College Sports Capsules: Brown ready to get Longhorns running again
IRVING (AP) — Mack Brown thinks defenses are starting to catch up to the spread offense.
He's noticed how much his defense has struggled against powerful, traditional running teams in bowl games. And with a young quarterback replacing Colt McCoy, the Longhorns probably shouldn't throw as much as they have been anyway.
Brown stacked it all up and came to a simple conclusion: Texas needs to spruce up its running game. So the Longhorns spent the spring changing their blocking schemes and dusting off some old formations. They are determined to have new quarterback Garrett Gilbert line up under center more often than McCoy did and to have him hand off more than McCoy did. But don't get the wrong impression.
"We're not going to be three yards and a cloud of dust," Brown said. "We're just changing our personality. We're not going to change it entirely, but we are going to tweak it some."
That's about the extent of the particulars thus far. Brown doesn't even know whether his lead back will be Tre Newton or Fozzy Whittaker.
"We're not going to have a magic wand and just say, 'OK, we're back to running it again,'" Brown said.
Texas is the birthplace of the Wishbone under Darrell Royal, the coach who said only three things can happen when you throw the ball and two of them are bad. But things change, sometimes pretty quickly.
Brown pointed out Wednesday that when Vince Young was rising to prominence in 2004, the Longhorns were among the nation's best rushing teams and near the worst in passing. They were almost evenly balanced when they won it all the following season.
But by last year, when McCoy was wrapping up a career with the most wins and one of the top accuracy rates of any quarterback in Division I-A history, the Longhorns had become pass-happy.
"When you've got a kid who is completing seven out of 10 passes, you lose your patience," Brown said. "You sit there and say, 'Well, shoot, we're not moving it — throw it! Let's just get this fixed.' And all of a sudden you look up at halftime and you've run it four times and made two yards. You're saying, 'We need to pick up the running game,' but you're ahead 24-0 so it's OK."
The McCoy era ended, and the Gilbert era began, after Texas' fifth snap in the national championship game against Alabama.
Forced into action because of an injury, Gilbert couldn't find his helmet right away, then played like a true freshman.
"My head was kind of spinning a little bit," he said Wednesday, laughing.
But in the second half, Gilbert looked like a worthy heir to McCoy, Young and their recent predecessors, Chris Simms and Major Applewhite. The Longhorns were down only a field goal in the final four minutes. Although Gilbert didn't pull out the rally, he certainly won over his teammates.
"Last year, there were times I would say, 'Garrett, you're not very vocal. You're not leading as well as I expected,' and he said, 'This is Colt's team. I'll lead as soon as Colt graduates and moves on' and he did that (in the spring and summer)," Brown said. "I do think his presence in the national championship game gave him instant credibility with the older kids."
Gilbert said the last time he routinely took snaps standing over the center was in Pop Warner ball. It took some getting used to during the spring.
"The biggest thing is getting my feet out of there so linemen don't step on them," he said. "As the spring went on, it kind of jelled a little bit. We got more comfortable with it."
Can a young quarterback win it all?
"I think you can," Brown said, "but you've got to be really good around him."
Brown said Texas' defense "could be as good as we've had," which is why the progress of the offense is so pivotal.
In addition to finding a lead running back, the Longhorns need to replace Jordan Shipley as the primary receiver. John Chiles, Malcolm Williams, Marquise Goodwin and James Kirkendoll all have shown they can make plays, but not when everyone knows the ball is headed their way.
"Somebody has got to step up and be that guy," Brown said.
Brown believes that if he can find the right plays for the right players, this could be as good of a season as 2008 — when Texas was supposed to be in transition but became No. 1 in mid-October and finished 12-1, missing a chance to play for the conference championship and possibly the BCS championship because of how the Big 12 decided a three-way tiebreaker.
"So," Brown said, "we're trying to sell the kids on, 'It doesn't matter what we do (style-wise), you've got to win and you've got to win every game. That's who we are and who we want to be. If '08 had a chance to get to the national championship game, so do you. Let's be smart but let's work really hard in two-a-days to figure out who we're going to be at Rice (in the opener) and build on it.'"
Minnesota-Texas football series canceled
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota's goal to upgrade its nonconference football schedules has taken a hit, with two games against Texas canceled due to a disagreement over video rights.
The Gophers athletics department confirmed the cancellation Wednesday. The Longhorns were scheduled to play at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sept. 19, 2015. The Gophers were slated to visit Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin on Sept. 17, 2016.
"It's extremely disappointing," Minnesota athletics director Joel Maturi said. "The kind of agreement we could not come to is the same agreement every other school on our schedule agreed to. Every other school in the Big 12 agreed to this."
