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August 23 HOME - SPORTS NEWS
FREE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS ONLINEFREE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS, COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS, FREE NCAA FOOTBALL PICKS, NCAA FOOTBALL PICKS. COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS- (covers.com) : college football quarterbacks not many have heard of. These guys didnâ' fit into the never heard of ‘em category, mostly because theyve gained exposure from playing for bigger schools. But that doesnâ' mean theyre getting the recognition they deserve. Sometimes the right quarterback is all you need to help you cover the number. Here are 10 who are capable of doing just that, even though nearly all of them don`t play for teams among the top favorites in their conferences. 1. Alex Brink, Washington State: The Cougars expect to be in a lot of shootouts again this season despite losing 1900-yard rusher Jerome Harrison. That puts the onus squarely on Brinks shoulders. Hell have home run threat Jason Hill to toss to, and head coach Bill Doba is confident that the Cougars running back by committee setup will be enough to keep opposing secondaries from cheating on the pass. 2. Shaun Carney, Air Force: Is it ironic that Air Force finds success on the ground instead of the air, or is that a misuse of the word a la Alanis Morissette? In any case, Carneys legs will terrorize the Mountain West again after running for 710 yards and 11 majors in 2005. But donâ' forget his sneaky downfield passing out of the option. He kept interceptions to a minimum, completed 64 percent of his passes and topped the conference with 9.4 yards per pass attempt. 3. Bryan Cupito, Minnesota: The Golden Gophers lost two 1000-yard rushers last year and while Amir Pinnix says he can go for 200-plus yards per game behind Minnesotas solid line, its Cupito wholl pick up the slack this year. He tossed 19 majors last season, including four against Virginia in the Music City Bowl, and his top wideouts and tight end return. On top of that, head coach Glen Mason says Cupitos improved a lot over the spring and summer sessions. 4. Stephen McGee, Texas A&M: McGee saw action in eight games last year, but it was his performance against Big 12 giants Oklahoma and Texas to end the year that excites Aggie supporters. He continued to impress head coach Dennis Franchione and his teammates through the spring with his accuracy and poise. I don`t know if I`ve ever had a redshirt sophomore kind of take over the leadership that he has, Franchione told Aggiesport.com. 5. Matt Moore, Oregon State: Derided as Frosty the turnover man by at least one Corvallis wag, Moore took a lot of flak for his 19 interceptions last year. But the entire offensive line returns, giving the still-confident Moore extra time for decision-making. If Coach [Mike] Riley gives me the freedom to throw the ball, I`m going to chuck it, the UCLA transfer told OregonLive.com after another sharp summer scrimmage. And here, he gives us a lot of freedom with one-on-one coverage to throw the deep ball, so in that sense, yeah, I guess I`ll take the shot if I have it. 6. Curtis Painter, Purdue: New offensive co-ordinator Bill Legg told reporters that Painter, who led the Boilermakers to a 3-2 record in his five starts to close the 2005 season, has a chance to be awfully special. The stats from last year arenâ' overwhelming but Purdues coaching staff harps on Painters increased comfort level over the spring and summer, chalking it up to the fact that Painter is no longer competing for the starting job - its his for the season. 7. Blake Powers, Indiana: Powers is big, strong, accurate and has his three top receivers returning. In addition, Marcus Thigpen returns, a starter last year at wideout now converted to the Hoosiers top tailback. The familiarity between Powers and his receivers, led by 67 James Hardy, could lead the Hoosiers to a 6-0 start through a Downy-soft schedule before hosting Big Ten powerhouse Iowa on Oct. 14. 8. Brett Ratliff, Utah: Last years starter Brian Johnson is redshirting the season, but that surprisingly hasnâ' made Ratliff the automatic starter this year for the Utes. Oklahoma transfer Tommy Grady is putting up quite a fight in front of head coach Kyle Whittingham. But Utah players have already named Ratliff a captain for the year and he passed for 621 yards and eight majors in to lead the team to underdog wins over BYU and Georgia Tech to end 2005. If thats not enough to win the starting job, then insert Grady as Utahs underrated starter because he must really be something. 