The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 165

6C Sptmbf 1993 THE TENNESSON TENNESSEE ITT Tl iTO vols raid co Tennessee vs. Louisiana Tech Ik j'fy .1 Tfc. At. I--' -JX -i tt A 7J IH I if' i it I tail i UT scores enough to stay sharp By DAVID CLIMER Sports Writer KNOXVILLE When is enough enough? It's a matter of personal preference, of course, but 50-0 appeared to be just about right for Tennessee's Vols. "You want to play your offense enough to get your edge and stay sharp, but there's a line in there where you don't want to embarrass the other team," said UT Coach Phillip Fulmer, whose Vols opened the season with full-scale assault of Louisiana Tech.

"You like to get the goose-egg for your defense but you don't want to put your starters back in there when the other team gets close to the end zone." Fulmer stood for a moment, shaking his head as he remembered the sights and sounds of a blowout. "I don't know where you draw the line. You just do it on feel," he said. "But I honestly don't believe we ran up the score on them." He's right With Tennessee's offense rolling and its defensive front swarming through a step-slow Louisiana Tech offensive line, UT could have picked just about any score it wanted. The Vols hit the 50-point mark with 9:25 remaining in the third period and that came when the No.

2 quarterback, Jerry-Colquitt, threw a five-yard touchdown pass to a down-the-line wide receiver, true freshman Benjie Shuler. Shuler's older brother, Heis-man Trophy hopeful Heath Shuler, had exited for good one series earlier after flicking a dart over the middle that Craig Faulkner turned into a Neyland Stadium becomes huge no-smoking section KNOXVILLE Where there's smoke, there's supposed to be fire. But not at Neyland Stadium. In keeping with similar moves at other outdoor sports facilities around the country, UT officials have banned smoking at Neyland Stadium and last night's game marked the debut of the rule. UT officials passed the ban about a year ago but its implementation was delayed in order to give fans plenty of notice.

Some smokers have complained that there also is a no-alcohol rule at Neyland Stadium that is seldom enforced. NEW STARTERS: Three Vols made their first career starts at Tennessee last night and a handful of other players started their first games at new positions. Junior Kevin Mays and sophomore Leslie Ratliffe opened in the Vols' offensive line while Horace Morris started at defensive end. Also, Ronald Davis started at cornerback after playing wide receiver previously while Bubba Miller and Jason Layman made switches in the offensive line. Miller started at center after opening all 12 games last year at guard and Jason Layman started at tackle after previous work at center.

HOT TICKETS: Tennessee sold a record 68,272 season tickets this year, exceeding the previous mark of 67,747 in 1991. The record includes 66,559 season tickets and 1,713 five-game mini-books that exclude the Georgia and South Carolina games. Those schools took their entire allotment of 9,500 tickets. "This record sale of season tickets by our loyal fans is a tribute to our football program," said UT Athletic Director Doug Dickey. UT football tickets are such a hot commodity that one classified advertiser in the Knoxville News-Sentinel offered this deal: "Will trade Bahama Cruise for 2 people for 2 Georgia-Tennessee football tickets." BUSY BURTON: Sophomore Shane Burton played both offense and defense in the first half.

Burton, a sophomore, lined up at tight end several times in the first quarter and went in at defensive end early in the second period when the Tennessee coaching staff inserted its No. 2 defensive line. FRESH FACES: Raymond Austin and Tori Noel were the first true freshmen to play. Both were on UT's special teams and both entered the game as defensive backs in the second quarter. Austin played free safety and Noel subbed at cornerback.

Also, Benjie Shuler stepped in at wide receiver late in the first half and caught a touchdown pass from Jerry Colquitt in the third period. A LEG UP: John Becksvoort, exhibiting greater leg strength than he showed last season, consistently sailed the ball deep into the end zone on kickoffs. Becksvoort, who won the kickoff duties in a preseason duel with Joey Chapman, also had plenty of leg on a booming 51-yard field goal in the first quarter. RETURN MEN: Both Shawn Summers and Cory Flem- ing returned punts last night, with Summers starting in the return role before Fleming stepped in during the second quarter. Fleming had a 25-yard return where he made a quick side-step to escape the first coverage man and breezed toward the sideline.

fev, -I7r 1 -j iimninrt hi imf'YV mi James Wilson sacks Louisiana Tech's Aaron Ferguson. 58-yard touchdown play. declined to show their entire offensive package. After all, Georgia is coming to town next Saturday "From the second quarter on, we decided not to show much more," said David Cut-cliffe, UT's offensive defense, was easy pickings for a Vol offense that balanced the run (282 yards) and the pass (244 yards). "I've been trying to tell everybody that our offense is lethal.

