The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page E01

ALLY SECTION Complete high school coverage on E10-11 and at www.philly.comirally. SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 2011 Zile riitatielphia linquirer WWW.PHILLY.COM McDermott Fired Cats use scoring spurt to top Terps Eagles drop defensive coordinator after two seasons. Playing with a short bench, Villanova went on a 19-0 run to erase Maryland's lead in the second half. By Jeff McLane INQUIRER STAFF WRITER Just five days after Andy Reid said that Sean McDermott would be back next season, the Eagles' defensive coordinator was fired, the team confirmed Saturday. The Eagles have not named a replacement, although senior assistant Dick Jauron is a candidate, team sources said.

There will be a full interviewing process, but the vetting may not begin until Reid returns from a vacation that ends later this week. The head coach was not available for comment, a team spokesman said. Attempts to reach the locally raised McDermott were unsuccessful. "I'm really surprised because I didn't expect that to happen," Eagles safety Quintin Mike II said in a text message to The Inquirer. "I don't know how to take it." A number of reasons factored into Reid's decision, according to team sources.

The coach had felt McDermott struggled with following in the footsteps of the esteemed Jim Johnson, who died in July 2009. McDermott's inexperience was also a factor. Ultimately, it was the defense's poor showings against Minnesota, which cost the Eagles a bye, and in the playoff loss to Green Bay that did in McDermott. See COACH on E3 1 Ohio, i .1 41111. 111111110 'if 4 'i 1.

1 41" ..........0. --7- 4 N. '2- 4 -1- i VC' 111..1 IF i 1 'ikt' A ......,1 citi.14.0-- q- 1, 1 By Joe Juliano INQUIRER STAFF WRITER Villanova desperately needed to find a way to climb out of a 12-point, second-half hole Saturday, but Corey Fisher appeared to be running on fumes as he lazily dribbled the ball in the frontcourt while a wary Maryland defender watched. Suddenly, the Wildcats senior Maryland 66 raised up and knocked down Villanova 74 a three-point Inside: E6-7 basket, then St. Joseph's 51 added an up- Saint Louis 67 and-under La Salle 71 cus shot in the UMass 74 lane, followed by another Drexel 66 William Mary 80 three-ball, add- ing a spark to what would become a 19-0 run.

The seventh-ranked Wildcats relying on only seven players in the second half because of an injury and a disciplinary benching used their stunning spurt to gain their 11th consecutive victory, overcoming the Terrapins, 74-66, before a lively crowd of 17,477 at the Wells Fargo Center. Because of their short bench, the starters for the Wildcats (16-1) had to grind out big minutes. Fisher rested for just over a minute-and-ahalf in the second half and played See WILDCATS on E6 Eagles Inside Phil Sheridan: Replacing Reid wouldn't be easy. E2. Gonzo: Fans brainwashed.

E2. Inside the Eagles: Blame Reid for flawed defense. E3 DAVID MAIALETTI Staff Photographer The firing of Sean McDermott (left) came five days after coach Andy Reid said he would return next season. Is one redheaded scapegoat enough? Bob Ford Andy Reid was asked whether McDermott would be back for a third season as defensive coordinator in 2011. He must have misunderstood the question, or misheard it, because Reid gave a succinct answer: "Yeah." This makes the second consecutive year, for those scoring at home, in which Reid's postseason analysis of who would be back and who would not turned out to be slightly flawed.

A year ago, Reid said Donovan McNabb would be the team's quarterback in 2010. It was a straightforward question and a straightforward answer. People in Reid's position are forced to lie at times. He took pride earlier this season in describing how he "buys time" by not telling the truth. That's fine, See REID on E3 The Eagles' organization found a redheaded scapegoat on Saturday, someone who, above all others apparently, should lead the parade out the door after the team's mixed bag of a 2010 season.

