COLLEGE FOOTBALL / WEEK 2 : In The Spotlight : Vick Makes Quick Impression

Michael Vick, Virginia Tech’s redshirt freshman quarterback, was as spectacular as advertised in the No. 11 Hokies’ 47-0 rout of James Madison at Blacksburg, Va.

But when he’ll play again is uncertain.

Vick ran for three touchdowns, including two show-stoppers, in 1 1/2 quarters before leaving because of a lower leg contusion. The injury came on the best of the three plays, a seven-yard run that made the score 23-0 midway through the second quarter.

Vick dived toward the end zone, got hit and was upended, his body flipping completely before he landed awkwardly on his feet in the end zone.

“I was about four yards from the end zone and I don’t know what made me jump,” he said. “Two guys hit me I thought and I was going to land on my head.”

Vick lay on the field for several minutes being attended by trainers before he limped to the sidelines. X-rays showed no break, but Vick will be reevaluated, the school said.

“I expect to be on the field next week,” the quarterback said of Saturday’s game against Alabama Birmingham. “If I have to be in treatment three times a day, then I’ll go. I plan to be ready.”

A MIXED BAG OF COACHING DEBUTS

Sixteen major college coaches started the season in new jobs, with varying results.

A look at a select few:

* Dennis Erickson, who won two national championships at Miami before jumping to the Seattle Seahawks, guided Oregon State to a 28-13 victory over Nevada at Reno, Nev., keeping the Wolf Pack winless against the Pacific 10 Conference since 1947.

“Any win is a good win,” Erickson said, “but yeah, it’s nice to get that first one.”

* Lou Holtz, who won a national championship at Notre Dame, returned to the sideline after a year as a television commentator but couldn’t prevent South Carolina from losing to North Carolina State, 10-0, at Raleigh, N.C.

“It’s disappointing, but it’s a start,” he said.

* John Robinson, who won a national championship at USC, enjoyed a successful debut with Nevada Las Vegas as the Rebels ended a 16-game losing streak Thursday night with a 26-3 victory over North Texas at Denton, Texas.

* Gary Barnett, who took Northwestern to the 1996 Rose Bowl, made a forgettable debut at Colorado, watching the No. 14 Buffaloes make six turnovers and give up nine sacks in a 41-14 loss to Colorado State at Denver.

* Randy Walker, who replaced Barnett at Northwestern, had his debut ruined by the school he left, Miami of Ohio, which routed the Wildcats, 28-3, at Evanston, Ill.

* Tommy Bowden, who coached Tulane to an unbeaten record last season with a high-powered offense, watched his first Clemson team sputter offensively in a 13-10 loss to Marshall at Clemson, S.C.

* Kirk Ferentz of Iowa, making his head coaching debut, watched No. 5 Nebraska score 35 points in the second half to crush his Hawkeyes, 42-7, at Iowa City.

“Obviously,” he said, “it wasn’t too enjoyable.”

HAS ANYBODY READ IT?

Washington State, which led Division I last season with 40 turnovers, committed five in a 27-7 loss to Utah at Pullman, Wash., and was also whistled for nine penalties.

“I wish you could see our playbook,” Cougar Coach Mike Price said, “because right in the front it says to avoid penalties and turnovers.”

VIEW FROM ABOVE

Two coaches of Top 10 teams--Barry Alvarez of ninth-ranked Wisconsin and George O’Leary of No. 10 Georgia Tech--set up shop in the press box on opening day.

Alvarez moved upstairs for the second half of the Badgers’ 49-10 rout of Murray State at Madison, Wis., after coaching the first half on crutches on the sideline. He had fluid drained from his right knee earlier in the week, and aggravated the injury before halftime.

O’Leary was forced to the press box for the Yellow Jackets’ 49-14 victory over Navy at Annapolis, Md., after being penalized by the NCAA in April for making an improper loan to former running back C.J. Williams. It wasn’t the vantage point he preferred, but it kept him out of a driving rain.

“It wasn’t a bad way to go,” he said. “I stood the whole time and stayed in contact with the offense, defense and kicking game.”

But he was missed, and he will take his usual spot in front of the bench Saturday when the Yellow Jackets face top-ranked Florida State.

“It was a little strange without him there,” said running back Phillip Rogers. “We’re used to his presence. It will be great to have him back on the sideline.”

SUDDEN IMPACT

With the starting quarterback turned cheerleader on the sideline, freshman Kyle Boller from Newhall Hart High took over and helped California to a 21-7 victory over Rutgers at Berkeley.

Boller passed for only 89 yards, completing eight of 15, but one went for a 17-yard touchdown to Michael Ainsworth, a freshman from Monrovia High, and helped seal the victory.

Boller replaced starter Samuel Clemons midway through the second quarter after Clemons had some trouble getting plays off in time near the goal line.

“Sam lost track of the time in those delays,” said Cal Coach Tom Holmoe. “We needed to change the tempo and Kyle got our momentum back.”

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

Vanderbilt often gives Alabama fits but usually has to settle for moral victories against the Crimson Tide, which has won 28 of its last 29 games against the Commodores.

Maybe that’s why Vanderbilt Coach Woody Widenhofer praised his team after a 28-17 loss at Nashville, Tenn., saying that the Commodores, seeking their first victory against Alabama since 1984, played tough against the No. 20 Crimson Tide despite squandering a 17-14 lead.

“That’s why we had the lead in the fourth quarter,” said the coach, whose team was 2-9 last season. “To play your opener in 90-degree heat against a top-20 team and to have the lead in the fourth quarter . . . I’m proud of how we played.”

NOT TIPPING HIS HAND

Penn State continued to rotate quarterbacks Kevin Thompson and Rashard Casey in its 70-24 victory over Akron at State College, Pa.

Thompson completed five of eight passes for 188 yards and Casey two of two for 29 as Coach Joe Paterno alternated his quarterbacks from series to series in the first three quarters.

“We’re winning,” Casey said, “so I assume it’s working.”

Paterno, who has never played two quarterbacks for a whole season, remained vague about whether he would continue the rotation or whether he is auditioning someone before the Nittany Lions get to the meat of the schedule Sept. 18 at No. 8 Miami.

“I don’t know. They were both pretty good today,” Paterno said. “I’m not trying to create any problems for myself by trying to establish one guy as quarterback.”

REMEMBRANCE

Northwestern observed a moment of silence before its game in memory of three people--former Wildcat fullback Matt Hartl, who died last week from Hodgkin’s Disease; and former basketball coach Ricky Byrdsong and former Wildcat defensive tackle Bobby Russ, who were shot and killed in separate incidents this year.

--Compiled by Jerry Crowe