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Williams, Ford Iffy For FIU Game

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 17, 2008

TAMPA Because of lingering ankle injuries, the playing status for University of South Florida RBs Ben Williams and Mike Ford remains unknown for Saturday's game at Florida International.

Even if they are ready, however, they won't necessarily see much time because of the recent play of RBs Jamar Taylor, Moise Plancher and Richard Kelly.

"Ben looks good, Mike's getting there," USF coach Jim Leavitt said. "But it's hard to beat out some of those guys. Mo Plancher and Taylor are pretty good. How fair is it to those guys? It's not like they're going to come in there and just beat those guys out. They've lost a little bit of ground, we'll have to wait and see."

Williams and Ford combined for 1,070 yards and 18 TDs last year, but in USF's last two games against UCF and Kansas, they have only two combined carries for 2 yards. Both suffered ankle injuries in the opener against Tennessee Martin.

The past two weeks, Taylor has 16 carries for 81 yards and a TD and Plancher 15 carries, 65 yards and a TD.

Leavitt said Williams and Ford will definitely make the trip to FIU.

"If they don't play, it may not be because they're healthy or not," Leavitt said. "Those other guys have done pretty good."

UM REUNION: Saturday's game will be a reunion for former USF DE coach Kevin Patrick, FIU coach Mario Cristobal and FIU DL coach Bernard Clark, who were all teammates at the University of Miami.

Clark, also a former USF assistant in 2006, played at UM from 1986-90, Cristobal from 1988-92 and Patrick from 1989-93.

"I know we [Clark] played together, but he's a lot older than me," Patrick said. "We were all tight back then [at UM]. This will be for bragging rights."

ODDS AND ENDS: WR Colby Erskin, who is attempting to come back from two torn ACLs, is scheduled to return to practice Monday. … Backup CB Tyson Butler (ankle) will miss his second consecutive game with an ankle injury. … Senior captains for Saturday will be RT Marc Dile, C Jake Griffin and LBs Brouce Mompremier and Tyrone McKenzie. Dile and Mompremier are from Miami.

Brett McMurphy

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