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News Nuggets, 10.11.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Frogs hop over South Florida... barely

TAMPA — Texas Christian coach Gary Patterson felt fortunate after his 18th-ranked Horned Frogs held on Friday night for a 13-10 victory over Conference USA newcomer South Florida, which has made major strides since starting its program from scratch just six years ago.

"Jim Leavitt and South Florida are going to be a team to be reckoned with," Patterson said after Tye Gunn threw for 133 yards and one touchdown and Nick Browne kicked two field goals to help end the nation's second-longest home winning streak at 21 games. "They are very athletic, and they can play. All they are going to do is get better," Patterson said. "I give them credit. We came at them offensively, and we're starting to get people healthy. We tried to outrun them, and they ran us down."

Cory Rodgers scored on a 43-yard reception in the first quarter and Browne added a 37-yard field goal just before halftime and a 17-yarder late in the third quarter to give the Horned Frogs (6-0, 3-0 Conference USA) a 13-3 lead.

South Florida (3-2, 2-1) rallied behind Brian Fisher, an elusive wide receiver who is just as exciting as a punt returner and when he's moonlighting as a quarterback in the shotgun formation. Fisher broke a tackle at his own 30 and returned a punt to the TCU 32 to give the Bulls the spark they needed to get back into the game. Six plays later, he scrambled left, then back to his right before throwing to a wide-open Elgin Hicks for a 19-yard TD, trimming South Florida's deficit to 13-10 with 9:27 remaining.

Fisher directed one more drive, but couldn't get his team past midfield. South Florida, held to 126 yards total offense, punted with 3:23 remaining and didn't get the ball back.

"We fought," South Florida coach Jim Leavitt said. "We've just got to stop making so many stupid mistakes. ... And, obviously, we've got to find a way to protect the quarterback better. That's as players and coaches."

TCU, which entered the game ranked 15th in the nation in total defense, finished with 10 sacks, a record for a South Florida opponent.

Gunn made his first start at quarterback for TCU since separating his shoulder in practice on Sept. 9. The sophomore missed three starts, but the Horned Frogs didn't miss a beat with backup Brandon Hassell leading victories over Vanderbilt, Arizona and Army.

South Florida was limited to minus-20 yards rushing in the first two quarters, and Banks was 10-for-18 for just 65 yards in the half.

The home loss was the first for South Florida since the Bulls were beaten 42-23 by Hofstra on Nov. 13, 1999. South Florida is 0-2 against ranked teams with the other loss coming at Oklahoma last season. TCU, meanwhile, is one of 10 Division IA teams that remain unbeaten. The Horned Frogs have won eight straight for the nation's second longest winning streak behind Ohio State's 20.

NCAA mounts push on academic performance

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA wants to improve graduation rates and is considering penalties for schools that underperform academically. A possible punishment would prohibit a school from giving a failed student's athletic scholarship to someone else. That proposal was added to a Division I academic reform package that could go to the NCAA management council and board of directors for action next April, NCAA president Myles Brand said Tuesday.

"We think of academic reform as divided into several phases," Brand said in a conference call. "The first phase concerns student accountability through initial and continuing eligibility. We've accomplished that. We're engaged now in the second stage that includes accountability for institutions and teams and involves incentives and disincentives. We're still refining that process."

The NCAA has increased the number of core high school courses required for freshman eligibility from 14 to 16 and required this year's freshmen to have completed 40 percent of their degree requirements by the start of their third year. Now the NCAA is asking its members to report yearly data on their scholarship athletes. That information will be gathered for two years.

Each school will be notified next fall whether it would have been subject to a penalty had the reforms already been in place. "That will give institutions a year to right the ship and get themselves set straight," said Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president for membership services. "However, after that '04-'05 academic year, institutions would be subject to the contemporaneous penalties."

Other penalties could include probation, loss of scholarships, denial of postseason competition and restricted membership status, he said.

Last month, the NCAA released a report that showed 62 percent of Division I scholarship athletes who entered college in 1996 graduated within six years. That was 2 percent higher than the year before and 3 percent higher than the graduation rate of non-athletes. It was the first study compiled since more stringent academic requirements took effect.

The NCAA wants to start using a graduation success rate that takes transfers into account.
"For example, a student who leaves institution while in good standing, who would have been eligible had they returned, will no longer count against that institution," Lennon said. "Similarly, a student-athlete who transfers into an institution and graduates from that institution will count for that institution."

Another rate the board of directors is considering, Lennon said, is based on academic eligibility, retention and graduation on a yearly basis rather than the current six-year measurement.

LSU AD calls on fans to squeal on troublemakers

BATON ROUGE — Dozens of people were arrested at LSU's last home game, and athletic director Skip Bertman wants better behavior at Saturday's game against Florida. He also wants bad fans reported at once.

``We have asked people to be on the lookout,'' Bertman said in an interview. ``Use your cell phone. Call the police.'' He added: ``We're not talking about people yelling 'Tiger Bait!''' at opposing fans.

But anyone who sees any criminal act or ``consistent harassment'' of the other team's fans should report it, he said in his ``Cyber-Side Chat'' message posted on the LSU athletics Web site and e-mailed to fans each Thursday.

Bertman said 30 to 35 people were arrested Sept. 20, during the game against Georgia. He estimated 115,000 people were on the campus for the game, meaning more than 20,000 couldn't get into the sold-out stadium. He listed four of the incidents reported by police:

— A male Georgia fan was hospitalized after the portable toilet he was in was turned over and he was assaulted as he tried to climb out;

— A Georgia administrator wearing her school's colors was hit by a mudball;

— A Georgia couple found a flag they placed on their car burned and lying in a ditch after the game and their car's hood dented;

— A female Georgia fan reported being subjected to lewd comments.

The number of incidents wasn't unusually high for a sold-out game, Bertman said. ``Consider that one percent of 115,000 people is over 1,100 people who throw items, curse, are inebriated, obnoxious or otherwise disruptive, and can make a visit to Tiger Stadium miserable for our fans or visitors to our campus,'' he wrote. ``We'll never solve all of our problems. But I implore those who share LSU's sense of sportsmanship and pride to report to authorities when you see something amiss.''

Saturday's game against Florida also is sold out. Bertman said it's expected that over 100,000 fans will again be on campus for the 2:30 p.m. kickoff. LSU will not be taking extra security measures to curb fan behavior, Bertman said. Crowd vigilantes are not welcome, either.

``We don't want you to take matters into your own hands,'' he wrote. ``Sometimes confrontations with other fans can just escalate the situation. Please call on our police or game marshals for assistance, whether inside or outside the stadium.''

Bertman said he believes LSU fans have an unfairly bad reputation caused by a small number of troublemakers. ``The number one thing I've heard in three years as athletic director is 'Can you do something about ...' or 'Listen to what happened to me at the game ...''' Bertman said. ``I've heard that more times than I would like I chose to do something.''

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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