College Football Capsules: Oklahoma State dons pads for first time
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma State took another step in its preparation for the upcoming season, breaking out football pads Tuesday for the first time in training camp.
The Cowboys practiced for about three hours in their only session of the day. OSU will be back on the field for morning practices Wednesday and Thursday before the team's first two-a-day practice on Friday. A scrimmage is planned for Saturday night.
"Guys are starting to figure it out," quarterback Brandon Weeden said. "They're starting to get a feel for what we're trying to do. All the (starters), we're on the same page.
"We're not satisfied but we're going in the right direction. I'm very, very pleased with where we're at five days in."
The Cowboys have been practicing in the mornings to beat the midday heat that has exceeded 100 degrees regularly in recent days.
"I liked the temperature," coach Mike Gundy said. "It was hot, so we were able to really exert our players."
Adding the pads only made players hotter, but Weeden said hearing the pads pop "gives it more of a football-type feel."
"We'd rather have 75 and breezy but it's going to be like this on Sept. 4," Weeden said. "On the turf, it's going to be hot, and we've got to get prepared like it's a game. It's good for us. As much as we don't like it when we're out there, we know that we're preparing for a game."
Oklahoma State opens its season Sept. 4 at home against Washington State.
Gundy listed a handful of freshmen who have been impressive so far in camp: running back Joseph Randle, receiver Chris Dinkins, defensive backs Lavocheya Cooper and Justin Gilbert, offensive lineman Gerron Anthony and linebacker Shaun Lewis.
Gundy has said he expects eight to 10 true freshmen to play this season.
Nebraska's Paul, Kinnie thrive on competition
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska's offense stands to gain if Niles Paul and Brandon Kinnie compete as hard against opponents as they do against each other.
Whether it's table tennis, 10-yard sprints or pushing blocking sleds across the field, the two receivers relish their opportunities to one-up the other guy.
"BK and I will go at it," Paul said. "If I won, I'm going to let him know I won. If he won, he's going to let me know he won."
The senior from Omaha added: "I won the bulk of them."
Paul has established himself as the leader of the receiving corps after catching 40 balls for 796 yards and four touchdowns last season. Kinnie, a junior from Kansas City, Mo., has taken note of those numbers and is shooting for them.
"I'm ready to show I can be a playmaker as well as Niles and that I can be respected just as much," said Kinnie, who made 14 of his 15 catches in the final seven games last season and is still looking for his first touchdown.
Paul, among three Big 12 receivers on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, considers it a compliment that Kinnie wants to be like him.
The two spent a lot of time together in the offseason. They made a competition out of almost anything they did. One day, on a lark, they had a contest to see who could push a blocking sled across the practice field the fastest.
Who won depends on who you ask. Their competitiveness carried over to conditioning drills and the weight room, where they made impressive gains.
Both are listed at 220 pounds, but they reported to preseason practice closer to 230.
With another 230-pounder, Mike McNeill, set to play more at slot receiver than his usual tight end spot, the Huskers should be plenty physical on the perimeter.
"There are some real men out there," offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said.
Paul and Kinnie embrace the tough stuff, so much so that Paul brought boxing gloves to the locker room one day this summer.
Surprisingly, Paul and Kinnie didn't square off. Instead, Paul boxed tailbacks Roy Helu Jr. and Rex Burkhead, and Kinnie took on tailback Austin Jones.
There were no knockdowns, and bouts were stopped before things got out of hand, but the mock fights were symbolic of the style Paul and Kinnie want to play.
Paul said he models himself after the receivers who punished defensive backs in the triple-option heyday of the mid 1990s. That's when a young Paul started taking notice of Nebraska football, back when his uncle, Ahman Green, was winning national titles as the centerpiece of a punishing offense.
Of course, the 2010 offense involves more pass-catching, but Paul said he and his teammates can learn something from the receivers of yesteryear.
"We watched film of them, and I see receivers coming down crashing hard, I mean, destroying safeties," Paul said. "I want to do that. You watch the films, and it came to the point where safeties were scared to come down on them."
Paul's and Kinnie's tenacity, borne of their personal rivalry, has caught the attention of Nebraska All-Big 12 cornerback Prince Amukamara.
"It's going to be hard to get off their blocks," Amukamara said. "It always seems like they're holding. I guess they're doing everything right. No flags are thrown. Hopefully, they'll intimidate some corners out there."
-- Eric Olson
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Florida's prized freshmen welcome expectations
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida could one day have the best defensive line in college football. For now, though, the freshman trio of Sharrif Floyd, Ronald Powell and Dominique Easley can only hope to live up to some of the hype.
— Floyd is the 300-pound defensive tackle from north Philadelphia whose life story could end up on the big screen.
— Powell is the 250-pound defensive end from California whose expectations are higher than even the most ardent Florida fan.
— Easley is the 270-pound defensive tackle from New York who openly compares the trio to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
"It's pretty exciting if you think about it," said Floyd, widely regarded as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the country. "We can do a lot of great things here. We can get a lot of stuff rolling, can have the SEC scared of us. We can have it all. But we've got to keep it together."
They are the prized pieces of coach Urban Meyer's latest recruiting class. They wavered following Meyer's health issues and weren't sure he would even be around this fall. But the five-star prospects eventually talked it over, chose to stick together and move to Gainesville.
