Football Practice Report #30
10/27/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Leschber, from Thorndale, had been the Owls' starter until suffering a knee sprain at Hawaii. He's gained 162 yards on 47 carries for the Owls in six games this year.
Sophomore Jamie Tyler will again be the starter at fullback, but Leschber's availability on the 60-man travel roster is a postive sign for the Owls this week.
"With the limited numbers on the road, you have to take people you know can play," said coach Ken Hatfield following Wednesday's workout on the grass practice fields. "You always have to have a backup at the critical positions."
Hatfield was also pleased Wednesday with the booming kicks of place-kickers Derek Crabtree and Scott Grimes. Both were perfect against the wind off the grass, and Grimes ended the practice with a 54-yard field goal.
Rice (5-3, 4-0 in Western Athletic Conference play) brings a five-game winning streak into Saturday's game, but all five wins have been on artificial surfaces. The Cotton Bowl owns one of the best grass fields in the Southwest, and Hatfield thinks the field will be a non-factor Saturday.
SMU (1-5, 1-2) has not played since the Mustangs' 24-14 win over Fresno State on Oct. 14 in the Cotton Bowl. Last weekend's game at San Jose State was postponed until Dec. 4 after an electrical outage at Spartan Stadium.
