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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 9, 2007

Knights Turning Foes' Turnovers Into Points

Which is better: Winning games early against non-conference foes or winning late against conference opponents?

The obvious answer is both, but if you can only do one, Central Florida is opting for the latter.

The Knights have won three consecutive league games by an average margin of 24 points and look improved every week. UCF has forced 11 turnovers in the three games and lost only two. The Knights scored 44 points off those turnovers.

"The offense and defense are feeding off of each other," UCF coach George O'Leary said. "It's nice to get turnovers and do something with them."

Junior RB Kevin Smith is producing numbers that have him considering entering the NFL draft. Smith leads the nation with 19 TDs this season and is second in rushing with 160.9 yards a game.

If he goes, sophomore Phillip Smith (no relation) is developing rapidly into a suitable replacement.

"Phillip does things in practice that make you say 'Whoa,'" O'Leary said.

Band Causes Stir In Homecoming Game
Right on cue, the Florida A&M band provided its annual distraction to the football team in last week's game against North Carolina A&T.

The Marching 100 did their signature flying finish to a halftime performance right on the A&T bench as Aggie players were returning to the field.

The two sides squared off over whose territory it was, and soon FAMU fans were throwing things at the A&T players.
Aggie Coach Lee Fobbs pulled his team off the field, and it took 30 minutes - and a call to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference commissioner Dennis Thomas - to convince him to come back.

FAMU was warned that if fans threw anything more at the Aggie players, the Rattlers would forfeit the game.

All told, there was a one-hour break between the last play of the second quarter and kickoff of the third quarter.

"It's homecoming, it happens every year," senior WR Willie Hayward said. "We expected that."

Wildcats Losing Games In Closing Minutes

The story line hasn't changed much for Bethune-Cookman University's football team this season.

The Wildcats play just well enough to lose, almost always the victim of their own mistakes at the end of games.

The 31-24 loss to Hampton last week on a 30-yard interception return with 26 seconds left in the game is the latest example of what Coach Alvin Wyatt calls "letting another one get away."

Said Wyatt: "This could have been a huge one for our program."

So could the losses to Delaware State, Norfolk State and Winston-Salem State, all games the Wildcats either led or had a chance to win in the final minutes.

As it is, B-CU is destined for a second consecutive losing season under Wyatt, after having eight straight winning seasons.

"We've got to keep their heads up," Wyatt said, "make them practice and play hard and not feel sorry for themselves."

Bill Fay

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