It could be one of the most important decisions in Florida football lore.
"Take away all the stars. We don't care about the stars," said Powell, ranked the top recruit in the nation. "If you take away all that stuff, there's a lot of talent out here. ... We're going to make a great impact on this team. We are the future. But all we can do right now is work hard and see what happens."
The Gators certainly could use some help on defense. Linebacker Brandon Spikes, cornerback Joe Haden and the team's top two pass rushers — Jermaine Cunningham and Carlos Dunlap — are in the NFL, leaving several holes on a revamped unit that has a new coordinator, Teryl Austin.
Sure, Florida has plenty of experience on the defensive line. But the Gators also have concerns, especially with Lawrence Marsh (ankle), Terron Sanders (knee), Justin Trattou (biceps), Jaye Howard (knee) and Brandon Antwine (shoulder) coming off injuries.
The biggest challenge facing Floyd, Powell and Easley is getting accustomed to the speed of the college game and the size and athleticism of the guys blocking them.
"There aren't any 5-foot-2, 250-pound linemen like in high school," Floyd said.
Floyd and Powell found that out in a hurry, when Meyer matched them against bigger linemen during one-on-one "circle" drills during the first full-pads practice Monday.
"Guys kind of wait sometimes for guys that have those 15 stars behind their name to come here and see if they can humble them a little bit," defensive line coach Dan McCarney said. "That's just human nature. ... But it's the best group of young defensive linemen I've ever been around. They're all going to be really good players. It's just a matter of when, not if."
The newcomers have impressed more than their coaches, too.
"Sharrif looked like he just came straight outta prison," running back Emmanuel Moody said. "He's strong. He looks mean. He's 310 pounds. He's fast. He looks chiseled for a lineman. He looks ready to go. Usually freshmen don't look like that."
Floyd had reason to be ready for this opportunity.
He grew up poor and remembers wearing the same clothes to elementary school every day for months at a time. His biological father died when he was 3 years old, and the man he thought was his father over the next 12 years "didn't treat me right growing up."
Floyd left home at 15, moved in with grandmother and then bounced around from coaches to friends to other relatives.
"Football turned out to be the best thing that ever happened for me," Floyd said.
Floyd had made up his mind to sign with Ohio State until he met Powell at the Army All-American Bowl. That's where they decided to stick together, Floyd spurning the Buckeyes and Powell snubbing Southern California. Easley made a similarly surprising decision a week earlier, when he de-committed from Penn State in favor of Florida.
All three expect to make an immediate impact, but Powell has the biggest plans.
"I do have expectations for myself," he said. "I want to be the best defensive end in America. I want to be that. My expectations are a lot higher than everyone else's."
Maybe not Easley. He compared the trio to something happening in Miami, where James, Wade and Bosh joined forces to make the Heat a favorite in the NBA's Eastern Conference.
"Just like them, we've still got to earn our respect," Easley said. "We made a pact to keep pushing each and never let each other go down. If we do that, we'll live up to the hype."
-- Mark Long
Florida assistants undergo executive physicals
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Urban Meyer doesn't want his assistants to ignore their health the way he did for years.
Meyer made his staff undergo "executive physicals" following spring practice in April, something the head coach rarely did during the first 20-plus years of his career.
The extensive checkups included blood panels, stress tests and physicals. It was the first time many of Florida's coaches had ever gone through such detailed exams.
"I'd never had one like that before," co-defensive coordinator Chuck Heater said Tuesday at Florida's annual media day.
Meyer said one assistant "had an issue that turned out to be very fixable."
"I've had ridiculous amounts of correspondence or people who have, because of what happened, said, 'You know what, I'm going to get checked out,'" Meyer said. "I made our staff; it's nonnegotiable. We're going to take this day and we're going to take care of some business here.
"I think coaches have been brought up in an environment to just work through everything, just go work a little harder, as opposed to let's take advantage of these great resources here at Florida and make sure everybody's all right."
Meyer resigned in late December, citing health concerns three weeks after he was rushed to a hospital with chest pain. He changed his mind the following day and instead decided to take a leave of absence.
Meyer scaled back in January — he didn't go on the road recruiting — but still worked steadily through national signing day. He returned for spring practice in March, but managed to take significant time off before and after.
He went to Hawaii with his wife, traveled to Rome and saw the Pope, took a trip to Israel, visited the Masters golf tournament with his daughter and took in a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game.
He said it was the first offseason in which he stepped away for days at a time.
"I'm going to do that again," said Meyer, who was diagnosed with esophageal spasms and is now taking prescription medication. "I think I've learned something."
-- Mark Long
Iowa's Johnson-Koulianos a mystery man for Hawks
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos has pledged to reveal his thoughts to the world as soon as the 2010 season is over.
Until then, the man known as "DJK" will likely remain a mystery.
Johnson-Koulianos enters his senior season with a chance to become the first player to lead Iowa in catches for four straight years. Yet the prevailing notion in Iowa City is that the expressive DJK lives in coach Kirk Ferentz's doghouse — perhaps in part because he's so expressive.
The fact that Johnson-Koulianos isn't often made available to the media or even listed as a starter has only fueled speculation about a man who proudly says he's "not one for normal."
DJK plans to clear it all up on Twitter — as soon as Ferentz can't stop him for doing so.
