The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 56

1 i nn inn 1 1 -iiir lu T--T1I) IJJ L. i THE PALM BEACH POST FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1992 7C "No. 1 Seminoles fall 17-16, as Thomas' kick wide right vX; '-V. UM-FSU Flashback 1991 By JEFF MILLER Palm Beach Post Staff Writer TALLAHASSEE The replay. Everyone has seen it, right? Over over.

Poor Gerry Thomas. His field goal attempt sliding just past the goal post, frame by agonizing frame. No good. Wide right. "It was the greatest win I've ever been involved with," said Miami coach Dennis Erickson, the winner of two national championships.

Miami 17, Florida State 16. No. 2 beats No. 1 on its own turf. "A loss kills me," Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden said.

"They made one more big play than we did. We needed one more." Some of the Hurricanes' biggest plays came on their final drive. Trailing 16-10, they moved 58 yards on 1 1 plays to take the lead. Coleman Bell made a memorable catch. Stephen McGuire ran up the middle for "He was possessed," Erickson said.

Miami's offense, however, produced nothing from that first possession until the fourth quarter. In the meantime, Florida State scored 16 points Thomas' three field goals and a Paul Moore 1-yard touchdown run. But the nine-point deficit couldn't deflate the Hurricanes. After the victory, several UM players grabbed chunks of the Doak Campbell Stadium turf a ritual started by the Seminoles as souvenirs. "We feel like the older brother for all the teams that have had their turf torn up by FSU," Miami safety Charles Pharms said.

"We just returned the favor today. You can say that we are like Robin Hood." Said Florida State linebacker Kirk Carruthers: "I hate those guys. I don't know, why we can't beat them." 1991 FILE PHOTO Miami players celebrate as FSU's Gerry Thomas walks off the field after missing a 34-yard field goal late in last year's game. The kick would have given the Seminoles the lead, but, the Hurricanes won 17-16. Profiling The Posse Spear greets 'Canes at practice field LAMAR THOMAS 6-3, 170, Senior Nickname: L.T.

4 0 time: 4.5. Longest play: 7 1- yard touchdown recep-t i (Houston, 1991). Scouting report: Leaping ability is ThnmaQ finest trait. Thomas Loveg tQ gQ up over defenders to make plays. Receiving statistics: 199210 for 101 yards, two touchdowns; Career 107 for 1,671 yards, 15 touchdowns.

Quote: "I think of myself as a clutch receiver. I'm a big-play guy. I want the ball when it's on the line." iV HORACE COPELAND 6-3, 200, Senior Nickname: High C. 40 time: 4.3. Longest play: 99-yard touchdown recep-t i (Arkansas, 1991).

Scouting report: Best NFL prospect in the group because nf -Copeland cbmbination of size and speed. No. deep threat. Receiving statistics: 199217 "for 243 yards; Career 54 for 898 five touchdowns. Quote: "I've got to make at least one big play a game or I don't feel I've done anything." -A A 1 -I rioYliwi Patrick Medearis Posse: Brash, fast and talented I In 1989 he was the offensive coordi-! nator at East Carolina.

Since becoming a coach, his schools have played Miami every season. Richt is 0-7 vs. his alma mater. The only time FSU has en Miami in the last seven years was 1989. That year, the Hurricanes beat East Carolina 40-10.

"If you are going to lose to a team, at least you've lost to the best," Richt said. "You feel worse if you lose to a team every year and they're not worth a darn." Clearing the air: Monday might' have been turnaround day for MP ami. Following a full-pad practice, a rarity on a Monday, the Hurricanes had a players-only meeting1 on the field. "We talked about putting the' individual stuff aside and doing-what's best for the team," seniors tailback Darryl Spencer said. "A lot of guys were thinking about the' NFL draft and stuff like that and.

not about this team. Everyone was. going through the motions early and getting a big head. I think the meeting helped a lot. We re-dedicated ourselves." Noteworthy: FSU senior center Robbie Baker practiced with the second team Thursday.

