Other College Football Capsules: No. 9 Iowa hoping it won't kick away 2010
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa has become known for nail-biting finishes, which often leaves the Hawkeyes in need of a kicker they can trust in the clutch.
Coach Kirk Ferentz isn’t sure he’s got a reliable leg to lean on. He used terms like "underwhelming" and "inconsistent" to describe his kickers in the offseason, and he’s yet to settle on a starter with the Sept. 4 opener against Eastern Illinois coming up for the ninth-ranked Hawkeyes.
Senior Daniel Murray, whose game-winning field goal against Penn State two years ago helping launch the program’s resurgence, entered fall camp in a dead heat with sophomore Trent Mossbrucker for the job.
Ferentz might not settle on either one until Iowa hosts rival Iowa State on Sept. 11, and the competition between Murray and Mossbrucker could last until Big Ten play opens in October.
"It keeps you on your toes all the time," Murray said after a so-so performance during the Hawkeyes’ last scrimmage open to the public two weeks ago. "It kind of wears on you a little bit, but that’s just something I’ve learned to deal with."
It’s not often that kickers get this much attention in August, but it’s become a source of consternation for Iowa, which won four games by three points or fewer last season.
Iowa is deep nearly everywhere, despite battles at running back and for the job of snapping to senior quarterback Ricky Stanzi. All that returning talent from a team that went 11-2 last season has ramped up expectations in Iowa City.
But the Hawkeyes are still a defensive-minded, run-oriented bunch with a habit of making nearly every game a close one — and one bad kick could have major consequences.
Murray, who was supposed to be locked into the job by now, has been solid from short distances during his career. His career-defining kick against the Nittany Lions cut through a cold, biting wind and split the uprights from 31 yards.
But the farther the spot, the shakier Murray’s been.
Murray did make a 48-yarder in a win at Wisconsin last year, but he was just 6 of 11 on kicks of 40 yards or longer in 2009. Murray has been working to keep his foot from hitting the ball too high and causing it to hook or fade away from the uprights — not unlike a golfer trying to find his swing.
Murray was 19 of 26 on field goals last season and hit 32 of 33 extra-point tries.
"It’s easy to say more consistency, I guess. How do you get that?" Murray said. "The main thing I’ve been working on is, if you miss one, get back and make the next one."
Mossbrucker was Iowa’s starting kicker as a freshman two years ago, despite being pulled in favor of the more experienced Murray against Penn State. He led the Big Ten in field-goal percentage by hitting 13 of 15 attempts in 2008, but he redshirted last season when the coaching staff decided to go with Murray.
Mossbrucker has 2 inches and 20 pounds on the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Murray, but he has yet to even attempt a field goal outside of 40 yards.
"Iron sharpens iron," Mossbrucker said of the push for the starting job.
The Hawkeyes also have a freshman walk-on, Michael Meyer, who could push for playing time.
But that would likely be a worst-case scenario, so it’ll be up to either Murray or Mossbrucker to solidify what has become Iowa’s most precarious spot entering the season.
Murray’s experience certainly helps his chances. But his famous kick from two years ago isn’t putting Ferentz’s mind at ease.
"If we have to play volleyball during the season, we’ll do that," Ferentz said at the start of camp. "They are both capable. That’s the good news."
Under Hall’s watch, PSU’s Royster nears record
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State offensive coordinator Galen Hall has had a good run coaching running backs in his decades-long career on the sideline.
One name especially sticks out on the resume — NFL Hall of Famer and career rushing leader Emmitt Smith, whom he coached at Florida and with the Dallas Cowboys. Now, Hall is poised to add another record-breaker to his list: the 19th-ranked Nittany Lions’ Evan Royster is 481 yards shy of erasing the school career rushing mark of 3,398 yards held by Curt Warner since 1982.
Just don’t ask Hall to draw comparisons between Royster and Smith.
"Evan’s probably a little more of an outside runner than Emmitt was, goes around the corners more. Emmitt was more of an inside runner," said Hall, who has coached at the high school or pro level since 1964. "But again, to put Evan in that class, I’m not sure you can."
Royster’s in select company already in the Penn State record books. Entering the 2010 season, he has 2,918 yards, good for eighth in career rushing.
That’s more than Penn State’s only Heisman winner, John Cappalletti, and standout Ki-Jana Carter, and behind notable names including Lydell Mitchell, Larry Johnson, Curtis Enis, Blair Thomas and Warner.
Royster’s success is partly due to having played extensively since his redshirt freshman year in 2007, moving up the depth chart after Austin Scott — a one-time promising prospect — left the team following off-field issues. He backed up Rodney Kinlaw at the time.
Royster had been considering Nebraska and Oklahoma among his college options while being recruited out of high school in suburban Washington, D.C., where his family eventually moved. But Penn State was a place where he thought he could get some early playing time.
"I was blessed with a good situation. It was good because I wasn’t on the scout team, but I was working in with the second-team offense, and I was still learning the offense," Royster said. "That’s what really got me ready."
Royster assumed the featured back role in 2008, and he hasn’t disappointed since then.
He ran for 1,236 yards and 12 touchdowns his sophomore year, and followed with 1,169 yards and six touchdowns last season. Some of that slight decline in production was due to having an experienced quarterback in Daryll Clark and backups in Stephfon Green and Brandon Beachum.
