Kansas coach Mangino wins Bear Bryant award
HOUSTON (AP) -- Kansas coach Mark Mangino won the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award on Thursday as the college football coach of the year.
"I'm honored to win Coach Bryant's award," said Mangino, who coached the Jayhawks to an 12-1 record and a win in the Orange Bowl. "It's a reflection on the people who made our program great, the players, the assistant coaches and others in the school.
"I'm the head coach but it takes a lot to have a successful program. I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I'm smart enough to know you've got to get good people around you to win."
Mangino never met Bryant, but said, "when I was younger, I watched him on TV and I read everything I could read about him and tried to figure out what he did, how he did it to win all those games."
Mangino was also the AP's coach of the year and won the Eddie Robinson Award handed out by the Football Writers Association of America.
Kansas set school records for wins in a season and highest ranking, when Kansas was ranked No. 2 in the nation in November.
The Jayhawks were among the nation's top teams in scoring offense, total offense, scoring defense and total defense and led the nation in fewest penalties and turnover margin.
Mangino took the award over seven finalists including Les Miles, who coached LSU to the national championship, Missouri's Gary Pinkel and Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech.
Other finalists were Mississippi State's Sylvester Croom, former Hawaii coach June Jones, and Ron Zook of Illinois.
Former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne, who won 255 games in 25 years with the Cornhuskers, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Heisman runner-up McFadden handcuffed briefly in bar scuffle
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden was handcuffed by police and then released without charges after being involved in a "pretty rowdy scene" at a piano bar early Thursday.
Arkansas' All-America running back and at least four others were at the downtown bar, called Ernie Biggs, when a disturbance broke out shortly after midnight, police Lt. Terry Hastings said. A bouncer was hit in the face as he was trying to get the group to leave, Hastings said. A police report did not specify who hit the bouncer.
"There was a whole bunch of people there," Hastings said. "They were inside and it spilled out into the street."
Outside, McFadden was handcuffed by a police officer "because he was agitated and was provoking aggressive behavior inciting the incident," according to the police report.
"We handcuffed him for a few minutes because he was rowdy," Hastings said.
McFadden, who was the only person handcuffed, was released after he calmed down. Hastings said it was routine procedure to handcuff a person to gain control of a situation.
Thursday evening before an appearance at the Little Rock Touchdown Club, where he was to be honored with an award, McFadden declined comment, through a university spokesman.
McFadden's mother, Mini Muhammad, said her son was trying to protect his younger brother, Daryl.
"He wasn't the one that was fighting. It was his little brother -- someone had jumped on him," Muhammad said. "He was agitated because his brother had a bloody nose.
"Darren was not fighting -- please make that be known," she added.
Hastings said bar employee Brant Hankins was advised that he could pursue charges against the person who hit him. The police report classified the incident as misdemeanor battery.
In the summer of 2006 in a fight outside another Little Rock club, McFadden severely injured his toe, but recovered in time to play in the Razorbacks' season opener.
McFadden, who also finished second in the 2006 Heisman voting, holds Arkansas' career and single-season rushing records. The junior has yet to announce whether he will forgo his senior year and enter the NFL draft.
The disturbance will be investigated by state Alcoholic Beverage Control agents once the ABC office receives the police report, said agency director Carl Kirkland. Ernie Biggs is a private club that serves alcohol but not food. State law does not allow a private club to admit anyone under 21 if the business does not serve food.
The Little Rock bar also allows smoking, and state law allows smoking in only certain establishments, but does not allow those businesses to admit anyone under 21.
Ed Barham, a spokesman for the state Health Department, which enforces the smoking ban, said the agency will look into the disturbance after hearing about it through the media. He said if it appears the club violated the law, the agency will refer the matter to the state Board of Health.
There was no response to a message left on an answering machine at the club Thursday afternoon.
Hankins said Thursday he had no comment on the incident or on McFadden's involvement.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Texas A&M apologizes over student's remarks about Paterno needing a 'casket'
SAN ANTONIO -- Texas A&M apologized to Penn State after a student leader mocked Joe Paterno by telling a crowd that the 81-year-old coach needs "a casket."
Paterno and his Penn State team face A&M on Saturday night in the Alamo Bowl.
One A&M yell leader, during a pep rally Thursday night, told the crowd that Paterno was "on his death bed" and "someone needs to find him a casket." The remarks drew boos from the crowd.
A&M team spokesman Alan Cannon said Friday he did not know the name of the yell leader, though the student has been sent home.
The yell leaders -- similar to cheerleaders -- are A&M's official "spirit" organization and lead fans' cheers during games and other school events. They are elected by the student body.
Paterno, at a news conference Friday at the Alamodome, said he was backstage with Aggies interim coach Gary Darnell when the comments were made, but did not hear them.
"I think everybody has to take things with a grain of salt," Paterno said. "Some young guy went up there, trying to be funny. Maybe he's accurate, I don't know."
Texas A&M's interim president, Eddie Davis, and athletic director Bill Byrne later apologized to their Penn State counterparts.
"I honestly didn't hear it, and I don't particularly care about it," Paterno said Friday. "Sticks and stones will break your bones but names will never hurt you."
Paterno, a 42-year head-coaching veteran, is about to enter the last year of a four-year contract that expires following the 2008 season.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Cleaning house: Rich Rodriguez fires Michigan assistant coaches
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Rich Rodriguez fired Michigan's assistant coaches Thursday, his second day as an employee of the school.
Rodriguez met with the coaches one by one at Schembechler Hall, as retiring coach Lloyd Carr packed up his belongings in boxes, clearing space for his successor.
"I can understand that he wants to bring in the people that have been with him for years," defensive coordinator Ron English told The Associated Press after having dinner with the coaching staff. "But when you lose your job, it's hard."
Michigan athletic director Bill Martin declined comment.
Carr will coach the Wolverines on Jan. 1 against Florida in the Capital One Bowl, ending his 13th season as their head coach, then Rodriguez will take over.
But the former West Virginia coach already put his mark on the program by firing each of Carr's assistants, all of whom were given two-year deals in March that will pay them through Feb. 28, 2009. Their firings are effective after the bowl game.
English was fired along with Mike DeBord, offensive coordinator; Fred Jackson, wide receivers and associate head coach; Erik Campbell, wide receivers and assistant head coach; Vance Bedford, defensive backs; Scot Loeffler, quarterbacks; Andy Moeller, offensive line; Steve Stripling, defensive line; and Steve Szabo, linebackers.
While helping Michigan prepare to play the Gators, the assistant coaches are free to pursue other jobs. If they don't land a job, they will still be paid by the school.
Before news of the firings broke Thursday night, several players were made available for interviews about the Capital One Bowl and some seemed to have a good impression of their future coach after he watched them practice twice this week.
"Rodriguez could come in and kind of be a distraction for us and want to talk about what he wants to do and talk about next year, but he really hasn't," cornerback Morgan Trent said. "He understands we're trying to win a game here."
Rodriguez started his new job Wednesday by watching Michigan practice.
He was introduced as Carr's replacement on Monday morning, then returned to West Virginia later that day. His resignation as the Mountaineers' coach was moved up from Jan. 3 to midnight Tuesday.
Details and payment of Rodriguez's $4 million buyout in his West Virginia contract still must be worked out. His agent, Mike Brown, said Rodriguez previous comment, "The lawyers are working on it," still stands and declined Wednesday to say whether the buyout clause would be contested.
Michigan and Rodriguez have agreed to the structure of a contract, but Brown deferred comment on a timetable for completing the deal to Martin, who did not respond to a question about the deal via e-mail on Thursday. A message seeking comment was left with Martin.
Rodriguez will not coach the Mountaineers against Oklahoma on Jan. 2 in the Fiesta Bowl.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Southern Miss names Fedora coach
HATTIESBURG, Mississippi (Ticker) -- Southern Mississippi named Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Larry Fedora as its new football coach Wednesday.
Fedora, 45, replaces long-time Golden Eagles coach Jeff Bower, who resigned last month after 17 seasons at Southern Mississippi.
Fedora has spent the past three years as Oklahoma State's offensive coordinator after similar stints at Florida and Middle Tennessee State.
This is a great day," Southern Mississippi president Martha Saunders said. "I've talked at length with Coach Fedora and feel that he has the best interest of the student-athlete at heart. I believe he can take us to the next level of excellence."
Fedora will have a tough act to follow, as Bower posted a 119-82-1 record at Southern Miss while guiding the Golden Eagles to 14 consecutive winning seasons.
Bower will coach the Golden Eagles in the Papajohns.com Bowl against Cincinnati on December.
Southern Miss is making its sixth straight bowl appearance and the 10th in the last 11 years.
Fedora helped improve the offensive production at Oklahoma State. In the last two years, the Cowboys ranked in the top 10 in rushing yards per game and in the top 20 in total offense.
"Larry is ready for the job," Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said. "He is disciplined, and a hard worker. He has great people skills and relates well to the players, and he'll put together a quality coaching staff."
During Fedora's three-year tenure at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys raised their rushing, passing and total offensive yards each season.
Oklahoma State is one of only two programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision to average more than 230 yards passing and running in each of the last two seasons.
"Larry Fedora is an outstanding person in every respect and will make a terrific head coach," Southern Miss athletic director Richard Giannini said. "Everyone we talked with raved about his ability as a coach, teacher and recruiter."
Copyright 2007 PA SportsTicker. All Rights Reserved
Former QBs face off as coaches in New Mexico Bowl
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- The quarterbacks are in charge at the New Mexico Bowl.
Nevada coach Chris Ault and New Mexico's Rocky Long have overseen their teams for years, but an interesting angle to their bowl matchup is that both are former quarterbacks who became head coaches at their old schools.
They agreed Thursday it provides a different perspective on the job.
"When you're an alum of your university, your coaching feelings run deeper than most coaches," said Ault, a Wolf Pack quarterback from 1965-67. "You can't command it. It's just there. Things that happen, you take them a little deeper."
Long, who took snaps for the Lobos from 1969-71, was defensive coordinator at Wyoming, Oregon State and UCLA before being hired to direct New Mexico's program in 1998. There was a difference in his first head coaching job.
"You're emotionally tied to the school. You're emotionally tied to the program," Long said. "I don't know if it means you work harder, but you put a little more of yourself into it. It's a lot more than just a job."
Long sometimes discusses games, recruits or events by explaining where they fit in the context of New Mexico's program.
College football thrives on its history, nationally and regionally. Long said any coach who doesn't understand his program's history is at a disadvantage, and that's where an alum who coaches the team might have an advantage.
"There's been a couple cases here lately where coaches have lost jobs because they didn't embrace the history of the program," Long said. "They thought they were going to come in and do it their way and it kind of backfired."
For example, recently fired Nebraska coach Bill Callahan alienated fans by eliminating a walk-on program that thrived under former coach Tom Osborne, producing quality players and helping rural fans connect to the team.
As for Ault, he's practically a walking media guide on Nevada football.
The Hall of Fame coach took over the Wolf Pack program from 1976-92, guiding Nevada as it started at Division II, moved through I-AA in the Big Sky Conference and ultimately to Division I.
He also served as Nevada's athletics director from 1986-2003 and returned to coach football from 1994-95 after a one-year break. When Nevada needed a coach in 2003, he stepped down as AD to take up his whistle one more time.
As an alum, administrator and coach, Ault said he feels strongly invested.
"The beauty of my situation is I'm one of the few people at the university who can connect the past with the present," he said. "I really believe in that. I'm a great traditionalist. I believe in tradition, not just in athletics but for the university itself."
When it comes to the X's and O's, however, Ault and Long really can't rely on what they learned when they played.
After all, the game has changed radically since their playing days, and Long evolved into a defensive coach, the architect of a blitz-crazy 3-3-5 scheme that has drawn national acclaim for its effectiveness.
"There's nothing we do that was like when I was playing. There's nothing he does that he did when he was playing," Long said.
Ault agreed, saying if he tossed 20 passes during a game, he might have needed an ice pack afterward. But he has found a few carryovers from quarterback to coach, mostly when it comes to leadership and game management.
Not that he drums his players with it.
"I don't really reflect back too much on my days as a player to my team," Ault said, "because most of them would just laugh."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Louisville K Carmody sets NCAA record for most points by kicker
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Louisville kicker Art Carmody set an NCAA record for most career points by a kicker with a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter of Louisville's 41-38 win over Rutgers on Thursday night.
Carmody added five extra points and the game-winning field goal with 20 seconds left to finish with 433 career points, surpassing the record of 423 by Houston kicker Roman Anderson from 1988-91.
Carmody, the 2006 Lou Groza winner as the nation's top kicker, already has the NCAA mark for career extra points with 253. Carmody made 21-of-25 field goals and all 60 extra points in 2006 while helping the Cardinals win the Big East and the Orange Bowl.
Carmody established an NCAA record in 2004 for consecutive extra points in a season by making 77 without a miss.
Former Miami of Ohio running back Travis Prentiss has the career scoring record for non-kickers with 468 points on 78 career touchdowns.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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