Texas officials declined immediate comment. The schools have not met in the sport since 1936. The video rights issue is complex, related to wording in contracts that protects the networks televising the games regarding how and when footage can be used. Minnesota's commitment to the Big Ten Network is part of this issue.
Still, Maturi and university officials were upset about the impasse. They learned earlier this month that Texas was backing out.
"We have a signed agreement," Maturi said. "If we wanted to go to court, we'd win. But that's not our style."
In a statement provided by the school, head coach Tim Brewster also expressed his displeasure.
"Our fans and our team were excited to play Texas. Obviously, they weren't as excited about playing us," Brewster said. "We plan to fill that slot in our upcoming schedule with a quality BCS opponent."
The Gophers still have plenty of major-conference opponents to play in the future. They host Southern California on Sept. 18 and travel to USC in 2011. North Carolina is scheduled for 2013 and 2014, and Oregon State is on tap for 2017 and 2018 and Colorado is on the slate for 2021 and 2022.
Notebook: OU's DeMarco Murray eyes 2,000-yard rushing season
IRVING — Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray finally made it through a season without getting hurt last year.
Now he wants to do something no Sooner — not even his friend, Adrian Peterson — has done: rush for 2,000 yards.
Murray scored five touchdowns in his first college game in 2007, which must have looked familiar to OU fans who watched Peterson set an OU record with 1,925 yards when the Minnesota Vikings star was a freshman three years earlier. But injuries shortened Murray's first two seasons, and he's still chasing the man he followed around as a wide-eyed redshirt.
"If I am healthy, I do feel I could have a better year than him," Murray said Wednesday at Big 12 media days. "He always told me to shoot for the moon. I was around him for a year (in 2006) and I got to experience his work ethic and game routine. I know what it takes to be that type of caliber on that type of stage."
Murray hasn't threatened Peterson's rushing record yet. He had 764 yards when he dislocated a kneecap late in the 2007 season. He said his lowest point came a year later when he injured a hamstring on the opening kickoff of the Big 12 championship game, spoiling his only 1,000-yard season (1,002) and costing him a chance to play in the BCS title game loss to Florida.
He said he turned into a "Debbie Downer," rarely leaving his hotel during BCS championship week and disconnecting from friends and family while he tried to decide whether to turn pro.
Murray's reward for coming back was an injury-free season, although curiously he had a career-low 705 rushing yards. The Sooners had a young offensive line and were forced to alter their offense after quarterback Sam Bradford got hurt. Murray found another way to contribute with a career-high 522 receiving yards.
"This year, having the whole season under my belt, I went through the spring and went through the summer with no injuries and no problems, I'm feeling great," said Murray, who needs 13 touchdowns to break Steve Owens' career record of 57. "I'm mentally there, physically there, emotionally there. I'm just ready to get it going."
Coach Bob Stoops volunteered a comparison to Peterson when asked what kind of load Murray could carry, but with a word of caution.
"All guys are a little bit different, what they're able to handle," Stoops said. "So we definitely have to be aware of his health and just how he's feeling through a game."
Murray needs 1,574 yards to catch Peterson on OU's all-time rushing list and 1,647 to tie career leader Billy Sims.
QB SHUFFLE: Colorado enters preseason workouts without a starting quarterback for the third year in a row.
For the second straight year, the contenders are Cody Hawkins, coach Dan Hawkins' son, and Tyler Hansen. Hawkins started the first five games last year but was replaced during the Buffs' worst offensive game of the year — a 38-14 loss at Texas. Hansen started the remaining seven games.
Dan Hawkins said the coaching staff planned to decide about two weeks before the Sept. 4 opener against Colorado State in Denver.
If last year's stats are any indication, it could be a split decision. Colorado was 1-4 with Hawkins as the starter, 2-5 under Hansen. Hawkins, a senior this year, threw for 1,277 yards with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Hansen, now a junior, had 1,440 yards with eight TDs and seven interceptions, including three in a season-ending loss to Nebraska.
The Buffs were last in the Big 12 in total offense and 10th in scoring in 2009.
TEXAS-OU PROBLEM: Texas coach Mack Brown used to acknowledge an "Oklahoma Problem" each year he came to Big 12 media day during a five-game losing streak to the Sooners that included blowout losses of 63-14 and 65-13.
Sooners coach Bob Stoops had no interest in acknowledging a "Texas Problem" on Wednesday after losing to the Longhorns four of the past five years. He was quick to point out the Sooners won three straight Big 12 titles in that time frame when no other team in league history has even won back-to-back crowns, a rant that ended with a reporter asking if that was a "no."
"I don't have a yes or a no," Stoops said. "My point is our goal isn't just to beat Texas. Our goal is to win the Big 12 championship and win the national championship. In the end, we've been in four national championship games in 10 years. I don't know if it's a problem or not. It's a pretty good one if it is."