Royster has bulked up this season in anticipation of more carries. Clark is gone, and Penn State will be breaking in a sophomore — or possibly even a freshman — at quarterback.
"You don’t want to bring in a new quarterback and be throwing the ball 40 times a game," Royster said. "I expect to take more of a bigger workload this year, take more carries, and the hits."
As if Royster doesn’t already do enough.
Hall and head coach Joe Paterno have praised their star senior for his intelligence, and the balance and vision that he picked up from when he was a standout prep lacrosse player. Royster has improved with his pass blocking and become a bigger factor in the receiving game, split wide at times in Penn State’s spread HD formations.
Hall said it fits in with Penn State’s plan to go even more to their go-to player — though it’s not because they’re trying to pad his stats for a possible run at the Heisman Trophy.
Royster is a longshot candidate, though he could improve his stock with a good performance against in Week 2 at Alabama and the defending Heisman winner, tailback Mark Ingram.
"We’re going to try to do what’s best for Penn State, and Evan has very much bought into that," Hall said. "We won’t pattern our attack" just to improve Royster’s chances for awards.
Royster isn’t flashy, and he doesn’t have highlight-reel breakaway speed. Royster can break tackles, but he’s not known for bruising collisions in the trenches.
"He’s a very good all-around football player," Hall said. "Now when you start breaking it down, does he catch the ball better than so and so? Does he have vision better than so and so? Probably not. He’s above the average player in probably every category."
Royster, a candidate for the Doak Walker Award for best college running back, thinks his Heisman chances are a long shot at best, though he wouldn’t mind getting mentioned along with the other top tailbacks in the country.
On the other hand, he doesn’t gravitate to the spotlight, either. He’s more of a lead-by-example guy on a 2010 offense that, for now, is missing a charismatic leader.
"I like to keep a low profile. People starting getting opinions of people who are outspoken (or) sometimes too flashy," Royster said. "I like to keep myself more reserved."
Sounds a lot like Hall, the mild-mannered assistant who has been at Penn State since 2004.
Hall didn’t even mention to Royster that he had coached his idol, Smith, until Royster’s second year in Happy Valley.
"Once he said that, it didn’t surprise me," Royster said, "but it was a whole new respect for him."
-- Genaro C. Armas
Buckeyes try to temper all the hype
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Terrelle Pryor doesn't read a lot.
Sure, he keeps up with his classwork. But all those preseason magazines on the rack at the book store? He ignores them because off all the good things they're saying about him and his Ohio State teammates.
"Actually I hate magazines," the junior quarterback said. "I don't even want to see that, because I don't want my mind to be distracted."
It's hard to avoid all the praise that's being lavished on the Buckeyes
Almost every poll, pundit and publication has them ranked among the top two or three teams in the land. Many have singled out Pryor as the Heisman Trophy favorite, even though Alabama's Mark Ingram is back after winning it last year. And several media outlets have already picked Ohio State to win the national championship.
Pryor looks at all those nice words as more hurdles to the Buckeyes' hopes. To him, all the compliments in the world won't win games. As a matter of fact, they might make it harder.
"We don't need none of the hype," Pryor said. "There's always going to be the roundup of the top teams. We don't need to read any of that stuff. We just need to focus and to take care of the business we need to take care of."
It's a trap that many teams fall into, or at least blame after the fact. Every single team every year says it is unified and focused, then a loss springs questions about whether players let up or thought they could win without maximum effort.
That was the common refrain from Ohio State players in the wake of their embarrassing, lopsided losses to Florida and LSU in the national championship games at the end of the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Some said the team's stars began to believe their press clippings and didn't work as hard. They said there were schisms on the team.
"You think back to the '06 year where the team was unbelievable," defensive lineman Dexter Larimore said. "We stuck together. Then guys started to kind of think they were better than they were. Then it kind of just all fell apart. In '07 it wasn't as bad as far as the team thinking they were all so good. In '07 we were all humble and stuff, but we just didn't get it done."
The younger players learn from the older ones. They hear the stories of the root problems behind a loss. So players gradually come around to believe that it is best to avoid all the good things that are said about them.
Defensive end Cameron Heyward was asked how he handles the lofty rankings and predictions.
"Just throw it in the trash," Heyward said. "Because if we believe it, we're going to get beat really quick."
Heyward is certainly not alone. Almost every Buckeye believes that to pay attention to the good things being said is the first step in a season spiraling out of control.
"We really just try to shut it out," linebacker Ross Homan said. "It's good being in camp because we really shut out all outside sources, all media sources. We kind of just focus on the team. We come out here and we don't even think about that stuff."
His running mate at linebacker, Brian Rolle, knows it's important to put things into perspective.
"The polls haven't played anybody. So they just go off of what we've done previously," he said. "At the end of the day the way we play is going to determine where we're ranked."
Just as the Buckeyes try not to dwell on the praise, some of the veterans are spurred on by the snickering they heard after the double humiliations to Southeastern Conference opponents in those back-to-back title games.
For instance, even before the next season began, one e-mail looked ahead to the '09 title game: "National championship game prediction: (insert random SEC team here) 49, Ohio State 10," the anonymous jokester wrote on a blog.
Memories of those losses still rankle the older Buckeyes.