9. Brent Schaeffer, Ole Miss: Expectations are low for many Ole Miss fans but adding a mobile quarterback with a big arm and big-game experience can only help. Enter Schaeffer, via Tennessee and the College of the Sequoias, where he threw for 40 touchdowns and ran for 10 more in 2005. We can do more - sprint out, waggles, boots, nakeds, quarterback draws - we`re going to throw the kitchen sink at them, excited head coach Ed Orgeron told The Biloxi Sun-Herald. We`ve got to win. We can`t go in there lollygagging around. We`ll go as hard as we can. I think he`s going to be ready for it. 10. Isaiah Stanback, Washington: Fifth year senior Stanback impressed by limiting turnovers as a starter on last years 2-9 Huskies. This year hes looking to maintain that positive trend and scare some defenses at the same time. I was learning, trying to grasp the offense, he told The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Now I`m able to free-flow. I`m in a position to make those plays NCAA FOOTBALL PICKS: (covers.com): college football news and notes. Vandy puts rushing game in freshmen hands Vanderbilt begins the season with some serious question marks surrounding their top two tailbacks. Cassen Jackson-Garrisson, the leading rusher from last season, underwent an appendectomy this past Monday and is questionable for the season opener at Michigan Sept. 2. Jeff Jennings, the starter at the beginning of last season, is the No. 2 TB but will also sit out the start of the season. He is still rehabbing a knee injury that kept him out of much of last season and spring practice. That means redshirt freshman Jared Hawkins will likely get the start against Michigan, and 5-foot-7 true freshman Gaston Miller will see some time as the No. 2 back. Vandy coaches say don`t be fooled by Miller`s size - they`re expecting big things from him in the future and he has jumped out to a great start in practice. The Commodores are monstrous 25 ½-point underdogs against the Wolverines. Texas Tech QBs scrap after practice Red Raiders coach Mike Leach isnâ' saying much about it, but apparently two of his competing quarterbacks were involved in a post-practice fight last Monday. Reports from the Dallas Morning News say Chris Todd broke the nose of fellow redshirt freshman Ryan Rowland in the scuffle. Todd was pushing sophomore Graham Harrell for the starting role this season, but Leach has since named Harrell the starter. The coach also brushed off the incident as a flare-up that is par for the course during two-a-day drills. McCoy leading way at UT Redshirt freshman Colt McCoy is the front-runner to take over for departed QB Vince Young through the first stages of camp. Mack Brown recently said McCoy would get the nod if the season started today, ahead of true freshman Jevan Snead. Brown won`t announce his decision until game week though. Both might get a chance to see some action in Texas first game if it plays out anything like the pointspread suggests. The Longhorns are favored by 41 points over North Texas. Baylor testing new offense Bears head coach Guy Morriss liked what he saw at Texas Tech so much, hes decided to copy its offense. Morriss is implementing a new spread offense this season, much like the one the Red Raiders use, which means his QBs will be passing more. Senior Shawn Bell and three other quarterbacks threw a combined 500 hundred passes in a two-hour workout this week. The last time Baylor threw as many as 50 passes in a game was 22 years ago, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle. Baylor will try out its new formation Sept. 3 at home against last years Mountain West champs, TCU. The Bears are 7-point home underdogs. New attitude at Washington State After a 4-7 season last year, coach Bill Doba knew he needed an attitude change in his program. So conditioning coach Rob Oviatt brought a pirates approach to training sessions. According to a story in the Seattle Times, pirates used to either raise a white flag to indicate surrender or a red one to announce theyd fight to the death. "I had more than one guy come up and say this was the toughest summer they`d ever been through," Doba told the paper. UCLA passers struggling Quarterbacks Ben Olson and Patrick Cowan are reportedly struggling in practice so far. Head coach Karl Dorrell said the two are having trouble learning all the ins and outs of the Bruins West Coast system. Dorrell named Olson the starter on Monday and he`ll take the first snap Sept. 2 at home against Utah. The Bruins are favored by four points. Tulane in bad shape Another conditioning note, this time a bad one. Green Wave head coach Chris Scelfo said he was very disappointed at the physical conditioning of his team heading into camp, especially with his defensive linemen. Tulane opens its season later than most teams, on Sept. 9 at Houston, and players may have come into camp banking on the extra time to get in shape. Scelfo called it a lack of discipline. Utah`s first goal: Beat UCLA Utes coach Kyle Whittingham says his team has two goals this season: win the Mountain West, and beat UCLA. They`ll find out about the latter Sept. 2 when they travel to the Rose Bowl. Whittingham might want to consider adding one more goal to the list: pick a starting quarterback. Brad Ratliffe and Brian Johnson, both excellent QBs, have been battling it out this fall and a starter has yet to be announced. Utah is the co-favorite along with TCU to win the Mountain West at +150. Florida State QB making progress If I were Seminoles quarterback Drew Weatherford, I would be nervous about an injury - i could mean the end of my playing days if Xavier Lee keeps improving. Though Weatherford was arguably the best QB in the ACC last season, he threw too many picks with 18. His back-up, Lee, might be more talented and coach Bobby Bowden said he is improving rapidly in practice and scrimmages this summer. Lee has great arm strength and is certainly a better runner than Weatherford. Lee saw limited action last year but managed 466 yards passing, threw for three