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Thursday, October 03, 2002

By Shelly Anderson, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Miami quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Ken Dorsey apparently has added a new dimension to his game.

Perhaps feeling he has become a target, Dorsey has taken hold of a Hurricanes tradition this season. He has been feistier than in the past and sometimes quick to engage in trash talk.

The topic bubbled over in the days after Miami's 38-6 win Sept. 21 against Boston College. The top-ranked Hurricanes (4-0, 2-0 in the conference) were off last weekend.

"I just hate Boston College, to be perfectly honest. They're not a bunch of choir boys," Dorsey said when asked about getting hit hard and knocked down by the Eagles during their game, adding that their game plan was to "blitz and try to hit me any way possible -- late, on time, whatever."

He later softened his comments, saying he's competitive and dislikes all opponents. He added that he's trying to stay on a more even keel unless things get dirty.

"If you don't play with emotion, you're not enjoying yourself," Dorsey said. "I'm sure there are times when guys start yapping at me, and I'm not going to sit there and take it."

Hurricanes Coach Larry Coker indicated that maybe Dorsey had a point about Boston College's physical play.

"I think we really need to protect not just our quarterback, but all quarterbacks," he said. "I really can't say anything bad about the officials and don't want to. But for sure, those things need to be called. The more you let it slide, the more you get away with it, the more you're going to have it."

Official remarks

Coaches aren't supposed to criticize officials, but Rutgers Coach Greg Schiano had some things to say about the Southeastern Conference crew that worked his team's 35-14 loss Saturday at Tennessee.

He said there were seven or eight plays he considered pivotal that hurt the Scarlet Knights and that "five were associated with officiating."

"It's easy to see on film when you slow it down that several calls we watched on tape and on the TV tapes were improperly made," Schiano said. "But the officials don't have those luxuries. They have to do it with the naked eye."

Schiano, who did not seem angry, said those calls might have made a difference in the outcome. Rutgers held a surprising 14-7 halftime lead.

In non-conference games, officials often are from the conference of the visiting team. Not in this case.

School of hard knocks

Tyrone Ditzel, a senior defensive end at Temple, learned a lesson you don't get in a classroom.

When Ditzel became academically ineligible for the 2001 season, Coach Bobby Wallace took away his scholarship.

"He basically just wanted me to grow up," Ditzel said recently. "At the time, I didn't think it was fair. He wanted me to see what it's like out there, how hard it is to work for a living."

Ditzel moved in with a friend and worked at an auto parts store and then a car rental company. He still needed student loans to cover tuition. He did well enough in school to regain eligibility. Wallace restored his scholarship for this season.

"The biggest thing I learned was, nobody is going to give you anything," Ditzel said. "That's something maybe too many athletes aren't aware of, until maybe it's too late. I always had the mind-set that I'd get taken care of, even if I didn't take care of business. Turns out I was wrong."

Ditzel has 22 tackles and two fumble recoveries for the Owls (1-4, 0-1), who are off this week.

Game of the week

West Virginia (3-1) could put together a nice little non-conference showing before it starts league play if it can beat Maryland (3-2) Saturday at Mountaineer Field.

West Virginia has won four of the teams' past six meetings. The Mountaineers lead the NCAA in team rushing with 345.5 yards per game, including Avon Cobourne's 159.5 a game, also No. 1. The team is second in total offense, 512.75 yards a game.

Quote of the week

Schiano after his team's loss at Tennessee:

"I think [our players] realized they played the best they've ever played as a team. They also realized that wasn't good enough to win. That's what's so disappointing."