College Football Capsules: Longhorns still haven't decided on QB
AUSTIN (AP) — Texas has yet to decide on a starting quarterback, eight days before the Longhorns' season opener.
Co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin told the Longhorn Network on Friday that a decision will be reached soon. Texas opens at home against Rice on Sept. 3.
Garret Gilbert, who started all 12 games last year, is competing against sophomore Case McCoy, redshirt freshman Connor Wood and true freshman David Ash.
Gilbert threw for 2,744 yards last season, completing 59 percent with 10 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He played in the 2010 national championship game against Alabama, nearly leading Texas to a comeback win after starter Colt McCoy was injured in the first quarter. Texas lost 37-21, but Gilbert was 15 of 40 for 186 yards and two scores.
Longhorn Network announces small carriers
AUSTIN (AP) — The Longhorn Network has announced several new distributors for the new service launching Friday.
Texas-based carriers Consolidated Communications, Bay City Cablevision, Mid-Coast Cablevision and Texas Mid-Gulf Cablevision will all have the network starting Friday night. Verizon, En-Touch Systems and E-Tex Communications will have the channel starting Sept. 1.
Texas and ESPN announced a $300-million, 20-year deal in January to create and launch the Longhorn Network, a 24-hour channel dedicated to Longhorns sports. The network will broadcast the Texas football season-opener Sept. 3 against Rice.
Oklahoma players honor Box with helmet decal
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Top-ranked Oklahoma has created a decal that players will wear on their helmets to honor linebacker Austin Box, who died during the offseason.
The decal features a black No. 12, the jersey number Box wore during his time with the Sooners, along with his name in crimson block letters. A red OU logo is placed next to the number and all of it is inside a crimson-colored square.
Box, a starting middle linebacker who would have been a senior this season, overdosed on painkillers in May.
No. 9 Oklahoma State gives three walk-ons scholarships
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — No. 9 Oklahoma State has granted scholarships to three players who had been walk-ons. Coach Mike Gundy announced Friday that he was awarding scholarships to receiver Colton Chelf, offensive lineman Casey LaBrue and safety Kyle Hale.
Chelf caught 11 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown last season as a junior. LaBrue, a senior who transferred from Missouri State, played in five games as a reserve last season. He is listed as the Cowboys' backup center. Hale, a sophomore, played primarily on the kickoff coverage unit last season.
Top 25
Fisher says 'Noles have the talent to win titles
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State coach Jim Fisher told 1,400 title-hungry fans Friday that the sixth-ranked Seminoles have plenty of talent to win a championship.
Fisher told boosters at the alumni association's annual kickoff luncheon that he wouldn't trade Florida State's talent for anyone and that his team is ready to make a championship run if they stay focused and play up to their ability.
"There's plenty of talent back there to win a championship," the second-year head coach said in reference to his players seated in the audience. "We want to win a championship."
Florida State's last national championship was in 1999 when the Seminoles finished 12-0 in the school's only perfect season and its second national title in six years. They haven't won an Atlantic Coast Conference title since 2005, but are a heavy preseason favorite to end that brief drought this season.
Fisher has eight starters back on both offense and defense from a team that finished 10-4 last season. The Seminoles also return nearly all of a special teams unit that was among the nation's best last year in addition to landing one of the country's premier recruiting classes.
The most noticeable change in Florida State's lineup is at quarterback, where junior EJ Manuel has replaced Christian Ponder. The 6-5, 245-pound Manuel is three inches taller and 20 pounds bigger than Ponder, yet appears just as fast and mobile as his predecessor.
"When it comes to reading the defense, throwing the ball, they're on the same page," junior fullback Lonnie Pryor said. "EJ learned lot from Ponder."
Fisher said the August workouts have his players thirsting for the Sept. 3 opener against Louisiana-Monroe.
"There's no doubt that we're ready," Fisher said.
The Seminoles finished two-a-day practices Thursday and turned their focus on the start of classes on Monday and their opening opponent.
Fisher said he expects both starting offensive tackles, Zebrie Sanders (groin) and Andrew Datko (shoulder), to be ready to go for the opener. The two veterans have been held out of practice to get extra time to heal. Junior running back Chris Thompson, the team's leading rusher a year ago with 845 yards, has also practiced little.
Fisher, who claims no one is looking ahead to the Sept. 17 visit from top-ranked Oklahoma, did his best to build up Louisiana-Monroe.
The Warhawks finished with a 5-7 record last year, but Fisher said they can present problems for the Seminoles, especially with an unorthodox defense that he said could confuse for his offense.
Florida State will host lower-division Charleston Southern on Sept. 10 before getting to the Sooners and then their ACC schedule.
Fisher tried to assure boosters that his players and coaches weren't looking past their first two games and said Florida State would be ready for the Sooners this year after a 47-17 pummeling in Norman, Okla., last September.
"We'll be ready to play that day," Fisher said.
-- Brent Kallestad
Alabama defense embracing '09 comparisons
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Comparing the outstanding defenses of Alabama's championship teams is practically a tradition — and the Crimson Tide does cherish its traditions.
