The Daily Progress from Charlottesville, Virginia • 19

THE DAILY PROGRESS Charlottesville Va Saturday November 25 2000 SPORTS C5 cNo 9 Nebraska edges Colorado with late kick Associated Press Tech offers Beamer more than SI million a year East Carolina 14 mA uje By MIKE HARRIS Media General News Service Pittsburgh 38 West Virginia 28 PITTSBURGH Kevan Barlow ran for 272 yards and four touchdowns as Pittsburgh beat West Virginia in Don last regular season game as the coach Pittsburgh (7 4 4 3 Big East) going to a bowl for only the second time in 11 years beat the Mountaineers (6 5 34) for the first time since 1997 the last time the Panthers went to a bowl game Nehlen will end his 30 year head coaching career with a 201 128 9 record 148 93 4 at West Virginia unless the Mountaineers land one of the Big four bowl bids HATTIESBURG Miss Kelly Hardy scored for the defense and David Garrad threw a touchdown pass in muddy conditions The Pirates (7 4 5 2 Conference USA) broke a four game losing against Southern Miss (7 4 4 3) The Golden Eagles lost three of their final four reg ular season games all to conference opponents Buffaloes 33 30 last year are done until their bowl game which probably be determined until next weekend With nine wins the Huskers are eligi ble for a BCS at large berth but were not impressive riday until their final drive Nebraska fumbled four times losing three had two kickoffs go out of bounds a punt blocked botched a punt return when the ball bounced off a helmet and missed a field goal Nebraska only kept Colorado from scor ing once in the second half and that was by blocking a field goal Colorado (3 8 3 5) ended a disappoint ing season with an even more disappoint ing loss After kick several Buffaloes were face down on the artificial turf as the Cornhuskers swarmed Brown was not a moral Colorado coach Gary Barnett said was last BLACKSBURG Virginia Tech has done what many figured it would do as the rank Beamer soap opera has continued The school has raised the stakes Beamer who completes his 14th regularsea son at Tech tonight against Virginia is the prime target of the University of North Carolina as it searches for a head football coach also been mentioned as a candidate for the same position at Alabama The school announced riday that it is offer ing a package that will take Beamer over $1 mil lion a year and also raise the salaries of his nine assistant coaches package currently brings him about $800000 a year The assistants currently make $862123 Tech Athletic Director Jim Weaver said a study he conducted shows the salaries for assistants will rise from 21st among Division I A schools to eighth He give a figure for their total salaries under the new pro posal The question is will it be enough? Beamer was not available for comment yesterday Several sources said there is reason for Tech to be concerned that Beamer might leave one source said of the proposal be too late I have a good feeling about this Weaver said university counsel Jerry Cain has already had discussions with attorney Craig Kelly of Columbia SC The AD said he is confident Tech will be able to retain services believe rank Beamer belongs in the $1 million Weaver said earned that The president of Virginia Tech Charles Steger beat them today We beat them physically and we beat them statistically Yet every time they pull a trick from up their sleeve and win" Javon Green Arizona State 30 Arizona 17 TUCSON Ariz Mike Barth kicked Southern Miss 9 three held goals and ran 13 yards for a touchdown on a fake field goal play as Arizona State gave Bruce Snyder one more game as Sun coach Terrell Suggs recovered a fumble bv Clarence armer in the end zone for a touchdown An interception and fumble by the Wildcats set up two of field goals The Sun Devils (6 5 3 5 Pac 10) Caver returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown on first play and Robby fourth down comple tion set up another TD Despite constant rain Arkansas (6 5 3 5 SEC) never committed a turnover and played the field position game to the hilt uprights is definitely a redemption for Brown said was actually thinking yank it please yank Eric Crouch led Nebraska rushing for 125 yards on 19 carries and three touch downs He did not have a great day pass ing finishing 11 for 17 for 139 yards but he was nearly perfect in the final drive going 3 of 4 17 yard sideline pass to Bobby Newcombe with less than 10 seconds left set up field goal do this every week in Crouch said got to believe in your self Otherwise just as well sit on the Colorado looked like it was headed for an upset victory after Craig touch on the final play Buffaloes ahead 32 31 with 47 seconds CHRIS SIMMS Threw for 383 yards and three TDs snapped a three game losing streak and will advance to a bowl game probably the Oahu Bowl where Snyder will coach the team a final time He was fired last week after nine seasons at the school Arizona (5 6 3 5) lost its fifth straight its longest losing streak in one season since 1958 Beamer Beamer staying or leaving dragging jpp beyond the middle of next week Weaver also said the new offer is another example of the school continued support for the football program A by stages expansion project of Lane Stadium is under way a project that now carries a price tag of $828 million being as conservative and as frugal we can and yet getting all we Weaver said are the costs that are out there with this The school is also continuing to upgrade