touchdowns, and rushed for two others. He saw some time in the season opener against Miami after Weatherford struggled mightily in the early going. Miami is a 3 1/2-point home fave against FSU on Monday, Sept. 3. The Noles are co-faves with Miami to win the ACC at +175. North Carolina wants the ball The Tar Heels are making turnovers their main focus on defense this year after a huge improvement in that department last season. Coach John Bunting says he has his players going through "takeaway circuits" in practice in hopes of building a team loaded with ball hawks. UNC collected 20 turnovers last season, good for 71st in the nation. In the four years previous, the Heels never ranked higher than 95th. The Tar Heels are favored by 5 1/2 points in their season opener at home against Rutgers on Sept. 2. Fresno State loving its schedule The Bulldogs are ecstatic about having three afternoon games this season slated for 2 p.m. local time, which is 11 ET. They normally play their home games at 5 or 7 p.m. to account for television audiences. "Would I like to play at 1 p.m. every Saturday? I would like to, but that`s not the way it works out," coach Pat HIll told the Fresno Bee. "This is as good of a home schedule since I`ve been here." The afternoon home games are against Hawaii on Oct. 14, New Mexico State on Nov. 11 and Idaho on Nov. 18. Fresno State is typically a tough place for visitors and the Bee reports it has a winning percentage of better than 80 since Bulldog Stadium opened in 180 (127-30-2). Fresno State opens Sept. 1 against Nevada, the only game in the nation scheduled for that Friday night. The Bulldogs are 11 1/2-point favorites. QB starters announced The following have recently been named starters for their respective programs, ending several battles heading into the first game of the season: Arizona State - Rudy Carpenter sophomore, Georgia - Joe Tereshinski senior, USC- John David Booty junior, Arkansas - Robert Johnson senior, Colorado - James Cox senior, UConn - D.J. Hernandez sophomore, Texas Tech - Graham Harrell sophomore, and Penn State - Anthony Morelli junior. NCAA FOOTBALL FREE PICKS (associated press): ucla names starter at quarterback. As expected, UCLA coach Karl Dorrell announced Monday that Ben Olson has beaten out Patrick Cowan and will start at quarterback for the Bruins on Sept. 2 when they open the season against Utah at the Rose Bowl. Pinnaclesports.com has listed the Bruins at +1319 to win the PAC 10 Conference Championship. Olson played briefly in relief of starter Drew Olson last season, completing 2-of-4 passes for 11 yards. ``I think everything considered, it was very good competition between both those guys,`` Dorrell said. ``Pat did a nice job of developing and taking steps forward and pushing (Ben). I told the quarterbacks my decision last night. Pat was disappointed, but I know he`s a fighter and he`ll be ready to go when his name is called upon if need be. ``We are fortunate to have two really good, solid quarterbacks. Unfortunately, you can only use one of them.`` The 23-year-old Olson enrolled at UCLA last winter after transferring from BYU. He had been on a church mission for the previous two years after redshirting as a freshman in 2002. Olson, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound sophomore, was one of the country`s top recruits before deciding to attend BYU. The left-hander passed for 2.989 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior at Thousand Oaks High in 2001. NCAA FOOTBALL FREE PICKS- (associated press) : morelli ready to step in at penn state. There will be a new seating arrangement aboard the rickety school bus that takes the Penn State Nittany Lions to Beaver Stadium. Now that he`s the starting quarterback, Anthony Morelli will get to ride in the front row, across the aisle from coach Joe Paterno as part of a team tradition. And therein lies one of the main questions heading into this season for No. 19 Penn State: Just how good will the highly touted Morelli be now that he`s in the hot seat? ``I think he will be all right,`` said Paterno, entering his 41st season leading the Nittany Lions. ``The dumb head coach didn`t have him throw the ball enough the last two years.`` Canbet.com has Penn State listed at +600 to win the Big Ten Conference this season. With good reason though, at least in 2005: Michael Robinson excelled as the starter, guiding a revved-up offense that helped revive Happy Valley. Penn State finished 11-1, captured the Big Ten title and won the Orange Bowl. Paterno, 79, was named coach of the year. Most of his other skill-position players are back, including hard-nosed 1,000-yard rusher Tony Hunt, and talented but brittle backup Austin Scott. So is the receiving corps, led by speedy sophomores Derrick Williams and Deon Butler and the sure-handed Jordan Norwood. Unlike his predecessor, Morelli isn`t as keen on moving outside the pocket, though he`s got a strong arm. ``With Michael Robinson, it was a little different ballgame, and it will be a little different ballgame with Anthony,`` Paterno said. Still, there aren`t hints of many changes to Penn State`s scheme, which opened up last year thanks in part to the emergence of the fresh-faced receiving corps. As always, offensive line play will be crucial. The Nittany Lions must replace four starters - 6-foot-7 left tackle Levi Brown returns - to keep Morelli upright in the pocket and open holes for the running game. ``Everybody is doubting us,`` said Brown, a team captain. ``We have to go out and prove everybody wrong.