Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 34

Sep 2 2007 PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2007 WWW.POST-GAZETTE.COM D-6 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRO FOOTBALL SCORES District Bucknell 19 California State 13 Carnegie Mellon 10 Dayton Morris 12 Dickinson City 13 Gallaudet Vincent 13 Geneva 3 Hillsdale 3 Northwood 10 Ohio State State 6 Penn State International 0 Pitt Michigan 3 Shepherd 14 Tiffin 10 VMI Haven 0 Waynesburg 10 West Chester 16 West Liberty 7 Westminster 6 West Virginia Michigan 24 East Bloomsburg Post 28 Boston College Forest 28 Buffalo St. St. 14 Colgate N.Y. 11 Curry St. 26 Fordham Island 23 Gettysburg Valley 25 Iona Valley 12 Ithaca 6 Lafayette 10 Maine N.J.

14 Massachusetts Cross 30 St. John Fisher Pa. 7 Stony Brook D.C. 28 Tiffin 10 Utica 22 W. New England 21 W.

Va. Wesleyan Wesleyan 23 WPI 17 William Paterson 16 South Alabama Carolina 6 Alabama St. 23 Alabama St. St. 19 Auburn St.

13 Austin Peay Tenn. 19 Bethune-Cookman 17 Catawba City St. 7 Connecticut 14 Davidson 21 Delaware St. Carolina 18 Delta St. St.

15 Florida Kentucky 3 Florida Atlantic Tennessee 14 Furman 16 Georgia St. 14 Grambling St. St. 10 Huntingdon 13 Johns Hopkins 16 Kentucky Kentucky 10 Liberty 14 Louisiana Tech Arkansas 7 MVSU Bluff 9 Mars Hill 9 Maryland 14 Maryville, Tenn. 3 McNeese St.

St. 12 Miami 3 Mississippi 21 Newberry 0 Norfolk St. St. 7 North Carolina Madison 14 Northwestern St. St.

6 South Carolina 14 South Florida 13 Southern Miss. 13 Southern U. 27 The Citadel Southern 14 UCF State 23 VMI Haven 0 Vanderbilt 17 Virginia Tech Carolina 7 West Georgia Atlanta 11 Wingate 7 Winston-Salem Carolina 7 Wofford Ky. 21 Midwest Adrian 9 Akron 14 Anderson, Ind. 13 Appalachian St.

32 Ashland Valley St. 27 Avila 21 Bowling Green 31, OT Buena Vista Minn. 16 Butler 14 Capital 0 Central Thomas, Minn. 10 Centre 9 Concordia, Moor. Moorhead 32 Concordia, St.P.

S.D. 19 Cornell, Iowa Minn. 30 Crown, Minn. 3 Ferris St. St.

19 Findlay W.Va. 0 Franklin Wesleyan 21 Georgia Tech Dame 3 Hillsdale 3 Indiana St. 7 Iowa Illinois 3 Jamestown St. 7 John Carroll 0 Kansas Michigan 7 Kenyon 35 Macalester 21 Martin Luther Baptist 17 Michigan St. 18 Michigan Tech Mich.

14 Millikin College 21 Minn. Duluth St. 14 Missouri 34 Valley Kan. 27 Missouri Western 24 Mount St. Joseph Ohio 19 Mount Union 7 Nebraska 10 Northwestern 0 Northwood 10 Ohio 14 Ohio Dominican 0 Purdue 24 Randolph-Macon 16 Rose-Hulman 16 Sioux Falls 6 St.

Minn. 14 St. Olaf 19 St. Xavier 0 Thomas More 24 Valparaiso Francis, Ill. 21 Washington, Mo.

Forest 28 William Jewell 10 Falls 24 Wisconsin St. 21 Southwest Arkansas 26 Cent. Oklahoma Christian 17 Oklahoma Texas 10 Prairie View Southern 14 TCU 0 St. F.Austin 24 Texas St. 13 Texas St.