Maybe now they'll believe me," said UT tailback Charlie Garner. too," said Heath Shuler, who completed only two of his first seven passes but finished with a 13-for-23 night. "I figure we've got plenty of football left to play so it was fun to sit back and watch." Louisiana Tech, which is rebuilding on both offense and Seeing was believing. And the Neyland Stadium crowd of 95,106 and a pay-per-view television audience saw only bits and pieces of UT's complete offensive package. As the score mounted and Louisiana Tech's defense wilted, Vol coaches stuck to the basics and "You're kind of torn be tween wanting to keep on play 1 ing, but you know it's probably for the best to let the younger guys get in and have some fun How they scored Heard Parks PUNTING I AWIIIHWlim-T No.

Yds Avg Lg 2 83 41.5 50 5 199 358 49 Bonk Barbara KICKOFF RETURNS Player No. Yds Lg Redmon 1 21 21 Parks I 22 22 PUNT RETURNS Player Bruce Heard No. Yds Lg 1 -15 -15 2 10 8 DEFENSE No QB? Ha! TACKLES: (Total) Beasley 3, Reed 4, Kingrea 4, Harris 4, Bolton 11, Gray 3, Roberts 2, Smith 2, Jenkins 8, Jones 1, Mossev 4, Van Duren Moore 1, Carri-gan 2, Fowes 2, Crawford 2, Price 4, Lenox 1, dark 1, Bruce 1, Flowers 2, Thornton TACKLES FOR LOSS: Roberts H-3). PASS BREAKUPS: Gray, Jenkins. FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Jenkins, Heard, Lancaster, Rogers.

Tennessee RUSHING FIRST QUARTER TENNESSEE: Craia Faulkner 10-vard oass from Heath Shuler. John Becksvoort kick 112091. Raw: 4. Yards: ZJ. Time of possession: 1:49.

Key day: Louisiana Tech's Rodnev Bruce dropped Tom Hut-ton's punt and UT's Shawn Summers recovered on the Bulldogs' 23-vard tine. Tennessee 7, Louisiana Tech 0. TENNESSEE: Becksvoort 51-vard field goal (605). Plavs: 10. Yards: 34.

Tune of possession: 403. Key play: James Stewart ran for 13 yards on the second plav of Ire drive, which fizzled when Joey Kent and Cory Fleming dropped back-lo-back passes over Ire middle. Tennessee 10, Louisiana Tech 0. TENNESSEE: Safely. Horace Morris sacked quarterback Aaron Ferguson in the end lone Key play: Morris used his speed to zip around offensive tackle Preston Washington and grab Ferguson.

Tennessee 12, Louisiana Tech 1 SECOND QUARTER TENNESSEE: Cory Fleming 21-yard nass from Sinter. Becksvoort kick (1321). Bays: 7. Yards: 54. Time of possession: IS key play: Shawn Summers returned the tree kick following the safely to me UT 46 and Shuler look over.

Tennessee Louisiana Tech 0. TENNESSEE: Charlie Gamer 3-yard run. Becksvoort kick Playv 7. Yards: 4S Time of possession: 204. Key play Garner darted around Ire left side for 16 yards on Ihird-and-three, and scored on the nexl play.

TemessM 26, Louisiana Tech 0. TENNESSEE: Becksvoort 23-yard fiek) goal (3481. Plavs: 6. Yards: 54. Time of possession: 229.

Key plav: Aaron Hayden zipped 39 yards on the second plav of the dr've. Tennessee 29, Louisiana Tech 0. TENNESSEE: Mose PhiHips 8-yard run. Becksvoort kick (34). Plays: 6.

Yards: 54. Time of possession: 1:42. Key (4ay. working agemsl the dock, ShUer hit Faukner and Phiips on consecutive passes for 15 and II yards. Tennessee 36, Uusam Tech 0.

THIRD QUARTER TENNESSEE: Faultier 58-yard pass -om Shuler. Becksvoort kick (12:19) 'lays: 2. Yards: 71. Time of possession: 14 econds Key play Ronald Davis tipped a i-ass and Jason Parker intercepted it to dive the Vols possession. Shuler nil the lanting Faukner on the second plav of re seres Tennessee 43, Lowsara Tech a TENNESSEE: Beniie Sruer 5-yard nass from Jerry Cowuitt.

Becksvoort kick 1925). Ptavs SVards: 35 Time of possession: 230 Key play. George Kidd intercepted a pass at the Teen 35 to set up tre score. Tennessee 50, Louisim Tech a i a 4 "Vv if I AT 1 4j! 'V Piavor At! Net TO Lg Garner 11 53 1 16 Stewart 9 55 0 18 Philips 4 24 1 11 Havden M) 119 0 39 Colquitt 1-8 0-8 Shuler 110 1 Silvan 12 0 2 Lane 4 18 0 15 Mitchel 2 9 0 5 Helton 3 9 0 5 PASSING Player AC Yds TD Shuer 23-13 200 0 3 Cotouilt 7-5 44 0 1 Helton 1-0 0 0 0 RECEIVING Player No. Yds TD Lg Faukner 3 83 2 58 BWams 3 36 0 14 Phiips 3 25 0 12 Femrig 3 49 I 21 Pfeiffer 18 0 8 Horn 2 0 7 Jones I 13 0 13 B.SrJer 15 15 Silvan 1 15 0 15 PUNTING Plays- No.

Yds Avg Lg Hutton 3 127 423 47 FIELD GOALS Plaw Alt Made Lg Beecksvoort 2 2 51 KICKOFF RETURNS Payor No. Yds Lg Summers 1 24 24 Silvan 1 17 17 PUNT RETURNS Pbvor No. Yds Lg Summers 3 23 11 Femra 2 29 25 REPLAY College football Week 1 highlights HUSKY REVENGE: Angered by Pac-10 sanctions and Stanford Coach Bill Walsh's criticism of their program, 12th-ranked Washington responded by routing the 15th-ranked Cardinal 31-14 in the first game under coach Jim Lambright. Sophomore Damon Huard threw three touchdown passes and ran for another, and Napoleon Kaufman rushed for 195 yards as Washington beat Stanford for the 10th straight time. On 7C.

HUSKER ROUT: Starter Tommie Frazier sprained his ankle on the second play of the game, but reserve quarterbacks Brook Berringer and Tony Veland accounted for five touchdowns as No. 9 Nebraska opened with a 76-14 rout of outmanned North Texas. The Cornhuskers scored the first five times they had the ball and never took more than 3:19 on any of their first 10 touchdown drives. On 7C. ANOTHER QB: Frank Costa threw for 205 yards and won his first start as Miami defeated Boston College 23-7.

The last three quarterbacks Steve Walsh, Craig Erickson and Torretta each took Miami to a national title in his first year as a starter. On 7C. FAST FINISHES: Brandon Bennett hurdled into the end zone from the 1-yard line with two seconds left and sophomore quarterback Steve Taneyhill improved his record to 6-1 as a starter as South Carolina upset No. 14 Georgia 23-21. The visiting Gamecocks, who blew a 17-7 fourth-quarter lead, drove 52 yards in the final 2:52.

Ryan Terry raced around left end for a touchdown with less than a minute left and Iowa added a 2-point conversion for the winning points as the Hawk eyes rallied for a 26-25 victory over Tulsa. SNAPPED: Cheyney snapped the longest active losing streak In the country in beating Southern Connecticut 20-7. Cheyney's victory broke a 36-game losing streak that began in November 1989. SCORING: Scott Teigen threw for two touchdowns and scored one and Jake Campbell scored three touchdowns as Air Force beat Indiana State 62-21. NITTANY DEBUT: John Sacca threw four touchdown passes to Bobby Engram and No.

17 Penn State had a successful debut In be Big Ten with a 38-'20 victory ov. Minnesota On 7C. Team stats UT 28 29-35 197 LaT 12 46-282 244 Miami's Frank Costa found a way around Boston College's Chris Sullivan and Tim Morabito. 86 'St downs Rjsres-vards Passing Return Yards Comp-Att-lnl P'XIS FurrOes-Lost Persies-Yards Time of Possession 31-18-0 39-IS-4 3-423 7-403 3-2 3-1 3-15 4-30 3024 29-36 Costa stars for Miami By BRIAN WHITE Gannett News Service CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. Frank Costa was surprised at how easy this whole Big Debut stuff was.

Not the actual completing of passes and calling of audibles, but the bit about taking the field and fighting butterflies. Costa is the new quarterback at Quarterback which means he can expect loads of TV exposure but even more pressure. For a man in his position, attention can be suffocating and obstacles can be taller than skyscrapers. Those obstacles go by the names of Kelly, Kosar, Testaverde, Walsh, Erickson and Torretta, and they can be intimidating. But as Costa and his Miami teammates took the field yesterday at Boston College, the next in line felt no nervousness.

