College Football Capsules: RB Murray hopes to lead No. 7 Sooners' ground game
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — While preparing for his final season at Oklahoma, DeMarco Murray resorted to violence. He's giving peace a chance, too.
Murray, a senior who is expected to carry the No. 7 Sooners' running game, is ready for just about anything after a variety of workouts in his first healthy offseason since arriving in Norman.
Murray has tried out mixed martial arts training as a way to stay in shape. He's been doing pilates, is just starting on yoga and has been testing stretches recommended to him by NFL players.
Anything that could help him stay on the field, Murray is willing to try. Although he's missed only a handful of games during three seasons with the Sooners, Murray enters his final year with an unwanted reputation of being injury-prone.
"I guess it's more of a mindset for me. Just do the little things that I can prepare myself to stay healthy and stay on the field, stay practicing and not taking days off," Murray said. "It's really not a goal for me. That's something I can't control."
The injuries that have sidelined Murray stand out for being freakish and untimely. In 2007, he dislocated his kneecap while trying to recover an onside kick in the Sooners' late-season loss at Texas Tech that knocked them out of the national championship picture.
The following year, he ruptured a tendon in his left hamstring during the Big 12 championship game and missed the chance to play for the BCS title. Last year, he found himself among a slew of Sooners sidelined by injuries — this time an ankle — during a disappointing 8-5 season.
"It's not like he's got bad luck because he's special and he's got a lot of good luck," offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said. "He's made as many great plays, one of the flashiest players, one of our touchdown leaders in school history and got a chance to be the all-time guy."
Indeed, Murray enters his senior year on pace to break Oklahoma's career records for touchdowns held by 1969 Heisman Trophy winner Steve Owens and all-purpose yards set by Hall of Famer Joe Washington. It would take a monster season — 1,648 yards — but he's even within range of 1978 Heisman winner Billy Sims' career rushing mark.
For the first time in his career, Murray will be the featured back for the Sooners. He spent his first three seasons splitting carries with Chris Brown, who came on late in 2006 after Adrian Peterson was hurt and while Murray was redshirting.
Murray then matched Peterson's Oklahoma freshman record with 15 touchdowns — 13 rushing and two on kickoff returns — the following year and set the school record for all-purpose yards in 2008 as the Sooners made it to the BCS championship game.
But Murray missed the postseason both of those years with injuries that seem to overshadow how much he's already accomplished.
Now, coach Bob Stoops wants Murray to have a Peterson-type workload — as long as he can do so without breaking down.
"We're counting on him to have a big year," Stoops said. "He's got great experience, so hopefully we can give him the opportunity of a few more snaps, a few more carries and a few more touches even out of the backfield to give him opportunities for those big plays."
Murray has spent the offseason experimenting with different ways to get ready for his last go-round.
He and safety Quinton Carter spent about three weeks home in Las Vegas doing MMA training at a friend's gym. He left the 2½-hour workouts feeling as tired as he had ever been, but at the end of it all his conditioning and stamina had improved.
"I didn't do any running or anything," Murray said. "That's all I did was jump ropes and boxing and lift, and I came back in great shape."
Back in Norman, he traded the octagon for something more serene. Strength coach Jerry Schmidt introduced him to pilates, and his first yoga class was Tuesday. Along with the stretches passed along to him from his NFL brethren, Murray said he can feel himself loosening up earlier.
"I'll try anything to keep me flexible, to keep me on the field," he said.
For Murray, that's the bottom line because his main concern is staying fit for the long haul. Coaches have been allowing him to take more consecutive snaps in practice without substitution, although they're still limiting his exposure to contact the same way they kept him out of spring scrimmages.
"The stronger he practices and the more he practices, the stronger he's going to play. And I think he has that mindset," Wilson said. "Hopefully, he's going to have a great year — a big number year."
The trick is finding the right practice regimen to get Murray ready for 20 or more carries per game without putting him at risk. Just where that falls is just about impossible since, as Wilson points out, "you may get hurt crossing the street."
"I think anything is possible but I'm not looking forward to breaking anybody's records or anything like that. That's not one of my goals to do," Murray said. "Whatever I do whenever I'm out there, I'm going to play hard, as hard as I can, and just play like it's my last down."
Missouri LB Ebner returns to practice
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri linebacker Will Ebner returned to the practice field, two days after being arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Ebner, a junior, was third on the team with 78 tackles last year. He had been working with the second team but Tuesday had been demoted to third string.
A sheriff's deputy stopped Ebner at 1 a.m. Sunday after noticing his SUV swerving. An arrest report said Ebner had bloodshot eyes and incoherent speech and failed a breath-alcohol test.
Ebner was released from the county jail after posting a $500 bond, and faces a Sept. 16 court appearance.
A team spokesman says any disciplinary action would be handled internally.
Texas News
Slimmed-down Houston ready to run for Tar Heels
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Ryan Houston figures slimming down won't stop him from being the battering ram in North Carolina's ground attack.
Three years after arriving on campus as a 273-pound freshman, Houston is down almost 40 pounds entering his senior season. He's been a proven goal-line option and a lead ball carrier capable of wearing down defenses, and coach Butch Davis has said Houston is off to his best training camp with the No. 18 Tar Heels.
"I think he's found that ... every year he's gotten lighter, he's gotten stronger, he's gotten quicker, he's gotten more explosive," Davis said. "Last year he found that when the load was on his shoulders the second half of the season, that even being a little more fit and a little quicker would have served him a little better.
"You have to respect guys that recognize areas where they should try to get better."
