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IN THE HUDDLE Toledo AT Syracuse A publication of September 23-25, 2011 Present danger Syracuse must rebound from a disappointing loss to USC by taking care of upset- minded Toledo
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In The Huddle: Sept. 23, 2011

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Page 1: In The Huddle: Sept. 23, 2011

IN THE

HUDDLETole

do A

T S

yrac

use

A publication of

September 23-25, 2011

Present

HUDDLEA publication of

dangerSyracuse must

rebound from a

disappointing loss to USC

by taking care of upset-

minded Toledo

Page 2: In The Huddle: Sept. 23, 2011

G A M E DAY W E E K E N D2 s e p t e m be r 23 - 2 5 , 2 0 1 1 S P O R T S @ D A I L Y O R A N G E . C O M

Sports Editor Michael CohenPresentation Director Becca McGovernPhoto Editor Brandon WeightCopy Chief Laurence LeveilleAsst. Presentation Director Ankur PatankarAsst. Sports Editor Mark CooperAsst. Sports Editor Ryne GeryAsst. Photo Editor Stacie FanelliAsst. Copy Editor Stephen BaileyAsst. Copy Editor Andrew Tredinnick

T H E I N D E P E N D E N T S T U D E N T N E W S P A P E R O F S Y R A C U S E , N E W Y O R K

Amrita Mainthia MANAGING EDITOR

Dara McBride EDITOR IN CHIEF

General Manager Peter WaackIT Director Mike EscalanteIT Manager Derek OstranderCirculation Manager Harold HeronAdvertising Designer Cecilia JayoAdvertising Designer Yoli WorthAdvertising Representative Bianca Rodriguez Advertising Representative Kelsey Rowland Advertising Representative Andrew Steinbach Advertising Representative Yiwei WuClassifieds Manager Michael KangCirculation Joyce PlacitoCirculation Olivia St. DenisMarketing Manager Assel BaitassovaStudent Business Manager Brooke WilliamsBusiness Intern Tim Bennett

Editor’s note:Dear readers,

This In the Huddle is the fi rst edition of a series of football extras The Daily Orange will distribute for the 2011 football season. We use these special issues to provide you with an in-depth look at each and every Syracuse home football game. Inside, you will fi nd a complete breakdown of SU’s show-down with Toledo on Saturday. This includes insight from tight end Nick Provo and linebacker Dyshawn Davis, a summary of key matchups and predictions from our three beat writers. You can also catch up on the most important news and notes from the Big East and around the country, plus check out the leading Heisman Trophy can-didates. Ultimately, our hope is for you to get the most out of your game day experience.

Enjoy the game!

Sincerely,Michael CohenSports Editor

TODAY TOMORROW SUNDAY

H75| L62 H78| L64H78| L64

W E AT H E R

Page 3: In The Huddle: Sept. 23, 2011

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DoingBy Michael Cohen

SportS Editor

T he four check-down passes embodied Ryan Nassib’s improvement. On Syracuse’s opening drive against Southern Califor-

nia, Nassib continually dumped the ball off to running back Antwon Bailey as a last resort when receivers were covered downfield.

Four times on the 12-play, 70-yard drive that resulted in a field goal, Bailey acted as an escape valve. He turned possible sacks into positive yards, including chunks of 20 and 14 that sliced into the Trojans’ defense.

“I think he threw to Antwon three or four times on that drive and that was his last read,” said Syracuse offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. “So he went all the way around the horn and trusted Antwon and got it to him. He’s done a lot better at just believing in the progres-sion and believing in the system.”

Nassib’s belief in the system — combined with hours of film study — has transformed his game through the first quarter of the 2011 season. The inconsistency of a year ago has vanished, leaving a polished passer who is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the nation. His drastic improvements have kept the Orange (2-1, 0-0 Big East) afloat so far this year, as the running game, led by Bailey, has fluctuated between decent at best and ineffec-tive at worst.

Saturday, Syracuse welcomes a Toledo (1-2, 0-0 MAC) team to the Carrier Dome that pres-

ents a similar 4-4 defensive scheme as Rhode Island. With a slew of defenders around the line of scrimmage, the Orange might need a heavy dose of Nassib throwing the ball to avoid a two-game losing streak (noon, Big East Network).

Hackett attributed Nassib’s elevated game to his increased comfort level as the SU quarter-back. During the course of his career at Syra-cuse, Nassib was forced to learn three different offensive systems — something that would slow the growth of any quarterback.

But 2011 marks the first time in his career he is playing within the same scheme and playbook for consecutive seasons.

“When he goes back there, he knows exactly what he’s got to do,” Hackett said. “He under-stands his drop, he understands where his No. 1 is, he understands where his No. 2 is — and that really helps him. Last year, it was a new system and his third system he’s ever had.”

As a result, he has more than carried the SU offense through three games. His 726 pass-ing yards constitute less than 74 percent of the yards gained by the Orange this season. And against Rhode Island, his passing yards accounted for an unreal 89.9 percent of Syra-cuse’s offensive total.

But the whole product is a horribly imbal-anced Syracuse offense. For a team led by a head coach in Doug Marrone and an offensive line coach in Greg Adkins, who pride themselves on smashmouth football, this year’s SU attack seems foreign.

nate shron | staff photographer

ryan nassib (12) is three games into what’s shaping up to be the most efficient season of his career. SU’s senior quarterback has completed 74-of-102 passes this season.

Nassib carries offense early in season without reliable running game

part

see toledo page 11

his

Page 4: In The Huddle: Sept. 23, 2011

P e r s P e c t i v e scompiled by stephen bailey and stacie fanelli | the daily orange

Did Syracuse’s loss to Southern California last weekend change your perception of the SU football team, or is USC just too good for the Orange right now?

4 s e p t e m be r 23 - 2 5 , 2 0 1 1 s p o r t s @ d a i l y o r a n g e . c o m

“USC is too good for the Orange right now.”

Josh Shurifffreshman health and exercise science major

“I think that Syracuse is still unlike USC. They’re on a different level than Syracuse.”

Harrison Laiferfreshman sport management major

“That was awful. That was awful. I was not proud of my Orange that day.”

Devon Harrissophomore musical theater major

“I think we’ve had a little bit of setbacks, but other than that I think we showed what our offense has to offer.” Ryan Williams

freshman architecture major

“No, it didn’t change my perception. I don’t think that they’re too good. I just think that we need to work harder.”

Sabrina Cammockfreshman biology major

“It didn’t change my perception. I just think that we probably need to work harder.”

