College Football Capsules: Oklahoma State adds 4 new players at semester
STILLWATER, Okla. — Quarterback Johnny Deaton is among four players joining Oklahoma State's football team with the start of the new semester.
Coach Mike Gundy announced that Deaton, linebacker Caleb Lavey, and defensive backs Devin Hedgepeth and Malcolm Murray joined the team Monday.
Deaton comes to Oklahoma State from Sand Springs High School, where he missed most of his senior season due to an injury after throwing for more than 1,800 yards and rushing for more than 1,600 yards as a junior.
Murray is the lone junior college transfer in the group, with the other three coming from high school.
OSU spokesman Kevin Klintworth says the school also anticipates that safety Joe Mitchell will rejoin the Cowboys this spring after he had to leave the team during training camp.
Neb. coordinator: Amukamara to return in 2010
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini says All-Big 12 cornerback Prince Amukamara (ah-MOO-kuh-mare-uh) will remain with the Cornhuskers another year.
Amukamara has been listed in some NFL draft projections after making 54 tackles and intercepting five passes in his first season as a starter.
Pelini said Monday that Amukamara would be back for his senior season. Amukamara did not ask for a draft evaluation from the NFL Advisory Committee.
Underclassmen have until Friday to declare for the draft.
Coaching
Leavitt hires attorneys to fight dismissal
PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Former South Florida football coach Jim Leavitt wants his job back, insisting his dismissal for allegedly striking one of his players and then lying about the incident was unwarranted.
"The allegations were misreported. I said that from day one, and I don't care how long it takes, I'm in this for my life — my name, my reputation, my family," Leavitt said Monday during a news conference at the office of his attorneys.
"I want to coach this football team, this is the greatest job in the country, this is the greatest place to live, these guys are special, and I love my players, and I'm going to battle for my players in every way I can."
Leavitt was fired last week after a university investigation concluded he grabbed one his players by the throat, slapped the athlete in the face and then lied about what occurred during halftime of a game against Louisville on Nov. 21.
The school is standing by its findings.
"We believe the reviewers, both internal and external, were fair, thorough and professional in finding that the head coach crossed a line in terms of his conduct," vice president communications Michael Hoad said.
Leavitt would not discuss specific of the incident, citing legal reasons. Asked if he choked and slapped a player, the coach said: "Absolutely not. I've said that from day one."
Leavitt just finished the second season of a seven-year, $12.6 million contract extension that calls for a base salary of $800,000 in 2010.
The terms of the contract stipulate if fired with cause Leavitt is entitled to one month's base pay, in this case $66,667. If fired without cause, the university would owe him 75 percent of what he's owed for the remainder of the contract.
Prior to the news conference, the law firm of Florin Roebig released a statement on behalf of Leavitt, saying the firing "is contrary to the terms of his contract" and violates the coach's constitutional rights.
The statement said Leavitt "fully and voluntary" cooperated with the university investigation and consistently denied any wrongdoing. It also noted the player and player's father had denied the coach acted improperly.
"Based upon the facts (rather than the conclusions) of the university's investigation," the statement continued, "coach Leavitt's termination is unwarranted, and he deserves to be immediately reinstated in full to his former position."
Citing Miller's father, high school coach and five USF players who were not identified, AOL FanHouse reported that Leavitt hit Miller because he was upset about a mistake the player made on special teams.
Miller's father later backtracked, telling reporters the coach did not strike his son but rather grabbed him by the shoulder pads while trying to motivate the player.
Leavitt, who started USF's program from scratch and had a 13-season record of 95-57, told investigators he has never struck a player. He said was trying to lift the spirits of a player who was "down" when he grabbed the player's shoulder pads during halftime of the Louisville game.
The probe concluded the coach's account was not credible because it was not supported by statements obtained from others, who either witnessed the incident or were told of it by the player.
Leavitt said his relationship with his players is the most important thing to him, adding he has remained at USF for so long because he loves his job, even though he has been offered other coaching jobs paying more money.
"I came here for $75,000 a year. I was making $95,000 at Kansas State. It never has been about money. I've been offered jobs for a lot more money than the University of South Florida paid," Leavitt said.
"Asked why he would want to stay at a university that doesn't want him, the coach said it would be best for the program to keep the current staff together.
"That's not difficult for me," Leavitt said.