Brown vouched for Stoops by saying his "problem" was getting blown out by the Sooners twice.
"You shouldn't ever get beaten like we were beaten. I put that solely back on me," Brown said. "Our games with Oklahoma have been tight. They'll continue to be tight. Bob's got one of the great programs in the country."
GOING LONG: Kansas coach Turner Gill said he used to talk to former Iowa quarterback Chuck Long about the pair being on the same staff, even when Gill was the head coach at Buffalo and Long had the same job at San Diego State.
Long was fired after a 2-10 season with the Aztecs in 2008 and was out of coaching when Gill called about joining him at Kansas as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
The Heisman Trophy runner-up to Bo Jackson in 1985, Long spent eight years in the NFL with Detroit and the Los Angeles Rams and started his coaching career with his alma mater in 1995. Four years later, he went to Oklahoma and coached Heisman runner-up Josh Heupel when the Sooners won the 2000 national championship. He also coached Heisman winner Jason White at OU.
"You can go on and on about the accolades he's done as a coach. That speaks for itself," Gill said. "But more importantly, I really love what he's all about as a man. A lot of the guys that I hire on the staff, I really try to hire people who really have a passion to develop young people."
MISSING LEACH: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said it clearly and succinctly: He will miss Mike Leach.
The former Texas Tech coach, who was fired after claims that he mistreated a player with a concussion, spent a year with Stoops at OU before taking the Tech job a decade ago.
Leach was known as much for a quirky style and penchant for pirates as he was for winning games with a fast-break passing offense few teams could stop. Stoops' Sooners were among the few who occasionally figured it out.
"I love being around Mike, and we stay in touch. So I'll get to experience Mike other ways," Stoops said, drawing a few chuckles from reporters.
He said there was no sense of relief in not having to solve Leach's offense because he figures Texas Tech isn't losing much under Tom Tuberville, a defense-first coach who once went 13-0 at Auburn.
"As a defensive guy, I always followed him knowing his background was on defense," Stoops said. "They're still going to be a great team and a tough team."
-- Scuyler Dixon
Gill building relationships first at Kansas
IRVING (AP) — Turner Gill wanted to get to know his new Kansas team and wanted to make sure they knew each other. So he asked questions like who was the most influential person in their lives and why, then had every player and coach stand up and answer.
Will that matter on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the closing seconds of a tight game?
It can't hurt, Gill figures.
"The whole point of doing it," he said, "was to let everybody understand we're a lot closer than you think."
Gill's soft approach could be just what the Jayhawks need after eight years under Mark Mangino.
Mangino turned Kansas football into the kind of program the basketball team could be proud of, winning as many bowl games (three) as all his predecessors combined. In 2007, the Jayhawks went 12-1 with the offense and defense among the best in the nation, earning a spot in the Orange Bowl.
But things came crashing down late last season. Mangino was accused of physically and verbally abusing players and others around the program. He denied everything, then resigned in December.
Administrators moved quickly to hire Gill, a star quarterback at Nebraska in the early 1980s who'd become a potential coaching star over his four years at Buffalo. He'd been up for several jobs the previous offseason and gladly took this chance to work in a BCS conference.
Gill, a former Nebraska star quarterback and assistant coach, knows he'll ultimately be judged by wins and losses. But over about a half hour of speaking at Big 12 media day, it was clear his approach is that results are a byproduct of the other ways he runs his program.
"I'm passionate about trying to develop young men," he said. "That's what my purpose (is) here on this earth."
Players have been hearing it for seven months, and they've seen how sincere he is about it.
"He's there as very much a father figure and a mentor for us," offensive lineman Brad Thorson said. "That's not typical for a Division I coach, for a guy that's got his own family. He's got a daughter in college and a daughter in high school. He's got his own family to take care of, and he calls us his sons. He says it, he means it. It's powerful. It means a lot to us. We're willing to go out there and lay it on the line for him."
The image on all their promotional material sums it up pretty nicely: seven players circled around their new coach, all looking up, eyes squarely on him, with Gill standing and leaning back slightly, his arms crossed and the start of a smile on his face.
He's going to lead them, and they're ready to be led — gently.
"We're here to challenge you, we're here to be demanding, we're here to raise your expectation of yourself," Gill said. "But we can do it in a way where you can still feel good about yourself."
Former Okla. St. football star Fenimore dies at 84
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Bob Fenimore, a two-time All-American who became the top pick in the 1947 NFL draft, died Wednesday in Stillwater after a fight with cancer. He was 84.
Fenimore was a star on offense and defense for Oklahoma A&M in the 1940s, highlighted by his 1945 season when he led the nation in total offense and rushing, finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting and led the Aggies to a perfect 9-0 season.
