WHERE ARE THEY NOW: DUSTIN KELLER

Purdue tight end Dustin Keller caught 68 passes for 881 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior, before the New York Jets made him the 30th overall selection in the 2008 National Football League Draft.

CFI: Take us back a little right before the draft, at the combine--you weren't necessarily a household name and you really broke out in that combine, how important was that for you?

DK: I knew coming out of Purdue, just the way everybody kind of perceived me, that’s the way that was going to be. I knew the combine was going to (be that important), even though it shouldn't be that way, that a 40 brings a guy up so much. I knew that was going to be on a lot of people’s radar and a lot people’s draft boards. You know I had the best possible outcome there. I just gave it everything I had.

CFI: I remember hearing before that, people saying, “he's got good hands, he's a playmaker but he's not that fast, he's not that athletic.” Were you scratching your head when you heard that stuff?

DK: Yeah, I don't know who put that in everyone’s head, but I was definitely determined to prove them wrong.

CFI: On draft day, the Jets traded up to get you. Did you have an inkling at all that the Jets were interested?

DK: I definitely had a thought they were interested but I didn't know they were going to trade into the first round, that kind of surprised me. I thought that if I fell that far back I was going to be picked by them as the sixth pick in the second round. But I didn't know they were going to trade into the first round.

CFI: What does that feel like when a team trades up for you?

DK: It feels great. It's an awesome feeling, especially when it ends up being in the very first round.

CFI: So far, what's it like--your NFL experience, learning under veterans like Chris Baker and Bubba Franks? How helpful have they been?

DK: They have been very helpful. Those guys have been around the league for a bunch of years being very productive. Bubba has been to a few Pro Bowls, Baker had an outstanding year last year and I'm just kind of picking at their brains learning things here and there and I think it's really working out for me.

CFI: What has been the biggest challenge so far?

DK: Just adjusting to the preciseness of the NFL. Everything has to be precise, be this certain way…you have to hit a guy at this angle--it's kind of crazy how precise it is, but I think I'm coming around.

CFI: How much do you think you’re going to be used as a pass catcher in the sense that you will be lining up wide?

DK: I couldn't give you a clear cut answer to you right now but I definitely feel that they’re going to utilize me somehow in that aspect, but we'll see.

CFI: How about this whole Brett Favre thing? Have you ever experienced anything like this in college or anywhere else, this whole media circus?

DK: No. I mean you can't trade players around in college or anything like that, but we never had any situation or story at my school, I guess, that is this big because it is a huge thing for the media but it's definitely an honor to catch passes from him.

CFI: How does it feel catching the first pass thrown to you, does it feel any different? Does it feel special?

DK: You know he throws a great ball of course, that is why he‘s been around playing for so long. But in practice, it probably wouldn't feel that different except we got a huge turnout from the fans and every single pass he completed there was just a roar from the fans like we were back in the stadium.

CFI: Is this almost like a spring game?

DK: Yeah, it almost was. It really almost was.

CFI: What do you think of Purdue’s chances this year and Curtis Painter's senior season?

DK: I talked to a few of the guys and they felt really good on where they are right now. I have all the confidence in the world in them. I think they'll get it done.

NFL DRAFT BIBLE: MOVERS & SHAKERS: STOCK RISING

BY RICK SERRITELLA
NFL DRAFT BIBLE FOUNDER


In what has been labeled as a weak ‘08 tight end class, Purdue tight end Dustin Keller (6’4, 240) has certainly catapulted to the top of the charts. The Boilermakers playmaker now has at least one touchdown in four of their first five games. On the season, Keller has 319 yards to go along with his five touchdowns.

Linebacker Xavier Adibi set up a touchdown drive with an interception and long return to help No. 17 Virginia Tech win their third straight game, 17-10, against North Carolina on Saturday. The Hokies have one of the toughest remaining schedules in all of college football and Adibi is in prime position to boost his draft stock if he is able to finish up with a strong performance over the second half of the season.

Linebacker Bo Ruud returned an interception 93 yards for a touchdown to break open the game as No. 25 Nebraska went on to a 35-17 win over Iowa State on Saturday. Ruud made the defensive play of the game after the Cyclones moved from their own 36 to the Nebraska 9 in the third quarter. The previous week, Ruud's 34-yard interception return keyed the Huskers' fourth-quarter comeback over Ball State. Standing in at 6’3 and 235-pounds, Ruud has the potential to position himself as a first round pick.

