Sports

College football

Bulls look to maintain pressure vs. Bearcats

By THOMAS SIMONETTI and Times wires
Published November 17, 2004

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TAMPA - USF's defense has given opponents' offenses trouble the last few games and defensive line coach Earl Lane hopes it doesn't hit a roadblock against Cincinnati Saturday.

The Bulls have 22 sacks on the season and have been hot of late, recording nine sacks in their past two games. It may be tougher to keep it going against the Bearcats, though.

Cincinnati, which has won three straight games, hasn't given up a sack in the last four.

"It's a great challenge for our front guys," Lane said. "They're excited about it. They really are."

Lane said he hopes USF's line can disrupt Cincinnati's quarterback Gino Guidugli, the nation's 19th-rated passer. He has thrown nine touchdowns without an interception and completed 45 of 70 passes for 645 yards during the Bearcats' three-game win streak.

"We know that we have to get pressure on a guy like that," Lane said. "We have to get pressure on the quarterback or it can make for a long afternoon."

- THOMAS SIMONETTI, Times correspondent

UM: Getting healthy

CORAL GABLES - Miami's depleted offensive line may get a boost this weekend, with right guard Tyler McMeans set to return after missing three games because of a knee injury.

McMeans started the season's first six games before suffering the injury against North Carolina State last month. Hurricanes coach Larry Coker said McMeans practiced last week on a limited basis, and would be getting more practice time this week.

He isn't, however, expected to start; redshirt freshman Derrick Morse is likely to make the start at right guard for the fourth straight game Saturday when No. 12 Miami hosts Wake Forest.

Also looking for action is backup quarterback Kyle Wright. He's missed the last five games because of an ankle sprain, but Miami's coaching staff is eager to see him get some game-situation experience. Wright is projected by many to be the starter next season.

"We'd love for him have the opportunity - not just in a mop-up type role," Coker said. "We'd like to see him in some valuable situations."

Also, cornerback Antrel Rolle will "definitely be available" for the Wake Forest game. The senior standout missed most of last weekend's 31-21 win at Virginia with what Coker described as a "turf-toe-type" injury.

Ohio State defends itself

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger and coach Jim Tressel defended the school's football program against charges that players were paid by boosters and coddled academically.

Geiger had harsh words for former tailback Maurice Clarett and for ESPN, which he said has led an attack against the school by providing a forum for Clarett's allegations.

An NCAA investigator was on campus Monday to look into accusations that Tressel helped Clarett get a loaner car and that he and other players were paid for bogus summer jobs and received improper help in class.

"I'm not concerned at all," Geiger said of the investigation. "I think Jim runs an honest program and tells me the truth."

Clarett, who made the charges on ESPN last week, led Ohio State to the national championship in 2002. Under the current circumstances, Geiger said he did not believe Ohio State's title might be lost.

Mark Shapiro, executive vice president of programming and production at ESPN, said Geiger's attacks on the network "are blatantly misguided."

Clarett was suspended after his freshman season for lying to investigators during another NCAA probe of allegations that he received improper benefits from a family friend. He then lost a court challenge of the NFL's rule preventing players out of high school less than three years from being drafted.

Stoops stumps for OU

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said poll voters should be aware that ESPN has a contract with the SEC when they consider the network's analysis that Auburn should be the nation's No. 2 team and not Oklahoma.

Stoops mentioned ESPN's contract with the SEC during his weekly news conference, but stopped short of accusing the network of bias.

"I'm not saying that," Stoops said. "I'm saying I'm aware of what their contracts are with. Whether people are directed in certain ways, I'm not going to say that.

"I think all the people ought to be aware who their contracts are with and what some of their agendas may be."

ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said the network's rights holders understand ESPN will not compromise journalistic integrity because of business arrangements.

"The direction we provide our commentators is to be fair, to be objective and to give their opinions," Krulewitz said.

Oklahoma maintained its No. 2 spot in the coaches poll, although its lead was cut to two points over Auburn.

COACHES POLL: The final coaches' vote before the Orange Bowl will stay a secret ballot. Despite some calls to make their picks public, the 61 college football coaches who vote in the USA Today/ESPN poll decided not to release their choices at the end of the regular season.

SILICON VALLEY BOWL: The bowl is close to finalizing a deal to bring a team from the Mid-American Conference to the game in place of a Pac-10 team. With the Pac-10 unable to fulfill all seven of its bowl bids, the conference gave the Silicon Valley Bowl permission to begin negotiating with other conferences to fill its slot for a team to face an opponent from the Western Athletic Conference. With the MAC having five teams eligible for a bowl and contracts for only two, the conference was looking for additional bowl partners.

BILETNIKOFF AWARD: Two Big Ten receivers, Michigan's Braylon Edwards and Purdue's Taylor Stubblefield, and Ball State's Dante Ridgeway are finalists for the award, given to the best receiver.

NEW MEXICO: Coach Rocky Long signed a contract extension through 2009. Long's base salary, which is currently $175,790, will increase to $190,000.

WEBER STATE: Coach Jerry Graybeal resigned after a 1-10 season, the worst in the program's 43-year history. He was reassigned as a special assistant to the director of athletics.

[Last modified November 17, 2004, 00:29:04]

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