`` Paterno said the unit is less experienced but might be more athletic than last year`s starting five. ``Obviously, it is going to be a problem until they get in the ballgame and somebody knocks them around a little bit and they can recover from some things,`` the coach said. With his impressive resume of awards, fellow captain and All-American linebacker Paul Posluszny might not seem to have many weaknesses. He`s even been named Big Ten preseason defensive player of the year. But ``Pos`` or ``Puz,`` as he`s called by teammates, is returning from a serious right knee injury suffered in the Orange Bowl. He didn`t need surgery, and Paterno said Posluszny could have practiced in the spring, though he held him out of full contact as a precaution. ``I`m 100 percent,`` Posluszny said several days after fall practice started. Posluszny is so good, former Penn State and Steelers linebacking great Jack Ham has called him the best linebacker in school history. Dan Connor, Tim Shaw and Posluszny give Penn State one of the best linebacking trios in the country, and there is talented depth behind them. While that unit should be a strength, the defense will have seven other new starters. Only Jay Alford returns from last year`s starting defensive line, which featured athletic end Tamba Hali. Tackle Ed Johnson has experience, but the senior didn`t play last year because of an off-the-field issue. Josh Gaines and Jim Shaw have some time as reserves, though last season`s workhorse line didn`t need many breathers. ``We`re definitely going to keep them free,`` Alford said. ``We`re going to keep Puz running as free as he was last year.`` There`s a whole new quartet starting in the secondary, and coupled with the new-look line, pass defense could be an issue early on. Stiff early road tests await with games against Notre Dame (Sept. 9) and Ohio State (Sept. 23). Win at least one of those games and the Lions` bowl prospects improve dramatically. Seniors Donnie Johnson and Nolan McCready should take over at the safety spots, with sophomore Tony Davis the probable starter at one cornerback position. The other side will be manned by sophomore Justin King, last season`s standout two-way freshman who`s sticking with defense this year. While King`s speed helped the offense, he was recruited by defensive coordinator Tom Bradley to play cornerback. King and Williams factor into a potentially dangerous return game on a special-teams unit that could improve. Jeremy Kapinos is a fine punter, and kicker Kevin Kelly returns after a promising freshman year. NCAA FOOTBALL PICKS- (associated press): can texas defend title without vince young. To this day, Texas coach Mack Brown insists he thought Vince Young would return to college football this season to make a run at another national title. ``I may have been the only one in America who did,`` Brown said. In Brown`s defense, Young had said as much leading up his star-making performance in the Rose Bowl. But the quarterback had a change of heart a few days later and left for the NFL. Despite a 20-game winning streak and most starters returning, one news conference back in January dropped the Longhorns from national title favorite into the pack of contenders at No. 3. That`s because Brown, who traded the derogatory label of ``Coach February`` for the exclusive ``National Champion,`` must try to repeat the title with a pair of freshman quarterbacks in Colt McCoy and Jevan Snead. ``After Vince left, it changed our position nationally because if he had returned, people would have thought we would have had a great chance to repeat,`` Brown said. ``Repeating is very hard to do, but winning a national championship is very hard to do. There`s been no complacency. In fact, there`s been more urgency to see if they can do it again.`` newbodog.com has listed the Longhorns at +800 to repeat as National Champions. Doing it with a freshman quarterback will take more than willpower and hard work. Texas will need some lucky breaks and bounces - the Longhorns lost only nine of 35 fumbles last season - and someone else will have to take over Young`s role as a 6-foot-5, 230-pound playmaker. Brown said Texas will use the same spread offense that Young ran to perfection even if McCoy and Snead don`t scare defenses the way he did running the ball. ``We probably won`t have the third-down-and-30 scrambles we had for first downs,`` Brown said. Although Brown has not yet picked his starter for the Sept. 2 season opener against North Texas, McCoy has been taking more snaps with the first team and looked sharper in a scrimmage last weekend. Oddsmakers have listed the Longhorns as 41-point favorites for the contest. McCoy has the benefit of redshirting last season, and Brown said he would have played him if he had known Young would leave early. Snead graduated high school in December and joined the team for spring drills. ``Colt has been very efficient in both scrimmages we`ve had,`` Brown said. ``Jevan is learning. You can see there is a tremendous amount of talent in both of them. Brown says he`ll play both quarterbacks, a prospect that makes some fans nervous. Orangebloods remember the controversy that erupted around Major Applewhite and Chris Simms in 2000-2001 when Simms got the starting nod over Applewhite, who eventually finished his career as the most prolific passer in school history. In 2003, Young shared time with Chance Mock before taking over as the starter midway through the season. ``People love playing two quarterbacks around here,`` Brown joked. ``What we are planning to do is whatever we have to in order to win. I learned a lot through the time with Chris and Major, and one of the things we did learn is that it became about them instead of the team. That was really unhealthy.