The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 39

I 1 1 'yrpfT1 11 'i mi fi 4C THE PALM BEACH POST SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1997 ir College Football Injury nearly sidelined Wuerffel Final 1996 Top 25s CNNUS4 TODAY ASSOCIATED PRESS The pep rally's time wasn't announced. UF Notebook Special teams shine: After playing a The final Top 25 teams In the CNNj USA Today poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through" one point for a 25th-place vote, and last, week's ranking: Honda 24-21 loss to Honda State 30, the Gators' special teams out Seminoles Thursday night. Robby Stevenson averaged 48.1 seven kicks, including 55- and 69- pinned the Seminoles inside their key role on Nov. played the Punter yards on yarders 2-yard line. in that Jacquez Green also averaged 11.5 yards on six punt returns, including a 26-yarder that set 3y CRAIG DOLCH a 'aim Beach Post Staff Writer NEW ORLEANS Danny Wuerffel al-; nost wasn't around for the finish of the Florida jators' first national title.

The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback suffered a sprained right shoulder late in the second quarter of Florida's 52-20 win over Florida State in Thursday night's Sugar Bowl. He was injured when FSU defensive ends Peter Boulware and Reinard Wilson sand- wiched him on an attempted screen pass. "When I first got up, I didn't know if I was T. to be able to throw with it," Wuerffel said I Friday. "But I took some ibuprofren and kept warming up on the sideline, and it loosened jp." Florida coach Steve Spurrier said Wuerffel wouldn't have been able to play if the Gators I iad a game in the next few days.

"He can't lift lis arm above his shoulder," Spurrier said. But Wuerffel stuck around long enough to up a Honda touchdown. earn MVP honors of the Sugar Bowl after throwing for three touchdowns and running for another score. He also had a swollen right knee from the pounding. Wuerffel's physical condition gave Spurrier one more chance to address the late-hits controversy Friday.

"My comments weren't going to change how (the Seminoles) play, and they weren't meant to," Spurrier said. "If I had to do it over again, I would. I don't think it's right when another team's players are saying they're trying to hurt one of our players." Rally planned: The University of Florida will hold a ceremony Jan. 11 at Florida Field to honor the national champions. The Gators decided not to stage a major rally Friday because many players didn't return on the team charter back to Gainesville.

Bates better: Linebacker James Bates, Florida's half after leading tackier, missed the second suffering a mild concussion late in the second quarter. The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press final college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, final records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and last week's ranking: NO. TEAM W-L PTS. LW 1. Florida (65V.) 12-1 1.673V4 3 2.

Ohio St. (1) 11-1 4 3. Florida St. 11-1 1,529 1 4. Arizona St.

11-1 1,486 2 5. BYU 14-1 1,360 5 6. Nebraska 11-2 1,316 6 7. PennSt. 11-2 1.293 7 8.

Colorado 10-2 1,228 8 9. Tennessee 10-2 1,172 9 10. North Carolina 10-2 1,070 12 11. Alabama 10-3 977 16 12. LSU 10-2 849 17 13.

Virginia Tech 10-2 786 10 14. Miami 9-3 690 19 15. Northwestern 9-3 663 lT 16. Washington 9-3 643 13 17. Kansas St.

9-3 625 14 18. Iowa 9-3 535 21 19. Notre Dame 8-3 511 18 20. Michigan 8-4 466 15 21. Syracuse 9-3 451 23 22.

Wyoming 10-2 314 22 23. Texas 8-5 169 20 24. Auburn 8-4 130 25. Army 10-2 71 24 said cates: couiant rememrjer any ballplays," which would be a problem for NO. TEAM W-L PTS.

LW 1. Florida (58) 12-1 1,646 3 2. Ohio St. (4) 1 111 1,466 "4-J I 3. Florida St.

11-1 1,408 1 4. Arizona St. 11-1 1,341 'i 5- BYU 14-1 1,261 '51' 6. Nebraska 11-2 1,235 6y, 7. PennState 11-2 1.205 8.

Colorado 10-2 1,128 8 9. Tennessee 10-2 1,077 10 10. North Carolina 10-2 971 13 11. Alabama 10-3 906 15. 12.

Virginia Tech 10-2 791, 13. LSU 10-2 746 Ig; 14. Miami 9-3 636 If 15. Washington 9-3 622, IZ2 16. Northwestern 9-3 594 fl 17.

Kansas St. 9-3 564 12 18. Iowa 9-3 549 19. Syracuse 9-3 446 22 A 20. Michigan 8-4 390 Vf 21.

Notre Dame 8-3 22. Wyoming 10-2 259 '2; 23. Texas 8-5 141 24. Army 10-2 106 2j 25. Auburn 8-4 Others receiving votes: West Virginia 43, Navy 41, East Carolina 37, Southern Miss.