"As a player, that kind of stuff lives with you," Larimore said. "So I never kind of think I'm ever too good because all you have to do is think back to those years. It's just unbelievable the things that they said.
"It's just unbelievable that you can do so well and all it takes is one day for four hours and all of a sudden you're the worst thing that ever happened."
-- Rusty Miller
Spurrier keeps competitive edge despite setbacks
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — When Steve Spurrier took over South Carolina football after 2004, he spoke excitedly of winning Southeastern Conference championships.
Spurrier is still chasing the title-winning legacy he established at Florida.
After five seasons at South Carolina, the drought has led to questions of just how long the 65-year-old coach who cherishes winning can bear SEC mediocrity. But his son, Steve Jr., warns not to mistake the sideline grimaces, thrown game notes and disgusted comments for surrender.
"The day he’s not frustrated is the day he’s lost some of his competitive edge," said Spurrier Jr., South Carolina’s receivers coach.
Steve Spurrier has already achieved several milestones at South Carolina.
He has led the Gamecocks to an unprecedented four bowl trips his first five seasons. His 35 victories are sixth all-time among South Carolina coaches — and he could rise to third by season’s end with eight wins. But school records aren’t why Spurrier came back to college.
"We need to win big at South Carolina," Spurrier said.
So far, that hasn’t happened quickly enough to suit Spurrier. He considered packing it in after South Carolina was blasted by Iowa 31-10 at the Outback Bowl two seasons ago. "Who wouldn’t have?" he joked.
He was just as ticked off this past January when the Gamecocks again fell flat in the Papajohns.com Bowl with a 20-7 loss to Connecticut. "Don’t tell us to forget because we’re not going to forget it. We’re going to try our best to not ever have a performance like that again," he said.
Spurrier seems to have channeled his anger into preseason preparations. At practice, quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus felt Spurrier had a "youthful enthusiasm that’s really neat to be around."
"He knows," Mangus continued, "that some of the pieces are getting in place."
Spurrier attracted top talent recently that hadn’t always looked South Carolina’s way. Two years ago, the Gamecocks landed the Palmetto State’s "Mr. Football" in Stephon Gilmore, who passed up Alabama, Florida and Tennessee to sign with Spurrier. This February, South Carolina beat Auburn and others for the country’s top running back prospect in Marcus Lattimore.
"That’s what it’s about, getting the players," says ESPN college football analyst Jesse Palmer, a former Florida quarterback for Spurrier.
The Gators had a wealth of talent through Spurrier’s years, something that helped them to six SEC titles and the 1996 national championship.
Palmer played alongside Doug Johnson, Rex Grossman and Brock Berlin at Florida. "That’s four NFL quarterbacks," he said. "That’s something they haven’t had at South Carolina."
Palmer’s also convinced Spurrier is every bit the offensive mastermind who turned the game on its ear during the 1990s. He says where Spurrier excels, though, is during games. "That’s what he’s best at and that hasn’t gone away," Palmer said.
Still, Spurrier’s so-so mark at South Carolina has drawn smirks of delight from fans of the teams he used to needle during his Florida days.
"That’s just part of society," said ESPN’s Andre Ware, like Spurrier a Heisman Trophy winner. "But being dominant is not an easy chore."
Spurrier’s quick success at South Carolina in 2005 — the Gamecocks beat Tennessee and Florida in the same season for the first time ever — led some to believe a league title was close at hand. Spurrier knew differently.
"We didn’t think we were going to just step in there and tear it up at South Carolina," he said.
Now, though, Spurrier’s eager to see some results after five years of work. He has brought as much energy as ever into taking that next step, his son says. Not that the Gamecocks don’t have concerns as the opener with Southern Miss approaches on Sept. 2.
South Carolina hopes Lattimore can become a focal point for a running attack that was dead last in the SEC the past three seasons. Spurrier has yet to settle publicly on a quarterback between last year’s starter Stephen Garcia and freshman Connor Shaw. Plus, there’s the ongoing saga of suspended tight end Weslye Saunders, who’s talked to the NCAA about attending a South Beach party last May.
Through it all, Spurrier’s kept the drive to excel in what may be his best chance yet at a South Carolina breakthrough.
"He’s full speed and excited about this year," Spurrier Jr. said. "And he’s pushing everybody to make sure we make the most of it."
-- Pete Iacobelli
Tejada, Breeding fighting to keep jobs for Hogs
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — John L. Smith hopes a little competition goes a long way toward improving one of the Southeastern Conference's worst kicking games this season.
Smith, the special teams coach at No. 17 Arkansas, watched last season as the Razorbacks finished last in the SEC in punting average (37.8 yards) and ninth in field goal percentage (.727). To try and correct both, Arkansas opened up the competition for both spots when it opened camp this month.
While the winners have yet to be announced, Smith is already more confident in the kicking game as the Razorbacks prepare to open the season against Tennessee Tech on Sept. 4.
"I trust them a lot more than I did," Smith said. "Nothing helps more than competitions. They make everyone better."
At punter, it appears incumbent Dylan Breeding will retain his job after averaging 38.7 yards per punt last season as a freshman. The sophomore upped that average to 40.2 during the Red-White game in the spring and has continued to impress in August, holding off a challenge from freshman Zach Hocker.