That season, which ended with a 33-13 win against Saint Mary's (Calif.) in the Sugar Bowl and a No. 5 ranking in the AP poll, remains the only undefeated season in the history of the school now known as Oklahoma State.
Fenimore was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972.
"He was a great teammate and just a good Christian man that everybody liked. Bob got a lot of accolades, being an All-American as he was, but there was never anyone that didn't think he deserved it," Neill Armstrong, a former teammate who became lifelong friends with Fenimore, said in a telephone interview. "He was just that good."
Fenimore's death was confirmed Wednesday by Oklahoma State spokesman Kevin Klintworth. Services for Fenimore are planned Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church in Stillwater.
Playing tailback in the Aggies' single-wing offense, Fenimore accumulated 1,758 yards to lead the nation in total offense in 1944 while also finishing in the top 10 in rushing (899 yards), passing (997 yards) and scoring (77 points). Nicknamed the "Blond Bomber," he finished ninth in the Heisman voting that season.
During the undefeated season in 1945, Fenimore was the nation's leader with 1,119 yards rushing and 1,641 yards of total offense. He ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in the Sugar Bowl, which pitted Fenimore against Herman Wedemeyer of Saint Mary's — who finished fourth in the Heisman voting.
Army's vaunted duo of Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis finished first and second that year.
"It's funny how in those days the coach didn't call plays from the sidelines or the quarterback didn't really call the plays. I called all the plays from my left end position and I wore him out," said Armstrong, who twice led the nation in receiving.
"It was easy to call his number because you knew he was going to be successful."
Fenimore, from Woodward, was also an accomplished punter and defensive back. His 18 career interceptions remain a school record.
His 4,627 career yards of total offense stood in the OSU record book for more than four decades, until the mark was broken by Mike Gundy in the 1980s and then by quarterback Zac Robinson last year.
"Bob Fenimore will never be forgotten," said Gundy, a former quarterback who is now the Cowboys' head coach. "He may have been the most dominant player in America during his years in Stillwater. He is still listed in our record books nearly 60 years after he played. He truly is a legend."
Fenimore and Armstrong enrolled on the same day in 1943 and formed a tradition of shaking hands before each kickoff — with Armstrong serving as the kicker and Fenimore holding the ball in place. The image remains familiar to some OSU fans decades later.
"It was just a natural thing," Armstrong said, adding that he has a picture of one of the handshakes in his Dallas-area home. "I guess it was because we were always together there when we were kicking the ball off."
They'd team up to create one of the most successful stretches in school history, along with a lifelong friendship. In recent years, Armstrong and his wife would travel from the Dallas area to watch their grandson, Cole Farden, play for Oklahoma State and stay with Fenimore and his wife.
Earlier this month, Armstrong was in the state for a wedding and was able to spend a few hours with his friend, who was battling cancer.
"He was respected by everybody all of the days that I knew him, as a college athlete and then afterwards, too," Armstrong said. "Bob always had a great sense of humor. He liked to laugh, and he was just a lot of fun to be around."
-- Jeff Latzke
OSU's Johnson accused of marijuana possession
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma State safety Victor Johnson will face a possession of a controlled substance charge in addition to an accusation of obstructing a police officer leveled against him after his weekend arrest.
According to a police report released Wednesday by the university, Johnson was arrested early Saturday morning after police responded to a complaint about a suspicious odor at his apartment.
An affidavit filed by an OSU police officer alleges that Johnson initially refused to let police search his apartment. A bag of marijuana was found after officers obtained a search warrant.
Formal charges were filed late Tuesday against the 20-year-old Johnson.
Johnson is scheduled to appear in court on the charges on Aug. 23, when he is also due for his next hearing on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. Johnson has pleaded not guilty to the DUI charge.
Johnson's attorney, Willie Baker, said it would be premature for him to comment on the case.
SEC
Upset Spurrier expects improved rushing offense
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Steve Spurrier hasn't gotten over the way last season ended and vows to improve in all areas this year, including South Carolina's last-place running game.
The Gamecocks have been at the bottom in Southeastern Conference in rushing the past three years, although Spurrier says it's unfair to tag that failure all on his runners. South Carolina, Spurrier points out, is also an average killing 11th out of 12 in preventing sacks. Both those problem areas were exposed last January in the Gamecocks' 20-7 loss to Connecticut in the Papajohns.com Bowl, a defeat Spurrier has yet to shake.
"We weren't very good," Spurrier said Wednesday. "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."
Spurrier took some offseason steps to make that happen, perhaps the biggest was landing one of the nation's best high school runners is Marcus Lattimore. The Gamecocks also hired Shawn Elliott as offensive line coach after fiery, first-year staffer Eric Wolford left last December to become head coach at Youngstown State.
