Other College Football Capsules: Boise State coordinator introduced at Texas
AUSTIN (AP) — After a decade at Boise State, new Texas offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin promises one thing. He won't try to change the color of the field.
A hundred yards of burnt orange would be a bit much.
Harsin was introduced Monday as co-offensive coordinator and he will share the title with former Texas quarterback Major Applewhite, the Longhorns' running backs coach the last three seasons. Harsin will call the plays.
The pair is charged with revitalizing the Texas offense after the Longhorns went 5-7 and missed a bowl game for the first time in Mack Brown's 13 seasons in Austin.
Harsin choked up when he talked about leaving behind Boise State and its famous blue field.
"Green is fine," Harsin said of Texas' turf. "I'm going to get used to it."
Harsin played quarterback at Boise State and joined the coaching staff there as a graduate assistant in 2001. He was the offensive coordinator the last five seasons as Boise State went 61-5 with two undefeated seasons.
"We left a great situation at Boise. We knew we were going to come to a great place," Harsin said. "When we got here, the first person we met was coach Brown's wife, Sally. We knew right then it's about people. .... We were sold at that point."
At Boise State, Harsin was at a program that was fighting for respect no matter how many games it won. At Texas, Longhorns fans expect to win national championships, not just hope they get a chance to play for one.
"I know expectations here," Harsin said. "It's my job to put together a championship offense."
He's also at a place where fans were merciless in their criticism of 13-year offensive coordinator Greg Davis, who coached a Heisman Trophy winner (Ricky Williams) and two other Heisman finalists (Vince Young and Colt McCoy), won a national championship in 2005 and played for another one after the 2009 season.
"I told my wife this: There's nobody in the country that puts more pressure on themselves than me," Harsin said.
Brown has had to rebuild much of his staff after his first losing season since 1989, when he was still at North Carolina. He still has to hire an offensive line coach, which could take several more days. Brown called Harsin and Applewhite two of the best offensive coordinators in the country.
Harsin, 34, and Applewhite, 32, are part of Brown's youth movement to re-energize his program. New defensive coordinator Manny Diaz is 36.
"We were looking for someone who would move the ball with uptempo," Brown said. "We looked for somebody who would be innovative, fun for the fans to watch, fun for the players to be involved with. When we started checking further, the name that kept coming up was Bryan Harsin."
Texas fans will remember Boise State's upset win over Oklahoma in the 2006 season Fiesta Bowl that saw the Broncos use two trick plays at the end of the game.
Applewhite was just impressed with how many formations Boise State would use during a regular game.
"They lined up 26 formations against Wyoming," Applewhite said. "We lined up in six."
Applewhite was a redshirt freshman in 1998 when Brown took over the Texas program.
"This is my university and I want to help get this fixed," Applewhite said.
Miles expects to meet with Michigan
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Les Miles met with Michigan on Monday evening about the Wolverines' coaching vacancy, shortly after the LSU coach said he is also "extremely happy" with his current job.
LSU spokesman Michael Bonnette confirmed that the meeting took place but could not immediately say which Michigan officials were involved.
A Domino's Pizza jet arrived in Baton Rouge on Monday afternoon and was on the ground for nearly five hours before departing for an airport near Michigan's campus. When the plane landed at Willow Run Airport, Brandon got off but did not provide any details about the search to reporters waiting at the airport.
Bonnette said Miles' status as LSU's coach remained unchanged and that he and Miles still planned to travel to Dallas on Tuesday for Miles' previously scheduled speaking engagement at an American Football Coaches Association gathering.
Earlier Monday, Miles attended LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson's announcement that he was entering the NFL draft, then spoke afterward about the direction of his coaching career.
"The only thing I can tell you is, I spent my day today with a number of underclassmen that I want to return right here," Miles said. "I am extremely happy here. There's a real comfort with my family here in Baton Rouge. I think it's best left that way and I don't know that there's anything more to say."
LSU athletic director Joe Alleva did not object to Miles meeting with Michigan but reaffirmed comments he made over the weekend concerning LSU's intention to retain its coach.
"I can certainly understand coach Miles' desire to accommodate his alma mater by speaking with them during their coaching search," Alleva said. "We remain committed to working toward keeping Les Miles as the head of the LSU football program, a program that wins at a high level, graduates its student-athletes and represents the university well in the community under his leadership."
Brandon has been very quiet about details of his search since firing Rich Rodriguez last week other than to confirm Friday he was using some "external resources" to help him find a new leader for college football's winningest program.
"Some would suggest we should complete this national search in a matter of hours," Brandon wrote in a blog post on mgoblue.com Monday. "But this is a critical decision for Michigan Athletics and it cannot and will not be made in haste."
