The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 57

Chadotte Observer Friday December 29 1989 Texas Tech Favorite Son Returning To Coach At Florida By CHARLES CHANDLER Raleigh Bumu BIRMINGHAM Ala Steve Spurrier resigned as Duke's football coach Thursday in order to become coach at Florida And the list of candidates to replace Spurrier has already been narrowed to three including Blue Devils assistant head coach Barry Wilson Sources close to the Duke athletic department said Spurrier informed athletic director Tom Butters Thursday morning prior to the Blue Devils' evening game against Texas Tech in the All American Bowl that he is leaving Asked to confirm the resignation Butters said: "It's not my position to make his decisions or his announcements If I answered your question I might be doing that" Spurrier could not be reached for comment before the game Sources said Spurrier's appointment at Florida his alma mater is tentatively scheduled for Sunday New Year's Eve one day alter the Gators' play Washington in the Freedom Bowl However the sources said there is a slight Duke Fireworks' Era Ends With Dud BIRMINGHAM Ala Duke's last play went for a loss which hadn't happened a lot in the three years with its skyrockets-and-pinwheels offense Steve Spunier beaten signaled the Blue Devils not to try another in the few seconds that remained in the All American Bowl Thursday night Just run out the clock Spurrier broke into a trot met Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes at midfield for a handshake and a 'couple of words of congratulations for the Red Raiders' 49-21 triumph turned and ran into a tunnel Thus ended a short sweet era The man who put the back into Duke football who made Saturdays in Durham joyful again had coached the Blue Devils for the last time Spurrier will answer mother's call go home to Florida where a couple of decades ago he won the Heisman Trophy Spurrier's farewell performance was among his poorest Having gotten Duke to its first bowl game since 1960 he watched Texas Tech smash his creation The Blue Devils spotted the Red Raiders a 28-0 lead in the first 22 minutes and clearly were not ready for what they encountered which was a crisp Texas Tech team that had mayhem on its mind and James Gray in its backfield Spurrier's long tap dance about the coaching change keeping his decision from the team until Tuesday while speculation swirled for weeks may have had something to do with the Blue Devils' awful start Duke's easy practice routine for this game with almost no hitting since the regular season ended while Texas Tech was grinding certainly was a factor Whatever the cause the Blue Devils very nearly blew the game before halftime and were blasted completely out of it early in the third quarter They were fooled beyond belief on a screen pass They fumbled They dropped passes They threw passes high low and wide They were co fooled by an onside kick Of course none of that affected the outcome just the score On its best day Duke may not have been able to stay with Texas Tech The Blue Devils' biggest problem wasn't offense It was trying to get their mitts on Gray who looked like next year's NFL rookie of the year When they did it didn't matter a whole lot He slipped away or hauled them downfield on his back like so much luggage By halftime he had 149 yards and three touchdowns Shortly after intermission he went over 200 Early in the fourth quarter Gray 5-10 210 pounds rambled 32 yards for his fourth touchdown found a bench near the fence beyond the end zone and sat down for a while still holding the ball He was tired He had run for 272 yards Gray finished with a Legion Field record 280 yards on 33 trips Duke hadn't seen one like him but Southwest Conference teams have been looking at this for four years Only Eric Dickerson and Earl Campbell ever ran for more yardage in that league that has known a few running backs Duke made a game of it shortly before halftime with two quick-strike touchdowns one drive requiring two plays to cover 70 yards the other four to cover 67 yards That was the stuff that has made Spurrier a hot coach But he could have used some defenders like those he'll find at Florida in this one This one was miserable for Spurrier You could see it in his face and his manner as the score mounted He kept mostly to himself pacing with hands in pockets against the chill occasionally kicking at the carpet His defense always a problem at Duke was gouged for 638 yards and the Red Raiders didn't bother to throw the ball in the second half except once No need The running game was cooking His offense always