"Dylan has done a nice job of improving in his technique and his consistency in his drop and following through," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. "He's got a huge, huge leg and when he does things right the ball is going to go a long way and hang up there a long time.
"He's just got to prove he can take it from the practice field to the game."
While Breeding appears to have locked down the punting duties, the same can't be said at field goal kicker. Smith said Thursday the initial trio of kickers vying for the position — senior Alex Tejada, freshman Eduardo Camara and Hocker — has "probably" been narrowed to just Tejada and Hocker.
Petrino said he was in no hurry to name a starter.
"One thing I'm not going to do is make the decision until I have to," Petrino said. "We've got until game time to do that. It might not take that long; it might. One thing I've tried to do being a football coach is not make a decision until I have to."
Arkansas released a new depth chart Friday, but the two punters and three kickers were listed as equals.
Tejada enters the season with the sixth-highest career field goal percentage in Arkansas history (.682), and his name appears throughout the Razorbacks' record book. However, Tejada suffered through a sophomore slump — connecting on just 4 of 9 field goals and falling out of Petrino's graces early that season after a meltdown in a win over Louisiana-Monroe. Also, despite hitting 16 of 22 field goals last season, Tejada had critical misses in close losses to Florida and LSU.
Tejada did salvage one big moment when he kicked the winning field goal in overtime against East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl.
"As far as expectations, I don't feel like I've met them," Tejada said. "But that's what you work for and it adds fuel to the fire, I think. So, right now I'm just trying to work hard every day and prove a lot of people wrong.
"I just expect a lot more from myself. I've been through it three years and I'm going into my last year. I expect a lot more than just winning out here on the practice field. I have a lot of higher goals, and right now I'm working to meet those expectations."
Smith said Tejada and Hocker are competing for both the field goal and kickoff duties. He's been surprised by Hocker's accuracy and ability to get the ball up quickly over charging defenders.
As for Tejada, Smith said the talent is there for the senior to add to the Arkansas record book. He just wants to see Tejada do it when it really matters.
"Alex's problem has been right here," said Smith, pointing at his head. "It's got nothing to do with anything else. He just has to build up his confidence to a point where it's, 'Give me the ball. Give me the ball with 40 yards to kick it through to win the game.'
"That's what you want from him. I think he's working on that and he's gotten better. I think the competition has made his focus better. When he comes out, he's intense. He's not laughs and giggles. He's serious about the game, and that's good."
London tackling Virginia job from all sides
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Mike London didn't realize how consumed he had become with his new job as Virginia's football coach until his daughter asked him a question.
"Dad, are you coming to my concert?" Jaicyn asked about her elementary school performance. "You are supposed to come to my concert."
London made the concert, but "had to make some calls" to rearrange his schedule.
Then he was back promoting his program and trying to build goodwill on campus and in the community.
"This," London has said several times, "is a work in progress."
London, who was at Richmond, has been in constant motion since he was hired in December 2009 — working to turn around a Virginia program that had fallen on hard times under his predecessor, Al Groh.
It is London's third stint at Virginia, where he twice was an assistant to Groh.
Part of his plan has been to reach out to former players; he wants them to be part of Cavaliers football again.
Former quarterback Aaron Brooks, who played under George Welsh from 1996-98, welcomed the chance to get involved again. He and several other players recently attended a closed scrimmage and afterwards ate with the team.
Brooks is impressed by what he has seen.
"What makes coach London so dynamic is that he has the ability to relate to these kids, to these players," Brooks said. "I think that's something they missed with Al.
"It seems like they were not having fun. They were afraid to make mistakes," he said. "Any time you are having fun and not having an iron fist slapped on you, players will go out and do more than the coach can even imagine."
Perhaps no player appreciates the change more than quarterback Marc Verica.
He came out of nowhere to be the starter in 2008 after one quarterback was dismissed from school and another was declared academically ineligible. But last season, with Groh going with other options and a new offense, Verica went back into the background feeling like an afterthought.
This summer, as the Cavaliers' unquestioned leader, Verica led the team through optional 7 on 7 drills. He said the energy that London brings has infused the team.
"When you're here every day, you have a good feel just for the air, the atmosphere and the environment surrounding the team," he said. "There's no question it's been positive."
London also reached out to the community, inviting the Boys & Girls Club to attend practice. The team held a bone marrow drive, and London brought a benefactor to meet the team.
He visited sororities and fraternities, telling them he needed their help, and sent players to help with their fundraisers, trying to create a sense of reciprocal support.
"If you're going to ask people to do things like come to my games, you've got to show that you're interested in what they are doing, too," London said.
He visited with deans, assuring them that he was as committed as they are to having his team perform in the classroom, and was among the coaches doing class attendance checks.
"I have three rules," London said. "The first is go to class. Gotta go to class. The second is show class in all you do, and the third is treat people with dignity and respect."
On the academic side, the team he inherited had some problems.
"Some guys were scrambling to get in a position where they could breathe academically," he said. "It will be better than it was, because what it was not very good."
London has put together a coaching staff that shares his vision, meeting individually with players to lay out his expectations, and recruiting the state.
In Virginia, that means having a big presence — and a lot of success — in talent-rich Hampton Roads, where Hampton High School coach Mike Smith said Groh had "quit recruiting."
