The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 145

SECTION Saturday October 21 1978 St)e itfiami Herald mnrQ K-PB TELEVISION 7C Nelson Gets Respect iVo Recognition DOLPHINS gary long Bergey: love to watch him play always around the ball a damned good young THE DOLPHINS know Nelson too He helped stuff their running game in two games last year anfi try to do the same in Foxboro Mass Sunday At stake is undisputed possession of first place in the American Eastern Division Both teams have 5-2 records They have split each winning cn its home field the last two seasons "I definitely think come down to the wire between us and Nelson said "and this is the biggest game play all year except for the last one in a Monday night TV engagement that concludes the regular season "I want to be two games up on them in Nelson said ONLY LOS ANGELES has been stingier we have going for us is team said Nelson whose quickness sideline-to-side-line makes it difficult for rivals to sweep the ends too many teams would beat us in a foot The linebackers Nelson Zabel Sam Hunt and Rod Shoate also are strong gaps inside try to let them punch out no more than two-three yards and put them in a position where we dictate the Nelson said ONE OFFSHOOT is that the pass defense ranks near that of the Dolphins who have permitted more passing yards than any other NFL team Nelson believes the 150-yards-per-game yield is deceiving get a team second-down-and-six or second-and-seven and they running on he said One New England failing has been con centration The Pats generally play well against teams favored to beat we always seem to play our best against good teams and we start getting ready for Miami on THE ABSENCE of recognition gnaws at Nelson but only a little He leads the defense in tackles pass interceptions (three) and fumble recoveries (four) think I can play almost as well as any he said almost as a concession feel I should have played in the Pro Bowl last year But there are a lot of things involved at Steve Towle for the Dolphins There many better than he is But in the same boat I am Neither of us came onto a world championship team as a rookie (as Jack Lambert did) hard to get that kind of Notoriety is coming slowly for Nelson But coming Steve Nelson is reluctant to sing his own praises But fellow linebackers Steve Zabel Ray Costict and Bill Bergey harmonize like the Bee Gees in heralding the middleman in New England's defense Zabel and Costict are teammates Their remarks are understandable But Bergey as perennial All-Pro is a man against whom other middle linebackers are measured His comments are not subject to challenge on prejudicial grounds Zabel: played with Bill Bergey in Philadelphia for two years but I think Nelson is the best inside linebacker ever seen I think a sin that every year they pick All-Pros and players for the Pro Bowl and Steve is not picked I understand it and never will because he is the Costict: all over the field making one big play after another We tell him this is his All-Pro year We keep on his back about it We want him to have against the run this season than the Patriots whose three-lineman four-linebacker defense gives the Dolphins fits New England has yielded just 1036 yards per game on the ground The Dolphins with Delvin Williams leading the AFC with 673 yards are averaging 1783 yards rushing per game But the Dolphins netted just 71 yards rushing in one meeting last season and a mere 25 in the 14-10 loss to the Patriots in bitter cold last December The secret? "One of the biggest assets St Thomas Rallies Late Nips Atlantic By CAL FUSSMAN Herald Sports Writer responsible for first touchdown drive which was aided by 40 yards in Atlantic penalties and ended when tight end Brian Matthews caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Vaughan were running on them pretty good in the second half I knew we would come back after they intercepted the pass and returned it for a Jensen said I was totally upset by the play the second half we exploited their weaknesses and started running through them They had a lot of guys playing both ways who were Until the second half vaunted offense which had averaged 45 points in its previous five victories was stymied The first quarter was mainly a punting match Finally in the beginning of -the second period Atlantic embarked on the only scoring drive of the half Assuming possession at their own 30 Atlantic moved downfield slowly twice converting fourth down plays However the drive was stalled at the Aquinas 26 and Gerry Jaeger kicked a 42-yard field goal to provide Atlantic with a 3-0 lead Atlantic Aquinas First downs 7 14 Rushes-yards 33-75 38-151 Passing yards 35 89 Passes 6-12-0 5-14-1 Punts 5-26 5-30 Fumbles-lost 0 1-0' Penalties-yards 5-50 4-20 Associated Press Sitting Pretty Well Pete Rose has a lot to laugh about these days being a free agent and all Thursday he appeared on a Cincinnati talk show and host Bob Braun suggested New York owner George Steinbrenner might show with a bag full of money Rose just laughed Wonder how the Cincinnati Reds management reacted? DELRAY BEACH For a change Vince Lombardi logic did not apply to a football game For the coaches of St Thomas Aquinas and Atlantic High School there were aspects of their game Friday night that were more significant than winning and losing St Thomas Aquinas the top-ranked AAA team in the state improved its record to 6-0 with a 13-10 victory over Atlantic Said Aquinas Coach George Smith: most important thing about this game is that our team showed we have character We got down late in the game and fold our tents We came back and won had a week lay-off and we were flat for this game I knew we for this game all week We play that well but be SAID STEVE HARDIN who watched his record drop to 5-2: feel bad about losing but not the most important thing proud of this team for showing we could play with Aquinas has never beaten a top-ranked team and this game could have gone either way We have a lot of young kids and we are improving every week By the end of the season be a good football team and hopefully get another crack at Aquinas in the It appeared that Atlantic had come back from a 6-3 deficit late in the second half and was on the verge of victory WITH AQUINAS leading and driving they were on the Atlantic 17-yard line Raider quarterback Reggie Vaughan flipped a quick pass to his tight end Defensive back Alfred Sloan