Peri Casellafreshman business management major

“I would definitely say that USC is a little above our playing level, but I think that we’re actually doing well for our conference right now.”

Connor Shapirosophomore biology major

“I think right now, currently, USC is a little better than what Syracuse is, but I think the program is on the rise.”

Jeremy Levensonjunior in the school of information studies

Page 5: In The Huddle: Sept. 23, 2011

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Last time they playedWalter Reyes had a wide smile on his face when he struck the Heisman pose after Syracuse’s win over Central Florida. And a week later, when the Orangemen played Toledo, Reyes fur-ther bolstered his case for the Heisman Trophy.

The SU running back followed up a 241-yard, four-touchdown UCF game with 162 yards rush-ing and two touchdowns against the Rockets.

Reyes gave credit to his offensive line for opening up gaping holes to run through follow-ing the game.

“The (offensive line) makes holes about this big,” Reyes said in an article published by The Daily Orange on Sept. 29, 2003. “At first, I’m expecting to get hit and then it’s like, ‘Oh, here we go.’”

With the help of his offensive line, Reyes led Syracuse to a 34-7 throttling of Toledo. Reyes couldn’t be contained, busting out for two touchdown runs of 61 yards and 43 yards in length. The Orangemen combined its fierce running attack that went for 303 yards on 47 carries with a stingy pass defense to easily beat the Rockets.

After the win over Toledo, Reyes led the nation in rushing with 170.3 yards per game

and scoring with 15.5 points per game. He finished the year with 1,347 yards rushing, 975 receiving and 20 touchdowns rushing on the season.

The Orangemen improved to 3-1 after sti-fling the Rockets. The Syracuse defense was prepared for Toledo’s short passing scheme. The Rockets were only able to gain 57 yards on 13 screen plays.

Syracuse defensive coordinator Chris Rip-pon recognized Bruce Gradkowski’s tendency to throw the short pass. Gradkowski threw the ball 50 times, but the Orangemen held the Toledo quarterback to just 5.1 yards per pass.

“Their passing game is really more like a running game,” Rippon said to The Daily Orange after the game. “It’s a lot of short passes, a lot of screen passes.”

The Orangemen controlled the clock, run-ning 39 plays before halftime. Reyes’ ability to break free for big plays even astounded his teammates. The nearly 36,000 fans in the Car-rier Dome took notice, too, giving him a stand-ing ovation.

“He just bursts through that hole, and it opens like the Red Sea,” tight end Lenny

Cusumano said to The Daily Orange after the game. “Walter gets up in there, the hole opens up and he takes it to the house. It’s just unbe-lievable the way he hits that hole.”

Toledo only mustered one touchdown in the third quarter, and by that time the Orangemen were already out in front 27-0.

“I can’t say that we anticipated that they would only score seven points,” SU head coach Paul Pasqualoni said to The Daily Orange after the game. “But one of the objectives on defense was to bend, slow it down and try not to break.”

Reyes was able to outrun the whole Rockets’ defense on his two touchdowns. Despite overex-tending his quad on one play, the Orangemen continued to feed Reyes the ball rather than turn to backup Damien Rhodes. The Rockets were unable to find a remedy for the Orange-men running attack.

“We tried to run blitz on those short-yardage plays and make a big play,” Toledo head coach Tom Amstutz said to The Daily Orange after the game. “He made some moves, found a hole and just took off.”

— Compiled by Andrew Tredinnick, asst. copy editor, [email protected]

SyracuSe 34 Toledo 7

Page 6: In The Huddle: Sept. 23, 2011

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nate shron | staff photographernick provo (80) had a breakout game against Southern California on the road last Saturday. With wide receiver Van Chew receiv-ing the bulk of the attention from the USC defense, Provo found openings and hauled in eight passes for a team-high 85 yards.

Q&A with Syracuse tight end Nick ProvoBy Zach Brown

Staff Writer

Syracuse tight end Nick Provo had a quiet first two weeks in 2011 thanks to a couple drops and not many targets from quarterback Ryan Nassib.

That changed against USC. The senior led the Orange with a career-high eight catches for 85 yards. He has now caught a pass in 16 straight games.

The Daily Orange caught up with Provo to talk about his performance this season and what SU’s offense plans to do this week against Toledo.

The Daily orange: in the first two games, you had a couple drops, not a whole lot of targets. What changed against USc to allow you to have eight catches?Provo: It was mainly the defense. (USC) plays a little different defense, kind of let the tight end run free, and that was a big part of having eight catches. The first two games, especially Rhode Island, they tend to cover up the tight end a lot, which was kind of rough for me. But it happens.

Toledo plays a similar style of defense to rhode island, so do you expect less targets again this week?Hopefully not. We’re putting in some new personnel to try and spread me out to try to get me the ball more so I don’t end up with just one catch. Hopefully, I’ll end up with some more catches.Against rhode island, the focal point of the offense was the passing game. is it going to be the same type of game plan?Actually, pretty much we want to run the ball. We want to run the ball a lot. That’s what (offen-sive coordinator Nathaniel) Hackett’s been say-ing. But we can get to the game and that could change. I really don’t know.is that a matchup thing or is it just something going into the game you guys want to do?Just going into the game we want to do. We haven’t run the ball well the last couple games. Pretty much we’ve got to get our running game. It’ll help out the passing game and everything else.What’s been the biggest obstacle to getting running back Antwon Bailey going in some of

these games?Pretty much just getting a good blocking scheme down. We don’t have as many plays in as we had the first couple weeks. Pretty much we just want to perfect those plays. We don’t have an extra load in. We’re just going to perfect the plays that we have in.ryan nassib is ninth in the country in completion percentage, completing more than 70 percent of his passes. He’s gotten Big East honors every week. is this the best that you’ve seen him play and what’s made him so successful?

He’s grown up a lot from last season. This is the best I’ve ever seen him play. Just learning the offense, being more confident, and being with the receivers and tight ends and running backs for a while has made him more comfortable.

[email protected]

dailyorange.com

Page 7: In The Huddle: Sept. 23, 2011

LINES END HERE TEXT ENDS HERE

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STARTING LINEUPS

DID YOU KNOW?

KEY MATCHUPS

KEON LYNCB

ERIC PAGEWR

SU is going to have to fi gure out how to limit the opposing team’s stud receivers at some point. USC’s Robert Woods didn’t have a monster game with Lyn on him, but it wasn’t a shutdown performance by any means. Look for some double coverage help from linebacker Dom Anene this week.