Houston missed spring workouts at Davis' suggestion so that he could focus on academics — he said he was still eligible — as well as the birth of a daughter in October. But even though he didn't work out with the team, he studied film and kept working in the weight room to stay in shape.
After playing last year around 245 pounds, he's down to around 236 in training camp.
"I watched a lot of film, especially on me, and how I hit the hole ... and I see how other people hit the whole — smaller backs and how they explode through the hole," Houston said. "When I see the hole, I try to give it everything I've got and it shows on film."
Houston has been the finisher for the Tar Heels, rushing for 17 touchdowns in the past two seasons. The longest of those runs has been 7 yards, while nine of those scores have come from 1 yard out. But when starting tailback Shaun Draughn was lost for the season with a shoulder injury, Houston also proved he could take over the lead role — most notably with a 37-carry, 164-yard performance in a win against Duke.
He started the final four games and had at least 17 carries each time. And even when he met defenders at the line, he often moved the pile enough to keep the Tar Heels pushing forward.
He missed much of last week's workouts after he banged his head on the turf while falling on a carry, but Houston is likely to resume the goal-line and short-yardage duties this season while splitting carries with a now-healthy Draughn and Johnny White.
"He's the kind of guy that he wears the defense down more than they wear him down," running backs coach Ken Browning said. "Probably the one thing people would say about him, he doesn't give you maybe the threat of a big play in terms of long runs and the speed standpoint. But he's consistent. He's an efficient runner. He doesn't miss many holes."
Houston said he played at around 250 pounds during his high school career at Butler High School in Matthews, located just outside of Charlotte. But a hamstring injury his senior year kept him from playing basketball or running track, where he was a sprinter, high jumper and competed in the shot put.
As a result, it was hard for him to work off the extra weight before his freshman year, when he played in seven games as a doughy rookie.
That guy seems long gone now.
"You can tell when he takes his shirt off," quarterback T.J. Yates said. "He's more cut, lean, ripped up and more muscular. He's definitely taking care of his body. ... He's definitely the guy we're going to on the goal line. He's our guy that's going to knock it in and everybody knows that."
-- Aaron Beard
Leach headlines LR TD Club speakers
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Former Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach will kick off the 2010 season as the featured speaker at the Little Rock Touchdown Club next Monday.
The club announced its list of speakers Tuesday, including Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long, former Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson and former Georgia coach and athletic director Vince Dooley.
Leach was fired by Texas Tech in December after being accused of mistreating a player who had a concussion. He has sued the school for breach of contract and denies mistreating receiver Adam James. He claims the school got rid of him to avoid paying him an $800,000 bonus.
Features
Bowden tells AP he was pushed out by Florida State
NEW YORK (AP) — Bobby Bowden did not want to retire.
"Fired might be a little too strong," the former Florida State coach said Tuesday in an interview with The Associated Press. "Pushed out ain't bad. I was pushed out, no doubt about it. I didn't want but one more year. Gosh, I'm 80."
Bowden retired — at least technically — after Florida State went 7-6 last season, the third time in the last five seasons the Seminoles barely broke .500.
The coach doesn't act bitter, but he wants to make sure the record is straight.
"I didn't want them to spread the story that I voluntarily, happily resigned," said Bowden, who was in New York to begin a promotional tour for his new book, "Called to Coach."
The affable Alabama native rolled up 389 victories (though 12 were vacated by the NCAA), second behind Joe Paterno in major college football in a 44-year head coaching career. In 34 seasons at Florida State, Bowden won two national titles and engineered one of the most successful runs in the history of college football.
But Florida State went 38-28 in his last five seasons and the board of trustees and then-university president T.K. Wetherell thought after last season it was time for a change.
Bowden said Wetherell presented him with two alternatives.
"Number one, you can stay as ambassador coach. I don't think I've ever heard of an ambassador coach in my life. I said, 'Well, what is an ambassador coach?'
"He said, 'Well, you can remain the head coach but you can't coach out on the field.' Now how can I be the head coach of this team if I can't go out on the field? So I said, 'Well that's out.'
"So I said, 'What's the next alternative?' The next alternative, we ain't going to renew your contract," Bowden said with a big laugh. "Does that sound like I resigned?"
When Bowden was an assistant coach at Florida State in the 1960s, he coached Wetherell and got to know his family.
"He and I were pretty close," Bowden said. "I thought I was safe."
Bowden said his relationship with Wetherell has likely been irreparably damaged.
"I doubt if I'll have a relationship with T.K. anymore," he said.
Wetherell acknowledged that ultimately it was his decision to remove Bowden and let Jimbo Fisher, who had already been designated Bowden's successor, take over in 2010.
"Of course I made the decision, who else could have?" Wetherell told the AP.
Wetherell added it was one of the most difficult things he had to do in his seven years as Florida State president. He stepped down after last school year.
While Bowden was not allowed to end his career on his own terms, he insists he doesn't miss coaching.
Sure, he'd like to see the players and his assistants. But not having to worry about wins and losses, players' grades or receiving those late night phone calls about a one of his kids getting in trouble, he said he's happier without that.
Bowden has been keeping busy, traveling mostly around the South and speaking to churches about his Christian faith. His speaking engagements have also taken him to Brazil and Billings, Mont., for the first time.
He also took a vacation with his wife, Ann, to Israel.
In Tallahassee, Fla., however, he's keeping a low-profile. He's spending much of his time at a house he owns in Panama City, Fla.
"I love Florida State," he said. "I'll be pulling for them. I'll be pulling for Jimbo. I didn't want to sit there and be looking over his shoulder.
"People have to make the transition from me to him."
