News Nuggets, 09.24.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

NCAA gives thumbs up to South Carolina's "Pops"

COLUMBIA — "Pops" has gotten the green light from the NCAA to play football at South Carolina.

Tim Frisby, the Gamecocks' 39-year-old walk-on receiver, was granted his eligibility by the NCAA membership services staff, the school said Thursday.

Frisby is expected to be in uniform when the Gamecocks play Troy at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday night.

Frisby, nicknamed Pops by his teammates, recently retired after 20 years in the U.S. Army, where he was Ranger-qualified with the 82nd Airborne. He served in Desert Storm and the Kosovo conflict.

His playing status was on hold because of eligibility concerns with the NCAA Clearinghouse, which certifies the eligibility of college football players and was not in existence when Frisby graduated from an Allentown, Pa., high school in 1983.

Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president for member services, said Frisby's unique circumstance "was a key factor for us in making this decision."

Frisby began working out with the Gamecocks during the winter and went through spring practice with the team. He was invited back to South Carolina following summer camp last month.

Frisby caught a pass in the Gamecocks' last preseason scrimmage and dressed out in his No. 89 jersey for the Georgia game on Sept. 11. However, he did not play in South Carolina's 20-16 loss.

"To say that I'm excited would be an understatement," said Frisby, who turns 40 in February. "I'm just so thankful that this request had a happy conclusion."

Frisby is the father of six children ranging in age from 16 to about six months. Coach Lou Holtz has joked that he loves having Frisby on the team because his family boosts game attendance.

On Monday, Holtz said he wanted to play Frisby as soon the NCAA cleared him. "He's going to play this year because he deserves to play," Holtz said.

Imperfect Miami manages win at Houston

HOUSTON — Tyrone Moss rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns, Tavares Gooden recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a score and Baraka Atkins scored on a 58-yard fumble return to lead No. 4 Miami to a sluggish 38-13 victory over Houston on Thursday night.

Moss' best rushing performance of his short career and the Hurricanes' opportunistic defense and special teams offset a particularly erratic performance by quarterback Brock Berlin.
Berlin was pretty much the only thing keeping Miami (3-0) from a lopsided victory. He finished 13-of-23 for 99 yards and was sacked seven times, often because of his own poor decisions in the pocket.

Miami also allowed its first offensive touchdown of the season: Kevin Kolb's 6-yard scamper into the end zone in the final moments of the first half. The Cougars' sideline erupted in celebration, with a few players tossing their helmets into the air.

The Hurricanes had gone 11 quarters and an overtime without giving up an offensive touchdown.

Thought to be a national title contender, Miami revealed plenty of glaring flaws against a team that was a four-touchdown underdog and was without its leading rusher. The Hurricanes were pushed around on defense by Houston's inexperienced offensive line and never could sustain any offensive momentum.

Houston tailback Anthony Evans, who rushed for 282 yards against Army last week, missed the game after straining his right calf during pregame warmups. He watched from the sidelines in his uniform, leaning on crutches with a boot on his leg.

Predictably enough, Houston got off to a rough start without him.

The Cougars (1-3) barely got their first play off on time, dropped a pass on the third play, committed a false-start penalty on the next and were nearly intercepted on third down. Gooden scored on Anthony Reddick's blocked punt on fourth down, 55 seconds into the game.

Frank Gore and Moss, a sophomore, added a couple of short scoring runs to give Miami a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.

The Hurricanes didn't score again on offense until Moss' 5-yard run late in the fourth quarter.

Houston, playing its fourth game in 19 days, made Miami work a little harder than it expected in its first visit to Texas in seven years.

The Cougars failed to score on several chances deep in Miami territory. The Cougars drove inside Miami's 20 five times, and came away only with Kolb's touchdown run and two field goals.

Ryan Gilbert, a transfer from LSU, proved to be an adequate replacement for Evans. He rushed for a career-high 84 yards on 26 carries. Kolb was 11-of-28 for 156 yards.

This was the first meeting between the teams since Miami routed David Klinger and the Cougars 40-10 in 1991 at the Orange Bowl. It remains ESPN's highest-rated Thursday night game.

Hula Bowl's future in question

WAILUKU, HI — Maui County Council members are questioning whether the annual Hula Bowl college all-star football game is worth supporting.

Council members on the Budget and Finance Committee last week raised the question as it discussed the $11,062 the Hula Bowl owes from the game played in January, based on $2 per ticket sold.

"Has the Hula Bowl outlived its purpose?" Budget Chairman Riki Hokama said.

Hula Bowl owner and president Dick Schaller, who was not at the meeting, said he has until December to pay the county.

Council woman Charmaine Tavares said the game still provides a benefit to the community through television exposure.

She said the Hula Bowl should continue to receive the support from the county.

"We worked hard to bring the Hula Bowl to Maui," she said. "I'm for: Let us collect this money, but not jeopardize the Hula Bowl from being here."

The Hula Bowl was brought to Maui in 1998 after years of declining attendance at the 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. Maui has since upgraded War Memorial Stadium and installed a new field for the Hula Bowl.

But the game has struggled with financing because of a lack of major sponsors and low attendance.

Schaller said the game helps market Maui around the nation during the winter.

"What that is worth, I couldn't put it in dollars and cents," he said.

The committee was told that Schaller signed a promissory note to pay the $11,062.

Budget Vice Chairman Wayne Nishiki questioned why Schaller hasn't paid and did not appear before the council.

"Why is it this gentleman cannot pay? You guys are letting him off the hook," he said.

Schaller said he wasn't aware of the meeting.

He said he hasn't paid the county because "basically the Hula Bowl has not been profitable for the last two years. There are still bills I am in the process of paying."

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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