ANTWON BAILEYRB

ROBERT BELLLB

Syracuse wants to establish the running game against Toledo, something the Orange hasn’t done in its last two contests. Bell is in his fi rst year as a starter but leads the Rockets in tack-les with 22 on the season.

ALEC LEMONWR

DESMOND MARROWCB

Toledo’s corners are the second and fourth leading tacklers on the team. That likely means they give up a lot of completions. If Lemon can break a tackle or two, he could be in for a big day.

PHILLIP THOMASFS

TERRENCE OWENSQB

Owens is the younger of Toledo’s two quarter-backs, and Austin Dantin might not even play after suffering a concussion last week. Thomas had two picks against Rhode Island and will be looking for more against sophomore Owens.

THEY SAID IT

UP NEXT >>

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TOLEDO AT SYRACUSE

TOLEDO OFFENSE4 QB AUSTIN DANTIN24 RB ADONIS THOMAS7 WR KENNY STAFFORD11 WR BERNARD REEDY12 WR ERIC PAGE9 TE DANNY NOBLE74 LT MIKE VANDERMEULEN78 LG PHILLIPKEITH MANLEY67 C ZAC KERIN75 RG GREG MANCZ72 RT JOHN MOROOKIAN

TOLEDO DEFENSE97 DE MALCOLM RILEY94 NT JOHNIE ROBERTS52 DT JOHNATHAN LAMB23 DE T.J. FATINIKUN10 LB CHARLES RANCIFER49 LB TERRELL ANDERSON38 LB ROBERT BELL2 CB TAIKWON PAIGE29 SS JERMAINE ROBINSON5 FS DIAUNTAE MORROW3 CB DESMOND MARROW

52

Toledo had a 35-game winning streak from 1969-71, the second-longest in NCAA football history.

Ryan Nassib completed his last 11 passes against Rhode Island and started with 11 straight completions against Southern California. That streak of 22 completions in a row was four shy of the Football Bowl Subdivision record, set by Aaron Rodgers in 2004.

Alec Lemon’s touchdown toss to Van Chew against the Trojans was the fi rst time a Syracuse non-quarterback threw for a score since 1997, when Kevin Johnson did it against West Virginia.

RUTGERSOct. 1, noon

@TULANEOct. 8, 8 p.m.

SYRACUSE OFFENSE12 QB RYAN NASSIB29 RB ANTWON BAILEY49 FB ADAM HARRIS82 WR VAN CHEW15 WR ALEC LEMON80 TE NICK PROVO67 LT JUSTIN PUGH75 LG ZACK CHIBANE59 C MACKY MACPHERSON66 RG ANDREW TILLER74 RT MICHAEL HAY

BY THE NUMBERS

BEAT WRITER PREDICTIONS

9 12

8

3

80 82

SYRACUSE DEFENSE54 DE MIKHAIL MARINOVICH13 NT DEON GOGGINS96 DT JAY BROMLEY95 DE TORREY BALL33 SLB DAN VAUGHAN11 MLB MARQUIS SPRUILL35 WLB DYSHAWN DAVIS26 H CB KEVYN SCOTT21 SS SHAMARKO THOMAS1 FS PHILLIP THOMAS8 CB KEON LYN

WEST VIRGINIAOct. 21, 8 p.m.

5The number of years in a row Toledo

has beaten a Bowl Championship Series conference team. Syracuse is the last BCS school on the Rockets’

schedule this season.

101The national ranking for Syracuse in passing defense. The Orange ranked

seventh in the country in this category a year ago.

145The number of receiving yards Toledo’s

Eric Page had against Ohio State on Sept. 10. The Buckeyes’ passing defense ranks 17th in the country.

36.84The percentage of third downs Syra-cuse has converted this year. SU has converted on 14 of its 38 attempts.

That’s 83rd in the nation.

72.6The completion percentage for Ryan Nassib through three games. He has

completed 74-of-102 passes, good for ninth in the country.

MARK COOPERSyracuse 27

Toledo 23This isn’t Akron, that’s for

sure. But Syracuse has enough rocket fuel to get past Toledo. The Orange

will go full speed ahead into Big East play.

MICHAEL COHENToledo 35

Syracuse 27As Eminem said, “Earth call-ing, pilot to co-pilot. Looking at the life on this planet, sir,

no sign of it.” The Rockets take advantage of a Syra-cuse team that will come

out sluggish after a defl ating loss to Southern California.

ZACH BROWNToledo 31

Syracuse 24SU hasn’t shut down a No. 1 receiver yet this season

and the explosive Eric Page comes to the Dome this

week. The Orange salvages a respectable score, but the

game won’t be as close as the scoreboard says.

“(Toledo) plays a 4-4 defense, single high safety, similar to what Rhode Island played. Obviously, we had some struggles against them, so we have to do a better job the second time around.”

Doug MarroneSU HEAD COACH

“Right now, this week, this is where we see ourselves as a team. Where do we stand? How hard can we work? How hard do we want it? How bad do the seniors want it? This win is not really easy. It’s going to come down to who wants it.”

Dyshawn DavisSU LINEBACKER

SYRACUSE ON OFFENSE

TOLEDO ON OFFENSE

Saturday, noon, Big East Network

Page 8: In The Huddle: Sept. 23, 2011

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AROUND THE BIG EAST

Statistical Leaders

PASSIN

G

RUSHIN

G

RECEIV

ING

1West Virginia3-0

South Florida

1

3-0

Louisville

3

2-1

Cincinnati

4

3-1

Connecticut1-2

Pittsburgh2-1

Syracuse

7

2-1

8

Rutgers1-1

STANDINGS

ThursdayCINCINNATI 44, NORTH CAROLINA STATE 14Cincinnati picked up its second straight win on Thursday, defeating North Carolina State 44-14. Zach Collaros threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns in the win to lead the Bearcats offense. It was the third multi-touchdown game for Collaros this season as the Bearcats improved to 3-1. Cincinnati’s defense also played a key part, forcing the Wolfpack into a completely one-dimensional approach. NC State’s fi nished with negative 26 yards on the ground. The Bearcats also forced three turnovers on defense, converting two interceptions into 14 points in the fi rst half.