"Whatever January bowl that we happen to play in, that next evening will be a tweet fest for DJK," Johnson-Koulianos said Friday during the team's annual media day.
One thing is known: DJK has always been a playmaker for an offense that desperately needs one.
Johnson-Koulianos came to Iowa in 2006 from Campbell, Ohio, where he played quarterback and running back at Cardinal Mooney High. He redshirted, converted to wide receiver and quickly helped stabilize a unit rocked by dismissals and transfers.
The 6-foot-1 Johnson-Koulianos led the Hawkeyes with 38 receptions in 2007 as Iowa struggled to a 6-6 record. He topped the team in catches in 2008 with 44, including a 27-yard TD reception in the third quarter that helped Iowa stun Penn State. Last season, he had a team-high 45 receptions and 750 yards receiving, and his 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Ohio State was critical in keeping the Hawkeyes in a game they eventually lost in overtime.
Johnson-Koulianos's relationship with Ferentz appears to have been strained at times, despite his on-field production.
Why? Well, that's a mystery, too. Ferentz has long said he doesn't have a doghouse, and insisted last week that he and Johnson-Koulianos "get along fine."
"It's like a father-son relationship. I love my dad when he rewards me, and when he doesn't, I'm a little mad and I pout. When I don't do the things he says, he doesn't reward me. But Coach Ferentz, he's the best in the business," Johnson-Koulianos said.
Though Johnson-Koulianos enters this season in position to break records, he's still listed as a co-starter with Colin Sandeman, a senior with just 24 career receptions. But that's just likely a way for Ferentz to keep Johnson-Koulianos on his toes, because he'll again play a crucial role in Iowa's offense.
The Hawkeyes have a senior quarterback in Ricky Stanzi and are stacked at wideout, which should give the often-conservative Iowa offense more of a chance to air it out than it has in recent years.
Johnson-Koulianos and converted quarterback Marvin McNutt, whose last-second TD catch clinched a win at Michigan State last season, will be Stanzi's main targets now that tight end Tony Moeaki has moved on to the NFL.
But save for a snippet or two after games, fans wanting to hear Johnson-Koulianos's take on how things go this season will likely have to wait.
Ferentz has discouraged his players from tweeting so they don't give opponents bulletin board material.
"I guess I'm the dad in this one. I might say, right now at least, he's in my house, so my say goes," Ferentz said. "As soon as he moves out of the house, next January, he can Twitter away, and I bet he will."
-- Luke Meredith
Anchor of Irish line studies law
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Down time this fall for Chris Stewart could be that brief period right after games. Sore and tired from blocking, the 6-foot-5, 360-pound Notre Dame guard plans to use those few precious hours for a respite.
"Relax, watch some TV and do nothing," the fifth-year senior says.
He'll have earned it. When he's not concentrating on his assignments in first-year coach Brian Kelly's don't-blink, hurry-up, no-huddle offense, he'll be tackling something just as challenging — his first year of law school.
Stewart graduated in 3½ years with a history degree, finishing his undergraduate days with a 3.5 grade-point average. He took a couple of law courses last spring — he said he got an A and a B — and now it's time to charge into it with the same passion he applies on the field.
"With the legal aspect, they teach you how to look at things from both sides because you strengthen whatever side you are on by knowing what the other guy is thinking," Stewart said.
That always helps in football, knowing the tendencies of the guy across the line.
Stewart will be one of the leaders on the Irish front — his 22 career starts tie him with tight end Kyle Rudolph for most among offensive players. And Stewart, who is certainly an NFL prospect, showed physical improvement during the summer
"Here is a young man when he came in could only do about three or four chin-ups. He did 23 chin-ups at 362 pounds," Kelly said. "His body fat composition went down almost 4 percent."
Stewart made 12 starts last year in coach Charlie Weis' pro-based offense and he and his teammates spent this past spring making the adjustment to Kelly's high-scoring spread system that was so successful at Cincinnati.
"It's been quite interesting, I can't lie. It's been good," Stewart said.
"It's been about as good a transition as you can hope for," he said. "Not only with football but with law school and everything, to really have made some strides. ... You get a coach like Coach K, he meets us halfway on a lot of things and he expects a lot from us."
Finishing law school might have to wait if the NFL does call, but that's fine with Stewart. He's a man with a variety of interests — he visited Haiti pre-earthquake in 2009 and hopes to help the impoverished nation — and he doesn't waste his time on frivolous pursuits. His favorite TV channel?
"The History Channel is still my favorite, no doubt," he said.
Law school will mean he'll have to budget his time even more than before. He knows the investment will be worth all the work.
"I think it will be kind of difficult, but having done some of it last spring I don't think it will be too daunting of a task," he said.
"I don't think I'll stress out too much. The advantage I have over my peers coming in is that I've taken two classes, so I know what it's like and I've had football while doing that."
-- Rick Gano
Buckeyes try to stay cool in the heat
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — On a day when the National Weather Service advised people to avoid prolonged work in the sun, the Ohio State Buckeyes spent two hours in full pads battling the high humidity while the temperature inched into the mid-90s.
And things are going get even worse.
The Buckeyes, not so fresh from their first day of full contact, begin two-a-day drills on Wednesday.