The defensive unit from the 2009 title team opened the season amid comparisons to the 1992 championship squad. The current lineup led by All-American safety Mark Barron and linebacker Dont'a Hightower is fielding plenty of questions about whether it can measure up to the '09 champs — or maybe top them.
Hightower & Co. aren't exactly dodging such talk.
"We can be great," junior linebacker Nico Johnson said. "I honestly think we could be better than '09 defense. We've still got a lot of work to do, but I seriously think that."
The Tide returns 10 starters — eight more than last year — from a defense that ranked third nationally in scoring defense and fifth in total yards allowed despite that inexperience.
"I feel like the defense as a whole has that ability," Hightower said, referring to the '09 comparisons.
The linebackers can afford to boast a little. It's probably the one part of the team where there seems to be no doubt about talent, depth or experience.
A secondary led by Barron, safety Robert Lester and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick isn't far behind after being a question mark going into last season.
The defensive line goes into the Sept. 3 opener against Kent State less established after replacing No. 3 NFL draft pick Marcell Dareus and several reserves. The returning linemen accounted for a modest 7.5 sacks last season, led by end Damion Square's three.
But nose guard Josh Chapman is a powerful presence. Like 2009 counterpart Terrence Cody he is a run stopper who doesn't rack up big stats in a defense that often employs a three-man front. Junior college transfer Jesse Williams could play multiple spots on the line.
As for that '09 defense, it finished second nationally in total, scoring, run and pass efficiency defense in a 14-0 season.
It produced first-round picks in Dareus, linebacker Rolando McClain and cornerback Kareem Jackson and a couple of All-American second-rounders in Cody and cornerback Javier Arenas.
Hightower and Barron are the only returning starters from that defense, though the former missed most of the season with a knee injury. They've started 55 games between them.
Lester ranked second nationally with eight interceptions in 2010. Linebackers Courtney Upshaw and C.J. Mosley could be emerging stars. Mosley had 67 tackles and returned two interceptions for touchdowns as a freshman.
Upshaw was limited early in the season by a high ankle sprain but had five of his seven sacks in the final two games against Auburn and in the Capital One Bowl against Michigan State.
Safety Will Lowery calls him "a beast." The guys who have to block the 6-foot-2, 265-pounder in practice speak almost reverently about Upshaw.
"The best rushers in any league are guys who can beat you with speed and power," Alabama offensive lineman Barrett Jones said. "The thing about Courtney is he is the perfect hybrid of speed and power. He's so fast off the edge and he can beat you with a speed rush. But the second you kind of soft-set him so you set back and handle that speed rush, he'll just run right over you. So he really is an extremely difficult guy to block and we're looking for him to have a great year."
When tailback Trent Richardson has to take on Upshaw on a blitz, he says, "It's not pretty. He's one of the strongest and biggest guys you'll ever find on a football field, and he's pretty fast, too. When I look at him and know he's blitzing, I'm like, 'Man!'"
Cornerbacks Dee Milliner and DeQuan Menzie combined to log 17 starts in their first season with the Tide, which often started five defensive backs.
So even coach Nick Saban doesn't deny this defense certainly has a lot of potential, though he practically sneers at that word.
"What kind of potential have we got? We don't look at it like that," Saban said. "Last year, we didn't have anybody that had any experience, and every day we went out there and coached them and coached them and coached them and ended up like fourth in the country in defense, with two starters coming back.
"Just because you've got experience, that doesn't mean anything. What are you going to do with it?"
-- John Zenor
Ellingtons look for major football impact
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson running back Andre Ellington figured he'd one day have a family football rivalry to deal with. He just wasn't sure it would take this long for younger cousin Bruce to return to football with South Carolina.
Andre led the Tigers with 12 touchdowns last season, despite missing most of the final five games because with a foot injury. Bruce was a star from the start as the Gamecocks' point guard, topping the basketball team with in scoring (12.8 points a game) and 3-pointers (61) and making the Southeastern Conference all-freshman team.
But Bruce also was a football state champion at Berkeley High and never washed the sport from his blood upon enrolling at South Carolina. He made it official in March, joining Steve Spurrier's 12th-ranked Gamecocks and setting up some serious trash talk in the Ellington clan.
"I told (Andre), if I play defense, I'll cut him because he got a little bigger over the summer," Bruce said, grinning.
The two speak as often as possible, although the steady grind of preseason football has limited them to a few phone calls, texts and updates from mutual friends in Moncks Corner, their hometown, the past few weeks.
Andre said all the right things about Bruce's basketball-only choice last fall. He knew, though, that Bruce's passion for football was too much to limit him to the court.
"I was all for him, whatever he wanted to do at the time," Andre said. "When he told he going to go out for football, I said, 'Well, let's go get it. Work hard.'"
Bruce has done that as perhaps the busiest South Carolina athlete.
"He's practicing basketball in the morning and then coming out with us," Gamecocks tailback Marcus Lattimore said.
Bruce will return to basketball, with Spurrier's blessing, once football is over. Before then, though, both Ellingtons should play major roles this fall.
Andre, known as "Lil' Bit" at Clemson, was on his way to a 1,000-yard season before getting hurt in a 16-10 loss at Boston College last October. He was the Tigers' most dynamic weapon with four touchdown runs of 42 yards or longer and an 87-yard kickoff return against Maryland in 2010.
