the end of regulation from deteriorating into something worse. It's a lot easier to deal with blowing a double-digit, fourth-quarter lead when the result is a victory.
Pittsburgh had a much more bleak outlook as the Panthers filed out of the locker room toward the bus. Despite having a new quarterback in Sunseri and no run support to help him out in his first start, the Panthers still battled back to be in position to win at the end.
"We didn't play good enough to win. We really didn't," Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. "Down the stretch Utah made less mistakes than we did."
That was a pretty good summary. The season opener was full of blunders — 12 penalties for Pitt and 11 called on the Utes, turnovers at the most crucial moments and then failing to cash in on some great opportunities.
Pitt drove inside the Utah 10 twice, but went backward from there and had to settle for field goals by Dan Hutchins. Utah had second-and-goal from the 2 late in the second quarter, but didn't score at all because of an interception off a bad pass from Jordan Wynn into the end zone.
"We made enough mistakes in this game to lose it — enough to lose two games," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.
Wynn passed for 283 yards with three touchdowns, including two to Jereme Brooks.
Wynn's third TD was a short pass over the middle that DeVonte Christopher broke for a 61-yard touchdown that put Utah up 24-13 with 7:59 left to play.
The comfortable margin didn't even last a minute.
The Panthers struck back on a 44-yard pass from Sunseri to Jon Baldwin, who was all alone inside the 10-yard line because of a breakdown in Utah's secondary. Sunseri went to Baldwin again for the 2-point conversion that pulled the Panthers within a field goal at 24-21 with 7:11 left to play.
Hutchins ended up having to kick the tying field goal three times. His first attempt went through the uprights, but Whittingham called time out just before the snap and Hutchins had to kick again.
Whittingham did the same thing on the re-kick, which was wide and had fans and Utah players celebrating before they learned there was yet another kick to come. This time Hutchins was back on target and tied it at 24.
But Blechen got the momentum and the ball back for the Utes with his pick in overtime and Utah to played it safe from there. The Utes never attempted another pass, running it down inside the 10 and leaving Phillips with a chip shot to win it.
Utah won its 18th straight, and other than a fourth quarter breakdown, did it mostly with defense. The Utes allowed few easy yards to Pitt star Dion Lewis, who ran for 1,799 yards last year as a freshman. He finished with 75 yards on 25 carries.
"We had a lot of missed opportunities. Our defense played their heart out. They played a great game," Lewis said. "We didn't convert. That's something we're going to have to work on."
Utah held Pitt to just 60 yards in the second and third quarters combined, but the Panthers' defense kept the Utes from building much of a lead with some timely stops of their own.
No. 2 Buckeyes get off to fast start, 45-7
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Moments after brushing aside Marshall 45-7, Ohio State 's players could finally say what they've been thinking about for a while.
And there's no question that the Buckeyes have had Miami on their minds and the Sept. 11 showdown against the 13th-ranked Hurricanes.
"It'll be wild to be in that game," wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said. "It's a relief that finally we can talk about Miami."
At about the same time Miami was dispensing with Florida A&M 45-0 on Thursday night, the second-ranked Buckeyes were putting on a show before 105,040 at Ohio Stadium.
Rose Bowl MVP Terrelle Pryor picked up where he left off in Pasadena, Calif., with three touchdown passes, Brandon Saine ran for 103 yards and two scores and Ohio State coasted past the error-prone Thundering Herd on Thursday night.
Next up: The first meeting between Ohio State and Miami since the 2002 national championship game.
The Buckeyes won that one in the Arizona desert, upended the top-ranked Hurricanes 31-24 in double-overtime for Ohio State's first national championship in 34 years.
"It's not 2002," wide receiver DeVier Posey said. "We're wearing the same colors, but now it's our teams and our time."
Against Marshall, Pryor completed 17 of 25 passes for 247 yards and TDs covering 6 and 11 yards to Posey and 65 yards to Sanzenbacher. The last time Ohio State fans saw Pryor playing, he was having the game of his career and leading the Buckeyes to a 26-17 win against Oregon in January.
"Every game is about maturity," said Pryor, whose maturity has frequently been questioned during his two previous years as the Buckeyes signal-caller. "It's 12 weeks in a (season). Let's see what happens next. I'm excited to play Miami."
Sure the competition wasn't as good Thursday night, but the Heisman Trophy contender was Rose Bowl sharp against the Thundering Herd.
"The reality is we've got a tremendous challenge next weekend," coach Jim Tressel said. "If we're willing to learn a little bit from this weekend and get rested and get healthy, it will be a lot of fun."
The Buckeyes had a lot of fun at the expense of Marshall.
It was a bleak debut for new Marshall coach Doc Holliday, who spent the last two seasons as an assistant at West Virginia. The Thundering Herd fumbled the opening kickoff and were down 14-0 before running their first play in Ohio State territory.