`` McCoy called the competition with Snead ``great.`` ``Our teammates are doing great with the whole situation,`` McCoy said. ``We`re out there getting better every day. What`s best for this team is what`s going to happen.`` While the personnel losses were few, they were important. Safety Michael Huff, who won the Thorpe Award last season, and tight end David Thomas, last season`s leading receiver, must be replaced. Former tailback Ramonce Taylor scored 15 touchdowns last season but left the team after academic and legal troubles in the spring. Tailback is Texas` deepest position. Selvin Young, Jamaal Charles and Henry Melton combined for 1,771 yards and 29 touchdowns last season. Defensively, the Longhorns may have their best front seven in years, anchored by tackle Frank Okam and ends Brian Robinson and Tim Crowder. Safety Michael Griffin will be counted on to take over the leadership in the secondary. Just like last season, an early matchup with No. 1 Ohio State should determine the Longhorns` place in the hunt for the national title. Texas won 25-22 on the road last year, and the Buckeyes come to Austin on Sept. 9. Texas won the Big 12 South last season by snapping a five-game losing streak to Oklahoma. The Longhorns and Sooners meet in Dallas on Oct. 7, and who wins the division may depend on which team has the fewest questions at quarterback by then. So just like last year, Texas should be in or out of the national championship picture by early October. ``We won`t know until we get in trouble,`` Brown said. ``That`s when Vince was at his NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS (associated press) a healthy mcknight will make notre dame better. Notre Dame wide receiver Rhema McKnight is eager to see how productive he can be in Charlie Weis` offense. So is the second-year coach of the Fighting Irish. With a healthy McKnight running patterns, the Irish offense could be that much better this season. The senior, who went into last season as Notre Dame`s top receiver - ahead of second-team
All-America Jeff Samardzija and third-round NFL draft pick Maurice Stovall - is back from a
right knee injury that forced him to miss the final 10 games.
``He is in a lot better shape now than in game two last year because he`s on a mission,``
Weis said. ``He`s had a long time to get ready for this.``
McKnight watched Weis turn the Notre Dame offense, which struggled for three years under
coach Tyrone Willingham, into one of the most potent in the nation. The coach transformed
Samardzija into a well-known name, Brady Quinn into a Heisman Trophy contender, and the
Irish into the nation`s second-ranked team heading into this season.
Notre Dame had the best passing season in school history, averaging 330 yards a game.
McKnight was happy for his teammates, but concedes he had a hard time watching them. He had
hoped to make it back before the season ended, but had several setbacks.
``It was very heartbreaking at times,`` he said. ``I had to accept the fact that I was
injured and couldn`t come back and play. I just had to rehab and just try to keep pushing
and keep trying to make myself better.``
Weis believes the time on the sideline helped McKnight.
``Because you get to watch all those things that happen. He got to watch the offense put in
and watch how those plays you put in are now called in games and watch the production that
comes from it,`` Weis said.
McKnight saw Samardzija and Stovall develop into the best receiving tandem in Notre Dame
history. Samardzija`s 77 catches tied the school record for a season, while Stovall`s 69
receptions placed him third.
McKnight is ninth on Notre Dame`s career list with 103 career catches - two more than
Samardzija - totaling 1,370 yards and including seven touchdowns. He could prove to be even
more potent than Stovall since he possesses a different trait that Weis describes as
``quicks.``
``Rhema has quickness. He has exceptional quickness. Now it`s a whole different element
you`re dealing with because Rhema can get open on quicks,`` Weis said.
McKnight is tough, isn`t afraid to go over the middle, and has a great relationship with
Quinn.
``We`ve always been on the same page,`` Quinn said.
Still, McKnight was able to cement that relationship this summer by getting extra work with
the quarterback while Samardzija was pitching in the Chicago Cubs farm system.
``So when they were having their captains practices, that was his go-to guy,`` Weis said.
McKnight, who earned a degree in psychology in 3 1/2 years, said he isn`t focusing on
numbers heading into his final season.
``I just want to be a major contributor to the team. Whether it calls for blocking, whether
it calls for catching the ball, anything,`` he said.