UW's Sarkisian: USC hasn't called me
SEATTLE — Steve Sarkisian appears perfectly content in the Pacific Northwest.
Despite rumors in Los Angeles that Sarkisian might be a potential successor to Pete Carroll at Southern California, the Washington coach says he's has not heard from the Trojans.
In a text message to The Associated Press late Sunday night, Sarkisian said USC had not contacted him about their coaching vacancy that became official when Carroll accepted the head job with the Seattle Seahawks on Monday morning.
Washington athletic director Scott Woodward said Monday night he also hadn't been told of anyone contacting Sarkisian.
Last Friday, Sarkisian said he'd be surprised if Carroll made the jump to the NFL.
But he added that it "would be fun" if the duo were head coaches in the same town.
Now they are.
Drawing the conclusion that Sarkisian would be on USC's list is easy. He spent seven seasons there as an assistant and only 13 months ago left the Trojans to become the head man at Washington. Sarkisian started at USC in 2001 as an offensive assistant, moved up to quarterbacks coach and then left for one season to join the Oakland Raiders before returning to the Trojans in 2005 as assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach.
In 2007, Sarkisian was promoted to offensive coordinator.
Sarkisian's first attempt at being a head coach was widely considered a success. Sarkisian turned a team riding a 15-game losing streak into a 5-7 squad this season.
Washington would have likely been a bowl team if not for a trio of late losses to Arizona State, Notre Dame and UCLA, and the Huskies closed the season with impressive wins over Washington State and California.
Quarterback Jake Locker also bypassed a chance to become a high first-round draft pick to return to Washington for his senior season and another year under Sarkisian's instruction.
Sarkisian signed a five-year contract when he was hired by the Huskies that paid him $1.75 million for 2009 and escalates to $2.3 million in 2013, the final year of the deal. If Sarkisian were to leave for another school at this point, he would have to repay Washington $2.5 million.
Woodward said Sarkisian hasn't made any overtures about having his deal re-examined after a positive first season with the Huskies, but he has asked about helping lock up support staff and assistants that could be targeted by other programs.
"He's more concerned in us investing in the program," Woodward said.
-- Tim Booth
Mike Riley signs 3-year extension with Oregon St.
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Oregon State football coach Mike Riley has agreed to a three-year contract extension through 2019.
The extension, announced by the university late Sunday, effectively quashes rumors that Riley might be a candidate for the Southern California job. Pete Carroll is expected to leave the Trojans to coach the Seattle Seahawks.
At the American Football Coaches Association convention in Orlando, Fla., Riley told The Associated Press on Monday he was never contacted by USC and had no intentions of leaving Corvallis.
"I'm very pleased to say I'm going to be at Oregon State for a long time," he said. "That's about as long as I'm going to coach probably. I wanted to get it out there that I was going to stay, regardless of whatever happened (at USC). I know that there were a ton of rumors out there and I thought that it was best to just get it all behind me."
The 56-year-old Riley is in his second tenure with the Beavers. He held the job in 1997-98, coached the San Diego Charges from 1999-2001, and has been at Oregon State since 2003. He has led the Beavers to six bowl games, winning five.
Riley grew up in Corvallis. His father was an assistant coach under Dee Andros.
Report: Former USC coach claims addiction to meds
A former Southern California assistant football coach stated in legal documents that he received prescriptions from team and university doctors he used to feed his addiction to painkillers, SI.com reported Monday.
The Web site reported Dave Watson said in a deposition that he told then-Trojans coach Pete Carroll of his addiction in February 2008, but was allowed to keep his job and use a vehicle provided by USC.
Watson was involved in a car accident in May 2008, in which he pleaded no contest to DUI charges and received three years' probation, SI.com reported. The driver of the car Watson hit is now suing Watson and USC.
In the three months between Watson's alleged discussion with Carroll and the crash, Watson was prescribed 1,680 tablets of pain medication, SI.com reported, citing the deposition.
Carroll fired Watson eight months after the accident, saying the defensive line coach was too hard on players, SI.com reported.
Watson said under oath he had developed a significant addiction to painkillers after sustaining a serious knee injury while playing for the University of Minnesota.
Accoring to SI.com, a hearing is scheduled for Jan. 26 in a Los Angeles courtroom to address Carroll's pending deposition in the civil case.
Mitchell leaves Redskins, accepts at Southern U
WASHINGTON — Washington Redskins running backs coach Stump Mitchell has accepted the head coaching job at Southern University.