"It's a hell of a way to have your first game, isn't it? Against a team like that?" Holliday said. "They're No. 1 or No. 2 in America, picked by everybody, and they showed it tonight. They have a hell of a player at every position."
Ohio State's defense limited Marshall to 44 yards on the ground and 199 total. Brian Rolle picked off Brian Anderson's pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter.
Anderson, who completed 17 of 28 passes for 135 yards, was harassed most of the night. He had an interception and the Herd also lost two fumbles.
"As good as their front four is, they don't have to bring a lot of people," Anderson said.
Meanwhile, the Buckeyes' offense amassed 529 yards.
The first play was telling for the Thundering Herd.
Andre Booker took the opening kickoff and was hit hard by Dorian Bell and Dominic Clarke. The ball came loose and Nate Oliver recovered at the Marshall 22 for Ohio State.
Four plays later, Posey was open by a mile in the left corner and Pryor hit him for a 4-yard score.
After a punt, the Buckeyes were right back in business.
Pryor hit Posey for a 5-yard gain before Saine raced 40 yards off left tackle, breaking two tackles on the way to the 4. He then took a pitch untouched around right end for another score.
The Buckeyes had run seven plays, taking 2:13, and were up 14-0.
The offense continued to click.
Pryor hooked up with Sanzenbacher on a 65-yard bomb and Saine added a 45-yard scoring run on a quick burst up the middle.
The Buckeyes did have some problems with special teams, but those will get a lot of attention over the next few days.
And so will the Hurricanes.
"It's a big game and if you're not ready to play, they'll hit you right in the mouth," defensive lineman Cameron Heyward said. "But we can't let our emotions get the best of us."
-- Rusty Miller
Harris sharp as No. 13 Miami rolls in opener, 45-0
MIAMI (AP) — Jacory Harris and the Miami Hurricanes have been trying to not think too much about their long-awaited trip to Ohio State.
It's all they'll think about for the next week — and Harris might be ready for the challenge.
Harris completed 12 of 15 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns before sitting out the second half, and the 13th-ranked Hurricanes got their first shutout since 2006 by beating overmatched Florida A&M 45-0 to open the season Thursday night.
"I went out there and took care of my business," Harris said. "As a team, we came out there and did everything we had to do in the first half, and coach sat us out for the rest of the game. I guess it was well-deserved."
Leonard Hankerson caught the first two of Harris' TD passes and finished with 115 receiving yards, as the Hurricanes (1-0) ran out to a 35-0 lead in the first 25 minutes and wound up outgaining Florida A&M 405-110.
Looming for Miami: A trip next Saturday to visit the second-ranked Buckeyes, the first meeting between the schools since the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, where Ohio State denied the Hurricanes what would have been their second straight national championship in a game best remembered for a late pass interference call in overtime.
Miami coach Randy Shannon said he wouldn't start thinking about the Buckeyes until Friday.
"One thing you never do, never take a victory and not enjoy it," Shannon said. "I told the players and the coaches, 'Enjoy tonight.'"
Harris needed just 1:40 to get Miami on the scoreboard, finding a wide-open Hankerson for a 19-yard score, and the Rattlers (0-1) quickly found themselves in trouble.
With Miami greats Michael Irvin, Edgerrin James and Ottis Anderson looking on, the Hurricanes spent much of the first half in a no-huddle offense. Of Harris' 12 completions, 10 went for either first downs or touchdowns.
"That's a tremendous football team. That's the bottom line," Florida A&M coach Joe Taylor said. "To come down in this atmosphere and play against a team like that, that's the way to get better. They are legitimately in the top 15, that's for sure."
Damien Berry made it 21-0 with a 32-yard catch-and-run early in the second quarter. Ray-Ray Armstrong had a 22-yard interception return for another score, and Mike James' 1-yard plunge pushed Miami's lead to 35-0 with 5:22 left until halftime.
Lamar Miller added a 5-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter for the Hurricanes.
Philip Sylvester rushed for a team-best 45 yards for the Rattlers, who have lost all eight of their matchups against Miami since 1980, now by a combined 400-49.
"We don't take any opponent lightly," Hankerson said.
Florida A&M had some chances, even early against Miami's first-string defense. The Rattlers drove to the Miami 19 on their second possession, only to come up empty after Marcus Robinson and Olivier Vernon combined to sack Martin Ukpai for a 14-yard loss. Trevor Scott's 50-yard field goal attempt was plenty long, but bounced off the right upright.
FAMU went 50 yards on 11 plays in that drive — and 20 yards on its other 19 plays of the half.
It was Miami's first shutout since beating Florida International 35-0 on Oct. 14, 2006, the season before Shannon became the Hurricanes' head coach. The 46-game span between shutouts was Miami's longest since a 79-game stretch spanning from 1968 to 1976.
The Hurricanes never punted, either.