Even the best conditioned athletes are physically stressed when the mercury rises and every breeze feels like a steaming towel is passing in front of your face.
"You can train, but you can't train for this," said Joe Bauserman, backup quarterback to Terrelle Pryor. "You're not out here (during preseason conditioning) in pads, running gassers in 100-degree heat. It's usually 6 a.m."
Safety Jermale Hines appears to be in superlative shape. A torpedo of a hitter from his safety spot, he acknowledges that Mother Nature can test anyone.
"It's something you can't prep for," he said. "We ran real hard the whole summer. Once you get out here, it's a totally different condition. It's something you just have to fight through and be mentally tough."
Among the Buckeyes going through their paces during the morning workout on the new practice field at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center was Tyler Moeller, who plays Ohio State's "star" position — sort of a hybrid between safety and linebacker.
He missed all of last season after he was punched in a Florida bar while on vacation with his family last summer. He suffered a fractured skull and a serious brain injury when his head hit the floor. At least one specialist said it was the end of his playing days. The assailant has since pleaded guilty to felony battery and agreed to pay Moeller $11,000 in restitution for medical bills.
Moeller said a year ago how much he missed practicing with his teammates. In the high heat and humidity on Tuesday, he joked he might have been wrong about that.
"I kind of forgot about this a year ago," he said with a laugh.
But he conceded that he was thrilled to be back participating in contact drills. He was prevented from hitting of any kind during spring practice.
"Yeah, I did miss this," he said. "I wouldn't miss this for anything."
Most of the workout was situational, with the offense in short-yardage inside the 10 and the defense trying to make stops. Linebacker Brian Rolle missed the workout because he had a class. Offensive lineman Marcus Hall and starting cornerback Devon Torrence were not on hand to practice, nor was freshman running back Rod Smith.
At one point late in the practice, offensive lineman Andrew Norwell and linebacker David Durham got into a scrap that lasted only a few seconds. No one seemed terribly surprised.
"The heat will bring out the dog in you and you will get into some arguments and some stuff will get heated," center Mike Brewster said. "But everything cools down once you get into the film room and figure stuff out."
The arrival of two-a-days doesn't mean twice the fun.
"I don't really even look at it as a two-a-day," cornerback Chimdi Chekwa said. "I look at it as one practice, take a nap of like 45 minutes, then wake up and it's a new day and a new practice. And it's two opportunities to get better."
There were frequent breaks to guzzle water and electrolyte drinks. Afterward, players could also sit in an ice bath before heading into the air-conditioned locker room.
Running back Dan Herron said getting through two-a-days helps bond a team because the players are almost united in their misery.
"That's a part of football," he said. "These guys who come out here and work hard, run in this heat, play hard in the sun, it's not for everyone. Not everyone can do this."
With the season opener against Marshall on Sept. 2 approaching, there's no time to waste.
"When you get off that bus for the second practice, you're definitely tired but once you get out here you get it going," Brewster said. "Camp does demand a lot out of your body. It is hot out here. And it is a lot of work. But we know the (first) game is only 20 some days away. We have to grind right now and get ready."
-- Rusty Miller
Terps launch practice looking beyond dismal 2009
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — During the cold of winter and the warmth of spring, Ralph Friedgen never stopped reliving the worst season of his lengthy coaching career.
"You're 2-10, there's not a day goes by that I don't think about that," Friedgen said Tuesday at media day, hours before the Terrapins held their first summer practice.
Maryland is coming off the first 10-loss season in school history. The Terrapins dropped their final seven games, concluding with a 19-17 defeat at Boston College.
The focus this summer will be on staying fresh and building a positive attitude.
"I've done a lot of thinking between the Boston College game and to now, things we can do better as coaches, how we can better utilize our players, how we can keep them healthy," Friedgen said. "So I've made some changes."
In an effort to avoid the rash of injuries that contributed heavily to last year's disaster, the Terrapins intend to prepare smartly for the Sept. 6 opener against in-state rival Navy.
Friedgen intends to lighten up on the hard-contact drills and will hold two scrimmages instead of the usual three.
"There's a fine line between getting them ready to play and not getting them injured," Friedgen said. "That's one of the things I'm going to be really in tune to."
The plan for 2010 is to erase the stigma of the 2-10 season a week at a time.
"Our first goal is be 1-0. Our next goal is to 2-0 and so on," senior center Paul Pinegar said.
The Terrapins are picked by the Atlantic Coast Conference media to finish last in the Atlantic Conference. But Friedgen pointed out that in 2009, Maryland beat conference foe Clemson and played well against the other four teams.
"There's not that big a gap between first and sixth," Friedgen said. "We have to talk about this and convince them. I think once we do that, I think you'll see this team grow in confidence. The ability is there. They've just got to believe."
The Terrapins got off to an encouraging start when every player passed the conditioning test for the first time in Friedgen's 10-year run at his alma mater.
"There are a lot of good signs happening right now for us. The fact that we don't have to deal with that while we're in two-a-days is a big relief for me," Friedgen said. "The players are focused and they've done their part. So we're where we want to be at this point in time coming into the season."
Friedgen said linebacker Avery Murray left the team for personal reasons and that running back Taylor Watson (knee) and defensive end De'Onte Arnett (cyst) will miss most of camp.
