Tomorrow night in Morgantown, W.Va., look out for Pac-Man. Not the yellow blob frantically meandering through mazes, eating everything in view.

Pac-Man, as in Adam ‘Pac-Man’ Jones, is West Virginia’s all-purpose yards leader who finds a way to effect just about every part of a football game.

The junior cornerback and kickoff and punt returner is one of the top all-around players in the Big East, yet you probably don’t recognize his name.

‘My mom named me Pac-Man when I was a baby,’ Jones said. ‘I just ate everything in sight.’

The world-renowned blob was born in the early 1980s – and so was Jones. Thus far, Jones has eaten up opposing offenses as the Mountaineers’ best cornerback. As a sophomore, the 5-foot-11 Jones recorded 93 tackles while scoring touchdowns on an interception, fumble and kickoff return.

‘Pac-Man is a great weapon for us,’ WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez said. ‘He has the ability to affect so many different facets of the game. We have battled some injuries this year, but he has been there, and been real steady for us.’

Jones – from College Park, Ga. – currently leads his team in tackles (40), as well as interceptions (3). A defensive stopper – Jones has eight career picks and nearly 20 pass break-ups – he is most lethal on special teams.

In 2003, Jones was 16th in the country with a 26.3-yard average on kickoff returns. This fall, Jones is returning kickoffs for an average of 24.8 yards a touch and punts for 16.6 yards.

In an opening-week win over East Carolina, Jones returned a punt 76 yards for his only touchdown this season. The lone score was just an added boost. WVU lines up with Kay-Jay Harris and Rasheed Marshall in its backfield, two of the conference’s most explosive and outstanding players.

‘He gives us a short field,’ Rodriguez said. ‘His kick-returning abilities have given our offense a lot of opportunities.’

Jones hasn’t only provided WVU with opportunities through the first six games; he has also led them in all-purpose yards. With Harris and Marshall on the same roster, that is no small feat. (Let it be noted that Harris has only played five games to Jones’ six.) Entering tomorrow’s contest against Syracuse, Jones has 588 all-purpose yards. Excluding one 15-yard reception, all of those yards have come from returns.

Jones’ antics will be on full display tomorrow night.

‘He doesn’t always get the attention he deserves because of all the talent we have,’ Rodriguez said. ‘But he is a scary guy to overlook.’

A multi-vehicle car accident injured three Rutgers football players, one critically, on Saturday night. Safety Dondre L. Asberry, a junior from Miami, was the most severely injured in the wreck. According to police, he suffered a spine fracture as well as head injuries. The 20-year-old was listed in critical condition Monday night.

Also injured were Leslie Collins and Eddie Grimes, both backup cornerbacks for Rutgers.

The accident occurred in the hours following Rutgers’ fourth win of the season, a 16-6 victory over Temple. Police said the accident was caused by a drunken driver heading north in the southbound lane.

‘He (Asberry) is in the hospital right now,’ head coach Greg Schiano said, ‘and we are waiting to hear. Right now that is all I know.’

None of the three are starters for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers will travel to Pittsburgh on Saturday.

The victory earlier in the day brought accolades for some new Scarlet Knights players.

On Monday, Rutgers defensive back Ron Girault – a true freshman – was named co-Big East Defensive Player of the Week. In his first start, the rookie made a fourth-quarter interception and recorded 13 tackles.

Fellow freshman, kicker, Jeremy Ito also performed well. The California native made all four of his kicks on Saturday (three field goals and an extra point).

Ito connected for field goals from 27, 38 and 43 yards in the win.

Numbers of the week …