"At least Ohio State doesn't know what we do in the punt game," Shannon said.
A good night got even better for Miami late in the third quarter, when running back Graig Cooper — Miami's No. 5 career rusher — got into the game.
Cooper badly hurt his right knee in the Hurricanes' loss to Wisconsin at the Champs Sports Bowl in late December, prompting fears that he would miss the entire 2010 season. He finished with 11 yards on two carries, plus 13 yards on two receptions.
"He's a guy who worked hard during rehab, was there every day and fought through everything," Harris said. "Just to see him get the ball and do what he do, it was amazing."
-- Tim Reynolds
No. 14 USC beats Hawaii 49-36 in Kiffin's debut
HONOLULU (AP) — Southern California was all smiles, except for coach Lane Kiffin.
Matt Barkley and Ronald Johnson had record nights, connecting on three touchdowns to make Kiffin a winner in his Trojans' coaching debut. No. 14 USC beat Hawaii 49-36 on Thursday night to start the post-Pete Carroll era.
Barkley had 257 yards passing and tied a school record with five TD passes while Johnson matched a USC mark with his three TD catches. Johnson also returned a punt 89 yards for another score in USC's first game after being hit hard with sanctions by the NCAA that includes a postseason ban this season.
When asked how he was feeling after the inaugural win, Kiffin answered: "not very well."
"We didn't do it in the style that we wanted. We want to be tough, we want to be disciplined," he said. "I thought we were tough today. I thought that we played physical in parts of the game, but we weren't disciplined."
Besides big performances by Barkley and Johnson, Marc Tyler finished with 154 yards on 17 carries.
While his players racked up career numbers, Kiffin pointed to a different stat: 11 penalties for 100 yards.
"I'm really disappointed with everything in general, but more important than anything was the (lack of) discipline," said the 35-year-old coach.
The players, however, were thrilled with the victory after going through a tumultuous offseason.
"It's huge for our whole team, for coach Kiffin, for the program, for all of the guys, it's big time," Barkley said. "It's awesome, but it's just a start."
While USC's offense looked as potent as ever, the defense allowed Hawaii to hang in the game and showed some holes. The Trojans couldn't stop the Warriors, who gained 588 yards to USC's 524.
"Defensively, we didn't play very well obviously," said Kiffin, who rejoined the program after a year with the University of Tennessee and 20 games with the NFL's Oakland Raiders. Before that, he served as a USC assistant for six seasons under Carroll, including the last two as offensive coordinator.
With USC's depleted roster, Hawaii coach Greg McMackin said he could tell the Trojans were "gassed," so the Warriors kept rotating in fresh players.
The problem was, USC's offense never tired out.
"We ended up winning the game, which was good, but obviously as you can see, we've got some depth concerns and issues," Kiffin said. "We're got a lot of work to do, which was obvious."
Kiffin raised some eyebrows early in the game when he decided to go for 2-point conversions after USC's first three touchdowns. One was successful.
He said when the first one failed, it put his team in a position of going for it again.
"I thought that if we had some good plays lined up, we'd be able to make it and we kind of kept going with that for a while and after the score was up to a certain number we went back to extra points," Kiffin said.
Barkley, who was spotty last year as a freshman starter, was sharp and efficient in the first game of his highly anticipated sophomore season. He completed his first seven passes and finished 18 of 23.
He became the fifth USC player to toss five TD passes in a game and the first since Mark Sanchez in 2008.
"It was a good start for Matt, five touchdowns passes and no interceptions," Kiffin said. "Ronald had four overall touchdowns, which was good to see and Marc, in his first start, got probably nine or 10 yards a carry.
"So we had some good things. We've got a long way to go, but the good thing is we didn't have any injuries and we're 1-0."
-- Jaymes Song
Features
Tide RB Richardson takes center stage
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Trent Richardson isn't new to the spotlight.
Top-ranked Alabama's new starting tailback was among the country's top recruits last year, a star in the BCS championship game and a key presence in Alabama's backfield during the national title run.
But the stakes have gone up for Richardson in the past few days. Now he's taking over for Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, at least in Saturday night's opener against San Jose State. Ingram injured his left knee in practice five days before the game.
His recovery time, coach Nick Saban said, figures to be "relatively short" — though what exactly that means is to be determined. For now it's Richardson's turn and his presence helped ease the concerns following Ingram's injury.
"Everyone's got to (step up), but we're going to have the same roles," said Richardson, who was already set to take over kick return duties. "He's a great player, but I've been working all summer, all spring, and I know (Demetrius) Goode is ready too. We all need to be ready. We have to step up and play our roles."
Richardson was to play a prominent role, anyway.
Some fans and media members even figured Richardson was the player with the best chance of keeping Ingram from a repeat Heisman, simply by taking some of his carries.
Richardson did gain 109 yards against Texas in the title game; Ingram had 116. The freshman sprinted between the tackles for a 49-yard touchdown.
