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Practice reports

By ALEX ABRAMS, BRANDON WRIGHT and DEBI JONES

© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 9, 2001

FSU turns to backup

TALLAHASSEE -- Sophomore running back Greg Jones will make his first career start Saturday against North Carolina State. He replaces Nick Maddox, who has missed three practices this week with a sprained left ankle.

Coach Bobby Bowden said he would like to not play Maddox to allow the junior's ankle to heal. "I would hate to get (Maddox) in there and ruin him for the next two games as well," Bowden said. "It's going to be if we need to get him in there." Jones leads the team with 537 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Freshman Eric Shelton will be the backup. Starting fullback William McCray did not practice Thursday because of a sprained right ankle and is doubtful. If he cannot play, senior Chad Maeder (from Central High) would start.

BOWDEN BIRTHDAY: Bowden celebrated his 72nd birthday Thursday. He received phone calls from friends and family but did not get a cake. Bowden has diabetes and is supposed to avoid sweets such as cake.

INJURY REPORT: Defensive end Alonzo Jackson (sprained right knee) and safety Gennaro Jackson (abdominal strain) are probable. Safety Jerome Carter (sprained left knee) and safety Patrick Newton (fractured nose) are out.

USF sack leader improves

TAMPA -- Junior defensive end Chris Daley, who set a season sack record with 81/2, did not play in the second half Saturday because of the right ankle he sprained Oct.27 against Liberty. The injury has slowed Daley all week, but coach Jim Leavitt said it is "much less severe" than it was last week.

Leavitt said, however, he did not know whether Daley will start Saturday against Western Illinois.

GRAMATICA KICKS, BLACKWELL BACK: Practice focused on the kicking game. The highlight was Santiago Gramatica nailing a 52-yard field goal at the end of practice. Starting quarterback Marquel Blackwell, who had seen limited snaps this week, returned to full practice. EXTRA WORK: Former linebacker Jason Butler, who now works as a graduate assistant with the linebackers, gave his players extra work after they didn't practice as hard as he wanted.

They did wheelbarrow carries -- in which one player holds another by the feet -- from sideline to sideline in helmets and shoulder pads twice before switching roles and doing two more. "Butler's hard on them. They just didn't practice too well today," Leavitt said as he watched the drill. "He was mad, and he said, "I'm going to get you if you all don't practice well today.' And they didn't respond."

UF tight ends compete to start

GAINESVILLE -- Tight ends coach Buddy Teevens said he likes the competition at tight end. He will announce today who will start Saturday against South Carolina.

Coach Steve Spurrier said sophomore Ben Troupe probably will get his second start of the season. Troupe also started against Georgia. Junior Aaron Walker started the first six games, and junior Kirk Wells started last week against Vanderbilt.

"When there was an unawareness of who was going to start, I thought everyone worked real hard," Teevens said. "We're just going to keep the same approach and rotate all three of them. They all know what we are doing, and they executed things better last week."

Troupe has 9 catches for 98 yards and 1 touchdown.

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