That being said, center Matt Bush and defensive end Keith Zunker, both seniors that year, would never have been mistaken as twins.

Bush - the ruddy-faced local product out of Temple - was methodical and meticulous in his work, serving so well as the fulcrum of the Crusaders' attack that he earned the Division III Rimington Award, given annually to the nation's top center.

Zunker - whose long mane often flowed from beneath his helmet - played with abandon like a man possessed, relentlessly pursuing the quarterback to the tune of 19 career sacks. It's a program record that still stands.

Despite their contrasting styles, however, Bush and Zunker both have moved into the coaching profession and both have similar memories of that crisp afternoon in Salem, Va. It was Dec. 18, 2004, to be exact - the day Linfield (Ore.) claimed its only national title with a 28-21 victory in Stagg Bowl XXXII and the day the bar was set for the UMHB football program.

"The first thing I remember from that day is the feeling that it was bittersweet," Bush, now a member of the coaching staff at Class 5A Allen, said Wednesday by phone while driving from his home to his in-laws for Thanksgiving. "The second thing I remember is that there is a picture of all of us captains holding up that trophy - the No. 2 trophy.

"I consider it one of the highlights of my career. But I really thought we had the better team, but Linfield had the better day on gameday."