NAME SCHOOL PASS YARDS/GAME

Geno Smith West Virginia 336.0

B.J. Daniels South Florida 289.7

Ryan Nassib Syracuse 242.0

Tino Sunseri Pittsburgh 219.3

Will Stein Louisville 205.0

NAME SCHOOL RUSH YARDS/GAME

Ray Graham Pittsburgh 139.7

Lyle McCombs Connecticut 101.7

Darrell Scott South Florida 87.0

Isaiah Pead Cincinnati 85.7

Antwon Bailey Syracuse 68.0

NAME SCHOOL RECEIVING YARDS/GAME

Mohamed Sanu Rutgers 93.5

Van Chew Syracuse 80.0

Devin Street Pittsburgh 78.7

Tavon Austin West Virginia 78.7

D.J. Woods Cincinnati 77.3

WEEKEND LINEUP

NOTRE DAME (1-2) AT PITTSBURGH (2-1), NOON, ABCThe Panthers go into Saturday hoping to avenge last sea-son’s 23-17 loss to Notre Dame. Running back Ray Graham, who is averaging a whopping 139.7 yards per game this season, will lead the charge for Pittsburgh. He has already found the end zone six times this season and looks to increase that total Saturday.

NO. 2 LOUISIANA STATE (3-0) AT NO. 16 WEST VIRGINIA (3-0), 8 P.M., ABCThe LSU defense held then-No. 3 Oregon’s prolifi c spread offense to just 27 points in its season opener. The Tigers have also held Northwestern and then-No. 25 Mississippi State to a combined nine points. The Mountaineers are averaging 42 points per contest in 2011 behind quarterback Geno Smith. He has already thrown for more than 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns. Something’s got to give in this primetime matchup.

TEXAS EL-PASO (2-1) AT NO. 18 SOUTH FLORIDA (3-0), 7 P.M., ESPN3The Bulls will take the fi eld at the friendly confi nes of Ray-mond James Stadium as 29-point favorites Saturday. In their 70-17 beat-down of Florida A&M, the Bulls racked up 745 total yards. Quarterback B.J. Daniels threw for four touch-downs and Darrell Scott ran for another three. If the Miners can’t contain the potent Bulls offense, UTEP head coach Mike Price and company will be in for a long night.

SaturdayOHIO (3-0) AT RUTGERS (1-1), 2 P.M., ESPN3The Scarlet Knights could be in for a challenge against Ohio. The undefeated Bobcats are coming off a 44-7 thrashing of Marshall this past weekend and currently rank 22nd in the nation in scoring offense. Ohio has scored 39.3 points per game and is 23rd in the nation in total offense with 467.3 yards per game. In that victory over the Thundering Herd, Tyler Tettleton threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns in just his third career start. Against Rutgers, he looks to build on that career performance and lead Ohio to its fi rst 4-0 start since 1976.

CONNECTICUT (1-2) AT BUFFALO (1-2), 6 P.M., SNYThe Huskies played poorly in the fourth quarter of their last

two games against Vanderbilt and Iowa State. Last year’s Big East

champions opened the season with a dominating 35-3 win

over Fordham but have struggled since. In a

rebuilding year under fi rst-year head coach

Paul Pasqualoni, Connecticut is

having a hard time fi nding its

stride.

courtesy of west virginia athletic communications

4

4

— Compiled by Stephen Bailey, asst. copy editor, [email protected]

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West Virginia will depend on Smith’s arm against Louisiana StateOn Saturday, quarterback Geno Smith will lead No. 16 West Virginia against No. 2 Loui-siana State and its vaunted defense. LSU has one of the best defenses in the country, holding opponents to 12 points per game, 47.7 rushing yards per game and 207.7 total yards per game. The Tigers have forced a turnover or a three-and-out on 19 of 39 defensive possessions so far this season. They haven’t even allowed a run longer than 15 yards.

And with the Mountaineers run game cur-rently operating in low gear, Smith and his wide receivers will likely carry the offensive load. Freshman Vernard Roberts leads the team with a measly 112 yards through three games. In its matchup with Norfolk State earlier this season, WVU rushers had six chances to score from the 1-yard line and fell short on each and every one of them.

But Smith has made up for it by complet-ing passes at nearly a 70 percent clip this season. He leads the conference with 336 passing yards per game. He has already thrown seven touchdowns and has been picked off just once. Tavon Austin, arguably his favorite target, leads the team with 20 receptions and 236 receiving yards. In last week’s 37-31 win over Maryland, the pair connected 11 times for 122 yards. They’ll need to be on the same page again Saturday night if the Mountaineers want to spoil LSU’s fi rst-ever visit to Morgantown, W.Va.

Connecticut tries to halt skidFrom the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in the Bowl Championship Series to a 1-2 start against three unranked opponents, Connecticut has changed quite a bit in less than nine months. Head coach Randy Edsall, who built the team

up from a mediocre Division I-AA program, moved on to Maryland. Quarterback Zach Frazer graduated, and last year’s starting run-ning back Jordan Todman was drafted by the San Diego Chargers.

This year, former Syracuse head coach Paul Pasqualoni has taken over for Edsall. Junior quarterback Johnny McEntee and freshman running back Lyle McCombs don’t have the experience to compare with the 2010 starters. The inexperienced Huskies have lost to Iowa State and Vanderbilt, and McEntee has thrown zero touchdowns and four interceptions.

Against Buffalo this Saturday, the Huskies have a chance to gain some confi dence and move to .500.

Pittsburgh secondary under fi rePittsburgh is 2-1 this season, but its weak pass defense arguably cost the team one game and could easily cost them another against Notre Dame on Saturday.

The Fighting Irish aren’t afraid to put the ball in the air. Starting quarterback Tommy Rees has thrown for 772 yards and six scores. And the fact that the Panthers defense is second-to-last in the nation in pass defense will only entice ND coach Brian Kelly to let Rees take shots downfi eld.

In the Panthers second game, Maine quarterback Warren Smith threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns as the Football Championship Subdivision Black Bears nar-rowly missed pulling the upset. Then Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg tore apart the Panthers secondary last weekend, toss-ing three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to erase a 17-point defi cit.

The Pitt secondary will need to improve if it wants to keep Rees and the Irish out of the end zone.

NEWS NOTESANDAROUND THE BIG EAST

The Orange has thrown 103 passes so far in 2011, compared to just 76 rushing attempts. Marrone attributes the imbalance to having to play from behind against Wake Forest and USC.

This meant Nassib had to throw the ball more frequently.

“If you throw the ball and lose, you should have run it. And if you run the ball and lose, you should have thrown it,” Marrone said in a teleconference Wednesday. “I hate to say that and our goal as coaches is to be balanced, but at the end of the day, I think it’s the same thing. We’re trying to win football games any way we can.”