7 Texas St. Poly 35 Far West Air Force Carolina St. 3 BYU 3 California 31 Carroll, Mont. Hills St. 0 St.

28 Emporia St. 3 Montana Utah 17 Montana 18.Dickinson St. 10 Oregon 27 UCLA 17 W. Washington Davis 21 Washburn Mines 7 Wyoming 3 DISTRICT SUMMARIES Pitt 27, Eastern Michigan 3 Eastern 0 0 3 7 7 First Quarter Dutcher 27, 3:30. 1 run (Lee kick), 1:26.

Second Quarter 21 pass from Stull (Lee kick), 14:05. Third Quarter 1 run (Lee kick), 9:11. Fourth Quarter Lee 28, 7:09. Lee 35, 2:20. TEAM STATISTICS Eastern Michigan Pitt of INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Michigan, Walker 11-30, Blevins 1-5, Priest 7-5, Schmitt 3-0, Team 1-(minus 1).

Pitt, McCoy 10-68, Stephens- Howling 16-67, Collins 4-14, Brooks 4-12, Pestano 1-3, Team 2-(minus 7), Stull 3-(minus 9), K.Smith 2-(minus 18). Michigan, Schmitt 1627-1-106, T.Jones 0-2-0-0. Pitt, Stull 14-20-0-177, K.Smith 2-4-0-18. Michigan, Lewis 5-52, LeDuc 3-18, Stone 2-13, Gage 2-10, White 2-(minus 1), Priest 110, Bohnet 1-4. Pitt, Pestano 3-72, Strong 3-35, Pelusi 3-20, Byham 3-19, Stephens-Howling 2-24, Turner 1-21, Porter 1-4.

Penn State 59, Florida International 0 Fla. 0 0 0 Penn 10 28 First Quarter 4 pass from Morelli (Kelly kick), 10:35. 17 pass from Morelli (Kelly kick), 7:48. Second Quarter Kelly 45, 6:41. 1 run (Kelly kick), 2:39.

Third Quarter 8 run (Kelly kick), 12:14. 15 run (Kelly kick), 9:22. 1 pass from Morelli (Kelly kick), 4:34. 13 run (Wagner kick), :04. Fourth Quarter 16 run (Wagner kick), 14:55.

TEAM STATISTICS Fla. International Penn State of INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS International, Reams 8-11, Owens 5-9, Ellis 2-0, C.Anderson 6-(minus 8), Younger 10-(minus 15). Penn Royster 8-70, Kinlaw 8-66, Scott 11-46, Lawlor 5-27, Pinchek 6-7, Norwood 1-4, Federoff 2-2, Clark 1-0, Williams 1-(minus 2), Morelli 5-(minus 10). International, Younger 12-25-0-117, C.Anderson 0-1-0-0. Penn Morelli 23-38-0-295, Clark 2-2-0-18, Devlin 0-1-0-0.

International, Ellingson 3-31, Solomon 2-13, Reams 2-11, Singleton 1-22, Owens 1-13, Frierson 111, Turner 1-10, Dickens 1-6. Penn Norwood 5-92, Shuler 4-54, Williams 4-31, Butler 3-66, Kinlaw 3-34, Golden 2-9, McDonald 1-10, Bell 1-8, Zug 1-8, Hahn 1-1. West Virginia 62, Western Michigan 24 W. 8 7 West 14 21 First Quarter 19 pass from White (McAfee kick), 9:35. 14 pass from H.Martin (kick failed), 4:12.

50 pass from White (McAfee kick), 2:38. Second Quarter 38 run (McAfee kick), 14:01. 1 run (McAfee kick), 4:46. 2 run (Ledbetter pass from Hiller), :18. Third Quarter 58 run (McAfee kick), 9:54.

22 run (McAfee kick), 8:39. 6 pass from Peregrin (Jones kick), 5:14. 1 run (McAfee kick), 1:59. Fourth Quarter 20 run (McAfee kick), 8:39. Jones 34, 4:26.