ite support facilities Beamer will lead the Hokies into a bowl game for the eighth straight season Tech has won nine games thus far this season the fifth time in six years it has won at least that many a feel good that the university is stepping to the Weaver said Mike Harris is a staff writer at the Richmond rimes Dispatch 1 After the kickoff the Huskers only had 44 seconds a guy out there who lost his composure or was rattled and think we could win that football coach rank Solich said Nebraska (9 2 6 2 Big 12) has won nine straight over Colorado but the last five have been by a total of 15 points The Huskers who needed overtime to beatthe has agreed with me 7j been behind maybe where we should have been relative to the continued success rank has provided I believe this puts us right in the middle of the Steger in a university release said football success has been a great asset for the university and we aim to provide an appropriate compensation to keep rank Beamer at his alma mater Our package in excess of $1 million per year will place rank among coach ing elite nationwide At this point we are anxious to hear from Coach represen tative and await an opportunity for further Weaver said he didn't fore see the situation either with AUSTIN Texas Chris Simms 'threw for 383 yards and three touch downs all to freshman receivers as No 12 Texas pounded No 22 Texas 43 17 Simms was 8 for 8 passing for 234 yards and threw all of his TD passes in i an explosive: third 1 ROUNDUP quarter in which the Longhorns (9 2 7 1 Big 12) and Aggies (74 5 3) combined for37 points BJ Johnson had a 70 yard TD recep bon and finished with 187 receiving to break the freshman mark of 175 set this season by Roy Williams The Aggies are 74 overall and 5 3 in the Big 12 BYU34 Utah 27 SALT LAKE CITY LaVell went out a winner with Brandon Doman scoring on a 4 yard run 23 seconds left to give BYU a dra matic victory in the last game of 3 29 year coaching career Edwards ends his career ranked sixth on the victories list with a 257 101 3 record the 1984 national champi 22 bowl games and 20 conference titles He had only one losing season a 5 mark in 1973 his second year The Cougars finished the season 6 6 'overall and 4 3 in the Mountain West Arkansas 14 No 24 LSU 3 LITTLE ROCK Ark Quinton year We just came up short allJ Cortlen Johnson led the Buffaloes with 155 yards on 26 carries and three touch downs Ochs completed 25 of 41 passing for 254 yards His 15 yard pass to John Minardi brought the Buffaloes within a point Barnett called a timeout and his whole team Ruddled on the sideline where Barnett told the Buffaloes they were going for the win not a tie lflTj did not take me an instant 1 to decide" Barnett said 1 Bochs rolled to his right and hit Javon Green for the conversion was only 44 seconds leftj thought we would Green said beat them today We beat them physically and we beat them statistically Yet every time they pull a trick from up their sleeve and ri LINCOLN Neb Nobody is doubting Nebraska kicker Josh Brown this week end not even Brown himself Brown kept slim Bowl Championship Series hopes alive riday kicking a 29 yard field goal as time expired to give the No 9 Cornhuskers a pJ 34 32 victory over Colorado This is what you dream Brown said ck capped a drive that start led at the Nebraska 41 with 44 seconds left after Colorado had taken the lead with a touchdown and a 2 point conversion Brown was just 3 for 7 coming into the game and had missed an attAmnf fwn au upaci viutury auer uraig ucns loucn R6 tT ln a One'polnt lokss at Kansas down pass and 2 point conversion put the driving the ball straight between the left Simms Texas cruise jby rival Texas gK Associated Press It Game Continued from C1 tion to a Hawaii bowl either the Oahu (Dec 24) or Aloha (Dec 25) on Monday regardless of how it fares today but it needs a victory to extend its streak of seasons with at least seven wins to 14 definitely a lot riding on UVa quarterback Dan Ellis said BCS game for them Us getting seven wins solidifying a bowl Plus on national TV at night on Thanksgiving weekend a huge game for both Questions surrounding both start ing quarterbacks have added to the usualc intrigue Ellis and Virginia Tech sophomore 5 Michael Vick sat out their last game with injuries Ellis has a strained ham string Vick a sprained ankle Both are expected to start tonight though UVa coach George Welsh said he may go with freshman Bryson Spinner who sparked last 24 17 victory over NC State Spinner ran for 83 yards and passed for 149 in his second start looking a little like well Vick with his versatility and poise think he did a very good job but an old saying in football: One swallow does make a Welsh said still does have a lot of experience And a more difficult defense But obviously it will have helped his confidence level You play any position without confidence these The Hokies should be confident They have not lost at home since Virginia rallied from a 22 point halftime deficit for a 36 32 victory two years ago They stomped the Cavaliers in Charlottesville last year and have had two weeks to prepare and get healthy for game Vick and deep threat Andre Davis are among those who have benefitted the most from that rest as they nurse injuries Quality quarterbacks have given Virginia fits this season The Cavaliers have been shredded by BYUs Bret Engemann Woody Dantzler lorida Chris Weinke and Georgia George Godsey Vick is more dangerous