Saturday could require another heavy dose of Nassib against Toledo. The Rockets defense loads the box with at least eight defenders on every play, which makes running the ball extremely diffi cult.

The Orange players and coaches are expect-ing pressure from Toledo, meaning Nassib will have to get the ball out of his hands quickly and accurately — one of his strengths this season.

Nassib’s completion percentage has skyrock-eted from a less-than-mediocre 56.4 percent in 2010 to an impressive 72.5 percent this year. That’s good enough for ninth-best in the coun-try among Football Bowl Subdivision quarter-backs.

“From the mistakes I made last year, I’m making a lot less of them now,” Nassib said. “That fi lm from last year, it’s really hard for me to watch because I left a lot out there.”

Syracuse players and coaches hope previous experience against the uncommon 4-4 defense is something that will help them Saturday.

They’ve studied game tape from Rhode Island extensively, trying to fi nd ways to pick apart the high-pressure scheme they saw against the Rams.

Nassib was nearly perfect against Rhode Island, throwing for 318 yards and three touch-downs. But the offense was completely one-dimensional.

Though it’s not ideal, Adkins says the team simply has to take what the defense gives it and hope to exploit it.

“Rhode Island basically forced us to throw the football with the looks that they gave us,” Adkins said. “They pretty much took us out of all the run game. You’ve got to do what’s asked and what the defense gives you. And, unfortu-nately, it’s been a little more of the throwing aspect that we’ve had to do.”

[email protected]

TOLEDOF R O M P A G E 3

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NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. CLASS1 Phillip Thomas FS 5-11 190 Jr.2 Olando Fisher SS 5-10 207 Sr.3 Durell Eskridge FS 6-2 196 Fr.4 Brandon Reddish CB 5-10 179 Fr.5 Marcus Sales WR 6-0 183 Sr.6 Ritchy Desir CB 5-11 168 Fr.6 Terrel Hunt QB 6-3 203 Fr.7 Jonny Miller QB 6-1 212 So.7 Oliver Vigille LB 6-3 212 Fr8 Corey Edsall QB/P 5-11 211 Fr.8 Keon Lyn CB 6-1 190 So.9 Ri’Shard Anderson CB 6-1 189 Jr.10 Dorian Graham WR 5-10 185 Sr.11 Marquis Spruill LB 6-1 216 So.12 Ryan Nassib QB 6-2 229 Sr.13 Deon Goggins DT 6-1 272 Sr.14 John Kinder QB 6-3 181 So.15 Alec Lemon WR 6-2 202 Jr.15 Shu Mungwa SS 6-1 207 Fr.16 Keenan Hale WR 6-2 185 Fr.16 James Jarrett SS 6-2 202 Jr.17 Charley Loeb QB 6-4 212 Jr.18 Siriki Diabate LB 5-10 210 Jr.18 Nick Raven TE 6-4 230 So.19 Ryan Lichtenstein K 5-11 161 Jr,20 Mitchell Piasecki FB 5-11 252 Fr.21 Shamarko Thomas SS 5-10 208 Jr.22 Adrian Flemming WR 6-3 196 So.23 Prince-Tyson Gulley RB 5-9 181 So.24 Jatson George CB 5-10 159 Fr.25 Jeremiah Kobena WR 5-11 180 Fr.26 Kevyn Scott CB 5-11 208 Gr.27 Nathaniel Forer QB 6-3 228 Fr.27 Joe Nassib CB 5-9 170 So.28 Greg Tobias RB 5-10 169 So.28 Jeremi Wilkes FS 5-9 189 So.29 Antwon Bailey RB 5-7 201 Sr.30 Steve Rene RB 5-7 176 So.31 Clay Cleveland FB 6-0 236 So.32 Travon Burke RB 6-1 253 Fr.33 Dan Vaughan LB 6-2 219 Sr.34 Tombe Kose FB 5-9 240 Sr.35 Dyshawn Davis LB 6-3 213 Fr.36 Adonis Ameen-Moore RB 5-10 244 Fr.37 Ross Krautman K 5-7 155 So.37 Chris McKenzie FS 5-10 206 So.38 Cameron Lynch LB 5-11 223 Fr.39 Dom Anene LB 6-1 224 Jr.40 Zachary McCarrell LB 5-11 188 So.41 Shane Raupers P 5-9 184 Jr.41 Donnie Simmons DE 6-2 226 Fr.42 Shane Kimmel FB 6-1 232 Sr.

NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. CLASS43 Mario Tull RB 6-0 207 So.45 Jerome Smith RB 5-11 213 So.46 Jonathan Fisher P 6-1 209 Fr.47 Sam Rodgers LS 6-1 215 Fr.48 Carl Cutler FB 6-3 250 Sr.49 Adam Harris FB 6-2 248 Sr.50 Femi Aliyu LB 5-11 215 So.51 Eric Crume NT 6-0 332 Fr.52 Ollie Haney NT 6-2 290 R-Sr.53 Lucas Albrecht DT 6-2 255 Fr.54 Mikhail Marinovich DE 6-5 253 Sr.55 Rob Trudo C 6-3 300 Fr.56 Cory Boatman NT 6-1 281 Sr.58 Lewellyn Coker LB 6-1 218 So.59 Macky MacPherson C 6-2 269 So.60 Sean Hickey OT 6-6 282 So.61 Eric Morrs LS 5-9 227 Jr.62 Andrew Phillips OT 6-6 279 Jr.63 Ryan Sloan DT 6-4 324 Fr.65 Jarel Lowery OG 6-3 309 Sr.66 Andrew Tiller OG 6-5 334 Gr.67 Justin Pugh OT 6-6 292 Jr.68 Nick Robinson OT 6-6 295 Fr.70 Jesse Wolf-Gould OL 6-4 321 Fr.71 Ivan Foy OG 6-4 318 Fr.72 Nick Lepak OG 6-5 363 Sr.74 Michael Hay OT 6-5 283 Sr.75 Zack Chibane OG 6-5 293 Jr.76 Ian Allport C 6-5 296 Sr.77 Lou Alexander OG 6-4 331 Jr.79 Kristofer Curtis OT 6-3 291 Fr.80 Nick Provo TE 6-4 249 Gr.81 Louie Addazio TE 6-3 241 Fr.82 Van Chew WR 6-1 175 Sr.83 Max Beaulieu TE 6-3 240 So.84 Michael Acchione WR 5-11 174 Sr.85 Beckett Wales TE 6-3 253 So.86 David Stevens TE 6-3 231 Sr.87 Kyle Foster WR 6-3 207 Fr.88 Jarrod West WR 6-2 204 So.89 Thomas Trendowski TE 6-2 242 R-Sr.90 Cayden Feifer WR 5-11 169 Jr.91 Brandon Sharpe DE 6-2 245 Jr.92 Riley Dixon K/P 6-5 202 Fr.92 Robert Welsh NT 6-2 260 So.93 Micah Robinson DE 6-4 252 So.94 Daniel Anyaegbunam DT 6-3 288 So.95 Torrey Ball DE 6-4 253 Sr.96 Jay Bromley DT 6-3 280 So.97 Macauley Hill WR 6-0 198 Fr.98 Kyle Ishman WR 6-1 181 So.99 Chandler Jones DE 6-5 265 Sr.