-- Ralph D. Russo
Big Ten struggles with impending changes
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Since 1943, fans have always known where to find the annual showdown between Michigan and Ohio State: Right at the end of the Big Ten schedule.
With the Big Ten expanding to 12 teams in 2011 and also going to divisional play and a conference championship game, that sacred spot is no longer a certainty.
"I can't sit here and say that it's going to be in place, or it's not going to be in place," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said Tuesday of the traditional season-ending rivalry. "We did have meetings yesterday in Chicago and we'll have more meetings. We're still looking at a lot of different scenarios. We'll just have to wait and see how it plays out."
Wisconsin AD and former football coach Barry Alvarez said every effort is being made to preserve the biggest traditional rivalry game at each school, but otherwise competitive balance will determine how the Big Ten divides into divisions.
"We're all going to protect one rivalry, we've decided that and we're going right back to what we've talked about, competitive equality," Alvarez said. "If you stick with that, you can get close (to guessing the divisions)."
Many who hold dear the traditions of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry are hoping for something close to the status quo. Most don't want to let go of the finality of that late-November Saturday. "The Game," as it's called in much of the Midwest, was first played in 1897 and it's been played 106 times since.
"I'd rather keep it as the last game," said ex-Michigan quarterback Chad Henne, now with the Miami Dolphins. "There's tradition there, and you always look forward to that last game."
Moving it to October could make "The Game" feel like just another game.
"I'll tell you we'll go to great lengths to make sure that the tradition and rivalries are respected," Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said this summer. He then added, "I think the important thing is, that they play."
And about those divisions? If Michigan and Ohio State are in the same division, they could never meet again for the conference championship as they have so many times, going back to when Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes prowled the sidelines?
If the Buckeyes and Wolverines are in different divisions, that could set up two meetings in some seasons. Wouldn't that detract from the win-or-else nature of the rivalry?
Michigan AD Dave Brandon believes that it would be enhanced.
"We're in a situation where one of the best things that could happen in my opinion in a given season would be the opportunity to play Ohio State twice, once during the regular season and once for the championship of the Big Ten," he told a Detroit radio audience earlier this month.
Fans are loyal to college football because it is built on its tried and true traditions. From Chief Osceola at Florida State to Southern California's Traveler, from rubbing Howard's rock at Auburn to Touchdown Jesus at Notre Dame, the sport is rich ties to the past.
In the Big Ten, Michigan will continue to wear its winged helmets and Ohio State will still sport scarlet and gray. They just might not play each other once a year on the final Saturday of the Big Ten season.
And it's not just fans of the Wolverines and Buckeyes who might feel as if tradition is being cast aside.
Purdue and Indiana have fought over the Old Oaken Bucket since 1925. Minnesota and Iowa for Floyd of Rosedale — a bronze pig, no less — since 1935, and Michigan State and Indiana over the Old Brass Spittoon since 1950. And what of Illibuck, the Purdue Cannon, Sweet Sioux Tomahawk and Paul Bunyan's Axe, all prizes of longtime Big Ten trophy games?
Some of those games might not be played every season.
"We may have 15 trophy games, rivalry games that are in that same number," Delany said. "We'll need to do everything we can to preserve those. Whether or not we'll be 100 percent able to preserve every trophy game or every rivalry game ..."
In a conference that has held on to its traditions more than any other, this could be jolting.
"Change is tough," Smith said somberly. "At the end of the day, I don't know what change we'll have. Even if we have Michigan at the end of the schedule, there's still going to be change. I don't know what it's going to be. But I'm looking at a number of different scenarios and there's change in all of them."
-- Rusty Miller
Jacory or J12? Either way, 'Canes hopes rest on QB
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Miami quarterback Jacory Harris is a quiet person by nature. Not flamboyant. Doesn't strive to be the life of the party. Sort of an introvert, really.
And then there's J12.
"Total opposite," Harris said.
College football, meet J12. Harris' alter ego. Miami's gameday leader. And the unquestioned key to the Hurricanes' hopes in 2010.
When 13th-ranked Miami opens its season Sept. 2 against Florida A&M, all eyes will be on No. 12 when the Hurricanes' offense takes the field. After throwing for 3,352 yards and 24 touchdowns in his first season as a starter, the 195-pound junior knows he can be among the elite in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Now it's time, he says, for both he and Miami to take a big step forward.
That's where J12 — what he calls himself — comes into play.
"I'd say J12 is the guy who's completely confident about everything and has fun, loosens up when he gets on the field," Harris said in an interview with The Associated Press. "On the field, in the huddle, that's when he comes out. Then off the field, I'm my regular self. No one sees J12 off the field. I never intertwine the two."
Maybe not anymore. But the two sort of did intertwine at times last year, to Harris' detriment.
Oddly enough, if Harris has one regret from 2009, it wouldn't stem from any of the 17 interceptions — second-most in major college football. He was picked off three times in a loss to Clemson, stunning for the fact that Miami wasted seven leads in the game. And three weeks later, Harris threw four more interceptions in a loss to North Carolina, a defeat that doomed the Hurricanes' ACC hopes.
No, in Harris' mind, his biggest mistake might have come early in the season.
When Miami defied oddsmakers and pundits to beat Oklahoma, Florida State and Georgia Tech in the first month of the 2009 campaign, Harris-for-Heisman talk was all the rage. And he bought into it, too, especially after a tongue-in-cheek comment he made to a radio show about planning to wear a pink suit to the Heisman presentation took on a life of its own.
The pink suit never appeared. Harris didn't last in the Heisman race. And the 'Canes sputtered, going 4-3 in their last seven games.