NFL DRAFT BIBLE: MOVERS & SHAKERS: STOCK FALLING

BY RICK SERRITELLA
NFL DRAFT BIBLE FOUNDER

The Nittany Lions were counting on seniors Anthony Morelli and Austin Scott to be key factors towards helping the team be competitive this season. Morelli has averaged just 219 yards passing per game, while Scott has averaged just 60 yards rushing per game. The two were thought to have been late-round picks, but may be playing their way out of the draft altogether.

The play of Virginia Tech wide out Eddie Royal has been less than spectacular, as the senior wide out has failed to perform up to expectations. Thru the first five games of the season, Royal has just nine receptions for 60 yards and has yet to reach the end zone. Once considered a possible day one pick, Royal has slipped to day two status unless he can bounce back and have a strong second half, or just simply overwhelms at the Scouting Combine.

Projected top-ten pick Quentin Groves suffered two dislocated toes in Auburn’s surprise victory over No. 4 Florida. He is expected to be out for an extended period of time.

South Carolina linebacker Jasper Brinkley opted for season-ending surgery after suffering a torn ligament in his right knee during a loss against LSU. He is expected to apply for a medical redshirt and return for a fifth season.

JASPER BRINKLEY DONE FOR THE SEASON

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Only hours after learning his senior season was finished with a knee injury, South Carolina star linebacker Jasper Brinkley was pointing toward next year.

Brinkley, on the preseason watch lists for the Lombardi and Butkus awards, sustained a right knee sprain during the Gamecocks' 28-16 loss at No. 2 LSU last Saturday.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said Monday the team expects to get a medical waiver from the NCAA so Brinkley can be with the Gamecocks in 2008. Jasper's twin, Casper, expects his younger brother to return next fall.

"He's very excited about having another chance to come back and play his whole year," said Casper, who also starts for South Carolina's defense.

When asked about his standout middle linebacker Sunday, Spurrier said Jasper would most likely miss a few days of practice but expected him to be ready when No. 16 South Carolina faces Mississippi State on Saturday.

The prognosis worsened Monday. Spurrier expected Jasper to need about three months of rehab after surgery.

"At first, he was real down about it," Casper said. "This whole year, we were planning on this being a big year, going out with a bang this year. But he's holding up pretty good."

Jasper Brinkley was a key part of South Carolina's successful start this season. He had 21 tackles and led the team with two interceptions.

More importantly, Casper said, Jasper was the leader everyone else could follow.

"Next year at this time, we might be saying, 'We're glad he got hurt,"' Spurrier said Monday night. "We all plan to be here next year. We should definitely have a stronger team next year. In a way, having Jasper here next year is a positive."

The Gamecocks were fortunate to have the 6-foot-2, 262-pounder around this year. Jasper Brinkley led the team -- and was fourth in the Southeastern Conference -- with 107 tackles, which was more than double the next highest Gamecock defender.

Jasper, though, passed up the lure of the NFL draft for his senior season.

And it looked like the right decision, at least in the eyes of Gamecock fans, when Jasper Brinkley had a late interception to preserve South Carolina's 16-12 victory at Georgia on Sept. 8.

Brinkley hoped to have a similar impact at second-ranked LSU, but was hurt in the opening quarter. He went back in briefly before leaving the game for good.

Casper said Jasper thought he only had a "little bump on the knee.

"But after the game, he was in so much pain, he knew it was serious," Casper Brinkley said.

Jasper Brinkley showed similar grit earlier this season, missing several preseason practices and some of the Gamecocks' season-opener against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Brinkley is the second starter South Carolina's defense has lost for the year. Defensive lineman Nathan Pepper injured his left knee on a 19-yard interception return for a touchdown in a 38-3 win over South Carolina State on Sept. 15.

Gamecock coaches shifted Casper Brinkley from linebacker to Pepper's end position. This time, Spurrier said junior linebacker Marvin Sapp, second on the team with 51 tackles a year ago, would get the call to clog up the middle the way Jasper Brinkley did so effectively.