He has been upgraded to probable for the game, after he had arthroscopic surgery to remove a piece of bone from his knee following the Clemson game. Bowden said freshman Clay Shiver will start. How much Baker will play, Bowden said he did not know: "It would be if we think he could do the job. I know he'll go out there i and fight his heart out, but does he know the assignments?" Strong safety Lavon Brown of Moore Ha- ven (ankle) and linebacker Chris Cowart (shoulder) are probable. i Key stats: The victory was the Hurricanes' sixth in the last seven meetings between the teams.

Miami quarterback Gino Torretta was sacked six times, three each by Carruthers and Carl Simpson. The Seminoles were 1 -of-1 2 on third-down conversions. Fast facts: Because of an injury, defensive end Rusty Medearis had to snap the ball on Miami's final extra point attempt. Medearis' snap and the kick both were good. The Hurricanes were upset before the game by a video of Florida State's Marvin Jones and Corey Fuller talking trash.

The video was made by rap singer Luther Campbell, a noted Hurricanes fan. Quote: "At the start of the fourth quarter, we knew we were the better team," Carruthers said. "But they knew they were going to win." KEVIN WILLIAMS 5-9, 185, Junior Nickname: K-Dub. 40 time: 4.28. Longest play: 9 1- yard punt re-t for touchdown (Penn State, 1991).

Scouting report: Most explosive and exciting of the group. Williams Capable of changing games with one play. Receiving statistics: 199214 for 157 yards, one touchdown; Career 39 for 551 yards, four touchdowns. Quote: "If I don't have a good game, I'm not concerned about it. If I can get everybody focused on me, it's going to allow the other receivers to go crazy." talents of each were combined into a single receiver and the dynamic hybrid was unleashed onto the college football world? "We'd be just like an atomic bomb," Copeland said.

"Together, we'd explode on contact." It's image and identity. They have their own jumpsuits and baseball caps. Black, of course. The Ruthless Posse. They can be candid and comedic.

But can they be covered? "It might take 10 guys," Thomas said. "Put two on each of us, then have two play in the middle. That might do it. But then again B-CC statistics BCC 78 139-392 841 120 78-150-8 22-35 4 12-7 28-254 OPP 79 178-961 545 172 32-79-6 13-40 17-10 34-339 First downs Rushes-yards Passing Return Yards Comp-Att-Int Punts Fumbies-Lost Penalties-Yards Bethune-Cookman Opponents 3 22 14 15- 54 49 38 24 21-132 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING Kelvin Daniels 38-248, Calvin Atkins 42-1 18, Wilmer White 10-43. Hall 6O-1U-6-620 (4 TDs), Michael Jackson 18-39-2-221 (1 TD).

RECEIVING Devon Cole 16-156 (1 TD), Kelvin Daniels 12-73, Calvin Atkins 11-76, George Spencer 9-84, Willie Felton 8-139 (2 TDs), John Jones 7-129 (1 TD), Morris Noble 4-49 (I TD), Les Hewitt 3-58, Darren Culmer 3-23, Wilmer White 3-14, Fred Beck-ton 2-40. TACKLES (Unassisted-assisted-totaD- Terrance Carey 26-9-35 (1 sack), David Watkins 13-6-19, Tyrone Laster 12-5-17, James Wigfall 10-7-17 (1 sack), Leotis McNeil 14-1-15, John Coy B-6-14, Mark Harrington 8-5-13, Eric Hudson 10-2-12, Reggie Roberts 9-3-12, Willie Smith 8-4-12, Michael Wilson 7-5-12. INTERCEPTIONS Leotis McNeil 2-24, Mark Harrington 1-30, Calvin Bell 1-10, John Coy 1-3, Tyrone Laster 1-0. KICKOFF RETURNS John Jones 9-188, Darren Culmer 3-27, Mario Cooper 2-35, Ken Monette 2-27, Kelvin Daniels 2-25, Calvin Atkins 1-21, Wilmer White 1-20. we did a much better job of coaching last week, and the ballplayers played better, although the score does not indicate that." Noteworthy: Running back Kelvin Daniels, who leads B-CC in rushing with 248 yards and a 6.5 average, scored his first touchdown on a 29-yard run against Samford.

"I just made a cut back across the grain," he said, "and it was wide open." Freshman quarterback Michael Jackson threw his first touchdown pass, a 16-yarder to Morris Noble, but overthrew tight end Devon Cole from the Samford 1 on the final play of the game. "We didn't quite get into the end zone," Jackson said of the missed opportunity at the end of the game. "My inexperience showed there." 17 yards. Horace Copeland grabbed a pass to convert a fourth down. The final yard was covered by Larry Jones, who scored with 3:01 left.

