To know list: 8 straight winners—top that, Lance Armstrong

Sporting News, The, August 4, 2003

COLLEGE FOOTBALL REVS UP

(1) COMEBACK KIDS

Pain, pain, go away

The words are trite and tiring. Frank Gore was this, Frank Gore was that. Frank Gore could've been this, would've been that. "Who cares about that stuff?" says Gore, Miami's sophomore tailback. "You have to live in the present."

OK, the present: Miami coaches still are hesitant to let Gore, their sophomore tailback, sustain any contact once fall camp begins this week. Gore blew out his knee two springs ago, when he was atop the depth chart and ahead of some guy named Willis McGahee. We know the story from there, and so does Gore. And it's worn out.

That's what has made his last 16 months so unbearable. In January 2002, he was racing by the Nebraska defense (OK, who wasn't?) in the Rose Bowl and finishing his freshman season aver aging 9.1 yards per carry as the top backup to Clinton Portis. Gore is healthy now--100 percent, he says--but the staff isn't taking any chances.

"We have to be extremely careful," says coach Larry Coker.

Here's why: After Gore, who isn't as big as McGahee but, believe it or not, is probably faster, the depth chart gets shaky. Jarrett Payton, the top backup, has done little in three years at Miami. The staff thinks freshman Tyrone Moss is good enough to be a factor in the rotation, but only if he's needed. If Gore stays healthy, he'll be in the Heisman Trophy race. If he doesn't, we'll probably see a new Big East champion in 2003.

Three other star players whose attempts to return from injury or illness will help shape the camp season:

Kevin Burnett, Tennessee linebacker. Injury: knee, missed all of last season. The staff held him out of daily contact in the spring but wants to increase his level of activity in fall camp to find out if he still can give and take punishment.

Lee Evans, Wisconsin wide receiver. Injury: knee, missed all of last season. He wasn't touched in spring practice, especially considering he hurt the knee in a useless scrimmage the previous spring. He won't be touched in fall camp, either, which means his first contact in more than 16 months will be in the season opener at West Virginia.

Greg Gathers, Georgia Tech defensive end. Illness: kidney disorder, missed final three months of last season. He had a bad reaction to his original medication last year, lost 15 pounds and finally redshirted. He hasn't been cleared to hit and in the meantime will work on conditioning in camp. Team physicians still don't know if or how the disorder would be affected by the rigors of playing.--Matt Hayes

(2) START IT UP

Best position battles

Oklahoma quarterbacks. Jason White was named starter in the summer as a means of motivating Brent Rawls, a talented but immature sophomore. White's history of knee injuries won't sway Sooners coaches against him, but Rawls will have the chance to win the job.

Auburn running backs. Camell Williams is the projected starter, but the Tigers have four backs who could start for a majority of the teams in the nation. Williams and Ronnie Brown will split reps early in camp; Brandon Jacobs and Tre Smith will have to produce in scrimmages to get a longer look. The staff wants a rotation of three by the end of camp.

Penn State running backs. Joe Paterno doesn't necessarily like playing freshmen in key roles; he knows what he has in Mike Gasparato, a steady junior. Freshman Austin Scott, on the other hand, has dynamic potential but must prove--in less than a month--that he can hold on to the ball, pick up blitzes and take a pounding.--M.H.

(3) REMEMBER THE NAME

Lynell Hamilton

He isn't Marshall Faulk. But Lynell Hamilton has that glide, that smooth, sleek lean when he hits the hole and stops, then changes direction again, with 4.4 speed that evokes memories of yon know-who. He's the biggest recruit ever to sign with San Diego State, bigger than Faulk, who really wasn't that big at all. The L-Train is 6-1, 215 pounds, and if all goes as planned, he'll be the nation's most prolific freshman. Commit his name to memory now, check on his progress in camp in a week or two--and then spring him on your BCS conference-minded friends.--M.H.

(4) THE BRODIE BUNCH

3 offenses, 1 year

Who's got the toughest job ahead of him in fall camp? Try Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle, who will walk onto the practice field in Tuscaloosa to learn his third new offense in the past year. The poststrip--er, postscript--to Mike Price's spring meltdown is this: Croyle (who was a freshman last season under Dennis Franchione) and the rest of the team will get their first look at their new offense on Day 1 of camp. Their summer consisted of conditioning and basic pass scales, nothing remotely close to what Mike Shula will unveil this week. When Shula was hired, he said he would use some principles of Price's offense. But since Shula brought in Dave Rader as offensive coordinator, that tune has changed. Shula recently announced camp practices will he closed. Forget about the offense becoming public knowledge--he'd better worry about Croyle's spinning head.--M.H.