8 run (kick failed), 1:24. TEAM STATISTICS Western Michigan West Virginia of INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Michigan, Thompson 8-23, West 12-14, Bonds 2-9, Hiller 4-3, Julien 1-(minus 3), Simmons 1-(minus 3), Peregrin 3-(minus 4), Team 1-(minus 7). West Virginia, Slaton 16-109, White 9-97, Devine 7-44, Brown 5-41, Sanders 3-13, Schmitt 3-10, Reynaud 1-2, Team 1-0. Michigan, Hiller 16-252-160, Peregrin 9-17-0-71, H.Martin 1-10-14. West Virginia, White 10-18-0-192, Brown 3-4-0-34.

Michigan, Simmons 14-144, West 4-2, Ledbetter 3-58, H.Martin 3-22, Middleton 1-12, White 1-7. West Virginia, Reynaud 5-92, Jalloh 3-39, Slaton 2-61, Devine 1-19, Sanders 1-13, E.Davis 1-2. Bucknell 28, Duquesne 19 14 7 6 0 First Quarter Troyan 33, 8:45. Troyan 39, 3:42. 45 pass from Trigg (Carney kick), :58.

72 pass from Knapp (Troyan kick), :00. Second Quarter 26 pass from Trigg (Carney kick), 11:13. 52 pass from Knapp (kick failed), 8:56. 4 run (Carney kick), 1:36. Third Quarter 1 run (Carney kick), 6:53.

TEAM STATISTICS Bucknell Duquesne of INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Erby 19-40, Trigg 20-40, Kizekai 9-36, Lee 8-26, Bumpers 2-11. Duquesne, Hough 16-83, Void 519, Lapinski 1-0, Knapp 4-(minus 3). Trigg 8-14-1-156. Duquesne, Knapp 14-29-0-273. Kizekai 2-68, Bumpers 2-25, Lee 1-26, Lovett 1-13, Mozal 1-13, Cadman 1-11.

Duquesne, Hocker 4-104, Rasky 3-105, Carter 330, Miller 2-27, Hough 2-7. Dayton 23, Robert Morris 12 9 0 Robert 0 0 First Quarter 1 run (Swartz kick), 5:38. 62 pass from Cwalinski (kick failed), 1:44. Second Quarter Swartz 35, 14:33. Swartz 27, 5:02.

Swartz 40, 1:12. Fourth Quarter 2 run (kick failed), 10: 02. 27 interception return (Swartz kick), 7:40. TEAM STATISTICS Dayton Robert Morris of INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Hoyng 15-73, Marshall 9-50, Shappie 9-45, Gulick 1-6, Jonard 1-4, Ruhe 1-0, Brownlee 1-(minus 1), Team 3-(minus 12). Robert Morris, Russ 7-29, R.Johnson 9-25, Listhrop 7-22, Murray 1-(minus 1), Schirtzinger 1-(minus 15), Cwalinski 8-(minus 16).

Hoyng 14-36-0-120. Robert Morris, Cwalinski 18-39-1-236. Jonard 7-41, Champa 5-76, Gulick 1-4, Marshall 1-(minus 1). Robert Morris, Flowers 4-49, A.Hill 4-37, Hines 3-85, Ellison 2-29, Listhrop 2-20, R.Johnson 2-9, Kozak 1-7. California 34, Glenville State 13 Glenville 0 0 10 10 Seymour 5 run (Alex Amick kick) Forsee 66 pass from Joe Ruggiero (Tyler Lorenz kick) Fikaris 3 blocked punt return (Lorenz kick).