Mitchell met with new Redskins coach Mike Shanahan on Monday morning and turned in his final report on the team's running backs. Mitchell then planned to drive south and appear at a news conference in Baton Rouge on Wednesday.
Mitchell interviewed with Southern last month and was offered the job Dec. 31. He said at the time he wanted to wait to see what happened with the Redskins coaching situation before giving an answer.
After Shanahan was hired, Mitchell said he interviewed to stay with the Redskins but already had his mind set on going to Southern.
"He wanted to know what I wanted to do," Mitchell said, "and this is what I want to do."
While Shanahan didn't tell him that he wouldn't be retained, Mitchell expects Washington's coaching staff to have a new look.
"I'm doing the same thing at Southern," Mitchell said. "I want to take in my own people."
Mitchell joined the Redskins in 2008, coming from the Seattle Seahawks staff with coach Jim Zorn. Zorn was fired last week after the Redskins went 4-12.
Southern fired coach Pete Richardson last month after a 6-5 season. He had been with the school for 17 years.
Mitchell was an NFL running back for nine seasons and has been an assistant coach in the NFL for 11 years. He also spent three years as the head coach at Morgan State.
Southern athletic director Greg LaFleur played with Mitchell on the St. Louis Cardinals from 1981-86.
-- Joseph White
Bama defensive coordinator Smart staying with Tide
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart will remain with the national champion Crimson Tide.
Coach Nick Saban announced Monday that Smart chose to remain at Alabama after being offered the same position at Georgia.
Smart received the Frank Broyles Award in December as the nation's top assistant coach. The Alabama defense ranked number two in total defense at 244 yards per game and in rushing defense at 78 yards per game. It was also second in scoring defense, giving up an average of only 11.7 points per game while going 14-0.
Smart was an All-SEC defensive back at Georgia, where he began his career as an administrative assistant in 1999. He was the Bulldogs' running backs coach in 2005.
"I wouldn't even have considered discussing the position with any other school but when it is a place I've spent some of my best years and had some great memories, I thought it was something I should discuss with my family and figure out what was best," Smart said in a statement.
He has worked with Alabama coach Nick Saban at both LSU and the NFL's Miami Dolphins, returning to college football with Saban three years ago.
Arizona hires Colorado asst as co-def coordinator
TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona has hired Colorado assistant Greg Brown as its co-defensive coordinator.
The 52-year-old Brown will run the Wildcats' defense with linebackers coach Tim Kish. Brown and Kish will take over for Mark Stoops, who left to take the coordinator's role at Florida State after Arizona played in the Holiday Bowl.
Brown has been at Colorado the past four years, the last three as passing game defensive coordinator. He has also been an assistant coach at Wyoming and Purdue.
Brown spent 15 years in the NFL with six different teams — Tampa Bay, San Diego, Tennessee, Atlanta, New Orleans and San Francisco — and worked mainly with defensive backs.
Player News
Florida's Dunlap, Maurkice Pouncey enter NFL draft
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida has two more underclassmen headed to the NFL and one junior sticking around another season.
Defensive end Carlos Dunlap and center Maurkice Pouncey announced their intentions Monday, joining cornerback Joe Haden and tight end Aaron Hernandez in leaving school early.
Guard Mike Pouncey, however, plans to return for his senior year. His decision should give the Gators four returning starters along the offensive line.
"Mike has a great future ahead of him," offensive line coach Steve Addazio said in a statement. "I believe he will be the top returning offensive lineman in America. Coming back just gives him another opportunity to grow as a player and as a leader and will help him increase his positional versatility. Without question, Mike's future is very bright."
Dunlap and Maurkice Pouncey are hoping for the same things — at the next level.
Dunlap, a 6-foot-6, 290-pound junior from North Charleston, S.C., led the Gators with nine sacks in 2009. He is projected as a first-round pick despite his arrest on drunken driving charges in early December.
"Carlos has all of the physical tools to be successful at the next level," Florida coach Urban Meyer said. "I believe if he continues to grow and mature he will have a very long career in the NFL. He provided matchup problems for opposing teams and was a big part of our success during the last several years. We wish him the best of luck."
Maurkice Pouncey, a 6-foot-5, 318-pound junior from Lakeland, was awarded the Rimington Trophy as the nation's top center in 2009. He is projected to be a second-round pick.
