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Bailey's Take on
Conference USA
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From the Anchor Desk
Friday, October 5, 2001
By Brian Bailey
Sports Anchor of WNCT-TV 9 |
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As Tar Heels Loom, Logan Wants
Garrard to Assume No Extra Burden
©2001 Bonesville.net
Wednesdays are the
last day that players can give interviews on normal game weeks.
I talked with Pirate
Coach Steve Logan and ECU quarterback David Garrard briefly after
Wednesday’s practice.
My question to both was
about Garrard. I asked if this was the type of game that David needed to
really play well in, to get some of the state and national recognition that
I thought he deserved.
Evidently, someone
close to the Pirate quarterback, intent on keeping Garrard's role in
perspective, had already discussed that same idea.
“That would be the
worst thing for us on offense, for David to feel that he has to do something
extra,” Pirate Coach Steve Logan explained. “If he will just run the
offense, like we need him to run it, then we’ll be just fine. We don’t need
him to do anything on his own. Those stats will come, if we play as one
offensive unit.”
Garrard agreed with the
Coach.
“I just want to go out
and get us playing Pirate football,” he said. “And I am looking forward to
the game. I am from that area. I know lots of the Tar Heel players, and I
think it’s going to be fun.”
Bunting Keys on Henry and Townes
While most opposing
coaches talk more about Garrard, North Carolina’s John Bunting seems to be
more concerned about the Pirates' speed.
“Leonard Henry can
literally break it on any given play,” said Bunting. “I mean it, he will be
a real challenge to stop.”
Bunting also went on
about the Pirate’s new weapon returning kicks, redshirt freshman Marvin
Townes.
“He may be the best
that we have faced,” said Bunting. “And that’s saying something after
playing Oklahoma, Texas and Florida State.”
Cards Kick Off this Week's League Games with
Strange Win
Louisville 7, Colorado
State 2?
The Cardinals got the
football weekend started with a win, but it was anything but pretty.
I’m not sure if
Colorado State was that good, or if Louisville is that bad.
I do know that the two
teams that are expected to battle East Carolina for the league crown scored
a combined total of ten points in their last two games. That counts the 3-0
win for Southern Miss over UAB, and Thursday night’s win for the Cardinals.
With that said, I like
East Carolina’s chances against both of those teams at Dowdy-Ficklen
Stadium. Nobody in the conference appears to have an offense as explosive as
the Pirates'.
There are three league
games on the Conference USA schedule for this weekend. The most attractive
of the bunch is in Memphis, with Southern Miss taking on the Tigers. Up in
Cincinnati, the Bearcats will be hosting Tulane while at West Point,
something has got to give with 0-3 Houston taking on 0-3 Army.
Meanwhile, outside the conference, UAB will be visiting
Central Florida while the Pirates are trying to gain the league a little
respect in Chapel Hill.
Southern Miss at Memphis
The Golden Eagles
scored just 3 points last week, but that was good enough for a key,
conference win over UAB. The Golden Eagles have had at least one shutout in
seven straight seasons. Southern Miss. leads the nation in scoring defense,
giving up just 6.3 points per game.
This will be the 52nd
meeting between the two teams, making this the most-played rivalry in the
league. The Golden Eagles have won the last seven games between the two
teams. They also have a five game winning streak at Liberty Bowl Memorial
Stadium, including victories in the 1997 and 1999 Liberty Bowl games.
Tulane at Cincinnati
These two teams played
in the very first game in the league’s history back in 1996. Tulane is
unbeaten in the series in league play, having won all four contests.
Overall, Tulane leads the series 10-2. The Green Wave picked up its first
win of the season on Saturday, beating Southern 41-7. The Bearcats lost last
week to rival Miami of Ohio 21-14.
Houston at Army
It’s a matchup of two
winless teams at Michie Stadium this week. Army lost a heartbreaker to the
Cougars last year, when Houston blocked a 32-yard field goal on the game’s
final play. Army was a winner in the last meeting at West Point, 26-14. That
win was a part of the Cadets 7-4 record that season. Houston dropped its
third straight game to a former Southwest Conference team last week, losing
to Conference USA foe TCU 34-17.
UAB at Central Florida
At one time, Central
Florida was a hot name as far as the growth of Conference USA was concerned.
That idea has since cooled, but the Orlando market is most attractive to
television.
The Golden Knights are just 1-3, but their losses
have come against the likes of Clemson, Syracuse and Virginia Tech.
UAB allowed only three points in that loss to
Southern Miss last weekend. The Blazers loss was key to East Carolina’s
title hopes, because ECU and UAB don’t play one another this season.
Now, for this week's Conference USA power rankings:
Brian
Bailey's C-USA Power Rankings [100501]
1. Southern Miss.…
Golden Eagles pass huge test against UAB; defense among the best in the
nation.
2. UAB…. Close loss to Southern Miss. keeps the Blazers in second slot.
3. Louisville.… Bounced back last week with big league win over Memphis,
but 7-2 over Colorado State?
4. East Carolina…. Pirates step outside of the conference, looking for
state pride.
5. TCU…. Horned Frogs deserve spot in upper division of C-USA.
6. Memphis.… Still like the Tigers chances down the line.
7. Cincinnati…. Should move up with win over Tulane this week.
8. Tulane…. Green Wave gets win over Southern, moves up two slots.
9a. Houston…. Battle for 9th slot to be decided this week at
Army.
9b. Army…. See Above.
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02/23/2007 01:19:36 AM
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