Hurricanes hire Kansas defensive coordinator Bill Young
MIAMI (AP) -- Kansas defensive coordinator Bill Young has accepted an offer to become defensive coordinator for the University of Miami, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The person requested anonymity because paperwork to finalize the deal hadn't been processed.
Young will succeed Tim Walton, who was fired by coach Randy Shannon after the Hurricanes allowed more than 300 points this season for the first time since 1984. Shannon was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach after the 2006 season.
Young was a finalist in 2007 for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach. The Jayhawks beat Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl in their first Bowl Championship Series game to finish 12-1, setting a school record for wins.
Kansas ranked fourth nationally in scoring defense, eighth against the run and 12th in total defense while forcing 35 turnovers, most in the Big 12 Conference.
Two of the best defenses in Kansas' history, in 2005 and 2007, were under Young's watch. The season before he arrived six years ago, the Jayhawks were 110th in scoring defense -- while Miami was No. 1.
Young leaves a Kansas a defense that loses only two starters, All-America cornerback Aqib Talib and tackle James McClinton.
Young's six-year stay at Kansas was his second longest in a 39-year coaching career. He spent eight seasons at Ohio State.
Miami finished 5-7 and missed a bowl game for the first time since 1997. The Hurricanes' defense gave up 312 points, including 51 against Oklahoma and 48 to Virginia in Miami's final home game at the Orange Bowl.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
New book says San Diego sports marketer gave Reggie Bush cash at USC
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A San Diego sports marketer claims in a new book that he gave former Southern California running back Reggie Bush nearly $300,000 in cash while Bush was still in college.
Based largely on interviews with Lloyd Lake, who tried to secure Bush as a client for the marketing company he attempted to launch, "Tarnished Heisman" claims the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner was provided with hotel stays, cash for shopping sprees and money to buy and customize a car.
The book's authors, Don Yaeger and Jim Henry, acknowledge that Lake "has been compensated in return for his full cooperation," according to a story posted on the Los Angeles Times' Web site Thursday. Lake's family members also were quoted extensively.
The book hints that USC coaches may have known about some of the arrangements, but it does not provide evidence that any school official was aware of alleged improper gifts.
Bush has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
The NCAA and Pac-10 are investigating whether Bush and his parents took improper benefits during 2004 and 2005, when Bush was still playing college football.
If the NCAA determines that USC violated rules, the football program could have to forfeit victories from those seasons -- when the Trojans won a national championship and lost in the BCS title game against Texas -- and face additional penalties.
If Bush is found retroactively ineligible, he could lose his Heisman.
The book also contains transcripts of secretly recorded conversations that Lake claimed to have had separately with Bush and his stepfather, LaMar Griffin.
Lake and his former business partner Michael Michaels entered into an agreement with Bush and his stepfather to launch a marketing company with Bush as its main client.
The deal fell apart when Bush signed with established sports marketer Mike Ornstein.
Michaels reached an out-of-court settlement with Bush and has declined to comment. Lake is suing Bush to recoup $291,600 in cash and gifts that Bush and his parents allegedly accepted during Bush's sophomore and junior seasons.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Georgia's Munson scraps plans to call Sugar Bowl game
NEW ORLEANS -- Georgia football radio announcer Larry Munson says he will not do the play-by-play for the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday.
The Athens Banner-Herald reports the 85-year-old had planned to call his first game this season outside the state for the Georgia and Hawaii matchup but now he will not make the trip.
Georgia athletic director Claude Felton says Munson decided not to do the game.
Health woes forced the longtime play-by-play man to work only home games this season and the game at Georgia Tech.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Manchin: WVU still merits $4m from buyout clause
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Gov. Joe Manchin doesn't believe West Virginia University reneged on its promises to Rich Rodriguez, which is what supporters of the former head football coach say triggered his exit to the University of Michigan.
"All I've seen is mammoth improvements, tremendous improvements," Manchin said Thursday.
The governor cited the 70 percent boost to Rodriguez's pay, increased salaries for his coaching staff and a $2 million academic center for athletes.
"I don't know the intricacies of it. I'm speaking as a fan," Manchin said.
The governor earlier called on WVU to hold Rodriguez, a lifelong friend, to the $4 million buyout clause in its contract with him.
Since then, several wealthy donors to the school have alleged WVU let down its coach.
Manchin said Thursday that he doesn't care who pays.
"Whoever, I just want West Virginia to get the $4 million," the governor said. "If someone is generous enough to pay it, that's fine."
The No. 11 Mountaineers (10-2) play No. 3 Oklahoma (11-2) in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2.
Rodriguez initially told WVU he planned to leave the day after the bowl game, but then announced he would not be coaching the bowl game and resigned Tuesday.
