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College football around the state

By Times staff writers and correspondents

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 19, 2000

UF hero against Vols suspended for slash gesture GAINESVILLE -- Florida coach Steve Spurrier suspended receiver Jabar Gaffney, who caught the winning touchdown Saturday at Tennessee, for the player's throat-slashing gesture after the catch.

Gaffney will sit out the first half of Saturday's home game against Kentucky.

"What he did, to me, is the same as fighting," Spurrier said. "He is missing the first half."

After his catch against the Vols, Gaffney delivered his gesture -- a penalty in the NFL -- in front of television cameras. In addition to his last-second touchdown, Gaffney led the Gators with six catches for 91 yards.

Gaffney is not the only player being disciplined for actions surrounding the game.

Eight players will not be available to talk to the media for an unspecified amount of time.

"Eight or 10 of our talkative players are going to be banned this week," Spurrier said. "We need to play more than we talk this week."

The list includes quarterback Jesse Palmer, defensive end Alex Brown, defensive tackles Thaddeus Bullard and Gerard Warren, tailback Robert Gillespie and receivers Alex Willis, Reche Caldwell and Gaffney.

HONORED: Palmer, who led the 91-yard winning drive in the final minutes against Tennessee, was named SEC offensive player of the week. Palmer was 6-for-9 on the drive for 84 yards, including the touchdown pass to Gaffney. Palmer finished 20-for-43 for 290 yards with one touchdown and an interception.

CARROLL BACK: Linebacker Travis Carroll returned from a three-game suspension. "I have known for a little while (about the suspension)," Carroll said. "It was tough. It really hurt me because I haven't played in so long." Carroll transferred from Alabama and was forced to sit out last season.

The reason for the suspension was unspecified.

INJURIES: Center Zac Zedalis (left knee) is probable for Saturday's game. Listed as questionable are defensive tackle Derrick Chambers (right ankle), safety Daryl Dixon (right ankle) and defensive tackle Chris Reynolds (left foot).

- Debi Jones, Times wires

USF punt returner leads nation

TAMPA -- South Florida sophomore receiver DeAndrew Rubin, who returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown Saturday against James Madison, is the Division I-AA leader in punt return average.

Rubin is averaging 38.25 yards on four returns in the past two games. His punt return for a touchdown was the first in USF history. He also had a 38-yard return against James Madison.

USF exceeds the I-AA limit of 63 scholarships by 17 but because it is not an official member of I-A, the NCAA is including its players in I-AA rankings. Rubin would rank first in I-A, too; he is slightly better than leader Aaron Lockett of Kansas State (37.60).

OL WOES: With guard Sean Cassese out for the season with a herniated disc in his neck and tackle Ken Dawson slowed by a mild ankle sprain, the Bulls are finding themselves even thinner on the offensive line. Coach Jim Leavitt said junior Matt Sparrowhawk will move into the seven-man rotation, backing up guard Anthony McKenzie.

INJURIES: Linebacker Anthony Williams (sprained knee), who missed the JMU game, practiced. Starting defensive end Lee Roy Selmon Jr. (shoulder) wore a non-contact jersey, and reserve defensive end John Brown (ankle) practiced. Reserve defensive end Ian Blackwell (knee) has a 50-50 chance of making his debut Saturday at Baylor, Leavitt said.

BACK IN: The Bulls worked their way back into the ESPN/USA Today I-AA poll, tied with Jackson State at No. 24.

- Sharon Ginn

Injured Womble, Docket practice for FS

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida State defensive tackle Jeff Womble and defensive end Darnell Docket practiced despite 2-week-old injuries.Womble (bruised right knee) and Docket (sprained right ankle) joined the rest of the defense in working on non-contact drills. The players saw limited action in Saturday's 63-14 win over North Carolina.

"If you're not on crutches, you ought to be in practice," defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews said. "They'll be all right. Both of them were banged up going into the game (against Georgia Tech) and they played. We expect them to play this week."

FSU hosts Louisville on Saturday.

NO SHOW: Coach Bobby Bowden missed practice because of a speaking arrangement at Alabama-Birmingham Andrews ran practice.

HONORED: Center Jared Moon was named ACC offensive lineman of the week.

MAEDER RETURN: Fullback Chad Maeder returned to practice, less than four weeks after he injured the MCL in his left knee.

- Alex Abrams, Times wires

Execution in loss disappoints Knights

ORLANDO -- Central Florida's coaching staff was disappointed with the execution in Saturday's 35-24 loss at Akron.

"There were things that we did not execute in the game on both sides of the ball and in special teams," assistant head coach Alan Gooch said. "You can't do that and play against a good team like Akron."

The Knights had no major injuries.

- David Marsters

Rattlers seek revenge

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida A&M had revenge on its mind as it prepared for Saturday's Atlanta Classic against Tennessee State. The Tigers defeated the Rattlers by 17 points last season.

"The first three teams that we played, they didn't really give us a real challenge," FAMU quarterback Quinn Gray said. "We know they're going to give us a game because of the fact that they beat us last year. What other motivation would a team need to go out there and beat somebody?"

- Jabari Ritchie

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