Once Andre was injured, Clemson's offense struggled to find points. The team's scoring average dipped from 30 points a game its first seven weeks to 18 points its final five contests to go 6-7, the Tigers' first losing season since 1998.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Andre Ellington is as healthy as ever, and perhaps more dangerous in the first-year offense of new coordinator Chad Morris. Andre's ready to show even more this fall. "I want to better than that guy (from last season)," Andre said. "That's why I worked in the offseason, to be better than I was in the past."
Cousin Bruce, a sophomore, also slipped right back into his old football form after a year of just basketball. He was solid in his belief that basketball was his path in college. But Bruce fought through a difficult first season, his team finishing 14-16 while Ellington battled injuries. The football team, meanwhile, was celebrated as SEC Eastern Division champions and Bruce acknowledged he missed the game.
Bruce's basketball coach, Darrin Horn, supports his point guard's two-sport goals.
"This is not a football-basketball thing," Horn said. "It's a Bruce Ellington thing and we're going to support him."
Bruce has been used this summer as a receiver, a kick returner and quarterback in the wildcat formation, a style that he played to lead Berkeley High to the 2010 state title.
"We're going to find some different ways to get him in the game and let him go play," said Steve Spurrier Jr., South Carolina's receivers coach. "But he's got a real bright future in football."
Who's better? Neither Ellington wants to field that one. Former Berkeley High coach Jerry Brown says it's a lot like a father picking which child is his favorite.
Both were stellar players and even better leaders for the team and the school, Brown recalled. While Andre was a workhorse runner, Bruce did just about everything for the Stags, including playing lockdown defense in the secondary.
Brown, like Andre, knew Bruce couldn't stay away from football. "You could always see how much he loved it," Brown said.
They'll be some playful back and forth between the cousins as the season goes on, Brown says, especially when Clemson comes to South Carolina for the annual rivalry game Thanksgiving weekend. "But they both feed off each other's success," he said.
Bruce wore No. 23 with the Gamecocks' basketball because that's Andre's number at Clemson. Bruce now has No. 23 in football, too. Andre texted his cousin a positive challenge last March, "You got no choice but to go out there and ball now."
-- Pete Iacobelli
Arkansas putting pieces together on new-look line
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Travis Swanson bristles at the notion that Arkansas' offensive line is the weak link on an otherwise championship-caliber team.
The Razorbacks center's eyes grow wide with obvious annoyance when he's asked about the perception. But the fact is, No. 15 Arkansas must replace three starting offensive line from last season's Sugar Bowl team and the questions are out there for Swanson and the rest of the Hogs to see.
"Every time I look at stuff like that, it makes me mad," Swanson said. "I try to stay away from the magazines and newspapers and stuff like that because I feel like it will get caught up in my head. I've got enough to think about to begin with, so that's the last thing I need."
Add to that the losses of tight end D.J. Williams to the NFL's Green Bay Packers and running back Knile Davis to injury, and the Razorbacks have plenty of work to do in order to find the power running game that carried them down the stretch last season.
They have spent much of fall camp mixing and matching players on the offensive line, hoping to find the right formula before next week's season opener against Missouri State.
Swanson and guard Alvin Bailey are the returning starters in a group that figures to have at least one freshman — possibly more — see significant playing time. It's a group that has gone from question mark to reliable, at least in the eyes of offensive coordinator Garrick McGee.
"I think it's still coming, but I do like what I see," McGee said. "I think our kids, starting with our offensive line, are starting to get settled in."
Arkansas finished ninth in the Southeastern Conference in rushing offense last season with an average of 148.8 yards per game. That overall average was hampered thanks to a four-game stretch to open the season during which the Razorbacks averaged just 103 yards on the ground — including just 53 yards on 23 carries in a win at Georgia.
Davis, who finished the season leading all SEC running backs with 1,322 yards rushing, discovered just the right chemistry with Arkansas' offensive line after that. The Razorbacks responded with a six-game winning streak to end the regular season, during which they averaged 188 yards rushing.
But Davis is gone after breaking his left ankle during a scrimmage on Aug. 11 and is expected to miss the entire season. That left Arkansas without its workhorse and the new-look offensive line little time to adjust to someone new.
Junior running backs Ronnie Wingo and Dennis Johnson are expected to fill much of the void left by Davis' absence. However, offensive line coach Chris Klenakis has spent more time looking at the line's progress rather than who's been running behind it.
"We've got confidence in whoever is running behind us," Klenakis said. "Whether Ronnie's running behind us or Dennis running behind us, or any of those young kids who are great talents, our job is to block.
"We shouldn't even know who is running behind us. We should just go out and do our job."
Klenakis still isn't sure who exactly will man the five offensive line positions when the Razorbacks open the season, but he's praised the group's overall versatility. He's also had plenty of positive words for three freshmen — Mitch Smothers, Brey Cook and Marcus Danenhauer — vying for playing time.
Smothers saw action with Arkansas' first-team at tackle last week during a scrimmage, and Klenakis said he plans on the Springdale, Ark., native being "in the mix" early. Swanson, who redshirted his first year before earning all-freshman honors in the SEC last season, said Smothers' quick progress is an indication of just how talented he is.