And he announced his arrival early last season with a 118-yard effort against Florida International in the second game when Ingram was injured. Two weeks later, he caused a stir by breaking five tackles — two behind the line — en route to a 52-yard touchdown against Arkansas. That outdistanced Ingram's total yards on 17 carries against the Razorbacks.
Richardson joined Ingram as a preseason first-team All-SEC pick. Ingram hasn't seemed to mind the buzz around Richardson; in fact, he encouraged it.
"I think he should be preseason All-SEC, All-American, All-Everything on every award, because he's a great player," Ingram said during preseason camp. "He's explosive. He's dynamic. He's getting smarter as a student of the game every day."
Richardson has shown a flair for the dramatic since waiting until late afternoon on national signing day to announce he was choosing Alabama. He was rated the No. 6 overall prospect by two national recruiting services.
He has tattoos of Bible verses on each arm. Including, on his right, Phillipians 4:13: "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Richardson sports dreadlocks while Ingram has short hair, so it's easy to tell who is lined up in the backfield.
The back of his arm says "Living Legend."
Well, not yet, Trent.
But the performance in Pasadena, Calif., helped him along the way.
"I got a lot of attention from that game," he said early in fall camp. "It's hard to go into the mall and go into WalMart and stuff like that, but I love it. It's who I am now. I love playing football, and they love me for what I do.
"And I love bringing a championship to Alabama."
Richardson's showcase opportunity would get substantially bigger if Ingram is unable to return for the second game. That's when the Tide hosts No. 19 Penn State.
This first game isn't even televised except on pay-per-view. Richardson's teammates certainly are comfortable with his ability to step in.
"It shows a great deal what our coaching staff has done in recruiting, and what we've been doing to sell this program to recruits," center William Vlachos said. "We're extremely fortunate that for Mark to go down — the heart and soul of our offense (who) won the Heisman Trophy last year because he's the best player in college football — we're fortunate to have guys like that behind him."
If there's not a huge drop-off with Richardson taking over as the primary ball carrier, it does leave untested backups in redshirt freshman Eddie Lacy and the junior Goode. Goode has run for 132 yards in his career but had a season-ending knee injury early in 2007. Freshman Corey Grant was a two-time Alabama 100-meter state champion in high school.
Saban wants his players focusing on their chance to step in, not the loss of Ingram. He also doesn't plan an overhaul of the offense.
"We really want to support Mark and help him every way that we can. It's unfortunate that he got injured and he's going to miss the opener, but at the same time it creates opportunities for other people," Saban said.
"We've been practicing what we do all camp. I don't think right now would be the time to change it."
-- John Zenor
Broncos tailback makes transition from defense
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — One year ago, Doug Martin was focused on tackling ball carriers, chasing receivers and learning his assignments as Boise State's newest defensive back.
This year, the third-ranked Broncos' Mr. Do-It-All starts the season as the No. 1 tailback.
The promotion is hardly a surprise for teammates, especially his former pals on defense who consider him the most punishing of the Broncos' running backs.
It's no shocker to coaches, who think so highly of Martin's athleticism and work ethic they're willing to put him anywhere to just get him on the field. He will also see some action on special teams Monday in the Broncos' season opener against No. 10 Virginia Tech.
"Since Doug has been here, there has been nobody we've been jumping up and down more about than him because he's just so versatile," coach Chris Petersen said. "He can play everywhere. Then you watch how he attacks practices and workouts. There's one speed. There's probably not a more impressive total package than him."
But Petersen also played down the significance of making Martin the starter.
In recent years, Petersen has steered away from relying on one back. The Broncos also head into this season of high hopes and even higher expectations with a talented group of veteran tailbacks.
Martin will split the workload with Jeremy Avery, who rushed for 1,151 yards last season, and D.J. Harper, who went down with a season-ending knee injury in the third game last year but has looked healthy and sharp in fall camp.
"I think he looks just as he did last year, if not a little stronger, a little bigger," Broncos quarterback Kellen Moore said.
It was Harper's injury that forced Martin's switch from the defense, a move that helped stabilize an offense that rushed for 2,606 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Martin, who at 5-foot-9, 212 pounds runs with a mix of speed and power, appeared to get better with each game as he became more comfortable with the playbook and avoiding tacklers. He ended the season with 756 yards and a team-best 15 TDs — his last proving to be the game-winner in Boise State's 17-10 victory over TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.
Despite his emergence this year as the top back for one of the nation's top teams, Martin said he intends to keep success in perspective, knowing the margin separating him from his friends Avery and Harper is thin.
"We knew going into fall camp it was going to be a competitive battle for the starting job," Martin said before Petersen tapped him as the starter Monday. "We're really happy for each other. Most of the time, we have a package for two of us being on the field at the same time, and some with all three of us on the field. So we're all going to get involved."
