Quick kicks
Aztec quarterback sidelined
San Diego State junior quarterback Kevin O’Connell will undergo surgery on Monday to repair ligament damage in his right thumb sustained in Thursday’s season-opening loss to Texas-El Paso in San Diego.
Coach Chuck Long wasn’t sure how long O’Connell will be out.
“We feel bad for Kevin, but he will be back and we are hopeful that he will be able to return this season,” Long said Saturday.
O’Connell was hurt in Thursday night’s 34-27 loss to UTEP.
Sophomore Darren Mougey will start in SDSU’s next game, at Wisconsin.
Team physician takes hit
Alabama-Birmingham’s team physician had to be carted off the field after a receiver collided with her along the sidelines during the Blazers’ game against Oklahoma in Norman, Okla.
Willie Edwards had caught a 30-yard pass down UAB’s sideline before running out of bounds and slamming into Dr. Brenda Baumann in front of a large cooling fan near the Blazers bench. Baumann was taken off the sidelines on a cart and taken to a hospital.
Her condition was not immediately known.
Gators 10 years later
Florida’s 1996 national championship team celebrated its 10-year reunion prior to the No. 7 Gators’ 34-7 win over Southern Miss. Coach Steve Spurrier returned to Florida Field for the first time since leaving his alma mater following the 2001 season and received a rousing ovation.
Paterno still at it
Joe Paterno opened his 41st season at Penn State with a 34-16 victory over Akron. It was the 355th career win for Paterno, who also improved to 34-7 in season openers.
Following Barry Sanders
Freshman Perrish Cox returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to help Oklahoma State beat Missouri State 52-10. Barry Sanders is the only other player in school history to return the season-opening kickoff for a touchdown. The Heisman Trophy winner did it twice – in 1987 against Tulsa and 1988 against Miami (Ohio).
Shaq drops in on LSU
NBA star and LSU graduate Shaquille O’Neal, wearing a gold T-shirt with a purple Superman insignia on his chest, was honored on the field during halftime of the No. 8 Tigers’ 45-3 win over Louisiana-Lafayette. O’Neal was given a No. 33 football jersey, the same number he wore with the LSU basketball team.