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College football notebook

Scrimmage finds favor with Bowden

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida State's second preseason scrimmage Wednesday had two notable differences from the first -- no serious injuries and coach Bobby Bowden was pleased, saying all players improved, especially on offense.

The first-team offense, led by quarterback Chris Rix, scored two touchdowns on balanced drives. Freshman Leon Washington led all rushers with 22 yards on four carries, including a 19-yard touchdown. First-year back Lorenzo Booker added 21 yards on seven carries.

GARDNER PLAYS WELL: Receiver Talman Gardner had five receptions for 115 yards and consistently beat defensive backs downfield. Gardner had 101 yards on seven receptions in last week's scrimmage.

INJURIES: Senior offensive tackle Brett Williams reaggravated his shoulder and could miss a few days, not seeing contact until the Aug. 24 opener against Iowa State. Safety B.J. Ward reinjured his shoulder. Offensive lineman Ronnie Lunford (ankle) is day to day. Safety Kyler Hall (ankle) will be out until Monday.

-- JASON SCHNEIDER

Pinellas Park RB impresses Leavitt

TAMPA -- Rain and lightning pounded practice, but coach Jim Leavitt said South Florida got in everything before seeking cover.

Leavitt raved about redshirt freshman running back Billy Henderson of Pinellas Park.

"This man's making a move and he's really doing some good things," Leavitt said. "(He) is one of the hardest workers on our team, and he's going to play a lot of football this year. He's a pleasure to be around."

Henderson also is on the punt and kickoff return teams and the punt and kickoff coverage teams.

TWO WAYS TO IMPRESS: Starting tight end Tim Jones double-trained at defensive end a second straight day.

NEW GUY: Receiver Allynson Sheffield joined the team. Sheffield, from Miami Northwestern, played one season at Prairie View A&M and earned an associate's degree from Hillsborough Community College. He has three years of eligibility. "We're ecstatic over him," Leavitt said.

INJURIES: Kicker Gilbert Montelongo's left (non-kicking) foot is not broken and will be re-evaluated next week. Receiver DeAndrew Rubin (hamstring) missed a third straight day.

-- PETE YOUNG

UF coaches take it easy on RB Green

GAINESVILLE -- During his brief tenure at Florida, running back Willie Green has had surgery on both knees, and he broke a foot last spring. But he always had potential. In an effort to keep him healthy, the coaching staff has lightened his practice load.

"We're taking it easy on him," coach Ron Zook said. "Obviously we're going to try to be smart and help him and try to be preventative with him. ... But I'll tell you what, I noticed some things that I got excited about him running that I didn't have an opportunity to see in the spring."

Green can participate in one of the two-a-day practices, then spend the other watching from the sidelines, occasionally doing a walk-through of a play to keep involved.

BAKER STILL WAITING: Wide receiver Dallas Baker continues to look impressive in practice, despite uncertainty surrounding him. He signed in 2001, but did not meet academic requirements and attended Northfield Mt. Hermon in Massachusetts. He is awaiting word on an NCAA waiver for eligibility.

"No news is good news," Zook said.

Baker said he grew two inches (6-foot-4) and gained 20 pounds (190) and thinks he can contribute if given a chance. "'(I was told) just worry about football," he said. "They'll take care of everything else. So I haven't really been focusing on that."

-- ANTONYA ENGLISH

Miami offense takes spotlight

CORAL GABLES -- The top-ranked 'Canes scrimmaged in full pads for the first time, with the offense seeming well ahead of the defense.

Quarterback Ken Dorsey finished 3-of-6 for 69 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown pass to Roscoe Parrish. The running game, which has been questioned because of several injuries, had 80 yards on 19 carries.

Defensively, reserve middle linebacker Leon Williams led with five tackles and starting middle linebacker Jon Vilma had four stops.

-- TIMES WIRES

Around the nation

ARKANSAS: Defensive back Ken Hamlin and running back Cedric Cobbs, who had run-ins with the law, will not be suspended, coach Houston Nutt said.

COLORADO: Defensive back Corey Alexander, who pleaded guilty last week to providing alcohol to a minor at a Dec. 7 recruiting party, is leaving the program to attend Texas Southern.

TENNESSEE: Former quarterback Tee Martin, who plays with the Steelers, publicly hinted for the first time he accepted money from an Alabama sportswriter during his playing days in Knoxville, an allegation he had denied. Martin's statement in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette suggests he told investigators from the university, SEC and NCAA the story this summer.

UCLA: Defensive end Asi Faoa will pay $100,000 to Rodrigo De Zubiria, a former student he punched at a fraternity party more than two years ago, but only if Faoa plays in the NFL within three years after completing his college eligibility.

-- TIMES WIRES

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