SYRACUSE

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NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. CLASS 2 Bill Claus P 6-0 189 Sr.2 Terrance Owens QB 6-4 180 So.2 Taikwon Paige CB 5-11 185 Sr.3 Desmond Marrow CB 6-3 210 Sr.4 Ryan Casano PK 5-10 178 Sr.4 Austin Dantin QB 6-2 200 Jr.5 Diauntae Morrow SS 6-0 199 Sr.6 Byron Best CB 5-9 200 Jr.7 Kenny Stafford WR 6-4 204 Sr.8 James Green WR 6-3 200 So.8 Corey Smith P 5-8 175 RFr.9 Danny Noble TE 6-5 248 Sr.10 David Alvey PK 6-3 185 Sr.10 Charles Rancifer LB 6-3 217 Sr.11 Devin Brown WR 5-9 175 Fr.11 Bernard Reedy WR 5-9 175 So.12 Eric Page WR 5-10 180 Jr,13 Cordale Scott WR 6-4 220 Jr.13 Anthony Washington DB 6-0 175 Sr.14 Justin Olack WR 6-4 210 Fr. 15 Jayrone Elliot DE 6-3 220 So.15 Ryan Gannon QB 6-2 190 Fr.17 Dwight Macon QB 6-0 200 RFr.17 Joseph Missler DB 5-11 195 RFr.19 Cassius McDowell WR 5-9 180 RFr.20 Robert Carmona WR 6-0 200 So.20 John James CB 5-11 163 Fr.20 Zach Rogers WR 6-2 195 Fr.21 Ross Madison DB 6-1 193 So.22 David Fluellen RB 6-0 215 So.23 T.J. Fatinikun DE 6-2 250 Jr.23 Morgan Williams RB 5-11 215 Sr.24 Adonis Thomas RB 5-10 185 Sr.25 Kishon Wilcher CB 5-7 168 Fr.26 Jimmy Davidson WR 6-4 201 Jr.26 Keith Suggs CB 5-10 175 Fr.27 Darius Reeves RB 6-1 202 So.28 Ethan Kagy S 5-11 192 So.29 Jermaine Robinson S 6-3 188 Jr.30 Ben Pike DL 6-3 266 So.31 James Gordon LB 6-3 210 RFr.32 Dan Molls LB 6-1 222 Jr.33 Junior Sylvestre DB 6-0 195 Fr.34 Chris Dukes CB 5-9 182 Fr.34 David Pasquale RB 6-2 232 Jr.35 Vince Penza P 6-1 201 So.36 Cheatham Norrils DB 6-0 185 Fr.37 Ibrahim Yayah CB 5-11 175 So.38 Robert Bell LB 6-0 227 Jr.40 Trent Voss LB 6-3 210 Fr.41 Zac Rosenbauer DL 6-2 255 RFr.42 Gabe Gilbert LB 6-1 210 Fr.

NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. CLASS43 Mark Singer S 6-1 194 Sr.44 Jordan Barnes LB 6-1 240 So.45 Graham Miller CB 5-9 187 Fr.45 Matt Wall LS 6-1 218 So.46 Hank Keighley DE 6-4 250 Jr.47 Noah Key DB 6-0 180 Fr.48 Dawalyn Harper LB 6-1 220 RFr.49 Terrell Anderson OLB 6-1 215 Sr.51 Derek Batt LB 5-11 210 Fr.52 Johnathan Lamb DT 6-4 295 Sr.54 Jeff Myers OL 6-3 280 RFr.55 Ray Bush LB 6-3 220 RFr.56 Josh Hendershot OL 6-4 275 RFr.57 Robert Lisowski OL 6-4 292 RFr.60 A.J. Lindeman OL 6-6 300 Jr.61 Erik Carlson OL 6-2 283 So.62 Mark Mattraw OL 6-3 255 RFr.63 Paul Wisniewski OL 6-4 295 Fr.64 Ethan Wirth OL 6-6 280 Fr.65 Chase Nelson OL 6-8 345 So.67 Zac Kerin OL 6-5 294 So.68 Kyle Cameron C 6-2 280 Fr.70 Ben Steele DL 6-4 250 So.72 John Morookian OL 6-5 301 Sr.73 Stone Monarch LS 5-10 205 Fr.74 Mike VanDerMeulen OL 6-7 304 Sr.75 Greg Mancz OL 6-5 280 RFr.76 Samuel Cherry OL 6-2 302 So.78 Phillipkeith Manley OL 6-5 309 Sr.79 Fadi Farha OL 6-4 293 Jr.81 Jeff Moore WR 6-0 175 So.82 Colby Kratch TE 6-4 245 Jr.83 Julian Bellinger WR 6-1 175 Jr,84 Sam Gaymon S 6-3 199 Jr.84 Christian Smith DE 6-2 260 So.85 Jeremiah Detmer PK 5-8 170 Fr.86 James Datz P 6-1 186 Fr.87 Jake Dunbar P 5-10 188 Fr.88 Jerome Jones TE 6-7 240 Sr.89 Collin Perchinske TE 6-5 265 Fr.90 Grant Pleasant DE 6-3 230 RFr.91 Andre Sturdivant DL 6-3 265 Fr.92 Danny Farr DT 6-5 295 Jr.93 Phil Lewis DL 6-2 285 Unk93 Colin McHugh LS 5-11 211 Sr.94 Johnie Roberts DL 6-3 280 Sr.94 Clay Simpkins PK 5-10 165 RFr.95 Jared Strait TE 6-2 246 Jr.96 Ayoub Hamidah DL 6-1 260 RFr.97 Malcolm Riley DL 6-3 281 Sr.98 Elijah Jones DT 6-2 295 So.99 Keenen Gibbs DE 6-3 260 Fr.