Miles was an offensive lineman on two Big Ten championship teams for the late Bo Schembechler, who later gave Miles his first chance to be an assistant coach in 1980. Brandon is a former teammate.
Last Wednesday, Rich Rodriguez was fired as Michigan coach with a 15-22 mark in three seasons. Miles is 62-17 with a 2007 national championship in six seasons at LSU since taking over for Nick Saban in 2005. He is coming of a 41-24 victory over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl that gave him his fourth season with at least 11 wins the Tigers. He also has a 5-1 record in bowl games at LSU.
Miles' LSU contract pays him $3.75 million per year, runs through 2014 and includes an annual one-year roll-over at the discretion of the athletic director that could extend the deal to 2015. The contract also would make him among the three highest paid college coaches should he win a second national title at LSU.
If Miles were to head back to Michigan, he'd be taking on a rebuilding project while also leaving behind a program that is bound to be a favorite in the mighty SEC in 2011.
Next season would be Miles' seventh at LSU, where he has brought one highly rated recruiting class after another to Baton Rouge.
In addition, Miles last month signed coveted 6-foot-5, 230-pound junior college transfer quarterback Zach Mettenberger, a former top Georgia recruit who was dismissed by the Bulldogs because of legal trouble.
Mettenberger's arrival is expected to provide a boost to LSU's passing game, which was last in the SEC this season, and was perhaps the only thing holding the Tigers back in their two losses this season to Auburn and Arkansas.
Mettenberger will compete for snaps with rising senior Jordan Jefferson, who struggled for long stretches but is coming off an impressive performance in the Cotton Bowl in which he accounted for four touchdowns.
After Peterson announced that he would enter the NFL draft, he said he hopes and believes Miles will remain at LSU, based on his conversations with the coach and what Miles has told other underclassmen and recruits.
Peterson's younger brother, Avery Johnson, is a high school junior and standout wide receiver who has made an early commitment to LSU.
"I think he's here. He said this is the greatest job in America and I believe him. He's honest with his ball players and up front with us," Peterson said. "I hope he's coming back, but he said he's here. ... So I can't wait to see the final decision and Avery will be on his way as well."
-- Brent Martel
Tulsa's Graham hired as Pitt football coach
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Todd Graham agreed Monday to leave Tulsa and become Pitt's third football coach in a month, a move designed to quickly bring stability to a program rocked by former coach Mike Haywood's arrest last month.
Graham told his Tulsa players of the move at a meeting Monday night, and Pitt made the hiring official shortly after that.
Graham had a 36-17 record in four seasons at Tulsa, including a 10-3 record this season that included a 28-27 upset at Notre Dame — where Pitt lost under coach Dave Wannstedt. Wannstedt was forced to resign last month following a disappointing 7-5 regular season and repeated failures to win an outright Big East Conference title.
Graham made $1.3 million at Tulsa, about $300,000 more than Wannstedt was paid from 2005 until this season, but is expected to be paid about $2 million per season at Pitt. Graham's salary is believed to be one reason he was bypassed during Pitt's initial search, but the school subsequently decided to pay more.
The 46-year-old Graham was the only coach known to have had two interviews, and he met with Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg — a requirement for any finalist. Nordenberg became involved in the search after athletic director Steve Pederson's hand-picked choice, Haywood, was fired Jan. 1 following his arrest on a domestic violence charge.
Haywood was hired in mid-December, but the image of Haywood posing for an Indiana police mug shot became a national embarrassment for the university. It also led to a more thorough search for Pitt's next coach.
"We are thrilled that Todd Graham has agreed to become the head football coach at the University of Pittsburgh," Pederson said in a statement issued by the school. "His innovative, creative and energized approach to football makes him an exciting leader for our program. He has a proven track record of success at all levels of football and his wealth of experience on both sides of the ball gives him a unique set of credentials."
While Graham grew up in Texas and was the head coach at Rice for one season, he is not unfamiliar with the Pittsburgh area. He was an assistant coach at nearby West Virginia in 2001-02, serving as co-defensive coordinator the second season.
"Pittsburgh is a tremendous football city with great fans," Graham said in a statement. "We will work diligently every day to earn their respect and build a program that competes for and wins championships. I'm also excited to return to the Big East."
Graham likely will drastically alter the system at Pitt, where Wannstedt employed a pro-style defense that featured a fullback and a traditional defense. Graham prefers a spread-type offense, and his defense borrows from the three-man stack employed by West Virginia.
Tulsa led the nation in total offense in 2007 and 2008 and was fifth this year, averaging 505.6 yards and 41.4 points per game. Tulsa's 661 points in 2008 set a school record and marked the second highest single-season total in the NCAA's modern era, trailing only Oklahoma's 716 points that season.