Carlos Huerta's extra point put Miami ahead by a point. But Florida State wasn't done. The Seminoles moved from their own 20-yard line to the Hurricanes' 17, where Thomas came on to kick his way intoseries lore. "I didn't 'do my job," said Thomas, who was 3-for-3 before missing the one that mattered most. For the second straight year, McGuire's running keyed the Miami offense.

He carried 22 times for 1 42 yards and scored on a 2-yard run on the Hurricanes' first series. DARRYL SPENCER 5-9, 175, Senior Nickname: Spence. 4 0 time: 4.6. Longest play: 5 1- yard reception (Florida 1992). Scouting re-port: The steady, possession receiver who becomes a popular tar Spencer get on third down.

Receiving statistics: 1992 six for 101 yards, one touchdown; Career 49 for 737 yards, four touchdowns. Quote: "We're ruthless and we're a close-knit group. That's why the Ruthless Posse is perfect." group special. Consider the roll call: Copeland the tail, fast constant outside threat. Spencer the third-down receiver coming from the slot.

Thomas the lean greyhound gliding into the flat. And Williams the gear-shifting firebrand darting through the middle. "We all do different things well," Spencer said. "Each of us adds a little something to the offense. It's like a puzzle, each piece fits in just right." Added Copeland, "Each one does something a little better than the others." But four big-time receivers at the same school? At the same time? Quarterback Gino Torretta could throw passes with both arms on every play and still satisfy only half his hungry targets.

A show of hands among the Hurricane receivers is a crowded skyline. Egos, however, are not a problem, each says. Remember this is Miami, where the wealth of talent means the spotlight is distributed in slivers. One week, Copeland catches five passes for 100-plus yards. The next week, he catches one.

All four Posse members had at least two one-catch games last season. But each says he originally became a Hurricane for the purpose of being pushed by the best. Though Spencer admitted some discussion of poorly placed priorities has taken place at team meetings, there UCF statistics UCF OPP 93 86 166-844 174-716 1,046 899 227 320 60-126-8 71-147-10 24-35 4 16-8 15-9 26-207 33-247 First downs Rushes-yards Passing Return Yards Comp-Att-Int Punts Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Central Honda Opponents 39 54 20 38-150 7 27 26- 66 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING Gerod Davis 70-428 3 TDs), Richard Blake 32-238 (2 TDs), Willie English 12-65, Ron Thow 13-62, Bob Menello 8-59 (1 TD), Charles Anderson 6-28. PASSING-Darin Hinshaw 55-1 1 5-6-89 1 (10 TDs). RECEIVING Mike Dickinson 18-413 (4 TDs), David Rhodes 10-185, Bret Cooper 7-93 (4 TDs), Gerod Davis 7-73, David Bright 4-78 (2 TDs).

TACKLES (Unasslsted-assisted-totaO-Rick Hamilton 29-20-49 (1 sack), Travis Johnson 28-8-36, Robert Alexander 17-14-31, Greg Jefferson 11-14-25 (2 sacks), Sieve Wright 19-1-20, Scott Ariall 7-11-18. INTERCEPTIONS Brian Crutcher 2-71, Allen Powell 2-24, Travis Johnson 2-14, Rick Hamilton 1-97, John Bryant 1-9, Todd Burks 1-0, Brian Permenter 1-0. KICKOFF RETURNS Mark Whittemore 8-226, Richard Blake 2-31, Ron Thow 2-24. PUNT RETURNS Mike Dickinson 6-6, Mark Whittemore 1-6. PUNTING Mike Nelson yards per kick.

FIELD GOALS Franco Grills 6-10 (long 47). EXTRA POINTS-Franco Grilla 16-16. Arrangements for the game were made by Bill Johnson, past president of the UCF Knight Booster Club. Noteworthy: The Bears' top players are nose tackle Victor Ivanov, 33, a Greco-Roman wrestling champion, and fullback Edward Zvaigzme, who plays for the national rugby team. UCF linebacker Rick Hamil-tdn set a school record when he returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown in UCF's 35-22 victory over Western Illinois last week.