26 FG Burns 57 interception return (Lorenz kick) 37 FG 22 run (Lorenz kick) Thompson 2 run (kick failed) Carnegie Mellon 33, Rochester 10 Carnegie 13 6 7 33 0 7 0 10 Griffin Moar 35 FG CM Travis Sivek 2 run (Elliot Carnevale kick) CM Colby Whitman 13 run (Carnevale kick) CM Robert Gimson 11 run (kick failed) Clarence Onyiriuka 2 run (Moar kick) CM Sivek 9 run (kick failed) CM Whitman 10 run (Colin Marks kick) Dickinson 17, Grove City 13 0 14 Grove 0 6 Stark 31 FG Mercer 61 pass from Andrew DiDonato (Tyler Parafinik kick) Weil 1 run (kick failed) Wells 3 run (Gordon Craig kick) 22 run (Craig kick) Gallaudet 32, St. Vincent 13 19 6 St. 0 13 Alley 20 pass from Jason Coleman (kick failed) Shannon 0 blocked punt return (pass failed) 8 pass from Coleman (Wilson kick) Gabelt 6 pass from Phil Hamilton (pass failed) James 86 pass from Hamilton (Houston kick) Shannon 9 pass from Coleman (pass failed) 3 run (Wilson kick) Geneva 20, Thiel 3 7 7 0 0 3 Koyl 25 FG Muschette 50 pass from Bobby Bondi (Nick DiPietro kick) 28 run (DiPietro kick) Duriancik 2 run (run failed) Hillsdale 59, Gannon 3 0 0 0 3 21 14 3 Ditzler 40 FG Panizzi 3 run (Mark Petro kick) Kanitz 1 run (Petro kick) Waldie 40 pass from Mark Nicolet (Petro kick) 73 pass from Nicolet (Petro kick) Gurica 13 pass from Nicolet (Petro kick) Nelson 23 pass from Nicolet (Petro kick) 8 pass from Nicolet (Petro kick) Blanchard 25 pass from T. Weatherhead (Petro kick) 30 FG Northwood 28, Mercyhurst 10 0 3 0 10 7 7 14 28 Josh Szeluga 13 pass from Mitch Phillis (Chris Ryan kick) Qualian Mathis 12 pass from Eric Chrisinsko (Dan Evans kick) Casey Steffen 2 run (Evans kick) Ryan 26 FG Steffen 5 run (Evans kick) Steffen 2 run (Evans kick) Ohio State 38, Youngstown State 6 Youngstown State.0 3 3 6 Ohio 14 3 Sanzenbacher 3 pass from Todd Boeckman (Ryan Pretorius kick) Wells 1 run (Pretorius kick) Palmer 21 FG Saine 1 run (Pretorius kick) 24 FG Blose 41 FG Robinson 1 pass from Boeckman (Pretorius kick) Washington 37 pass from Antonio Henton (Pretorius kick) Shepherd 19, Shippensburg 14 0 7 0 14 0 0 12 19 Sheehan 23 pass from Tyler Lazear (Bryan Beverage kick) SHIP Chris Lynch 8 run (Jamie Reder kick) SHIP Lynch 8 run (Reder kick) SHEP Bobby Humphries 13 pass from Lazear (kick failed) SHEP Mark Springirth 25 pass from Lazear (run failed) Tiffin 38, Clarion 10 10 0 7 0 Edwards 68 pass from Matt Root (Andrew Breen kick) Johnson 2 pass from Root (Breen kick) Mamula 29 FG 10 pass from Root (Breen kick) Hoggard 12 pass from Gino Rometo (Mamula kick) 25 FG Tipton 12 pass from Root (Breen kick) 6 pass from Root (Breen kick) VMI 20, Lock Haven 0 Lock 0 0 0 0 6 Collins 23 run (Patrick Sweeney kick) Jackson 2 run (kick failed) Rainey-Wiles 83 run (Sweeney kick) Waynesburg 28, Muskingum 10 0 0 0 7 Heller 23 run (kick failed) Gulley 40 FG Heller 47 run (Heller pass from Andy Lauterbach) 4 run (Dan Kozak kick) Grafton 25 pass from Terry Holbert (Gulley kick) 39 run (Kozak kick) West Chester 32, Edinboro 6 West 16 3 0 6 McDermott 9 run (kick failed) Gomes 20 FG Walsh 38 FG Paulson 17 pass from Bill Zwaan (kick failed) 9 run (Mike Monastra kick) 25 FG Cerro 5 pass from Trevor Harris (kick failed) Osunde 20 run (Monastra kick) Johnson 2 run (Gomes kick) West Liberty 49, Walsh 7 0 0 7 7 West 21 10 8 WL Eddie Hills 1 run (Billy Hager kick) WL Hager 42 FG WL Zach Amaedro 1 run (Hager kick) WL Jarrett Ponder 59 pass from Amaedro (Hager kick) WL Almonzo Banks 86 pass from Amaedro (Hager kick) WL Hager 35 FG WL Hills 14 run (Hager kick) WL Thomas Wright 1 run (Drew Cannon pass from Nick Rocchio) Jeff Tallman 2 run (Lambros Paxos kick) Westminster 13, Allegheny 6 3 0 0 6 6 Hutsler 12 pass from Brett Myers (Fred Romeo kick) 30 FG Jones 36 pass from T.J. Salopek (kick failed) 21 FG SCHEDULE Subject to change Sunday, Sept.