dazzling was something less on this night It produced 25 completions in 42 attempts for 349 yards but it couldn't work consistently against the Red Raiders This wasn't a good one to go out on but it doesn't erase the good stuff in this brightest season at Duke in three decades Now the Spurrier era has ended It was a good one just too short chance the announcement could be delayed until Tuesday Sources also said Spurrier is scheduled to meet with Florida athletic director Bill Amsparger today at Spurrier's condominium In Crescent Beach Fla 1 4 Butters said once the official announcement is made he will work from a pool of three finalists and that he expects "one of those men will be Duke's next football coach" Butters said Wilson is one of the three and has already been interviewed Wilson recommended for the job by Spurrier met with Butters and members of the school's Athletics Council on Dec 17 "He was the one person I could talk to in advance since he was already on the staff" Butters said Butters would not identify the other two finalists Sources said one possibility is San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren although 49ers' officials have said they will not allow other NFL teams or colleges to See DUKE'S Page 3E Kelly Tripucka takes aim on the clinching free throw en route to a 25-point performance that By TOM SORENSEN Staff Writer TUCSON Wake Forest missed the bus and the basket Thursday The Deacons hit fewer than one of every three field-goal attempts and were beaten by Purdue 66-52 in the first round of the Fiesta Bowl Classic Only a few thousand fans showed up at 13477-seat McKale Center to watch the game Most showed up early to watch hometown Arizona play Penn State The Deacons will play the Nittany Lions (6-2) at 7 pm Saturday Maybe the fans knew The Deacons set three records at the five-year-old tournament Worst field-goal percentage: 318 Worst three-point percentage: 090 And fewest turnovers: nine But the turnovers were not what 1 ri Duke tackler John McDonald closes in Jamie Gill in Thursday's All-American Ala Texas Tech won 49-21 4 I 0 le 1 um 1 et 4 G- Bowl' 0 9S der In al ly Ear Red A-i 0 On rilas t- rIDRu 1 Aseedsted Press on Texas Tech quarterback Bowl game at Birmingham BOB LEVERONEJStaff led Charlotte to a 94-92 victory over Cleveland Friday night at the Charlotte Coliseum oilermakers Steam fans who filled Mc Kale for the second game were talking about when the Deacons ran off the court The game had promise Going in Purdue was 64 having lost on the road to Long Beach State Wake Forest was also 6-1 its best start in six seasons The Deacons had lost in overtime to Seton Hall which last season reached the NCAA final But Wake Forest's problems began before the game did when starters Chris King and Phil Medlin missed the team bus from their hotel to the McKale Center The bus took off at 3 (pm) and we got there at about 3:10" King said Wake Forest coach Dave Odom said King and Medlin told him they thought the bus was leaving later They hitched By CHARLES CHANDLER Raleigh Bureau BIRMINGHAM Ala Steve Spurrier stood quietly on the sideline Thursday night his arms folded as the final minutes of his career as Duke's coach ticked off the Legion Field clock 14mes Gray had made this a miserable farewell Gray Texas Tech's senior tailback and game most valuable player not only crashed Spurrier's going away party but also smashed the All American Bowl record book in leading the Red Raiders to a 49-21 rout of the Blue Devils Gray set All American Bowl records with 280 rushing and four touchdowns The rushing total was also the most at Legion Field which opened in 1927 It was a dominating perfor mance that spoiled Duke's plans t6 send Spurrier off to Florida on a winning note Spurrier who led the Blue Devils to their first bowl game in 29 years resigned Thursday and is expected to be named Florida's coach within a week Spurrier wasn't talking about his future after the game saying Ivy a 6-9 senior who is 12th among all-time Deacons scorers was cleared by doctors to play and worked out for the first time since his injury Thursday afternoon He made two of three shots Thursday and was the only Wake Forest player to hit half his field-goal attempts or better Section See DEACONS Page 4E usiness page 5E ScorePhone: (704) 379-6535 the obvious "It's a disappointing feeling" he said "Anybody who watched the game could tell they whipped us in every area They out-played us out-coached us and out-hit us "I thought we were prepared but obviously whatever we did as coaches didn't work But even if we'd played our best I don't know