"Much of the credit for the rise of TU's football program to its present level is directly attributable to the efforts and hard work of Todd and his staff," Tulsa athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement. "We're extremely grateful to Todd for his dedication in moving Tulsa football to an even greater level of success."
Cunningham said Tulsa would begin a national search for Graham's successor.
Graham will attempt to salvage Pitt's once-promising recruiting class. About two-thirds of the 18-man class recruited by Wannstedt has defected and, with only a couple of weeks remaining in this recruiting cycle, most of the top players already have committed.
Losing a recruiting class can be a setback because each of the next five Pitt teams will feel the effects not having a full class.
Even as Pitt was hiring Graham, three of the Panthers' best players were announcing they were leaving for the NFL. Junior wide receiver Jon Baldwin, junior fullback Henry Hynoski and sophomore tailback Dion Lewis all announced Monday they would declare themselves eligible for the draft.
Pitt finished its season Saturday, beating Kentucky 27-10 in the Compass Bowl with former defensive coordinator Phil Bennett serving as interim coach. He then left to become the defensive coordinator at Baylor.
The 6-foot-5 Baldwin is a two-time all-Big East player who made 53 catches for 822 yards and five touchdowns this season. Lewis ran for a Pitt freshman record 1,799 yards last season and was chosen as a second-team All-American, but he had a major falloff to 1,061 yards this season. Hynoski is leaving in part because he believed Pitt's next coach will do away with the fullback role.
Penn State assistant coach Tom Bradley was among the first to be interviewed by Pitt, but he apparently did not have a second interview despite being pushed by some prominent Pitt boosters.
Unlike the initial search, which was conducted by Pederson, a search committee was formed this time that included university executive Jerry Cochran and senior associate athletic director Donna Sanft. Nordenberg also was heavily involved.
-- Alan Robinson
Petersen says he's staying at Boise State
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Chris Petersen is staying put, content for now to continue his highly successful run at Boise State.
The Broncos coach acknowledged Monday being intrigued by Stanford's opening and having a telephone conversation with Cardinal athletic officials, but said the allure was not enough to make him leave his powerhouse program.
"I'm really happy to be in the position I've been the last five years," said Petersen, who is 61-5 with two undefeated seasons at Boise State. "I think (Stanford) is a very special place. I just thought it was worth having a conversation about, but that's about as far as it went."
Those words are a big relief to Broncos players and fans who became worried when Petersen once again was linked to another high-profile job. Stanford has been looking for a coach since Jim Harbaugh took over the NFL's San Francisco 49ers last week and Petersen grew up and played college football in northern California.
Boise State made a serious bid this season to play in Monday night's national title game or another BCS bowl, at one point being ranked as high as No. 2. But those hopes were dashed by a late loss to rival Nevada.
The Broncos beat No. 20 Utah 26-3 in the MACCO Bowl in Las Vegas to finish the season with a 12-1 record.
Next season, the Broncos will leave the Western Athletic Conference, which they've dominated the last 10 years, and begin playing in a Mountain West Conference that has been gutted of top teams such as Utah, TCU and Brigham Young.
Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier said he granted Stanford permission to talk to Petersen, but also lobbied hard to keep him. Bleymaier declined to say whether Petersen's current five-year contract would be reworked to increase its value.
Bleymaier did say, however, that Petersen made it clear he wants to see Boise State move forward with plans to build a football office and locker room complex, along with adding more seats to Bronco Stadium.
"A new football facility is definitely a priority for us," Bleymaier said.
Petersen also filled two openings on his staff Monday, including bringing back Brent Pease to coordinate the Broncos' high-scoring offense. Last month, Pease accepted the same job at Indiana, but was lured back after former Broncos offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin moved on to Texas.
The Broncos' wide receivers coach the last five years, Pease now oversees an offense led by quarterback Kellen Moore, a Heisman finalist, that averaged 519 yards last season, fourth best in the nation.
Pease only spent a week in Indiana before deciding to take the promotion on the Broncos staff.
"It's been an up and down time, and there's been some gut wrenching decisions," Pease said.
Indiana coach Kevin Wilson was out of town at a national coaches' convention and unavailable for comment, school spokesman Jeff Keag said.
Petersen also said Robert Prince will return to coach wide receivers and serve as passing game coordinator. Prince coached wide receivers at Boise State under former Broncos coach Dan Hawkins from 2001-2002 and was passing game coordinator in 2003 before leaving to coach in the pros. He rejoined Hawkins' staff last season, serving as wide receivers and passing game coach at Colorado.
"I can't express how happy we are to have two outstanding coaches back on our staff," Petersen said.
-- Todd Dvorak
Phillips era at Kentucky begins with a few bumps
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky coach Joker Phillips felt it was important to put his own stamp on the Wildcats during his first season on the job.
