The News-Star from Monroe, Louisiana • Page 19

M. VAUGHN ANTLEY, MBA, CFP and 'POETS Getting ready Area college football reports Details on 2C DEAN MAILHES, CFA Financial Planning Money Management Meeting your goals. Exceeding your expectations. 1609 StubbsAve. 318-324-8000 SECTION SATURDAY August 11, 2007 The No win, but Saints move ball dropping back with play-action fakes or rolling out from a variety of formations, and the Pro Bowl quarterback completed 12 passes to seven receivers for 118 yards on only two offensive series.

"We were a little sharper tonight on offense, but you would still like to see us complete those drives with touch New Orleans' offense shows up in 13-10 loss Associated Press NEW ORLEANS -Reigning coach of the year Sean Payton expanded his pre TOP SAINTS PERFORMANCES New Orleans' statistical leaders against the Bills: Rushing: QB Tyler Palko, 47 yards on four carries RB Antonio Pittman, 23 yards on 10 carries Passing: Tyler Palko, 15-of-27, 172 yards, one TD Drew Brees, 12-of-14, 118 yards Receiving: WR Lance Moore, 50 yards on five catches WR Terrance Copper, 48 yards on four catch- US1 'X downs, Brees said. "There was more to build on tonight for us and we've also seen some positives from our younger players." season play book enough to remind everyone why the Saints led the NFL in offense a year ago. The Saints failed to finish their early drives, other was blocked. Rian Lindell's 54-yard field goal, which might have been good from 10 yards farther out, gave Buffalo (1-0) the lead for good with 3:23 to go. "The main ingredient was there.

The effort was there," Bills coach Dick Jauron said. "They were the No. 1 offense in football a year ago. We kept them out of the end zone. That's always big." The Saints (0-2) were in range to tie game with a late field goal, but Payton had the See SAINTS 4C AP though, and the Buffalo Bills' reserves ground out a 13-10 victory Friday night.

Payton had Drew Brees The first two Saints drives stalled inside the Bills 30, and new kicker Olindo Mare made one of two field goals as the Saints QB Tyler Palko entered Friday's game in the first half and threw a fourth-quarter touchdown to Robert Meachem. Bulldogs' Champion likes offense Tech quarterback praises new OC Frank Scelfo's balanced attack By Matthew Reynolds mreynoldsmonroe.gannett.com RUSTON Fifth-year senior Louisiana Tech quarterback Zac Champion has little doubt that the addition of former Tulane coach Frank Scelfo as offensive coordinator will pay dividends in the upcoming season. Champion who has been enrolled in classes all summer has had plenty of time to acquainted with the new offensive playcaller. I w'O ft 1' "Just from the the spring drills and working with him (Scelfo) most of the summer, I have probably learned more about reading defenses and running the an efficient offense than I have in my previous four years here at Tech," Champion said. Champion added that a key difference in this years offense will be its diversity.

"Coach Scelfo and Dooley both are believers in playing to your strengths against that specific opponent," Champion said. "Our offense is going to be very balanced. If we are running the ball well, we're not going to stray away from that. Same goes for passing the ball." See TECH 4C Terrance ArmstardThe News-Star Cardia Jackson played in all 12 ULM games as a freshman last season, ranking fourth in team tackles with 58. TO TK) TV From Nick Deriso's online blog: rniore It might be fair to assume that Louisiana Tech is bathing in the warm afterglow of hiring two well-regarded coaches Derek Dooley in football and Kerry Rupp in hoops over the past few months.

Not so fast. A previously reported fan-driven movement to oust Tech's athletics director hasn't lost any steam, despite dramatic changes that go beyond new coaches coming to Ruston. READ MORE HERE: http:www.thenewsstar.com newsblogsindex.html mm.Vm- MM il Wossman product expects bigger 2007 season Bateman makes cut the Year on the All-Northeast Louisiana team. Athletic enough to play a key role on both the basketball and football teams at Wossman, Jackson piled up incredible tackle numbers in high school As a junior, Jackson registered an amazing 207 stops. Including the playoffs, Jackson finished his senior season with 178 tackles (137 solos).

He also led Wossman to a 9-1 record and the District 2-3A championship, ending four years of losing seasons. "I first met Cardia going into his junior year and he was already a leader," Wossman coach Vincent Landrum said. "I didn't expect anything different when he went out to ULM." Originally, Jackson committed to play for Louisiana Tech. But he spurned Bulldogs on the eve of National Signing Day to go with ULM, and was regarded as one of the prizes of the 2006 signing class. During his first college campaign, Jackson had season highs of nine tackles in games against Kentucky and Louisiana-Lafayette.

He registered eight at Arkansas and seven at Kansas. See JACKSON 4C If 11 ifV- While Tiger Woods was flirting with golf history Friday, Monroe's Brian Bateman made some personal history of his own by making the cut at the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills In Tulsa, Okla. Bateman birdied the mammoth 507-yard par-4 No. 16 and finished with a 74 to give him a two-day total of 71-74145, Terrance ArmstardAhe News-Star Cardia Jackson, right, recorded 2006 season-highs of nine tackles against both Kentucky and Louisiana-Lafayette. making the cut on the number to earn a Bateman By Paul J.

Letlow pletlowthenewsstar.com The hoopla surrounding ULM linebacker Cardia Jackson has given way to quiet confidence in the sophomore defender. "Year Two, he's looking good," linebackers coach Kirk Botkin said. "You can't second-guess experience. He's learning more and getting more familiar with the defense. The more you can know before the ball is snapped, the better off you'll be." A homegrown star from nearby Wossman High School, Jackson stepped into the lineup as a true freshman and played in all 12 games.

He ranked fourth on sophomore. Even though I played every game as a freshman, I'm still learning." A blue-chip prospect who twice made All-State at Wossman, Jackson arrived on the ULM campus with fantastic credentials. Jackson was the Glenwood SportsCareNews-Star's 2005 Toby Caston Defensive Player of the team in tackles with 58 and made an immediate impact as expected. Now, he's more than a promising prospect. He's a proven commodity with even more anticipated from the 6-2, 230-pound thumper.

"It's going pretty good," Jackson said of his preseason at ULM. "I'm still learning as a spot in tne ourney Tinai two aays. Not only did Bateman earn his first cut in a major, he also beat a who's who of former golf major champions to do it. While Bateman stayed alive, those who failed to do so Include major champs Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Davis Love, III, Justin Leonard, Zach Johnson, Mike Weir, Michael Campbell, Ben Curtis, Rich Beem, Jeff Sluman, Angel Cabrera, Mark Calcavecchia, Steve Elkington and Jose' Maria Olazabal. Keith Prince More on the PGA Championship, 5C THENEWSSTAR.COM Paul J.

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