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News Nuggets, 12.31.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Former second-string QB's in Liberty Bowl spotlight

MEMPHIS — Utah's No. 1 quarterback broke his wrist in the second game of the season and never started again. Southern Mississippi's No. 1 quarterback went down with a concussion in its third game, forcing the Golden Eagles to turn to their backup.

In both cases, the second-teamers became stars and led their schools to conference titles. Now Alex Smith leads No. 25 Utah (9-2) into the Liberty Bowl on Wednesday (3:30 p.m., ESPN) against Dustin Almond and Southern Miss (9-3). Neither team would be here without the unexpected emergence of the sophomore quarterbacks.

No one doubted Smith's potential, and he thought he had a good chance at winning the job at Utah. But he hurt his back lifting weights in the summer, taking him out of the competition for the starting post.

Brett Elliott won the job only to break his non-throwing wrist in a loss to Texas A&M. So Utah turned to Smith, whose first career start came against California on a Thursday night in front of a record-breaking crowd at Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Smith came through with a mistake-free effort in the Utes' 31-24 victory. He followed up that win with two more surprising victories against Mountain West Conference rival Colorado State and No. 19 Oregon. His play improved each week, and even when Elliott recovered, Smith retained the job.

He passed for 2,123 yards with 15 touchdowns, only two interceptions and a completion percentage of 66.8. The 6-foot-4, 202-pounder also ran for 410 yards and five TDs.

Almond's rise at Southern Miss wasn't as smooth. He started the season behind Micky D'Angelo for a second straight year. He was even demoted to No. 3 on the depth chart for one game. He adjusted, vowed to work harder and found himself back in the starting role after D'Angelo took a shot to the head in a win over Memphis.

Like Smith, Almond's first start of the season came on a Thursday night in front of a record-breaking home crowd. That's where the similarities end. Almond was atrocious in the 38-14 loss to Nebraska, going 4-for-24 with four turnovers.

The performance led to another demotion as freshman Damion Carter started the next two games, but after six games, Southern Miss was 3-3 and doing little offensively.

With Carter not ready and D'Angelo still hazy, Bower went back to Almond and the Golden Eagles haven't lost since.

Almond's development has been stunning. The athletic and reticent quarterback has thrown for 1,265 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions during a six-game winning streak, leading the Golden Eagles to the Conference USA title and a trip back to the bowl sponsored by AXA since 1999.

Sun Bowl teams shower tickets on military personnel

EL PASO — Minnesota and Oregon each donated 1,000 Sun Bowl tickets to soldiers preparing for duty in Iraq. Sun Bowl executive director Bernie Olivas said his organization would provide additional free tickets for other soldiers who want to go to Wednesday's football game.

"This is just such an awesome experience because it gives us a chance to be around the true soldiers," Minnesota tight end Ben Utecht said. "I just have so much respect for these men and women."

The tickets will be offered to about 2,200 National Guard members temporarily stationed in El Paso. The soldiers, from units in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico, will spend a year in Iraq, Col. Bryon Greenwald said.

The National Center for the Employment of the Disabled, an El Paso company that makes chemical suits for the military, will donate money to buy meals for soldiers who attend the game.

Coach with ECU ties joins O'Leary staff

George O’Leary, Central Florida's recently named head football coach, announced the hiring of former North Carolina defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Dave Huxtable as linebackers coach Tuesday.

Huxtable, who once coached under O'Leary at Georgia Tech, is the first new hire on O’Leary’s staff and will begin working for the Knights Wednesday. Last week, O’Leary retained the services of a holdover from the previous staff, wide receivers coach Sean Beckton.

A veteran of 24 years in coaching, Huxtable served for the last three seasons at North Carolina. He coached the linebackers at UNC for three seasons and also served as the team’s defensive coordinator for the final two years of his stint in Chapel Hill. Huxtable also served as the Tar Heels' special teams coordinator in 2001.

Huxtable came to North Carolina after a year as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Oklahoma State. He has also worked at East Carolina, Georgia Tech, Western Kentucky and Iowa State.

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
Hawaii (WAC) 54, Houston 48 (3 OT)
(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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