"I think Al just wanted people from a different area," Smith said.
A Hampton Roads native, London and his staff quickly began making inroads.
Smith's Crabbers this year will feature David Watford at quarterback; next season, he'll be at Virginia, the first Hampton player to commit to the Cavaliers in the past 10 years.
He chose Virginia over Virginia Tech, which has dominated recruiting in the area.
That's a step in the right direction, even if results this year might not be what Cavaliers fans are hoping for right away.
-- Hank Kurz Jr.
Thomas tapped as No. 11 Oregon's starting QB
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Darron Thomas will be No. 11 Oregon's starting quarterback for the opener against New Mexico, taking over the Ducks after the dismissal of Jeremiah Masoli.
Thomas has been competing for the job against senior Nate Costa throughout fall camp. While Costa is more of a traditional passer, Thomas is more of a threat on the ground, much like Masoli.
Thomas, a 6-3, 212-pound sophomore, played in five games as a true freshman in 2008, completing 16 of 33 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns.
Called on when Oregon was hit by a slew of injuries, Thomas came close, but just missed on leading the Ducks to a come-from-behind victory at home against Boise State that season. The Broncos won 37-32.
He redshirted the 2009 season.
"I feel like I'm ready to go," Thomas said when Oregon opened camp. "I hope it's my time. I've been out here two years and gotten comfortable with the offense and I'm just building confidence."
Masoli, now a walk-on at Mississippi, was projected to be a possible Heisman Trophy candidate before his fall from grace at Oregon.
Masoli pleaded guilty to charges connected to the theft of two laptops and a guitar from a campus fraternity house in January.
Coach Chip Kelly suspended him for the upcoming season. But then Masoli was stopped a few weeks later for a traffic violation and marijuana was found in the car — prompting Kelly to kick him off the team.
Going into fall camp, Kelly said the role of the quarterback this season would be to distribute the ball to prolific running back LaMichael James, receiver Jeff Maehl and others. But the quarterback spot has historically been key in Kelly's offenses, with Masoli and Dennis Dixon before him proving the point.
Oregon held a scrimmage on Thursday before the coaches went to make their decision. Thomas completed 14 of 23 passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns during the closed scrimmage, while Costa was 17-of-37 for 138 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Kelly announced his selection in a brief news release on Friday afternoon. He was not available for comment.
Costa, a senior who has been with the Ducks for five years, has had three knee surgeries — and only one start — in that span.
Costa echoed Kelly's sentiment that Oregon's supporting cast would lift whoever was selected as starter.
"If you look at this team on paper, offensively and defensively, we're stacked. It's a great team and we have a lot of seniors and a lot of returners and a lot of talent across the board. For a quarterback, this is an ideal situation. Whoever ends up going in and being the starter isn't going to be the most experienced guy, but they'll have a lot of experience around them and that means a lot," she said.
The Ducks host the Lobos at Autzen Stadium on Sept. 4.
-- Anne M. Peterson
News & Notes
MTSU suspends QB, asking NCAA to reinstate him
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Middle Tennessee suspended quarterback Dwight Dasher indefinitely Friday for accepting a $1,500 loan in violation of the NCAA’s amateurism rules. University officials will be asking the NCAA to reinstate him with a punishment lasting no more than three games.
That means the senior who set a bowl record by rushing for 201 yards as a quarterback, topping the 200 yards Vince Young ran for in the 2006 BCS National Championship, will miss the Blue Raiders’ season opener Thursday when Minnesota visits.
"He’s disappointed obviously, but his teammates have rallied behind him and his coaches have rallied behind him," coach Rick Stockstill said. "He’s humbled in this situation, and he knows he made a mistake. ... I’ve said it before that’s part of your responsibility as a coach is to help these young men grow and learn from the mistakes they’ve made. But he’s doing good."
University officials announced a week ago that they were looking into a report filed with campus police involving an 80-year-old patient at a Veterans Administration hospital in town and Dasher. Middle Tennessee hired an outside company, The Compliance Group, to help investigate.
Athletic director Chris Massaro issued a statement just before a news conference Friday confirming that Dasher had been ineligible to play but still will practice with the team. The penalty for this type of violation typically is a 30 percent reduction in games, which can be raised or lowered.
Massaro said he wanted objectivity to ensure the investigation was handled properly. The investigation found no NCAA violations by the university with only the amateurism breach where both Dash and Oliver Donnell, the 80-year-old who gave Dasher the money, agree the quarterback received the loan because he is a football player.
"We wanted to make a fact-based decision, and there’s a lot of emotion that works in these kind of things," Massaro said. "You try to strip it away and make a fact-based decision. The fact that Dwight has a lot of publicity and his athletic prowess in some ways complicates it because you don’t want to make decisions based on that either."
Dasher led the Blue Raiders to a 10-3 record last season as the team finished 2009 with a seven-game winning streak capped with a 42-32 win in the New Orleans Bowl. He is the Sun Belt Conference’s preseason offensive player of the year and is already Middle Tennessee’s career leader in yards rushing by a quarterback.
Massaro couldn’t comment on whether Dasher has repaid the loan because that was part of the university’s inquiry.
"I think Dwight’s full intent was to pay it by Aug. 27th, so we’re very hopeful that it’ll be paid today," Massaro said.
