Pennsylvania quietly confident entering Big 33 Classic

Joe Montana couldn't help but show his Pennsylvania pride when he spoke to the Big 33 squads Friday afternoon in Hershey.

'Sorry, Ohio, but you know I'm going to have to pull for Pennsylvania,' said Montana, a Ringgold graduate who played in the 1974 Big 33 game, which Pennsylvania won 14-7.

Montana's endorsement was followed by a roar from the Pennsylvania players, who had just finished their final practice for today's 44th Big 33 Football Classic at 7 p.m. in Hersheypark Stadium.

'That felt really good because Ohio has been talking smack all week,' said McKeesport graduate and Syracuse recruit Cecil Howard, who will start for the Pennsylvania squad at quarterback. 'We haven't gotten into all of that. We'll let our play do the talking.'

Each squad has won the matchup four times since the neighboring states started playing the game again in 1993 after a 17-year hiatus. Pennsylvania won last year after Ohio had taken three of four. Overall, Pennsylvaina has a 7-6 edge since the states first played against each other in 1972.

'I hadn't really brought (the records) up to them because I didn't want to put anymore pressure on them,' said Pennsylvania coach Jim Rankin, who coaches North Allegheny High School. 'But that is something to think about.'

Ohio coach Dave Dlugosz didn't say past history was a focal point, but his team is aware of what's at stake.

'We understand the responsibility we have representing the 700 football schools in Ohio. We know that,' said Dlugosz, who coaches Avon Lake High School.

The Pennsylvania players understand as well.

'They are cocky, but they are underestimating us,' said Woodlands Hills' Tyre Young, a Pitt recruit. 'They just don't know, that's all I'm going to say. We'll be ready.'

Pennsylvania should be able to score against the Ohio squad with an offense that boasts staggering speed and a lot of bulk up front.

'The offensive line is strong, and so are our running backs,' said Rankin, who was in the 1993 game, a 36-6 Pennsylvania victory. 'Kevin Jones, Jon Veach and Marcus Furman can all make something happen.'

Jones, a Virginia Tech recruit from Cardinal O'Hara in Philadephia, is considered one of the best incoming college freshman running backs in the country, and he didn't disappoint his teammates during practice.

'Honestly, I think Kevin Jones is the best running back in the nation. I haven't seen one better,' said Young, who will start at middle linebacker. 'I feel good that I held my own against him in practice. Just a little daylight, and he's gone.'

The big bodies that will be blocking for Jones also praised his game-breaking speed.

'He is amazing,' said Mt. Lebanon's Joel Yakovac, a Cincinnati recruit who will start at left guard. 'He doesn't even need blocks. He just needs us to screen five guys.'

Jones rushed for 5,370 yards and 94 touchdowns in his career at the Philadelphia Catholic League school.

'I'm really excited to see what happens with Kevin Jones back there,' said Woodland Hills' Brian Johnson, a Geneva recruit starting at center tonight. 'He's unreal. He's so fast and quick. He can move like that. You give him an inch, and he's going to get at least 10, 12 yards.'

Ohio feels it does have an answer for a Pennsylvania backfield that also includes Connellsville's Furman, who also rushed for over 5,000 yards in his career, Mt. Carmel's Veach and Reading's Lamar Stewart, who averaged almost 10 yards per carry last season.

'We have three of the top 15 defensive linemen in the nation on our team in Simon Frazier, Pat Massey and Pierre Woods,' Dlugosz said. 'Those three are really outstanding. It's very important in this type of game to have good edge players because there is so much speed out there.'

Pennsylvania's quarterbacks will also get the chance to throw the ball because of a game rule that states 40 percent of plays must be a pass. McKeesport's Howard looks forward to throwing to what he believes is a stellar receiving corps.

'It's amazing. Every time you look around, you have a great athlete,' said Howard, who wasn't able to throw the ball much in McKeesport's wishbone offense. 'I've been looking forward to that for years now.'

Both teams are looking forward to tonight.

'We're going to be in a war, we know that,' Johnson said.