if we could've beaten that team out there tonight" The defeat brought a resounding end to Duke's seven-game winning streak and was the Blue Devils' worst loss since falling to Clemson 49-17 last year The Blue Devils (8-4) were no match for Texas Tech (9-3) from the beginning falling behind 28-0 and never getting closer than 14 points after that Gray who ran for 1509 yards during the regular season and was named to the Southwest Conference all-decade team led the early charge rushing for 149 yards and three touchdowns in the first half One of the scores was a 54-yard second-quarter run that seemed to See RED RAIDERS Page 3E As By RICK BONNELL Staff Writer Kelly Tripucka had turned his anger inward Wednesday upon hearing he'd lost his starting spot' He fled to his home screened out all calls with his answering machine and opened a good book "All I Really Need to Know I Learned In Kindergarten" "It's about simple things" Tripucka beamed Thursday "Like clean up your own mess" Tripucka did exactly that Playing as a reserve for the first time this season Tripucka scored a team- high 25 points including the clinching free throws with five seconds left for a 94-92 victory over the 10-16 Cleveland Cavaliers at the Charlotte Coliseum The Hornets (5-20) outshot an opponent for only the fourth time this season Tripucka carried the Hornets to 44 from the field to Cleveland's 40 by: hitting 10 of 15 attempts It was an amazing turnaround from Tripucka's one-of-11 night against the San Antonio Spurt Tuesday Tripucka's postgame performance nearly topped his act during the game for drama Tripucka had been booed viciously the past two weeks by the home crowd He responded with a stern lecture in an interview played on the Coliseum speaker system "This has been very difficult for me" Tripucke told the crowd tears streaming down his face "You can boo us if you want but don't you ever accuse the players of not trying' Tripucka admitted after his speech that he wanted to take back the admonishment almost as the words passed his lips But Tripucka had been so hounded by the boos that he sat in his car outside a supermarket Wednesday night for 15 minutes debating whether it was worth the abuse while shopping "I finally went in" said Tripucka "And as soon as't I did I heard some semi-snyde remark 'You're not shooting too good Tripucka recalled "It's no Secret this has been very difficult on me If you guys walked into work and got booed every day you'd feel this way too "I never did anything wrong I just didn't play as well as I can Is that a crime?" In the end both the Hornets who had lost their starting spots were the reasons Charlotte won Tripucka did the shooting and Muggsy Bogues made the passes Bogues played as a substitute for the first time this season not because coach Dick Harter lost confidence in him but because Bogues had worn down playing 40-plus minutes per game Thursday Bogues totaled 17 assists in 31 minutes speeding the pace of the game for more breakaway layups than the Hornets had scored in weeks "We had more easy baskets because Bogues had the jets turned on" said Harter "He's got to keep those jets on and I can't wear him out" See TRIPUCKA Page 3E Transcript of Kelly Tripucka's postgame interview? Page 3E ast Cold eacons a ride with a team manager to the "It was frustrating" he said "I just game have to get back in shape I feel like an outsider I know they (his teammates) A team rule kept them out of the don't feel that way but I do" starting lineup and they entered the game with four minutes 23 seconds For Wake Forest there were no gone and the Deacons down 8-4 Join- insiders on this night King who had ing them with I 1:50 left in the first half been shooting a team high 632 was was Sam Ivy who had not played since five of I I from the field Anthony dislocating his shoulder Dec 5 against Tucker who had been shooting 468 Seton Hall was six of 21 For Wake Forest there were no insiders on this night King who had: been shooting a team high 632 was five of 11 from the field Anthony Tucker who had been shooting 468 was six of 21 The Deacons who had been shoot- ing 487 hit 297 in the first half but an eight-point burst in the last 1:17 cut Purdue's lead to 32-29 at the break In the second half the Deacons twice went more than four minutes without scoring while the Boilermak- )i 1 1 1 (' I 1 i Section hhadotte Observer 1 Business page a 5E Friday December 29 1989 ScorePhone: (704) 379-6535 17 S' 0 n' I 11exas Teth il rile pu lb rner 9s Flale 44iil ii'k Favorite Son Returning Ty 4 '-i' Red Raiders Get Jump t1: To Coach At Florida 4 sli- On Duke Early In