The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 4, 1996 - 27
So what, Sanders? urtis carries mountain's load
West Virginia linebacker/defensive end/tight end flashes and dashes in more spots than Neon
The Associated Press
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Quarterback,
*nning back and receiver Kordell Stewart is
"Slash" for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Defensive
back and receiver Deion Sanders is "Prime
Time" for the Dallas Cowboys.
West Virginia's utility man is Canute Curtis,
a linebacker-defensive end-tight end who is an
eclectic mix of size, strength, speed and ability.
Quarterback Chad, Johnston grins widely
when asked about Curtis, a 6-foot-2, 258-
pound fellow senior whose bench press is in the
high 400-pound range, but can run a 4.7 40-
*rd dash.
"Canute is a beast," Johnston said. "Canute
is probably one of the most talented players, if
not the most talented player, on this team. I
don't know why we. don't run behind him the
whole time."
The Beast showed scads of ability in a sea-
son-opening, 34-
0 win Saturday
over rival
Pittsburgh. He
had 2 1/2 sacks,
four solo tackles,
recovered a fum-
ble that he
forced, and had a
crushing block
on an opponent
when he lined up
with the
Mountaineers'
Curtis call
Who: West Virginia
against Western
Michigan
Where: Morgantown,
W. Va.
When: Saturday, noon
What: Canute Curtis
slashes, flashes and
dashes at three positions
against the Broncos -
linebacker, defensive end
and tight end.
goal-line offense.
Curtis, now just 1 1/2 short of Renaldo
Turnbull's school-record 22 sacks, subsequent-
ly was named Big East Defensive Player of the
Week.
He had eight sacks and 60 tackles as a
sophomore, then added 10 sacks and 62 tackles
last season.
But solid as those stats were, they were
mainly in a supporting role: Former defensive
standouts Steve Perkins, Barry Hawkins and
John Browning earned a lot of the attention.
This, however, seems clearly destined to be
Curtis' year.
"It's quite evident he's the dominant player,"
said defensive coordinator Steve Dunlap. "His
size, speed and quickness is what separates him
from the rest of the guys."
Offensive line coach Bill Legg says Curtis,
of Amityville, N.Y., knows all the
Mountaineers' goal-line formations and plays.
It's not clear yet if an end zone pass is headed
Curtis' way soon, but smart money wouldn't
bet against it.
"He's a guy who's a big body and has been in
a lot of big games and is a great athlete," Legg
said. "We just felt like with having a couple
young tight ends ... that it would give us anoth-
er big guy down on the goal line to try to knock
people off the ball.
"Canute wanted, and was interested, in doing
it," Legg said.
Dunlap believes Curtis is headed for the
NFL, and even compares his star to Kevin
Greene of the Carolina Panthers. The kudos
come after Curtis improved his conditioning.
"He would get tired and loaf last year, but he
doesn't do that now because he's in shape,"
Dunlap said, his voice rising so Curtis, finish-
ing an interview session nearby, could hear.
Some of his teammates showed similar prac-
tice habits last year, but Curtis promises West
Virginia will avoid letdowns in 1996.
"We've got a great group of guys, not just the
seniors," Curtis said. "I think some of the
young guys are more mature than they have
been in the past. They know what they're doing.
They know what we want to get done."
Curtis and the Mountaineers play their home
opener Saturday against Western Michigan (0-
1). Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
Clemson football
troubled off the field
Ex-Wolverine among 8 suspended players
p .1
MOVIE STILLS OVIE POSTERS
S FINE ART ROCK BANDS
0
HUMOR
w
z
O:
0
BACK TO SCHOOL POSTER SALE
s
I0
The Associated Press
CLEMSON, S.C. - This summer
made Anthony Simmons angry. Last
Saturday made him want to cry.
The Clemson linebacker spent the
v -season crumpling newspapers
instead of ballcarriers, angered by the
arrests of eight teammates and the dis-
missal of star Antwuan Wyatt.
When things couldn't get worse off
the field, North Carolina, shredded the
Tigers, 45-0, Saturday.
"I feel like we got people (on the
team) questioning what we can do," he
said yesterday. "We've had a lot of dis-
*ictions to keep us from building our-
selves up."
Simmons said it grew distressing
during the summer to read about all the
transgressions and to deal with the
taunting or questioning of friends and
family. But he felt like the team recov-
ered enough of its self-respect during
training camp to forget about it.