The night before, he slept like a veteran. "Went to bed, heard the alarm and got up," he said, sounding surprised. The night before that, he slept like a tired veteran, nothing but Z's. Then, on the field on game-day, he didn't hear the crowd and he didn't worry about the huge, loud group that made its way from Philadelphia to see their beloved hometown tough-guy-made-good. "Didn't even know 'dey were Mere," Costa said afterward, sounding all South Philly and looking the part, too, with his Phillies hat on top of his head clashing with his orange, white and green Hurricanes uniform.

"I think I was probably more nervous thinking about this than actually playing. Leading up to the season, I felt a lot of pressure. "I know what people were saying. They were saying, 'He's DEFENSE TACKLES: (Total) Bonham 4, Tv 3. TD 0 0 Wilson 3, Morris 4, Brown 2, summers 5, ftsrer 3, Jester 2, While 2, Yatkowski 2, Sanders 1, Davis 3, Gatvon 2, Aushn 4, Prigmore 4 Taylor 1, Noel 2, Emery 2, La.

Tech RUSHING Plaver AH Net kjrnort 15 29 Ferguson 9 3 Cnocer 9 21 SmUh 1 2 PASSING Plaver A-C Yds Ferguson 14-4 59 Martin 19-8 107 I hi 6-3 31 Stone I. Patterson 1. Team 1. TACKLES FOR LOSS: Wilson 1-1-2) Morris 1-1-3), Fisher H-4), Yatkowski Lg 14 3 9 2 TD 0 0 0 Lg 37 29 l-(-l), Stone l-(-3), Team l-(-l) SACKS: Wilson 1, Morris 1. INTERCEPTIONS: Summers 1-24, Parker 1-5.

Kidd l-l. Auswi 1-4 PASS BREAKUPS: Jester, Davis, Gal- yon, Prnmore, Noel, Burton. RECEIVING PBvcr No Yds TD Francis 6 92 0 Mackev 5 69 0 FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Summers, Rdflrfte. pects the scrutiny, saying, "I had half of South Philly watching this, and even though they're my biggest fans, they're also my biggest critics. I'm used to it" Costa wore the Phillies cap because he knew the cameras would be rolling and someone would ask about his favorite team.

He knows how the pressure works at Miami, for he sat for three years waiting for it to fall his way. "I had my doubts while I was waiting," he said. "It's tough seeing other guys be Ail-Americans and you came out of high school with them. Drew Bledsoe, I came out with him and he's in the NFL now. He wouldn't be in the situation he's in if he went to Miami.

I see guys starting four years at places and I know I'm better than them. "But I've always felt that starting two years at the University of Miami is better than starting two or three anywhere else." It was a giant heave all in the air to A.C. Tellison, who was Costa's fourth option on the play. The Canes dropped four of Costa's passes, but he erred by having four throws batted down at the line of scrimmage, unacceptable for a 6-fooM, 220-pound man. He also was intercepted in the end zone, a pass he shouldn't have put into such heavy traffic.

And there was a problem with clock management, with Costa forced to call timeout three times before the 25-sec-ond clock expired. One time, coach Dennis Erickson slammed his clipboard to the ground. "That one was his fault," Costa said. "He was mad at himself. Really, of those timeouts, one was his fault and one was a good call by me." Costa's demeanor is that of a hard-nosed leader.

He is bold and straightforward, willing to laugh at his coach's error and to acknowledge the fishbowl he has squeezed into. He ex replacing a Heisman Trophy winner. He's following a long line of great quarterbacks. He's never even played. Nobody knows who this guy But I think I did pretty good today.

I feel like a tremendous burden was lifted off my shoulders." Truth be told, Costa's Big Debut can be judged as mediocre. He looked more like Gino Torretta than any of the other former Miami greats, the way he won without doing much spectacular. He made one big play and a lot of little mistakes while leading a sluggish offense, but he won the game, just like his predecessor who won the Heisman but couldn't get drafted in the NFL until the seventh round. Kelly, Kosar and the others could all carry games on their own. Torretta couldn't He was conservative and smart.

He looked just like Costa looked Saturday. Costa completed 15-of-31 passes fcr 205 yards, but 63 of those yards came on one play. Date Opponent Sif TimoRult Sept. 4 Louisiana Tech Knoxville Sept. 11 Georgia Knoxville 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18 Florida Gainesville 30 p.m. Sept. 25 LSU Knoxville TBA Oct. 2 Duke Knoxville 3 p.m.

Oct. 9 Arkansas Little Rock TBA. Oct. 16 Alabama Birmingham TBA. Oct.

30 South Carolina Knoxville TBA. Nov. 6 Louisville Knoxville Noon. Nov. 20 Kentucky Lexington TBA.

Nov. 27 Vanderbirt Knoxville Noon..