If Dasher misses three games, he would not play against FCS-level Austin Peay on Sept. 11 or at Memphis on Sept. 18. It would allow him to return Sept. 25 when the Blue Raiders visit Louisiana-Lafayette with his second game back being Oct. 5 against defending Sun Belt champ Troy — winners of four straight in this series.
Another campus police report lists Dasher being involved with a student whose student financial aid debit card had been improperly used for up to $1,000. That involves Dasher’s roommate and teammate, right guard Colin Boss. Asked if that situation had been resolved, Stockstill said he couldn’t talk about that yet.
Stockstill will settle on his new starting quarterback after Saturday’s practice, and neither of his options have played a snap yet at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
Junior Jeff Murphy played at Laney College, a junior college in California where he threw for 1,845 yards as a freshman and 1,749 yards and 16 TDs as a sophomore before signing with Middle Tennessee. Sophomore Logan Kilgore threw for 2,512 yards and 22 touchdowns at Bakersfield College last year.
"We’re a good team with Dwight, but we’re not all Dwight and that’s what our team believes ...," Stockstill said. "I don’t think it’s lip service."
Senior running back Phillip Tanner, back himself from a knee injury that ended his 2009 season after two games, said whoever is at quarterback won’t affect the team.
"We let everybody know, the whole team, that whatever quarterback comes up under center on Sept. 2, we’re going to do whatever we have to do to beat Minnesota on Sept. 2," Tanner said.
-- Teresa M. Walker
Georgia tailback charged with leaving accident
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Another Georgia football player has gotten into trouble, and this time it's one of the team's top running backs.
Tailback Washaun Ealey, who led the Bulldogs in rushing a year ago and expected to share carries this season with Caleb King, was suspended for at least one game after being arrested early Friday.
Ealey was charged with hit and run and driving on a suspended license. Coach Mark Richt said the sophomore definitely won't play when the No. 23 Bulldogs open the season Sept. 4 against Louisiana-Lafayette and left open the possibility of adding more games to the suspension.
"I'm not happy with it. It's foolish. He knew better," Richt said. "But no one thinks it's going to happen to him. He knew his license was suspended and we knew his license was suspended. As a matter of fact, we spend a lot of hours checking on every single player to make sure their licenses are up to date and if they're not, making them aware of that."
University police chief Jimmy Williamson said Ealey was driving his roommate's Chevrolet Impala when he hit a parked truck in a school parking deck at 3:19 a.m. on Friday. Williamson said alcohol was not involved.
Ealey was released from the Clarke County Jail after posting bond of $4,800.
"He probably thought this short little trip wouldn't be a big deal, but it turned out to be a real big deal," Richt said. "You can't roll the dice. Sooner or later, you're going to lose."
Ealey is the eighth Georgia player to be arrested this year.
"It definitely tarnishes our image, but I don't think we have any bad seeds on this team," tight end Aron White said. "We've got guys who have made silly mistakes for the most part and did things they knew better. I don't think we have any guys who are bad to the core or do things intentionally to hurt people.'
University employees told Ealey to stay at the scene until police arrived, but he left. No one was reported hurt. Ealey emerged in the second half of the 2009 season to lead the Bulldogs with 717 yards rushing. He scored three touchdowns.
Now, King will likely get the bulk of the carries against Louisiana-Lafayette, with Carlton Thomas moving up to the second string.
"It's something we don't need, but things happen," Thomas said. "This situation was wrong time, wrong place. It's something we've got to build off as a team. It will probably motivate us to work even harder to beat this image we're putting ourselves in. It's all water under the bridge if you win games."
Georgia's image has certainly taken a beating during this offseason.
Sophomore tailback Dontavius Jackson announced plans to transfer from Georgia after he was charged last month with driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident and other offenses. Richt suspended Jackson for a minimum of six games before he left school.
Receiver Tavarres King was charged with underaged possession of alcohol and was suspended one game by Richt last month.
Quarterback Zach Mettenberger was dismissed from the team in April before pleading guilty to two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery in May. He was arrested March 7 in Lowndes County and charged with underage consumption and possession of alcohol, possessing fake identification and disorderly conduct-obstruction.
Mettenberger faced a one-game suspension from Richt for the alcohol-related charges before the sexual battery charges led to his dismissal.
Two other players were kicked off the team: linebacker Montez Robinson, who was charged with simple battery/family violence; and backup punter Trent Dittmer, who was charged with public intoxication.
Also, offensive lineman Josh Parrish, who is not on scholarship, was charged with underage possession of alcohol and possession of false identification. Backup cornerback Jordan Love was charged with obstruction for not providing his full name to police.
Richt said the length of Ealey's suspension will be determined by how he handles his punishment. He didn't practice with the team Friday, spending his time doing extra running.
"I've got some internal things for him to handle and if he handles them the way he should and behaves between now and the next one, he'll have a pretty good chance of playing," Richt said. "But he's got to show me that he's ready to go back and not only play, but practice with the team."
Richt is confident the Bulldogs will overcome all their off-the-field problems.
"This team is very resilient and very tough mentally," the coach said. "I guarantee the guys that are out there that show up will play their tails off. There's a whole bunch of them that are doing everything right and are preparing for a tremendous opportunity."