22, Stanford 16, Wisconsin 14, San Diego St. 4, Virginia 3, Clemson 2. man N.Y. Times Computer Rankings The New York Times' computer rankings are based on an analysis of each team's scores with emphasis on three factors: who won, by what margin and against what quality of opposition. The quality of an opponent Is determined by examining its record against other teams.

The Times' computer model collapses runaway scores and takes note of a home-field advantage. Recent games count more than earlier games. Bowl games count as 1 Vi times a regular-season game. The top team is assigned a rating of 1 the ratings of all other teams are percentages of that. The cumulative records and margin or victory of each team's opponents do not Include games against the ranked team.

The final Times rankings, with team, last week's position in parentheses, average victory margin, i H7 someone Bates through returned Awsl V' dead at the FSU 1: "The first time we played them we blocked a punt. This time we were determined where they were we were going after the kicker. And if you had to do it over again, you wouldn't do it." Free Ike: Florida's Ike Ilil-liard thrived because the Seminoles double-covered Reidel Anthony, who had 11 catches for 193 yards in the teams' first game. "He caught a lot of balls against us and killed Alabama," FSU cornerback James Colzie said of Anthony. "We took Ike Hilliard for granted and he proved us wrong." Hilliard caught seven passes 1 OPP.

OPP. NO. TEAM (LAST) AVM RAT. RECORDS AVM 1. Florida (3) 29.5 1.000 78-47-0 5.9 2.

Ohio St. (5) 27.0 0.946 77-50-0 5A 3. Nebraska (4) 29.2 0.923 84-55-0 TA 4. Florida St. (1) 22.7 0.906 68-46-0 5.j.

5. Arizona St. (2) 22.7 0.897 74-54-0 55 6. Brigham Young (7) 20.9 0.893 82-75-0 7. Colorado (9) 11.0 0.855 77-52-0 6.5 8.

Penn State (10) lTi 0.835 76-64-0 39 1 8. Tennessee (14) 21.0 0.835 65-61-0 10. Washington (6) 11.4 0.822 79-50-0 6.3 11. Virginia Tech (8) 13.4 0.819 71-54-0 3.11 12. Syracuse (11) 19.1 0.794 69-57-0 1.6g 13.

North Carolina (12) 19.5 0.788 60-54-0 2T0I 14. Notre Dame (13) 20.5 0.785 62-54-0 2J 15. Iowa (21) 8.0 0.766 69-59-0 3.7 16. LSU (19) 10.4 0.760 65-62-0 0.4 17. Miami (18) 13.2 0.747 63 510 1.2 18.

Alabama (27) 93 0.742 80-56-0 37" 18. Kansas St. (15) 12.4 0.742 77-51-0 .3 20. Auburn (30) 10.1 Q.730 77-49-0 39 21. East Carolina (22) 9 0.714 70-45-0 40 21.

Wyoming (25) 15.0 0.714 58-69-0 23. Rice (23) 0.706 67-49-0 4.9 24. Texas (16) 10.9 0.704 77-60-0 5.5 25. Army (17) 0.692 58-63-0 LO Sugar Bowl Statistics Flonda Terry Jackson slips away from fallen James Colzie on a 42-yard touchdown run that gave the Gators a 45-20 lead. Dunn starts as decoy, finishes dehydrated who calls the defensive signals.

returned to the sideline midway the third quarter and his memory had by the end of the game. r- SCOn WISEMANStaff Photographer for 150 yards and three touch downs. Going early: Three juniors will have to decide whether to apply for the NFL draft by Jan. 10. Bowden said all three should return.

"Losing this game makes it hard for me to leave this year, said defensive end Peter Boulware, who had 19 sacks and is projected by some as a top-10 pick. "I want to be able to go out on a good note. I just have to go home and pray about it, talk about it with my family, and make a decision after that. Receiver E.G. Green said he'll decide this weekend, but he seems unlikely to be worthy of a pick in the top four rounds.

Tackle Walter Jones has been mum about his plans, although his stock seems to have fallen since early in the year. Praise for Wuerffel: Flori da quarterback Danny Wuerffel faced six times in his career, throwing for 1,954 yards and 15 touchdowns and finishing 2-3-1. "He's the best we've ever played against," said defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, who's been at FSU for 13 seasons. "It's not close." Said Bowden: "I can never remember a quarterback being so dominating. Without Wuerffel, I think we could've beaten Florida.

He was just something else." Post wire services contributed to this report. Johnson, Callaway will join Tide as assistants: Alabama confirmed that Ellis Johnson and Neil Callaway will join the Crimson Tide's coaching staff as defensive coordinator and offensive line coach, respectively. The hirings were the first by new coach Mike Dubose, who replaces retiring Gene Stallings. Turner, Schottenheimer to coach in Senior: The Kansas City Chiefs' Marty Schottenheimer and the Washington Redskins' Norv Turner will be coaches in the Senior Bowl, the Jan. 18 matchup of senior college football players looking to become pros.