"We've had previous injuries," Sapp said. "But we've done a great job of pulling together in times when it's really rough and key people go down."

CFI: THIS DATE IN HISTORY

Sept. 25, 1920: California knocks off the rival San Francisco Olympic Club football squad 21-0 to start a 50-game winning streak from 1920-25.

SPURRIER MAKES QB CHANGE

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Steve Spurrier is at it again, shuffling quarterbacks at South Carolina until he finds someone who plays the ball coach's game.

The latest demotee is Blake Mitchell, a fifth-year senior who only a week ago Spurrier declared would be the one to take the 16th-ranked Gamecocks (3-1) as far as they would go this season.

But after South Carolina's undefeated start ended with No. 2 LSU's 28-16 victory, Spurrier said freshman Chris Smelley would get the start when the Gamecocks return to action this week against Mississippi State (3-1).

It's the second straight year Mitchell's been benched early in the season.

"Blake's had a lot of pressure on him" and that has led to erratic performances, Spurrier said. "So we're going to give Chris Smelley a chance right now."

Mitchell lost his starting spot in 2006 after South Carolina's 18-0 loss to Georgia. He returned late in the season and led the Gamecocks to close with three straight wins -- something that hadn't happened in 33 years.

But Mitchell hasn't looked as sharp so far this year. He was 7 of 16 for 70 yards against LSU before Smelley took over.

The loss dropped South Carolina four spots in this week's ranking and ended their six-game win streak.

Spurrier had been concerned about Mitchell's tendency to hold the ball too long, missing chances to connect with receivers on timing patterns.

Smelley did a good job, Spurrier said, in getting rid of the ball quickly enough to move the Gamecocks. Smelley was 12-of-26 for 174 yards and South Carolina's only touchdown pass Saturday, a 1-yard scoring toss to Kenny McKinley.

Spurrier didn't want to get into particulars about what Mitchell did wrong to lose his spot.

"But obviously we weren't going very far and we just decided to let Chris have a chance," Spurrier said. "He threw the ball pretty well, actually."

Spurrier also didn't say if Mitchell or third-stringer Tommy Beecher would come in if Smelley was ineffective or aggravated the sprained right shoulder hurt in the Gamecocks' opener against Louisiana-Lafayette.

"Right now, Chris has a chance to go the distance," Spurrier said.

OKLAHOMA ROMPS TULSA

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- With so much talent, No. 4 Oklahoma can take turns scoring touchdowns.

Allen Patrick ran for 145 yards and two TDs, Sam Bradford threw two long touchdown passes to Juaquin Iglesias and the Sooners outraced Tulsa 62-21 Friday night.

DeMarco Murray made it into the end zone three times for the highest-scoring team in the nation -- twice on runs and once on a kickoff return.

"We've just got a lot of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball -- a lot of them. A lot of people who whenever they touch the ball, you never know what they're going to do," Murray said. "Anyone can get six points whenever they touch it."

The Sooners (4-0) have put up at least 50 points in all four games. That's only the second time in school history they've had such a streak -- they also did it in 2003, capped by a 65-13 romp over Texas.

"We didn't think it was going to be like that, especially with some question at quarterback," Iglesias said. "We still had confidence in him, but the way he's playing now and the way we are playing around him, it's like we can't really be stopped right now."

After Tulsa quickly moved downfield following an interception for an early lead, the Sooners scored on five straight first-half possessions. Patrick high-stepped into the end zone on a 29-yard burst for a touchdown, and later pushed through from the 1 to make it 35-14.

Paul Smith threw for two scores and ran for another to lead Tulsa (2-1), which scored more touchdowns than Oklahoma's first three opponents combined. But the Golden Hurricane's spread scheme -- brought from Arkansas by offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn -- couldn't keep up with all the Sooners' talent on offense.

Oklahoma racked up 553 yards of total offense, including 285 on the ground.

"We've got to play better defense than what we're playing," Tulsa coach Todd Graham said. "They're going to have rushing yards, but we can't continually give up the big play."

The Sooners are averaging 61.5 points and 562 yards per game.

"I don't care what scores are or what statistics say," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said. "Everybody's statistics at this point of the year are very skewed because of strength of schedule and this, that and the other. So I don't pay any attention to it.