Maybe he was wrong, in light of a
two-game NCAA suspension for prized
nsfer lineman Trevor Pryce - who
'ft Michigan in 1995 - and now a
police investigation into a student's
complaint that receiver Tony Horne hit
him at a party over the weekend.
"It's beginning to get on my nerves,"
Simmons said. "It's time for everyone
to get over it and get on track. I'm tired
of it and I'm going to mention it (in
meetings).
Coach Tommy West said it was easy
point to the arrests, claim they are
stractions and blame an out-of-con-
trol program for one of the team's worst
performances in history, against North
Carolina.
But that doesn't ring true, he said.
The team practiced hard in August and
bonded together like no group West had
before. All signals the coach got were
of a team ready to grab the season with
gusto and determination.
.,So what happened?
T "Why you lose like this, everybody is
oking for a reason," West said. "To
say you didn't make that play, that is
way too simple. But that's what hap-
pened."
West is growing weary with the ques-
tioning about his players' troubles.
Wildcats
buspend
defender
The Associated Press
EVANSTON - Northwestern's sec-
ondary, revamped after losing three
starters from its Big Ten championship
ason, expects to see plenty of passes
the season opener at Wake Forest.
And now the No. 13 Wildcats will
have to defend against Wake quarter-
back Brian Kuklick without one of
their top players from last year's Rose
Bowl team.
Hudhaifa Ismaeli, a big-play nickel
back who had been moved to corner,
has been suspended for the game at
Winston-Salem, N.C.
"He's broken a team rule and is sus-
pended for one game," Wildcats coach
Gary Barnett said Monday, refusing to
elaborate. Ismaeli, who made seven
sacks last season with four fumble
recoveries and a pass interception, will
rejoin the team the following week.
He said the courts have proved out
most of his decisions on discipline, and
students, fans and alumni should
believe the program is on the correct
course.
Four freshmen accused of sexual
assault were set free this summer when
their accuser would not testify. Star tail-
back Raymond Priester, caught with an
illegally bought phone number, was
accepted into pretrial intervention and
will have his records wiped clean if he
completes that program.
Wyatt, a receiver, and backup tail-
back Anthony Downs were dismissed
from the team and still face marijuana
possession charges.
West met with a group of students
Monday to address their concerns and
left satisfied he had calmed their fears.
"It could become a hindrance if
you're going to spend all your time talk-
ing about it," West said. "It's human
nature that it is going to be brought up
right now. (But) the incidents that
occurred are behind us."
Most Images Only $6, $7 and $8
4V
Sponsor:
Michigan Union Arts
and Programs
fi ' ,
'_
4,,
3]
t_.
.
z
z
w4
r7
C')
Q
Date:
Thurs. Aug. 29 thru Sat. Sept. 7
Time:
9 A.M. - 6 P.M.
Place:
Michgan Union
Ground Floor Mall
.3
....
n
rn
z
i
...a
-4
"4
UI
0il
Biggest &
Best Selection
* ALIENS e PHOTOGRAPHY
* X FILES * ESCHER
* 60's * BEATLES
"
STAR WARS " PERSONALITIES "
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
To College
-9,'
p.,
a
r
I
I
I
I
I
I
1" Three Ring Binder
" 8-1/2'x 11"
" Available in seven colors
" Double inside pockets
List Price $3.05
OfficeMax Everyday low Price 04004507
m - PIM 3 1
Stick Pens'
" Superior writing performance
. Medium or fine ball points
" Black. blue or red ink
List Price S5.88
Officeftiax Everydaoy Low Priue 1000-0367
File Tote
" Accommodates letter/legal size files
" Built-in rail for hanging files
" Dust cover
" Indigo blue'.
ListPrice S U179
$999
OfhcedAox Everyday Low Price 0302.43112
-1,411 ac
Five Star Notebook
.8-1/2" x11"Sheets
" college Ruled
. 100 Sheets"
list Pnce yy.1.
officeMax Everyday Low Price 0601.0149
C
List Price
$125.00
i 499
iceMax Everyday Low Price OfficeMax Everyday Low Price
0204-9937 1402-183
inIN MAT&T
Answering Machine
* Tapeless microchip recording
* Selective skip, save and
delete
" LED message display
* Remote capabilities
1114: TOF tIQTU115.
1 1 Mrs.- w -., I
II