The lineman had grown accustomed to Wolford's high energy style and it was important, quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus said, to match that with his replacement. "Shawn does that," Mangus said.
Lattimore brings his powerful, quick style to a suddenly strong group gaining in experience. Kenny Miles led South Carolina with 626 yards as a freshman last fall. Jarvis Giles has breakaway speed but trouble hitting the hole. Brian Maddox, a senior this year, was almost automatic in short yardage situation last fall.
Still, the Gamecocks averaged just more than 121 yards a game on the ground last fall. And that was an improvement from 2008 when they managed just 94.1 yards a game, the only SEC team not to break the century mark that season.
Spurrier thought he turned a corner last November when South Carolina ran for a season's best 223 yards in a 34-17 victory over rival Clemson. Miles had a 114 yards in that game, nearly 100 more than ACC's player of the year C.J. Spiller. Afterward, Spurrier cited a newspaper column with reminding him that the head ball coach's most successful times came from a well-built running game.
Five weeks later, the progress vanished and the Gamecocks looked their unproductive selves when running the ball. South Carolina rushed for just 76 yards against the Huskies and surrendered three sacks for 25 yards.
"The running game hasn't been near as bad as the final stats because we're bottom in sacks all the time," Spurrier said. "We've done a lousy job teaching the quarterback to throw the ball away and teaching lineman how to block.
"At times," he continued, "we act like a sack's no big deal."
Not anymore.
Senior right guard Terrence Campbell says the attitude among the linemen this summer has been as strong as he's seen. "We have just stepped it up to another level," he said.
Lattimore should also increase the intensity among South Carolina running backs scrapping for carries, assistant coach Jay Graham said. As good as Lattimore could be, he's still a freshman who hasn't seen anywhere near this level of competition before, said Graham, the former Tennessee star runner.
"I think mentally, he won't have any issues because of how hard he works," Graham said of his newest runner. "But lets get to that third, fourth practice and just start to pile and we'll see where we're out."
-- Pete Iacobelli
Million-dollar raises over for Clemson's Swinney
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Clemson needs to win an Atlantic Coast Conference championship this season to earn football coach Dabo Swinney another big contract bonus.
Swinney's salary more than doubled from last season, growing to $1.75 million after the Tigers won the ACC Atlantic Division. This time, though, it will take a league title to automatically boost Swinney's compensation — and even that potential increase won't be as big a raise as the 40-year-old coach got from the team's 2009 success.
The Clemson athletic department released Swinney's new contract Wednesday. The coach is guaranteed to make $1.75 million a year through 2014. However, that total can rise to about $2 million should the Tigers capture their first ACC championship since 1991.
Swinney's contract calls for an increase "to an amount not less than the average total compensation for the seven most highly" paid ACC football coaches for the league title. There's no increase in line for Swinney in the latest deal should Clemson defend its division title.
The Tigers were 9-5 last season, reaching the ACC title game for the first time. Clemson fell to Georgia Tech 39-34, then rebounded to end a three-game bowl losing streak with a 21-13 victory over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl.
Swinney can earn some individual bonuses, too, although those have also been tailored to reflect last year's success.
The coach would get $20,000 for 10 wins in the regular season, $30,000 for 11 and $40,000 for 12 in his new deal, which does not have incentives for eight or nine wins that last year's contract included.
Swinney would earn $37,500 for reaching the ACC title game, half the $75,000 bonus he collected in his old contract.
Clemson University trustees approved new agreements for Swinney and his assistant coaches. In March, the school said the Tigers' assistants received raises totaling $495,000 that brought their aggregate pay to more than $2.3 million.
Swinney was an energetic receivers coach making about $200,000 at the start of the 2008 season. However, he was made the team's interim coach midseason when longtime leader Tommy Bowden announced he was leaving. Swinney did enough during his six-game tryout to earn the job full time at the end of that season.
Swinney starts his second full season with Clemson against North Texas at Death Valley on Sept. 4. The Tigers start fall practice on Tuesday.
Late changes add $9M to football facility upgrade
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee coach Derek Dooley and other athletic officials have made late changes to upgrade plans for a football facility that add nearly $9 million to the cost of the project.
Tennessee has been planning a $39 million addition to the Brenda Lawson Athletic Center that would add locker rooms, a weight room and training space to the building that houses administrative staff.
Athletic director Mike Hamilton said he and other department officials asked coach Derek Dooley for his suggestions on the design in January, and Dooley suggested some changes to the planned weight room and layout of the new space.
"I'm a big believer that this is a facility that our coaches and student-athletes are going to live in every day, so I thought (Dooley) should have some input," Hamilton said. "Each coach has certain things that are important to them."
