Campus Watch

Erie Community College is getting ready to kick off its 10th season of football at Jim Ball Stadium. The Kats are coming off a 4-6 record last year. Dennis Green begins his 10th year with the Kats with a record of 56-35.

Brooks Estarfaa is ECC's returning rusher with 236 yards in 2009. Also back are running backs Zedric Joseph (194 yards) and Tyheen Taylor (181 yards) though Joseph will not play in today's game. He is serving a two-game suspension for violating the NJCAA Sportsmanship policy after being ejected in a game last year against Alfred State.

ECC is 7-2 in season openers.

Check back for updates throughout the game.

First quarter: In the first two series there were six flags, including a personal foul on the ECC defense which gave Louisburg a first-and-10 instead of a fourth-and-16. The result -- a 2-yard TD run by Sam Kidd and a 7-0 lead for the Hurricanes with 9:20 left in the first quarter.

End of the first quarter and Louisburg leads, 7-0. It's but by the grace of the defense that the Kats are down only a touchdown. The Hurricanes twice had the ball inside the ECC 10-yard line and twice came up empty.

ECC lost its chance to gain some momentum at the end of the quarter, fumbling away the ball at midfield with 13 seconds left to the break.

Second quarter: First play in the quarter and Jammal Williams' 31-TD run sets the tone. A missed PAT gives Louisburg a 13-0 lead.

Another ECC fumble, another Louisburg score. It took four tries from the 2-yard line, but Williams ran it in on fourth down on a pitch out. with the PAT, Louisburg has a 20-0 lead with 1:42 left in the half.

The Kats finally got their offense going in the final minutes, driving 54 yards on 12 plays in 1:25 thanks to quick, big pass plays from QB Taylor Henry. On fourth down from the 5 Henry connected with Gavin Gaiser for the score. The PAT missed, cutting Louisburg's lead to 20-6.

Halftime: Louisburg leads, 20-6 with the Kats getting momentum at the end of the half with a score in the final 20 seconds. Still, ECC had a sloppy first half offensively, with seven fumbles, including four lost, while gaining just 49 total yards. Louisburg managed 154 yards as the Kats defense actually played rather well, considering Louisburg routinely had drive starts in ECC territory.

Third quarter: And the pattern continues -- an ECC fumble leads to a Louisburg TD, helped out by a roughing-the passer call on the Kats defense. A 5-yard TD run by Williams and a good kick after makes it 27-6 Louisburg with 8:01 left in the quarter.

A new twist ... an interception return for a TD by Louisburg. Sam Kidd picked off the pass and returned it 34 yards, making it 34-6 with 6:33 left in the quarter.

A fumble in the endzone recovered by Louisburg makes it 41-6.

Fourth quarter: After the Kats put up a solid goal line stance to get the ball back, ECC gives away the ball and more points as an interception return for a TD and PAT makes it 48-6 for Louisburg.

There is an ECC offense. With 4:51 left to play, Henry connected with Obadiah Dykes for a 4-yard TD pass. The Kats went for two and missed the conversion making it 48-12.

Final: Louisburg takes the win, 48-12, as ECC starts the season 0-1. The Kats take to the road for their next two games, playing at DuPage Sept. 11.

--- Amy Moritz

The Buffalo News' college football preview section is included in today's newspaper, and if you live in the area I hope you get a chance to pick up a copy. There are some great graphics and layouts of the stories, and only seeing them on the web doesn't do the section justice. Here are the stories available on the web:

---Jeff Quinn, pictured above, goes all in at UB.

---Quinn has a difficult task of following "The Man."

---Davonte Shannon set to join exclusive club.

---Alabama's talent pool is deep enough to repeat.

---Five things to look for in college football this season.

---Temple has all the goods for a Golden season in the MAC.

---ECC's Larry Whitner is on the fast track.

---Jerry Boyes wants Buffalo State to stop thinking and start playing.

---Curtis Underwood's time has finally come.

---Walk-ons earn scholarships at UB.

---Adam Rosner helps Syracuse get in line. 

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

It is a sad day for me with the death of the legendary John Wooden. He was not only was the definition of success as a coach, but also a success as a man.

I was reading his book published last year called "A Game Plan for Life" when I came across this quote: "If you try to make the effort, you will have peace with yourself. My peace assures that I'm not afraid of death. I'm not going to intentionally hurry it up, but I'm not afraid of it. I think at least part of my longevity is because I have peace within myself."

Here are some of my favorite Wooden quotes:

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out."

"Never mistake activity for achievement."

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

"A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment."

"I'd rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent."

"Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."

Truly words to live by.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Depew offensive lineman John Kling’s commitment is the first of what should be many in the upcoming months for UB football. They recently offered scholarships to several prospects with an emphasis on the secondary which loses safety Davonte Shannon and cornerback Domonic Cook, a pair of four-year starters in 2011. Some of the 2011 prospects include:

Cornerback Jared Boyd and center Tarik Cook from Stone Mountain, Ga.; cornerbacks Darius Hillary from Cincinnati and Corey Tindal from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; wide receiver Reggie McKnight from Hollywood, Fla. and Jake Duzey from Troy, Mich.; safety Neville Hewitt from Conyers, Ga.; middle linebacker Jake Lindsay from Cincinnati; and tailback Tristin Boykin from Centerville, Ohio.

---Speaking of recruiting, Scout.com's Allen Wallace put together his best and worst recruiing stories from the last decade.

---Just like he did at UB, Turner Gill places a heavy emphasis on recruiting at Kansas.

---In its College Gridiron 360 series, the Orlando Sentinel is up to No. 106: Ball State.

---A few weeks ago, Jerry Sullivan wrote about Erie Community College's athletic cutbacks. Now Buffalo Sports Daily's Patrick Moran writes how the ECC golf program attempted to raise funds to keep its program going but were informed by administrators to shut it down.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)