TOLEDO

Page 12: In The Huddle: Sept. 23, 2011

HEISMAN HOPEFULS

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AROUND THE NATION

GAMES WEEKOF THENORTH CAROLINA (3-0, 1-0 ACC) @ NO. 25 GEORGIA TECH (3-0, 0-0 ACC), NOON, ESPN

This conference matchup will be a battle between Georgia Tech’s option attack on offense and North Carolina’s tough rush defense. The Yellow Jackets currently lead the nation in points per game with 59.3, rushing offense with 427.7 yards per game and total offense with 675.3 yards per game. Georgia Tech is also coming off a historic 66-24 win over Kansas, in which it set pro-gram records with 604 yards rushing and 768 total yards. Head coach Paul Johnson’s triple-option attack will be challenged by North Carolina — its toughest opponent so far. The Tar Heels have held opponents to 76.67 yards per game on the ground in 2011, good for No. 16 in rush defense in the nation. Something will have to give.

X-factor: Orwin Smith, RB, Georgia Tech — Smith has been an electrifying playmaker in the triple option this season. Playing the A-back position, Smith runs the ball and serves as a receiver. Though he has just 12 carries in three games, he is fourth in the conference with 270 yards rushing. Against Kansas, he had a 95-yard touchdown run — the longest play in school history. Smith has also found the end zone from 77 and 67 yards out. He also recorded more than 100 yards as a rusher and receiver against Kan-sas on just seven total touches. North Caro-lina will have to contain him to have a chance on the road.

NO. 7 OKLAHOMA STATE (3-0, 0-0 BIG 12) @ NO. 8 TEXAS A&M (2-0, 0-0 BIG 12), 3:30 P.M., ABC

National title hopes are already at stake for the Cowboys and Aggies in this Big 12 showdown. The fi rst matchup between top-10 teams in College Station, Texas, since 1975, will give the winner an impressive victory and a clear path to compete with No. 1 Oklahoma for the conference title. The game will likely become a shootout as Oklahoma State and Texas A&M boast potent offenses led by their quarter-backs. For the Cowboys, Brandon Weeden leads the nation in passings per game with 384.7 to go with a 73 percent completion rate. Ryan Tannehill made the transition from wide receiver to quarterback after Jerrod Johnson turned the ball over fi ve times in the Aggies’ 38-35 loss to the Cowboys last season. Tan-nehill has made it look easy, going 7-1 as the starter dating back to 2010, which included a win over Oklahoma.

X-factor: Texas A&M’s front seven — In just two games, the Aggies have recorded 11 sacks, making them tops in the nation with 5.5 sacks per game. Weeden has only been sacked three times all season, so getting pres-sure on the Heisman Trophy candidate will be key. Weeden committed three turnovers in the fi rst half of last year’s matchup, and Texas A&M jumped out to a 14-0 lead. But he eventu-ally settled in and led the Cowboys to victory. Weeden gets the ball out quick, so it will be a challenge for Texas A&M to generate the same type of pressure it did in its fi rst two victories. If the front seven can get to Weeden, the Aggies should make it interesting. On the other side, A&M is one of fi ve teams in the country that has yet to give up a sack.

NO. 14 ARKANSAS (3-0, 0-0 SEC) @ NO. 3 ALABAMA (3-0, 0-0 SEC), 3:30 P.M., CBS

With star quarterback Ryan Mallett moving on to play for the New England Patriots of the NFL, Arkansas is relying on inexperi-enced redshirt junior Tyler Wilson to lead the offense. Wilson came into the season having never started a college game, and it has showed at times this season. Last week in a 38-28 win over Troy, Wilson threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown to go with four three-and-outs in the second half. This week, Wilson will be tested by one of the top defenses in the country, as Alabama is ranked second in the nation in scoring defense. The Crimson Tide has held opponents to six points per game, allowing just two touchdowns and a fi eld goal. That stingy defense will make it tough for the Razorbacks to pull off the upset.

X-factor: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama — Like Arkansas, Alabama has an unproven quarterback in redshirt freshman A.J. McCarron. But with its dominant defense, all McCarron should have to do is turn and hand the ball to Richardson to secure the win. Richardson is one of the top running backs in the nation, and he should help the Crimson Tide control the game and keep the clock running with a lead. He is tied for the most touchdowns in the nation with eight and has the ability to break big runs. If he can rush for his average of 6.3 yards per carry and fi nd the end zone a couple of times, Alabama will be in good position for a conference victory

NO. 11 FLORIDA STATE (2-1, 0-0 ACC) @ NO. 21 CLEMSON (3-0, 0-0 ACC), 3:30 P.M., ESPN

Clemson is fl ying high after its 38-24 upset victory over defending national champion Auburn last Saturday. The Tigers have enjoyed home-fi eld advantage in each of their fi rst three games and now welcome another ranked opponent in Florida State to Death Valley. The Seminoles have lost four straight games at Clemson, having last won there in 2001. FSU is aiming to break that streak this Saturday, but it may not have starting quarterback E.J. Manuel to lead the offense. Manuel has a left shoulder injury, and redshirt freshman Clint Trickett will likely fi ll in for him. Clemson has more certainty at quarterback with Tajh Boyd, who has been impressive this season. Boyd has passed for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns, while only throwing one interception. They are the only two ranked teams in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference, so the winner of this game will have the edge to reach the conference title game.

X-factor: Clint Trickett, QB, Florida State — If Manuel can’t play, the offense will rely on Trickett under center. The redshirt fresh-man has played with confi dence during the time he has seen in all three games for the Seminoles. He has thrown four touchdowns and completed 60.9 percent of his passes, including a 56-yard touchdown strike that tied Oklahoma in the fourth quarter of last week’s 23-13 loss. If FSU wants to end its losing streak in Death Valley, Trickett will have to keep his composure in the pocket.

HEISMAN HOPEFULSANDREW LUCK, QB, STANFORD57-of-85, 786 yards, 8 TD, 1 INTLuck has been on everyone’s Heisman Trophy watch since he decided to forego the NFL Draft and return to Stanford this season. With heightened expectations, Luck has answered the call. Luck has thrown for 786 yards and eight touchdowns with one interception through three games this season for the undefeated No. 5 Cardinal. Luck has led the Cardinal to three victories, each coming by no less than 27 points.