"When you get a lot of accolades, of course it's going to get to your head," wide receiver LaRon Byrd said. "We're all teenagers. We're all humans at the end of the day. We know that now."
They're not all teenagers, but young enough to make Byrd's point.
Starting 3-1 last season turned Miami into a bunch of rock stars, and their quarterback — part of football royalty in South Florida, simply by being a local kid who became the starter at Quarterback U — was the bandleader. So he started pressing, trying to do too much, forcing passes that weren't there.
In other words, too much J12, not enough Jacory.
"I'm better suited to deal with it all now," Harris said. "The Heisman, it's just a great feeling to have your name mentioned. Of course you want to win it, but at the same time, you have a team that you have to help win. You can't win the Heisman if your team isn't winning. I think Tim Tebow did it when they went 8-4. But it usually doesn't happen like that. You've got to have a championship team."
To have that, you've got to have a quarterback. In J12 they trust.
"Jacory's much more of a leader now," Miami coach Randy Shannon said. "He's older now. He sees things now. The guys look up to him and it's not just the offense. He's around the whole locker room, trying to set an example."
Part of Harris' story in 2009 was growing pains.
Part of it was just pain, brought on by a thumb injury.
Harris had fun with the incessant speculation over his health last season, refusing to take his throwing hand out of the pocket of his sweat shirt one day so no one could see the brace he was wearing, then putting on a sling for a postgame interview — only to rip it off as he walked out of the room, his way of letting everyone know he was trying to be funny.
It wasn't entirely a joke. By season's end, Harris could barely grip the ball. He was so hurt that he feared his playing days were over.
Surgery and rehab followed, Harris sat out the spring to rest and heal, and teammates say that in camp over the past few weeks his fastball has had more zip than ever.
"I don't know how else to say it," Shannon said. "Jacory's ready."
Harris watched just about every minute of spring practice, taking snaps without a ball, working on his footwork, studying more film than ever before. When he would see backups Spencer Whipple and Alonzo Highsmith Jr. make mistakes, Harris turned to coaches in disbelief over the miscues.
What Harris really couldn't believe was this: He was making the same mistakes when he came to Miami. So he checked the film again, and sure enough, coaches were right. Harris watched over and over, baffled by the decisions he was making. He paid almost no attention to the good plays, spending his time breaking down the blunders.
"The tape doesn't lie," Harris said. "So physically I wasn't on the field. Mentally I was there. I could really check my progressions and see how things really are, without defenses rushing at me. I could see routes develop in certain coverages. I got more into the playbook. I'm more comfortable than ever with the plays."
More comfortable than ever with his role, too.
Harris came to Miami as part of a vaunted group of recruits from Northwestern High, one of the powerhouses of football not just in South Florida but the entire Sunshine State. Once that group hit their junior season in high school, things just clicked, and back-to-back perfect seasons followed.
In his junior year of college, Harris thinks another click is coming.
"It took me some time to get comfortable with it all, and I think I still am," Harris said. "I'm still the kind of guy that when people say things, I can't believe they're talking about me. When I got here, people had me like, 'Jacory Harris, the savior.' That's not me. I'm just a regular guy trying to win a national championship with my team."
Whoa. Regular guys don't win national championships.
"I know," Harris said. "That's why J12 is going to come out."
-- Tim Reynolds
Tech's Taylor making comeback from heart condition
ATLANTA (AP) — Cooper Taylor said he feels even faster than two years ago, when he was Georgia Tech's fastest player.
Perhaps the more important news is the 6-foot-4 Taylor also is bigger and stronger as he makes his comeback from a heart condition that required surgery and forced him to miss most of the 2009 season.
Taylor said his high metabolism has always made it difficult for him to gain weight. He says he weighed only about 185 pounds as a freshman in 2008 and is up to 220 as he competes for a starting job at safety.
Taylor missed the final 11 games last season after being diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. He had surgery in November to restore normal rhythms in his heart, according to medicinenet.com.
Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome is characterized by abnormal electrical pathways in the heart.
He was granted a medical redshirt and is a third-year sophomore for 2010.
Taylor's father, former Georgia Tech quarterback Jim Bob Taylor, said the family endured "a scary day" at Atlanta's Piedmont Hospital when the heart procedure, expected to last about three hours, instead lasted most of the day.
The surgeons accessed the heart pathways through Taylor's groin in the outpatient procedure.
"They kept saying 'We've got to go back in,'" said Jim Bob Taylor. "I thought gosh, what else are they going to find?
"We thought maybe it would be no problem and he'd be back in practice in maybe a week. With it being that long, he just lost a ton of weight. It was a long process."
Taylor, who had been about 205 pounds for the start of the 2009 season, lost about 20 pounds, back down to about 185. He returned for spring practice and suddenly found it easier to add weight.
"I tell him it's probably a blessing that it happened because it gave him a year to mature," said Jim Bob Taylor, who started in the 1982 season. "He needed to get bigger and lo and behold that year off helped him. He's about 20 pounds bigger than he's ever been."
Taylor said he has gained confidence along with more muscle. He ran the 40-yard dash in about 4.3 seconds two years ago, the team's fastest time, and says he feels even faster now.
He missed about a week with a sprained knee but was back for Monday's practice.
"Once I made it through spring I was like OK, I've got that behind me," he said. "When I hurt my knee I was like 'Uh oh, I don't want to be hurt again.'"
Taylor didn't want to miss practice time and fall behind Jarrard Tarrant, Mario Edwards and Isaiah Johnson in the competition for two starting spots at safety.
"You could tell he was hungry to get back on the field," said senior linebacker Brad Jefferson. "He's been doing extra work to get his injury better. You saw a sense of urgency there."
Coach Paul Johnson said Monday Taylor has made a strong return after missing most of last season.
"I don't think it's been hard for him," Johnson said. "He looks good to me."
Taylor looked like an emerging star as a lanky defensive back in 2008. He started only three games but ranked second on the team with 69 tackles. He forced two fumbles and had an interception. One of his highlights was a team-leading nine tackles in the Yellow Jackets' win at Georgia.
Taylor added another interception while starting three games in 2009 before his diagnosis.
New defensive coordinator Al Groh, the former Virginia coach, said Taylor hasn't backed down from the competition.
"He's certainly not at any disadvantage," Groh said.
There have been no limitations on Taylor following the surgery.
"Certainly all the outward indications, all the things that we see, he's very comfortable with himself and his circumstances," Groh said. "He definitely feels as if that's behind him."
Taylor said he is "very much" looking forward to having more force behind his hits this season as the defense adjusts to Groh's 3-4 scheme.
"I'm just excited about our defense as a whole and watching guys develop," said Taylor, who added he likes the new aggressive scheme.
"That's what I like to do, just chase the ball," he said. "As a defense that's what coach Groh instills, to compete on every play and chase the ball until the whistle is blown. That's our new mentality, just flying around and playing fast and physical football."
NOTES: Jefferson and senior quarterback Joshua Nesbitt have been named team captains. "I think they understand what the role is and what they need to do," Johnson said. "The older guys need to be leaders. It's always a work in progress." ... Johnson said running back Chris Jackson, who transferred from Alabama, will miss the season with a partially torn Achilles.
-- Charles Odum
Auburn OT Lee Ziemba trying to fix mistakes
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Lee Ziemba's father helped set him straight.
The Auburn offensive tackle, who played in high school at Rogers, Ark., was wrestling with the decision of whether to skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft when Mike Ziemba pointed out that he had some unfinished business even after starting 38 consecutive games.
"He brought to my attention some things that I hadn't quite reached my goals that I set," Ziemba said. "Yes, I played a lot of games here. Yes, I was good enough to make second-team All-SEC. Those are great things. However, it's not the ultimate goal. In order for me to reach those goals, he brought to my attention that I needed to correct some mistakes that I was making and be more consistent."
What was holding him back? Holding, for one thing. And false starts.
The 6-foot-8, 320-pound Ziemba is Auburn's biggest, most established offensive player and few question his potential. But the senior has also been maligned by fans for drawing too many flags, which get an offensive lineman noticed much more than flattening a defender.
Auburn offensive line coach Jeff Grimes admits that's been an issue with Ziemba, but also said that there were at least three false starts mistakenly called against the big tackle last season. Twice, he said the left guard was a bit slow to move after the snap, making it look like Ziemba shifted early.
The other time the center didn't snap the ball and several linemen jumped, but Ziemba was flagged.
"They all weren't his fault," Grimes said. "However, he's had his share, that's for certain. What I'm most proud of is he went through an entire spring and didn't jump offsides once in practice and we've been through three weeks of fall camp, he hasn't jumped offsides once. I think he's taken the steps that are necessary to correct that."
The feedback from the NFL advisory last fall said technique was the biggest thing Ziemba had to work on. Ziemba will only say that his draft projection was pretty high.
Buffalo Bills guard Kendall Simmons, a former Auburn player, assured him you get plenty more chances in college to fix mistakes. Make too many in the NFL, Ziemba notes, and "you'll be looking for a new job pretty quick."
He apparently took the desire to heart. Offensive coaches gave him their most improved player award after spring practice. That's saying something for a player who is poised to break Will Herring's school record of 49 starts, barring injury.
"For a guy that's probably our most highly rated draft prospect and a guy that's in a position to break the all-time record for starts at Auburn, I think that's pretty phenomenal," Grimes said. "I think that says a lot about him. He's just very focused right now on helping his team get better, improving his own game and playing as hard as he possibly can.
"This entire last spring semester, if he wasn't in class or he wasn't lifting weights, he was sitting right there on that couch watching film with me or down the hall in the offensive line meeting room watching film. He's just very, very hungry to succeed right now."
Despite that desire, the superstitious Ziemba is taking one risk: He hasn't cut his hair since late last year, and the shaggy mane drops down to his shoulders beneath a backward-turned cap.
He wore his hair short last season after the Tigers had gone 5-7 when he let it grow out as a sophomore.
Baby steps.
"Now, I'm trying to get away from being so superstitious," Ziemba said. "I drive myself crazy being as superstitious as I am. I have to win two Solitaire games on my phone before I get to the stadium on game day. If I don't I'm panicking. I put my right shoe on, then my left shoe. I put my left knee brace on, then my right knee brace. I drive myself crazy being so superstitious, so I'm trying to break that.
"I listen to the same songs in the same order. Oh man, it's ridiculous. It's bad."
Not surprisingly, the Arkansas native and avid fisherman is a big fan of country stars like George Strait and "anything Alan Jackson."
Quarterback Cam Newton likes the long-haired look on the guy who protects his blind side.
"That's his type of swag or whatnot," Newton said. "Having a different hairstyle might be kind of obnoxious or crazy. But with Lee, it fits him perfectly."
Besides, he adds, "I wouldn't want no pretty boy trying to protect me."
-- John Zenor
Kelly's offense doesn't need a commercial break
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — If you go to the refrigerator for a snack or drink this season, you could miss a Notre Dame touchdown. That's how quick coach Brian Kelly's offense plans to be. It'll be hurry-up with no huddle.
