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News Nuggets, 12.13.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Orangemen AD stands by Coach 'P'

SYRACUSE — Syracuse football coach Paul Pasqualoni will keep his job despite a 6-6 season in which the Orangemen failed to make a bowl for the third time in four years.

"Change is necessary, yes, but not wholesale change -- more along the lines of adjustments to the way we do things," athletic director Jake Crouthamel said at a news conference Friday. "We don't need to lay a new foundation."

Crouthamel said Pasqualoni will now be responsible for making game-day decisions on offense. During the past two years Pasqualoni has focused on defense.

Syracuse avoided its second straight losing season by defeating a weak Notre Dame team 38-12 in its last game. The Orangemen tied for next to last in the Big East at 2-5. Pasqualoni has been Syracuse's coach for 13 years.

"We are determined here to examine every aspect of our program and improve," he said.

Sloan recalled fondly by former State stars

RALEIGH — David Thompson and three teammates from North Carolina State's 1974 NCAA title team attended Norm Sloan's funeral Friday, remembering a coach who "molded us from boys to men."

Sloan, 77, died Tuesday of pulmonary fibrosis at Duke Hospital in Durham. His funeral was held about a mile from where he rejuvenated the N.C. State basketball program in the early 1970s.

Thompson, Tommy Burleson, Monte Towe and Phil Spence, all members of Sloan's 1974 title team, attended the service.

Thompson, whose extraordinary jumping ability was the catalyst for the championship run, said Sloan was a mentor and friend to him and his teammates.

"Really, he molded us from boys to men," Thompson said. "He was somebody we could look up to in the way he led his life. He was a good, strong family man, and I really appreciated him for that."

Two of Sloan's granddaughters said the former coach was something more to them.

"Despite his success and his stature, he was always so careful not to be imposing," Tayler Nicholls told the audience of about 200, many of whom played for Sloan at N.C. State.

"You think Stormin' Norman was tough. You ought to meet his wife," said Blake Nicholls, another granddaughter. Joan Sloan always sang the national anthem at Wolfpack home games. "She was his inspiration. Together, they were unstoppable."

Pete Sloan, no relation to the coach, called his friend "a part-time angel."

"I've never known a more loving man of his wife, children, family, players, friends," he said.

Among those paying final respects at the Edenton Street Methodist Church were former North Carolina All-American Phil Ford, ex-Wolfpack All-American Chris Corchiani, retired coach Lefty Driesell and current members of the N.C. State basketball team led by coach Herb Sendek.

Towe, a guard on the championship team who now coaches at the University of New Orleans, said his former coach was a wonderful person to be around, someone who enjoyed being around people and having a good time.

Towe said Sloan taught him to "be a good person, treat people like you'd like to be treated."

Wofford wishbone rumbles into I-AA semifinal tilt with Delaware

SPARTANBURG — Quarterback Jeff Zolman can't escape the question in his classroom or at home with his family: Why doesn't Wofford throw more? "The most important thing," Zolman answers, "is winning."

And the Terriers (12-1) have done a lot of that this year. They go for their 13th consecutive victory Saturday when they meet Delaware (13-1) in the NCAA Division I-AA semifinals. The winner advances to the national championship game Dec. 20.

Wofford uses an option offense coach Mike Ayers calls the wingbone. The team has run on more than 88 percent of its snaps this season (751 of 852) and is fifth in I-AA with more than 267 yards rushing a game.

It's a winning formula Ayers has used at Wofford for 16 years, guiding the Terriers from the NAIA to NCAA Division II to I-AA and its first Southern Conference championship this season.

Ayers said fans, coaches and administrators think sometimes you have to throw the ball in order to be exciting. "But do you want to look good, or do you want to win?" Ayers said.

Zolman and Wofford offensive coordinator Wade Lang say it's the offense's relentless nature — when executed correctly — that makes it so effective. And it requires good footwork, discipline - and the willingness to sacrifice - from the quarterback position.

Zolman threw 197 times as a standout senior at Chaminade-Julienne High in Dayton, Ohio. He has attempted only 126 passes in three seasons at Wofford. Compare that to the career of Zolman's brother Greg, who finished as Vanderbilt's leader in yards passing, attempts and completions. Of course, Vanderbilt only won 12 times during Greg's time there — the same amount of victories the Terriers have this season.

Zolman doesn't remember too much talk about Wofford's offensive style when he was recruited, only that the Terriers won. Almost from the moment he stepped on campus, Zolman began work on Wofford's complex option.

On most plays, the Terriers lineup in a wishbone formation. Just before the snap, a wing man rotates around the outside. Zolman can pitch to the outside guy, hand off to the fullback, run a counter play to the other wing, or pull the ball back and take off himself.

And, oh yeah, they also run the same schemes from the shotgun. "We're simple in what we do, but it looks complicated," Lang said.

Zolman's been at the top of his game in the playoffs. He rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns in Wofford's opening playoff win against North Carolina A&T, then came back a week later with 94 yards on the ground and three touchdowns to beat defending national champion Western Kentucky.

The offensive style also helps the defense stay fresh. The Terriers had a 17-play drive in the second half to put away North Carolina A&T, and a 16-play series that took 8:05 off the clock against the Hilltoppers.

"The first thing, he's a tough kid," Lang said of Zolman. "He's very confident in his ability and in what he sees out there."

Most of the time that doesn't mean receivers. Wofford gained just 53.8 yards passing a game this year. Zolman and reserve Trey Rodgers combined for 100 attempts and 54 completions.

In contrast, Delaware quarterback Andy Hall has 210 completions this season for 23 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Ayers joked after the victory over North Carolina A&T two weeks ago that he would take some grief because the Terriers were 0-for-2 passing.

"I feel like the offense we have out there, a lot of people think that it's a boring offense," Ayers said. "But we think a 60-yard touchdown run is no less exciting than a 60-yard touchdown pass."

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2003 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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