There’s something special about Miami for Boston College running back Derrick Knight.

Last season, Knight backed up BC’s William Green but started his first career game Nov. 10 against the Hurricanes.

This season, Horace Dodd started ahead of Knight for the Eagles’ first two games, but BC head coach Tom O’Brien announced Monday that Knight would start this weekend against — surprise — Miami.

“He’s done an excellent job,” O’Brien said, “and we feel that he should have an opportunity to start.”

Indeed, Knight’s 209 rushing yards and two touchdowns trump Dodd’s 22 yards and zero touchdowns.

And if the Eagles’ near-upset of the ‘Canes last season is any indication, Knight could be in for another big day Saturday. Though BC lost, 18-7, Knight had 27 carries, 78 rushing yards and 55 receiving yards.

“I want to show to my teammates and to myself,” Knight told the Boston Herald after that game, “that I am a back that belongs here.”

Knight’s got a huge responsibility replacing Green, who was drafted by the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, as BC’s feature back. During his three years with the Eagles, Green rushed for 2,974 yards and 33 touchdowns.

But Knight’s no slouch. During his days at Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, Mass., Knight rushed for 985 yards as a senior and was a state track champion.

In a 1998 article, The Boston Herald described Knight as having “the tapered legs of an Arabian racehorse.”

Coming from Xaverian, a football powerhouse, Knight has plenty of company on the BC roster. Five Eagles, including fullback J.P. Comella, are former Xaverian players.

“I think what (Knight’s) done in spring practice and in preseason, he’s worked hard,” O’Brien said. “He waited for his opportunity and made the most of his opportunity.”

And the Eagles are hoping Knight’s just the racehorse they’re looking for.

***

Finally a win

At least Greg Schiano is honest.

As head coach of Rutgers, one of the worst teams in college football, Schiano’s gotten used to not sugar-coating things.

His assessment of this weekend’s game at Pittsburgh?

“Pittsburgh is by far the best team we’ve faced this year,” he said, “and we’re going to have our hands full.”

Schiano’s right. The Scarlet Knights were handed three can’t-lose home games against Villanova, Bufffalo and Army to start their season.

Problem is, they lost two of those.

The Scarlet Knights saved Schiano’s sanity last weekend when they blew out Army, 44-0. But the win came slowly, as lightning delayed the game for 45 minutes in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, The (Bergen County, N.J.) Record reported last week that Rutgers athletic department remains confident in Schiano, the second-year coach who promised to focus on recruiting “The State of New Jersey” but already has 11 losses.

“This team is special if only because of the faith they have in Greg Schiano,’ Athletics Director Robert Mulcahy told The Record.

So as Mulcahy pulls for win No. 2 this weekend, maybe he’ll tell himself that lightning can strike twice.

***

Double trouble

Don’t look now, but the tailback carousel is working at Virginia Tech.

The Hokies’ Kevin Jones and Lee Suggs this season have combined for 603 yards and 10 touchdowns in leading Virginia Tech to a 3-0 record.

In last week’s 47-21 drubbing of Marshall, Jones, a sophomore, rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns, while Suggs, a senior, racked up 153 and two touchdowns. They became just the third pair of running backs in Big East history to rush for over 150 yards in one game.

The tandem takes its act to Texas A&M on Saturday.

Though the 6-foot, 211-pound Jones and the 6-foot, 201-pound Suggs have similar physiques, Hokies head coach Frank Beamer sees some differences in their running styles.

‘Lee is someone who plays well on the goal line,” Beamer said. “He’s a player who can find the seams on a run, finding the crease. Plus, he has outstanding speed, which allows him to find the hole.

‘Kevin is more of a flashy runner. It’s tough to hold onto him on the defensive line.”

The two-back system has worked this season for the Hokies partly because they haven’t been able to rely as much on a do-everything quarterback — like Michael Vick — or a flashy wide receiver — like Andre Davis.

“If one of them is tired, you’ll find the other on the field,” Beamer said. “So we always have a real good tailback on the field.”

Published on September 17, 2002 at 12:00 pm