"He's got a lot of potential to be here a while and do great things, but he's still young," Swanson said. "He's still really young, and he has a couple of things he has to figure out but I think he'll be good. I can only imagine what he's going through."
-- Kurt Voigt
No-name receivers say they're ready to contribute
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State's wide receivers don't need to be reminded that no one expects much from them. And they're not very happy about it, either.
"We came in as the underdogs of this whole team," Corey Brown said, almost spitting out the words.
Asked who considered the Buckeyes' pass-catchers as the overlooked and underestimated, he said, "I guess the outside world. We never looked at ourselves as underdogs. We tried to label ourselves as the tempo-setters of the team, the guys that make the big plays, the explosive gains."
It's true that Ohio State is thin at receiver — even before one takes into account that leading returnee DeVier Posey must sit out the first five games for selling memorabilia to and accepting improper benefits from a tattoo-parlor owner in 2010.
All of the wideouts have heard the whispers about how weak Ohio State is at receiver, not to mention quarterback, where three-year starter Terrelle Pryor left a year early to pursue his NFL dreams and to escape his own NCAA suspension.
The receiving contingent heading into the Sept. 3 opener against Akron has a grand total of 11 career catches for 127 yards and one touchdown. To put that into perspective, last year's top target, departed senior and team MVP Dane Sanzenbacher, had nine catches for 108 yards and four scores in one game last season.
So Brown gets it when someone says the guys flanked out wide are almost invisible.
"Oh, yeah, definitely. We lost TP. We lost Dane," he said. "We have all youth at the receivers, so for people to say that we're going to be down at the wideout group or the quarterback group is understandable. We don't have a lot of experience at those positions.
"But we're going to be ready."
Not everyone looks at the position as being half-empty while Posey sits out his five games.
"That position has a chance to be deeper than it has been for us in years," offensive coordinator Jim Bollman said. "They're all newer, younger guys who have shown a lot of ability, shown a lot of potential and if they keep working like they've been working in preseason camp, I think they'll be OK."
The top candidates at the position are sophomores Brown and Chris Fields, redshirt freshman Verlon Reed and true freshmen Evan Spencer and Devin Smith.
Interim coach Luke Fickell raves at what they've gotten accomplished in camp.
"I've been impressed with the work ethic of all the wideouts," he said. "Obviously, not having DeVier in there as much, sometimes guys see the light at the end of the tunnel. But just the work ethic and the way they've gone about each and every day at practice, I can be honest with you, I've loved what I've seen."
No one had a better August than Brown.
"Corey Brown has had an awesome camp. He's made so many plays," center Mike Brewster said. "He's really using his speed to his advantage. I hadn't seen that from him."
He's not alone, either, in thinking that.
"The most impressive (receiver) in camp has been Corey Brown," tight end Jake Stoneburner said. "Last year, he dropped a few balls in games. But I think he's really stepped upped his game knowing that he has to be our No. 1 or No. 2."
Funny thing, Brown might also be the No. 1 or No. 2 Corey Brown on the team. The Buckeyes recruited two players with the same name a year ago. The other Corey Brown, from the Pittsburgh area, is a defensive back. The receiver is known as Philly, because that's his hometown. He laughs about the inevitable cases of mistaken identity.
"Sometimes they still mix me and the other one up," he said. "But, I mean, Philly is better than whatever his name is."
Philly, the player, is also considerably better than he was a year ago.
"Every team doesn't get the chance to go up against one of the top defenses in the country every day," he said. "It's making the young guys, it's making me, elevate our games. We should be ready come game time."
-- Rusty Miller
Major College Capsules
Coach: Miami awaiting eligibility decisions
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — The fate of eight Miami players is now in the hands of the NCAA.
Miami coach Al Golden said Friday that the university has asked the NCAA to decide the eligibility of a number of football players — eight, a person with knowledge of the process told The Associated Press — who are believed to have committed violations in dealings with former booster Nevin Shapiro.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Soon, those players deemed ineligible by the university will know when, or if, they will play for Miami this season.
"We've done our part," Golden said. "We're waiting."
The NCAA's decision is expected early next week, and it will shape the season for the Hurricanes. Some of Miami's top players are implicated in the scandal, including quarterback Jacory Harris, linebacker Sean Spence and receiver Travis Benjamin. Miami declared eight players ineligible, the person with knowledge of the investigation said, in what's described as a procedural move.
When a player is found to have committed a violation, that player must be declared ineligible by the university — a necessary step before the NCAA can decide if the athlete should be reinstated.
"We're all just focused on football," said offensive lineman Joel Figueroa, who is not under investigation. "Just like any other season."
Except it's not just like any other season. At least, it hasn't been since the Shapiro scandal exploded. And this part of the process will be brutal for Miami because the Sept. 5 primetime opener at Maryland is drawing ever closer.
"They're eligible to practice," Golden said Friday. "We have filed paperwork to the NCAA as of late last night, which is part of the normal process. ... The only entity that can reinstate them is the NCAA."
Sanctions could include sitting out games, having to repay any money accepted, or both. Miami has asked for an expedited ruling, a request the NCAA typically complies with.
