Team to operate tailback by committee in ’02

By Hannah Gordon
Daily Bruin Reporter

Having lost their chief executive, the Bruins will operate
tailback by committee in 2002. As of Saturday’s scrimmage,
the culmination of spring practice, the committee was running
things just fine.

Junior Akil Harris retired with 33 yards on four carries and a
touchdown while sophomore Manuel White Jr. bowed out with 67 yards
on six carries and a touchdown of his own.

“I’d like to look at it as two starters,”
Toledo said of Harris and White when pressed about who will start
in the fall.

Although White played both fullback and tailback Saturday,
neither of the starters saw too much time due to risk of injury and
the fact that both have already proved themselves. As a result, the
group of redshirt freshman backs (Wendell Mathis, Tyler Ebell and
Jason Harrison) had the opportunity to pitch themselves to a crowd
of about 2500. By the end of the day, they had won over quite a few
followers.

Mathis led the Bruins with 88 yards on four carries including a
71-yard touchdown run to end the scrimmage. In accordance with the
cooperative approach, Mathis deflected attention from himself.

“With the talent these players have, any one of them could
have broke that run,” Mathis said, as six-year-olds and
sixty-year-olds flocked around him for autographs.
“We’ve all been leaders at the various programs that we
came from, and as a unit we’re working well.”

His sentiments were shared by Harris, whom Mathis looks up to
for being a serious player always willing to tutor the younger
backs.

“We all get what we have to get so our running game can
dominate,” Harris said.

Indeed, the backs dominate, and entertain, because each brings
different qualities to the game.

“Mathis has real breakaway speed. Harrison’s a
physical runner. Ebell’s got speed; he makes you miss,”
Toledo said.

Harrison had a 23-yard touchdown, but it was called back on a
penalty. He broke another long run along the sideline for 33 yards.
All the backs also had their share of receptions, from redshirt
freshman quarterback John Sciarra to senior Cory Paus.

However, Ebell had an uncharacteristically difficult day. He
finished with three carries for only five yards.

In contrast to the board of backs, the campaign for starting
quarterback was a two man run-off after walk-on transfer Scott
Schmitz dropped out last week.

Paus was the unequivocal leader going 9-of-13 for 211 yards, one
touchdown and no interceptions. Always more comfortable with the
deep ball, he connected with senior tight end Mike Seidman for a
54-yard touchdown and junior wide receiver Tab Perry for a 53-yard
gain. But quarterbacks coach John Pearce was also pleased with
Paus’ accuracy on the short and underneath balls.

Redshirt freshman John Sciarra fumbled once and threw an
interception, but the coaches were nonetheless pleased with his
overall progress during spring. He finished 11-of-22 for 178
yards.

“For what we thought, he did a pretty good job,”
Toledo said. “Cory’s got a lot more experience and
confidence right now.”

However, Toledo will still not name a starter until the week of
the Colorado State game, largely because he wants to make sure Paus
stays out of trouble.

“We are waiting for the freshmen and I want them to
realize they have an opportunity.”

Perry led the Bruins with five receptions for 99 yards, followed
by Seidman who had three receptions for 95 yards. Senior linebacker
Marcus Reese had an interception, and sophomore strong safety
Jibril Raymo recovered a fumble and broke up a pass.