Bowl 's 0 I By CHARLES CHANDLER chance the announcement co uld I lip 1 By CHARLES CHANDLER the obvious it400 te-kil 4 Raleigh Bureau "It's a disappointing feeling Ralegh i Buu delayed until Tuesday i 4--- -v 1e A BIRMINGHAM Ala Steve BIRMINGHAM Ala Steve Sources also said Spurner is I he said "Anybody who watched rri SPuer resigned as Duke's foot- scheduled to meet with Florida i Spurner stood quietly on the side- the game could tell they whipped ball coach Thursday in order to athletic director Bill Amsparger 1 't i line Thursday night his arms us every area They out-played become coach at Florida today at Spurrier's condominium I 5) folded as the final minutes of his us out-coached us and out-hit us And the list of candidates to i In Crescent Beach Fla 1 1 i :2 TE125111 itp career as Duke's coach ticked off "I thought we were prepared replace Spurrier has already been Butters said once the official the Legion Field clock James but obviously whatever we did as narrowed to three including Blue announcement is made he will A tit ortAtt04 Gray had made this a miserable coaches played our best I don't know didn't work But even Devils assistant head coach Barry work from a pool of three finalists "-')400 31e 1 Gray farewell we Wilson and that he expects "one of those otottiki 1 0 Texas Tech's senior tail- if we could've beaten that team Sources close to the Duke ath- men will be Duke's next football rtr1A iii14i player or not only most valuable out there tonight" letic department said Spurrier in- coach" 0 s- crashed Spurner formed athletic director Tom But- going away party but also smashed The defeat brought a resounding th ters Thursday morning pnor to utes ai i W1 is one of the A ree anr has already been inter- '4- the All rout of tAmerican Bowl record end a to Duke's seven-game winning Wilson the Blue Devils' evening game Ile 'd to book in leading the ai ers strek and was the Blue Devils' against Texas Tech in the All viewed i W1 recommended for 1s sq the job by Spurrier met with But ''''''''rg s-t ifl 1 a 49-21 he Blue Devils worst loss since falling to Clemson American Bowl that he is leaving 21 A my yards American Asked to confirm the resigna- ters and members of the school's 00 jr" 13cw1 49-17 last year were no tiort Butters said: "It's not my I )0 -t 4 1 records and four touchdowns rushing shi match for Texas Tech from talk to in advance 4 Gray seitth A1 80 The Blue Devils (8-4 Athletics Council on Dec 17 hing rushing 9-3 nd 28-0 the beginning falling bell' 14 position to make his decisions or "He was the one person I could 1: 1 1k I total was also Field which op theelcnin 1127 9st gic4 and never gettitng closer I an his announcements If I answered since he was 44 your question I might be doing already on the staff" Butters said 4 ''''l 4-- '4 1 s'' th points after that" It was a dominating perfor1 Gray who ran for 1509 yards identify the Spurner could not be reached Butters would not i 1-) "'e send mance that spoiled Duke's plans to -Wir7 said 4 Spurrier off to Florida on a i00414V during the regular season and was for comment before the game other two finalists Sources said ri named to the Southwest Confer- Sources said Spurrier's appoint- one possibility is San Francisco I A 4 winning note Spurrier who led --1 0 the Blue Devils to their first bowl ence all-decade team led the early ment at Florida his alma mater is 49ers offensive coordinator Mike charge rushing for 149 yards and 4 tentatively scheduled for Sunday Holmgren although 9ers ffi o- Awociated Prase game in 29 years resigned Thurs- three touchdowns in the first half II How New Year's Eve one day after the cials have said they wit no a Duke tackler John McDona Id closes in on Texas Tech quarterback day and is expected to be named Florida's coach within a week One of the scores was a 54-yard I Gators' play Washington in the other NFL teams or col eges amie second-quarter run that seemed to Bow game a Jill in Thursday All-American I Birmingham Spurrier wasn 't talking about Freedom Bowl However the RED RAIDERS Page 3E 1 Pa 3E Ala Texas Tech won 49-21 sources said there is a slight See 0 his future after the game saying ee 1 rli ma 41111114 a ik 4 States H11 to4 1 1: IC i 0) 4 41 Ron Green Scores-25 As 5 'Duke Fireworks Hold Era Ends With Dud Hornets Hoid BIRMINGHAM Ala Duke's last play went for a loss which hadn't happened a lot in the three years with its skyrockets-and-pinwheels of- Offed Cavahers fense Steve Spurner beaten signaled the Blu Devils not to try another in the few seconds that By RICK BONNELL remained in the All American Bowl Thursday Staff Writer 1 night