"They're still here," offensive lineman Brandon Washington said Friday, speaking about the implicated group. "They're team guys."
The NCAA will announce any reinstatement decision, and there is precedent suggesting the governing body may move swiftly. When Auburn ruled eventual Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton — who was dogged by a pay-for-play scandal — ineligible during the week leading up to last year's SEC championship game, the NCAA reinstated him without conditions a day later.
On Saturday, Miami will hold an annual event open to fans, and most players are expected to attend, including those implicated in the scandal. It's the first time many will be available publicly since Shapiro's allegations broke.
Golden expects to have his depth chart for the Maryland game completed for release by Tuesday, though the names listed still would be subject to change. The team is working through a number of scenarios, because no one can say with any certainty which mix of players will be available to join the Hurricanes for the trip to play the Terrapins.
"We'll fight through this," Golden said. "Hurricanes always have."
Being declared ineligible now doesn't necessarily mean a player would miss any time this season. Golden said he wasn't allowed to discuss specifics about the players who have been declared ineligible.
"It's an ongoing investigation," Golden said. "I'm not allowed to comment on that. Again, we've been most respectful to the process here from the NCAA and been extremely cooperative, so I'm not going to deviate from that path right now."
Besides Harris, Spence and Benjamin, the other football players named by Shapiro for an article published by Yahoo Sports on Aug. 16 are Vaughn Telemaque, Ray Ray Armstrong, Aldarius Johnson, Marcus Forston, Olivier Vernon, Marcus Robinson, Adewale Ojomo, Dyron Dye and JoJo Nicholas.
During the portion of practice open for viewing Friday, 10 of the 12 players implicated by Shapiro were on the field. Dye and Nicholas were not seen.
The reason for Dye's absence was unknown. Nicholas is dealing with the recent death of his child, born prematurely.
Shapiro is a convicted Ponzi scheme architect serving a 20-year prison sentence for bilking $930 million from investors. He was a Miami booster for much of the past decade and says he provided dozens of Hurricanes, and some recruits who went elsewhere, with extra benefits such as cash, gifts, cars and even prostitutes at times from 2002 through 2010.
Golden has said several times since the story broke that 90 percent of his team, and his coaching staff, are not implicated in the scandal — which makes it possible to think solely about the challenge of getting ready for Maryland.
"I think anybody who is in flux would have some concerns," Golden said. "But we've been trying to keep them on task, and they've been doing a good job of that."
Figueroa said he has no doubt that Miami will be able to concentrate in the days ahead on the game plan for Maryland.
"We're just worrying about this 'U', worrying about what our goals are and just focusing on that first game," Figueroa said. "We're definitely going to be ready."
-- Tim Reynolds
Johnson eager for Georgia Tech's opener
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich and coach Paul Johnson said Friday they are especially ready for Thursday night's opening game against Western Carolina.
After a long year for the athletic department, a new season brings a needed fresh start.
Georgia Tech finished 6-7 last season with losses in five of its last six games. Radakovich fired basketball coach Paul Hewitt in March. Then the NCAA placed Georgia Tech on probation this summer and said it must vacate its 2009 ACC championship.
There was no direct mention of the NCAA sanctions during Friday's kickoff luncheon for fans. Radakovich said he was glad the opener was less than a week away.
"Certainly after the last few months, it couldn't come quick enough," Radakovich said.
Former center Sean Bedford, the featured speaker, came close to talking about the NCAA penalties.
"Regardless of what an investigative committee with no independent oversight might tell you, Georgia Tech does things the right way," Bedford said.
Georgia Tech, also fined $100,000 by the NCAA, has said it will appeal the penalties.
Johnson must replacing quarterback Joshua Nesbitt and running back Anthony Allen. He said this may be his most talented team in his four years in Atlanta.
"I actually believe we might be as talented or more talented athletically and physically that we've been since I've been here," he said.
The 6-7 finish was Johnson's first losing season since a 2-10 record in his 2002 debut at Navy. It was Georgia Tech's first losing season since finishing 5-6 under coach George O'Leary in 1996.
Johnson his players better be mad.
"We've got a lot of reasons to be in that mode and if we're not, I'm going to be really disappointed and I'm going to make sure they get in that mode fairly quickly," said Johnson, who was greeted by a standing ovation from fans.
Johnson said his players are anxious to play.
"I think we're coming out of camp at the right time," he said. "If we had to wait two more weeks to play, I don't know that I could manage it."
He said he threw his players and assistant coaches off the field with about 5 minutes still scheduled to be played in a scrimmage on Thursday.
"I didn't know that they were playing with the kind of urgency that I need them to," he said.
"It's the end of camp and that's the kind of message I'm trying to send. It's a message of urgency, nobody respects you, nobody thinks you can do anything, so it's up to you to prove them wrong.'
-- Charles Odum
Mississippi State DTs Cox, Boyd anchor defense
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi State's Fletcher Cox and Josh Boyd never had the luxury of many freshmen, spending time on the sidelines while learning from older, more experienced players. Instead, the defensive tackles contributed immediately when they arrived two seasons ago.