-- David Ginsburg
Louisville quarterback situation up in the air
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Of all the questions facing first-year University of Louisville coach Charlie Strong, none may be bigger than who his starting quarterback will be Sept. 4.
Tuesday afternoon at Louisville�’s media day, though, there was no definitive answer on who�’ll be behind center when the Cardinals kick off their season Labor Day weekend against archrival Kentucky at Papa John�’s Cardinal Stadium. And, at this point, there�’s no timetable as to when that answer will come.
Strong said he will sit down with assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Sanford, as well as quarterbacks coach Mike Groh, when the time is right and make a decision.
"And it�’s going to come down to who can go lead this football team," Strong said.
Three different ones led last year�’s team, which finished 4-8 under former coach Steve Kragthorpe, at one time or another. And all three of them - seniors Adam Froman and Justin Burke and sophomore Will Stein - are up for the job again this year.
"We basically have three guys right now," Sanford said. "There really is no update, we�’ve only been through four days of practice...They�’re working with the ones (first team) and twos (second team) and they�’re alternating in there. We�’re waiting to see how this is going to come out.
"I�’ll echo Coach Strong and say that we need the guy who�’s going to be a leader of our offense and our football team, first. Then second is his efficiency, the guy who is going to make us be productive. When he�’s in the game, do we score points?"
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Froman put up the best numbers in 2009 and had the most starts (seven). In eight games Froman, who was 2-5 as a starter, completed 111 of 185 passes (60 percent completion rate) for 1,354 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions.
In five games (including three starts) the 6-3, 229-pound Burke, a Lexington, Ky. native, completed 49 of 97 passes for 654 yards with three touchdowns and five interceptions.
Meanwhile the 5-10, 185-pound Stein played four games, was 1-1 in two starts, competing 43 of 78 passes for 450 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
"All those guys have started at same point in their career, but it�’s critical that we get the leader who the other guys truly respect and just tell them that, I don�’t need you to go out and make a bunch of great plays, I just need you to play within the system,�’" Strong said.
And it�’ll be a new system, for the most part, as the Cardinals switch to the spread offense.
"The passing is not much different from what we�’ve done in the past, a lot of the players are universal in football, a hitch route is a hitch route," Stein said. "But the running part is different for us. We all have good feet, but in the past we haven�’t been in a running offense too, where we can take the ball any time."
"I think this offense fits our personnel to a tee," Froman added. "Our receivers, linemen, tight ends, running backs, quarterbacks, everybody we have, this offense fits us really well."
Locksley survived rough first season at New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico coach Mike Locksley isn't hiding from his mistakes.
Going into his second season, Locksley has quietly rebounded from a turbulent rookie year, aided by guidance from coaches like Tony Dungy and eager to show his program can make news for more than lawsuits and fights between coaches.
Last season, Locksley was in the wrong headlines. There was a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former administrative assistant, then came an ugly altercation with a former assistant, which led to Locksley serving a 10-day suspension.
Things were rough on the field, too — the Lobos finished 1-11. This fall, they're picked last in the nine-team Mountain West. New Mexico opens Sept. 4 at Oregon.
Still, Locksley remains confident his vision will elevate his team to the heights of conference heavyweights Utah, TCU and BYU. He has accepted responsibility for his off-field problems and moved on after taking more than a few lumps.
"If you look at the non-football news, they were human resource issues," Locksley said. "If I learned anything from it, it's that the head coach is like a CEO. There are structural things involved in managing. As an assistant, you're not put in that role."
Locksley said he survived last season with help from friends in the business — Houston coach Kevin Sumlin, Larry Fedora at Southern Mississippi and Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy.
"Mike has really kind of taken care of himself," said Gundy, who worked with Locksley at Maryland early in their careers. "He'll call every so often and ask questions. He's a smart guy. He wants to gather information and do everything he can to put himself in position for success."
After last season, Locksley also started regular chats with Dungy, the former NFL coach who won a Super Bowl with Indianapolis. They rarely talk football; More often, it's things like management philosophies or dealing with family in a profession known for long hours.
"It's a wealth of knowledge when you get a chance to speak to him," Locksley said.
In the fallout after last year's mess, New Mexico athletic director Paul Krebs told Locksley that any more off-field problems would prompt his firing.
Against that backdrop, Locksley kept nearly every member of his coaching staff — only quarterbacks coach Tee Martin left for Kentucky.
Among those who stayed in Albuquerque are Doug Mallory, a member of LSU's national title staff in 2008; George Barlow, who helped craft James Madison into a Football Championship Subdivision national contender; Darrell Dickey, the former North Texas head coach; and Rubin Carter, a standout with the Denver Broncos from 1975-86.
"These guys are big-time coaches who have other opportunities, year in and year out," Locksley said.
Then on signing day, defensive tackle Calvin Smith of Hialeah, Fla., stunned viewers on a national cable television show when he announced he was picking New Mexico over Alabama, Florida State and Tennessee. Locksley credited his recruiting contacts and those of his coaches.
He also took a moment to defend himself.
"If this program was as bad as it has been made out to be with me at the head, you'd see a mass exodus," Locksley said. "That's not happening. I think the players believe in their coaches and the coaches believe in me as their leader."
Over time, Locksley predicts it will mean success. He said he came to Albuquerque with a four-year plan that remains on target "minus a few more wins last year and less off-the-field issues."