Kelly doesn't want anybody or anything slowing down the Irish or his spread formation — one that worked so well in his previous stop at Cincinnati — and that includes NBC, the network that's had a contract with Notre Dame since 1991.
Kelly said he and athletic director Jack Swarbrick have had conversations with NBC officials about how coverage plans will work with the Irish's up-tempo style.
"We've talked to NBC about the way we like to play the game versus maybe how it was played in the past," Kelly said Tuesday. "There is certainly a need for us to address it and I think we're working with NBC to make certain that they get what they need from an advertising standpoint. But, also as the network that carries Notre Dame, that we're able to do things we need to do as well."
Kelly said he's convinced a middle ground can be reached, though he wouldn't go into specifics about the conversations. Notre Dame's contract with NBC is reportedly worth $15 million annually for football.
"All we've tried to do is address the model that we think would work well with us," Kelly said. "And there's got to be a meeting somewhere halfway. And I'm very confident that we are going to be able to do the things that we want to do in terms of pushing the tempo and doing the things without having to go to a commercial break."
NBC plans to have five shorter breaks per quarter this season rather than four longer ones.
"Over the years, we have reassessed the structure of our commercial breaks numerous times to improve the experience for our viewers and the fans in the stadium," NBC vice president of communications Chris McCloskey said. "The commercial load this year will be identical to last year. The slight change to the commercial structure is the result of a number of factors done to improve the broadcast, not one single reason."
On another topic, Kelly says linebacker Anthony McDonald, who hyperextended a knee in practice last week, is doubtful to play in the season opener Sept. 4 against Purdue. McDonald was a projected starter at inside linebacker.
Asked about his own fitness in a high-profile and stressful job, Kelly said he has dropped weight by working out with a personal trainer, stretching and changing his diet. He didn't reveal how many pounds he'd lost, but said he'd dropped two pants sizes.
"I didn't want to work 20 years to get to Notre Dame and have a heart attack and die," Kelly said. "So I lost some weight working out virtually every day. ... I'm really trying to be disciplined in that end of things. It's worked out so far. We'll see how it goes when we get into the thick of the season."
Notes: Kelly said Armando Allen, the team's leading rusher the last two seasons, and sophomore Cierre Wood are currently 1-2 at running back. ... One of Kelly's most crucial decisions will be at place-kicker between senior David Ruffer and sophomore Nick Tausch. Ruffer's strong leg has been impressive but Tausch made a school-record 14 straight field goals at one point last season. ... Other tight competitions are at outside linebacker between Kerry Neal and Brian Smith and at center between Dan Wenger and Braxston Cave.
-- Rick Gano
Orange ailing, coach Marrone still upbeat
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Syracuse coach Doug Marrone knows that injuries are part of football. Still, his Orange are hurting about as much as he can handle.
A handful of players have been lost for the season to injuries — the latest being nose tackle Ollie Haney (torn muscle in chest) — and about 18 did not practice Monday, including free safety Phillip Thomas, who had to have a wisdom tooth extracted.
"It's unbelievable. It's like every day," said Marrone, who also doesn't have a full complement of scholarship players. "I've lived my life well. I've done a lot of good deeds. I'm hoping somewhere along the line it starts to pay off. I don't think we deserve some of the things that are happening right now. We need everyone. We really can't afford to have any injuries."
While several players were held out of Monday afternoon practice to nurse injuries, wideouts Van Chew and Alex Lemon and kicker Ryan Lichtenstein among them, adding to Marrone's woes were the absences of three freshmen.
After practicing for the first two weeks of camp, defensive end Jason Bromley, linebacker Malcolm Cater, and defensive back Keon Lyn now have to sit while the NCAA checks their high school transcripts to make sure they're eligible to play.
Marrone said it was normal procedure for many teams at this juncture of the preseason and he expected all three to get the green light soon. Cater had been making nice strides as the backup to starting middle linebacker Derrell Smith.
Those lost for the season to injury include fullback Carl Cutler, tight end Cody Catalina, receiver Jarrod West, defensive end Jared Kimmel, and cornerback Ri'Shard Anderson, who injured his right shoulder last week and will need surgery.
Haney joined them on Tuesday after an MRI revealed a torn left pectoral that also will require surgery.
"Every one of those players was going to play a role, and some of them were going to be starters," Marrone lamented.
At least veteran defensive backs Kevyn Scott and Shamarko Thomas are back in the fold after recovering from hamstring pulls. The hard-hitting Thomas donned all of his gear on Monday for the first time in the preseason and Scott was finally back after getting hurt the second day of camp.
"Those two players coming back is going to be a big boost for us," Marrone said.
Lemon, Chew and transfer Aaron Weaver top the list of receivers. Lemon played in all 12 games last season, including six starts, and made 29 catches, second on the school's list for receptions by a freshman, for 295 yards and a touchdown.
Chew also played in all 12 games in 2009, making six catches for 66 yards. Weaver, who transferred to Syracuse in January after Hofstra eliminated its football program, led the Pride last season with 63 receptions for 797 yards and four touchdowns.
Dorian Graham, Marcus Sales and Cody Morgan are competing for the fourth receiver slot. Sales had 28 receptions for 324 yards and three touchdowns last fall, while Morgan made the team as a walk-on prior to 2009 spring practice but did not play in any games last season.
"I don't know where it is going to end in camp, but right now he (Morgan) is doing a heck of a job," said Marrone, in his second year at his alma mater. "He is heavily in that mix. He is going after it and I give him a lot of credit. He has worked extremely hard."
Marrone also said he was happy with quarterback Ryan Nassib's progress as he prepares to take over as the starter.
