COACHSPEAK HAS NEW MEANING.

Byline: SCOTT WOLF College football

Always searching for a trend here, college football coaches are displaying an unprecedented level of humility nationwide, with contrition the No. 1 characteristic just three weeks into the season.

This new character trait is based on fear and self-preservation, as job security lasts about one bad season these days. It's not even October, but coaches already want sympathy because job security evaporates quick than ever these days.

Thank the Internet and talk radio, where fan anger builds instantaneously instead of slowly percolating over the course of a season.

``I want to apologize to the Oklahoma State people for coming to watch an undisciplined team and a not very well coached team. That's not the way we're going to play football,'' Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said last weekend.

Not a bad quote, but this was after a victory. The Cowboys defeated Arkansas State 20-10. Think Gundy realizes Cowboy fans were unhappy when Les Miles went to LSU last year?

It got even lower at Stanford, where Walt Harris, in just his second game, got shocked by UC Davis, a Division II team in transition to I-AA.

``It was one of those days that if it could go wrong, it did go wrong,'' Harris said. ``I'm sure they're (players) embarrassed. We all are embarrassed. We have to suffer the consequences.''

What are those consequences? Does Harris expect to be fired? Was former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who finished second in the Cardinal's job search, chuckling at the result?

It wasn't quite as bad at Arizona, but prickly coach Mike Stoops already sounds exasperated.

``We need to run better, tackle better, block better,'' Stoops said. ``We need to do a lot of things better.''

His brother probably feels the same way.

--Still streaking: Utah's 18-game win streak is over but former coach Urban Meyer has won 19 straight after his new team, Florida, defeated Tennessee. Meyer's career record is 42-8.

--Player of the week: Florida State linebacker A.J. Nicholson intercepted two passes and recorded 19 tackles (17 solo) in a 28-17 victory over Boston College. He returned his first interception 19 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the game and returned a second interception 40 yards to set up another score. He also broke up a pass.

--Passing genius: Although Cal coach Jeff Tedford's reputation is based on developing quarterbacks, a Bears tailback rushed for more than 100 yards in 15 straight games. Last week, sophomore Justin Forsett gained 187 yards against Illinois while replacing injured starter Marshawn Lynch.

--Bad timing? Quarterback Tommy Grady transferred from Oklahoma to Utah last month. Since that decision, Oklahoma quarterbacks looked awful while Utah sophomore Brian Johnson's averaged 232 yards passing per game. He might be starting for the Sooners today. Grady, a star at Edison High in Huntington Beach, also seems an odd fit for the Utes' spread offense.

--Numbers lie: Syracuse is off to a 1-2 start under new coach Greg Robinson, but the stats show the Orangemen should be better. In two losses, Syracuse converted eight turnovers into zero points. The Orange have a plus-eight turnover margin and a losing record.

It's rare for losing teams to allow 292.7 yards per game, average 3.3 takeaways and limit opponents to 29.2 in third-down conversions? On the other hand, Syracuse converts only 21.7 percent of their third-down opportunities.

--What a rivalry: South Florida and Central Florida drew an announced crowd of 45,139, a record for a South Florida game at Raymond James Stadium. The contest also set a record for arrests (six) and ejections (23) at a South Florida home game.

South Florida police spokesman Mike Klingbiel said most of the arrests were for smoking and possession of marijuana and underage drinking. There was also a couple having sex in a women's bathroom and a student urinating in the stands.

``Most certainly the series should be continued,'' Klingbiel told the Tampa Tribune.

Oh, South Florida won the game, 31-14.

--Ty talks: Washington coach Tyrone Willingham is notoriously dry but he's been a little better this week as he faces his former team, Notre Dame, now coached by Charlie Weis.

``When the scoreboard finishes the day, it will say, `Washington, Notre Dame.' It won't say, `Tyrone, Charlie,' '' Willingham said. ``With all of that, you can't lose your focus. We have to play the football game. If we're caught up with the referendum, we'll probably forget to vote ... hype can suffocate you.''

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Photo:

New Stanford head coach Walt Harris knows how bad a loss to UC Davis feels.

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