Krebs and university president David Schmidly staunchly backed him up. In fact, New Mexico's administrators showed a firm commitment to Locksley during those stormy days last fall, leaving no doubt his job was safe when some fans called for his removal.
Krebs said he expects to see improvement on the field this year, but his timeline calls for "a championship-caliber team" within three to five years from Locksley's December 2008 hiring — a standard Krebs said he holds for all his new coaches.
"When you get to the core, Mike is a quality person," Krebs said. "He's an outstanding recruiter. He's a guy who deserves a chance to be a head coach. Time will tell how good of a coach he is. I think he's a very good coach, but now he's going to have to prove it."
Locksley won't discuss the sexual harassment lawsuit, citing a confidentiality agreement. About his altercation with former assistant J.B. Gerald, he said he learned that barriers can become blurred in the workplace when relationships are too close.
Locksley said he wanted to see Gerald succeed — perhaps too much. As offensive coordinator at Illinois, Locksley helped Gerald land a job in 2008, then brought him to New Mexico.
Problems surfaced as Gerald struggled to meet Locksley's expectations. The conflict boiled over during a coaches meeting on Sept. 20, a day after a loss to Air Force dropped the Lobos to 0-4.
Locksley admits grabbing Gerald's collar. Gerald told police that Locksley struck him and split his lip, while Locksley maintains no punches were thrown. No charges were filed and a university investigation couldn't confirm Gerald's claim.
Gerald, now teaching at a middle school in Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit against Locksley and the university last month. University spokeswoman Susan McKinsey said the school "will vigorously defend itself and its employees."
What could Locksley have done differently? He said he could have fired Gerald.
"Maybe as a first-time head coach, I was more likely to work through it," Locksley said. "I was more willing to stand by guys when certain things happened. Maybe I should have been more willing to pull the plug and say we were going in another direction."
He paused, then added: "Yeah, I learned quite a bit from that."
-- Tim Korte
Notes
WVU looks into another possible NCAA violation
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia is investigating whether some football players wore more than just helmets during the first two days of practice, which would be a violation of NCAA rules.
For acclimation purposes, NCAA rules stipulate shoulder pads can't be worn until the third day of practice and full pads can't be worn until the fifth day.
"We are aware that some players were wearing vests during the first two practice days," WVU athletics spokesman Michael Fragale said Tuesday. "We are exploring further, we'll declare a secondary infraction and document it through the appropriate process."
West Virginia began practice on Saturday, just two days after the NCAA alleged the Mountaineers committed five major violations and one secondary violation from 2005 to 2009.
The Charleston Daily Mail posted a video on its website showing players in lightweight shoulder pads from Saturday's practice. And WVU's student newspaper, the Daily Athenaeum, posted file photos from the second day of practice in 2009 showing players also wearing light shoulder pads at practice.
WVU coach Bill Stewart declined comment after Tuesday's practice.
In 2003, the NCAA eliminated early two-a-day practices and adopted the five-day graduated equipment rule in an attempt to reduce heat-related illnesses and the risk of injuries.
At Clemson during last year's five-day early period, players wore shorts with padding, referred to as girdles. Clemson canceled two practices to make up for the infraction before the NCAA said the school could keep its full complement of workouts and no additional penalties were imposed.
At West Virginia, the earlier violations concerned student managers, graduate assistants and other non-coaching staff working with football players on their skills and techniques in violation of NCAA rules during the Rich Rodriguez era and under Stewart, who took over in 2008.
The NCAA said both Rodriguez and Stewart failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance.
Similar allegations were leveled against Rodriguez during an earlier, separate investigation at Michigan, which in May admitted it had committed a series of violations related to practice time and coaching activities.
Carter back in Orange
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Running back Delone Carter is back in a Syracuse uniform after a four-month exile.
Carter learned on Monday that the university's judicial review board had granted his request for reinstatement, and he was back with the team on Tuesday.
"I'm just excited," Carter said at a news conference Tuesday night. "I felt like I was away for a while. I appreciate judicial affairs keeping up what they said and allowing me to return on time."
Carter was charged with misdemeanor assault after a one-punch fight that followed a snowball-throwing incident on campus in February. He was then suspended by the university and didn't play in the team's annual spring scrimmage in April.
Carter, who returned to his home in Ohio while he awaited a decision from the school, declined to talk about the Feb. 27 incident that led to his suspension and refused to discuss any of the details of that night.
"It's just a lot of weight off me," he said. "It's just a maturing situation. I regret what happened, and I learned a lot from it."
Syracuse coach Doug Marrone hasn't set his depth chart yet, but Carter seems ready to pick up where he left off. He led Syracuse last fall with 1,021 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns.
Carter, a bruising 5-foot-10, 215 pound runner, said while he was away he ran, lifted weights and tried to study the new offense installed by Marrone.
"I feel like I'm good, and in a couple of days I'll be tiptop," he said.
Marrone said it was too early to make a decision on Carter.
"He looked like a player who hasn't been here for a while," Marrone said. "I am a process guy. You have to show that you can do it on the field."
Phillips says Wildcats embraced heat Tuesday
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — For Kentucky football players, Tuesday could have turned into a day to take it easy. It was the Wildcats' first full day in pads, and the heat index hovered around 100 degrees during the afternoon practice.