That's a prospect that could cause trouble for defensive coordinators all season. In some packages, Avery may be lined up as a receiver, adding even more to an already potent offense.
Moore is one of the nation's top quarterbacks and an early season Heisman Trophy contender. His two favorite targets from last season — Austin Pettis and Titus Young — return for their senior seasons. Last year, Pettis and Young combined for 142 catches, nearly 1,900 yards receiving and 24 of Moore's 39 touchdown passes.
"People don't give them enough credit that they deserve," said Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster, whose group has seven new starters. "You've got a great quarterback. Their running game is completely underrated ... and you've got two receivers that are as good as anybody in the country.
"But then what makes them ... they try to keep you off-balance, throwing, running, different formations," he said.
Despite all those veterans and last season's resume, the Broncos' offense has some questions up front. After weeks of juggling and experimenting, Petersen and his staff have yet to settle on the five linemen who will square off against the Hokies' defensive front at FedEx Field on Monday night.
"We know who we want out there, but we just haven't been able to get it done with the injuries," Petersen said. "Whatever it is, we're going to be comfortable with it. It's not like we're in a situation of 'oh my gosh, what are we going to do?'"
-- Todd Dvorak
Gators looking for short-yardage, goal-line ace
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Thanks to Tim Tebow, Florida's short-yardage and goal-line offense the last four years was predictable and prolific.
Everyone knew Tebow was keeping it. Everyone knew he was probably running it. No one really stopped it.
When No. 4 Florida opens the season Saturday against Miami (Ohio), one of its concerns will be finding someone to pick up those critical yards. Who's going to handle the ball on third-and-2, fourth-and-1, near the end zone? And how successful will the Gators be with those carries?
"Are we ready to go into a game in goal-line and short-yardage situations? No, but we've got to get there in a hurry and we're doing things to make sure that gets enhanced," running backs coach Stan Drayton said.
Drayton has spent the last month trying to get his backs — primarily seniors Jeff Demps and Emmanuel Moody — to embrace the role. Drayton believes it's not as simple as finding holes and running to daylight. He puts more emphasis on attitude than agility, a big reason why Tebow had such an advantage in those situations.
Tebow ran more than 600 times the last three seasons, gaining nearly 2,500 yards and scoring 49 touchdowns. He was most effective in single-wing formations, which the Gators used in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
They still have those in the playbook, but they're not certain who will carry the load.
"Tebow is 240 pounds and I don't have a back 240 pounds," Drayton said. "And Tebow just brings a whole other demeanor about himself in that situation. ... Our backs have got to get that job done. We want our numbers called in those situations, and right now, we've got a ways to go."
Demps and Moody should get the first shot.
A 185-pound speedster who won track national titles in the 60-meter dash, the 100-meter dash and the 4x100-meter relay, Demps has been mostly a straight-line runner in three seasons at Florida. He would typically get the ball in the backfield and outrun everyone to the edge, then turn up field.
Now, with quarterback John Brantley working from the I-formation, the Gators are asking Demps to follow blocks and weave his way through the line of scrimmage. They're also asking him to lower his pads and take on tacklers.
"I think I'm tough enough," Demps said. "Now I'm working on the mental part of it."
The mental part is everything, Drayton said.
"Demps' issue is he's 190 pounds and he's got to learn how to play behind his pads," Drayton said. "Is there a size advantage in those other guys? Yeah, but it doesn't mean anything. If you've got the demeanor and pad level and everything's right, he can still be effective in those short-yardage, goal-line situations."
Moody is a step slower than Demps, but has an NFL-style frame.
The 5-foot-11, 212-pound Texan transferred from Southern California in 2007, with hopes of becoming a featured back. But he's spent most of his career rehabbing from injuries and watching from the sideline as Tebow, Percy Harvin, Chris Rainey and Demps received the bulk of the work.
Moody has missed nine games because of a balky right ankle and had surgery twice since January. If he stays healthy, though, he could be Florida's short-yardage and goal-line specialist. Tight end Trey Burton and backup quarterback Tyler Murphy also could get a look.
"It's a mindset," Moody said. "I don't feel like it's something you either have it or don't. I just believe if you really change your mind and not let those weaknesses enter your mind and be a cancer, then you really can be that running back that has a demeanor because a lot of that fourth-and-1, red zone, goal-line type of runs, it's all mindset. If you really want to get in the end zone, I believe you can."
Tebow certainly did.
His first carry at Florida Field ended in a touchdown. His final carry in The Swamp did, too. Between those, he scored more times than anyone in Southeastern Conference history, won the 2007 Heisman Trophy and helped the Gators capture two national titles.
But did Florida's offense become too predictable last season?
"It wasn't a great mystery. It wasn't like it was some ancient scribe on the wall," guard Carl Johnson said. "Everybody knew Tebow was going to run it or have something to do with it. But now, you don't know. We have Brantley, we have Demps, we have weapons.
