VIEW THE MOBILE ALPHA VERSION OF THIS SITE

News Nuggets, 11.18.03
NOTES FROM ECU AND BEYOND...

Previous Day Nuggets...             Next Day Nuggets...

Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Holtz catching flack over 'bonehead' play

COLUMBIA � South Carolina coach Lou Holtz has a couple of new things to worry about: harsh questions from fans and from firelouholtz.com.

The critics, Holtz knows, come with the Gamecocks' three-game losing streak. As for the Web site, it's "better than going to pornography," Holtz said Monday. "I hope a lot of people visit it. Maybe I can help the good Lord's work in some way."

This is unusual territory for Holtz, who since coming here nearly five years ago has been revered by Gamecocks fans giddy that such a coaching icon walks their sideline. But many of those fans were scratching their heads at what they saw last week when the old-school, 66-year-old coach called a fake punt deep in South Carolina territory while holding a lead on Florida.

It didn't work and gave the Gators a chance to kick a field goal and go up 17-16, a lead they would not relinquish in the 24-22 victory Saturday.

The Gamecocks (5-6) face Clemson in the regular-season finale Saturday night. A victory would send South Carolina to the postseason, mostly likely the Music City or Houston bowl, according to athletic director Mike McGee. A loss would leave Holtz 0-9 during the past two seasons in games that would make his team eligible for a bowl.

Holtz explained his thinking, which he acknowledged violated the very words he writes on his notes before taking the field: "Be patient. Make them beat us."

But here's why he did it. Holtz said the Gators had put together three long drives already, two ending in touchdowns and the last on a fumble close to South Carolina's goal line. Holtz felt he needed to give his young team the kind of boost a successful gadget play provides.

Instead, Florida was on punter Josh Brown from the start, forcing him into a completion to Jamacia Jackson for a 5-yard loss.

"If the fake punt works, then Lou Holtz is a genius," Gamecocks cornerback Dunta Robinson said. "If it doesn't, he's a bad guy."

The anti-Holtz web site calls the play the "PuntLOUski," and describes it as the "bonehead play of the year." Holtz said he doesn't use the Internet or put much stock in ventures where people can criticize anonymously. However, the critics are out there - at the stadium, on call-in radio shows and the Web.

"I agree, Lou shouldn't have called the fake punt," Holtz said. "But I'll tell you this, my logic for calling it, I'll stand by it a thousand percent."

Holtz isn't worried about losing his job. His contract, worth about $800,000 a year, runs through 2007 and was extended after last year's 5-7 season.

Southern Cal, TCU slip in BCS standings

Ohio State has moved past Southern Cal into second place in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

The Buckeyes edged ahead of Southern California by 0.19 points following their 16-13 overtime win over Purdue. The Trojans lost ground in the computers and strength of schedule after winning 45-0 at Arizona (2-9).

Oklahoma (10-0) remained the runaway leader in the standings that will determine which two teams will play for the national championship in the Sugar Bowl.

The Sooners have a 1.0 for poll average, 1.0 for computer-rank average, 0.40 for strength of schedule, zero for losses and 0.6 bonus points for beating fifth-place Texas for a 1.8. Ohio State was second with 7.52 points, followed by USC at 7.71 and LSU at 12.21.

Conference USA juggernaut Texas Christian, the only undefeated team in Division I-A other than Oklahoma, fell from sixth to eighth despite its 43-10 drubbing of Cincinnati. Because their league is not among the six that control the BCS, the Horned Frogs need to be in the top six to guarantee an at-large berth in a BCS bowl.

Below are the BCS standings announced on Monday. The BCS conferences are the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, PAC-10 and ACC. The champion of each BCS conference is guaranteed a berth in one of the four BCS bowls (Fiesta, Orange, Rose and Sugar Bowls). BCS affiliate Notre Dame, an independent, may also qualify for a BCS bowl with a finish in the Top 12 in the standings.