McKnight is being largely overlooked on and off the field.
Last week, three television cameras and more than a dozen reporters crowded around
Samardzija to ask him baseball questions and if there is a danger for hand injuries as he
holds on field goals. All the while, McKnight quietly conducted interviews with just two
journalists.
Weis hopes opposing teams focus just as much attention on Samardzija.
``I hope they double-team Jeff on every play,`` he said, ``because Rhema will have a field
day.``
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS: (espn.com): former arizona state qb puts nebraska on hold. Former Arizona State quarterback Sam Keller, who according to sources had been preparing to enroll at Nebraska as early as this week, now apparently is considering other options as he searches for a new school. Though two sources said Keller was preparing to enroll in Lincoln, his father, Mike, told ESPN's Joe Schad on Tuesday evening that he has spoken with Cornhuskers coach Bill Callahan, informing him that some new teams had entered the equation. Blue Ribbon preview: Nebraska When the decision was made to hire Bill Callahan at Nebraska in 2004, school administrators knew they were breaking the mold of traditional ground-oriented coaches. They knew Callahan would build -- or attempt to build -- a competent passing game through the West Coast offense. They also knew that Callahan was not going to bring in a typical college football coach's personality either. While he takes care of all media and alumni functions and will do what he can to raise funds, Callahan does not have a Bobby Bowden-type personality. He is not the kind to regale listeners with humorous stories. Callahan is all business. To read more of Blue Ribbon's preview of Nebraska's chances in 2006, click here. "Nebraska is excited about Sam and anybody would be excited to have him as a leader," Mike Keller said. "Bill runs a pro style offense, some call it West Coast, and they'd love to have somebody with Sam's experience come in. He's mature and would be working with young quarterbacks for a season. You know, I'm not trying to play games or play schools against one another, but I can't say it's finalized yet." Mike Keller said that a new, though longshot, consideration would be to stay enrolled at Arizona State and redshirt, then be eligible to transfer and play at another school next season. "This has all happened so fast," Mike Keller said. "Obviously, Sam was devastated. Now, we just have to stay calm and make sure we make the right decision." Before Mike Keller weighed in with his son's current mindset, an official announcement of Sam Keller enrolling at Nebraska was expected Thursday. On Tuesday morning, Schad reported that Nebraska coaches had discussed Keller's pending arrival and that Nebraska's quarterbacks had been briefed on the decision. Keller, who was named the Sun Devils' starting quarterback on Friday, only to lose the job to sophomore Rudy Carpenter two days later, had also considered transferring to Louisville or UTEP, not Colorado or Oklahoma, as reported elsewhere, a source said. Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com reported earlier that Keller was told Monday by ASU coach Dirk Koetter that he would be released from his scholarship. Mike Keller is a former professional football player and knows Callahan. Sam Keller would have one season of eligibility left and would succeed senior Zac Taylor as Nebraska's starting QB in 2007. Keller, who started seven games for Arizona State last season before breaking his thumb, would have to sit out this coming season under NCAA transfer rules if he decides to leave the Sun Devils for another Division I-A program. He would have one season of eligibility remaining in 2007. Keller was one of the top-rated passers in Division I-A in 2005 before he was hurt, completing 58 percent of his passes (155-for-264) for 2,165 yards with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Carpenter rallied the Sun Devils to a 4-1 record in their last five games last season and was named MVP of Arizona State's 45-40 victory over Rutgers in the Insight Bowl. He led Division I-A in pass efficiency by completing 68 percent of his passes (156-for-228) for 2,273 yards with 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions. The players were involved in one of the most intense position battles in college football during preseason camp. Koetter announced Keller would be the team's starting quarterback Friday, but then abruptly reversed his decision two days later after meeting with the school's athletic director and a group of team leaders. "It's simple. I made a mistake on the quarterback situation and I'm changing my mind," Koetter said after Sunday's practice. Keller, from Danville, Calif., would seem to be a perfect fit for Nebraska coach Bill Callahan's West Coast offense. Taylor is a senior, and highly regarded freshman Harrison Beck went AWOL during Nebraska's preseason camp and transferred to North Carolina State. If Keller leaves Arizona State, the Sun Devils would have only one other scholarship quarterback on their roster: freshman Danny Sullivan. COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS- (associated press): byu suspends atarting cb for opener. Brigham Young coach Bronco Mendenhall suspended defensive back Cole Miyahira one game Tuesday for violating team rules. Mendenhall issued a statement saying Miyahira, who was contending for a starting spot, would sit out the season opener Sept. 2 against Arizona. "We have addressed and resolved this matter internally," Mendenhall said. "It's now behind us and we look forward to having Cole rejoin the team after the Arizona game." Miyahira and secondary coach Jaime Hill clashed during practice Tuesday and Miyahira ended up leaving more than an hour