He coined "Operation Win" as the team's new catchphrase, stressing it was time for Kentucky to take the next step up the Southeastern Conference ladder when he replaced the retiring Rich Brooks last January.
A year later, a better-suited catchphrase became "Operation Win Some, Lose Some."
Kentucky wrapped up a 6-7 season with a disappointing 27-10 loss to Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl, a game that served as a microcosm of the Wildcats' up-and-down year.
There were big plays mixed with boneheaded ones, the type that cropped up enough to send the Wildcats to their first losing season since 2005.
"It's the same thing we've been talking about all season, we didn't execute," said wide receiver Randall Cobb. "Offensively we didn't do the things we talked about, didn't play the way we expected to."
Kentucky rarely did after a promising 4-0 start to the season that included a fourth straight victory over rival Louisville.
The Wildcats stumbled to a 2-6 record in the Southeastern Conference, a mark that was particularly disappointing considering typical SEC East powers Georgia and Florida struggled.
Still, neither had major problems with Kentucky. The Gators romped 48-14 while the Bulldogs rolled 44-31. While the Wildcats were able to beat Steve Spurrier for the first time by knocking off South Carolina at home in October but a second-half rally against eventual SEC champion Auburn came up short as the Tigers won it on a field goal on the game's final play.
The offense hummed at times behind the play of senior quarterback Mike Hartline, who threw for 3,178 yards and 23 touchdowns but also missed the bowl game after being arrested for disorderly conduct in December.
Cobb did everything in his power, putting together one of the finest seasons in school history. He led the SEC in all-purpose yards, racking up nearly 2,200 total yards and accounting for 16 touchdowns while being named first-time All-American by The Associated Press.
Kentucky's immediate future could hinge on whether Cobb returns for his senior season. He has a week to decide and said following the bowl loss he "still has some things I want to think about."
The Wildcats could certainly use him. Kentucky will have major holes to fill along the offensive line, which loses several starters and in the backfield.
Seniors Derrick Locke and Moncell Allen will move on, as will Hartline. Though Phillips was impressed with the way Newton handled his first start in over a year he isn't ready to name Newton the starter when spring drills being.
Instead Newton will battle Ryan Mossakowski for the starting spot and a handful of youngsters will try to separate themselves from a crowded running back field.
The defense loses a handful of starters, including defensive tackle Ricky Lumpkin. Junior linebacker Danny Trevathan blossomed into one of the SEC's top run-stoppers, leading the conference with 130 tackles. Trevathan has been quiet on his NFL prospects but allowed before the bowl game the feedback he'd received from NFL talent evaluators was better than he anticipated.
The biggest change defensively next season will come in leadership, where longtime defensive coordinator Steve Brown will now share the job title with Rick Minter. Minter coached alongside Phillips at Cincinnati years ago
Both will be charged with trying to shore up a unit that struggled to stop teams, particularly in the first half.
Kentucky found itself constantly playing catchup after other teams rolled to double-digit leads. The offense usually found its legs, but not until it was often too late.
The loss to the Panthers wasn't much different. A couple of failed fourth-down conversions and a blocked punt prevented Kentucky from rallying after the Panthers took a 17-point lead.
It wasn't the kind of performance Phillips anticipated considering the Wildcats had a month to prepare. Yet he remains pleased with the effort put forth during run-up to the game, particularly from the younger players.
He's so pleased he doesn't see any reason why they can't step into major roles next season. Some of them won't have a choice.
"You can't come into every season talking about how young we are," he said. "We redshirted a lot of guys. They've been in our program now for a year and we expect ... those guys to mature in a hurry."
-- Will Graves
Ole Miss hires Dolphins QB coach to lead offense
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Houston Nutt is turning the Mississippi offense over to a familiar face with NFL experience.
The Ole Miss coach has hired Miami Dolphins quarterbacks coach David Lee as his offensive coordinator. Nutt, shaking up his staff after a dismal 4-8 season, said he is turning over play-calling responsibilities to Lee.
"When you turn over the play-calling duty, it's important that you know that coach very well," Nutt said. "We have the same type of philosophy. I love his experience with the professional game and with quarterbacks."
Lee, 57, is no stranger to Nutt or the college game. He worked with Nutt at Arkansas on two occasions. He was quarterbacks coach in 2001 and '02, and then returned in 2007 to become the offensive coordinator. Lee initially followed Nutt to Ole Miss after the 2007 season, but decided to take a job with the Dolphins.
Lee takes over for Dave Rader, who is leaving with one year remaining on a contract that pays $275,000 annually.
"Dave Rader is a great coach and a class act," Nutt said. "We just needed to do some different things."