Defensive tackle isn't the ideal place to insert true freshmen. The line of scrimmage in the Southeastern Conference is inhabited by men — many of whom are over 300 pounds and possess a nasty streak. Not surprisingly, Cox and Boyd had some rough days as the Bulldogs stumbled to a 5-7 record.
But during the process, the two became good friends, learning from each other because there weren't many older players to provide mentoring.
"When you've got two young guys, playing as early as they did in the SEC, they needed somebody to hold onto at night," defensive coordinator Chris Wilson said, laughing.
Now the juniors are expected to anchor Mississippi State's defense as the program enters a season with expectations not seen in Starkville in a decade. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 20 and could be a surprise team to contend in a loaded SEC Western Division that has four other ranked teams in Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas and LSU.
Mississippi State opens on the road against Memphis at the Liberty Bowl on Thursday night.
Since those tough 2009 days, Cox and Boyd have matured both physically and mentally. Cox is 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds while Boyd is 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds — plenty of mass to hang with the big boys on the line of scrimmage. And after two seasons on the defensive line, they're quite familiar with the pounding an SEC game can bring. The two combined for 14 tackles for a loss, including five sacks, last season as the Bulldogs finished 9-4.
The two roommates are from small-town Mississippi — Cox is from Yazoo City and Boyd from Philadelphia — and have bonded easily over the past two years.
"It's good to have somebody that's going through the same thing you are," Boyd said. "We've grown up together on the field and now we're confident we can have two more big seasons."
Their production was part of the reason Mississippi State's defense was among the league's best in 2010, giving up 19.8 points per game.
The return of Cox and Boyd, along with the entire starting secondary, has the Bulldogs hoping for similar success this season. But the offseason hasn't been without a few adjustments. Geoff Collins and Wilson were named the team's co-defensive coordinators after Manny Diaz left to become defensive coordinator at Texas. Cox says he's not taking anything for granted.
"The things I did last year really don't matter anymore," Cox said. "It's a new year, a new defensive coordinator. So I've got to come out play hard, not forget my technique and come out doing everything the right way."
Wilson said even if Cox and Boyd aren't always making tackles, their ability to command the attention of three or four opposing offensive linemen frees up other for big hits. Still, Mullen would like to see the duo become more productive, especially Cox, who was named to the SEC coaches' preseason second team.
"We need to see a lot better things," Mullen said. "I don't think he was an all-SEC player last year and we expect him to be that."
While the duo may be a work in progress, Mullen is pleased that Cox and Boyd provide a good example for the underclassmen, something that wasn't always available when he became coach in 2009.
"The defensive linemen coming in now are looking up to Fletcher Cox and saying 'Wow, that's a big-time guy. See how he works, see what he does, that's what I want to do,'" Mullen said.
-- David Brandt
Tulsa WR Johnson suspended indefinitely
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — NCAA all-purpose yardage record-holder Damaris Johnson was suspended indefinitely by Tulsa on Friday after he was questioned by police following his girlfriend's arrest on an embezzlement complaint.
The loss of Johnson, a second-team All-America last season, deals the Golden Hurricane a tough blow leading up to their season opener next week at top-ranked Oklahoma. Johnson had 208 all-purpose yards, caught a touchdown pass and returned a punt for a score in a victory at Notre Dame last season during a seven-game winning streak.
He has led the nation in all-purpose yards each of the last two seasons. Tulsa finished last season ranked No. 24.
"We've taken a stance on the information that we have, but I'm not naive," Tulsa coach Bill Blankenship said. "I think there's always more information, so we're going to let this thing play out."
Blankenship suspended the senior receiver from all team activities pending a university review.
Tulsa police spokesman Leland Ashley said Johnson was questioned Thursday after Chamon Jones was taken into custody.
Ashley said Jones, who works at a local Macy's, is accused of selling more than $1,500 worth of merchandise to Johnson for just under $13 on one occasion. She also is accused of only charging him 34 cents for merchandise totaling $1,283.
Jones is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 2. She paid a $2,000 bond Friday to get out of jail.
Ashley said Johnson has not been charged, and said detectives are still working the case and reviewing surveillance footage from the Macy's store.
"They hardly even know anything more. We're just operating on what we know at this point in time," Blankenship said. "We're going to let it all fall and we'll talk about it on Monday."
Johnson had 872 yards receiving, 560 rushing, 904 on kickoff returns and 292 on punt returns last season while scoring 13 touchdowns. He is also the NCAA's career record-holder with 3,417 kickoff return yards.
"As we go through a season, there's going to be guys with injuries, and whoever the next guy is at any position's got to be ready to play," offensive coordinator and receivers coach Greg Peterson said. "That's part of football, that's part of the game. We all have challenges in life.
"We're going to have adversity in Norman. How do we respond to it as a football team? We've got to be ready to go."
Blankenship said he likes his depth at receiver. Returning starters include Thomas Roberson and Ricky Johnson, who combined for 52 catches for 718 yards last season, and freshman Keyarris Garrett has made an impression in camp.
"Every time there's an injury or a guy that's out, you've got to just try to move on and get to that next spot. That's what football's all about," Blankenship said.
"Our guys have done a good job today of trying to refocus until we know more of what's going on."