early, The Salt Lake Tribune reported on its Web site. Mendenhall said after practice he wasn't aware of the spat and wouldn't comment. Hill also declined comment. FREE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS- (espn.com): former miami hurricane enrolls at west la cc. Former Miami linebacker Willie Williams has enrolled at West Los Angeles College of the Western State Conference and has been cleared to play this season, coach Craig Austin told ESPN's Joe Schad on Tuesday. Austin is a Los Angeles County Sheriff and has pledged to personally monitor Williams, whose stepfather Leonard Pressley will move from Miami to Los Angeles as well. Williams is on campus and ready to attend classes. "I'm a guy that cares about the community and gives back, in part, by coaching this football team," Austin said. "Willie's dad was very diligent in his research. I have a very strict disciplinarian policy and Willie will be under the same guidance that everybody else is. He will adhere to team rules. You know, he is more hospitable and polite than most of the guys here right now. And he's got some God-fearing, loving parents who are concerned." Williams had been placed on probation but was rewarded for good behavior and had that probation terminated Friday, six months early, his attorney said. Williams had been serving 36 months' probation after pleading no contest to a felony and a misdemeanor charge stemming from a recruiting visit to the University of Florida, his attorney Paul Lazarus said. He faced a misdemeanor battery charge for allegedly hugging a woman without consent and a felony charge of setting off fire extinguishers at his hotel. His probation was scheduled to end in February. Austin said that a West Los Angeles College assistant had spoken with a Miami assistant, who described the linebacker as a "model citizen." As for his football ability, Austin said of Williams: "This is a premier linebacker who can be unblockable." Austin, though in his first season at West Los Angeles College, was once offensive coordinator at Santa Monica College, where he called plays for a team that featured current NFL standouts Chad Johnson and Steve Smith. Austin, who said he now supervises 35 deputy sheriffs, said West Los Angeles College has been home for players like Keyshawn Johnson and Warren Moon. As for Williams, Austin said: "Willie told me that he loves football and wants to help this team win. He's a great student. He's committed to education. And we're very excited to have him here with us." Williams' trouble with the law became public in February 2004 when his record of 11 arrests
was revealed on the same day he signed a letter of intent with the Hurricanes.
He was allowed to enroll at Miami, provided he adhered to strict academic and off-field
ground rules. But he never became a starter with the Hurricanes, which prompted his search
for a new school.
Earlier this week, Williams intended to enroll at Pearl River Community College in
Mississippi, but that plan went awry days later -- leaving him without a team.
The university, in a report to the NCAA released Tuesday following an open records request by The Associated Press, said it banned athletes from working at Big Red Sports and Imports after Oklahoma's compliance staff received "poor and inappropriate treatment" from the dealership's prior management. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops dismissed starting quarterback Rhett Bomar and his roommate, offensive lineman J.D. Quinn, on Aug. 2 after the university's compliance staff uncovered the violations. After the dismissals, Stoops said that Bomar and Quinn "knowingly" broke the rules. In the report, the university said it compared athletes' time cards with class schedules, summer workouts, practice schedules and other time commitments and found no evidence that other athletes were "paid for working during practice or class times." Seven athletes worked at the dealership during one summer -- four washing and detailing cars, and three moving cars around Big Red's lots. For Bomar and Quinn, whose names are redacted from the report, the university found inconsistencies showing there were "substantially more hours" claimed on W-2 forms than were listed on a time card report. The university report states that Big Red did not maintain consistent, up-to-date records on vehicles, financing and sales and that "the employment records maintained and provided by Big Red for temporary summer employment were also at times incomplete or in conflict with other records they maintained on the same employee." The report indicates that some athletes did not know how to use the dealership's time card system and did not have time card records for several weeks at the beginning of their employment. It also shows that the time card reports "frequently" would have a clock in time but no clock out time. The amount of the extra benefit received by the players was redacted from the report, but it indicates that athletes were generally paid either $10 per hour or $70 per day. Bomar's father, Jerry Bomar, told The Oklahoman on Tuesday that the overpayment was "between $5,000-7,000." However, the dealership is now under new management and the current owners cooperated with the university's investigation, according to the report. In an interview with Oklahoma investigators, Stoops said he called Big Red manager Brad McRae in either 2004 or 2005 to make sure his players were there and "doing the right things, make sure they're working hard, um, and to make sure things were done right." "I had specifically asked to make sure, um, that they're working the hours they're supposed to work, that they're getting paid as they should, that they're treating them like you would your other employees," Stoops said in the interview. Stoops also said he declined McRae's