The old record was 95 yards by Ray Irvln against Bethune-Cookman in 1990. Hamilton leads the Knights with 49 tackles. 1991 FILE PHOTO Horace Copeland's fourth-down catch against Florida State led to the winning touchdown in Miami's 17-16 victory last season. By JEFF MILLER and TOM D'ANGELO Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Psychological warfare, long a Miami Hurricanes' domain, might have been at work again Thursday. When the Miami players arrived for practice in Coral Gables, they found a homemade spear stuck in the field.

On it was this message: "Hey U.M. The streak ends here. Andrew rocked you, we will crush you! Love, an FSU alumnus. P.S. Rusty got lucky." Notebook The attempted intimidation was the work of either a brazen Seminoles fan or a coy Hurricanes booster.

Assistant strength coach Brad Webber supposedly was the first to see the spear when he arrived before 6 a.m. Rusty is defensive end Rusty Medearis, who was lost for the season last week when he injured his knee against Arizona. The streak refers to Miami's 21 straight wins and 47 straight at home. "We're going to take it seriously," said defensive end Kevin Patrick, who admitted the spear's origin was debatable. "We take a lot of pride in our field.

That's our back yard. Nobody should do that." The spear did not last through practice. Unloyal Weeks like this bring out the loyalties of former Miami Hurricanes. But there is one former Hurricane who has cut emotional ties to his alma mater. Mark Richt, the quarterback coach at Florida State, has divorced himself from Miami's success, much of which has been at his expense.

"The first year it was a little awkward," said Richt, who grew up in Boca Raton before playing quarterback at Miami from 1978-82 "I don't have any mixed emotions now. It's strictly business for me. This is my job. I don't feel any sentiment toward Miami this week." Richt, 32, is in his eighth season as a coach. Seven have been at FSU as a graduate assistant (1985-86), volunteer assistant (1987-88) and quarterbacks coach (1990-present).

FAMU seeks fourth win, MEAC lead By CHUCK OTTERSON Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Florida (3-1), off to its best start in Ken Riley's seven years as head coach, plays Howard (3-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Tallahassee's Bragg Memorial Stadium in a game between teams coached by former NFL defensive backs. Riley, a 1969 FAMU graduate, played for the Cincinnati Bengals. Bison coach r'" Steve Wil- member of Howard's 79, played for the Dal son, a class of las Cowboys and Denver Broncos. Riley's Rattlers are tied with preseason favorites North Carolina and Delaware State for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference lead at 1-0.

This is the MEAC opener for the Howard Bison, 2-9 last season. A FAMU victory would give the Rattlers undisputed possession of first place. Delaware State is idle, and N.C. plays Norfolk (Va.) State in a non-conference game. Noteworthy: Coach Jake Gaither's 1942 FAMU team will be honored on the 50th anniversary of its najjonal championship seaso.

It was the third of MIAMIfrom 1C are ruthless," Williams said. "When you put us on the field against DBs, it's going to be the worst game they ever had. We can't be stopped. Our talent is unlimited:" Said Spencer: "The best way to stop us? Figure out a way to make us. all sick before the game, I guess." They talk about creating big plays and lasting impressions.

They genuinely delight in spreading discomfort along the opposing sideline. Especially before the game even begins. 3. "That long, big touchdown pass is what those guys can do on every play," Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said. "The bomb.

They're probably the best bomb team in the country with all those receivers. They can fly." A four-headed riddle is how the opposition often sees the Ruthless Posse. Solving them is an issue of Xs and Os, of zone coverages vs. man-to-man ideals. Most teams opt for the former and hope to get pressure up front.

Blitzing, however, is the usual gamble times four. Such outside (speed and talent often discourages inside risks. A big part of the Posse's lure and success is the way the abilities mesh. Each receiver has his specific, individual skills, but the form-fitting sum is what makes the Knights host Moscow team in exhibition By CHUCK OTTERSON Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Galen Hall and Perry Moss return to Orlando's Citrus Bowl at 7 p.m. Saturday when the University of Central Florida (3-1) plays the Moscow Bears in an exhibition game.