-- Jeff Latzke
Hyde remains at safety on Iowa depth chart
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa junior Micah Hyde will start the season as a safety, according to the latest depth chart for the Sept. 3 opener against Tennessee Tech.
Hyde, who played his first two seasons at cornerback, will start at free safety with Collin Sleeper listed at strong safety. Greg Castillo has earned a starting nod at cornerback in place of Hyde, and sophomore Christian Kirksey is starting at linebacker.
The Hawkeyes will need another week of practice to sort out whether Thomas Nardo or Dominic Alvis will start alongside Mike Daniels at defensive tackle.
Quarterback A.J. Derby and John Wienke are listed as co-backups to James Vandenberg. The Hawkeyes haven't disclosed who'll be returning kicks against the Golden Eagles.
Michigan coach Hoke: 'This isn't for everybody'
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan coach Brady Hoke says he's always surprised when players leave the team. That has happened a few times recently with freshmen Chris Barnett and Tony Posada along with junior Je'Ron Stokes becoming former Wolverines. Barnett was a highly touted tight end, Posada was an offensive lineman and Stokes was a seldom-used receiver.
Hoke says all three were great kids, who had to do what was best for them.
He adds: "This isn't for everybody here and it never will be."
Michigan went through a game day-like scrimmage on Friday at the Big House to get ready for the opener Sept. 3 at home against Western Michigan.
Mich. State OKs "no-bag" policy at Spartan Stadium
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State University has announced there will be a "no-bag" policy in effect for football games at Spartan Stadium this fall.
The East Lansing school said Friday the new policy took effect at the June 26 U2 concert at the stadium and will be in place for all future events there, beginning with the Sept. 2 football game against Youngstown State. Under the new policy, purses, diaper bags, camera and binocular cases and other similar bags are prohibited inside the 76,000-seat stadium.
Those with medical supply needs must enter through gates C or K to have their bags searched and tagged. Those with other personal needs such as diapers need to put those items in clear, gallon-sized bags and may enter through any gate.
Clemson sells fewer season tickets
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson has sold about 1,000 fewer season tickets this football season.
The school's ticket office announced it had sold out its allotment of 50,000 season tickets for the 2011 season. However, that's about a two percent drop from last year's total of 51,000. The school sold more than 58,000 season tickets before the 2008 season, still the record at Death Valley.
Clemson said its home game with Auburn on Sept. 17 is sold out. Individual game tickets remain for the Tigers remaining six home games, including those with Florida State on Sept. 24 and North Carolina on Oct. 22. The ticket office says that WestZone covered premium and WestZone club tickets are also sold out.
UNLV elects Carter, Pointer team captains for 2011
LAS VEGAS (AP) — UNLV players have elected linebacker Nate Carter and cornerback Quinton Pointer as team captains for 2011. Coach Bobby Hauck said Friday that the defensive players were picked by their teammates for their leadership and roles on the team's defense.
Carter had already been picked to wear No. 36, a jersey given to the player that best exemplifies the spirit of Nevada's state slogan: "Battle born." Pointer missed nearly all of last season because of injury. The Rebels, who went 2-11 last year, open this season at Wisconsin on Thursday.
Summerlin to start for Memphis vs. Mississippi St.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Redshirt sophomore Andy Summerlin has been named to start at quarterback for Memphis' season opener Thursday against Mississippi State.
Coach Larry Porter said Friday that Summerlin won the job over true freshman Taylor Reed and senior Wake Forest transfer Skylar Jones. He's a transfer from Coffeyville Community College who suffered a shoulder injury last year.
Elsewhere
Iowa Lottery to kick off tailgate-themed promotion
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Lottery is spending $248,000 to reach college football fans this fall under an advertising partnership with the sports marketing arms of Iowa's three public universities, according to contracts released Friday.
The Lottery is rolling out a promotion called the Great State Tailgate involving a sports-themed $2 instant scratch ticket that goes on sale Monday. Players with losing tickets can go online to enter a drawing for a state-of-the-art tailgate trailer the Lottery will show off outside 11 games in Iowa City, Ames and Cedar Falls during the football season, along with other five cash prizes of $1,000 that will be given away in December.
While Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa have had longstanding sponsorship agreements with the Lottery, the promotion marks the first time since 2007 the University of Iowa has joined forces with the agency.
The two parted ways that year after an Iowa faculty panel said the school should not partner with gambling interests. A controversy over the relationship arose after a lottery commercial began airing that used a parody of the Iowa Fight Song and footage from Carver-Hawkeye Arena, which drew an admonishment from the NCAA.
The Lottery released copies of its contracts with the sports marketing arms of each university, which are run by subsidiaries of Learfield Sports. They are worth $105,000 for Iowa State, $103,000 for Iowa and $40,000 at UNI.
In exchange for the cash, the Lottery will get radio ads and live interviews during games on the schools' radio networks, ads on their athletic departments' Web sites and social media pages and space for marketing and display outside stadiums during 11 games. Ads will run on scoreboards during ISU and UNI games, and the Lottery will be able to use their logos on promotional materials.
Iowa's contract has tighter restrictions on its use of logos, allowing the Lottery to use them on the tailgate trailer but requiring permission in advance for other uses. Unlike the 2007 promotion and the new UNI deal, Iowa will not allow television advertising this time.