"Maurkice has all the tools to succeed in the NFL," Addazio said. "There is no doubt in my mind that he will be a great player at the next level. I wish him nothing but the best because has been like a son to me."
The Gators could lose two more juniors to the NFL. Safeties Ahmad Black and Major Wright are still weighing their options.
Dunlap's decision looked like a no-brainer — until his Dec. 1 arrest. He was considered one of the nation's top pass rushers and possibly a top-10 pick. But his draft stock dropped slightly after police found him passed out behind the wheel at an intersection days before the Southeastern Conference championship game.
Dunlap was suspended indefinitely following his arrest. He was reinstated three weeks later and finished with two sacks in a 51-24 victory over Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl.
"It's only a mistake if you don't learn from it," Dunlap said Monday at a news conference in the mayor's office of North Charleston City Hall. "What's happened has happened. It's 2010 now and I'm ready to move on and better myself from day to day."
Surrounded by his family and his pastor, Dunlap said the departure of defensive coordinator Charlie Strong had nothing to do with his decision. He also said he hopes to be so impressive during workouts over the next few months that scouts, coaches and general managers move him to the top of their draft boards.
"If God's willing, I hope to go No. 1," Dunlap said. "I don't want to hold no limits to where I can go. I've gotta prove it and I've got to work and I've got to train. But of course, want to start at 1."
The defensive MVP of the national championship game in 2009, Dunlap finished his college career with 19.5 sacks. He is tied for 10th on the school's all-time list.
If given a choice, Dunlap said he would love to play for the Carolina Panthers.
"I was born and raised in Carolina so Carolina, of course, has to be my favorite team," he said. "I wouldn't mind going to the Carolina Panthers. Julius Peppers is a great defensive end and I wouldn't mind trying to follow in his footsteps."
-- Mark Long
Three more stars leave Ga. Tech for NFL
ATLANTA — Atlantic Coast Conference champion Georgia Tech lost three more stars to the NFL on Monday.
All-America defensive end Derrick Morgan, 1,300-yard rusher Jonathan Dwyer and hard-hitting safety Morgan Burnett held a joint campus news conference to announce they'll enter the draft with a year of college eligibility remaining.
They followed the course set by Georgia Tech's leading receiver, Demaryius Thomas, who said Friday he'll enter the draft rather than return to the Yellow Jackets for his senior season.
"The best fit for me is going to play at the next level," said Dwyer, who was the ACC player of the year in 2008. "This is a dream I've had since I was 5 years old."
The exodus of top players comes after Georgia Tech's first outright ACC title since 1990 and a trip to the Orange Bowl, where the Yellow Jackets lost to Iowa 24-14.
"We were part of something special," Morgan said. "We did a lot of great things this year, a lot of things that previous teams didn't accomplish. We'll go down being part of a special team in Georgia Tech history."
Morgan emerged as one of the top defensive players in the country as a junior and is a certain first-round pick — possibly in the top 10. He had 12.5 sacks, 18.5 tackles behind the line and was named ACC defensive player of the year.
"I'm not going to say it was necessarily an easy decision, but it was easier ... having that knowledge of being a possible first-round pick," Morgan said. "At the end of the day, I made a lot of good friends here at Tech and it's hard leaving them."
Dwyer, who rushed for 1,395 yards and 14 touchdowns this past season after a sluggish start, decided to turn pro after NFL experts told him he should be picked late in the first round or early in the second.
Georgia Tech has not had two first-round picks in a draft since 1979, when running back Eddie Lee Ivory was selected 15th and receiver Kent Hill went at No. 26.
Burnett isn't rated nearly as high as his three teammates by the NFL scouts, coming off a bit of a disappointing season for a defense that gave up big yards. Still, he led the Yellow Jackets with four interceptions, ranked second with 85 tackles and could have value to a team looking for a combo safety.
"During the season, I didn't get caught up in whether I wanted to leave or not. I was just thinking championship, championship," Burnett said. "I didn't want to get into my thought process until after the Orange Bowl. I felt at peace with my decision. I felt confident with my decision."
Despite losing four key players, the Yellow Jackets should return a strong nucleus for 2010: eight starters on defense and seven on offense, including quarterback Josh Nesbitt.
