SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -Rookie Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone said one of the team’s goals when he played for the Orange under Dick MacPherson from 1983-85 was to beat the teams that Syracuse played at least twice.
And the Orange had a lot of success, with one glaring exception.
“We beat a lot of teams, but the team in the four years I was here that we didn’t beat was Penn State,” Marrone said. “I look back on my career and I apologize to our fans, to coach. They put in so much effort and I was never able to be part of a team that beat Penn State, and I know everyone that played with me feels that way.”
All was not lost, though. Marrone was able to come back to Syracuse after he graduated to watch the Orange beat Penn State 48-21 in 1987. Syracuse went 11-0-1 with quarterback Don McPherson and finished the year ranked No. 4.
Syracuse, which lost 55-13 at home a year ago to the Nittany Lions, travels to No. 9 Penn State on Saturday.
“It’s important,” Marrone said. “It’s a big game.”
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LAST ONE LEFT: Cincinnati safety Aaron Webster felt weird.
ly starter left from last year’s defense, which helped the Bearcats win their first Big East title and play in the Orange Bowl. Whenever he’d line up with the newcomers this spring and summer, he couldn’t get over the change.
“Oh, yeah, it was weird just because I hadn’t really played with them before,” Webster said. “It was new faces. You go from last year and being used to the people that were around, and this year it’s almost like a whole new crowd. That’s just different – not good or bad.”
So far, so good.
The revamped defense gave up an opening-drive touchdown, then clamped down in a 47-15 win at Rutgers on Monday. Webster got knocked out of the game for one play early in the second quarter, then returned and made an interception on the same drive – one of three Bearcats interceptions in the game.
Webster embraced his role as defensive leader, one that came naturally given his standing as only returning starter. He has kept in touch with many of the 10 who left, picking their brains for ideas on how to bring the newcomers along.
“I’ll shoot them a text, shoot them a call every once in a while and see how it’s going,” he said. “I try to keep in contact with some of the old guys, just to see if they can shoot me any wisdom.”
Their advice?
“Just stay humble and don’t take any moment for granted,” Webster said. “Never sit back and just observe.”
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RIES FOR MO?: South Florida’s Moise Plancher is determined to make the best of an opportunity as the Bulls’ featured running back. The senior rushed for a career-high 78 yards and two touchdowns in USF’s season-opening rout of Wofford, taking advantage of an increased workload with Mike Ford suspended for the first two games and Jamar Taylor out with a knee injury.
“It’s always a boost of confidence early in the season, especially to gain the trust of my coaches and my teammates,” said Plancher, who had the second multiple touchdown game of his career.
Plancher was the starting tailback before suffering a knee injury in the 2006 season opener and missing the rest of the year. Since returning the following season and carrying the ball just 10 times for 17 yards, he has gradually worked his way up the depth chart.
He started three games in 2008, rushed for 322 yards and a team-high six touchdowns while sharing playing time with Ford and Taylor. The 5-foot-9, 204-pound tailback, who has eight TDs in his last 12 games, will make his fifth career start this week against Western Kentucky.
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JUST KICKING IT: Connecticut has made some changes to its kicking game after having six punts blocked last season, including three by North Carolina.
When the Huskies (1-0) host the No. 19 Tar Heels (1-0) on Saturday, they will be using a punt protection scheme that involves putting three players in the backfield and spreading the offensive line out across the field.
Coach Randy Edsall said the formation, called “The Shield,” allows the Huskies to simplify their blocking schemes and account for all rushers.
“For us, this formation fits our personnel a little bit better and you don’t have to involve your center in the protection,” he said. “As long as the snap and the kick get off in time, people should be able to get in there and block without an issue.
Last year, in their old spread punt formation, UConn failed to account for UNC linebacker Bruceer Carter, who blocked three punts. Matt Merletti fell on one of them for a touchdown in the Tar Heels 38-12 win.
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BEAUMONT’S BANE: For a split second, Louisville wide receiver Doug Beaumont thought his long wait to catch the first touchdown pass of his career was over.
Beaumont was running a post route in the fourth quarter of Louisville’s 30-10 win over Indiana State when quarterback Justin Burke was flushed from the pocket and start scrambling to his right. Beaumont cut off his route and reversed field. Burke lofted a desperation toss just before getting hit, and Beaumont stretched every last bit of his 5-foot-9 frame in an effort to haul it in.
ed another five against the Sycamores. He’s still waiting for his first touchdown celebration.
“I thought he had it,” said coach Steve Kragthorpe. “He made a great adjustment.”
Kragthorpe doesn’t doubt Beaumont will find the end zone, and pointed out he did catch a two-point conversion last year. Whenever the moment happens, Kragthorpe hopes the team doesn’t go overboard.
“I hope we don’t have a Georgia-type situation where the entire team runs out onto the field,” he said with a laugh.
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AWARDS: Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike’s career day against Rutgers helped him land Big East Offensive Player of the Week honors. Pike threw for 362 yards and three touchdowns as the Bearcats rolled to a 47-15 win. He completed 27 of 34 passes as the Bearcats vaulted into the Top 25.
UConn defensive end Lindsey Witten was named Defensive Player of the Week after collecting three sacks in the Huskies’ 23-16 win over Ohio. One of Witten’s sacks gave the Huskies a safety. He finished with five total tackles.
West Virginia’s Tyler Bitancurt’s four field goals were good enough to earn Special Teams Player of the Week. Bitancurt hit field goals of 38, 35, 36 and 45 yards and the Mountaineers survived a 33-20 scare from Liberty.
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box for Christmas and getting socks instead.
His feelings for opposing quarterbacks are clear.
“I don’t like them,” Miller said. “I try to let them know it with my pads rather than my mouth.”
Miller is off to a good start. In his third career start, the sophomore posted 1.5 sacks and seven tackles overall in West Virginia’s win over Liberty.
Miller has put on 50 pounds since coming to college. At 250 pounds he’s still small for a defensive lineman and is considered the speed rusher on a three-man defensive front.
“I may be a little bit underweight compared to some defensive ends or defensive linemen that have been on this team in the past,” Miller said. “But for the most part, as long as I have good technique, good hands and stay low, (defensive line coach Bill) Kirelawich says I’ll be all right.”
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AP Sports Writers Joe Kay in Cincinnati, John Kekis in Syracuse, N.Y., Fred Goodall in Tampa, Fla., Will Graves in Louisville, Ky., John Raby in Charleston, W.Va., and Associated Press writer Pat Eaton-Robb in Storrs, Conn., contributed to this report.
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