Friday, December 07, 2001
College football notebook
CB Ross done at OSU; Gruden out of Irish pool
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS — Cornerback Derek Ross has played his last game in an Ohio State uniform. Ross, who led the Big Ten with seven interceptions this year, had shoulder and toe surgery Wednesday and will not be available when the Buckeyes play in the Outback Bowl on Jan.1.
The junior met with coach Jim Tressel on Monday and said he would give up his final season of eligibility to make himself available for the NFL draft, Ohio State spokesman Steve Snapp said.
Tressel has not made a decision on who will take Ross' place in the Buckeyes' starting lineup, Snapp said. Ohio State begins bowl practice today. The Buckeyes' opponent has yet to be determined.
“On the two-deep, I've got Bobby Britton and Cie Grant as the starters,” Snapp said. Grant has started at the cornerback spot opposite Ross all season.
Ross has called a news conference for Friday at the university's Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Ross had 39 solo tackles, one sack and forced one fumble.
NOTRE DAME:
Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden said Thursday he isn't a candidate for the Notre Dame football job.
“I've got a job,” said Gruden, who was considered a leading candidate. “I've tried to say that from the very beginning and I don't want to speculate on any other job, except the job I have.
“All I can comment on is the Oakland Raiders and that's all I know right now, unfortunately.”
Gruden, whose father, Jim, was an assistant coach at Notre Dame in the late 1980s, played high school football in South Bend, Ind., and was an avid fan of the Fighting Irish. That and Gruden's success coaching the Raiders this season fueled speculation Gruden was the leading candidate to replace Bob Davie, who was fired Sunday.
LOUISVILLE:
Coach John L. Smith was named the Conference USA Coach of the Year for the second straight year, the league said.
Louisville went 10-2 in Smith's fourth season, only the school's second 10-win campaign.
The Cardinals also went 6-1 in Conference USA, earning their second straight bid to the Liberty Bowl. Louisville has reached a bowl in each of Smith's four seasons, unprecedented in school history.
Smith has posted a 33-15 record at Louisville, setting school records for the most wins over a four-year period, three-year period (26) and two-year period (19).
ALABAMA:
Alabama will cut 15 football scholarships over the next three years in response to NCAA charges of rules violations.
The university also said it had severed ties with three athletic boosters accused of offering money to high school stars and would cut back on recruiting. The school said it will not give up a postseason bowl or televised game.
The self-imposed sanctions were part of Alabama's 750-page response to the NCAA.
The documents showed the university admitted to some key violations — including that an athletic representative made “substantial cash payments” to a high school recruit in the mid-1990s.
But the university disagreed with other allegations, and it pointed the finger at rival Auburn for turning in the Crimson Tide five years ago on an alleged violation.
The documents were in response to 11 major charges and five minor charges leveled against the university by the NCAA.
The NCAA is expected to impose penalties on its own in January or February. The sanctioning organization could accept Alabama's self-imposed punishments in whole or in part or impose other, harsher measures.
The NCAA allegations do not involve new Crimson Tide coach Dennis Franchione and his staff.
AWARDS:
Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey won the Maxwell Award and Nebraska's Eric Crouch took the Davey O'Brien quarterback trophy Thursday night during the college football awards show.
BYU's Luke Staley, who ran for 1,582 yards and led the nation in scoring with 28 touchdowns, won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's best running back, beating out Maryland's Bruce Perry and Tennessee's Travis Stephens. North Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers won the Chuck Bednarik Trophy for the nation's top defensive player, adding to the Lombardi Award he received Wednesday as the top college lineman. Peppers won over Oklahoma's Rocky Calmus and Syracuse's Dwight Freeney.
Bryant McKinnie, Miami's massive left tackle, won the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman, beating out Tennessee's John Henderson and Nebraska's Toniu Fonoti.
Other award winners Thursday night were LSU wide receiver Josh Reed (Biletnikoff Award), safety Roy Williams (Jim Thorpe Award) and Purdue punter Travis Dorsch (Ray Guy Award).
MOUNT UNION:
Running back Chuck Moore was announced as winner of the Gagliardi Trophy, given annually to the most outstanding player in Division III football.
Moore will receive the ninth annual Gagliardi Trophy next week at a luncheon in Salem, Va., kicking off festivities for the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. The Stagg Bowl will be played Dec.15.
The defending national champion Mount Union Purple Raiders (12-0) play host to St. John's (11-2) of Minnesota on Saturday in the national semifinals.
FLORIDA:
Backup quarterback Brock Berlin is considering transferring after the season.
“I've learned a lot these past two years,” Berlin told the Orlando Sentinel, “and it just didn't work out the way I thought it would. I'm going to think it over and go from there.”
Berlin was considered a top high school prospect when coach Steve Spurrier signed him two seasons ago.
Spurrier used him as a reserve last season, burning a year of Berlin's eligibility. It was a move the coach later admitted was a mistake. Both Berlin and Heisman candidate Rex Grossman are sophomores, leading some to suggest Berlin might take a redshirt year next season to stagger himself and Grossman.
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