At least, that's the way it reads. It wasn't the redheaded scapegoat preferred by much of the fan base, but defensive coordinator Sean McDermott was a ceremonial offering to the gods of losing, Wretched first half dooms Temple 44 and they are hungry dudes who must be fed. Earlier in the week, head coach Packers pour it on against the Falcons 11 -00 1r i iipmilow :2.,, ''s re 4, nY PtAig 4 I 0 1 4' i 1 '1 14, 1-02' t' 'II 1 4 1, II le, 41 .1 4. Nit Irr-191; 4 i .6.. 11, 4' If; Pl It ik Al i lit 1 nit 411 A 91e iSrV'Pllik 11 aLl.

0 4t1e4 4Co oiisok 1 4.6 IP, 4111.. 44 't III ,,4,,, :.,.4,,,, 41 i 17 4 AL 'A 'IP 0 I -110i, A it el 1 It nA 1, A 11111 4: NFL Playoffs By Michael Sanserino FOR THE INQUIRER PITTSBURGH It took Temple nearly 12 minutes to make its first field goal Saturday, and by then the only thing left to be deter- Temple 66 mined was how badly they Duquesne 78 were going to lose to Duquesne. The Dukes jumped out to a 20-point lead within the first 10 minutes and coasted the rest of the way in handing the Owls their first Atlantic Ten loss of the season, 78-66, at the A.J. Palumbo Center. After Duquesne's initial run, the Owls never pulled closer than within 10 points of the Dukes.

The loss snapped a three-game win streak for Temple (12-4, 3-1 A-10), which entered the game winner of four straight against the Dukes (11-5, 3-0). Temple junior guard Ramone Moore, held scoreless in the first See OWLS on E6 24 31 48 21 SATURDAY Ravens Stealers Packers Falcons SUNDAY Seahawks at Bears, 1 p.m. (Fox29) By Paul Newberry ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTA Brett who? Aaron Rodgers has turned these NFL playoffs into his own showcase. Carving up the NFC's top-seeded team, Rodgers threw three touchdown passes, ran for another score, and led the Green Bay Packers to their second straight postseason road victory with a stunning, 48-21 rout of the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday night. The Packers (12-6) will have to win one more on the road to complete their improbable run from sixth seed to the Super Bowl, but nothing looks out of the question the way Rodgers is playing.

He'll lead Green Bay into the NFC championship game at either Chicago or Seattle next weekend. Rodgers completed 31 of 36 passes for 366 yards, more than Brett Favre the guy he replaced in See PACKERS on E4 Jets at Patriots, 4:30 p.m. (CBS3) MATT SLOCUM Associated Press Pittsburgh receiver Antonio Brown beats Baltimore cornerback Lardarius Webb on a 58-yard pass play on third and 19 in the fourth quarter. The play set up the decisive touchdown in the Steelers' 31-24 win over the Ravens. E4 Coverage: E4.

PHILLIES Alive and kicking in face of illness Punter from Phila. area is battling brain cancer. 4, Ant we il, --ow tint V- 11. .111 011 I ri '1 .111111 1 n1111'11'1 )1'1 AMINEIRI 411111" AllePPlik, MEE Until pitchers and catchers report for spring training. trophy, embrace it, enjoy it," said Long, a four-year starter and two-year captain, thinking back to the 36-34 triumph over Kansas State.

It was supposed to be Long's last college game. Instead, he watched it with his helmet off, a knit cap covering the scar on the back of his shaved head. "At any moment, these things we take for granted can be stripped away from you, without notice and without warning," said Long, who turned 22 on Dec. 13, the day before he underwent brain surgery. See LONG on E9 By Mike Jensen INQUIRER STAFF WRITER Syracuse University kept scoring touchdowns.

Each time Syracuse's offense came off the field at Yankee Stadium, after all five TDs, all the offensive players ran over to surround a teammate who didn't play. Asked last week about his most memorable football game, Syracuse punter Rob Long, a Downingtown West High graduate, chose that game he didn't play in, the Dec. 30 New Era Pinstripe Bowl. "Hands down getting to hold the Phi llies and Francisco avoid arbitration with one-year deal. E4.

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS Syracuse punter Rob Long (second from left), a Downington West graduate, helped ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange last month..