"As a coaching staff, we're comfortable where he is," Marrone said. "He's working to get better. We need him to get better."
Nassib said the nagging injuries that have kept so many players on the sidelines is something he's grown accustomed to because it comes with the violent nature of the sport.
"Injuries are part of the game," Nassib said. "It gave them (other players) a chance to step up and show what they can do. They get a lot more reps. It's kind of how the game works. Someone goes down, somebody's got to be ready to take their place."
The Orange open the season at Akron on Sept. 4.
-- John Kekis
Rutgers QB Tom Savage more confident for Year 2
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage has gone from homesick freshman to confident sophomore.
In between, he won more games (eight) than any freshman quarterback in Rutgers history and earned the Scarlet Knights' offensive most valuable player award.
After one season, Savage has become the key to an inexperienced offense as the Scarlet Knights pursue a sixth straight bowl berth. He said relaxing off the field has helped him on it.
"I'm not really too worried about the homesick thing now," he said. "Last year I was still a kid out there. You're trying to get your feet settled in college. Now I understand all that stuff, it really helps out a lot."
Savage completed 52.3 percent of his passes for 2,211 yards and 14 touchdowns with seven interceptions. His touchdown-to-interception ratio was tops among freshman in the nation.
"He's critical to us," coach Greg Schiano said. "He's a leader, he's a playmaker and he's a good person to have on your team. When you have all of those things, that's pretty important."
It's equally important for Savage to keep himself grounded. He's made numerous preseason All-Big East teams and is on the Maxwell Award watch list.
"Tom's a levelheaded guy," Schiano said. "I think that's one of his strengths when he plays the quarterback position. He never gets too high or never gets too low. Hopefully he can take that into his off-the-field situation now. As he does better and better that exposure will only grow more and more."
Savage has had several issues to keep his mind occupied on the field. Rutgers lost three starting linemen from last season, including star tackle Anthony Davis, but the quarterback is confident.
"They're doing a great job," Savage said. "You see the improvement with some of the kids with the protection calls and stuff. Sometimes they wouldn't react the way they should. Now they're really starting to come along. The biggest thing for me is making the right sets of calls."
Schiano feels Savage has progressed in that area.
"He understands things much better," the coach said. "He's been adjusting to protections much better."
Injuries had limited some of Savage's receivers in the preseason.
On Monday, J.T. Tartacoff joined Tim Wright and Quron Pratt on the sidelines. Mohamed Sanu, the team's top returning receiver, has remained healthy after catching 51 passes for 639 yards and three touchdowns in his freshman year.
"Me and Tom are very close," Sanu said. "We have good chemistry, we try to work on everything we can together. He's such a great quarterback, he has so much confidence in himself. I believe he can make any throw and he's just a great athlete.
"I see a big difference in him this year. He's throwing the ball a lot quicker, getting the ball off. He's seeing things happen before they happen. That's very big."
While Savage appreciates the praise, he's far from satisfied
"I have a lot to work on," he said. "You can always get better. I'll never become complacent with my play."
News & Notes
Buffaloes coming to play Buckeyes in 2011
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State will pay Colorado $1.4 million to come to Ohio Stadium next season and play the Buckeyes.
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith confirmed on Tuesday that the Buffaloes will visit Columbus to meet the Buckeyes on Sept. 24, 2011.
It is not part of a home-and-home or multi-game contract.
"That's just a single," Smith said. "It worked out to be a good deal. Mike Bohn, the AD there, had an interest in coming this way, so we were able to lock that down."
Ohio State usually pays between $400,000 and $750,000 for nonconference games with no return visit to the opponents' stadium.
The Buckeyes are now set to play home games on Sept. 3 and 10 against in-state, Mid-American Conference members Akron and Toledo, respectively, before traveling to Miami for a nonconference showdown with the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes play at Ohio Stadium this season, on Sept. 11.
Colorado has been strapped for cash and could be facing a multimillion dollar exit fee if it wants to move from the Big 12 to the Pac-10 next season.
"Colorado has always recognized the significance of playing marquee opponents in the non-conference portion of our football schedule," Bohn said in a statement. "We're looking forward to what will be CU's first trip to the 'Horseshoe' in 25 years."
It will be the fifth meeting between the two schools and third in Columbus. Ohio State is 3-1 against Colorado.
The game fills an open date on the Buckeyes' 2011 schedule before the Big Ten opener, against a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the new 12-team league.
The conference schedule has yet to be completed, pending divisional setup.
"We have not done anything (scheduling) with other years," Smith said. "We're waiting to see how the conference schedule shakes out. As soon as we know what's going on in the conference, we'll start working on future years."
-- Rusty Miller
With QB Baxter suspended, USC needs 3rd stringer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California needs to find third string quarterback for its season opener against Hawaii on Sept. 2.
Freshman running back Dillon Baxter, who played quarterback in high school and will likely serve as the No. 3 quarterback this season, has been suspended for the game.
Behind starter Matt Barkley and backup Mitch Mustain the depth chart becomes hazy.
Fellow freshman Jesse Scroggins would have been next in line to assume the duties, but he has yet to be ruled eligible by the NCAA clearinghouse.
Coach Lane Kiffin said one of the walk-on quarterbacks might have to serve in the role at the Warriors.
Mustain was limited in practice Tuesday when he felt a slight discomfort in his ribs after throwing a pass.
Southern Cal transfer to start for Spiders
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Southern Cal transfer Aaron Corp has won Richmond's quarterback job.
First-year coach Latrell Scott said Tuesday that Corp will start when the Spiders open the season Sept. 4 at Virginia. He battled sophomore John Laub for the job since last spring.