"You've got to pretty much pick your poison. Do you want us to throw it in you? Jump-fade it in on you? Do you want us to run it in on you? Or do you just want to lay down and take? But you're going to get it. It don't really matter."
-- Mark Long
Young guns may crack Iowa lineup
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — True freshman tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz has normally reserved Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz excited about his potential.
Ferentz has always preferred upperclassmen over highly touted kids, and the ninth-ranked Hawkeyes are loaded with talented veterans.
But the 6-foot-7, 250-pound Fiedorowicz lived up to his billing as one of the nation's top recruits during fall camp, and Ferentz said earlier this week that Fiedorowicz will play against Eastern Illinois in Saturday's season opener.
"He came in with pretty good skills, and he's been able to learn rapidly enough to envision him playing and playing well," Ferentz said.
Fiedorowicz is among a number of newcomers who could make significant contributions to the Hawkeyes this season.
True freshman linebackers James Morris and Christian Kirksey were impressive in camp, though neither is listed on the depth chart yet. Freshman Michael Meyer will handle kickoffs and could push for the job on field goals and extra points.
Freshman running back De'Andre Johnson has also looked good in his short time on campus, but the Hawkeyes would prefer to redshirt him since they look set in the backfield with sophomores Adam Robinson and Jewel Hampton.
It looks as if Fiedorowicz has a chance to make the best first impression in 2010.
Tight end has always been a crucial position at Iowa under Ferentz, whose system places a high value on effective run and pass blockers who can also catch balls across the middle.
Tony Moeaki was one of the Hawkeyes' top threats last season, but he's now with the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.
Though the Hawkeyes have a pair of tight ends they like in senior Allen Reisner and junior Brad Herman, Fiedorowicz's size and athleticism presents matchup issues for linebackers.
Fiedorowicz, who caught 15 touchdown passes at Johnsburg High in Illinois last season and broke the school's career scoring record in basketball, will likely start out on special teams and in three tight-end sets.
"He's done a nice job making the adjustment, and hopefully we can put him in situations where he'll be able to handle what's in front of him and then just start building from there," Ferentz said.
Morris led nearby Solon (Iowa) to three straight state titles as a linebacker and running back, and he scored 40 touchdowns as a senior. His future is at linebacker, though, and he and Kirksey will be slowly worked into a group dominated by juniors and seniors.
Kirksey, a St. Louis native who just turned 18 on Tuesday, was a first-team all-state pick last fall. He and Morris will likely play mostly on special teams in 2010.
Senior Daniel Murray and sophomore Trent Mossbrucker have competed since the spring to be the starting kicker, but Meyer displayed enough leg strength to earn the job kicking off. If neither Murray nor Mossbrucker can earn Ferentz's trust, the door will be open for Meyer to expand his role.
Ferentz mentioned Tuesday that the coaching staff is looking at between four and six players who could also see action as true freshmen. It's always a delicate balance between burning someone's redshirt season in a potentially limited role or giving them a year to develop without using up any eligibility.
There's often not a clear-cut answer, but players such as Fiedorowicz have made such calls easy this fall.
"The one thing you try not to do is waste someone's year of eligibility," Ferentz said. "If a guy does play as a true freshman, it probably expedites his route to a starting position."
-- Luke Meredith
Oregon RB James eager for fresh start
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The past year has been both amazing and awful — and everything in between — for LaMichael James.
Last season the running back was thrust into a starting role for the Ducks as a redshirt freshman and surpassed all expectations. Then in the offseason, he was arrested and wound up pleading guilty to a charge stemming from an altercation with his ex-girlfriend.
As a result of the trouble, James will now sit out No. 11 Oregon's opener Saturday against New Mexico at Autzen Stadium. Despite the punishment, he is still excited about the new season and the fresh start.
"You have to feel confident," he said. "I feel like if you go out and practice hard and you feel confident, then the games are easy."
Even though James won't play opening week, he is still part of the conversation when it comes to the nation's top running backs, joining the likes of West Virginia's Noel Devine, Pittsburgh's Dion Lewis and Jacquizz Rodgers from up the road at Oregon State in challenging reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram of Alabama this season.
Last year as a freshman, James was expecting a limited role with the Ducks behind starter LeGarrette Blount. That all changed following the opener.
Blount punched Boise State defensive end Byron Hout in the aftermath of Oregon's 19-8 loss to the Broncos on national television. Chip Kelly, barely into his first season as the Ducks' head coach, responded by suspending Blount for the season.
Blount eventually earned his way back onto the team by meeting certain conditions that Kelly had set down, but James won the nod as starter in the interim and flourished.
It was an impressive debut for the redshirt freshman. Among the highlights was his 183 yards rushing in Oregon's 47-20 upset over then-No. 5 USC on Halloween night.