The Bears, the defending champions of the Russian National League of American Football, will be coached by Moss and Hall. They arrived in Miami Thursday and will practice at UCF today. Moss, the former head coach Florida State University, was a UCF assistant in 1986 and '87. He coached the Orlando Predators to the championship game of the Arena Football League in 1992. Hall, who replaced Charley Pell as head coach of the Florida Gators, is the head coach of the Orlando Thunder of the World League of American Football, which has suspended play for next season.

Hall led the Thunder to the 1992 WLAF title game. UCF coach Gene McDowell scheduled an exhibition with the Bears after Savannah (Ga.) State was forced to cancel because of a conference conflict. have been no public complaints of idle hands. "They've got such a great work ethic," said Rich Olson, the assistant coach assigned to tutor the Hurricanes' receivers. "The greatest thing I've ever seen is they know how to be champions." They are carving their names in a legacy at UM, which has had six receivers drafted into the NFL the past five years.

Each could be playing professionally next season. (Williams, a junior, has said he is considering applying for the 1993 draft.) But what if the Ruthless Posse was a gang of one? What if the B-CC coach spends week recruiting By CHUCK OTTERSON Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Bethune-Cookman football coach Sylvester Collins, still looking for his first victory, hasn't given up on the 1992 season but is taking advantage of this week's open date to seek help for the future. "The lifeblood of an athletic program is recruiting," said Collins, who succeeded Larry Little as head coach of the Wildcats (0-4). "We're lacking in overall team speed. We're looking for some players who can run.

"We feel like we have the nucleus for a winning program. We hope to recruit some players who can contribute to that." Three of B-CC's first four games were against opponents ranked among the nation's top 25 NCAA Division I-AA teams. The Wildcats lost to Samford 42-13 last week. "We got hammered," Collins said, "but some very positive things happened. Willie Smith, a freshman playing his first game at linebacker, made some big plays.

He's going to develop into an outstanding football player. "A coach has to get the maximum out of his players, regardless of level of talent. I felt FAMU statistics FAMU OPP 71 60 160-589 170-534 678 624 134 135 56-122-9 44-104-1 19-33 9 12-7 9 5 31-223 35-305 First downs Rushes-yards Passing Return Yards Comp-Att-Int Punts Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards FAMU Opponents 20 14 14 33 81 10 41 16 20- 87 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING-Chuck Duffey 73-298 2 TDs), Pat Reddick 22-162 (1 TO), Frankie Wilkins 10-76, Kwane Vidal 11-51, Terry Mickens 1-18, Mike Mitchell 5-10, Barry Brown 1-2. PASSING-Keith Brown 30-55-3 357 (3 TDs), Tracy Weldon 24-64-5-321 (2 TDs). RECEIVING Terry Mickens 23-336 (2 TDs), James Thurman 9-81, Chad Fann 8-72 (1 TD), Tyrone Davis 4-103 (1 TD), Tony Bland 3-50, Corey Mosley 2-11 (1 TD).

TACKLES (Unassisted-assisted-totaD- Bruce Daniels 26-13-39 2 sacks), Eaion Connor 26-12-38, Ervin Collier 13-23-36, Darren Smith 19-11-30, Lee Greene 15-13-28 (4 sacks), William Carroll 14-12-26, Keino Taylor 16-9 25, Ken Riley 13-5-18, Louis "Salt" Williams 9-9-18, Marcus Lampkin 8-7-15 (1 sack), Earl Holmes 8-7-15, Rod Williams 7-8-15 (1 sack), Samuel Stockton 12-2-14 2 sacks). INTERCEPTIONS Earl Holmes 1-40 11 national titles for "mobile, agile and hostile" Rattlers. They were 9-0 with four shutouts in' '42. Only one opponent scored more than a touchdown: Xavier of New Orleans (44-14). The FAMU running game re- turned last week against Tennessee State.

Senior halfback Chuck Duffey carried a school-record 30 times for 140 yards, and redshirt freshman Frankie Wilkins, a Parade All-America from Madison, gained 76 yards on eight carries. FA-MU's Terry Mickens, with 23 receptions and two touchdowns, is well ahead of his 1991 pace, when he led the Rattlers with 31 catches two touchdowns Howard allowed only 20 points in three games before last week's 48-42 win over Alcorn and Steve "Air II" McNair, who passed for 400 yards and three touchdowns. i.