Schottenheimer and his Chiefs staff will coach the South team, Turner and his Redskios assistants the North. Projected '97 FSU Lineup OFFENSE DEFENSE Receiver E.G. Green End Greg Spires Tackle Walter Jones Tackle Andre Wadsworth Guard Jason Whitaker Tackle Julian Pittman Center Eric Thomas End Peter Boulware Guard Jeremy Brett Linebacker Sam Cowart Tackle Tra Thomas Linebacker Daryl Bush Tight end Melvin Pearsall Linebacker Lamont Green Receiver Peter Warrick Cornerback Samari Rolle Quarterback Thad Busby Cornerback Troy Saunders Tailback Dee Feaster Safety Shevin Smith Fullback Pooh Bear Williams Safety Dexter Jackson Kicker Bill Gramatica Punter Bill Gramatica -or Sebastian Janikowski; -or Keith Cottrell Florida 52, Florida St. 20 Others receiving votes: West Virgiman 85, Navy 76, Virginia 30, Stanford East Carolina 19, Wisconsin 15, Southern Mississippi 13, Nevada 5, San DiegoH State 5, Clemson 4, Texas Tech 2. rating and opponents' record and AVM: i DEFENSE Tackle Sacks' UT A Tot NoYJst Wright Showers Rutledge Lott Chester Baker Xynldis Peterson McGrew Bates Weary Jackson George McCray Davis Council Hilliard Beauchamp Cohens 5 4 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 I 1 1 2 0 1 I 2 0 0 0 1 I 1 2 0 0 0 I 0 0 0 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 214! INDIVIDUAL FLORIDA STATE 1 RUSHING Att Yds Avg Long TD Dunn 9 28 3.1 12 Warrick 1 12 12.0 12 0 Williams 2 7 3.5 7 UQ Feaster 2 1 .5 2.0 Busby 7 -6 8 "0 PASSING Att Com Yds TD Int Busby 17 41 271 11 Kendra 0 I 0 0 RECEIVING No.

Yds Avg Long TO Messam 5 48 9.6 23 (X Cooper 4 82 20.5 55 -0 Green 3 86 28.7 34 Pearsall 1 25 25.0 25 Dunn 1 12 12.0 12 "0' Abdullah 1 10 10.0 10 0 Warrick 1 7 7.0 7 0 Williams I 1 1 .0 10 PUNTING No. Avg Long Liss 8 46.4 57 PUNT RETURNS No. Yds Avg long Warrick 3 32 10.6 19 Feaster 2 42 21.0 24 KICKOFF RETURNS I No. Yds Avg Long Warrick 1 19 19.0 19' Stringer IS 15.0 15i Feaster 2 45 22.5 23 1 Coles 4 73 18.3 INTERCEPTIONS No Yds long! Crawford 1 22 22 1 DEFENSE Tackles Sacks UT A Tot NoYdsl Crockett 7 4 II Capers 6 0 6 Bush 5 1 6 i Wadsworth 5 1 6 j8l Crawford 2 4 6 Spain 3 2 5 Boulware 3 2 5 26 5 Jackson 2 3 5 Green 2 2 4 Smith 3,03 Battles 3 0 3 i Wilson 3 0 3 17 Colzie 3 0 3 Edwards 2 13 Saunders 2 1 3 Hamlet 2 0 2 Key 2 0 2 Pearsall 2 0 2 Spires 1 1 15': Jones 1 0 1 1 By ED PRICE Palm Beach Post Staff Writer NEW ORLEANS Florida State planned to get the ball to tailback Warrick Dunn more than 10 times in the Sugar Bowl. But the Seminoles opted to use him as a decoy early in the game, and in the second half cramps kept him off the field.

FSU Notebook "We felt like they'd be keying on him real strong so we'd fake to him," coach Bobby Bowden said Friday. "That first pass (55 yards to Andre Cooper) was faking to him and throw. We were going to do some of that and involve (Dunn) gradually. When I talked to him in the fourth quarter he was out of it." Dunn finished with nine carries for 28 yards and one catch for 12 yards. Suffering from flu-like symptoms, Dunn twice was brought to the locker room in the second half with leg cramps, but even I.V.s didn't help.

In FSU's November win over Florida, Dunn had rushed for 185 yards. With Dunn out, barely able to stand up, sophomore Dee Feaster came in; senior backup Rock Preston was academically ineligible for the game. Feaster, who carried 20 times in the regular season, had two rushes for 2 yards in the Sugar Bowl. Bowden admitted tailback is his No. 1 recruiting priority.

