Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

Tuesday, September 19, 1995     Page: 1B

Texas Tech romp looks good to Lions
   
The scores were pretty ugly:
    Florida State 77, North Carolina State 17; Nebraska 77, Arizona State 28;
Penn
   
State 66, Temple 14; Texas A&M 52, Tulsa 9; USC 45, Houston 10For the most
part, last Saturday afternoon was just a classic case of Goliath beating up on
David.
   
With the exception of LSU’s upset win over No.5-ranked Auburn, the nation’s
top college football teams did nothing more than conduct scrimmages against
undermanned opponents.
   
But there was one compelling score that may have gone unnoticed by some
fans: Texas Tech 41, Missouri 14.
   
Obviously, Texas Tech is a pretty good team. Certainly, a much better team
than Penn State fans expected before the Red Raiders’ near-upset of the
Nittany Lions Sept. 9.
   
Texas Tech earned a lot of respect in its 24-23 loss to the Nittany Lions.
The truth is, the Red Raiders should have pulled off the upset. They just
couldn’t contain Wally Richardson and Bobby Engram.
   
Missouri entered Saturday’s game with a 1-1 record. Tigers weren’t
considered a national power, but they’re probably a better team than Temple,
Tulsa or Houston.
   
So, all of the sudden, Penn State’s narrow victory over Texas Tech doesn’t
seem so trite.
   
Certainly, it was more meaningful than the Lions’ romp over hapless Temple,
which extended PSU’s winning streak to 19 games — the nation’s longest.
   
The most significant aspect of the Temple game was the unveiling of Lion
freshman running back Curtis Enis, who rushed for 132 yards and three
touchdowns at mop-up time.
   
Enis, who is a true freshman, is already being compared to Curt Warner and
Ki-Jana Carter by some members of the media. That’s jumping the gun just a
bit.
   
No one should be saddled with those kind of expectations, especially after
only one game.
   
Enis does resemble Warner and Carter in one regard. At 6-foot-1, 231
pounds, he’s a big, strong runner. On several occasions Saturday, it took at
least three Temple defenders to bring him down.
   
Engram, the Lions’ senior star receiver, went so far as to compare Enis
with one of the sport’s greatest runners.
   
“He runs like Jim Brown,” Engram told The Associated Press. “He’s a
physical back, but at the same time he has the speed to run away from guys.”
   
How much playing time Enis will receive this season probably depends on how
well starter Mike Archie holds up. Archie left the Temple game in the second
half with back spasms.
   
Coach Joe Paterno’s disdain for freshmen is well-documented. A Marine Corp
private gets more respect from his drill sergeant than a Lion rookie commands
from Paterno.
   
But if Enis turns out to be the real deal, Paterno will continue to let him
see action.
   
Make no mistake, Richardson and Engram are Penn State’s big guns. If they
both stay healthy, Penn State figures to keep winning.
   
It’s too early to tell how this team compares to last year’s Nittany Lion
squad, which went 12-0 and won the Rose Bowl.
   
Penn State’s next two opponents, Rutgers and Wisconsin, aren’t likely to
provide the answers. After that, Purdue and Ohio State might.
   
For now, Texas Tech is the best indication that the Nittany Lions are
worthy of high expectations.
   
Van Rose is a Times Leader sports writer. His column appears on Tuesday.