Owls down to third-team QB

Bobby Wallace's only option has become the option.

Still looking for his first win as Temple University's headfootball coach, Wallace, his team full of inexperience, knows theoption offense he installed this season could be his only hopeSaturday when the Owls (0-5, 0-1 in Big East) host No. 16 WestVirginia University (3-1, 0-0).

"The option offense has given them some problems," Wallace saidMonday on the Big East's weekly teleconference. "We have to look atthat as something to hang our hat on. We've run well againsteveryone but Maryland and we had four starters out then."But typical of the Gestapo-like cruelity that seems to swirlaround woebegone programs, Temple could be without the person whoruns the offense the best when the league rivals meet at noon inVeterans Stadium.Sophomore Kevin Harvey reinjured a shoulder Saturday when Templesquandered a 21-7 lead and lost 45-38 to visiting I-AA foe William &Mary. He and another backup are hurt. Saturday, redshirt freshmanGreg Muckleton finished and threw for two touchdowns."I really don't know (the quarterbacks') status at this time otherthan they're questionable," Wallace said.The Owls are running for 226 yards a game, second-best in theleague behind Boston College (230). And Navy ran for 332 yardsSaturday against WVU.But Temple, starting three true freshmen on defense, is permitting396 yards per game. Teams have completed 68 percent of their throwsagainst the Owls, who have yet to grab an interception. Somewhere inMorgantown, usually placid quarterback Marc Bulger must be smiling."Our pass defense is very weak right now," said Wallace, whocoached the previous 10 seasons at Division II power North Alabama."(William & Mary quarterback Mike Cook) pretty well picked us apart.It's a predicament we're working hard on."Cook threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns against Temple."Obviously, we're stepping up to a level of team we haven't seenyet," Wallace said. "You have to stop (WVU tailback Amos Zereoue),or at least slow him down. But as soon as you do "Return to Bulger smile.A defeat would clinch the Owls' eighth consecutive losing season.Other Big East notes:- Boston College (3-1, 2-0): Coach Tom O'Brien has a theory aboutwhy Virginia Tech, the Eagles' foe Thursday in a key league game,blocks so many kicks (65 in 130 games under Coach Frank Beamer)."Coach Beamer coaches these kids, so there probably is extraincentive for them," said O'Brien, used to the Hokies from his daysas a Virginia assistant. "This is probably the fastest Virginia Techteam I've ever seen."- Miami (3-1, 1-1): Coach Butch Davis does not expect aduplication of the lack of competitiveness in the Hurricanes' 47-0fall at Florida State last season."A year ago, we were a totally unprepared football team," he said."There was very little to be taken from that football game."- Pittsburgh (2-2, 0-1): There is a new threat in town for CoachWalt Harris' Panthers. Junior-college transfer Latef Grim is theleague's leading receiver with 26 catches for 489 yards and seventouchdowns."He's taking the plays (injured) Terry Murphy would normally betaking," Harris said. "I hope some day we can have both on the fieldfor us."- Rutgers (2-3, 0-3): Coach Terry Shea's team is last in the BigEast in scoring defense (37.0), rush defense (260.0) and totaldefense (447.6). Part of the problem, though, is the erraticoffense."I need to see more touchdowns," he said. "We need to score forsomething our defense can rally around."- Syracuse (2-2, 1-0): Coach Paul Pasqualoni's team fell from No.11 to 24 in the polls after last week's 38-17 loss at North CarolinaState."We feel we're a better team than we showed. We can't allow itto be that disappointing. We have to act like men and move forward,"he said.- Virginia Tech (4-0, 2-0): Coach Frank Beamer's team, because ofinjury, will start its third quarterback of 1998. Senior Nick Sorensen, who moved from quarterback to free safety in the spring, is backand will start against BC. Original starter Al Clark is stillhampered by several injuries."Al's work has been limited," Beamer said. "I like having thingssettled. I don't like question marks. Al should be available toplay."- WVU: Coach Don Nehlen's erratic defense has had one star thisseason, junior linebacker Barrett Green."I don't like to brag, but I knew he'd be a great linebacker,"Nehlen said. "It shows how stupid I was to play him at strong safety(in 1997). That's how dumb I am."- This week's schedule: Virginia Tech at BC, 8 p.m. Thursday(ESPN); WVU at Temple, noon Saturday (Big East regional; WCHS andWOAY here); Pittsburgh at North Carolina (1-3), 1:30 p.m. Saturday;Florida State (3-1) at Miami, 3:30 p.m. Saturday (CBS); Cincinnati(0-5) at Syracuse, 5:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2).- Players of the week: Offense - Miami wideout Santana Moss (sixcatches, 146 yards, three touchdowns vs. Rutgers); Defense - WVU'sGreen (19 tackles, 15 solo vs. Navy); Special teams - WVU's JayTaylor (six PATs, one field goal, 50-yard punt vs. Navy).Writer Mike Cherry can be reached at 348-5170.