Dein erstes Forum » Test rugby, starting with Saturdays task of

FRESNO, Calif. -- Arion Worthman is supposed to be the Air Force quarterback of tomorrow. Problem was, the Falcons needed him Friday to keep their free-falling bowl game hopes solvent.With the starting quarterback injured, and Air Force staring at a fourth straight loss, Worthman came off the bench midway through the third quarter and rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns to rally the Falcons to a 31-21 win at Fresno State.Coming off three straight losses, I knew I had to do everything I could to give us a chance to win, said Worthman, who entered the game with one rush and one pass in his career. I wanted to help our seniors finish strong.Air Force (5-3, 2/3 Mountain West Conference) can clinch a third straight postseason bowl with a victory Saturday at Army, or in any other of its final four games.As for the Bulldogs (1-8, 0-5), they lost a seventh consecutive game for just the second time in school history, joining the 1929 team, and matched the second-worst start in program history.Worthman was just the spark the Air Force game, and season, needed. Falcons coach Troy Calhoun was in no mood to discuss any potential quarterback controversy when asked who will start next week.Thats not something we have to answer right now, Calhoun said.Senior captain Nate Romine appeared to injure his ankle on a 2-yard carry with 6:19 remaining in the third quarter. Fresno State had just taken a 21-17 lead on KeeSean Johnsons third touchdown of the day, a 52-yard catch and dive to the pylon.It was crazy, Worthman said. Nate went down, and our whole sideline went quiet. I heard them shouting my number -- `2-2-2! and I knew it was my time to go.Fresno State, playing its first game since head coach Tim DeRuyter was fired, soon wished it hadnt knocked out the starting quarterback.Worthman showed an instant burst of speed running the triple option on keepers around the edge, and used his stout frame to muscle through the pile on interior runs.And, run, Air Force did. Worthman dropped back for one pass out of 31 plays, and was dropped for a sack with no attempted throws. Everything else was Air Force showing off the nations fifth-ranked rushing offense -- this time, with a quarterback leading the way.Worthman leaped into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown to give the Falcons a 24-21 lead with 13:02 left in the game. He sealed the win with a 4-yard keeper with 2:34 to play.Oh my gosh, Arion was awesome, senior tailback Jacobi Owens said. Im proud of him. It makes our team even better. We definitely needed to win. Were happy to get out of that slump.THE TAKEAWAYAIR FORCE: The Falcons have struggled on pass defense all season, but used four interceptions to turn back the Bulldogs. One, an end zone interception by Brodie Hicks, stopped Fresno State from taking a 21-0 lead in the second quarter. Another, by Patrick Healy for a 35-yard touchdown return, capped a 17-0 Falcons run. The (first) pick was really huge, Calhoun said. One stopped points, one converted into points. We needed both.FRESNO STATE: The Bulldogs are out of bowl-game contention, so their attention is focused on finding the next head coach to replace DeRuyter. Local media reports name former Cal coach Jeff Tedford, a former Fresno State player and offensive coordinator, as the clear front runner. Tedford has long-running ties with Fresno State athletic director Jim Bartko from their mutual time at Oregon. Other potential candidates include Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, a former Fresno State quarterback, and former USC coach Steve Sarkisian.KEY NUMBERSAir Force: Kicker Luke Strebel made a conference-record 22 consecutive field goals before missing one in the previous game against Hawaii -- and then missed a 27-yard attempt in his first try Friday. The junior made up for it with a 27-yard field goal in the third quarter.Fresno State: Sophomore wide receiver KeeSean Johnson entered the game with three career touchdowns -- then matched that in a single game with scores of 36-, 2- and 52-yards. Johnson finished with 10 catches for a career-best 142 yards.Last wordSometimes I think we tend to give up on kids too quickly after they make mistakes, and that sends a bad message. I believe that leaving Chason (Virgil) in was the right decision. -- Fresno State interim coach Eric Kiesau, on not changing quarterbacks.UP NEXTAIR FORCE: The Falcons can win the Commander-in-Chiefs Trophy for a record 19th outright time with a win next Saturday at Army. Air Force beat Navy 28-14 on Oct. 1 in the first leg of the round robin.FRESNO STATE: The Bulldogs hope to avoid the second 1-8 start in school history, dating to 1921, in next Saturdays trip to Colorado State. Jack Tatum Raiders Jersey . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. Foster Moreau Jersey . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. http://www.footballraidersmall.com/Youth-Ronnie-Lott-Elite-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- Valtteri Filppula assisted on three of Tampa Bays four goals, and the Lightning beat the St. Fred Biletnikoff Raiders Jersey . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. Bo Jackson Raiders Jersey . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. Five months after being hauled off after just 31 minutes on his second Test appearance, Teimana Harrison has been charged with the essential role of being Englands blockade against Fiji on Saturday.First-half tactical substitutions are a rare thing in Test rugby but Jones made two during their June series against Australia with Luther Burrell getting that treatment in the first match and Harrison in the third.I dont see it as a big deal, was Eddie Jones take when asked if the players were mentally scarred from the experience. It is a view said to be echoed by the team but only Harrison knows exactly how much it affected him ahead of his third start at openside for England against the Islanders at Twickenham.Dylan Hartley, England captain and was also in the same school as Harrison in Rotorua, knows the flanker well.He brought him to Northampton, chartered his meteoric rise from academy obscurity to his Test debut against Wales in May and would have kept a watchful eye on Harrison in the changing room after his substitution ignominy.Eddie said to him after the game in the changing room that it was a decision for the team, Hartley said of Harrison. Coaches make decisions on behalf of the team and that is what they thought we needed at the time.Tei is a young guy. He had a brilliant first season for Northampton. He has been told, like we all have, to improve in certain areas and he has gone and done that.Jones doesnt necessarily follow rugbys traditional narrative. On Friday he talked of how England have only had 31 great players in their history, as they were the group that won the World Cup -- a statement which swipes aside those who played before the quadrennial tournament started in 1987.And then there is Elliot Daly. Though he is usually found in the centres, Daly is on the wing on Saturday despite having started just five of his 92 Aviva Premiership games for Wasps on the flank.First-half substitutions are aalso a break from the norm and it was surprising that he singled out Harrisons showing in Northamptons heavy 41-7 Champions Cup loss at Castres back in October as the best performance he had seen from a No.dddddddddddd7 in a Premiership team.It was this match along with Harrisons off-field work which has seen him given another chance to impress after his Northampton teammate Tom Wood performed well in the openside role last week.Hes physically better equipped. He has gone back and put on a couple of kilos, Jones said. Hes worked particularly on his tackled technique.He did a lot of good work with [England defence coach] Paul Gustard and with [coaching consultant and Melbourne Storm coach] Jason Ryles in Portugal.Jones recognises Harrisons rise has been rapid, but wants him to embrace the physical and mental challenges of Test rugby, starting with Saturdays task of stopping Fijis attacking threat.He needs to be a stopper, Jones said. He needs to stop the Fijians on the gainline. Thats what Haskells done so well for us and now hes in the three-piece suit and looking very good.We need another guy not in the three-piece suit to stop opposition on the gainline.Tom Wood did a great job for us last week; we are looking to see how we can increase the depth in that No.7 role.With James Haskell, Mike Williams, Sam Jones and Jack Clifford all injured and Wood hopeful of returning to the openside role for the Test against Argentina on Nov. 26, there is fierce competition for the No.7 shirt.Harrisons audition will be on Saturday and he is challenged by Jones to take his next step to greatnessWe want to produce great players, Jones said. Every player tomorrow has an opportunity to get on the path to being a great player. If Teimana does it his selection increases. Its it the same for every player. ' ' '