intercepted the pass and raced 85 yards for what seemed to be the winning score With four minutes left in the game however Aquinas returned the ensuing kickoff to its 23-yard line From there Vaughan completed a 20-yard pass Fullback Mark Jensen then picked up 58 yards on the drive that ended with his seven-yard run The senior fullback who rushed for 120 yards in 19 carries had a 43-yard run in the center of that drive His touchdown came with 1:55 remaining and kicker Rick extra point ended the scoring RUNNING also was Practical Joke Was Last Straw Ousted Pfohl Says case All I was doing was complying with his wishes got to live with Pfohl countered that Saban was trying to protect himself He said it was the coach who suggested that be offered as the explanation for his departure said the papers would blow it all out of Pfohl said here I am got nothing Why should I worry about protecting him and his program? PFOHL GOT into hot water with Saban last week when he caused damage to the apartment he shares with two teammates Then while at the Atlanta Marriott for last game against Georgia Tech he said he played a messy practical joke on roommate Tony Galante When a maid was called to clean up the room word of the incident was relayed to Saban said I embarrassed Pfohl said have done it -but it was something I think anybody would find out about It might have been gross but this is the kind of thing that goes on in college want you to be animals on the field then turn it off like a light switch He wants guys to go crazy on the field and not be like that off the Saban said that actions had gone beyond the bounds of harmless college pranks he said yes a man 20 years old no PFOHL ALSO claimed that Saban had harassed him since a 31-21 loss to Florida State because he was quoted in The Herald old crap! The same thing that has been happening here for the last five years We beaten them but told me to keep my mouth Pfohl said seems like Turn to Page 4C Col 3 By JONATHAN RAND Herald Sports Writer Larry Pfohl a starting right guard who left the University of Miami football team earlier this week disclosed Friday that he had been dismissed by Coach Lou Saban because of damage he caused to his campus apartment last week and disarray he caused in an Atlanta hotel room last weekend far as college is concerned pretty well said Pfohl who is now living with a brother in Fort Lauderdale and working as a bouncer in a night spot kind of a According to Pfohl Saban called him into his-office Tuesday and told him to leave the team or be dismissed thought he would give me a second chance but he Pfohl said "He cut me any DEPARTURE was not revealed by Saban until he was asked about the absence after practice Thursday Saban then pr Larry Pfohl blasts Saban said Pfohl had left personal "We were trying to protect Larry Saban said me things might have been adjusted in this UM Revs Up for Fast Start Against Utah State Television FISHING 11 am The American Angler (taped) Ch 45 COLLEGE FOOTBALL 12:30 pm Georgia Tech at Auburn pregame followed by game at 1 Ch 10 12 4 pm UCLA at California Ch 10 12 10:30 pm Michigan-Wisconsin highlights (taped) Ch 45 11 pm Notre Dame highlights (taped) Ch 6 PRO FOOTBALL 2 pm This is the NFL (taped) Ch 7 BOXING 4 pm WBC featherweight championship Danny Lopez vs Fel Clemente Ch 7 5 VARIETY 4:30 pm Sports Spectacular includes' coverage of Turf Classic from Belmont Park Ch 4 SOCCER 6 pm British (taped) Ch 2 Radio COLLEGE FOOTBALL 1:30 pm Florida State at Pittsburgh WJOK-FM (1075) 2 pm Army at Florida WKAT (1360) 3:10 pm Notre Dame at Air Force WIOD (610) 7:15 pm LSU at Kentucky WIOD (610) 7:30 pm Utah State at Miami WINZ (940) TO pm (approximate) Tennessee State at Florida (tape delay) WMBM (1490) HORSE RACING 5:20 pm Criterium Stakes from Calder WIOD (610) HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 7:45 pm North Miami Beach vs American WMBM (1490) UM SCENE Jonathan rand victories over Kansas and Auburn When the Hurricanes hit a dry spell in 1977 losing to Texas Christian after three straight victories they never recovered hate to even think about wide receiver Jim Joiner said we started losing last year we lost six in a is like starting all over said Anderson who has run for 467 yards on 81 carries we redeem ourselves? Can we come off a tough loss like that and win big? All the questions of what we can do can be answered this night a good team but they can be beat I think played teams the caliber of Smith also implies Miami has played stronger opponents is one team we should he said 5-1 but I think we have a better University of Miami quarterback Kenny McMillian listened as a teammate was asked whether the Hurricanes (2-3) can avoid another listless first half when they play Utah State (5-1) tonight at 7:30 in the Orange Bowl happen again I guarantee McMillian said referring to the 24-0 halftime lead Georgia Tech took in last 24-19 victory over Miami was ridiculous I let it happen Defensive tackle Don Smith stopped short of a guarantee but not by much think that anybody will score 24 points off us in one half ever again this he said was a Many Hurricanes blamed the disastrous first half on a mental letdown but Ottis Anderson described it as an extreme case of an ailment that has nagged at them all season His touchdown run against Florida UTAH STATE beat Idaho State Colorado State Fresno State Wyoming and Brigham Young before losing 33-14 to Long Beach State last week The Aggies are first 1978 opponents not coming off a victory and first home opponent in four weeks are probably one of the rougher teams played this Miami Coach Lou Saban said flies around all over the place This is their big year and they have mainly a junior and senior Utah lineup last week included all juniors and seniors while Miami started only 11 against Georgia Tech The Aggies however gave up 461 yards to Long Beach 258 of them passing The Hurricanes have relied upon their running gaining 1049 Turn to Page 4C Col 5 State provided Miami with its only first-quarter points in five games think we were flat we were just feeling our he said of the time we scored in the first quarter been like that since been HOWEVER the Hurricanes had scored 31 points in the second quarter before last week They cannot afford a dry spell tonight because a 2-4 record easily could become 2-5 with next visit to Notre Dame Preceding last week were Otlis Anderson different outlook i.