offer to meet privately this February. Oklahoma's internal investigation was sparked by an anonymous e-mail to university President David Boren on March 3. The university had previously investigated the circumstances by which tailback Adrian Peterson bought a car and then returned to the dealership it several weeks later, determining the arrangement did not violate NCAA regulations. The dismissals of Bomar and Quinn came 3{ months after Oklahoma appeared before the NCAA Committee on Infractions for violations that occurred under former men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson. While additional limits were placed on Sampson's recruiting at Indiana, the NCAA accepted Oklahoma's self-imposed probation on the basketball program and its limits on recruiting trips and scholarships following the investigation into 577 impermissible phone calls by Sampson and his staff. The school also avoided a severe "lack of institutional control finding," although the NCAA also found secondary violations by Oklahoma's softball and men's gymnastics teams. Bomar set an Oklahoma freshman record with 2,018 passing yards last season after taking over as the starter in Week 2. Quinn was expected to compete for a starting spot after making four starts last season at right guard. Paul Thompson, who started the 2005 season opener before being moved to wide receiver, has moved back to quarterback to replace Bomar. The 10th-ranked Sooners open the regular season Sept. 2 against Alabama-Birmingham. COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS: (espn.com) former longhorn appeals eligibility status Former Texas running back Ramonce Taylor enrolled in classes at Texas College on Monday, the school announced. Taylor wasn't able to return to UT because he was academically ineligible, but ESPN's Joe Schad reported Tuesday that Taylor might be eligible at Texas College after an appeal to the NAIA. Taylor scored a touchdown in Texas' Rose Bowl win over Southern California. But he missed spring practice because of academic problems and in May was arrested on a marijuana possession charge, which is still pending. In a statement released by Texas officials in July, Taylor thanked his teammates and coach Mack Brown. The statement did not say where he planned to transfer. "Frederick Douglass once said, 'No struggle, no progress.' I've had my share of struggles and now it's time for progress," Taylor said. "I want to thank my teammates who supported me through any struggle," he said. "I also need to thank Coach Brown for always being honest and never changing. He always treated me as a person first and not just a football player. I'll always respect him for that." One of the Longhorns' most versatile players, Taylor scored 15 touchdowns last season, playing both running back and wide receiver. "We appreciate all that R.T. contributed to our program," Brown said. "We wish him the very best in football and in life." Despite Taylor's departure, Texas has depth at running back. Jamaal Charles rushed for 878 yards and 11 touchdowns as a freshman last season and senior Selvin Young and sophomore Henry Melton combined for 893 yards and 18 TDs. COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS. (associated press) tennessee booster being investigated. A University of Tennessee trustee collected cash from fans and some former athletes gathered at his house to give to assistant coach Trooper Taylor for speaking at their barbecue dinner, according to documents released Monday. The donations totaled $3,000, an amount the university found to be too high and in violation of NCAA rules that do not permit outside sources from paying an athletic department staff member for an unspecified reason. Officials said last week they planned to report the violation, which is considered secondary, to the Southeastern Conference. On Monday, The Associated Press obtained the self-report, a letter from Tennessee president John Petersen to trustee Karl Schledwitz dated Aug. 17 and a letter to Taylor from athletic director Mike Hamilton dated Monday. Secondary violations are fairly routine, and the conference usually accepts the punishments universities impose on themselves. Schledwitz, a former student government president at Tennessee, invited about 20 fans and alumni to his home in Memphis in July and asked Taylor to speak to the group about the upcoming season. Schledwitz told Taylor an "honorarium" would be paid but gave no specific amount. Schledwitz had mentioned the idea of inviting Taylor to his home to coach Phillip Fulmer in June, according to the documents. After Taylor spoke, Schledwitz announced he would be accepting donations for an honorarium for Taylor and said any donations would be completely voluntary, according to the self-report written by Brad Bertani, associate athletic director for compliance. Individuals interviewed for the report said there was no mention of any connection between the honorarium and recruiting. Bertani said the usual amount paid to coaches for such speaking engagements is between $500 and $1,500. The $3,000, which Taylor deposited in his bank account the next day, will go into the Thornton Athletic Academic advising budget. Athletic department staff will now be required to fill out an approval form for speaking engagements, noting any honorarium and the amount. "Please contact Mr. Bertani before initiating any activity involving coaches, other members of the athletics staff or student-athletes. Your involvement in another activity found to be in violation of NCAA rules would have serious consequences,'' Petersen wrote to Schledwitz. A letter of admonishment to Taylor will be placed in his personnel file for one year. Taylor was in Memphis at the time of the gathering to watch his son play in a baseball tournament. FREE College Football PICKS |