James wound up with a team-high 1,546 yards rushing, setting a new record for freshmen in the Pac-10 Conference. He averaged 6.7 yards a carry and added 14 touchdowns to earn the league's Freshman of the Year award.
Oregon went 10-3 and earned its first trip to the Rose Bowl since 1995 before James went into the offseason as a celebrity in Eugene. Considered a good kid, it was a shock when he was suddenly arrested on domestic violence charges on Feb. 17.
According to police, James got into an argument with an ex-girlfriend which turned physical. The woman claimed he grabbed her by her neck and shoved her to the ground.
James spent two days in jail. He eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge and Kelly suspended him from the opener.
The Ducks were further tainted in the offseason when quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate, pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary connected to the theft of a couple of laptops and a guitar from a campus fraternity house.
Kelly suspended Masoli for the season but later dismissed him from the team when he was stopped for a traffic violation with marijuana in his car. Masoli was hoping to play his final year of eligibility this season at Mississippi, but on Tuesday the NCAA denied his request for a waiver, meaning he won't be eligible until 2011.
James was succinct about wanting to put his past in the past.
"I'm never going to live that day again in my life," he said. "I've just got to move on."
Amid the drama, James worked on his game by joining Oregon's track and field team, albeit on a limited basis, as a sprinter. James, a Texas state champion in the 100 meters when he was in high school, came in fifth in the event at this year's Pac-10 championships.
When fall camp opened, James said that before the events that transpired in the offseason, he simply didn't fully understand the responsibility of his position.
"You're in a fishbowl. Either you're at the top and everybody's waiting for you to fall, or you're at the bottom and everybody's waiting for you to screw up," he said.
James will finally get to play in Oregon's game at Tennessee on Sept. 11, sharing the bulk of the rushing duties with fellow sophomore Kenjon Barner. Both James and Barner thrive in Kelly's spread-option offense, which will likely feature frequent two-back sets this season.
Barner will start in James' place on Saturday.
As a result of his success last season, James said he's ready for the fact that he's no longer a surprise.
"I know a lot of great players around the conference and a lot of great players around the nation, and they're great players but if they don't win games it really doesn't mean anything," he said. "I want to go out and win games."
-- Anne M. Peterson
Notes
Tide's Dareus ruled ineligible for 2 games
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus has been declared ineligible for two games for accepting nearly $2,000 in improper benefits during two trips to Miami.
An NCAA ruling Thursday also ordered Dareus, defensive MVP of the national championship game, to pay $1,787 dollars to a charity of his choice before regaining eligibility. The top-ranked Crimson Tide opens Saturday night against San Jose State and then hosts No. 19 Penn State. Alabama will already be without Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram (knee injury) for at least the opener.
Dareus was ruled ineligible for receiving preferential treatment and agent benefits, including airfare, lodging, meals and transportation during the Miami trips.
Coach Nick Saban said on his radio show in Tuscaloosa that Alabama will appeal the NCAA's penalty and try to get the penalty cut to one game.
"It is important to note that Marcell never intentionally violated any NCAA rules and did not knowingly receive any benefits from an agent," Mike Ward, Alabama's associate athletic director for compliance, said in a statement. "Marcell lived up to the letter and spirit of the NCAA cooperative principle and the NCAA described him as 'one of the most truthful student-athletes we have ever interviewed.'"
The NCAA cited "mitigating circumstances" in reducing the penalty from as many as four games.
The NCAA has also been looking into possible agent-related violations at Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. At North Carolina, the probe initially focused on whether two players received improper benefits from agents but expanded into possible academic violations that could sideline numerous players for this weekend's opener against LSU.
North Carolina suspended defensive tackle Marvin Austin on Wednesday for violating team rules.
Tide coach Nick Saban has led a movement to find ways to punish shady agents, in talks including the NFL and NFL Players Assocation along with the NCAA.
"We respect the decision but we are at the same time disappointed in the suspension," Saban said in a statement. "We'll continue to support Marcell as we move forward. Hopefully Marcell and all involved have learned a valuable lesson from this and like I've said before, we will continue to work on establishing stronger legislation in terms of agent and financial advisor guidelines."
Now, he's also working on filling the void left by Dareus. Sophomore Undra Billingsley, who saw some time at tight end last season, is listed as Dareus' backup, followed by redshirt freshman Darrington Sentimore.
Sophomore Damion Square is the backup to Luther Davis on the other side and is the only one of the group that has played for the Tide on defense.
Dareus, considered a potential first-round NFL draft pick, was a force in Alabama's defense last season despite starting only three games. He had 6½ sacks and made some of the biggest plays of the game against Texas with the national title at stake.
He knocked quarterback Colt McCoy out of the game with a shoulder injury, and Dareus also intercepted a shovel pass late in the second quarter and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown.
-- John Zenor
Iowa gives Ferentz extension through 2020
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Kirk Ferentz has said for years that he doesn't plan on leaving Iowa anytime soon, turning down overtures to the NFL seemingly every offseason.
