Curt Miller

Girard native Curt Miller, the women’s basketball coach at the Big Ten Conference’s Indiana University, will be inducted into Girard’s version of the Hall of Fame – the Hive of Fame — Saturday night at the Bel-Aire Clarion Hotel.

Miller will be inducted along with his sister, Lori Miller, who was a multi-sport star for Girard in the 1970s.

Earlier today on his Twitter account (@CurtMillerIUWBB), Curt Miller tweeted: “My sister’s HS honors blow mine away.  The 12 varsity letters will be just the start of her bio. Love my hometown.”

Curt Miller played basketball for Girard High School in the mid-1980s and graduated from Baldwin-Wallace in 1990. He worked his way up through the coaching ranks as an assistant at Kent State, Cleveland State, Syracuse and Colorado State. His big break came when he was hired as the head coach at Bowling Green in 2001.

After the Falcons went a combined 21-35 in his first two seasons, Miller turned the program around. Bowling Green went 237-57 during the next nine years for an average of more than 26 wins per season. The Falcons won eight consecutive Mid-American Conference regular-season titles, and Miller was named MAC Coach of the Year six times.

In his first season with Indiana in 2012-13, the Hoosiers posted an 11-19 record, a dramatic improvement over the team’s 6-24 record of 2011-12.

Maleek Toran (far left) has been in Mercyhurst's shoes./Erie Times-News

Maleek Toran knows what it feels like to be in Mercyhurst’s shoes.

He was a true freshman in 2009 at Edinboro when the Scots needed Gannon to help them get in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

In the final regular-season game, the Knights beat Bloomsburg in overtime, 10-7, to open the  door for Edinboro to play in the postseason.

Today, Mercyhurst needs to beat No. 22-ranked California (Pa.) and have Gannon upset No. 14  Indiana (Pa.) to play in next week’s PSAC title game. The game would be played at Tullio Field as it’s the PSAC West champ’s turn to play host to the title game.

When asked if the Mercyhurst players should call their rival Knights and encourage them to to beat IUP, Toran said the Lakers should pass on that idea.

“I’d probably just let it play out and hope for the best,” said Toran, an Erie native. “If the man upstairs have a playoff berth in store for you, then you’ll get it.”

– Duane Rankin

Let’s recap Week 9 shall we?

Game of the week: No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 8 Oklahoma

Final score: Irish 30, Sooners 13

Pregame rant: This is the Irish’s toughest test yet. Oklahoma’s lone loss was to No. 4 Kansas State, which has risen to the top of the Big 12.

It’s a classic match-up. Oklahoma is averaging 488.17 yards and 44.67 points a game. Notre Dame is allowing just 280.71 yards and 9.43 points a game.

Something has to give.

Post-game commentary: The Irish didn’t give.

Oklahoma rushed for just 15 yards on 24 rushing attempts in falling to Notre Dame at home. The Sooners may have given up on the run too early, but they couldn’t have expected the Irish’s offense to hit them so many big plays last week.

Before this game, I thought all the talk about Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Te’o winning the Heisman Trophy was a bit much.

After seeing how he leads the best defense in the nation outside of Alabama’s, I’m rethinking my votes. He had 11 tackles, a sack and an interception last week. Great player.

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Here are three college football games worth watching in Week 9.

Game of the week: No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-0) at No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners (5-1, 3-1 Big 12), Saturday, 8 p.m., WJET (ABC)

Pregame rant: This is the Irish’s toughest test yet. Oklahoma’s lone loss was to No. 4 Kansas State, which has risen to the top of the Big 12.

It’s a classic match-up. Oklahoma is averaging 488.17 yards and 44.67 points a game. Notre Dame is allowing just 280.71 yards and 9.43 points a game.

Something has to give.

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Scots coach Scott Browning is expected start Erie native Maleek Toran (#26) in place of James Jackson (#11) for Saturday's noon game against No. 22-ranked Indiana (Pa.). Jackson is serving an one-game suspension after being ejected from last week's game./Photo by Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News

EDINBORO – Earlier this week, Edinboro coach Scott Browning said he’ll start Erie native Maleek Toran for Saturday’s key PSAC West game against No. 22-ranked IUP (5-1, 2-1).

A Central Tech graduate, Toran will replace junior cornerback James Jackson, who is serving  one-game suspension after getting ejected from last week’s 44-24 loss to Gannon.

“Right now, Maleek Toran is in that spot,” Browning said. “We’ve got to coach him up.”

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In his high school days, Matha was a standout athlete at McDowell before going to Pitt./Photo by Jack Hanrahan/Erie Times-News

Transferred. Injured. Ineligible.

Senior right tackle Dan Matha has had his share of obstacles, but is once again a force on the field in helping No. 22-ranked Indiana (Pa.) boast one of the top rushing teams in NCAA Division II.

” It’s a great feeling,” Matha said. “It’s been a lot of bumps along the way. Haven’t always been healthy. So to finally be healthy. It’s a weight off my shoulders.

“To be able to play and do the things I know I’m capable of doing. Not really being hindered by an injury or pain or anything, it’s long overdue.”

With the 6-foot, 7-inch, 290-pound Matha helping clear space to run free, the Crimson Hawks (5-1, 2-1 PSAC West) are seventh nationally in rushing and have the nation’s second-leading rusher in senior Harvie Tuck.

“We vote every week in the offensive meeting room which side of the line did better,” Tuck said. “The right side has been getting a lot of wins. Probably four out of the six weeks, they’ve won and I think part of it is because of Dan.”

It wasn’ t that long ago Matha, an McDowell High graduate, was at Pitt wondering if he’d ever become healthy enough to even compete for a starting spot, let alone play.

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Let us recap Week 7, shall we?

Baylor (4-2, 1-2 Big 12) at No. 17 Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1)

Pregame rant: The Bears have a quarterback in junior Robert Griffin III who is flat out one of the best players in the nation. Check the numbers: 114-of-142, 1,520 yards, 19 touchdowns and just ONE interception. Once you get in conference play, teams do start to figure guys out, but A&M has its hands full with this guy.

Postgame commentary: Griffin threw for 430 yards, three touchdowns to one interception, but Texas A&M got an even better performance from its quarterback – senior Ryan Tannehill – and walloped the  Bears, 55-28. Tannehill threw for 415 yards and six touchdowns to one interception. The Aggies helped their cause by rushing for 266 yards.

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Let’s recap Week 5, shall we?

No. 2 Alabama (5-0, 2-0 SEC) at No. 17 Florida (4-1, 2-1 SEC)

Pregame rant: Everyone talks about Florida’s team speed, but this game will see if the Gators truly have some burners.

Postgame commentary: The Crimson Tide can slow down any team. Add Florida to that list. The Gators had just 15 yards rushing and were held scoreless the last three quarters of their 38-10 loss. Oh by the way, Alabama has the nation’s top back in junior Trent Richardson, who rushed for career-high 181 yards and two touchdowns against Florida.

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