COLLEGE FOOTBALL / GENE WOJCIECHOWSKI : At the Half, Manning and Barnett Have the Lead

Half a season deserves its share of half awards. Here are ours.

Player of the Half Season

The nominees:

--Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier.

So what if his passing numbers are so-so at best? Did you notice the Cornhuskers lead the nation in rushing offense, are second in total offense and run the option attack (four confusing variations) better than anyone? That Nebraska is undefeated? That Frazier could throw if the Cornhusker staff let him?

“It’s just like having another Heisman Trophy tailback in the backfield, that’s what he is,” said Missouri Coach Larry Smith, who watched Frazier score three times in a 57-0 Nebraska romp last Saturday and who has called the Cornhusker senior the best player in America.

--USC wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson.

The best receiver in the game . . . just ask him. One of the few players whose actions are as big as his ego.

--Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning.

No one studies offenses and defenses more than Manning. More important, no one makes better use of that information than the son of former Mississippi great Archie Manning. Gifted physically, a precision thrower and only a sophomore.

--Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel.

Humble, unflappable and unforgiving to defensive backs, Wuerffel benefits from one of the most innovative, but also one of the most demanding coaches in the business (Steve Spurrier). Great system, but great quarterback too.

--Iowa State running back Troy Davis.

The leading rusher in Division I-A. Oklahoma Coach Howard Schnellenberger says Davis’ numbers would be even more impressive if the Cyclones had a more diversified offense. Are you listening, Iowa State Coach Dan McCarney?

--Florida State quarterback Danny Kanell.

If running back Warrick Dunn were not on the same team, Kanell might be the Heisman favorite.

The winner: Manning.

Coach of the Half Season

The nominees:

--Glen Mason, Kansas.

Retooled his defensive coaching staff during the off-season, won three games in 13 days to start the season, upset Colorado and has his team in the top 10.

--Tyrone Willingham, Stanford.

The Cardinal’s 4-1-1 start has made Athletic Director Ted Leland look like a genius for hiring the little-known Willingham.

--Northwestern’s Gary Barnett.

Engineered the two biggest upsets of the season: victories at Notre Dame and Michigan. The Wildcats will have their first home sellout since November, 1983 this Saturday against Wisconsin.

--McCarney.

Received high-intensity (and deserved) off-season scrutiny for past domestic problems, but won admirers for addressing the issue honestly and without hesitation. Has won games by instilling a new attitude in crummy program. Also smart enough to give the ball to Davis.

--Hensley Spaenter, Prairie View.

Anybody who can get the losingest team in NCAA history to play hard every week deserves some kind of award.

The winner: Barnett.

Flop of the Half Season

The nominees:

--The Big East Conference.

A combined 19-27 and only one team (Syracuse) with more victories than losses. In serious danger of not being able to fill its four bowl slots.

--The NCAA Committee on Infractions.

Did the Star Trek thing and went where no men had gone before when it shocked everyone--most of all, Alabama--by piling on the penalties.

--California.

Before season started, we said we’d become a Berkeley flower child if Golden Bears went 4-7 again. After Cal’s 1-4 start, we’re looking for a tie-dyed shirt and Hendrix lyrics.

--Texas A&M.;

Coach R.C. Slocum is rumored to be crushed by the 3-2 record. Slocum thought the Aggies would challenge for a national championship. Last Saturday they barely beat SMU, now 1-5.

--Big Ten Conference Commissioner Jim Delany.

Delany meant well, but enough with the correspondence courses to media and coaches on proper poll etiquette. “The polls will continue to sort themselves out, and I hope that the information I share with you is beneficial as you deliberate where to vote the outstanding football teams from different conferences,” wrote Delany to voters.

Translation: “The Big Ten is the best! The Big Ten is the best!”

The letters are a borderline insult and borderline campaigning.

The winner (so to speak): The Big East.

Worst Luck of Half Season

The Nominees:

--Colorado quarterback Koy Detmer.

On his way to a possible Heisman Trophy when he tore an anterior cruciate ligament against Texas A&M; . . . and nobody hit him. Tried to return two games later and reinjured brace-protected knee.

--Nevada quarterback Mike Maxwell.

The best quarterback you’ve never heard of. Completed 35 of 43 passes for 405 yards and seven touchdowns last week against Northeast Louisiana. Leads the nation in total offense.

--Army.

Its record is 1-3-1, but three losses (to Duke, Washington and Notre Dame) are by a combined 11 points.

--Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz.

Neck surgery and he has to watch inconsistent Irish.

The winner: Detmer.

THE 12-0 STATE

Things we never thought we would see: Miami humbled, Notre Dame thrilled to beat Army, and Kansas and Kansas State both undefeated and in the top 10 of the Associated Press and USA Today/CNN coaches polls.

But there they are, No. 7 and No. 8, respectively, in the two polls and with chances to move up again this week. Kansas faces No. 15 Oklahoma and Kansas State travels to No. 2 Nebraska, which should probably end the Wildcats’ stay among college football’s elite.