Boise State seeks to expand Bronco Stadium
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Boise State athletic officials are hoping to expand Bronco Stadium again, this time by adding 19,000 new seats, more luxury suites and a new football complex.
Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier unveiled preliminary drawings Friday hours before kicking off a fundraising pitch to more than 500 boosters, donors and corporate sponsors he's counting on to help foot the bill.
While there is no timeline and official price tag to the project, Bleymaier said there is a sense of urgency to the latest expansion project.
The Broncos will be joining the Mountain West Conference next fall, a move that will increase competition on the playing field. He also said adding more seats to the 40-year-old stadium and building new football offices and locker rooms are critical if Boise State hopes to sustain the success and national recognition it's achieved in the last five years.
Of the teams ranked in the Top 25 starting this season, Boise State, ranked No. 3, has the smallest stadium.
"We need to get this done ASAP," Bleymaier said. "We're moving into the Mountain West. We've raised the bar. We're in tall company right now. If we want to stay in the Top 10 in the country, we've got to fill in the gaps. Right now we're an outlier, plain and simple.
Bronco Stadium's capacity is 33,500 and the school spent $37.5 million two years ago to add luxury suites, club and box seating and a new press box.
Sketches and details for the new project call for spending a minimum of $40 to $50 million to lower the field, add 12,000 seats behind the north end zone and build a two-story football complex. The new football facility would include office for coaches, meeting rooms, new weight and training rooms and home and visitor locker rooms.
Bleymaier said the more comprehensive plan calls for also adding new luxury suites and boxes on the east side and adding more seats in the south end zone, bringing capacity to 53,000.
The entire package could cost more than $100 million and could be done in phases, he said.
Broncos coach Chris Petersen, now in his fifth year, said the stadium expansion is essential to making sure his team can stay on equal footing in the standings and economically in the competitive world of college football.
"It's tremendously important that we get this done," said Petersen, who led the Broncos to a perfect season last year and a victory in the Fiesta Bowl. "To me this project is going to be as important as any project I've seen around here. There is no question in my mind that this is the next thing we need to do, not only for our players, our recruiting, but for our fans."
Earlier this month, TCU, a member of the Mountain West, announced plans for a $105 million renovation of its 80-year-old stadium. When the season opens next month, Michigan will play in a stadium fresh off a $226 million renovation that added 2,000 new seats and luxury suites and boxes.
Louisville will also open the season with a stadium that now holds 55,000 after a three-year expansion project.
Bleymaier said the current football complex is no longer suitable for a nationally ranked team. The training section has just two bathrooms, the weight room is outdated and the building has been remodeled six times in the last 40 years.
"We've probably got the worst locker room ... training rooms than I've seen in any Division I school," Bleymaier said.
Petersen and Bleymaier are also confident the community and fan base is big enough to fill a bigger stadium, even though several games last year were not sold out.
"I just think we're in a position where it's time to add more seats," Bleymaier said. "If definitely feel and know that if we had 40,000 seats today, they'd be filled on Sept. 25 (the home opener) and they'd be filled at a couple of other dates this year."
-- Todd Dvorak
N.C. State still sorting out depth chart
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — With roughly a week before the season opener, North Carolina State still hasn't settled its depth chart.
Coach Tom O'Brien isn't too concerned about that yet, saying Friday that he and his staff will make their final evaluations over the weekend and piece together the two-deep that he expects to release Monday.
"We're not finished working through some of the issues that we had as far as positional things right now," O'Brien said.
Chief among those issues on offense is at running back and along the offensive line. For the first time since he came to N.C. State in 2007, O'Brien doesn't have a tailback on the roster who has ever started a college game.
That will change for someone on Sept. 4 when the Wolfpack open against Western Carolina.
Junior Curtis Underwood, who rushed for 200 total yards in 18 games from 2007-08 but redshirted last season, and sophomore James Washington, who had 21 carries in three games last year before injuring his knee, were the top candidates at the end of spring practice.
Still, nothing's decided yet.
"I don't know, if I asked (offensive coordinator Dana Bible) today who the starting tailback would be, if he'd be able to tell me," O'Brien said. "It's probably a situation similar to the offensive line, where it may not be resolved for a couple weeks until you get into some game action and see how these kids play and see how they react."
O'Brien called the line "a problem situation" with tackle Jake Vermiglio and guard R.J. Mattes the only two returning starters. O'Brien declined to say what his plans are for highly-touted lineman Robert Crisp, a Raleigh native who was considered the jewel of his recruiting class back in February, before he can talk to the freshman.
"Certainly, the offensive line is a major concern for us," O'Brien said. "Generaly, how your offensive line goes, that's how your offense is going to go."
O'Brien said a handful of freshmen likely would appear across the depth chart, but did not identify any of them.
Of course, the trick isn't just to redshirt some of those new players — but to keep them redshirted.
That'll be easier to accomplish if his program can shake the injury problem that has plagued it for the past few years. His starters combined to miss a total 180 man-games from 2007-09.
Many of those were to critical players, from tight end Anthony Hill and running back Toney Baker in 2007 to Baker and receiver Donald Bowens in 2008 to linebacker Nate Irving last year.
"Obviously, the key is to keep our best guys healthy and play with our best guys," O'Brien said. "We're due for a little bit of luck in that department. But there's also guys that have three and four years of experience in the system, and that's certainly worth its weight in gold."
