FOREST » vouching for Felders character.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- For the third time in three games, Navy will have a different starting quarterback operating the complex triple option.Keenan Reynolds capped off last season in his final game at Navy. Tago Smith replaced the record-setting QB last week against Fordham in the season opener and lasted into the second quarter before a torn ACL ended his season.Now, 6-foot-1 senior Will Worth is poised to make his first career start Saturday against Connecticut (1-0).Will is ready. Hes persevered and improved to the point he was the clear-cut No. 2, Navy offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper said. Now Will is the starting quarterback and all eyes are on him. Im pretty sure he didnt want to get the job this way, but thats football.Worth was a third-stringer in 2015 and did not see any action at quarterback. He did play in all 13 games as a holder on kicks, and garnered two games of experience in his first two years at Navy.Ive got big shoes to fill with Keenan being gone and Tago getting injured, Worth said. I definitely put a lot of responsibility on myself to keep this thing running.---Some things to look for when Navy (1-0) and Connecticut square off in the American Athletic Conference opener for both schools.STOPPING THE OPTION: Connecticut coach Bob Diaco has significant experience going against the Navy triple-option. Diaco served as defensive coordinator at Notre Dame from 2010-13, so this is the sixth straight season he has game-planned for the Midshipmen. Coach Diaco is one of the best defensive minds in the country and knows exactly what hes doing with his game-plan, Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. His teams are always well-prepared, assignment sound and dialed into what they do. That being said, Navy rushed for 303 yards in last years 28-18 win over the Huskies.FAMILY TIES: Tom Forrestal was the starting quarterback and offensive captain of the 1957 Navy football team that posted a 9-1-1 record and defeated Rice, 20-7, in the Cotton Bowl. John Jack Shirreffs Jr. was an outstanding end on tha team. Their grandsons will be on opposite sides on Saturday. Patrick Forrestal is the starting nose guard for Navy and Bryant Shirreffs is the starting quarterback for Connecticut.HIGH TIMES: Chris High had an impressive debut as starting fullback for Navy, rushing for 176 yards on just 10 carries. The 6-foot, 224-pound junior averaged 17.6 yards per carry and broke loose for a 70-yard touchdown. High was the backup entering preseason camp, but moved up when projected starter Shawn White suffered an ankle injury. The Oklahoma City native excelled in the No. 1 role and White could not get the job back after returning to practice.WINNING STREAK: Navy has won 11 straight games in Annapolis and is closing in on a record wins at home. The Midshipmen won 21 straight home games from 1953 through 1964, but only 13 of those came after construction of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Beating Connecticut on Saturday and Houston on Oct. 18 would tie the record for most consecutive victories at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Midshipmen could potentially break the mark against Memphis on Oct. 22.SERIES HISTORY: Navy leads the series with Connecticut, 7-1. This is the first time the Huskies have come to Annapolis since 2002, when they shut out the Midshipmen 38-0. That was one of the worst offensive performance Navy had under former head coach Paul Johnson. The Midshipmen managed just 82 total yards -- 47 passing and 35 rushing.---AP college football site: http://collegefootball.ap.org Hernan Perez Jersey . Louis. To which I would say two things: 1. Where there is smoke, there is or perhaps has been a little fire. Or, in other words, the two teams would appear to have at least spoken. And spoken is defined as one calling the other to inquire, no more, no less. Eric Sogard Jersey . -- Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, ran for another score, and led No. http://www.brewersteamshop.com/Brewers-Corey-Knebel-Kids-Jersey/ . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. Eric Thames Jersey . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies. Matt Garza Jersey . Its sharpness matched my mind. This was no night to go to sleep. COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Sindarius Thornwell doesnt feel like hes starting from zero, despite a South Carolina roster filled with newcomers.Thornwell, a senior, scored 20 points including four 3-pointers to lead the Gamecocks to an 81-49 victory over Holy Cross on Sunday night.Thornwell comes off a 25-win season with South Carolina that featured a starting lineup of upperclassmen. This time, the Gamecocks have seven first-time players to mix into games. So far, so good, Thornwell says.Its been good, he said. Everybody came in focused.South Carolina played a dozen people, 10 of them getting 10 minutes or more. Plan on it being the norm this season, according to South Carolina coach Frank Martin. This team has depth like I havent had since Ive been here, he said.That showed against Holy Cross (0-1), which was eventually worn down by South Carolinas height and athleticism.The Crusaders, who played in the NCAA Tournament last March, used its Princeton-style offense -- coach Bill Carmody used to coach at the Ivy League school -- of cuts and backdoor layups to get within 29-24 on Matt Huseks basket with 7:09 left in the half. Thats when the Gamecocks took off on a 15-5 run over the next six minutes to push its lead to 44-29. Thornwell opened the surge with a basket and closed it with a 3-pointer.We needed that momentum shift, Gamecocks guard PJ Dozier said.The Crusaders never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way.I dont like losing by 30, Carmody said. Its hard to sit here and call it part of process. Our guys hurt after losing this one.Dozier had 15 points for South Carolina, which opened 2-0 for a second straight season and the third time in Martins five years.Robert Champion led Holy Cross with 18 points.BIG PICTUREHoly Cross stunned college basketball last March, winning the Patriot League tournament and earning an automatic NCAA bid despite a 10-19 regular season. The Crusaders went on to a First Four matchup win over Southern for the schhools first Big Dance win since 1953.dddddddddddd Holy Cross will try and build on that success with five of their top six scorers returning from a year ago.South Carolina looked athletic and active in putting away Holy Cross over the final 30 minutes. The trick for coach Frank Martin will be maintaining that level while blending the young players into the mix. Theyll get that chance the next 10 days with three more games, all at home.FELDER DEBUTSouth Carolina guard Rakym Felder saw his first college action, less than a month after he was arrested for assault among other charges. Felder played 14 minutes and finished with eight points, swishing both of his three-point attempts. Martin said he had talked with athletic director Ray Tanner, vouching for Felders character. Ra Felder played because its my decision that he has accepted everything that came his way for his mistake, Martin said.Hes a beautiful kid, not a good kid, a beautiful kid, Martin continued.CHANGING STYLESMartin was concerned that his team would not make the necessary defensive adjustments in going from Louisiana Techs more up-tempo offense to Holy Cross deliberate attack. He neednt have worried. The Gamecocks held Holy Cross under 40-percent shooting for the game and to just 25 percent (5 of 20) from behind the arc.HOT SHOOTINGThe Gamecocks shot 58.7 percent, going 27 of 46 from the field. That touch continued from way outside and at the line: South Carolina made 12 of its 24 3-pointers and 15 of 16 foul shots.UP NEXTHoly Cross travels to play its only other regular-season Power 5 opponent at Syracuse on Tuesday night.South Carolina continues its five-game home stretch to start the season, facing Monmouth on Tuesday night.---Follow Pete Iacobelli at http://twitter.com/PIacobellil-AP---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '