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SPORTS
This week in Conference USA
VIRGINIA TECH VS. EAST CAROLINA
Bank of America Stadium (73,298)
Charlotte, N.C.
Noon kickoff, ESPN
East Carolina "hosts" the No. 15 Hokies in Charlotte. ... East Carolina is coming off an 8-5 overall, 6-2 C-USA season. ... Patrick Pinkney won the QB job in preseason competition with Rob Kass. ... Dominique Lindsay, who was expected to replace NFL first-round draft pick Chris Johnson at tailback, will miss the season after injuring a knee during a collision with linebacker Quentin Cotton during preseason camp. ... Tailback Brandon Simmons, a 225-pound senior, is left as the primary option. Simmons had only 11 carries last season.
TULSA AT UAB
Legion Field (72,000)
Birmingham, Ala.
4 p.m. kickoff
A rare season-opening conference matchup for the Golden Hurricane and Blazers. ... Tulsa returns nine starters to an offense the led the nation with an average of 543.9 yards per game. ... Senior QB David Johnson takes over for record-setter Paul Smith, but coach Todd Graham said A.J. Whitmore will get some snaps. ... Brennan Marion, Trae Johnson and Charles Clay were all 1,000 receivers last season. ... Tarrion Adams rushed for 1,225 yards. ... UAB senior safety Will Dunbar topped C-USA last season with 12.2 tackles per game. ... UAB LB Joe Henderson joined Dunbar on the preseason all-conference team.
ILLINOIS STATE AT MARSHALL
Joan C. Edwards Stadium (38,019)
Huntington
4:30 p.m. kickoff, WOWK
Marshall head coach Mark Snyder has two new coordinators -- John Shannon on offense and Rick Minter on defense. ... RB Darius Marshall was on the C-USA all-freshman team. ... TE Cody Slate, WR Darius Passmore and WR Emmanuel Spann are top targets. ... Minter's unit receives a boost from defensive end Albert McClellan, the 2006 C-USA defender of the year. McClellan missed last season because of a knee injury. ... Illinois State senior QB Kevin Brockway is making his first start.
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE AT UCF
Bright House Networks Stadium (45,323)
Orlando, Fla.
6 p.m. kickoff
UCF claimed the 2007 C-USA championship with a victory against Tulsa. ... New defensive coordinator Gary Blackney, the former Bowling Green head coach, guides a unit led by CB Joe Burnett, who has 12 career interceptions. Burnett also returns punts. ... Burnett and CB Johnell Neal both had six interceptions in 2007. ... Senior Pat Brown anchors the offensive line at left tackle. ... QB Michael Greco will start. ...
SOUTHERN AT HOUSTON
Robertson Stadium (32,000)
Houston, Texas
7 p.m. kickoff
Kevin Sumlin makes his debut as Houston head coach. Sumlin was at Oklahoma the past five seasons as offensive coordinator (2006-07) and special teams coordinator (2003-05). ... Sophomore QB Case Keenum won the starting job after splitting time last season with junior Blake Joseph. ... DE Phillip Hunt was named to the preseason all-conference team. ... Hunt is one of eight returning starters on defense.
MEMPHIS AT MISSISSIPPI
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (60,580)
Oxford, Miss.
7 p.m. kickoff
Memphis went 7-6 last season after going 2-10 in 2006. ... Memphis offensive lineman Brandon Pearce and WR Duke Calhoun were preseason All-CUSA selections. ... Calhoun led the Tigers last season with 890 yards on 62 receptions and five touchdowns. ... Calhoun enters the season with an active 24-game receiving streak. ... Michael Grandberry has 1,826 career yards on 81 kick returns.
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE AT SOUTHERN MISS
M.M. Roberts Stadium (36,000)
Hattiesburg, Miss.
7 p.m. kickoff
Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Larry Fedora is the new head coach at Southern Miss. ... Southern Miss features preseason C-USA offensive player of they year RB Damion Fletcher and preseason C-USA defensive player of the year LB Gerald McRath. ... Fletcher ran for 1,586 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. ... McRath had 139 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 quarterback sacks.