The Ole Miss offense scored 30.6 points per game this fall, which ranked seventh in the SEC.
Nutt said shedding play-calling responsibilities will free him to work more with the defense, which gave up an SEC-worst 35.2 points per game.
"I just felt like I need to spend more time on the defensive side of the ball," Nutt said. "I feel like I don't give them the time that I need. I'll be able to spend a little more time around them, getting to watch them and be in the meeting rooms."
Details of Lee's contract were not immediately released. Lee's tenure with the Dolphins was mixed. The quarterback play was often spotty, but he was credited with bringing the "Wildcat" formation to the NFL in 2008, which features a running back that takes a direct snap.
In addition to Lee's hiring, Nutt said Mike Markuson's coaching title will be changed from co-offensive coordinator to running game coordinator.
Nutt wasn't sure if he was done making changes to his coaching staff. Receivers coach Ron Dickerson, Jr., is a candidate for the Gardner-Webb coaching job.
"I'm still working through some things," Nutt said. "We've got a really good recruiting class coming together. I'm just trying to do what's best for Ole Miss."
Stanford's Marecic hopes assistants considered
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Stanford two-way star Owen Marecic is endorsing a pair of current Cardinal coaches to be considered for the vacant head coach position.
Athletic director Bob Bowlsby is still in the process of finding a replacement for Jim Harbaugh, who departed Friday for the NFL to coach the San Francisco 49ers. Bowlsby is expected to interview offensive coordinator and former Stanford receiver David Shaw and associate head coach Greg Roman for the position.
"I have tremendous respect for those coaches and I think they can do a great job," Marecic said Monday. "Anyone on the coaching staff would do a great job leading the team and would have the respect of the program.
"Those guys, their football knowledge is second to none. They're great men of character and they have what it takes to lead a team like this."
Bowlsby has already met with the entire coaching staff since Harbaugh left Friday, four days after Stanford capped a 12-1 season with a 40-12 Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech in Miami.
Bowlsby and university president John Hennessy have said they would like to find a coach quickly but also do the necessary work to hire the right person to fit Stanford's unique situation. The job should be enticing with Orange Bowl MVP quarterback Andrew Luck deciding to return for another season rather than declaring for the NFL draft.
Successful Boise State coach Chris Petersen said Monday he is staying put.
Marecic, a standout fullback and linebacker who won the first Paul Hornung Award given out Monday by the Louisville Sports Commission for college football's most versatile player, hopes one of the coaches already on staff gets a shot.
"I do hope the coaching staff remains intact," Marecic said on a conference call for his award. "It's a tremendous staff and they really work well together. The players here have the work ethic to be successful."
-- Janie McCauley
Clemson hires Morris, Hobby
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has found the coach to direct his offense in Tulsa's Chad Morris.
Swinney said Monday that Morris had accepted the job as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Morris had spent the past season running Tulsa's attack, leading the Golden Hurricanes to 41.4 points a game, the eighth best total in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Morris takes over for Billy Napier, let go by Swinney after two seasons as offensive coordinator. Napier's offense put up a school record in points in 2009 as the Tigers won the ACC's Atlantic Division and played in the league's championship game.
But that team was led by senior stars in tailback C.J. Spiller, wide receiver Jacoby Ford and tight end Michael Palmer and the 31-year-old Napier was criticized when their young replacements couldn't match last year's production.
Morris, a successful high school coach in Texas before joining Tulsa, was certainly productive in his season with the Golden Hurricanes.
The team finished fifth nationally with 505.6 yards a game and was almost a lock at scoring from inside the opponent's 20-yard line with 46 red-zone TDs, also the country's fifth best total.
Swinney also announced Monday that Duke's Marion Hobby would take over as defensive ends coach. Hobby had worked for the Tigers in 2005 before moving to the NFL's New Orleans Saints. He spent the past three seasons with the Blue Devils as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach.
Hobby will have his work cut out for him since Tigers standout defensive end Da'Quan Bowers decided to enter the NFL draft.
Swinney said both hires are subject to successful background checks, which are expected to be completed later this week.
Clemson is still searching for a running backs coach after Andre Powell was fired along with Napier. Powell also coordinator special teams for the Tigers.
Tar Heels turn to Baker for DL coach
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina has hired Brian Baker as its new defensive line coach.
Baker had spent the past two seasons in the same position with the NFL's Carolina Panthers. The former Maryland linebacker coached 12 seasons in college and 15 seasons in the NFL.
Baker is the permanent replacement for John Blake, who resigned in September amid an NCAA investigation into the program.
Also Monday, the school announced it had five incoming recruits enroll in spring semester classes. Quarterback Marquise Williams, receiver T.J. Thorpe, offensive lineman Landon Turner and athlete Travis Riley graduated from high school early to enroll, while defensive tackle Sylvester Williams is a junior college transfer.