Just run out the clock Kelly Tripucka had turned his anger inward Spurrier broke into a trot met Texas Tech Wednesday upon hearing he'd lost his starting spot coach Spike Dykes at midfield for a handshake He fled to his home screened out all calls with his: and of words of congratulations for the answering machine and opened a good book "All I Red Raiders' 49-21 triumph turned and ran into In Really Need to Know I Learned Kindergarten" a tunnel "It's about simple things" Tnpucka beamed Thus ended a short sweet era The man who Thursday "Like clean up your own mess' put the back into Duke football who made Tripucka did exactly that Playing as a reserve for Saturdays in Durham joyful again had coached -t the first time this season Tripucka scored a team- the Blue Devils for the last time Spurrier will an- high 25 points including the clinching free throws swer mother's call go home to Florida where a with five seconds left for a 94-92 victory over the couple of decades ago he won the Heisman Tro- 'i 10-16 Cleveland Cavaliers at the Charlotte Coliseum 7'-'' a only poorest Having gotten Duke to its first bowl The Hornets (5-20) outshot an opponent for Spurrier's farewell performance was among is the fourth time 'i 1' this season Tripucka carried the game since 1960 he watched Texas Tech smash 0 to Cleveland field 's 40 by amazing turn-'t Hornets to 44 from th 4'2 4- hitting 10 of 15 attempts It was a against the his creation Tripucka's one-of-11 night agai around from Raiders a The Blue Devils spotted the Re 2- San Antonio Spurs Tuesday nio 28-0 lead in the first 22 minutes and clearly were '4 I- Tri ucka's postgame performance nearly topped crisp Texas Tech team that had mayhem on ts 1 not ready for what they encountered which was a i1 1 I NI' "i' his act during the game for drama Tripucka had been the home: mind and James Gray in its backfield te trs booed viciously the past two wee Spurrier's long tap dance about the coaching crowd He responded with a stern lecture in an 2 I' 46 '4 A' interview played on the Coliseum speaker system change keeping his decision from the team until 1 Tuesday while speculation swirled for weeks difficult for me" Tripucka may have had something to do with the Blue "This has been very face You Devils awful start Duke 0 told the crowd tears streaming down his easy practice routine- i the 't an boo us if you want but don't you ever accuse for this game with almost no hitting since the 'It players of not trying regular season ended while Texas Tech was Tripucka admitted after his speech that he wan wanted grinding certainly was a factor i 1 to take back the admonishment almost as the words Whatever the cause the Blue Devils very npuc ka had been so hounded by nearly blew the game before hal halftime and were passed his lips But ri car outside a supermarket blasted completely out of it early in the third his the boos at sat i nutes debating whether it 4'' Wednesday night for 15 worth the minutes while shopping I 1 as a quarter They were fooled beyond belief on a screen finally went in said Tnpucka "And as soon as pass They fumbled They dropped passes They 1 I de remark 'You're not I did I heard some semi-sny threw passes high low and wide They were cI called "It's no 1 4 s-'' shooting too good Tnpuc a re fooled by an onside kick 4' 4' s' 4 secret is as been very difficult on me If you guys Of course none of that affected the outcome 1 -1-' walked '1 4' 1 walk to work and got booed every day you'd feel in just the score On its best day Duke may not this way too anything wrong I just didn't play as fense It was trying to get their mitts on Gray have been able to stay with Texas Tech did i-' 1 4 i 4 "I never The Blue Devils' biggest problem wasn't of- well as I can Is that a crime?" b' '-''i: -2' In the end both the Hornets who had lost heir who looked like next year's NFL rookie of the 's-0 1 Ak starting spots were he reasons Charlotte won wirt ri- year When they did it didn't matter a whole lot 1 pucka did the shooting an A lc 1 Muggsy Bogues made the He slipped away or hauled them downfield on his lk i passes Bogues played as a substitute sutute for the first time i back like so much luggage By halftime he had Lk -A this season not because coach Dick lost Harte I 149 yards and three touchdowns Shortly after in- 1 i 4 '1 confidence I had worn ce in him but because Bogues termission he went over 200 Early in the fourth quarter Gray 5-10 210 (t down playing 40-plus minutes per game "i' Thursday ay 's Th Bogues totaled 17 assists in 31 minutes pounds rambled 32 yards for his fourth touch- s' pg down found a bench near the