Notes on a Scorecard - Aug. 29, 1991

Among the busiest people in Orange County tonight will be the scoreboard operator at the Disneyland Pigskin Classic. . . .

Brigham Young averaged 42 points last season; Florida State averaged 39. Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer again will be the Cougars’ quarterback, and the Seminoles have enough skilled bodies returning to be ranked first in the nation. . . .

After several USC coaches observed Florida State during spring practice, Larry Smith called the Seminoles the fastest team ever to play college football. . . .

The game would have been sold out long ago if it were being played at Provo, Utah, or Tallahassee, Fla. There will be plenty of empty seats in Anaheim Stadium, but each school is guaranteed $600,000. . . .

BYU will dress as many players from California, 21, as from Utah. . . .

LaVell Edwards of BYU and Joe Paterno of Penn State are the only active coaches who have coached Heisman Trophy and Outland Trophy winners and a national championship team. Others are John McKay, Vince Dooley, Frank Leahy, Red Blaik, Bud Wilkinson, Woody Hayes and Bob Devaney. . . .

There will be fewer touchdowns at Anaheim Sunday when the Rams open the season against the Phoenix Cardinals. At least, Fritz Shurmur hopes so. Phoenix, going with Tom Tupa at quarterback in place of the injured Timm Rosenbach, is relying on former Ram defensive coordinator Shurmur’s unit to keep the score down. . . .

Don’t be surprised if the Raiders start quickly at Houston. They have won eight of their past nine opening games, losing only at Denver, 38-36, in 1986. . . .

Where They Are Now Dept.: Former Ram Cullen Bryant is running backs coach for Memphis State, which plays USC at the Coliseum Monday afternoon. . . .

How important are sacks? The Minnesota Vikings led the NFC with 47 last season and went 6-10. . . .

The consensus pick among baseball experts surveyed is Cincinnati Red shortstop Barry Larkin, but San Francisco Giant first baseman Will Clark would be my first choice to build a franchise around. . . .

Clark, only 27, is a fierce competitor and a terrific fielder who has an outside chance to win the triple crown. . . .

Steve Palermo is one umpire I’m rooting for. . . .

Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium already is sold out for the Brave-Dodger series Sept. 13-15. . . .

Mike Tyson will be a guest commentator on Showtime’s telecast of the Julio Cesar Chavez-Lonnie Smith, Julian Jackson-Dennis Milton doubleheader Sept. 14 from the Mirage in Las Vegas. . . .

Looking fit and trim at the Chavez-Smith news conference the other day was former lightweight champion Ray (Boom Boom) Mancini. He weighs 143 pounds, only eight above his fighting weight, but is not contemplating another comeback and is concentrating on an acting career. . . .

Evander Holyfield is cast as a football player in Paramount’s soon-to-be-released film, “Necessary Roughness.” . . .

Michael Carbajal, the International Boxing Federation light-flyweight champion and maybe the most exciting fighter around, will return in a nontitle bout against Jesus Chong on the Ray Mercer-Tommy Morrison card at Atlantic City, N.J., Oct. 18. . . .

Random House is offering George Foreman $400,000 to do his autobiography. . . .

Look-alikes: Reggie Jackson and hurdler Greg Foster. . . .

Katrin Krabbe, the graceful and long-striding German who won the women’s 100 meters in the World Championships, reminds me of Wilma Rudolph. . . .

Sonny Vaccaro, who left his executive position at Nike to join DIC Sports Marketing, will continue to run the Nike summer basketball camp and the Roundball game at Pittsburgh. . . .

Vaccaro says Ed O’Bannon’s 6-foot-5 younger brother, Charles, who will be a junior at Artesia High this season, looked terrific at the Nike camp in Indianapolis. . . .

Among those in the Patrick Ewing derby are the Golden State Warriors, who could offer the New York Knicks a package including Chris Mullin. . . .

Charles Oakley, 6 feet 9 and 240 pounds, finally found somebody he could take low--a 5-9, 160-pound bus boy. . . .

Look for the Detroit Pistons to re-sign John Salley. . . .

Troy Crowder, the former New Jersey Devil who just signed as a free agent, and Bob Probert will give the Detroit Red Wings one of the toughest tag teams in the NHL. . . .

Wayne Gretzky’s long season begins Saturday in the Canada Cup. Coach Tom Webster should give him some rest during the Kings’ regular-season schedule so he will be fresher this time for the Stanley Cup playoffs. . . .

What the Dodgers need to put some fear into the opposition is Alfredo Griffin and his face mask.