Stephen Hill, a 6-foot-4 receiver coming off a promising freshman year, is expected to step in for Thomas, who put up 1,154 yards receiving in Georgia Tech's run-oriented offense. Anthony Allen, who started at running back for Louisville but moved to A-back after transferring to the Yellow Jackets, likely will slide in to take Dwyer's spot in the backfield.
"We've got guys with a lot of experience, a lot of talent," said another A-back, Roddy Jones, who attended the announcement by his three departing teammates. "The cupboard is by no means bare."
The bigger questions will come on the defensive side. Coach Paul Johnson already fired coordinator Dave Wommack and has been talking with former Virginia coach Al Groh about taking over a unit that surrendered 360 yards and nearly 25 points a game.
The Yellow Jackets could be bolstered by the return of three players who were injured for most of '09 — safety Cooper Taylor, end Robert Hall and linebacker Kyle Jackson. But it won't be easy to replace Morgan & Morgan.
"Those are two big shoes to fill," linebacker Brad Jefferson said. "Other guys have got to beef up, get their feet big enough to slide in there."
-- Paul Newberry
Bama LB McClain announces he'll enter NFL draft
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama All-American linebacker Rolando McClain is skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft.
McClain anchored for the national champion Crimson Tide's defense and is projected as a first-round pick.
He led Alabama with 105 tackles and 14.5 stops for losses in 2009. He also had two interceptions and two sacks. He won Butkus Award winner as the nation's top linebacker in 2009.
Alabama beat Texas last week to claim its first national title since 1992.
"I came to school with a goal of being a first-team All American, winning the Butkus and winning a national championship and I've accomplished those goals and I think I'm going leave the university pretty satisfied with what I've done here," McClain said at a news conference.
He said he believes he is leaving the Alabama defense in good shape.
"I think also that I have a few good linebackers behind me that can come in and contribute in such ways that I did," he said. "Guys like Don'ta (Hightower) being back next year and Nico Johnson having a good year this year and I think they'll come in and do just as good as I did."
Alabama Coach Nick Saban has credited McClain's on-field leadership for much of the team's success during the past two seasons and said he supports McClain's decision.
Saban said he wants McClain to return at some point and finish work on his degree.
"I still want Ro, and he's kind of promised me that he's going to do what he can and understands the importance of him getting an education and graduating from school one day, that you're always one injury away from retirement when you're a player," Saban said.
Mallett wins national award
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett has been named the 2009 national performer of the year by the College Football Performance Awards.
The school announced Mallett's award Monday. According to a Web site for the College Football Performance Awards, the honors are handed out "exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams." The rankings are "based upon meta-algorithms derived from differential equations, statistics, and probability."
Mallett led Arkansas to an 8-5 record this season, throwing for 3,624 yards and 30 touchdowns. The CFPA is handing out several honors, including the quarterback to Houston's Case Keenum and the running back trophy to Mississippi's Dexter McCluster.
Elsewhere
Former Vol pleads guilty to attempted robbery
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Former Tennessee wide receiver Nu'Keese Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery on Monday.
Richardson, 19, was charged Nov. 12 with two of his former teammates and a friend after three men reported to police that two men tried to rob them while they were sitting in their car at a Knoxville convenience store.
Knox County Criminal Court Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz placed Richardson on three years of unsupervised probation as part of a plea agreement he made with prosecutors.
Richardson, who was initially charged with three counts of attempted armed robbery, also received diversion. If he avoids further legal trouble the charges may be expunged from his record.
"We were very pleased to work it out with the state to get this done for him because it gives him a second chance," said Richardson's attorney, Bruce Poston. "As I told the court, if stupid were a crime in Tennessee, we'd be doing life."
The two sides entered the plea agreement a week before Richardson's scheduled court hearing so Richardson could enroll immediately at Hampton University in Hampton, Va., where he will begin classes Tuesday. He must be a full-time student or employed full-time while on probation.
"It's now in his hands," Poston said.
The victims in the attempted robbery identified Richardson and former Tennessee defensive back Mike Edwards as the two men who approached their car. The victims said one of the two brandished a pellet gun.
Tennessee defensive back Janzen Jackson and a friend, Marie Montmarquet, who were with Richardson and Edwards at the time, were also charged with attempted armed robbery. Charges against them were later dropped, and Jackson was reinstated with the Volunteers.
Attempted armed robbery charges were still pending against Edwards, who is scheduled to make a court appearance on Jan. 20.
-- Beth Rucker
