Darrell Scott

All that remains is for Darrell Scott to sign his name. Scott, a star running back at Ventura St. Bonaventure High, is among the nation's top football prospects. He will sign a national letter of intent today, ending a college recruiting process that was understated by Internet-age standards. Unlike most top high school players who answer as many phone calls from information-hungry recruiting experts as they do from college coaches, Scott has mostly been mum.

Close your eyes and think about trying to walk through a dark tunnel that smells of gas while holding a match and knowing that if you light it, there might be a big boom. Everyone seems to be holding their breath in a similar way at Moorpark High, where Coach Tim Lins is walking a tight rope with co-No. 1 quarterbacks and somehow making it work. "I'm proud of the way they're handling it," Lins said of 6-foot-5 senior quarterback Brody Rohach and 6-foot-3 senior quarterback Brian Blechen . Blechen transferred from Simi Valley Royal last season and was the starter until breaking his hand in Week Six. Rohach took over and led the Musketeers to seven consecutive wins and a spot in the Northern Division championship game.

Sophomore running back Darrell Scott rushed for 242 yards in 29 carries and scored four touchdowns as Moorpark rolled up 488 yards in total offense to rout Thousand Oaks, 50-28, in a Marmonte League opener Saturday at Ventura Buena. Thousand Oaks (3-1) was ranked No. 25 in the Southland by The Times, but Moorpark (2-2) had played a much tougher nonleague schedule.

All that remains is for Darrell Scott to sign his name. Scott, a star running back at Ventura St. Bonaventure High, is among the nation's top football prospects. He will sign a national letter of intent today, ending a college recruiting process that was understated by Internet-age standards. Unlike most top high school players who answer as many phone calls from information-hungry recruiting experts as they do from college coaches, Scott has mostly been mum.

Close your eyes and think about trying to walk through a dark tunnel that smells of gas while holding a match and knowing that if you light it, there might be a big boom. Everyone seems to be holding their breath in a similar way at Moorpark High, where Coach Tim Lins is walking a tight rope with co-No. 1 quarterbacks and somehow making it work. "I'm proud of the way they're handling it," Lins said of 6-foot-5 senior quarterback Brody Rohach and 6-foot-3 senior quarterback Brian Blechen . Blechen transferred from Simi Valley Royal last season and was the starter until breaking his hand in Week Six. Rohach took over and led the Musketeers to seven consecutive wins and a spot in the Northern Division championship game.

Alison Krauss & Union Station leads the pack with 13 nominations, with the Del McCoury Band right behind at an even dozen among contenders for the 14th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, to be handed out Oct. 2 in Louisville, Ky. Krauss and McCoury will be vying for entertainer of the year, instrumental and vocal group of the year awards. The all-star "Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. III" album also generated several nominations, including album and recorded event of the year.

The Angels, who have lost eight consecutive games to fall out of the American League West race, are expected to have a front-office meeting this week to discuss possible player moves. They are considering bringing up pitcher Phil Leftwich, catcher Chris Turner, reliever Darrell Scott, third baseman Eduardo Perez and outfielder Garret Anderson before the season ends. Leftwich, the Angels' second-round pick in 1990, is 4-1 with a 1.54 earned-run average in his last five starts.

Vocal categories make for heated contests, but the most revealing awards in country music are usually for song and album. Song of the Year: Alan Jackson should snag a deserved Grammy for his Sept. 11 homage "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," over the spirited "Three Days" by promising newcomer Pat Green, Darrell Scott's reflective Dixie Chicks hit "Long Time Gone" and "Mendocino County Line," Matt Serletic and Bernie Taupin's melancholy ballad for Willie Nelson.

Whitey Herzog, Angel vice president, has scrutinized the farm system for pitching and reports there is little help on the way. He has watched Russ Springer and Jerry Nielsen come and go. He has released Scott Sanderson and Chuck Crim. He sees the continuing troubles of John Farrell. He wonders at times if perhaps the best bullpen performances of the year have been by designated hitter Chili Davis and infielder Rene Gonzales. "From Day 1 it's been a total . . . disaster," Herzog said.

Sophomore running back Darrell Scott rushed for 242 yards in 29 carries and scored four touchdowns as Moorpark rolled up 488 yards in total offense to rout Thousand Oaks, 50-28, in a Marmonte League opener Saturday at Ventura Buena. Thousand Oaks (3-1) was ranked No. 25 in the Southland by The Times, but Moorpark (2-2) had played a much tougher nonleague schedule.

Kentucky returned two Louisville fumbles for touchdowns and set up another score with an interception in the Wildcats' 27-2 victory Sunday in the Governor's Cup at Louisville. "We thought we had a good defense and we do," Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks said. "Our defense took it upon themselves to score points. Our defense kept making play after play after play." Kentucky forced five turnovers and stuffed Louisville's retooled offense, playing with the kind of tenacity Brooks said the Wildcats would need early in the season while the offense found its footing.

Wednesday, Feb. 6, is the first day football players can sign letters of intent with colleges. Many of the Southland's top players have already made verbal agreements with schools, while others are still weighing their options. Here are some of the top commits, with more to be found at www.latimes.com/highschool: OFFENSE QUARTERBACK Dayne Crist, S.O. Notre Dame. Committed to Notre Dame. Kevin Prince, Crespi. Committed to Washington. Nick Crissman, Edison. Committed to UCLA.