Boston Herald - Boston Herald

Dahlberg: Notre Dame not chicken, just greedy

Tim Dahlberg — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:47:28 -0400

Brady Hoke was talking the way football coaches do, the way university presidents can't. Imagine, if you will, the snickering in academia if Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman, a biochemist by trade, accused her counterparts at Notre Dame of chickening out on a science fair.

Might as well go all the way and tell them their pocket protectors are two pens shy of a full load.

Penn State defends medical changes after report

Associated Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:57:52 -0400

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State coach Bill O'Brien is fervently disputing suggestions raised in a report that player medical care has been compromised after the team doctor was replaced.

Speaking often in an angry tone that might be otherwise reserved for an argument with an official, O'Brien told reporters in a conference call that the health and safety of his players were his top priorities.

CU's Webb, Lewis charged with assault in brawl

Associated Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:27:58 -0400

BOULDER, Colo. — Colorado quarterback Jordan Webb and former Buffaloes offensive lineman Alexander Lewis were both charged with second-degree assault on Wednesday after prosecutors alleged they knocked a man unconscious in a weekend brawl.

Lewis, who announced Friday that he plans to transfer to Nebraska, also was charged with two counts of misdemeanor harassment.

TCU suspends DE Fields for 1st 2 games of season

Associated Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:33:22 -0400

FORT WORTH, Texas — TCU defensive end Devonte Fields has been suspended for the first two games of the 2013 season due to an unspecified violation of "university and team policy."

Coach Gary Patterson announced the suspension of the Big 12 defensive player of the year in a one-sentence statement Wednesday. Patterson didn't immediately return a message left on his cellphone. School officials had no further comments or details about the statement.

Michigan's Brady Hoke: Notre Dame 'chickening out'

Associated Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:09:00 -0400

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Michigan coach Brady Hoke has taken the Notre Dame rivalry up a notch.

Hoke made a crowd chuckle on Monday at West Michigan Sports Commission luncheon by saying the Fighting Irish are "chickening out" from the storied series.

Notre Dame exercised an option in its football-scheduling contract with Michigan last fall to cancel games from 2015-2017.

Hoke lamented that the Irish will continue to play rivals Michigan State and Purdue, joking he knows why they made that decision.

Hawaii refracts on team names; 'Rainbow' back

Associated Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:07:20 -0400

HONOLULU — Hawaii's athletic department is scrapping a plan to drop the word "Rainbow" from its men's teams' nicknames.

The university announced Tuesday it is changing its football, baseball and other men's team nicknames to the Rainbow Warriors — a name previously used by the football team but dropped in 2000.

The changes take effect July 1. All Hawaii's women's teams will continue to be known as the Rainbow Wahine. "Wahine" means "woman" in Hawaiian.

CU coach McCartney reflects on career, late wife

Associated Press — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:05:50 -0400

WESTMINSTER, Colo. — The day former Colorado coach Bill McCartney found out he was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame should've been one of the happiest moments of his life, the crowning achievement in a career that included a national title.

And it was, too.

Only, someone was missing, someone who should've been there to celebrate with him. Lyndi McCartney, his wife of 50 years, died of emphysema just weeks before he learned of his induction.

CU QB Webb, ex-lineman Lewis accused of assault

Associated Press — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:58:00 -0400

BOULDER, Colo. — University of Colorado quarterback Jordan Webb and former Buffaloes offensive lineman Alexander Lewis are facing assault charges after witnesses said another man was knocked unconscious when Lewis shoved his head into a brick wall and both men pushed the victim to the ground and punched him.

According to a Boulder police report obtained by The Daily Camera (http://tinyurl.com/cklrj3p ), Webb and Lewis were arrested Saturday on suspicion of second-degree assault. Lewis also faces two counts of harassment.

Kiffin and USC strive for drama-free 2013 season

Associated Press — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:16:25 -0400

LOS ANGELES — Lane Kiffin has an idea.

He's not serious about it. Not really. There is, however, just a hint in his voice that suggests he's not totally joking, either.

"I did think the other day what it would be like to be a high school head coach or to be at a small school," Kiffin said. "I thought about it the other day. The first time. I wonder if there's something to that peace of mind. Maybe it's something I can go back and do when I get older. I'm going to go coach high school.

Michigan State plans $20M Spartan Stadium renovation

Associated Press — Mon, 13 May 2013 07:12:28 -0400

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University is planning a $20 million Spartan Stadium renovation to be wrapped up next year.

The Detroit Free Press reports the East Lansing school's board holds a retreat and meeting June 19-21, during which construction is expected to gain final approval.

