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News Nuggets, 12.25.03
NOTES FROM ECU AND BEYOND...

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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Houston seeks victory and esteem in paradise

PREVIOUS NUGGETS

12.24.03: Cincinnati looks to Buckeyes for new coach... .. Broncos' postseason streak survives sans blue turf... .. Coach of disbanded program gets Elon job... .. Swofford minimizes impact of refs' mistakes... .. Bowl results/TV schedule for C-USA teams... .. More...
12.23.03: Spectacular performance punctuates Rivers' career... .. Suspensions rock TCU on eve of bowl game... .. ACC refs botched FSU-Florida football game... .. Bowl results/TV schedule for C-USA teams... .. Associated Press basketball poll... .. More...
12.22.03: Women Pirates hijack Wake Forest... .. ECU-bred coach's Mustangs upend Purdue... .. Bowl results/TV schedule for C-USA teams... .. Scholars label BCS formula unreliable... .. More...
12.21.03: AutoZone replacing AXA as Liberty Bowl sponsor... .. Prominent agent with Logan ties passes... .. Bowl results/TV schedule for C-USA teams... .. UCLA honors its most famous coach... .. More...
12.20.03: NFL-bound Roethlisberger plucks Cards in Mobile Bowl... .. New pact in store for Houston coach... .. Bowl results/TV schedule for C-USA teams... .. Peacock network wraps up Irish through 2010... .. More...
12.19.03: NFL-bound Roethlisberger plucks Cards in Mobile Bowl... .. New pact in store for Houston coach... .. Bowl results/TV schedule for C-USA teams... .. Peacock network wraps up Irish through 2010... .. More...
12.18.03: Smith, Berry team up again... .. Mobile matchup evokes ECU-Marshall pairing... .. Bowl results/TV schedule for C-USA teams... .. Pop Holtz takes charge of Gamecocks offense... .. More...
12.17.03: Memphis bowl drought ends on victorious note... .. Bowl results/TV schedule for C-USA teams... .. 2003 AP All-America football team... .. More...
12.16.03: Clay Aiken Bobble Head spices up 49ers-Pirates battle... .. Rouse out of Herrion's doghouse... .. Bowl season kicks off with Memphis vs. Mean Green... .. Bowl/TV schedule for C-USA teams... .. AP basketball poll... .. More...
12.15.03: Rivers Heisman finish measures up to ECU legend Blake... .. C-USA football stars gain All-America honors... .. Basketball sharpshooter felled by cardiac arrest... .. DePaul names home hardwood after grateful Meyer... .. More...

HONOLULU — All Houston wants for Christmas is a win in the Hawaii Bowl — and a little respect.

``We really feel like everywhere we go, we don't get respect and nobody takes us as seriously as they should,'' Cougars quarterback Kevin Kolb said. ``So we're going to have to prove ourselves again once more and hopefully win the game.''

Just two years removed from an 0-11 season, Houston (7-5) makes its first bowl appearance since 1996 by facing Hawaii (8-5) on Thursday at Aloha Stadium.

Kolb, the Conference USA freshman of the year, was just 12 when Houston lost to Syracuse 30-17 in the 1996 Liberty Bowl.

``Hopefully, with this game on Christmas Day in front of a lot of people, we'll get our name out there,'' said Kolb, who finished the regular season as the NCAA's leading freshman passer with 2,799 yards and 23 touchdowns.

The battle of UH vs. UH will feature two of the most prolific offenses in the nation. Each team averages more than 33 points per game. The Warriors average 476.4 yards per game while the Cougars average 453.4 yards.

``If we win 2-to-nothing, I'm happy. If we win 48-47, I'm happy,'' first-year Houston coach Art Briles said.

The Cougars have studied every angle of Hawaii's high-flying run-and-shoot offense. They just don't know who will be operating it. Hawaii coach June Jones has refused to announce who will start at quarterback.

Backup senior Jason Whieldon replaced Timmy Chang to lead Hawaii to a 37-29 victory over Alabama. Whieldon's performance earned him a start in the regular season finale against Boise State.

``It doesn't matter who starts,'' Cougars linebacker Damien West. ``We're pretty much playing receivers. We don't worry about which quarterback is throwing.''

Hawaii lost to Tulane 36-28 in last year's inaugural Hawaii Bowl. This year's game is the third bowl appearance in five years for Hawaii under Jones.

Briles said the biggest obstacle for his team has been the travel and being in a tropical paradise for nearly a week.

``It's a completely different world and our guys have done a great job of staying focused,'' Briles said. ``They've got a lot of time when they can be 18-, 19- or 20-year olds. Then they have time to respect their job and that's to prepare to win the football game.''

Besides lounging at their oceanside Waikiki hotel, the Cougars visited Pearl Harbor and attended a luau. Some even tried surfing.

``If you're not playing in a national championship, this is the bowl you want to be in,'' Houston offensive lineman Matt Mattox said. ``We weren't going to be picky on where we got a bowl game, we just wanted a chance to go and show everyone what we can do.''