"It was a tremendous competition, with both Aaron and John Laub playing extremely well in preseason camp," Scott said in a release.
Corp transferred to Richmond last January after two seasons with the Trojans. He was slated to be USC's starter in 2009 before being sidelined by an injury in the preseason. He then lost the job to freshman Matt Barkley and fell behind Mitch Mustain on the Trojans' depth chart before reclaiming the backup job late in USC's disappointing 9-4 season.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior started one game for USC last season, going 13 for 22 for 110 yards with one interception in a 16-13 upset loss to Washington while Barkley was hurt.
Corp has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Vols' special teams to include familiar starters
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee placekicker Daniel Lincoln and punter Chad Cunningham have earned back their starting positions.
The two seniors have been competing with freshman Michael Palardy, a highly touted recruit from Coral Springs, Fla. Palardy and Cunningham will continue to compete for the kickoff specialist job.
Lincoln, a Ocala, Fla., native has started in all 33 games he's played in over three seasons and has connected on 65 percent of his field goal attempts, though he struggled some with injury in 2009. Cunningham, a Dawsonville, Ga., native has started 19 times in three seasons and averaged 40.7 yards per punt last season.
Coach Derek Dooley says Palardy is good enough that he'd have no problem using Palardy if Lincoln or Cunningham struggle.
Dooley also said Tuesday that Matt Darr, the Vols' highly touted freshman punter, needed to polish his technique a bit.
Saban documentary may open without star
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — The star of the documentary about Nick Saban just might have to miss the premiere.
The Alabama coach isn't planning to attend the opening of "Nick Saban: Gamechanger" Tuesday evening in Birmingham. Saban has practice late Tuesday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, followed by a visit with the media and staff meetings.
The Crimson Tide is preparing for its opener Sept. 4 against San Jose State.
Saban's wife Terry and his children are expected to attend, along with Crimson Tide athletic director Mal Moore. The documentary is produced by Flashlight Media of Memphis, Tenn.
It features footage from the Tide's national championship run last season.
Boise State, Idaho talking about future games
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Athletic officials from Boise State and Idaho are talking about options for keeping the rivalry alive after the Broncos switch conferences.
Boise State is moving from the Western Athletic Conference to the Mountain West Conference next season. The change could spell the end of a gridiron rivalry the Broncos have dominated in the last decade.
But leaders from the two schools are at least talking about future matchups.
Vandal Athletic Director Rob Spear said he was contacted last week by Bronco Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier.
Spear says Bleymaier is working on a proposal to schedule games beyond 2011.
For now, the Broncos and Vandals are slated to meet one more time — in Moscow Nov. 12.
Southeastern La. adds 3 football transfers
HAMMOND, La. (AP) — Southeastern Louisiana University football coach Mike Lucas has added three transfers, including two from Football Bowl Subdivision schools, to the Lions' roster.
Joining the Lions after enrolling in school are offensive lineman R.J. Brown, wide receiver Ron Walker and defensive back Jerome Wright. All three players are immediately eligible to play for Southeastern, members of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Brown, a 6-foot-3, 305-pounder, did not play in 2009 after being redshirted at Southern
Walker, a former Archbishop Shaw standout, played his freshman season at Northern Illinois before transferring to Southeastern.
Wright, a 5-9, 170-pound sophomore, played in nine games as a freshman at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, where he recorded 38 tackles and two interceptions.
Kentucky defense lags during Tuesday scrimmage
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky coach Joker Phillips says the defense lagged a bit during a scrimmage Tuesday. He attributed it to minor injuries that have added up throughout preseason drills.
Among those missing were senior defensive end DeQuin Evans and junior linebacker Danny Trevathan, both projected starters. Ricky Lumpkin and Collins Ukwu, both possible starters at defensive end, have also missed time recently.
Phillips said he expects each to be available for the Wildcats' Sept. 4 season opener against Louisville.
Kentucky's first day of class is Wednesday, so the Wildcats will not practice again until Thursday.
Holbrook gets New Mexico starting QB nod
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — B.R. Holbrook was named New Mexico's starting quarterback Tuesday.
Coach Mike Locksley says Holbrook "earned the right" because he meets criteria outlined before fall camp. Locksley says Holbrook gives the Lobos their best chance to win, has been the most productive through 19 practices and demonstrated the best ability to take care of the ball.
The Lobos open Sept. 4 at Oregon.
Holbrook, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound sophomore from Stevenson Ranch, Calif., beat out two talented freshmen, Tarean Austin and Stump Godfrey. Locksley says Holbrook showed a better knowledge of New Mexico's offense and sharper decision-making skills.
Clemson LB Cooper gives up football
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson reserve linebacker Scott Cooper has given up football because of a neck injury first suffered at Maryland last season.
Tiger coach Dabo Swinney says Cooper had been a big part of the defense the past three seasons. Swinney says Cooper will stay with the team as a student coach.
Cooper played in 12 of 14 games last year. But the injury limited his snaps on defense.
The senior came into fall camp as a backup to Quandon Christian. Junior Daniel Andrews moves up on the depth chart.
The Tigers open the season against North Texas on Sept. 4.
Hogs' opener on pay-per-view
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas' season-opening football game against Tennessee Tech on Sept. 4 will be televised on pay-per-view.
The school announced those plans Tuesday. The game starts at 6 p.m.
The broadcast costs $34.99, and fans should contact their cable and satellite providers for ordering information. Fans can also purchase the pay-per-view on their computer through ArkansasRazorbacks.com, but it is not a part of the RazorVision subscription.