"To me, it's about are we improving and getting better?"

The Sooners play next week at Colorado, then take on No. 7 Texas.

After throwing an interception on the first possession of his first road game, Bradford settled in to throw for 244 yards on 16-for-22 passing.

Bradford connected with Iglesias for a 46-yard score down the left sideline, getting cornerback Charles Davis to bite on a pump fake before delivering the deep ball. Bradford also squeezed in a 21-yard scoring pass to tight end Jermaine Gresham between two defenders.

Iglesias later shrugged off three tacklers for a 40-yard score that made it 48-21 early in the fourth quarter.

"I know when we get the ball in to any one of those guys' hands, they're bound to take it to the house sometime," Bradford said. "That's kind of what I'm trying to do right now."

"I don't know if it's easy, but it's definitely fun watching those guys make plays."

Oklahoma moved to 10-8 in Friday games. The Sooners hadn't played on a Friday since the 2002 season opener, also at Tulsa. The crowd was split about 50-50 between fans clad in Tulsa blue and Sooners crimson.

Tulsa, which came in ranked fourth in the nation in total offense, showed early on it could move the ball against a Sooners defense that was ranked second in the country.

Smith capped a seven-play drive with a 15-yard TD pass to Jesse Meyer to give Tulsa an early 7-0 lead, and the Golden Hurricane were in range for a long field goal on their second drive when linebacker Chris Chamberlain lined up at quarterback and got stuffed on fourth-and-1.

Patrick tied the game on Oklahoma's ensuing possession, and the Sooners just kept scoring.

Brennan Marion caught a 48-yard touchdown pass to get Tulsa back within 21-14, but that's as close as it got.

Smith, coming off a career-best 454-yard, five-touchdown performance against BYU, finished with 350 yards on 22-for-32 passing. Meyer caught seven passes for a career-high 114 yards.

"This might sound nuts, but we were planning on being 3-0," Smith said. "We've still got a great opportunity to have a great season here and that's everybody's plan: to go be 13-1.

"To lose to a team like that, we're not going to be too down because we know they're a great team."

FLORIDA STATE SUSPENDS TWO

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida State suspended two football players Friday after they were arrested in a bar fight that resulted in felony charges against one of them.

Junior linebacker Geno Hayes and senior fullback Joe Surratt were arrested early Friday at a bar near the Florida State campus, police and school officials said. Police said Hayes had to be subdued with a Taser and Surratt struck a police officer.

Surratt, 21, was charged with a felony count of battery on an officer. Hayes, 20, was charged on three misdemeanor counts: assault on an officer, resisting arrest without violence and disorderly conduct, Tallahassee police spokesman David McCranie said.

Both players were released on bail Friday, officials said.

"The student-athletes have been suspended per our athletics department student-athlete code of conduct policy, until all of the facts of the incident are reviewed," Florida State Athletics Director Dave Hart said in a statement.

Officers were on duty outside Potbelly's Bar looking for underage drinkers when they noticed a man later identified as Hayes screaming profanities and waving his arms, a police report said. When officers tried to talk to him, Hayes became aggressive, police said.

Hayes was pulled away by his friends, but he resisted when officers then tried to handcuff him, leading an officer to stun him with his Taser, police said.

Police said Surratt was standing nearby and officers felt he was interfering with the arrest. An officer pushed Surratt away, and he responded by striking the officer, police said.

A spokesman for Florida State's athletics department said the school didn't know if either player had a lawyer and the players weren't made available for comment. The team wasn't practicing Friday.

Hayes is the team's second-leading tackler with 19, and Surratt led Florida State with six rushing touchdowns last year but is sidelined with a broken leg.

Florida State is off this weekend, and next plays Alabama in Jacksonville on Sept. 29.

CFI: THIS DATE IN HISTORY

Sept. 21, 1997: Army defeats Duke for the first time since 1984 with a 35-17 triumph over the Blue Devils. It is also the Black Knights’ first victory over an ACC team since 1989. Army QB Ronnie McAda rushes for 88 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns while hitting 7-of-8 passes for 225 yards, 32.1 yards per completion, and a 80-yard TD strike to WR Ron Thomas.

