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News Nuggets, 09.24.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Relaunch of Pirates' jayvee football program a winner

James Pinkney connected with Bryson Bowling for two touchdown passes to lead East Carolina's junior varsity football squad to a 30-17 win over visiting Fork Union Military Academy on Tuesday afternoon at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The game, played in front of 539 fans, was ECU's first jayvee game in over 20 years.

Read complete game story on ECUPirates.com >>>

USM's Davis online today for ESPN Chat Show

HATTIESBURG — Southern Miss' Rod Davis goes global Wednesday morning when he will be featured on the ESPN.com Timeout Chat Show. Davis, a preseason consensus All-American linebacker and preseason Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, will be on hand to answer questions in the moderated chat room on ESPN.com, at 11 a.m. (ET).

College football fans wishing to submit questions prior to the chat can do so by visiting ESPN.com and clicking on the SportsNation link on the left side of the page. A link also is provided on the SouthernMiss.com home page.

Davis currently is tied for the team lead in tackles (34) with fellow linebacker Michael Boley. Davis leads all players with 25 solo stops. He becomes the third Southern Miss player to be featured on the national chat, joining both former quarterback Jeff Kelly and former running back and current defensive graduate assistant Derrick Nix.

Davis and company will then be featured on Thursday night's ESPN college football broadcast as the Golden Eagles take on nationally-ranked Nebraska at 7:45 p.m.

Frogs coach suspended following arrest

FORT WORTH — Texas Christian suspended assistant coach Willie Mack Garza on Tuesday following his weekend arrest on charges of driving while intoxicated. Garza was arrested early Saturday after fleeing an accident in Forest Hill, a small city near Fort Worth, police said. He was also charged with failing to render aid to an injured person.

Garza, who coaches cornerbacks, wasn't on the sideline when the No. 19 Horned Frogs beat Vanderbilt 30-14 on Saturday night. TCU athletic director Eric Hyman said Garza is suspended with pay pending developments in the case. Hyman said he and coach Gary Patterson agreed that the suspension was appropriate.

``We are deeply saddened by the events of the weekend and are concerned for all involved,'' Hyman said. ``At this point, the matter involving Coach Garza is in the hands of the local law enforcement officials. The actions we have taken today are not intended as a comment on Coach Garza's guilt or innocence.''

Police said Garza was driving a car that hit a center retaining wall and then veered into a car. The car was pushed into an 18-wheeler. The woman driving the car was treated and released from a hospital, and the driver of the 18-wheeler wasn't injured.

Garza was followed by a witness until his vehicle was intercepted by Forest Hill police in Fort Worth, police said. No blood test or medical examinations were performed, Hebert said after the arrest. He said police filed the intoxication charge because of Garza's erratic driving. He declined to comment on why sobriety tests were not performed.

Garza was released Saturday on a personal recognizance bond.

Another parking infraction keeps FSU quarterback in hot water

TALLAHASSEE — Florida State quarterback Chris Rix was ticketed again Tuesday for a parking violation, this time for leaving his vehicle in a spot reserved for patients at the school's regional rehabilitation center, university police said. Rix was ticketed last week for parking in a handicapped-only spot and was fined $100. Tuesday's offense was reported by a professor who took several photos of Rix's vehicle, university officials said.

``We have no explanation,'' vice president for university relations Lee Hinkle said. ``Ask Chris Rix.'' Rix could not be immediately reached for comment about Tuesday's infraction.

Team officials imposed a punishment of extra running drills against Rix this week, in response to the handicapped-spot ticket. More team-imposed penalties against Rix are possible, coach Bobby Bowden said Tuesday.

``He's not above the rules and he apparently hasn't learned that yet,'' Bowden said.

Parking in the handicapped spot was a regrettable ``mistake,'' Rix said Monday night, explaining that the handicap tag belonged to a family friend who be brought to the hospital. He parked in the handicap spot because he was late for class, he said.

Rix, who has led Florida State to a 4-0 record and a No. 6 ranking, passed for a career-high 394 yards in Saturday's 47-7 win over Colorado. The redshirt junior from Santa Margarita, Calif. has a history of off-the-field problems, including sleeping through a final exam, being late to team meetings and poor class attendance.

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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