Hudspeth's ULL staff nearly complete
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — New University of Louisiana at Lafayette football coach Mark Hudspeth has nearly completed hiring his staff.
The school announced over the weekend that Hudspeth, a former Mississippi State assistant who was hired at ULL after Ricky Bustled was fired in November, has hired eight of his nine assistant coaches and a director of football operations. The Advocate reports the lone vacancy on the staff remains at wide receiver.
Troy Wingerter will remain on the staff under his fourth coach. He moves from his role as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator to director of football operations.
Player Moves
LSU's Peterson: Time was right to turn pro
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Once Patrick Peterson learned he was widely projected to be a top-five selection in this spring's NFL draft, the star LSU cornerback figured this was the year he had to turn pro.
"I pretty much achieved all my goals here," said Peterson, who won the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back and the Bednarik Award as the top defender in college football. "I believe it just was the right time to go."
Even coach Les Miles agreed.
"This is a decision that Patrick Peterson and his family made independent of me, but I want to say simply that I agree with it completely," Miles said.
Miles said Peterson has performed so well both as a cornerback and kick and punt returner that he has put himself in a "draft position that is really too good to forgo."
Peterson wore a gold LSU pin on the lapel of his gray suit at his announcement on Monday and spoke passionately about his love for the Tigers and his playing days in the stadium known as Death Valley, which called "the best stadium I've ever, ever been part of."
"I'd like to thank the wonderful fans at LSU," he said. "There is no place in America that has the fans and student body that we have."
There were no tears and no signs of regret about his decision to forego his senior season and enter the NFL draft.
Peterson, who also was the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Special Teams Player of the Year for 2010, was widely expected to make his junior season his last in college.
"Leaving this place with the ability that I have was just a no-brainer for me," he said.
The 6-foot-1, 222-pound junior routinely covered opponents' top receivers one-on-one. He had four interceptions and returned two punts for touchdowns this season.
"The ability for him to make good plays on special teams should definitely increase his draft position," Miles said.
For his career, Peterson played in 39 games, starting 30 times. He was credited with 135 tackles, 22 pass breakups and seven interceptions on defense. As a return specialist, he finished with 418 punt returns yards and two touchdowns to go with 932 kickoff return yards.
Peterson said he does not have an agent but expects to start interviewing them next week. He also said he will soon start training for the NFL scouting combine with the hope of running the 40-yard dash in 4.2 seconds.
"My goal is to be the highest defensive player and the highest cornerback taken," Peterson said. "I have to go to this combine and perform well and hopefully I can be a No. 1 pick."
-- Brett Martel
Illinois' Wilson entering draft; Leshoure next?
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Illinois middle linebacker Martez Wilson will enter the NFL draft. Whether running back Mikel Leshoure joins him will be settled soon enough.
Wilson has decided to skip his senior season and has filed paperwork to enter the April draft, Illinois sports information director Kent Brown confirmed Monday.
Leshoure, the talented junior running back, said Monday he'll announce Tuesday morning whether he'll stick around for his senior season. The news release announcing the news conference at his old high school, Centennial in Champaign, didn't indicate how he's leaning.
Wilson said in a printed statement Monday that he decided to leave because he's reached one of his key goals — winning a bowl game — and in May is expected to reach another, getting a college degree.
"After weighing all my options, I've decided it was time to pursue my next goal and take my game to the next level," Wilson said.
Illinois head coach Ron Zook, who recruited Wilson from Chicago Simeon High School, wished him well.
"I know the NFL has been Martez's goal and dream for many years, and I'm very proud and happy he'll have the opportunity to make that a reality," Zook said in the same release.
Leshoure did not respond to a telephone message from The Associated Press.
Leshoure, a 6-0, 230-pound back from Champaign, is projected to be drafted anywhere from the first through fourth rounds. The possibility of a labor disruption of the 2011 NFL season has raised questions about whether he and others could wait to turn pro.
Leshoure had 1,697 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns in 2010, breaking Rashard Mendenhall's Illinois single-season record for rushing yards.
Mendenhall was the last Illini back to leave school early, passing up his senior season and getting drafted in 2008's first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Wilson led Illinois with 112 tackles this season. He also had four sacks and an interception in the kind of season Illinois has been waiting for since he came to Champaign in 2007.
Wilson chose Illinois over Ohio State, Notre Dame and other schools. But he struggled to live up to that promise until the 2010 season, in part because of injuries.
The 6-4, 250-pound Wilson sat out most of the 2009 season after having surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck. He was also stabbed before that season while reportedly helping a former teammate during a fight outside a bar.