Other athletic officials suggested adding a new outdoor plaza honoring Volunteers in the College Football Hall of Fame.
The now $48 million project is being funded by athletic department donors, and the department has pledges of $32.5 million so far. The department expects to have contractors bid on the construction project in the fall.
The new space will also include a new training room, locker rooms and meeting rooms.
Chris Fuller, Tennessee's senior associate athletic director for external operations, said one of Dooley's suggestions was to group all of the rooms used by the athletes in the same area of the building rather than to keep them spread out around the building as was originally planned.
"If you look at the floor plan and the flow of the building, I think it's going to make a huge difference," Fuller said. "If we had build the building as it was originally designed, we would have probably had to go back and change some things in the future."
Planning for the facility began while Phillip Fulmer was coach, and both Fulmer and successor Lane Kiffin made their own suggestions. A 10,341-square-footage increase and changes to the interior added approximately $4.5 million to the cost. Additional furniture, decor and weight and training equipment added $2.2 million, the Hall of Fame plaza an additional $1.5 million and creating the new design cost $730,000.
Hamilton said he expects the project to be completed for less than the $8.9 million estimate. he university attempts to overestimate the cost a bit when seeking approval from the State Building Commission to cover unexpected costs, though most of the department's construction projects have come in under cost in the past few years.
The Brenda Lawson Athletic Center, which connects to Tennessee's indoor football practice field, opened in 2006 to help replace the now 52-year-old Stokely Athletic Center, after the fire marshal prohibited the building's use for any athletic or spectator events.
"This is a facility that's a marquis building for us, and as I've often said, football is the engine driving our financial train," Hamilton said.
-- Beth Rucker
Upset Spurrier expects improved rushing offense
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Steve Spurrier hasn't gotten over the way last season ended and vows to improve in all areas this year, including South Carolina's last-place running game.
The Gamecocks have been at the bottom of Southeastern Conference in rushing the past three years. Spurrier says a large part of that was the offense allowing too many sacks. However, South Carolina is hoping a fiery, new offensive line coach and one of the country's best running back prospects solve both problems.
Spurrier on Wednesday expressed his displeasure with the Gamecocks 20-7 loss to Connecticut at the Papajohns.com Bowl last January. He says first-year assistant Shawn Elliott has worked effectively with the South Carolina's returning lineman while highly regarded runner Marcus Lattimore has sparked the rushing attack.
Younger Brindise leaving Gamecocks
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina reserve quarterback Zac Brindise has left the Gamecocks and plans to transfer.
South Carolina spokesman Steve Fink said Wednesday that Brindise was no longer with the team. Brindise was the younger brother of Noah Brindise, who played quarterback at Florida for current Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier.
Noah Brindise was also a Florida graduate assistant and Washington Redskins quarterback coach for Spurrier.
Zac Brindise has spent the past three seasons at South Carolina. He sat out 2007 as a redshirt, then did not take a snap in 2008 or 2009.
Brindise was expected to compete with Andrew Clifford and Connor Shaw to backup starting quarterback Stephen Garcia.
ACC
Ponder, 5 UNC players lead preseason all-ACC team
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Preseason player of the year Christian Ponder and a league-high five players from North Carolina's defense headline the preseason all-Atlantic Coast Conference team.
The ACC on Wednesday announced the 25 selections as determined by a vote of 52 media members who attended the league's media days earlier this week.
Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel was named on a league-high 48 ballots. The Tar Heels' defense finished sixth nationally in total defense last year. It was represented by defensive linemen Robert Quinn and Marvin Austin, linebacker Quan Sturdivant and defensive backs Kendric Burney and Deunta Williams.
Four Boston College players were honored. Miami also had four selections. Two went to Matt Bosher, the pick at both kicker and punter.
Elsewhere
Phillips, Strong lead teams into Governor's Cup
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — When Charlie Strong and Joker Phillips were assistant coaches at South Carolina, the two friends often talked about working together again later in their careers.
The plan went something like this: One would be the head coach. The other would be an assistant.
Fate had different plans.
The two buddies will face-off as head coaches on Sept. 4 when Phillips leads Kentucky to face archrival Louisville, now coached by Strong, in the Governor's Cup.
"This is not how we dreamed it," Phillips said. "We talked about, when Charlie got his job, I'd go with him."
Strong just laughed about the circumstances, calling it "very weird."
So weird that the annual luncheon to hype the showdown between the state's two football powers had a decidedly collegial feel.
Not that the two longtime friends don't want to beat each other. Badly.
"People ask me, 'is this a big game?'" Phillips said. "Yes, it's a big game. It's a huge game for both involved. It's huge because it's an in-state rivalry. It's huge because you have two first-year coaches that desperately need to get off on a good foot."