than any of them Welsh says And if not enough to worry about defense also must con tend with tailback Lee Suggs the leading scorer The Hokies have few' weaknesses They have been sensational on special teams as usual and solid on defense Teams with out standing receivers like Pitt and Miami have exploited man to man coverage but the Cavaliers have not made many big plays in the passing game this season Billy McMullen whose 68 yard touch down against the Wolfpack was longest catch of the season could be a key figure way they play they give up the big Ellis said put eight or nine guys in the box and put a lot of pressure on the comers one on one If can beat them where the big plays come from But to do that we have to block No matter what happens tonight of more long term impact on the rivalry' is the possi bility that this will be the final Virginia Virginia Tech game for Welsh andor his Hokie counterpart rank Beamer Welsh said he will decide next week whether retire after 19 years at UVa while Beamer coaching his 14th season in Blacksburg is being wooed by Alabama and Norjjh Carolina gLV Any change in coaches could affect the nature of a series that has been remarkably close over the years 5 5 the past 10 years 40 36 5 in favor overall Welsh clearly wants to win going sq far as to call the game a word he rarely uses What he was asked makes this abig one? a seventh win still not a big deal but the in state rivalry Welsh said bragging rights and the last game of the Punch Continued from C1 than Vick because of injuries to his ankle and Achilles However if Suggs and Kendrick pound and pound defense it could be a long night for the Cavaliers If defensive coordinator Rick Lantz can find a way to stop lech's running attack and make Vick win the game on his own then Virginia stands a better chance of pulling off the upset Suggs only a sophomore leads the nation in scoring with 144 points per game and is averaging 55ards per cany He is on the verge of rewriting the Big East rushing and scoring records after just 10 colle giate starts Blessed with speed and vision Suggs pounds away at defenses Then comes Kendrick a nice change of pace back a bit of a waterbug dancing around using quickness to break big plays Both could have worn Virginia uniforms Kendrick from EC Glass High School actually wanted to sign with Virginia but the Cavaliers coaching staff decided he was too small Big mistake Suggs a product out of William leming High was the sub ject of an intense recruiting battle between UVa Tech and Wake orest This game means a whole lot to me considering last said Suggs play a lot against Virginia and when I did get into the game I really do A modest kid Suggs said his goal this season was to rush for 1000 yards but had no idea he would reach so much success so early in his career Tm surprised to be leading the nation in scoring I never dreamed of that or about breaking all these the Hokie tailback said But he has patiently taken advantage of his one the job train ing to become the Big best back and perhaps his own most valuable player this season Because Vick has missed some games due to injury Tech may nom inate a healthier Suggs as their can didate for player of the year honors break tackles now that I earlier in the Suggs said a smarter runner I know more abqpt college football now than I did when I started I'm a more mature player now Something happens every game I can learn from I always try to remember from game to game what I Some of it comes naturally though He has used good field vision and his speed to break the 1000 yard barrier in his first year as a starter try to follow my blocks as well as I can and if I can get a step on somebody going to be hard for them to catch me from Suggs said Suggs has rushed for 1091 yards on 200 carries this season the eighth sophomore in Tech history to reach the milestone and just the third under Coach rank Beamer He has rushed for at least one touch down in every game and has scored two TDs five times But not the only weapon Overall the Hokies have piled up 1733 rushing yards from the tail back position this season for an average of 1733 yards per game and 53 yards per carry Kendrick has rushed 93 times for 466 yards The redshirt senior who averaged a school record 63 yards per carry last season now has 1236 career rush ing vards giving Tech two tailbacks with more than 1000 career rushing yards each Such production at the spot must make the Hokies feel somewhat invincible when it comes to running the football almost as if they be stopped Tm sure teams can stop us on the said Suggs if they concentrate on that and put eight and nine defenders in the box then just put the ball in the About that time Kendrick inter jected man nobody can stop us on the ground I let you say Tech is ranked fifth nationally in rushing So not hard to figure that if UVa stop Tech on the ground then the point spread of 20 could mushroom into an even more embarrassing number The Hokies taking that prediction too seriously paper a lot of people should beat other said Kendrick you know the old saying about any given Saturday We know all about that at Tech We lost to Temple and Miami of Ohio Those are the hardest pills to swallow Anytime you take somebody for granted you can get btsat not taking Virginia for granted This is a Andre Kendrick who has 466 yards rpshing tries to run through Central Damian hold on his face mask Nov 1 1 ah 2 KT Associated Press 88 I.