Tuesday, December 21 Stopping Tomlinson a key for ECU
Associated Press
MOBILE, Ala. -- It figures that East Carolina arrived
for its bowl game in a heavy rainstorm.
TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson has the respect of ECU's Steve Logan.
After all, the Pirates (No. 19 ESPN/USA Today, No. 20 AP) are no stranger to lousy weather.
Hurricane Floyd caused $7 million worth of damage to East
Carolina's campus in September and displaced at least 15 football
players from their homes. The Pirates, who were in South Carolina
when Floyd hit, had to stay there for a week because flooding
prevented them from returning home.
So when they arrived Saturday for the inaugural Mobile Alabama
Bowl, the heavy rain that greeted them wasn't that big a deal. It
cut their initial practice short -- they went just 30 minutes -- but
it was nothing the Pirates couldn't handle.
"It's good to be here, although we got off to a slow start
because of the weather," linebacker Pernell Griffin said. "But
after everything we've been through, we're used to that happening
to us."
The weather should be better Wednesday night when East Carolina (9-2) -- making its first bowl appearance since 1995 -- plays Texas Christian (7-4).
The meeting will be the first between the two schools, but not
the last. The Horned Frogs, who currently play in the Western
Athletic Conference, will join East Carolina in Conference USA in
2001.
"Obviously, for us to be playing a team from Conference USA is
certainly a preview for what's ahead in the upcoming years," TCU
coach Dennis Franchione said. "We're excited. It's a young and
growing conference with great vision, much like our athletic
department."
Luckily for East Carolina, it will be their only meeting with
TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson.
Tomlinson set an NCAA Division I-A single-game record earlier
this year by running for 406 yards against UTEP. He's already said
he'll return for his senior season, but will be gone by the time
TCU joins C-USA.
The school is already kicking around ideas for a Heisman Trophy
campaign for Tomlinson next season, which doesn't surprise East
Carolina coach Steve Logan.
"This kid is a great player and I know they are talking about a
Heisman Trophy run for him next year," Logan said. "I think that
is an appropriate conversation for them to be having."
Logan said the key to beating TCU is stopping the run, something
the Pirates have done pretty well this season -- they allowed
opponents 3.2 yards per rush.
But Logan also thinks he's got a special player that can counter
Tomlinson's ability. Kick returner Keith Stokes comes into the game
averaging 21.6 yards on kickoff returns and 5.5 yards on punts.
"If they kick to Keith, I think he is capable of putting on a
little bit of a show," Logan said. "He can make some things
happen."