Strong agreed with the necessity to start with a win, though Phillips would prefer the matchup was played a little later in the season.
"It's just that momentum," Strong said, "And it's so critical, wherever you play it, first, middle, wherever. It's a 12-game season, so it's critical you get off to a good start."
They also agree that the starting quarterback position has not been set for either program.
Both have proven winners at the position. Mike Hartline started at quarterback for the Wildcats' first five games last season, leading the team to wins in its first two, one against Louisville.
Hartline suffered a knee injury in the fifth game and played in one other game the rest of the season. Morgan Newton started in Kentucky's last eight games as a freshman, including wins over Auburn, Louisiana-Monroe, Eastern Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Georgia.
Phillips also mentioned redshirt freshman Ryan Mossakowski as a competitor for the starting job. There's no hurry for Phillips in settling on one, though.
"We'll decide when it works its way out," he said.
Strong was just as noncommittal and wouldn't even mention his quarterbacks by name.
"The timeline for the quarterback decision is that, we get to go practice next week and we're gonna have to make a decision," Strong said. "That's me sitting down with the offensive staff and just coming up with who's gonna lead this football team."
Louisville has three returning quarterbacks who led the team to wins in Justin Burke, Adam Froman and Will Stein. Froman got the bulk of the work for the Cardinals, appearing in eight games, throwing for 1,354 yards and six touchdowns. Burke started three games, while Stein started two.
Boise State president blasts football rival Idaho
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Boise State University President Bob Kustra says his remarks about a bitter football rivalry with the University of Idaho, in which he called Vandal culture "nasty" and "inebriated," came out harsher than he intended.
But Kustra is defending his stance that there's no reason for the Broncos to continue traveling to northern Idaho to play the Vandals on their home turf in Moscow.
Kustra's criticisms of the Vandals came during an interview with the Idaho Statesman editorial board Tuesday. Kustra later said in a prepared statement to Idaho media that questions about the rivalry "hit a sore spot" after someone sent him a recent opinion piece entitled "Reasons to Hate Boise State" from the University of Idaho student newspaper.
"It troubles me that the occasion of an annual football game causes the air waves and Internet to be full of disparagement of Boise State's students, faculty and programs, year after year," Kustra said.
Boise State's pending move to the Mountain West Conference from the Western Athletic Conference means the Broncos aren't likely to play the Idaho Vandals in 2011.
Boise State coach Chris Petersen put the future of the long-standing rivalry in further doubt Monday, saying his team should no longer travel to Moscow for games.
Kustra, when questioned about Petersen's remarks during his interview with the newspaper editorial board, said he didn't care if the Broncos ever play the Vandals again, the newspaper reported.
Boise State spokesman Frank Zang told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he was present during the interview and the university does not dispute the context of Kustra's remarks.
"He does recognize that they came out harsher than he intended," Zang said.
Kustra did not plan to do any follow-up interviews about his remarks, Zang said.
University of Idaho president Duane Nellis said he was disappointed by Kustra's comments.
"I'm sorry to hear that Bob feels so negatively about his visits to Moscow," Nellis said in a statement.
The annual matchup between the Broncos and Vandals alternates between Boise and Moscow. The teams are scheduled to play each other on Nov. 12 in Moscow.
"In-state rivalries are meant to be fun," Nellis said. "Our long-time rivalry with BSU is important to the state, the economy, and the fans from both teams. We embrace and celebrate that rivalry and I very much hope it continues."
-- Jessie L. Bower
Men's Basketball
Pitino to return to court Thursday
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A woman accused of demanding millions to stay quiet about a tryst with Rick Pitino initiated the sex by whispering to him and unzipping his pants when he got up to leave an empty Italian restaurant, he testified Wednesday.
The Louisville coach's testimony marked the first time he's talked publicly in detail about his July 2003 encounter with Karen Cunagin Sypher, the meeting that led to her trial this week on extortion charges. Pitino's portrayal of Sypher as the aggressor came after several witnesses said she was flirty and persistent when she approached Pitino at the restaurant.
Pitino obliged her request to say happy birthday to her son on her cell phone. When she returned later, Pitino said, he bought her a drink. They lingered to talk after the restaurant had closed and the owner had gone home.
As he got up from the table, the married father of five said Sypher whispered something.
"Some unfortunate things happened," Pitino said in the courtroom packed with spectators from basketball-mad Kentucky. "She opened up my pants."
"Did you have sex that night?" Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Ford asked.
"Yes, very briefly," said Pitino, who wore a dark suit with a white shirt and red tie. The two have said they had sex at the table.
Sypher, 50, was sitting a few feet away but appeared unfazed by Pitino's testimony, sometimes watching him, sometimes passing notes to her attorney.