Wilson's draft prospects aren't clear. Many draft experts expected him to stick around for his senior season.
Defensive lineman Corey Liuget, who many experts project to be a first-round pick, has not decided whether to return for his senior season, Brown said. Liuget is a 6-3, 300-pound tackle from Miami. He had 63 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2010 and won regular praise from opposing coaches for his ability to disrupt an offense.
The draft is April 28-30.
-- David Mercer
Florida CB Jenkins returning for senior season
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins pretty much shut down the Southeastern Conference's best receivers in 2010.
He'll try to do it again next season. Jenkins announced Monday that he has decided to return for his senior season, a huge boost for the Gators and new coach Will Muschamp.
"I spent some time with my family and coach Muschamp and came to the conclusion it was in my best interest to return to school," Jenkins said in a statement. "Coach Muschamp was very supportive throughout the whole process, regardless of my decision, but he wanted to make sure I had all of the facts. I'm looking forward to working towards my degree, completing my rehab and getting back on the field with my teammates."
Jenkins, a three-year starter projected to be a first-round draft pick, has eight career interceptions. He had three this season, and was a first-team, All-SEC selection by The Associated Press. He missed the Outback Bowl following shoulder surgery.
He was at his best against Georgia's A.J. Green, Alabama's Julio Jones and South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery. They averaged 38 yards receiving against Jenkins and had one touchdown between them.
Jenkins also was Florida's leading punt returner, with 18 returns for 150 yards.
"I'm excited that Janoris has made a decision to come back to school," Muschamp said. "I would have supported him in whatever decision he made, but I commend him for making a mature decision.
"It would have been real easy for Janoris to make an emotional choice and leave early, but with our contacts in the NFL, we were able to assist him in understanding his draft status and he made an educated decision that will be beneficial to him in the long term."
Muschamp said Saturday that no players had left the team since his arrival. Safety Will Hill is considering turning pro, but has not announced his intentions. Underclassmen have until Saturday to declare for the NFL draft.
-- Mark Long
Williams leaving Va. Tech for NFL Draft
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Sophomore tailback Ryan Williams is leaving Virginia Tech with two years of eligibility remaining to make himself available for April's NFL draft.
An NFL advisory panel projected him as a first- or second-round draft choice this year, and Williams said the possibility of being a first-round draft pick is "something that's hard to pass up." He says the NFL will give him an opportunity to help his family.
"It came down to what I felt like was the best decision for me," he said.
Williams is the second member of the Hokies' three-man tailback rotation to announce he's leaving school to pursue a pro career. Darren Evans made the same decision last week, leaving junior David Wilson as the heir apparent to the starting tailback job next season.
Williams struggled with a hamstring injury this season and missed several games after a record-breaking freshman season in which he rushed for a school-record 1,655 yards and 21 touchdowns. This year, his numbers were modest: 110 carries for 477 yards and nine TDs.
"There is no other place I'd rather play and there are no other fans I'd rather have than Virginia Tech fans," he said, adding he hopes they understand his decision.
"They are the most loyal fans in the country. They were with me all the way, both when I was up and when I was down, and I thank them for making my time here so special."
Rodgers declares for draft
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Oregon State tailback Jacquizz Rodgers says he'll enter the NFL Draft.
Rodgers, 5-foot-7, 191-pound junior, finishes his college career with 3,877 rushing yards, second in school history behind Ken Simonton. He has scored 46 rushing touchdowns, also second to Simonton. He is the school's career leader with receptions for a running back with 151.
Rodgers says he will return to Oregon State to finish his degree in ethnic studies.
His older brother, James, recently was given an extra year of eligibility after missing most of this past season because of knee surgery.
Three recruits enroll early at USF
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Three South Florida football recruits have enrolled in school early and will join the Bulls immediately.
Coach Skip Holtz announced that junior college linebacker Mike Jeune and two incoming freshmen — quarterback Matt Floyd and linebacker Antoine Pozniak — enrolled at USF on Monday.
Jeune is from Jacksonville and played the past two years at Independence Community College in Kansas. Floyd graduated early from Milton High School in north Florida. Pozniak is from Jersey City, N.J., and spent last season at Oak Ridge Military Academy in North Carolina.
By enrolling early, the players will be able to participate in winter conditioning and spring practice.
Illinois' Wilson to skip senior season for draft
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Illinois middle linebacker Martez Wilson will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Illini sports information director Kent Brown said Monday that Wilson has filed paperwork to enter the draft.
Wilson led Illinois with 112 tackles this season. The Chicago Simeon graduate also had four sacks and an interception in the kind of season Illinois has been waiting for since he came to Champaign in 2007. Wilson chose Illinois over Ohio State, Notre Dame and other schools.
