Wednesday, October 27, 1999
Prentice about to make NCAA history
Scoring records could fall when MU meets UC
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
OXFORD — All the numbers of Travis Prentice's career are about to add up to something big.
Prentice, the Miami Uni versity senior tailback, is threatening former Texas star Ricky Williams' NCAA career scoring records as the RedHawks prepare to meet the Cincinnati Bearcats on Satur day at Yager Stadium.
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CHASING RICKY
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Miami running back Travis Prentice is on the verge of breaking four career NCAA records:
NCAA career scoring
1. 452, Ricky Williams, Texas
2. 432, Travis Pentice, Miami
NCAA career touchdowns
1. 75, Ricky Williams, Texas
2. 72, Travis Pentice, Miami
NCAA career rushing TDs
1. 72, Ricky Williams, Texas
2. 67, Travis Pentice, Miami
Games with touchdowns
1. 33, Ricky Williams, Texas
2. 31, Travis Pentice, Miami
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Williams set the NCAA record for total touchdowns with 75, and Prentice has 72. Williams also is No. 1 in career scoring with 452 points, and Prentice has 432.
Of all the numbers Prentice has accumulated in his career — he's likely to go over 1,000 yards for the year and 5,000 for his career Saturday, and he's lost only two lost fumbles in 1,024 carries — the scoring records mean the most.
“It shows the success of our team,” Prentice said. “It shows the offense has gotten it done in the red zone.”
Saturday would be a great day for Prentice to do it. It's homecoming at Miami. The RedHawks' biggest rival, UC, is the opponent. The game is on television (Channel 19).
“It would be nice,” Pren tice said. “I never thought I'd be close to records like these when I started here. I just wanted to play.”
The scoring records are within reach, as Prentice has scored three or more TDs 10 times in his career.
When Prentice gets the scoring record, the College Football Hall of Fame wants the ball, his jersey and helmet. The moment will be one of biggest in the storied history of Miami football.
“It's huge,” Miami coach Terry Hoeppner said. “It's truly significant.”
Prentice, a 6-foot-2, 228-pound fifth-year senior from Louisville, was touted as a Heisman Trophy candidate when the season began. But because Prentice plays in a mid-major conference, the Mid-American, Miami needed a nearly perfect season and Prentice needed mind-boggling numbers for him to be seriously considered.
Neither has happened. Miami is 5-2, and while Prentice is having a great year,it's not spectacular enough to get the voters' attention.
He is sixth in the country in rushing (142.4 yards per game), fifth in all-purpose yards (175.0 per game) and second in scoring (12.9 points per game). Prentice finished last year second in rushing behind Williams, the Heisman winner.
This year, teams have dared Miami to throw the ball, particularly since the RedHawks' leading receiver, Sly Johnson, went down with a season-ending knee injury.
“I think I've played as well as last year,” Prentice said. “This year's team and last year's are two completely different situations. We've had so many injuries. We've had people playing out of position. People going from fullback to linebacker. You can't compare this year and last year.”
Hoeppner has no complaints about Prentice's play. Prentice's rushing yards are down seven per game (from 149 to 142), but everywhere else, he's better.
Last year at this point, Prentice had eight catches for 39 yards. This year he has 15 catches for 228 yards. Last year at this point, Prentice had scored 48 points. This year he has 90.
None of Miami's 10 season-ending injuries has come to an offensive lineman. But the line has had nagging injuries.
“We've got to get them healthy,” Hoeppner said.
Alex Sulfsted, who missed three games (ankle), could play Saturday. Chris Huelsman (ankle) is close to 100 percent. Fullback Nick Monk, Prentice's lead blocker, is also expected to play Saturday after missing the Kent game with a sprained knee.
Prentice is on pace to finish his career with 5,502 rushing yards. That would move him into fifth place all-time behind Williams (6,279), Pittsburgh's Tony Dorsett (6,082), Wisconsin's Ron Dayne (5,798, and still active) and Southern Cal's Charles White (5,598).
Pretty lofty company. But none of those backs can match Prentice's record for hanging on to the ball. When he fumbled against Bowling Green three weeks ago, it broke a streak of 862 carries without losing a fumble.
In his career, he's carried 1,024 times and lost two fumbles.
“I don't even think of that as a record,” Prentice said. “It's just something you should never do.”
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