ECU trio set for action in today's Blue-Gray Classic

Three East Carolina players are among the college football stars that will be showcased in today's renewal of the Blue-Gray Classic. Fullback Vonta Leach, wide receiver Terrance Copper and defensive tackle Damane Duckett will suit up for the Gray team in the game, which will be played at the Crampton Bowl in Montgomery.

The contest will be televised by ESPN2 with a scheduled kickoff time of 3:00 p.m. Following are the rosters for both squads:

BLUE

2 Marvin Jackson, DB, Chadron State
4 Steve Baker, P/PK, Southern Oregon
6 Brett Mitchell, QB, Evangel
8 Steve Azar, PK/P, Northern Illinois
10 Randee Drew, DB, Northern Illinois
12 Scott Rislov, QB, San Jose State
14 Tony Johnson, WR, Penn State
16 Ja'Maine Billups, DB, Iowa State
18 Justin Sandy, DB, Northern Iowa
20 Josh Minkins, DB, Louisville
22 Ben Nauman, DB, Augustana (S.D.)
24 Andrae Thurman, WR, Southern Oregon
26 Larry Croom, RB, UNLV
28 Tom Koutsos, RB, Southern Illinois
30 Derrick Ward, RB, Ottawa (Kan.)
32 Dusty McGrorty, RB, Southern Oregon
34 Rich Scanlon, LB, Syracuse
36 Deryck Toles, LB, Penn State
38 Daryl Towns, LB, Nevada
40 Renauld Williams, LB, Hofstra
42 Raheem Orr, DL, Rutgers
44 Ronnie Ghent, TE, Louisville
46 Matt Kranchick, TE, Penn State
48 Michael O'Brien, DL, Western Illinois
50 Jonathan Harrell, LB, Northern Iowa
52 Quinn Christensen, OL, Brigham Young
54 Gabe Nyenhuis, DL, Colorado
66 Chris McKelvy, OL, Penn State
68 Nate McPeek, OL, Marshall
70 Jim Molinaro, OL, Notre Dame
72 Nick Romeo, OL, Syracuse
74 Luke Salmons, OL, Marshall
76 Kurt Sigler, OL, Eastern Washington
78 Sean Mulcahy, DL, Connecticut
80 Lance Young, WR, Iowa State
82 Ryan Krause, WR, Nebraska-Omaha
84 Nate Lawrie, TE, Yale
90 Dietrich Canterberry, DL, UNLV
92 Christian Ferrara, DL, Syracuse
94 Derek Kennard Jr., DL, Nevada

GRAY

1 Luke McCown, QB, Louisiana Tech
3 Marcus Winn, DB, Alabama State
5 Derrick Pope, LB, Alabama
7 Michael Waddell, DB, North Carolina
9 Chris Thompson, DB, Nicholls St.
11 Rayshun Reed, DB, Troy State
15 Nate McKinney, P, Appalachian St.
17 Robert Kent, QB, Jackson St.
21 Josh Scobee, PK, Louisiana Tech
23 Zach Fletcher, WR, Alabama
25 DeJuan Green, RB, South Florida
27 Keylon Kincade, RB, SMU
29 Vick King, RB, McNeese St.
31 Vonta Leach, RB, East Carolina
33 Stevie Baggs, LB, Bethune-Cookman
35 Kellen Brantley, LB, Wake Forest
37 Quintin Williams, DB, Wake Forest
39 Terrance Copper, WR, East Carolina
41 Deandre Eiland, DB, South Carolina
43 Richard Owens, TE/LS, Louisville
45 Cody Spencer, LB, North Texas
51 Jason Clark, LB, Mississippi St.
53 Jon Bradley, DL, Arkansas State
55 Dennis Alexander, OL, Alabama
57 Nautyn McKay-Loescher, DL, Alabama
61 Michale Spicer, DL, Western Carolina
65 Cedric Fields, OL, Baylor
67 Branden Hall, OL, Troy State
69 Atlas Herrion, OL, Alabama
71 Mark Moroz, OL, Wake Forest
75 Nick Seitze, OL, Kentucky
77 Jupiter Wilson, OL, North Carolina
81 Huey Whittaker, WR, South Florida
85 Dre Fulgham, WR, Alabama
87 Michael Gaines, TE, Central Florida
89 Bobby Blizzard, TE, North Carolina
91 Brandon Calton, DL, East Tennessee St.
93 Anthony Maddox, DL, Delta State
95 Damane Duckett, DL, East Carolina
99 Jeremy Caudill, DL, Kentucky


Bowl results/TV schedule for C-USA teams

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16
New Orleans Bowl
Memphis 27, North Texas (Sun Belt) 17
(ESPN 2) 7:00 pm

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18
GMAC Bowl
(14) Miami (OH) (MAC) 49, Louisville 28

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23
PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl
(16) Boise State (WAC) 34, (19) Texas Christian 31
(ESPN) 7:30 pm

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Houston vs. Hawaii (WAC)
(ESPN) 8:00 pm

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31
AXA Liberty Bowl
Southern Miss vs. (25) Utah (MWC)
(ESPN) 3:30 pm

All times Eastern.


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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