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News Nuggets, 09.01.06
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

UAB game off limits to Peterson's Dad

The Oklahoman of Oklahoma City has reported that Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson will have to wait a little longer for his father to see him play.

Nelson Peterson, who was incarcerated seven years ago and only has been able to watch his son play on television, will not be permitted to attend the Sooners' season opener. Nelson Peterson is living at a halfway house in Oklahoma City, and he said Wednesday that his request to attend Saturday's game in Norman against UAB has been denied.

UAB will host East Carolina in the Conference USA opener for both teams on Sept. 9. The Pirates open their season at Navy at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Earlier, Adrian Peterson said he would be disappointed if his dad wasn't allowed to attend the opener.

The elder Peterson now travels from the Oklahoma Halfway House, Inc., which is downtown, to his job at Jackie Cooper BMW in Edmond.

Even though Nelson Peterson will not be at the game this week, he is expected to be released Oct. 5, two days before the Sooners play Texas. Upon his release, he will be free to go where he wants and do what he pleases.

Convicted on federal charges of laundering money acquired from the distribution of crack cocaine, according to the newspaper report, Nelson Peterson spent more than six years at the Federal Correctional Institute in Texarkana, TX. He moved to the halfway house this summer.

Tulsa rolls past Stephen F. Austin in opener

Paul Smith threw for 229 yards and three touchdowns and Tulsa beat Stephen F. Austin 45-7 Thursday night to win its season opener for the first time in five years, according to an account on the Conference USA website.

Tarrion Adams and Courtney Tennial each had one touchdown receiving and one rushing as Tulsa scored on its five first-half possessions against a Division I-AA school with more than twice as many students.

The Lumberjacks are coached by Robert McFarland, who coached the offensive line at East Carolina in 2004.

Adams capped the Golden Hurricane's 75-yard opening drive by running through former Tennessee defensive back Corey Campbell on a 4-yard touchdown run, and he added a 36-yard score on a screen pass from Smith the next time Tulsa (1-0) had the ball.

After a 28-yard field goal by Jarod Tracy, Tennial maintained his balance after being bumped to score his first collegiate touchdown on a 12-yard run. Tennial also scored from 25 yards out on a screen pass from Smith.

Already down 31 points, the Lumberjacks (0-1) finally got across midfield for the first time when Jerome Brooks returned a kickoff 47 yards with just over 2 minutes left in the first half. That drive ended when Moton Hopkins blocked Cory Long's 47-yard field goal try to end the half.

Stephen F. Austin scored its only touchdown on a 28-yard run by Vincent Pervis with 6:05 to play.

Tulsa brought back the core of a squad that won C-USA last season to give the school its first conference title in 20 years. The main loss was Garrett Mills, who set an NCAA record for the most receptions by a tight end last season before being drafted by the New England Patriots.

Tulsa returned 10 starters on defense and the most experienced offensive line in the country � with four players totaling 95 career starts. That front line gave Smith plenty of time to scan the field, and the only time he got hit was when he took off on designed runs and scrambles.

Smith made up for the loss of Mills by connecting with 11 different receivers. His final pass was a 4-yard TD throw to Nick Henderson on the first drive of the third quarter. He finished 16-for-20 with no interceptions.

Backup David Johnson connected with Jake Collums on a 59-yard touchdown pass and finished with 80 yards on 3-for-7 passing.

Southall was 11-for-23 for 79 yards and one interception for the Lumberjacks.

Tulsa had opened the last four years by losing to Oklahoma, Kansas and twice to Minnesota.

Pirates announce nine women's track signees

East Carolina women's track and field coach Curt Kraft announced the addition of nine members of the 2006-07 signing class on Thursday in a release from the university's athletic media relations department.

Among the newcomers will be three distance runners, Nicole Briggs (Barrington, NJ), Samantha Lichtner (Newark, DE) and Jennifer White (Virginia Beach, VA).

The Pirates are also adding three hurdlers, Lindsay Dolan (Aliquippa, PA), Alexis Jenkins (Leland) and Lanaire Lindo (Charlotte) to the team.

Kharya Brown (Stafford, VA) and Camelia Morman (Durham) will add depth to the jumpers, while Chalonda Silver (Rocky Mount) will add some strength to the sprinters.

"We are excited about this class for a lot of reasons," Kraft said. "We have signed some great student athletes and some great people overall.

"These students will help to set the foundation for our program for the future. Having the four North Carolina signees is very important because it will help us to get more in-state athletes in the future, and will help us to draw more local athletes to East Carolina."

News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from other sources. Copyright 2006 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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