Teams from other Division I-A conferences or independents other than Notre Dame can be assured of a berth in one of the four BCS bowls only by finishing in the Top 6 of the standings. Teams without direct BCS affiliation are denoted in bold:

 No./Team/Record/Rating/Previous
 1 Oklahoma 11-0 1.80 1
 2 Ohio State 10-1 7.52 3
 3 Southern Cal 9-1 7.71 2
 4 Louisiana State 9-1 12.21 4
 5 Texas 9-2 16.35 5
 6 Georgia 8-2 16.73 9
 7 Tennessee 8-2 18.15 7
 8 Texas Christian 10-0 19.27 6
 9 Michigan 9-2 19.73 8
10 Washington State 9-2 21.03 10
11 Florida State 9-2 24.25 13
12 Miami (FL) 8-2 24.70 12
13 Florida 8-3 26.91 14
14 Miami (OH) 9-1 30.53 NR
15 Mississippi 8-2 34.11 NR

C-USA football players of the week

Memphis sophomore RB DeAngelo Williams, Houston junior DT Joe Clay and Texas Christian senior K Nick Browne have been named Conference USA football players of the week after helping their teams to victories on Saturday.

OFFENSE: DeAngelo Williams RB Memphis
Williams is the offensive player of the week for the third time this season after he recorded his conference-record ninth consecutive 100-yard game in the Tigers 37-7 win at Louisville. He carried 27 times for 154 yards while scoring his league-leading 13th touchdown of the season.

DEFENSE: Joe Clay DT Houston
Clay recorded six tackles, including five tackles for loss, in the Cougars 34-14 win at Army. He registered three sacks while leading a Houston defense that limited Army to just 208 yards of total offense.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Nick Browne K TCU
Browne becomes the first player in Conference USA history to win player of the week honors five times in one season. In Saturday�s win over Cincinnati, he set a school record with 19 points scored. He tied school and conference records with five field goals (23, 45, 22, 35 and 43 yards) and added four extra points.

Associated Press basketball poll

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' men's college basketball poll, as announced on Monday, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Nov. 16, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking:

[Conference USA and Carolinas teams in bold.]

Rank/Team/Record/Points/Previous
 1. Connecticut (69) 0-0 1,796 1
 2. Duke (1) 0-0 1,677 2
 3. Michigan St. (1) 0-0 1,623 3
 4. Arizona 0-0 1,494 4
 5. Missouri 0-0 1,438 5
 6. Kansas (1) 0-0 1,414 6
 7. Syracuse 0-0 1,334 7
 8. Florida 0-0 1,217 8
 9. North Carolina 0-0 1,172 9
10. Kentucky 0-0 1,115 11
11. Texas 0-0 1,100 12
12. Illinois 0-0 946 13
13. Saint Joseph's 1-0 865 17
14. Oklahoma 0-0 862 14
15. Wisconsin 0-0 719 15
16. Gonzaga 0-1 714 10
17. Louisville 0-0 615 16
18. Cincinnati 0-0 538 18
19. Wake Forest 1-0 528 20
20. Stanford 0-0 521 19
21. Notre Dame 0-0 427 21
22. Pittsburgh 1-0 348 22
23. Marquette 1-0 226 23
24. N.C. State 0-0 118 24
25. Oklahoma St. 0-0 102 25

Others receiving votes: Maryland 64, Xavier 63, California 61, Oregon 57, Ohio St. 39, Utah 30, BYU 23, Arizona St. 15, Auburn 15, LSU 14, Providence 13, UCLA 13, Colorado 12, Mississippi St. 8, Southern Cal 8, Alabama 7, Purdue 7, Michigan 6, Butler 5, Manhattan 5, Temple 5, Georgia 3, N. Illinois 3, Nevada 3, Wichita St. 3, Arkansas 2, Ill.-Chicago 2, Vermont 2, Dayton 1, Indiana 1, Seton Hall 1.

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.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007