fence beyond the speeding the pace of the game for more breakaway had 1 1 --'k layups than the Hornets cored in weeks a end zone and sat down for a while still holding 0 0 e''' -1 l'-' A 1- the ball He was tired He had run for 272 yards "He's got to keep "We had more easy baskets because Bogues had Gray finished with a Legion Field record 280 he jets turned on" said Harter i 1 l' I 1 I l' :1 those jets on and I can't wear him out" yards on 33 trips Duke hadn't seen one like him but Southwest Conference teams have been See 'rRIPUCKA Page 3E :4 looking at this for four years Only Eric Dicker- BOB LEVERONEiStalf son and Earl Campbell ever ran for more yardage Kelly Tripu Cleveland Transcript of Kelly Tripucka's postga me interview in that league that has known a few running Kcka takes aim on the clinching free led Charlotte to a 94-92 victory over backs throw en route to a 25-point performance that Friday night at the Charlotte Coliseum Page 3E 4 Duke made a game of it shortly before halftime with two quick-strike touchdowns one drive re- quiring two plays to cover 70 yardsSpu the other four to cover 67 yas hot Cold It eacons itt ollermakers Steam II ast Co stuff rd That was the hat has made rrier a coach But he could have used some defenders like those he'll find at Florida in this one By TOM SORENSEN fans who filled McKale for the second a ride with a team manager to the "It was frustrating he said "I just This one was miserable for Spurrier You Staff I Wrffer game were talking about when the game have to get back in shape feel 1 like an i could see it in his face and his manner as the TUCSON Wake Forest missed Deacons ran off the court The game outsider I know they (his teammates) score mounted He kept mostly to himself pacing the bus and the basket Thursday The had promise A team rule kept them out of the don't feel that way but I with hands in pockets against the chill occasion-Deacons ns hit fewer than one of every Going in Purdue was 6-1 having starting lineup and they entered the ally kicking at the carpet three le -goa attempts ld 1 tt mots and were lost on the road to Long Beach State game with four minutes 23 seconds or Wake Forest there were no His defense always a problem at Duke was beaten by Purdue 66-52 in the first Wake Forest was a also 6-1 its best start gone had an the Deacons down 8-4 Join- insiders on this night King who had '1 gouged for 638 yards and the Red Raiders didn't round of the Fiesta Bowl Classic in six seasons Deacons lost in ing them with 11:50 left in the first half been shooting a team high 6 3 296 was i bother to throw the ball in the second half except whi Onl a few thousand fans showed up overtime to Seton all I ch last dislocating his shoulder Dec 5 against Tucker was Sam Ivy who had not played since five 11 rom the field Anthony once No need The running game was cooking a reached 13177-seat McKale Center to watch season reach the NCAA final who had been shooting 468 dazzling His offense always dazzl was something the game Most showed up early to But Wake Forest's problems began Seton Hall was six of 21 less on this night It produced 25 completions in watch hometown Arizona play Penn before the game did when starters The Deacons 42 attempts for 349 yards but it couldn't work he State Ivy a 6-9 senior who i who had been shoot- ate The Deacons will play the Nit- Chris King and Phil Medlin missed the 12th among ing 487 hit 297 in the first half consistently against the Red Raiders tany Lions (6-2) at 7 pm Saturday team bus from their hotel to the all-time me Deacons scorers was cleared but an eight-pdint burst in the last 1:17 This wasn't a good one to go Out on but it Maybe the fans knew The Deacons McKale Center by doctors to play and worked out for break 0 cut Purdue's lead to 32-29 at the if doesn't erase the good stuff in this brightest sea-se three records at the five-year-old "The bus took off at 3 (pm) and we the first time since his injury Thursday In the second half the Deacons rri son at Duke in three decades tournament Worst field-goal percent" King said rcent- got there at about 3:10" afternoon He made two of three shots twice went more than four minutes Now the Spurner era has ended It was a good age: 31 8 Worst three-point percent- Wake Forest coach Dave Odom said Thursday and was the only Wake without scoring while the Boilermak- one just too short age: 090 fewest turnovers: nine King and Medlin edlin told him they thought Forest player ou hit half his field-goal But the turnovers were not what the bus was leaving later They hitched I attempts or better See DEACONS Page 4E i sl )i I i I.