But new coach Joker Phillips didn't complain, and he said some of his players even embraced it.
"Guys practiced hard, with a lot of enthusiasm," Phillips said. "As we practiced faster, guys started to lose their feet and not run through tackles. But we're practicing smarter and staying off the ground."
Among those that drew Phillips' attention Tuesday was senior wide receiver Chris Matthews. Matthews was a newcomer to Kentucky last season, a 6-5, 219-pound junior college transfer from Los Angeles. He struggled in 2009 jumping from the junior college circuit to the Southeastern Conference. He caught just three touchdowns, none of which were in conference play.
Wide receivers coach Tee Martin said Matthews took it upon himself in the offseason to spend a lot of time each day catching balls and getting trimmer. As a result, both Phillips and Martin agree Matthews is ready to live up to heightened expectations.
"I've compared him to a lot of big, physical guys I've played with in the past," said Martin, who spent four years as an NFL quarterback from 2000-2003. "Plaxico Burress is the one he reminded me of most. I played with him in Pittsburgh, we were drafted together. He has so many of those same type of skills as Plax had."
Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari visited the practice, Phillips said, and Calipari particularly enjoyed a sumo drill. Asked if he invited Calipari to participate in the drill, Phillips laughed.
"No, no, no, no," he said. "We don't have that kind of insurance."
'Canes ready for 1st scrimmage of camp
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Not even a week into training camp, Miami coach Randy Shannon wants to see what the Hurricanes have already learned.
Miami will have a 115-play controlled scrimmage Wednesday night, and Shannon thinks it'll be physical.
"You can't worry about guys getting hurt," Shannon said. "If guys don't practice, they can't get into a rhythm and into football shape. One thing you have to know is that if you hold somebody up from contact then when they get into the game and contact happens, fumbles happen. They have to get used to the contact and get used to the bruising and get your body used to it."
Shannon said the scrimmage will have about 80-89 offensive plays, the rest going to special-teams work.
It'll end the first week of camp for the Hurricanes, who will then take Thursday off and resume Friday with the first double-session workout of the summer.
"We go at each other like we're enemies," wide receiver LaRon Byrd said of the scrimmage. "You might see a (defensive back) crack-back a receiver. You might see a receiver crack-back a linebacker. Once it's scrimmage time, it's no more friends."
Shannon said he might not even make Miami's quarterbacks off-limits from contact.
"It depends how I wake up that day," Shannon said.
Pa. coach Paterno nominated for Medal of Freedom
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has been nominated for the highest civilian award in the country.
Congressmen including Glenn Thompson, Mark Critz and Tim Holden say the Hall of Fame coach deserves a Presidential Medal of Freedom for his service to the Nittany Lions, the university and the State College community.
Their nomination letter to President Barack Obama says Paterno personifies sportsmanship on the field and academic achievement in the classroom while also noting Paterno's philanthropic efforts.
Paterno's 394 career victories are most among major college coaches.
A spokesman for Critz says Critz and Holden were approached by House staffers who are Penn State graduates to nominate Paterno and Thompson helped lead the effort. Thompson's district includes State College, about 150 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
Vols' Poole paces scrimmage with early runs
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tauren Poole broke a 49-yard run in the first play of Tennessee's first scrimmage of fall camp and scored a few plays later on a 13-yard run.
Coach Derek Dooley credited the Volunteers' offense Tuesday for being more prepared than the defense.
Matt Simms completed 9-of-21 for 80 yards and a 3-yard touchdown to Luke Stocker, and Tyler Bray threw 11 for 22 for 153 yards and hit Denarius Moore on a 49-yard touchdown pass.
Moore's 85 yards on five catches led wide receivers. Freshman Justin Hunter caught three passes for 56 yards.
Freshman linebacker John Propst led the way with five tackles, while converted defensive back Marsalis Teague added four. Redshirt freshman cornerback Eric Gordon, who forced a fumble that was recovered by Nick Reveiz for a 37-yard touchdown.
Giles, Lattimore star in South Carolina scrimmage
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Running backs Marcus Lattimore and Jarvis Giles were in the spotlight during South Carolina's first preseason scrimmage.
Lattimore, who's a freshman, ran for 41 yards in the scrimmage at Williams-Brice Stadium. Sophomore tailback Jarvis Giles led the ground game Tuesday with 86 yards, highlighted by a 34-yard touchdown run.
Coach Steve Spurrier said the workout mostly involved South Carolina's younger players like Lattimore, who comes to Columbia in as one of the country's best running prospects. Spurrier was impressed with Giles, whose run led to the offense's only touchdown. The Gamecocks rushed 25 times for 152 yards in the workout.
South Carolina is trying to resurrect a ground game which has ranked last in the Southeastern Conference for the past three seasons.
South Carolina reserve C Broadhead injures knee
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina reserve center Ryan Broadhead will likely miss the upcoming season after tearing a ligament in his right knee.
The school said Tuesday that Broadhead's injury occured during Monday's practice. Broadhead, a 6-foot-5, 270-pound junior, plans to have surgery once the swelling goes down.
Broadhead was listed as the backup to center T.J. Johnson on the team's depth chart entering the new season. Broadhead's loss is another blow to an already thin offensive line. Backup left tackle Quintin Richardson is out indefinitely after shoulder surgery in July. Freshman Nick Allison, slotted as a backup guard, left the program right before fall practice began.