2 SOUTH Fayetteville St. at N.C. Central Monday, Sept. 3 SOUTH Florida St. at Clemson, 8 p.m.

SOUTHWEST Texas Tech at SMU, 4 p.m. COLLEGE RESULTS, SCHEDULE CMU rushes to 33-10 victory From local and wire dispatches Carnegie Mellon stretched its regular-season unbeaten streak to 11 games by routing host Rochester, 33-10, in the season opener. Senior running backs Robert Gimson (185 yards rushing on 16 carries), Travis Sivek (135) and Colby Whitman (72) combined for 393 yards on the ground. Sivek and Whitman rushed for two touchdowns each, while Gimson scored on an 11-yard run. The Tartans, who reached the NCAA Division III second round last year, collected 29 first downs and 499 total yards compared 13 first downs and 186 yards for Rochester.

Other games Dayton 23, Robert Morris 12: The Colonials had trouble running the ball at Joe Walton Stadium. That usually spells trouble and it did for Robert Morris in its home opener. The Colonials managed just 44 yards rushing in 33 attempts. Dayton, meanwhile, rushed 40 times for 165 yards. Robert Morris quarterback Erik Cwalinski completed 18 of 39 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown.

He also threw an interception Robert Morris had pulled to within 16-12 with 10:02 left and held Dayton on its next possession, forcing a punt. The Colonials took over on their 20, but on the next play Cwalinski was intercepted by Scott Hocher, who ran 27 yards for a touchdown. Bucknell 28, Duquesne 19: The Dukes jumped out to a 13-7 lead in the first quarter, but Bucknell rallied for the win at Rooney Field. Duquesne quarterback Scott Knapp completed 14 of 29 passes for 273 yards and two scores. Corin Erby scored on runs of 4 and 1 yards for Bucknell.

California 34, Glenville State 13: Brandon Lombardy rushed 17 times for 127 yards and Joe Ruggiero completed 11 of 19 passes for 142 yards in leading California (2-0) to the home win. The Vulcans outgained Glenville State, 315214. Geneva 20, Thiel 3: The Golden Tornadoes had an impressive showing in their Athletic Conference debut at Thiel in Greenville. Steve Minton, all-time leading rusher, was held to 20 yards on 17 carries. Geneva outgained the host Tomcats, 421-150.

Westminster 13, Allegheny 6: Fred field goals from 30 and 21 yards proved to be the difference for the visiting Titans in a non-conference game in Meadville. Waynesburg 28, Muskingum 10: Robert Heller carried 32 times for 230 yards fifth best in school history and scored on runs of 23, 47, 4 and 39 yards in leading Waynesburg to the home victory. Dickinson 17, Grove City 13: The host Wolverines could not hang on to a 7-3 halftime lead in a non-conference game. Both teams amassed 17 first downs and Grove City held a 314-289 edge in total yards. West Chester 32, Edinboro 6: West Chester took advantage of four Edinboro turnovers in winning the game at Sox Harrison Stadium.

Osa- gie Osunde rushed 23 times for 114 yards and a score in leading West offense. Trevor Harris completed 18 of 29 for 141 yards and a score for the Fighting Scots. Tiffin 38, Clarion 10: Quarterback Matt Root tossed five touchdown passes, Tiffin (2-0) scored 21 points in the first quarter and cruised to a win at Clarion 0-1). Gino Rometo completed just 19 of 46 passes for 196 yards for Clarion. Shepherd 19, Shippensburg 14: The Raiders from the PSAC West lost a non-conference game in West Virginia, blowing a 14-7, fourth-quarter lead.

