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The narrower vision for Towson State football of no scholarships and a smaller coaching staff suits Gordy Combs just fine. It didn't appeal to Phil Albert, and that's one reason why he resigned the Tigers' head coaching position, which was immediately taken over by Combs.At a news conference yesterday, Albert discussed some of the reasons he stepped down Monday after 20 years as Tigers coach. Combs talked about his plans, which could have Towson State back in postseason play later in the decade, albeit in a non-scholarship league and in a regional format.

TWO WEEKS from now, the grand pooh-bahs of college football will be counting on you, the consumer, to step up. While they're busy lighting their cigars with $50 bills and gargling with champagne, they're hopeful you'll be planted in front of your television for four hours, captivated by a football game that, in truth, everyone knows is both a sham and a lie. It's called the FedEx Orange Bowl, and when it's over, there will be pressure to declare the...

The narrower vision for Towson State football of no scholarships and a smaller coaching staff suits Gordy Combs just fine. It didn't appeal to Phil Albert, and that's one reason why he resigned the Tigers' head coaching position, which was immediately taken over by Combs.At a news conference yesterday, Albert discussed some of the reasons he stepped down Monday after 20 years as Tigers coach. Combs talked about his plans, which could have Towson State back in postseason play later in the decade, albeit in a non-scholarship league and in a regional format.

With another season approaching, the coach talks excitedly about his team's potential and the veterans talk about reaching lofty goals and repeating recent successes. But all the talk cannot obscure the fact that a chapter is coming to a close in the 26-year history of Towson State football.The Tigers begin the end of an era Saturday, when they play host to Buffalo with the last Towson State team that will field scholarship players.Towson State has been de-emphasizing football since 1992, the year Gordy Combs took over the program after 19 years as an assistant, and five years after the school made the jump from Division II to I-AA.

Gordy Combs stays up at night thinking of ways to sell his football team to the Division I-AA playoff committee. He'll have plenty of time to sleep later. This is Towson State's last chance.The opponents are getting weaker. The scholarships will be gone by 1995. Even if Combs keeps winning, the strength-of-schedule argument probably will doom Towson's playoff chances forever.So here's Combs, talking up his 7-2 Tigers. The high-scoring offense. The record-breaking Tony Vinson. The win over No. 19 Delaware, the loss to No. 8 Howard, both in the final seconds.

James Dozier of Morgan State was named yesterday to the Associated Press Division I-AA All-America second team. Dozier, 6-foot-3, 240-pound senior defensive end from Randallstown, previously was selected to the All-MEAC first team and was picked as MEAC Defensive Player of the Year. The teams:2 Punter -- Pumpy Tudors, Tennessee-Chattanooga.THIRD TEAM OffenseQuarterback -- Dave Goodwin, Colgate.Running backs -- Derrick Franklin, Indiana State; Robert Green, William & Mary.Wide receivers -- Mike Trevathan, Montana; Mark Didio, Connecticut.

At least four regulars in the NCAA Division I-AA football top 20 are getting help from former area standouts.The top game in the East this week -- and maybe this season -- is the Yankee Conference showdown that sends No. 2 Villanova down Interstate 95 to No. 12 Delaware.Delaware is averaging 35 points, and its ground game has gotten a boost from Marcus Lewis, a senior out of Oakland Mills. In the Blue Hens' past two games, he has rushed for 131 yards and four touchdowns. Sophomore Mike Sye (Woodlawn)

For Towson State senior running back Tony Vinson, the awards just keep coming.Two weeks after earning Eastern College Athletic Conference first-team recognition, Vinson has been named to the Kodak All-American Division I-AA team.Vinson closed out a record-setting career last month with a five-touchdown, 327-yard performance against Morgan State to set the single-season rushing record with 2,016 yards and lead Towson State to an 8-2 finish.During his two years with the Tigers, he set 14 other school records and 10 other Division I-AA records.

ANNAPOLIS -- When most Division I-A schools take on a I-AA opponent, it's usually marked as a win from the moment the game's scheduled. But the Naval Academy is unlike most I-A schools, as coach George Chaump found out last year when homecoming was ruined by an embarrassing 16-7 loss to James Madison."

Here's the scenario: Navy is winless and coming off a much-needed week off following a loss to Air Force. For homecoming, the Midshipmen will face a nationally ranked, once-beaten Delaware team that is coming off a huge victory over previously unbeaten Division I-AA powerhouse Villanova.Sound familiar?It should, because when Navy (0-5) meets Delaware (5-1, No. 7 in the Division I-AA polls) at 1:30 p.m. today at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, the teams will be playing under nearly identical circumstances as their meeting a year ago.Then, Navy entered the game 0-6 and built a 25-7 halftime lead.