Sports

OXFORD — They are trends which, unless reversed, will lead to sheer disaster for the 2008 Miami University football team.

Neither trend — slow starts, an offense that can't score touchdowns — showed signs of weakening in the RedHawks' 28-10 loss to the Temple Owls on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Temple took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter. Since the season started, Miami has been outscored in the first period 51-3, and the opponents have scored the last 51.

"For the fifth straight time, we came out and got behind," Miami coach Shane Montgomery said. "If we continue to do that, it's going to be hard to come back against good football teams."

The offense, meanwhile, has scored only eight touchdowns in five games. And the RedHawks did not score a point in three of the four quarters Saturday.

"We're not a very good football team right now," Montgomery said. "We can be a pretty good football team."

Linebacker disciplined

Junior outside linebacker Caleb Bostic was suspended for Saturday's game "for action detrimental to the team," according to Miami spokesperson Mike Pearson.

Bostic, a second-year starter who was tied for fourth on the team with 21 tackles after four games, was replaced by Miami senior linebacker Chris Shula (who finished with 13 tackles, including eight solos).

Punting average drops

Miami senior Jake Richardson saw his national-leading average of yards per kick drop from 51.1 to 48.08 on Saturday. And he didn't really have that bad of a day.

He did have a 29-yard punt and a 34-yarder. But he also had a 54-yard punt, and two which were downed inside the 20-yard line.

Coaches honored

The late Randy Walker and the late Terry Hoeppner were inducted into the Cradle of Coaches Association on Saturday; each former Miami coach was represented by his wife, Tammy Walker and Jane Hoeppner, who were recognized with their families at halftime.

Walker and Hoeppner were head coaches at Miami during a 15-year span from 1990-2004 and had a combined record of 172-107.