Shippensburg outgained the Rams, 375-339. West Liberty 49, Walsh 7: West Liberty scored 31 points in the first half and cruised to the home victory. Quarterback Zach Amaedro completed 19 of 23 passes for 406 yards and two scores. Teammate Eddie Hills rushed 23 times for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Unbeaten run hits 11 after easy win DISTRICT ROUNDUP Bill way and interested in changing, it was a tougher challenge.

Tomlin started the process at the spring minicamp when he met with each player. Get-to-know-each-other sessions, if you will. nothing unusual about that, but what happened next is rare. Tomlin followed up each meeting by contacting the players in the summer. Many received a handwritten letter, signed by not There is a difference.

me, there was no secret agenda to those Tomlin said. just always been a guy who, if something moves me, I respond to it. And always believed a written letter is more meaningful than an e-mail or a phone Those letters certainly meant something to the players. carry mine in my Ward said. filed defensive end Aaron Smith said.

some printed form letter that everyone got. a huge statement for a coach to take that kind of have mine, linebacker Larry Foote said. Ward described his letter as kind of lit a fire in me. I always love to play football, but he made me want to play football for Letters to Foote and linebacker James Farrior were instructive. Each letter quoted conversations that they had in their meeting with Tomlin.

Think about that for a second. probably all been in a meeting with an authority figure, who seems to be looking over our head as he or she talks to us, counting the minutes until over and looking to see coming in next. Apparently, Tomlin that kind of boss. proved to me that he listened and that he thought what I had to say was Foote said. fair to think the players felt better about Tomlin when they reported to training camp July 23 than they did when he was hired.

Many had hoped the Steelers would stay in-house for replacement by naming Ken Whisenhunt or Russ Grimm as coach. I talked to said they liked Foote said. can see why get the wrong idea, though. Tomlin is not all touchy, feely. a football coach, he? Cowher was regarded as a coach, but he had his moments, too.

from the start, made it clear it was his way or no Ward said. not coach team anymore, my team. I care how you did it here in the past. This is the way going to do it now. If you like it, go get your own team and do it your Commander in Smith called the new boss.

Tomlin want to hear the players whine about the brutal heat and humidity during camp at Saint Vincent College. To reinforce that point, he wore all black clothing every day to the practices. Tomlin care if the players like his two-a-day schedules. He almost seemed to take delight when he moved the afternoon practice Aug. 9 to the indoor facility on the South Side because of heavy rain in Latrobe.

Under Cowher, the team would have had an easy workout in the Saint Vincent College gymnasium. Now, the players had to board a bus, fight the traffic to get downtown, practice, get back on the bus and fight the traffic to get back to Latrobe. was a lot of griping that Ward said. That goes back to what Tomlin said early on. irrelevant what the players think Being liked and being respected are two different things.

Tomlin gives the impression settle for the respect. Tomlin certainly win friends in the locker room with his News sessions, which started at minicamp, continued through training camp and, presumably, will go on throughout the season. But hard to think they helped team accountability. Frequently, Tomlin points out the mistakes at practice in front of everyone during team meetings. Roethlisberger and Ward were among the early targets, which made it pretty clear that no one the quarterbacks down to the long quarterback Charlie Batch said was exempt from constructive criticism.

Tomlin even fingered himself at camp for not being fully prepared for a meeting. always says, make the news. I just report Batch said, shrugging. Tomlin took that accountability thing to a new level when he publicly called out Roethlisberger for his play in the exhibition game against Washington Aug. 18.

like to see him perform This is only a guess, but that might be the first time that Big Ben or any pampered quarterback with a fragile ego, for that matter has been publicly chastised even so gently. Perhaps, it was no coincidence that Roethlisberger played much better in the next exhibition game against Philadelphia and threw for 247 yards in the first half. begin to find out next Sunday, when the Steelers play their opener in Cleveland against the Browns, if Tomlin can carry that magic touch into the season. Even his players concede far too early to pass judgment on him. been thrown into the fire Foote said.

