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News Nuggets, 09.25.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Duke dealing with meager home crowds, QB issues

DURHAM — Maryland quarterback Joel Statham had some trouble with the crowd noise at West Virginia, so coach Ralph Friedgen turned up the volume in practice this week.

He probably shouldn't have bothered.

The 23rd-ranked Terrapins travel to Duke on Saturday, and even though this is the Blue Devils' home opener, plenty of good seats likely will be available right up until kickoff.

In 2003, Duke averaged slightly more than 20,000 fans at Wallace Wade Stadium, a total that ranked 97th out of the 117 Division I-A schools. It was by far the worst home attendance for any team in a Bowl Championship Series conference.

"I'm not under the impression that we won't have a good crowd, I'm not going to buy into that right now," Blue Devils coach Ted Roof said. "At the same time, we have to put a good product on the field. I feel very confident that our kids will be ready to play this week and be excited about playing in front of our fans."

The Blue Devils (0-3) played competitively on their three-game road trip to start the season — they took early leads in all three — but they'll be hard pressed to do the same against Maryland. The Terrapins have won four in a row in the series and they are coming off a 19-16 overtime loss to the Mountaineers.

In its Atlantic Coast Conference opener, Maryland won't be overlooking Duke.

"We made some errors but I was proud of the way our kids hung in there and kept fighting," Friedgen said of the loss at West Virginia. "These are things that the only way you can experience them is to be in that environment and deal with it.

"As I told my team, 'We should be better for that experience. If we haven't gotten better than that loss was in vain.' To me, we need to grow from it."

Friedgen made Statham off-limits indefinitely to reporters this week, hoping the lack of exposure will help the sophomore focus. In three games this season, Statham has thrown four interceptions and fumbled five times.

Against West Virginia, he was 9-for-20 for 108 yards and threw three interceptions.

"He had three interceptions in the first half and, I might add, they weren't all his fault," Friedgen said. "In the second half, he came back and gave us a lead and a chance to win the football game."

Roof has his own concerns at the position. Mike Schneider started for the second time in three games last week against Virginia Tech, then left with a concussion. He's expected back Saturday, but Roof hasn't named a starter yet.

The other candidates are Chris Dapolito and Curt Dukes. Combined, the trio is 34-for-69 for 363 yards, and they've thrown two touchdowns and three interceptions. The shaky play at that position is one reason Duke ranks last in the ACC and 114th out of 117 teams nationally in total offense at 234 yards a game.

That total includes only 124 from the passing game, but tight end Ben Patrick doesn't blame the quarterbacks.

"All three guys are great quarterbacks and we just leave it up to the coach to make the best decision," Patrick said. "All three of them bring something different to the table, so we try to use it as a strength."

It hasn't worked out so far.

"I'd really like to be a one-quarterback team, as I said before, but right now, that's just not something that we're ready to do," Roof said. "I don't think one of the quarterbacks has really separated himself from the other ones yet, and I'd like for that to happen."

Bush inks legislation targeting shady agents

WASHINGTON — President Bush signed a law Friday establishing tougher penalties for unethical sports agents.

The bill stiffens penalties for agents who lure student-athletes into contracts that compromise their amateur standing and damage the reputations of their schools.

The legislation, which passed by voice vote in the Senate earlier this month, was promoted by Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb., a former Nebraska football coach. Osborne said he has seen sports agents illegally use cash and gifts to recruit student-athletes.

The NCAA has rules, and some states have standards, for sports agents, but Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., principal author of the bill, said they haven't stopped unscrupulous agents from "aggressively pursuing these kids anyway, possibly ruining a chance to compete on the college level and get a degree."

The law bars agents from recruiting student-athletes by giving false or misleading information or providing anything of value to the athlete or his family before entering into a contract.

The agent must also disclose in writing that the athlete may lose NCAA eligibility after signing an agency contract. And the law requires the athlete and the agent to notify the school's athletic director that the athlete has signed a contract so the school does not allow a now-ineligible athlete to play.

Violators would face civil actions by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general. Fines of up to $11,000 a day could be levied for each offense.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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