UF FSU FirttDowni Total 26 13 First downs rushing 8 2 First downs passing 1 2 9 First downs-penalty 6 2 Yards Ruthlng 168 42 Rushing plays 43 21 Yard Patting 306 27 1 Passes attempted 34 42 Passes completed 18 17 Interceptions 1 2 Yardt Total 474 313 Offensive plays 77 63 Third-down conv. 5-16 5-18 Int. return-yards 2-7 1-24 Punt returns-yards 6-69 5-74 Klckoff returns-yds. 4-93 8-152 Punts-average 7-48. 1 Fumbles-lost 1 -0 0-0 Penalties-yards 15-102 14-115 Time of possession 36:27 23:33 Florida 10 14 14 14 52 Florida St.

3 14 3 0 20 Flrtt Quarter Fla Hilliard 9 pass from Wuerffel (Edmlston kick), 5:12. FSU FG Bentley 43, 7:1 1. Fla FG Edmiston 32, 12:16. Second Quarter Fla Taylor 2 run (Edmiston kick). 3:32.

FSU E.Green 29 pass from Busby (Bentley kick), 7:32. Fla Hilliard 31 oass from Wuerffel fEdmls- ton kick). 9:42. FSU Dunn 1 2 run (Bentley kick), 14:20. Third Quarter FSU FG Bentley 45, 4:36.

Fla Hilliard 7 pass from Wuerffel (Edmiston kick), 9:17. Fla Wuerffel 16 run (Edmiston kick), 14:47. Fourth Quarter Fla Jackson 42 run (Edmiston kick), 6:08. Fla Jackson 1 run (Edmiston kick). 12:48.

A 78,344. Huskies' Dillon, Virginia's other Barber opt for NFL "We need to bring in a couple of running backs," he said. A couple of targets: Travis Minor, a prep All-America from Dunn's alma mater in Baton Rouge, and Tony Driver of Louisville (Ky.) Male. And depending on the ability of the newcomers, receiver Laveranues Coles may return to tailback. More strategy: Bowden on going for fourth-and-1 at the UF 23 on the game's opening drive: "We should have made fourth-and-1.

It was too early in the ballgame. You can't swap field goals with them." And on rushing 11 men at Florida's first punt, which rolled College Notebook Defensive back Ronde Barber is forgoing his final year of college eligibility and making himself available for the NFL draft. Barber, who was a redshirt his freshman year, was an All-ACC first-team selection the past three years. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound defensive back was the ACC Rookie of the Year in 1994 after leading the ACC with eight interceptions. Barber has 15 career interceptions.

"It's been a decision that's long in coming. I've had it in my mind since the beginning of the INDIVIDUAL FLORIDA RUSHING Att Yds Avg Long TD 12 118 9.8 42 2 18 60 3.3 18 1 4 2 .5 3 0 1 0 0.0 0 0 2 -2 1 0 6 -10 16 1 PASSING Att Com Yds TD bit 18 34 306 3 I RECEIVING No. Yds Avg Long TD 7 150 21.4 47 3 5 79 15.8 40 0 4 50 12.5 28 0 1 16 16.0 16 0 1 II 11.0 11 0 PUNTING No. Avg Long 7 48.1 69 season, but I think it's the right decision for me," Barber said. Tailback Tiki Barber, Ronde Barber's twin brother, finished his college eligibility this season.

Texas Tech DE going pro: Tony Daniels, a junior defensive end at Texas Tech, said Friday that he was making himself available for this spring's NFL draft. He is the second Red Raiders' junior to make that decision. Star tailback Byron Hanspard said Monday he was turning pro. "I'm 24 years old, and I didn't want to be about 30 and going in to the NFL," said Daniels, who sat out what would have been his first season because of academic ineligibility, then missed the 1995 season with a knee injury jeustained in a diving accident. Jackson Taylor E.

Williams Schttnhmr McCaslin Wuerffel Wuerffel Hilliard Green Anthony Mobley Taylor Stevenson PUNT RETURNS No. Yds Avg Long 6 69 11.5 26 KICKOFF RETURNS No. Yds Avg Long 2 48 24.0 28 I 31 31.0 31 I 14 14.0 14 INTERCEPTIONS No Yds Long LOO 7 7 Green Hilliard Anthony Williams Brown Badeaux Palm Beach Post Wire Services SEATTLE Corey Dillon, who rushed for a school-record 1,555 yards and 22 touchdowns for the Washington Huskies this sea-1 son, announced Friday that he will 1 will pass up his senior season for the NFL. Friday's announcement came four days after Washington's 33-21 loss to Colorado in Monday's Holiday Bowl in San Diego. Dillon ran for 140 yards and two touchdowns against the Buffaloes after winning the Pac-10 rushing title.

Linebacker Jason Chorak, the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, said after the Holiday Bowl that he may forego his senior season and enter April's NFL draft, Virginia DB to enter draft: -i i.P 1 t.iH r. fftnin. iMinfflt afMffl iitr1 1.