He led West Virginia to four Big East championships and a 60-26 record in seven seasons. His possible replacements include former Auburn coach Terry Bowden, Florida assistant coach Doc Holliday and Central Michigan coach Butch Jones.
Associate head coach Bill Stewart is overseeing the team as it prepares for the Fiesta Bowl.
Manchin visited the team in Morgantown on Thursday and told the players that the state is behind them.
"It was very emotional and it hit them right in the heart where it was supposed to hit," Stewart said. "He talked about forging steel in the midst of a fire and I thought it was very, very good. As only Gov. Manchin can do, he had us ready to go."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Washington State names Wulff coach
PULLMAN, WASHINGTON (TICKER) -- Washington State on Tuesday turned to one of its own to lead the football program, introducing Paul Wulff as the school's new coach.
Multiple reports surfaced on Monday that Washington State decided to hire Wulff after interviewing him this past weekend.
"We conducted an extensive national search and met with some outstanding candidates," Washington State athletic director Jim Sterk said. "In the end I feel we hired the best person for the job. Paul has had success as a head coach, has great passion for this job and this university, and is a man of great character and integrity."
A former offensive lineman with the Cougars, Wulff has spent the previous eight years serving as coach at Eastern Washington, compiling a 53-40 record over that span.
Wulff, 40, guided the Eagles to a 9-4 record this season and an appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision national quarterfinals.
Wulff replaces Bill Doba, who stepped down last month after guiding the Cougars to a 5-7 record this past season.
Wulff becomes Washington State's 31st coach and the first Cougar letterwinner and graduate to lead the program since Phil Sarboe served as coach from 1945-49.
"Obviously this has been a dream of mine since I joined the coaching profession," Wulff said. "It is my alma mater, a university with great tradition and a program I feel very strongly about. WSU is an important place in my development as a human being with respect to the university culture. Being named head coach is the biggest honor I have ever received and I am excited about the opportunity."
After a short professional career, Wulff started coaching as a volunteer assistant under Dick Zornes and has been at Eastern Washington for the past 15 years, moving from offensive line coach to offensive coordinator in 1998 before being promoted to coach in 2000.
Copyright 2007 PA SportsTicker. All Rights Reserved
Rose Bowl delays decision on USC sharing stadium with UCLA
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- The operators of the Rose Bowl delayed making a decision Thursday on whether to let USC play its home games at the stadium next season.
The Rose Bowl Operating Co. said it wanted USC to talk to UCLA before making a decision.
"We're going to do that, and then we plan to go back to the Rose Bowl Operating Co.," USC spokesman James Grant said.
The Bruins, who are the Trojans' main rivals, play in the Rose Bowl and have veto power over sharing the stadium with another team. UCLA apparently would block any deal with USC allowing the Trojans to play more than one season in Pasadena.
USC is seeking a one-year lease, with an option for a second year, to play at the Rose Bowl after its lease with the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum ended Saturday.
USC offered to spend $100 million to renovate the stadium if the Coliseum Commission will give the school control of the facility, including naming and broadcasting rights. The commission rejected the offer.
Todd Dickey, USC senior vice president and general counsel, has said the Trojans remain open to a compromise that would keep them in the Coliseum, their home since 1923.
Rose Bowl officials were encouraging USC to continue negotiations with the commission.
"It is clear that everybody hopes for a successful resolution of the impasse between USC and the commission," Bill Thomson, chairman of Rose Bowl Operating Co. board said.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
UConn coach talking to Georgia Tech about vacancy
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Connecticut coach Randy Edsall traveled to Atlanta to meet with Georgia Tech officials about their coaching vacancy, a Huskies official said Thursday night.
Edsall, who served as defensive backs coach at Georgia Tech in 1998, cleared his schedule Thursday, including staff and team meetings, and flew to Georgia for a meeting with Tech officials, said a person at the university with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity because he's not authorized to discuss it.
Edsall led the Huskies to a 9-3 record this season and a berth in the Dec. 29 Meineke Car Care Bowl.
He was asked Tuesday about speculation he was being considered for the Georgia Tech job.
"I've said it many many times, it doesn't matter what line of work you're in, if you have success there's going to be rumors out there and they're rumors," he said.
Mike Enright, a spokesman for the athletic department, said the university has a long-standing policy of not commenting on the search process of other schools.
Edsall's trip was first reported by the Hartford Courant on its Web site Thursday night.
Georgia Tech fired Chan Gailey on Monday following a 7-5 campaign. Athletic director Dan Radakovich would only confirm one candidate, defensive coordinator and interim coach Jon Tenuta, who agreed to lead the Yellow Jackets (7-5) in their expected trip to either the Humanitarian or Emerald Bowl. Gailey was 44-32 in six seasons at Georgia Tech.
Edsall is 50-54 in nine years at UConn, which made the move up from Division I-AA in 2002.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
|