Wilson sat out most of the 2009 season after having neck surgery. He was also stabbed before that season while reportedly helping a former teammate during a fight outside a bar.
Marshall DE Curry to return for senior season
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Marshall defensive end Vinny Curry plans to return for his senior season. Curry said at a news conference Monday he won't declare for the 2011 NFL draft. He cited "unfinished business" at Marshall, which went 5-7 last season.
The first-team all-Conference USA selection had 94 tackles, including 18 tackles for loss and 12 sacks, which ranks fifth nationally.
Curry had requested an NFL draft evaluation that came back favorable, but he said he has the chance to become the second person in his family to earn a college degree.
QB Carta-Samuels leaving Wyoming
LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — Starting quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels has decided to leave Wyoming. UW coach Dave Christensen announced Monday that Carta-Samuels was transferring.
In an e-mail to media, Carta-Samuels cited unspecified personal reasons that are best for his growth and success. He says he has enrolled in a junior college that he didn't identify and leaves with a heavy heart.
Christensen says in a statement released by the university that Carta-Samuels informed him of his decision on Monday. The coach says he's disappointed but wishes Carta-Samuels the best.
Christensen declined further comment. Carta-Samuels, of San Jose, Calif., was the Mountain West Conference freshman of the year in 2009. Last season, he passed for 1,702 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also was UW's second-leading rusher with 392 yards and three TDs.
Elsewhere
Fund established for injured football players
DALLAS (AP) — In the wake of a tragic injury to Eric LeGrand of Rutgers, a group of football and business leaders have established a fund to support players who sustained serious injuries through college football.
The College Football Assistance Fund will provide help to ease the burden of medical costs associated with injuries such as joint replacement, spine treatment, neurological care and other related expenses.
The nonprofit, tax exempt organization based in Dallas says the fund was conceived by a group of college coaches and athletic administrators concerned about the limited resources available to injured football players and their families. The group was moved to act after LeGrand suffered a spinal cord injury making a tackle against Army on Oct. 16.
"It is our hope that the CFAF will provide much needed support to these young men who suffer life changing injuries through playing college football," said SMU coach June Jones, a CFAF board member. "The costs associated with these injuries goes way beyond what is usually covered by health insurance. It is our objective to ease the financial burden."
Fund spokesman Marques Fitch did not immediately return either a telephone call or an e-mail asking whether LeGrand would receive assistance.
On Thursday, Rutgers announced LeGrand had regained movement in his shoulders and is now experiencing sensation throughout his body.
In the interview with ESPN, which was taped at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, N.J., LeGrand confirmed both pieces of news. He also said he believes he will walk again.
"I believe it," LeGrand said in his emotional interview. "God has a plan for me, and I know it's not to be sitting here all the time. I know he has something planned bigger for me."
LeGrand fractured his C3/C4 vertebrae making the tackle and remains paralyzed below the neck.
He said he had "the fear of death" after the injury and felt he "could pass out and die here."
Stanford's Marecic wins Hornung Award
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Stanford fullback-linebacker Owen Marecic won the inaugural Paul Hornung Award on Monday. The award given out by the Louisville Sports Commission honors the most versatile player in college football.
Marecic won over Kentucky wide receiver-kick returner Randall Cobb and TCU wide receiver-kick returner Jeremy Kerley. Marecic and Stanford capped a 12-1 season with a 40-12 Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech last Monday night in Miami.
"It's a special year, a real special group of guys," Marecic said on a conference call. "For myself, I just played a small role in the whole process all year."
Marecic carried 23 times for 46 yards and five touchdowns and caught nine passes for 75 yards. He was the fifth leading tackler with 51 stops, and had two sacks and two interceptions for the Cardinal (12-1).
A 16-member selection committee comprised of sports journalists and former NFL stars voted for the award. The award is named for 1956 Heisman Trophy winner and Louisville native Paul Hornung.
"I watched the game with a great deal of interest. You guys played well and you had a sensational game," Hornung said.
Former Austin Peay coach William 'Bill' Dupes dies
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Former Austin Peay coach William "Bill" Dupes, whose nine-year tenure is the longest of all Governors football coaches, has died. He was 81.
Austin Peay officials say Dupes passed away Saturday in Knoxville and is survived by his wife, Peggy, and four children.
Dupes coached the Governors from 1963 through 1972 to a 40-58-2 overall record and led them to an 8-1-1 record in the 1964 season. He was named Ohio Valley Conference coach of the year that same season. Dupes was a three-year starter at Tennessee Tech, where he also served as an assistant coach. He also coached Tennessee Military Institute and Sweetwater High School before retiring in 1998.
Visitation will begin at noon Wednesday at First United Methodist Church in Sweetwater, with a service beginning at 2 p.m.