-- Joedy McCreary
Two QBs get nod for BYU
PROVO, Utah (AP) — The battle for the starting quarterback job at BYU has ended in a tie.
Coach Bronco Mendenhall said Riley Nelson and freshman Jake Heaps will be sharing the job when the season begins next week.
"Each is a talented player with a different style, which will pose some difficulties for opposing defenses," Mendenhall said in a release Friday.
Nelson, a junior who backed up Max Hall in seven games last season, will likely take BYU’s first series in the Cougars’ opener against Washington on Sept. 4 at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Heaps will also play in what Mendenhall described as a system, not a continued tryout.
Nelson gives the Cougars a running threat they didn’t really have in Hall the last three years. As a freshman at Utah State in 2006, Nelson started eight games and completed 55 percent of his passes for 925 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 290 yards with the Aggies.
Heaps, a high school star in suburban Seattle and one of the top-rated quarterback recruits nationally, is more of a passer that Cougar fans hope can live up to some of his predecessors at BYU. He passed for 3,191 yards and 45 touchdowns last fall as a senior at Skyline High School, then enrolled early at BYU so he could take part in spring practice.
Heaps played well enough in the spring and during fall camp to at least share the job with the more experienced Nelson.
"Riley is a great player and I’m excited to have the opportunity to contribute," Heaps said. "This isn’t about me or him. It’s about us. It’s about doing what we can to help our team."
Skyline star WR Kasen Williams chooses UW
SAMMAMISH, Wash. (AP) — All-state wide receiver Kasen Williams says he's staying home to play for the University of Washington next season.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior at Skyline High School in the Seattle suburb of Sammamish announced his choice on Friday.
Williams' father Aaron played receiver for the Huskies 1979-82.
Williams' signing is a second coup this month for second-year Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian. Another top recruit, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins from Gig Harbor, Wash., committed to the UW two weeks ago.
Williams helped Skyline win its third consecutive state championship last fall while catching 74 passes for over 1,200 yards and 20 touchdowns.
He chose Washington over Florida, Notre Dame, California and LSU.
Neck injury ends career for WSU safety Daniels
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) — Washington State safety LeAndre Daniels' playing career is over because of a broken neck.
The school said Friday that follow-up tests on the sophomore revealed a C1 neck fracture. Daniels, injured during a preseason practice this month, started two games in 2009 before a broken leg ended his season.
Coach Paul Wulff says "my heart goes out to LeAndre." The coach said Daniels will stay on campus to finish his degree.
The school added that the injury is stable and that Daniels does not have neurological damage. He will be fitted with a special hard collar, and next week a procedure will fit him for a halo collar that he will wear for up to 10 weeks. He may still need surgery.
Shinskie chosen as starting QB for Boston College
BOSTON (AP) — Baseball player turned quarterback Dave Shinskie has been chosen as the starter for Boston College.
Coach Frank Spaziani chose the sophomore for the season opener Sept. 4 at home against Weber State.
Shinskie began last season as a 25-year-old freshman after seven years in professional baseball. He never reached the majors after being drafted as a right-handed pitcher in the fourth round in 2003 by the Minnesota Twins.
Shinskie started 10 games last year. He competed with sophomore Mike Marscovetra and freshmen Chase Rettig and Josh Bordner for the No. 1 job this season.
Last year he threw for 2,049 yards and 15 touchdowns, both school freshman records. He completed 149 of 288 passes with 14 interceptions.
Dooley warns Vols: stay out of trouble on days off
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Volunteers are taking a full weekend off before getting back to preparations for next Saturday's season opener against Tennessee-Martin.
Coach Derek Dooley issued a warning to his players at the end of Friday's practice about their extra free time: Don't get into trouble.
The Vols haven't had two days off since before fall camp started on Aug. 4. Dooley says consecutive days off should help players' bodies recover after the strain of fall camp.
The coach says aside from defensive end Ben Walker and defensive tackle Marlon Walls suffering Achilles' injuries in the first week of camp, the Vols are in pretty good shape physically after a month of practice.
Four La Tech players suspended indefinitely
RUSTON, La. (AP) — Louisiana Tech has suspended four players indefinitely for violating a team rule.
First-year coach Sonny Dykes says wide receivers Tim Molton, R.P. Stuart and Cruz Williams and linebacker Kiamni Washington each has been suspended retroactive to Aug. 23. None of the players has participated in any team meeting or practice since that time.
Dykes, in Friday's announcement, did not specify what rule was violated.
The Bulldogs open the 2010 season Sept. 4 against Grambling State in the Port City Classic. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. at Independence Stadium in Shreveport.
Ohio State football parking to cost more
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State will have more parking available for football fans this season, but it will cost more, too.
The university on Thursday announced some changes for this year's home games, starting with next week's Thursday night opener against Marshall.
Game day parking will cost $15, up from $10 and the first increase since 2001. Ohio State Director of Transportation Sarah Blouch says the higher price will help offset rising costs related to football parking and traffic control.
The school will have an 1,400 parking spaces for football fans, thanks to a garage expansion.
Ohio Stadium also is debuting a new program offering brightly colored ID wristbands for children, to help reunite them with parents in case they get lost.