Whatever happens, both coaches are going to be in hot demand at season’s end. Mason wanted the Ohio State job, but John Cooper survived the palace coup. Now Mason might get his pick of some attractive potential openings (Arizona State? Cal? Georgia?). Meanwhile, Bill Snyder is considered possible NFL material.

Kansas State had never been ranked in the top 10 until this season. Kansas hasn’t been ranked this high since January of 1969, when Bobby Douglass and John Riggins played for the Jayhawks.

Kansas State has won 11 consecutive regular-season games, the longest streak since the Wildcats won 13 in a row in 1909-10. Kansas has won seven consecutive regular-season games dating back to last year.

Kansas State has won 19 more games in the 1990s (41-21-1) than it did during the 1980s (22-86-1). Kansas has given up only one rushing touchdown.

THE REST

Executive privilege goes only so far at the Oklahoma-Texas game. According to the Dallas Morning News, Texas Gov. George W. Bush sat next to the Sooner section and, said Bush, “just below where people spit from the upper deck.” By the way, who’s making the late-game decisions at Texas these days, Coach John Mackovic or Bevo? Rather than break a fourth-quarter tie with a 28-yard field-goal attempt with one of the nation’s best kickers, Mackovic decided to run the option on a fourth and one from the Oklahoma 11. Loss of seven yards. Tie game. . . . Northwestern is a victory away from qualifying for only its second bowl appearance in school history. The 5-1 Wildcats, whose first and last postseason game was the 1949 Rose Bowl, won’t have it easy. Three of their next five opponents (Wisconsin, Penn State, Iowa) are ranked in the top 25 and the other two (Illinois and Purdue) are solid. A side note: During that 1948 season, Northwestern’s only two losses were to Notre Dame and Michigan. . . . Does ESPN’s Lee Corso know something that Alabama doesn’t? Corso said this will be Gene Stallings’ final season as Crimson Tide coach.

Georgia is 4-2 and has won consecutive road games for the first time since 1982, but the Bulldogs are almost out of tailbacks. When freshman Torin Kirtsey injured his ankle on the second play from scrimmage Saturday against Vanderbilt, it marked the seventh Georgia tailback to go down this season. By the second half, Coach Ray Goff had enlisted backup quarterback Hines Ward to run the ball. . . . Prairie View’s NCAA-record losing streak grew to 53 last Saturday, but at least there was a glimmer of hope. The Panthers came within 11 points of beating Alcorn State, the closest margin of defeat since Prairie View lost to Southern University, 12-7, in 1992. . . . No one ever accused Miami of having die-hard fans. A crowd of 19,747, the lowest total in 13 years, showed up at the 74,476-seat Orange Bowl last Saturday. . . . USC’s Johnson shouldn’t feel insulted by Holtz calling him, “Keyshawn Jones.” After all, Holtz is famous for botching names. Our favorite: “University of Boston College.”

Where’s crowd control when you need it? Vicky Fulmer, wife of Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer, was seen hugging her husband on the sidelines with 1:14 still remaining in the Volunteers’ 41-14 victory at Alabama. About 30 seconds later, she was doing the Georgia Frontiere imitation again. Hard to blame her. It was Tennessee’s first victory over the Crimson Tide since 1985. . . . After yet another poor game by Notre Dame quarterback Ron Powlus, you have to wonder if Gus Ornstein regrets his decision to transfer to Michigan State this season. . . . At least one coach in the USA Today/CNN poll changed his first-place vote from a week ago. Third-ranked Florida, the only top-five team not to receive a No. 1 vote last week, finally received one this week. Here’s guessing it was either Auburn’s Terry Bowden or Florida’s Spurrier who switched. . . . Missouri hasn’t had a winning season since 1983 and doesn’t appear to be headed for one this year, either. USC refugee Larry Smith went 3-8-1 last season and is 2-4 in 1995, his last two losses coming on shutouts by Kansas State and Nebraska. Needless to say, Tiger fans are a little, uh, restless, especially as they watch former Big Eight Conference sluggos Kansas State and Kansas move into the top 10. “To me, it just comes down to who’s faithful and who’s not,” Smith said. “This is the time when this football team needs some support. I know it’s hard to support a loser, a team that’s been wiped out the last two weeks. It’s damn hard.” Missouri fans will be thrilled to hear that Smith figures it’s going to take “three or four” more recruiting classes to get on a solid base.

Top 10

As selected by staff writer Gene Wojciechowski

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No. Team Record 1. Nebraska 6-0 2. Florida State 6-0 3. Ohio State 6-0 4. Florida 6-0 5. USC 6-0 6. Tennessee 6-1 7. Kansas 6-0 8. Michigan 5-1 9. Kansas State 6-0 10. Colorado 5-1

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Waiting list: 11. Northwestern (5-1); 12. Oregon (5-1); 13. Auburn (4-2); 14. Oklahoma (4-1-1); 15. Notre Dame (5-2); 16. Virginia (6-2); 17. Texas (4-1-1); 18. Washington (4-2); 19. Iowa (5-0); 20. Penn State (4-2); 21. Texas Tech (3-2); 22. Syracuse (5-1); 23. Stanford (4-1-1); 24. Texas A&M; (3-2); 25. Alabama (4-2).