The Gamecocks are also breaking in first-year offensive line coach Shawn Elliott.
Tulane's offensive plays will come from the booth
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Dan Dodd needed to look into some eyes and pat some backs on the sidelines during games last season.
The Tulane offensive coordinator was not only in his first year as the primary play caller, but he also was dealing with starting quarterbacks who had never started a college game before.
But Dodd and Green Wave Coach Bob Toledo don't think Dodd needs to be there for encouragement this season.
The Times-Picayune reports that Toledo said Monday that Dodd will be in the press box during games, calling plays down to a sideline quarterback who will relay hand signals out to starting quarterback Ryan Griffin.
The Green Wave's first game is Sept. 2, in the Louisiana Superdome against Southeastern Louisiana.
Chris Rainey, Matt Patchan injured for Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida receiver Chris Rainey and left tackle Matt Patchan are being held out of fall practice because of injuries.
Coach Urban Meyer says Rainey was diagnosed with an accelerated heartbeat, but expects him to return to practice later this week after having a non-evasive cardiac procedure.
Meyer says Patchan, who had been splitting time with Xavier Nixon on the first-team offense, has a hairline fracture in his wrist. Patchan could be out two weeks, the latest in a long list of injuries for the junior. Patchan has missed time because of a knee injury, a concussion and a gunshot wound.
Receiver Chris Dunkley also has been limited because of a chronic hamstring injury. Meyer expects him back late next week.
Murray passes for 2 TDs in Georgia scrimmage
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Aaron Murray has Georgia's first-string offense off to a strong start.
Murray passed for 237 yards and two touchdowns in Georgia's first scrimmage of the preseason schedule. Murray, the freshman starter, completed 12 of 21 passes with one interception.
Coach Mark Richt says the Bulldogs' starters on offense and defense "whipped" the backups. He says that is what he wants to see in a scrimmage.
The scrimmage was held at Sanford Stadium on Georgia's second day in full pads. Caleb King had 14 carries for 63 yards. Washaun Ealey had five carries for 66 yards. A.J. Green had five catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns.
Chizik praises freshman DE Lemonier
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Auburn coach Gene Chizik has been impressed so far by freshman defensive end Corey Lemonier.
Chizik said after Tuesday morning's practice that Lemonier is "going to push somebody for a position." He says he doesn't normally offer such praise for freshmen this early.
Lemonier was one of Auburn's most highly rated signees.
He's playing weakside defensive end, along with senior Antoine Carter, junior college transfer Joel Bonomolo and sophomore Dee Ford.
Tuesday was the Tigers' first day of two-a-day practices. They will have a scrimmage situation Wednesday evening.
Father of Indiana player killed in plane crash
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Indiana tight end Paul Phillips has left campus to be with his family after his father was killed and one of his brothers survived the Alaskan plane crash that killed ex-U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens.
Bill Phillips Sr. was one of five people killed in Monday night's crash. Paul Phillips' brother Willy was one of four survivors.
Hoosiers coach Bill Lynch says in a statement the university's thoughts and prayers are with the freshman's family.
Bill Phillips Sr. played football at Evansville from 1972-76, and Paul Phillips' mother, Janet, was a college swimmer who now competes in equestrian events. Older brothers Andrew and Colter also play college football, at Stanford and Virginia.
Maine AD to take post at Miami
ORONO, Maine (AP) — University of Maine Athletic Director Blake James is leaving the school to take a job at the University of Miami.
The university said Tuesday that James will serve as senior associate athletic director for external affairs at the Florida school. He will leave in early September.
James came to Maine in 2003 and became athletic director in 2005.
He previously worked at Miami from 1998 to 2001. He has also held positions at the University of Nebraska and Providence College.
Florida State loses 2 players to knee injuries
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher says defensive lineman Moses McCray and running back Tavares Pressley will miss the season with knee injuries.
McCray, a junior had started 14 games in the past two seasons. He was injured Saturday. Pressley, a junior, had none carries for 40 yards last season. He was hurt on Friday.
Fisher says neither player was hit. Both were injured while planting to make a cut.
Also
Athens QB Stephen Rivers commits to LSU
ATHENS, Ala. (AP) — Another Alabama high school quarterback named Rivers appears headed out of the state to play college football.
Athens High School's Stephen Rivers says he intends to play for LSU. He is the younger brother of San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers, who also played at Athens High and went to North Carolina State.
Stephen Rivers' verbal pledge is nonbinding. He made the decision late last week.
Rivers reportedly also had offers from such schools as Tennessee, Florida State, Arizona State, Stanford and UCLA.
He is rated a three-star quarterback by recruiting services.
Vols name Stanton associate AD for communications
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee has named Jimmy Stanton as associate athletics director for communications.
Stanton will oversee the Volunteers' media relations, public relations, internet communications, broadcasting and photography. He replaces Tiffany Carpenter, who left Tennessee in July to found Carpenter Public Relations.
Stanton holds a graduate degree in sports management from Tennessee and previously worked at Kentucky as the Wildcats' executive director of public relations.
He has also worked as the director of media relations for the Houston Astros and assistant director of media relations for the Tennessee Titans.