DENARD ROBINSON, QB, MICHIGAN27-of-55, 531 yards, 6 TD, 4 INT50 carries, 370 yards, 2 TD“Shoelace” Robinson is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks to ever play college foot-ball. Robinson has kept up his torrid pace from a season ago, throwing for 531 yards and six touchdowns and rushing for another 352 yards and two touchdowns through Michigan’s fi rst three games. Robinson threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in the fourth quarter of a 35-31 comeback victory against Notre Dame two weeks ago. Robinson was clutch late, completing a 16-yard touchdown to Roy Roundtree with two seconds remaining in regula-tion. But he has struggled a bit with accuracy, completing just 49 percent of his passes and throwing three picks in the win over the Irish. He became the fi rst player in NCAA history to pass for 2,500 yards and rush for 1,500 yards in a single season last year. Defenses know what they are in for when they face Robinson, but they simply have trouble stopping him.

LANDRY JONES, QB, OKLAHOMA53-of-74, 574 yards, 2 TD, 2 INTThe starting quarterback for the No. 1 team in the land always seems to be recognized as a threat to capture college football’s highest honor. Jones has yet to disappoint OU fans this season. Jones has thrown for 574 yards and two touchdowns in his fi rst two games, includ-ing a win over then-No. 5 Florida State. The quarterback’s aptitude to win is something that makes him one of the most valued quarterbacks in the country. Despite throwing for just 199 yards against FSU last weekend, it was his play down the stretch that impressed. With the game tied 13-13, Jones took the Sooners 83 yards down the fi eld, completing 5-of-6 passes on the drive. Jones hooked up with Kenny Stills for a 37-yard touchdown that allowed the Sooners to keep the No. 1 ranking in the nation.

ROBERT GRIFFIN III, QB, BAYLOR41-of-49, 624 yards, 8 TD, 0 INT18 car, 125 yards, 0 TDIt didn’t take long for Griffi n to prove that he should be part of the Heisman conversa-tion. In the season opener against then-No. 14 TCU, Griffi n threw for 359 yards and fi ve touchdowns as the Bears upset the Horned Frogs 50-48. Behind the arm of Griffi n, Baylor has scored 98 points through two games so far this season. Griffi n is 41-of-49 for 624 yards and eight touchdowns in his fi rst two games, completing passes at an unheard of 83.7 percent clip. If Griffi n is able to keep up this freakish pace, look for the Bears to become a dark horse in the Big 12 this season, and look for Griffi n to remain among the top Heisman candidates until the end of the season.

MARCUS LATTIMORE, RB, SOUTH CAROLINA87 carries, 534 yards, 7 TDLattimore has been the savior for South Carolina this season. The sophomore leads the nation with 534 yards rushing and has scored seven touchdowns to go with it. The Gamecocks’ running back is on pace to surpass his stellar freshman campaign through only three games this season. Lattimore ran for 1,197 and 17 touchdowns a year ago. He came up big in South Carolina’s contest with Georgia two weeks ago, rushing for 176 yards on 27 carries. His lone touchdown gave the Gamecocks the lead with 3:28 remaining in the fourth quarter and provided the knockout blow in a 45-42 victory. Last week, he scored all three South Carolina touchdowns, saving the Gamecocks from an upset bid against Navy. He rushed for 246 yards in the narrow 24-21 win.

— Compiled by Andrew Tredinnick, asst. copy editor, [email protected]

courtesy of baylor athletic communications

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NEWS NOTESANDMichigan head coach Brady Hoke will

welcome San Diego State, his former team, to Michigan Stadium on Saturday to face his No. 22 Wolverines. Hoke actually helped schedule this game during his two-year stint with the Aztecs. It creates an intriguing matchup for Hoke, who told his players he was leaving San Diego State through a text message rather than in person. After going 4-8 in his first season at SDSU, Hoke turned the program around last year, as it finished 9-4 and defeated Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl. The Aztecs have built on that success under first-year head coach Rocky Long, starting this season 3-0 and beating Wash-ington State to snap a 23-game losing streak to Bowl Championship Series opponents.

The NCAA will investigate Oregon for its use of recruiting services. The program received a formal notice last week and announced the news before the Ducks’ game against Missouri State last Saturday. Head coach Chip Kelly said after the game that Oregon will “fully cooperate with the NCAA,” according to the Associated Press. The investigation stems from reports that Oregon paid Willie Lyles and Houston-based Complete Scouting Services $25,000. The payment came in 2010, just one month after the Ducks received a commitment from a coveted running back from Texas named Lache Seastrunk — who transferred to Bay-lor this fall.

Oregon State wide receiver James Rod-gers has been medically cleared for action Saturday against UCLA. The senior had two knee surgeries after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament five games into the 2010 season against Arizona and was given a fifth year of eligibility. Rodgers was a dynamic

player before the injury, leading the Beavers in receiving and second on the team in rush-ing in 2009. Last year, before his injury, he ranked sixth in the nation with 176.75 all-pur-pose yards per game. He is already Oregon State’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards with 5,784. He and his younger brother Jac-quizz Rodgers, now on the Atlanta Falcons, were quite a tandem when healthy.

Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill will continue coaching despite enduring seizures in the last 10 days. Kill suffered a seizure on the sideline during Minnesota’s game against New Mexico State on Sept. 10. He was taken out on a stretcher and spent five days in the hospital. Kill then rejoined the team and coached the Golden Gophers to a win over Miami of Ohio last week, and he plans to be on the sidelines for the North Dakota State game this Saturday. Kill also had seizures during his tenures at Northern Illinois and Southern Illinois, and he said doc-tors are adjusting his medication to control the seizures.

Former rapper Luther Campbell filed a lawsuit against former University of Miami booster Nevin Shapiro on Tuesday. Campbell claims he was “slandered and defamed” by Shapiro in a Yahoo Sports report. The report revealed Shapiro, who is serving 20 years in federal prison for his role in a Ponzi scheme, gave Miami athletes gifts ranging from cars to money from 2002-10. Shapiro called Campbell “the first uncle who took care of players” in the report. Campbell’s lawsuit claims that statement falsely accused him of taking part in illegal activity.

— Compiled by Ryne Gery, asst. sports. editor, [email protected]

arOuNdThENaTiON

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7 SunPOINTS PER GAME

POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME

RUSHING YARDS GAINED PER GAME

PASSING YARDS GAINED PER GAME

TOTAL OFFENSIVE YARDS PER GAME

RUSHING YARDS ALLOWED PER GAME

PASSING YARDS ALLOWED PER GAME

TOTAL YARDS ALLOWED PER GAME

31.729.7140.7282.3423136.3278414.3

24.72776.7251.3328122.3268.7391

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