THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY AUGUST 13, 2007
MONDAY, AUGUST 13,2007
SPORTS
17B
BIG 12
L. G. Patterson/ASSOCIATED PRESS
LG Pattern/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Missouri running back Tony Temple was carted off the practice field on Tuesday with a knee injury. Temple, the Big 12's top returning rusher, is ready in time for the Tigers' season-opener.
Reserves shine in absence Tiger injury creates competition for extra playing time
BY TROY SCHULTE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Tony Temple's knee injury proved to be minor, but his missed practice time is giving Missouri's other running backs a chance to showcase themselves in the hunt for playing time.
Temple, who is the Big 12's leading returning rusher with 1,063 yards last season, at first appeared to be seriously hurt after colliding with another player Tuesday. An MRI showed only a bruise. Still, Temple has remained on the sidelines as a precaution, though he did some light running Thursday.
Coach Gary Pinkel wasn't sure when Temple would return to
practice but said he expects him to be ready for the season-owner Sept. 1 against Illinois at St. Louis.
Temple's absence means more repetitions for Marcus Woods, Jimmy Jackson and Earl Goldsmith in what Pinkel calls a competition for playing time.
"They're all competing and working hard," Pinkel said. "But bottom line is we're going to play the best guys and the guys that are protecting the football and making plays."
Jackson knows the temporary loss of Temple is a chance for the backs to show their skills.
"Of course I see it as an opportunity," he said. "We've got a lot of talent back there. It's a lot of competition and we're making
each other better."
"He's doing very well he worked very hard," jones said.
All three saw some action last season. Jackson had 32 carries for 123 yards and a touchdown; Goldsmith carried 28 times for 119 yards and a score; Woods, who started 10 games as a sophomore in 2005, carried five times for 53 yards in the 2006 opener against Murray State, but had just four carriers in Big 12 games.
A solid spring followed by an impressive start to summer drills have helped Woods reinsert himself into the mix, running backs coach Brian Jones said.
Two other running backs who are longshots for playing time are freshmen Derrick Washington and De'Vion Moore.
NFL
Broncos fighting preseason injuries
BY ARNIE STAPLETON
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncs wrapped up the Denver portion of their training camp Saturday, but it didn't feel like the end of the grind.
Following nearly two weeks of two-a-days, the Broncos will open their exhibition schedule Monday night at San Francisco, then fly to Dallas for two days of practices with the Cowboys before the teams play at Texas Stadium on Saturday night.
Rich Abrahamson/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Denver Broncos' guard Mark Fenton, right, strips the helmet off his teammate and Bronco defensive tackle Marcus Thomas while the pair battled each other during a drill at football training camp in Englewood, Colo., Tuesday, July 31.
None of the rookies will start but should get plenty of action as backups.
As usual, Shanahan will have his starters play 10-12 snaps in their first game, about double that in the second game, then 35 plays or until the middle of the third quarter for the third preseason game, which is against Cleveland at Invesco Field on Aug. 20.
Established starters won't play in the fourth exhibition, Arizona on Aug. 25.
Monday night at San Francisco, including offensive linemen Matt Lepsi (groin) and Ben Hamilton (concussion).
Several players won't suit up
Joining them on the sideline will be second-year receiver Brandon Marshall, who pulled a quadriceps muscle in camp.
BIG EAST
New powerhouses emerge Teams make big name for once-struggling conference
BY RALPH D. RUSSO ASSOCIATED PRESS
Players run during Rutgers University football practice on Friday at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway, N.J. Rutgers had its greatest season to become one of college football's best stories.
Augusto F. Menezes/ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Of all the ways to measure the success of last football season for the Big East, there might be none better than this: Rutgers is considered a hot commodity.
When Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany recently talked about the possibility of his league expanding, Rutgers was one of the programs prominently mentioned as a possible 12th member.
"Ray's one of those guys who gets better and stronger as the game goes on. He trains like a maniac to be able to do that. He's got the gift," Schiano said.
Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese, who led the conference back from the brink of extinction after the Atlantic Coast Conference lured away Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College, can rest easy.
"All that stuff is speculation," Scarlet Knights coach Greg Schiano said recently about the possibility of a Big Ten relocation. "What I do know is fact. We worked awfully hard to save this Big East conference and we're very proud of it.
"I'm very proud of the way the league performed last year. We take great pride in being part of that resurgence."
While White, Slaton, Brohm and Rice are getting much of the attention, South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe is a star on the rise.
As a freshman, he threw for 2,576 yards and 15 touchdowns and led the team with 622 yards rushing and nine more TDs. He also led the Bulls to an upset at West Virginia.
Rice provided the power in the best season in Rutgers' history. He was third in the nation in rushing (one spot ahead of Slaton) with 1,794 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. He also led the nation in carries with 335.
Injuries held Brohm back last season, but he still threw for 3,049 yards and 16 touchdowns and helped the Cardinals win the Big East and earned their first Bowl Championship Series berth.
Behind West Virginia, Louisville and surprising Rutgers, the Big East re-established itself as a power conference in 2006. All three of those teams finished ranked in the top 12 in the country and the conference went 5-0 in bowl games.
White and Slaton might be the most talented backfield tandem in the country.
For 2007, expect more of the same from a league with serious star power. The Big East boasts four players who are getting plenty of Heisman heyp heading into the season in West Virginia's Pat White and Steve Slaton, Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm and Rutgers running back Ray Rice.
A capsule look at the teams in predicted order of finish;
WEST VIRGINIA
WR Daris Reynaud and FB Owen Schmitt give Rodriguez two more playmakers on offense. Reynaud caught 39 passes and averaged 27 yards per kickoff return. Sch汀ran for 109 yards and two scores when Slaton was out of the Gator Bowl. The pass defense must improve. Last
year, it ranked 109th in the country. The entire five-man secondary is back.
LOUISVILLE
The receiver combination of 6-foot-6 Mario Urrutia and speedy Harry Douglas is one of the best in the country. Douglas had 70 catches for 1,250 yards and Urrutia had 58 for 973. ... Cardinals also had issues stopping the pass, and they will have to improve with a rebuilt secondary.
RUTGERS
QB Mike Teel and the passing game need to take some of the pressure of Rice. Teel didn't throw an interception in his last five games. Six starters return to a defense that ranked No. 4 in the country in yards allowed. DT Eric Foster and DE Jamaal Westerman are anchors.
SOUTH FLORIDA
The Bulls would prefer Grothe not to lead the team in rushing again. Last year's top backs were juniors Benjamin Williams (436 yards) and Ricky Ponton (306 yards). Freshmen Mike Ford and Aston Samuels could move past the upperclassman. Replacing two stellar linebackers, Stephen Nicholas and Pat St. Louis, will be key on defense. DE George Selvie had 5.5 sacks as a sophomore.
This is a big year for the program.
Panthers missed the postseason in
coach Dave Wannstedt's first two years. ... Most of the offense is back, except for the most important player. Productive QB Tyler Palko is gone, and heralded freshman Pat Bostick left preseason camp for personal reasons.
CINCINNATI
First-year coach Brian Kelly is already 1-0 as Bearcats coach. He led the team to a 27-24 victory over Western Michigan in the International Bowl last year after replacing Mark Dantonio. DT Terrill Byrd and CB Mike Mickens lead a defense that was solid last season, and has eight starters returning.
SYRACUSE
Coach Greg Robinson's first two season have produced five wins and very little offense. The Orange ranked 110th in total offense last season Sophomore QB Andrew Robinson has thrown only eight passes in his career, but he's the man. DE Jameel McClain led the Big East in sacks with 9.5.
CONNECTICUT
For two seasons, the Huskies passing game has been a mess while coach Randy Edsal searched for a competent quarterback. The hope is JUCO transfer Tyler Lorerenz will finally provide some stability. RB Donald Brown averaged 134 in the five Big East games he played.
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