Colorado QB Webb, ex-lineman arrested for assault

Associated Press — Mon, 13 May 2013 06:10:08 -0400

BOULDER, Colo. — Colorado quarterback Jordan Webb and former CU offensive lineman Alex Lewis have been charged with second-degree assault.

Athletic spokesman Dave Plati said the two were arrested early Saturday morning, but he declined to comment about the charges Sunday because he hadn't seen the arrest affidavit. The Boulder County Sheriff's Office did not immediately return a call for comment.

Larry Kehres Career Highlights

Associated Press — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:55:27 -0400

Career highlights of Mount Union football coach Larry Kehres, who announced on Wednesday that he is stepping down as coach but will continue as athletic director:

Seasons-Head Coach — 27 (1986-2012)

Seasons-Assistant Coach — 12 (1974-85)

Career Record — 332-24-3

Winning Percentage — .929

Undefeated Regular Seasons — 21

Undefeated Overall Seasons — 10

NCAA Division III Championships — 11 (1993, 1996-98, 2000-02, 2005-06, 2008, 2012)

Ohio Athletic Conference Championships — 23 (1986, 1990, 1992-2012)

Former Duck CB Harris enters not guilty plea

Associated Press — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:55:24 -0400

HILLSBORO, Ore. — Former Oregon Ducks cornerback Cliff Harris has entered a not guilty plea in connection with alleged domestic harassment.

Harris' attorney asked that he be released from jail after the Wednesday hearing, but that request was denied by Washington County Circuit Court Judge Gayle Nachtigal. It was unclear when he might be released.

Tennessee defensive back Gray transferring

Associated Press — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:55:22 -0400

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee defensive back Daniel Gray is no longer with the football program and intends to transfer.

Gray's departure was first reported by InsideTennessee.com and was confirmed Wednesday night by Tennessee athletic department spokesman Jimmy Stanton.

Gray made six tackles at cornerback in eight games, including one start, as a freshman last season.

PSU coach Bill O'Brien not expecting more transfers

Associated Press — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:54:04 -0400

NEW YORK — Penn State has 67 scholarship players on its football roster and coach Bill O'Brien sees no reason why that will change significantly by the time the season starts Aug. 31.

O'Brien said Wednesday he doesn't expect a second wave of departures from the Nittany Lions, even though NCAA sanctions still allow his players to transfer without sitting out a season.

Coach cleared of charges no longer at MSU, Mankato

Associated Press — Wed, 08 May 2013 22:39:38 -0400

MINNEAPOLIS — A former head football coach for Minnesota State University, Mankato, who was cleared of child pornography charges last year but reassigned to an administrative position, is no longer employed at the university, the school said Wednesday.

However, a faculty union said Todd Hoffner was fired and that it has filed a grievance over his termination.

11-time NCAA champ Larry Kehres will remain Mount Union AD

Associated Press — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:23:49 -0400

ALLIANCE, Ohio — Mount Union's Larry Kehres, who won 11 NCAA Division III championships in 27 seasons while compiling a remarkable 332-24-3 record, is stepping down as head football coach to remain athletic director.

His son, Vince, will replace him in charge of the Purple Raiders.

Larry Kehres, in his 39th year working at his alma mater, began working as an assistant football coach and professor in 1974. He was Mount Union's first head swimming coach, was hired as athletic director in 1985 then assumed head football coaching duties in 1986.

Huskers' Tommie Frazier knew his call to Hall would come

Associated Press — Wed, 08 May 2013 09:59:14 -0400

Some of the greatest players have had to wait decades after becoming eligible to get the call from the College Football Hall of Fame.

Tommie Frazier's selection Tuesday came in his third year of eligibility, and many believe that still was too long for the player who defined Nebraska's run of dominance in the mid-90s.

Frazier sounded more relieved than excited when he met with the media in Lincoln, Neb., shortly after the announcement.

"It's over," he said. "I don't have to worry about it anymore."

CU's new Coach Mac reminisces with old Coach Mac

Associated Press — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:51:00 -0400

WESTMINSTER, Colo. — Back in his day, Bill McCartney languished through three lean seasons to begin his career at Colorado.

The program showed patience with the former coach and he eventually led the Buffaloes to their only national title in 1990. And now, McCartney is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, an honor he claimed Tuesday.

But that was another age, when coaches had time to turn around a downtrodden program.

Wuerffel, Frazier, Dayne selected for college Hall

Associated Press — Tue, 07 May 2013 18:48:37 -0400

NEW YORK — The only time Tommie Frazier and Danny Wuerffel shared the field during their brilliant college careers, Frazier's Nebraska team trampled Wuerffel and Florida in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl to win the national championship.

Wuerffel and the Gators bounced back from that record-breaking 62-24 smackdown to take the title the next season.

The former quarterbacks will cross paths again in December, when they are inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.