He's given the school yet another reason to rest at ease.
Ferentz has agreed to a five-year contract extension through 2020, possibly keeping him in charge of the Hawkeyes for the rest of his career. The new deal was announced Thursday and bumps Ferentz's salary from roughly $3 million per season to nearly $3.7 million starting immediately.
Iowa spokesman Steve Roe said that the deal should be signed Friday, and it would make Ferentz the highest paid coach in the Big Ten.
The announcement came two days before Iowa kicks off its most anticipated season in years.
The ninth-ranked Hawkeyes, coming off an 11-2 season and a win in the Orange Bowl, return one of the best defenses in the nation and several offensive stars, including quarterback Ricky Stanzi and running back Adam Robinson. They host Eastern Illinois on Saturday.
Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said in a statement that the contract extension supports his goal of retaining Ferentz until he retires.
The 55-year-old coach is in his 12th season at Iowa, where he also served as an assistant under Hayden Fry in the 1980s. Last year, Ferentz was voted the Big Ten's Coach of the Year for the third time, after leading Iowa to a win over Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.
Ferentz's name has been linked to a number of NFL openings since he won The Associated Press National Coach of the Year in 2002. He never made the jump from Iowa City, though, and now appears set to join Fry serving as head coach for at least 20 years.
"Kirk is arguably the best football coach in the country," Barta said. "Beyond that, he and his wife, Mary, are world-class people who care deeply about the university and the state."
-- Luke Meredith
AP Source: UNC's Little won't travel for LSU game
North Carolina receiver Greg Little won't travel to Atlanta for the 18th-ranked Tar Heels' opener against No. 21 LSU due to the ongoing NCAA investigation at the school, a person with knowledge of the decision said Thursday night.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the NCAA probe at the school is confidential.
Little, a senior, was one of six players to decide in January that he would return to Chapel Hill instead of entering the NFL draft. He is North Carolina's top receiver, dealing a significant blow to an offense that was already considered a question mark compared to a defense loaded with NFL prospects.
The NCAA has twice visited campus looking into whether Little and senior defensive tackle Marvin Austin — projected as a possible first-round pick — received improper benefits from agents. Both players worked with the second team for much of training camp.
The probe expanded to academics last week, though the school has refused to specify how many players could be involved or are in jeopardy of missing the LSU game. Along the way, the NCAA has looked at a cross-country trip involving Austin and former Tar Heel Cam Thomas as well as the friendship between assistant coach John Blake and California-based agent Gary Wichard.
Coach Butch Davis suspended Austin on Wednesday for violating team rules, while the school has been conferring with the NCAA about whether an unspecified number of players should be cleared to play Saturday. It's a violation to travel with ineligible players, so athletic director Dick Baddour said the school wouldn't take a chance with a player whose status is in doubt when the team leaves Friday morning.
"We are certainly anxiously awaiting word on a number of players," Baddour said Thursday afternoon.
Davis said he was preparing for "best-case scenarios" during his weekly news conference Monday. But by Thursday's practice, he said the team was making "contingency plans for a variety of different things."
"We've kind of pressed our players to be prepared, practice, study film and prepare yourself as if you're going to start the game this week," he said. "Although Marvin obviously won't play in this particular ball game, we've made preparations for other guys to practice and to get practice reps."
Little had 62 catches for 724 yards and five touchdowns, all team highs, last season while developing into a go-to receiver for starting quarterback T.J. Yates.
-- Aaron Beard
James a Miami resident, not yet a 'Canes fan
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — LeBron James didn't change all his teams this summer.
James posted on his Twitter feed Thursday that he's considering going to Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 11 to see the matchup between No. 2 Ohio State — his longtime team of choice — and No. 13 Miami.
And no, the former Cleveland Cavaliers star isn't rooting for the Hurricanes. The NBA's two-time reigning MVP wrote, "O-State will prevail for sure. Will be exciting!"
Miami and Ohio State both opened their season with wins Thursday night. The Hurricanes beat Florida A&M 45-0, while the Buckeyes topped Marshall 45-7.
James worked out with the Hurricanes' basketball team twice last week. He has an invitation to join Miami for any of its football games this season, and at least two Hurricanes players — Jacory Harris and Damien Berry — sent James a note on Twitter asking him to attend the home opener.
"He's down in Dade County now," Berry said Thursday night. "We're going to try to change his mind and make him a Hurricanes fan."
Hammond out for No. 4 Florida's season opener
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — No. 4 Florida will be without reserve receiver Frankie Hammond Jr. for its season opener Saturday against Miami of Ohio.
Coach Urban Meyer says Hammond, who was charged with driving under the influence this summer, could be back next week against South Florida. Meyer says Hammond's status is "week to week."
Hammond, a sophomore from Hollywood, had four catches for 57 yards and a touchdown last season.