Sypher is charged with extortion, asking for cash, cars and a house to stay quiet about the sex. She has pleaded not guilty, claiming Pitino sexually assaulted her. Police and prosecutors have said her assault claim lacked merit.
Pitino, 57, will return to the witness stand Thursday to face questioning from the defense.
Pitino said after he and Sypher left the restaurant together, she asked for basketball tickets. Pitino agreed and made the arrangements.
A few weeks later, Sypher, then known as Karen Wise, called and said she was pregnant.
"I didn't believe at the time it was my child," Pitino said. "She said she didn't know what she was going to do."
Sypher said she had no health insurance, Pitino said, so he offered $3,000. He thought the money was for counseling and medical needs but Sypher later said she had an abortion, Pitino said.
Less than a year later, Pitino's assistant, Tim Sypher, married Karen Wise.
Threats to reveal the fling came nearly six years after it took place, Pitino said.
On Feb. 26, 2009, he listened to a cell phone message of a man's voice describing details of the encounter at the restaurant and calling it a violent assault, Pitino told the jury.
"He mentioned the word rape. I got very sick to my stomach," Pitino said. He said he felt threatened and frightened.
Sypher, speaking briefly to reporters as she left the courthouse, said: "I'm stronger than ever and waiting for my day."
Jurors earlier heard testimony from Lester Goetzinger of Louisville, who acknowledged making the calls in exchange for sexual favors from Sypher.
Pitino also testified he received a handwritten note from Sypher in March 2009 that asked for cars, housing and money.
Jurors also heard an hour-long recording Sypher secretly made of a meeting with Pitino. Pitino is heard repeatedly asking Sypher who made the calls and how someone would have known details of their 2003 encounter.
Sypher never accuses Pitino of rape. She complains that her husband does little to make her life better.
Pitino received a third threatening call two days later telling him that the sexual relationship would be made public unless he did "the right thing."
Pitino said in March 2009, he received a letter from attorney Dana Kolter of Louisville, who was representing Sypher. In the letter, which jurors saw Wednesday, Kolter accused Pitino of rape and forcing Sypher to have an abortion and demanded a settlement to prevent a lawsuit.
Kolter, who is expected to testify later in the trial, sought $10 million, but Pitino said, reduced that amount to $5 million.
Pitino contacted the FBI shortly after, then released a statement that someone tried to extort money from him.
In July, Sypher filed a police report accusing Pitino of rape, an allegation police and prosecutors said lacked merit. On the witness stand, Pitino denied raping Sypher.
"I could never rape a woman or be physically harmful to any woman at any time," Pitino said.
Pitino said the ordeal took a toll on him as the Cardinals were making a run for the Big East conference championship.
"I was not sleeping. I was physically and mentally worn out," Pitino said.
Pitino has coached at Louisville since 2001, after leaving the NBA's Boston Celtics where Tim Sypher served as his special assistant. Tim Sypher continued to work for Pitino as equipment manager and has recently been named director of the building that houses offices and training facilities for the Louisville team.
Karen and Tim Sypher, who have a 5-year-old daughter, are in the midst of a divorce.
-- Brent Barrouquere and Will Graves
Northwestern's Coble to skip senior season
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Kevin Coble, one of Northwestern's top players, has chosen to skip his senior season after sitting out with a broken left foot last year.
The team's leading scorer and rebounder for three years, Coble was injured in a preseason practice and had surgery.
In a statement, he says his rehabilitation "is most important," and he will continue to follow the schedule set by his surgeon. He says he's been told he will have a full recovery.
Coble, who plans to graduate with a political science degree in December, announced his decision on Tuesday night. He averaged 14.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 81 games and ranked 14th on the Wildcats' career scoring list with 1,203 points.
Coach Bill Carmody thanked Coble "for his contributions to the program over the past four years" in a statement.
WVU says coach Bob Huggins released from hospital
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia University says men's basketball coach Bob Huggins has been released from a Las Vegas hospital.
The university says Huggins was released Wednesday. He had been hospitalized since breaking seven ribs in a fall in his hotel room on Friday while in Nevada on a recruiting trip.
Women's Basketball
Sooners to host Bronchos in exhibition
EDMOND, Okla. (AP) — Coming off a second straight Final Four appearance, Oklahoma's women's basketball team will play an exhibition game against the University of Central Oklahoma.
Central Oklahoma announced Wednesday that it is scheduled to play the Sooners in Norman on Nov. 2, followed by another exhibition game at Wichita State.
The Bronchos of NCAA Division II went 22-8 last season but return only one starter, forward Ashley Beckley. She averaged 16.1 points and 5.9 rebounds last season.
Oklahoma has not yet announced its schedule for the upcoming season.