MIAMI UPSETS No. 20 TEXAS A&M

MIAMI (AP) -- The last Thursday night game at the venerable Orange Bowl was something for the Miami Hurricanes to cherish.

And it was a win they desperately needed.

Kyle Wright threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns, Graig Cooper scored twice and the Hurricanes stymied No. 20 Texas A&M's high-powered offense in a 34-17 victory -- just the second in their last nine games against ranked opponents.

"It was a Thursday night game, prime time, so the nation got to come out and see what we really have as a University of Miami football team," Hurricanes coach Randy Shannon said.

The Aggies (3-1) entered averaging 46.3 points, scoring at least 38 in every game. Those numbers plummeted against the Hurricanes (3-1), who held a 402-240 edge in yards and said a spotlight game like this represented the perfect chance to make a statement.

It came through loud and clear.

"We just got beat, got beat by a better team," Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione said.

Wright completed 21 of 26 passes, finding Cooper with one scoring throw and Chris Zellner with another late in the third quarter to make it 31-0.

Sam Shields had six catches for 117 yards for Miami, which had three scoring drives take a combined 1 minute, 9 seconds.

"We had to trust each other, come out, play hard," Shields said. "And win."

The Hurricanes, who are 10-0 on Thursday nights at home since 1986, are leaving the Orange Bowl for Dolphin Stadium next season.

"I think this is something that's going to get us on a roll," Wright said. "It kind of got our confidence back up."

Stephen McGee had a 1-yard touchdown run with 8:03 left for Texas A&M, and backup quarterback Jerrod Johnson threw a 33-yard scoring pass to tight end Martellus Bennett with 5 seconds left.

Texas A&M's three leading rushers -- McGee, Mike Goodson and Jorvorskie Lane -- came into the game averaging a combined 235 yards, a big reason why the Aggies' were ranked fifth nationally in rushing offense with nearly 300 yards per outing.

That trio rushed for 21 yards in the first half and 69 for the game. Lane had no carries in the first half, and the Aggies didn't get on the board until Matt Szymanski's 32-yard field goal with 11:40 left.

"We just never got comfortable out there until real late," McGee said. "And of course, by then it was just too little."

The Miami mood was so joyous that university president Donna Shalala was posing for photos with smiling guests on the sideline as the clock ticked down.

"It was a big game for them," Aggies defensive back Devin Gregg said. "They realized that it's Thursday night -- everybody's watching. So they came out there a lot more aggressive."

The Hurricanes held the Aggies to 38 yards in the first half, taking a 24-0 lead. Miami scored 10 points off three Texas A&M turnovers in the final 3:40 before halftime.

Miami opened with an 18-play, 80-yard drive, with Wright going 5-for-5 on third downs, and took a 7-0 lead when Cooper took a direct snap and rumbled 7 yards for a score.

The direct snap, a new Miami wrinkle for this game, also had a role in the Hurricanes' second score.

Miami got inside the Texas A&M 10 on a fortunate bounce; Wright's pass hit off Darnell Jenkins' hands, caromed off Aggies' linebacker Mark Dodge, and landed on Jenkins -- who made the catch on the ground.

It was that kind of night for Miami.

"This is the best feeling in the world," Cooper said.

Wright was spread right like a wide receiver on third-and-2 and fourth-and-1 plays inside the Aggies' 5. Javarris James took both snaps, eventually got the first down, then scored from 1 yard out for a 14-0 lead.

Goodson fumbled the ball away later in the half, and the Hurricanes needed one play to go up 21-0. Wright hit Cooper with a screen pass and the freshman did the rest, barreling in from 12 yards out with 33 seconds left.

It got worse for Texas A&M. After a short kickoff, Cody Wallace -- an offensive lineman -- fumbled the ensuing return, the Hurricanes recovered again and Francesco Zampogna hit a 45-yarder as time expired in the half.

They ran off the field celebrating, and never had a reason to stop in the second half, either.

"Knowing this is the last year in the Orange Bowl, we want to make history here," defensive end Calais Campbell said.

CFI: THIS DATE IN HISTORY

Sept. 20, 1984: Washington State trails Utah 40-14 with nine minutes left in the game before rallying for 28 unanswered points to win 42-40.