College Football
Tuesday, December 21
Stopping Tomlinson a key for ECU
Associated Press

MOBILE, Ala. -- It figures that East Carolina arrived for its bowl game in a heavy rainstorm.

LaDainian Tomlinson
TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson has the respect of ECU's Steve Logan.

After all, the Pirates (No. 19 ESPN/USA Today, No. 20 AP) are no stranger to lousy weather.

Hurricane Floyd caused $7 million worth of damage to East Carolina's campus in September and displaced at least 15 football players from their homes. The Pirates, who were in South Carolina when Floyd hit, had to stay there for a week because flooding prevented them from returning home.

So when they arrived Saturday for the inaugural Mobile Alabama Bowl, the heavy rain that greeted them wasn't that big a deal. It cut their initial practice short -- they went just 30 minutes -- but it was nothing the Pirates couldn't handle.

"It's good to be here, although we got off to a slow start because of the weather," linebacker Pernell Griffin said. "But after everything we've been through, we're used to that happening to us."

The weather should be better Wednesday night when East Carolina (9-2) -- making its first bowl appearance since 1995 -- plays Texas Christian (7-4).

The meeting will be the first between the two schools, but not the last. The Horned Frogs, who currently play in the Western Athletic Conference, will join East Carolina in Conference USA in 2001.

"Obviously, for us to be playing a team from Conference USA is certainly a preview for what's ahead in the upcoming years," TCU coach Dennis Franchione said. "We're excited. It's a young and growing conference with great vision, much like our athletic department."

Luckily for East Carolina, it will be their only meeting with TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

Tomlinson set an NCAA Division I-A single-game record earlier this year by running for 406 yards against UTEP. He's already said he'll return for his senior season, but will be gone by the time TCU joins C-USA.

The school is already kicking around ideas for a Heisman Trophy campaign for Tomlinson next season, which doesn't surprise East Carolina coach Steve Logan.

"This kid is a great player and I know they are talking about a Heisman Trophy run for him next year," Logan said. "I think that is an appropriate conversation for them to be having."

Logan said the key to beating TCU is stopping the run, something the Pirates have done pretty well this season -- they allowed opponents 3.2 yards per rush.

But Logan also thinks he's got a special player that can counter Tomlinson's ability. Kick returner Keith Stokes comes into the game averaging 21.6 yards on kickoff returns and 5.5 yards on punts.

"If they kick to Keith, I think he is capable of putting on a little bit of a show," Logan said. "He can make some things happen."

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