Or, as safety Troy Polamalu put it, somewhat less delicately, want to see how he reacts when late in the season and starting to get ready for the playoffs and butt is getting nice to hear Polamalu mention the playoffs, it? At least the starting goal changed since Cowher left. buying into what is Ward said. this point, we have to put our trust in him. Where that leads us, Only this much is certain: coach is going to do it his Farrior said. up to us to get on board with We already know Townsend will run through a wall for Tomlin.

Beginning next Sunday, find out just how committed the rest of the fellows are. Ron Cook can be reached at notes to players helped bridge early chasm COOK, FROM PAGE D-1 backup. Haynes, the third-down back, was beaten out by rookie free- agent Gary Russell. the nature of the Haynes said yesterday after receiving calls from Tomlin and director of football operations Kevin Colbert. No.

1 thing is, I have no regrets. I gave it my best shot, I came up The decision to cut Haynes, a fifth- round pick in 2002, means the Steelers have four undrafted free agents among five running backs Russell, Pro Bowl halfback Willie Parker, fullback Dan Kreider and Carey Davis, a first-year free agent who also made the team. The only drafted player in the backfield is Najeh Davenport, a fourth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2002. Also included in the cuts were three rookie draft choices defensive end Ryan McBean, a fourth-round pick; guard Cameron Stephenson (fifth) and wide receiver Dallas Baker (seventh). Cornerback William Gay, a fifth- round pick, was one of five draft picks to make the team, joining linebackers Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley, tight end Matt Spaeth and punter Daniel Sepulveda.

Defensive end Shaun Nua, a seventh-round choice in 2005, and former special teams co-captain Chidi Iwuoma also were cut. Also let go were fullback John Kuhn, quarterback Bryan Randall, receivers Walter Young and Gerran Walker; tight ends Cody Boyd and Jon Dekker, tackles Jason Capizzi and Brandon Torrey; nose tackle Scott Paxson, linebackers Ron Stanley and Marquis Cooper; cornerbacks Anthony Madison and Jovon Johnson; and safeties Grant Mason and Mike Lorello. The Steelers will try to put Baker and Boyd on the eight-man practice squad if they clear waivers. Heading into the season opener next Sunday in Cleveland, the roster breaks down like this: Three quarterbacks, five running backs, five wide receiv- ers, three tight ends and 10 linemen on offense; six defensive linemen, nine linebackers, five cornerbacks and four safeties on defense; plus a kicker, punter and long-snapper. Haynes rushed for 738 yards, caught 57 passes and scored five touchdowns in his career with the Steelers.

But three of his previous five seasons have ended early because of knee injuries, including last season when he missed the final nine games. He was beaten out for the fifth and final running back spot by Russell, who was academically ineligible last season at the University of Minnesota after rushing for 1,130 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior, playing in the same backfield with Laurence Maroney. Russell ballooned to 260 pounds after he flunked out of school, but he weighs 224 and has impressed the coaches with his running ability. Okobi was a fifth-round draft pick in 2001, the same year the Steelers signed Hartings in free agency, and he spent his first six seasons serving as a backup while Hartings was named to the AFC Pro Bowl team in 2004 and 2005. He started only seven games in six seasons five in 2002 when Hartings was injured, and two last season.

Rossum, a 2005 Pro Bowl selection as a special-teams returner, holds the record for career punt-return yards career kickoff-return yards (5,489) and career punt returns for touchdowns (two). A third-round pick in 1998 by Philadelphia Rossum has returned three punts and three kickoffs for touchdowns in his career. Iwuoma played five seasons with the Steelers, beginning in 2002, and was special teams captain in 2004 and 2005. Gerry Dulac can be reached at or 412-2631466. Haynes, Okobi top list of Steelers cuts STEELERS, FROM PAGE D-1 Other NFL headlines on cutdown day, Page D-12..