News Nuggets, 08.18.03
NOTES FROM ECU AND BEYOND...
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Compiled from staff reports
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Tigers take preseason trip to Liberty Bowl
PREVIOUS NUGGETS |
08.17.03: Pirates'
final open practice touches all bases... .. AP poll identifies
Horned Frogs as Top 25 material... ..
More... |
08.16.03: East
Carolina's go-to running back sidelined for 2003... .. Pirate
football legends headed to Hall of Fame... .. 'Uptown' Pirate
Radio sets sail for football season... ..
More... |
08.15.03: ECU
harvests brightest crop of newcomers yet... .. Ailing Schwab
waits patiently for new lungs... .. Calipari picked for
UNICO's Lombardi Award... ..
More... |
08.14.03: Repaired
Gunn sparks visions of new era of glory at Texas Christian...
.. Tulane relents, sort of, to clamoring tailgate chefs... ..
More... |
08.13.03: Hamrick
candidacy on the rise as Vegas decision looms... .. Fund
established for paralyzed former Card... .. Bearcats expect to
have foes seeing red... ..
More... |
08.12.03: Former
Louisville hoops star paralyzed in cycle accident... .. Police
blotter: 'Cocks' Howell in trouble again... .. Terps get wrist
slap for 'major' recruiting violation... ..
More... |
08.11.03: UNLV
search for athletic director down to final interview... .. For
his health, NCSU runner tweaking style... .. Horned Frogs
tickets moving faster than 2002... ..
More... |
08.10.03: Big
East's question: To split or not to split?... .. Mrs. Bower
(and husband) to conduct clinic... .. Frogs safety felled by
knee injury... ..
More... |
08.09.03: Rain
drenches Pirates' drills; One more week of public sessions...
.. Tulane spices up game days with concerts... ..
More... |
08.08.03: Gators
quarterback carousel starts without Dosh... ..
More... |
08.07.03: Tigers
football recruit gains release to pursue family ties at East
Carolina... .. Four of league's kickers on Groza Award watch
list... .. Trio from C-USA in contention for Wooden
All-America team... .. Bearcats' Kirkland sanctioned but still
on basketball team... ..
More... |
08.06.03: 'Voice'
tuned for TV, Outer Banks appearances... .. ESPN solves Friday
night game dilemma for BYU... .. Gamecocks-Razorbacks tussle
set for prime time... ..
More... |
08.05.03: New
Liberty Bowl radio pact has world-wide reach... .. UAB
official seated on key NCAA baseball committee... .. Case
closed on date, time for TCU vs. Cards... ..
More... |
08.04.03: Once
again, police blotter touches Bearcats basketball... .. Sugar
Bowl Classic pits UAB against LSU... .. USM vets and newcomers
report for duty en masse... ..
More... |
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MEMPHIS — The season hasn't even started
yet and the Memphis Tigers have already made it to the Liberty Bowl. With
two weeks to go before its opening game, the U of M utilized the venerable
stadium Saturday for a 95-play, mid-afternoon scrimmage. The two-hour
scrimmage marked the first time during preseason camp the Tigers have worked
out in the venue, which happens to be their home stadium.
Junior quarterback Danny Wimprine
engineered a scoring drive on the No. 1 offense's first series, culminating
in a 24-yard touchdown pass to junior college transfer Chris Kelley.
Wimprine was 7-of-8 on the day for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Overall the
Tigers ran the ball 66 times for 200 yards while the U of M's quarterbacks
combined to complete 16-of-29 passes for 238 yards.
Memphis coach Tommy West sized up the
effort as a positive one relative to a turnover-marred scrimmage last
Wednesday. "Right now we want to run the ball and I think we are running it
much better," he said. "Overall, I thought we were much better today. We
didn't defeat ourselves on either side of the ball. That's something this
team is having to learn right now, how not to beat yourself."
In the Saturday session, Memphis's offense
lost just one fumble and did not have a pass intercepted. The Tigers spread
their running attack by utilizing 10 backs and receivers. Red-shirt freshman
Brian Davis led the running game with eight carries for 48 yards while
sophomore LaKendus Cole had 12 carries for 42 yards. Returning sophomore
DeAngelo Williams had six carries for 32 yards and caught two passes for 34.
Defensively, senior linebacker Greg Harper
led the Tigers with eight tackles while Derrick Ballard and Wesley Smith
each registered seven stops. Red-shirt freshman defensive back Sam Brewer
had 1.5 sacks accounting for -13 yards.
On a negative note, sophomore wide receiver Mario Pratcher suffered a broken
collarbone during Saturday's scrimmage. He will likely be out five to six
weeks. "That is a bad blow for us," West said. "Someone has to step up now.
I hate to lose a guy like that but that's what good teams do, they find
someone to step up."
Memphis opens its season Aug. 30 in the Liberty Bowl when the Tigers host
Tennessee Tech. The Liberty Bowl is also the home of the December 31
postseason bowl game which pits the Conference USA champion against the
Mountain West Conference kingpin.
Work ethic reaps dividends for USM
walk-ons
HATTIESBURG — As is customary each year for
the Southern Miss football program, head coach Jeff Bower has recognized the
persistent achievement of a pair of walk-on football players by awarding
them scholarships. Daron Lawrence and defensive end LeVon Pears are the
recipients of the Kristen Bower Endowed Scholarship, given annually to
players who excel through dedication, hard work and sacrifice, with special
preference give to walk-on players.
In Bower's 13 years as head coach, 37
former walk-on players have been awarded scholarships. "The day when we
award scholarships to walk-ons is always my favorite time of the year,"
Bower said. "When we bring these players in, it is difficult to measure
their heart and the intangibles. It's great to see the players who come here
knowing they have to pay their way through school, and in turn, pay the
price and sacrifice and persevere, knowing that through that they can
achieve anything.
"I am most proud of these two football
players. Through their hard work and dedication, they put themselves in a
position to be productive members of the team. These players are like the
other former walk-ons who have earned scholarships. It was great to see when
the announcement was made how the whole team gave them a standing ovation.
These players are highly respected by their teammates and it showed."
Lawrence has earned the starting wide
receiver job for the 2003 season. He played in three games in 2001 at
receiver and two games in 2002. Known as one of the hardest workers on the
team, he was awarded the team's most improved offensive player in the spring
of 2003. A good student in the classroom, he is majoring in radio,
television and film.
Pears played in 11 games in 2001, seeing
time in 164 plays and played in 13 games in 2002, seeing time in 224 plays.
He registered 35 tackles, two sacks, two pass breakups over the two years.
Also an excellent student in the classroom, he is a coaching and sport
administration major.
News Nuggets are
compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member
schools, and from Associated Press and
other reports. Copyright 2003
Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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