The towable trailer, valued at $22,000, will come equipped with a 42-inch television, home theatre system, gas grill, cooler, a portable generator and more. The winner will be able to customize the artwork on the outside of it.
Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta announced Iowa's decision to renew ties with the Lottery at a meeting of the Presidential Committee on Athletics on Thursday. He said the Lottery had pitched ideas for partnerships with Iowa every year since 2007 but none of them felt comfortable until now, the Iowa City Press-Citizen reported.
"I think the biggest thing is that they came with a proposal that included all three state universities, and I thought that was an attractive thing that the whole state might be able to get behind," Barta said, according to the newspaper.
Calls to Barta's office rang unanswered Friday, and he did not immediately return an email message from The Associated Press.
Lottery spokeswoman Mary Neubauer said Friday she expects the promotion will be popular. She said the Lottery wants to be "fair and uniform" in its treatment of Iowa's public universities and always gives each the same opportunity to join promotions. Neubauer also dismissed concerns about the universities' using their clout to promote gambling, saying the Lottery's ads go beyond that.
"The Lottery has chosen to harness the power of its marketing dollars to support other great causes in our state from tourism to veterans to education," she said. "Fall football is one of the best tourism attractions we have, and it's a great opportunity for people to get out and about and see all the fun things there are to do here in Iowa."
-- Ryan J. Foley
Hilltoppers look to end home losing streak
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Whether Western Kentucky can break another infamous streak to start the year will go a long way in determining what kind of season the Hilltoppers will have.
They ended a 26-game losing skid last year but have lost 15 consecutive home games dating back to a Sept. 20, 2008 win over Murray State.
WKU opens the season with four home games — three in Bowling Green — and the season-opener against Kentucky in Nashville.
"I'm going to tell you what's important when it comes to home games," said second-year coach Willie Taggart. "It's important that we win them. Having them here and not winning them — we might as well go on the road."
Taggart has tried to change his team's mindset, first by instilling a blue-collar approach — every player and coach has been wearing blue-collared work shirts, including in the team picture — and again with new jerseys.
Taggart nixed the Hilltoppers' home black jerseys that became a staple during "blackout" losses through the losing streak in favor of a more traditional look.
"All I want is a sellout and a win-out," Taggart said. "If we can do that, I'll be happy no matter which one of the uniforms we're going to wear."
Both of WKU's wins in 2010 were on the road, at Louisiana-Lafayette and at Arkansas State.
Just the announced crowd for 22,297 at the Murray State game has seen WKU win a game in its expanded stadium. Renovations that coincided with the Hilltoppers' move to the Football Bowl Subdivision added a second side to the stadium complete with new football offices and a suite level.
"That's something we need to take pride in," Taggart said of the facilities. "This is our house. You don't let anyone coming your house. You wouldn't let anyone come in your momma's house and take anything, and it's the same way here. We don't let anyone come in here and just walk all over our field."
The Hilltoppers wrap up their fall camp on Saturday with the season opener against Kentucky set for 9:15 p.m. ET Thursday at L.P. Field in Nashville. The Kentucky game, considered a home contest for WKU, starts a four-game stretch of home games to open the season.
Quarterback Kawaun Jakes, a redshirt junior who's been with the team since the home losing streak began, said it's important WKU not overlook a game. But the Hilltoppers will have plenty of chances to snap their home losing streak, hosting Navy on Sept. 10, Indiana State on Sept. 17 and Arkansas State on Oct. 1 to start the season.
"Right now I'm not even looking forward to those. Right now I'm just looking at (going to) Tennessee," Jakes said. "That's what's on my head right now."
Montana tight end gets DUI in Seattle
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Tight end Kavario Middleton, who transferred to Montana after being dismissed from the University of Washington football team, faces a drunken driving charge in Seattle.
The Seattle Times cites Seattle Municipal Court records in reporting Middleton's June 6 arrest. His arraignment is set for Sept. 3, the day Montana is scheduled to open its 2011 football season at Tennessee. The Missoulian reports coach Robin Pflugrad expressed surprise at the news on Friday and said he hadn't had a chance to talk to Middleton about it.
Middleton played at Washington in 2008 and 2009 and at Montana last season. His arrest came just three days after Griz quarterback Nate Montana was pulled over for speeding in Missoula and initially cited for drunken driving. Montana, a transfer from Notre Dame, pleaded guilty to reckless driving. Griz defensive tackle Tyrone Duncan, who transferred from Washington just weeks ahead of Middleton, pleaded guilty to DUI per se in February.
Mountaineers, Cowboys change game date
LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) — McNeese State Athletic Director Tommy McClelland says the Cowboys' scheduled 2014 home game with Appalachian State is still on.
The schools were scheduled to open the season with one another, but App State announced Thursday that it will instead open that season with a game at Michigan. Michigan Stadium is the site of the Mountaineers' most famous win in 2007.
McClelland tells the American Press that App State AD Charlie Cobb called him last week to begin negotiating a new game date, which will either be Sept. 20 or Sept. 27. McNeese is scheduled to visit App State in 2015.
