Rich Rodriguez: 'There seems to be a campaign to try to smear me'
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Rich Rodriguez wanted to focus on the future when he left West Virginia to coach Michigan's football team.
A month later, Rodriguez was compelled to talk about the past.
There seems to be a campaign to try to smear me," Rodriguez said Thursday during a hastily scheduled conference call. "I haven't said anything until recently, when I felt I needed to defend all the false accusations.
"It has just gotten ridiculous over the last couple of days."
An investigation into missing files from Rodriguez's former office revealed the academic records of West Virginia football players are secure after a newspaper report raised questions about missing paperwork.
"There's so many inaccuracies and falsehood and innuendo, at some point, you get tired of getting beat up," he said. "It was that I erased academic files, then the next day, 'Oh no, that didn't happen.' The corrections are on page six and the lead story is on page one."
Rodriguez said he only removed personal papers, such as notes about players or his game plans.
"There was an implication that I had all these secret files and I was throwing them away, but it's simply not true," Rodriguez said.
The West Virginia native and former Mountaineer player expected hard feelings when he left to lead the Wolverines, but he has been disappointed by the scope of the resentment.
"I know there is disappointment and hard feelings because it's a small state and the program is a source of great pride, but this campaign is not helping West Virginia's program," he said. "You're trying to hurt Rich Rodriguez, but you're hurting West Virginia."
West Virginia has sued him to collect on a $4 million buyout clause in his contract. On Wednesday, the case was transferred from Monongalia County Circuit Court to U.S. District Court in Clarksburg.
The court filing indicated Rodriguez had established residency in Michigan by the time the lawsuit was filed.
"We're perfectly comfortable and happy to litigate this case in any court," said Thomas Flaherty, a Charleston attorney representing the university. "This is not unanticipated."
The move gives Rodriguez five extra days, until next Wednesday, to file a response to the lawsuit. The initial deadline was Friday. The jurisdiction move also means any appeals would be filed through the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., instead of the state Supreme Court.
"I changed jobs. This is America, and sometimes you change jobs," Rodriguez said. "I would hope that at some point when emotions cool down, that you can see the good things."
Rodriguez also addressed questions about another story in the Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail, which reported that West Virginia officials were concerned Rodriguez contacted Michigan recruits before he resigned as Mountaineers coach.
The newspaper also reported Rodriguez's West Virginia cell phone records show he called two Michigan recruits and possibly a third from his WVU-issued phone on Dec. 16 after he told the Mountaineers players he was going to Michigan. He was introduced at Michigan the next day.
During the conference call, Rodriguez insisted he did not contact any Michigan recruits while he was still employed by West Virginia.
Last month, West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin blamed the involvement of what he termed "high-priced agents" for changing Rodriguez as a person.
Rodriguez said Manchin has called him to apologize.
"I said, 'Why did you say those things? It kind of hurt me,"' Rodriguez recalled. "He apologized and said, 'Maybe I shouldn't have said some things.' He said in the future, he could put things in a positive light.
"That was on Christmas, but I haven't heard anything."
On Thursday while attending a West Virginia men's basketball game in Morgantown, Manchin recalled speaking with Rodriguez after the coach had taken the Michigan job.
"I said, 'You made your decision and I wish you well.' I told him people were upset and hurt, but they'll move on -- we'll all move on," Manchin said.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Running back class gets deeper: Rashard Mendenhall to leave Illinois early for NFL draft
Rashard Mendenhall is leaving Illinois to enter the NFL draft, adding another top prospect to a deep class of running backs.
Wide receivers Malcolm Kelly (Oklahoma) and Earl Bennett (Vanderbilt) were among the other players who announced Thursday they will pass up their remaining eligibility to enter the April draft. Clemson defensive end Phillip Merling is turning pro as well.
West Virginia wideout Darius Reynaud also will enter the draft, according to a person in the Mountaineers athletic department who spoke on condition of anonymity because the school had not yet made an announcement.
Mendenhall, perhaps the biggest star so far to bolt early from college, will skip his senior year at Illinois after rushing for a school-record 1,681 yards while leading the Illini to the Rose Bowl this season.
He thinks he'll be drafted in the first round after getting feedback from the NFL, and some draft analysts expect him to be selected that high.
"I'm just confident in my abilities and where I'll go in the draft," Mendenhall said during a news conference at his high school in Skokie, Ill.
Other attractive running backs in the draft include Texas' Jamaal Charles, Clemson's James Davis, Michigan's Mike Hart, Tulane's Mike Forte, Rutgers' Ray Rice and Central Florida's Kevin Smith. The list could get even longer if Darren McFadden (Arkansas), Felix Jones (Arkansas) and Steve Slaton (West Virginia) forgo their senior seasons.
The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft is next Tuesday.
After five straight losing seasons, Illinois went 9-4 and upset No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus late in the season on the way to its first Rose Bowl appearance in 24 years. Although the season ended with a 49-17 loss to Southern California, Mendenhall went out in style.
He broke off a 79-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter and turned a screen pass into a 55-yard gain a few minutes later. He finished with 155 yards on 17 carries and caught five passes for 59 yards.
Besides setting the school's single-season rushing mark, the 5-foot-11 Mendenhall also set records for rushing touchdowns (17), total touchdowns (19), 100-yard games (eight), all-purpose yards (1,999) and scoring (114 points) in his first season as the Illini's featured back.
"Rashard had an amazing season," Illinois coach Ron Zook said in a statement. "His performance this year showed that he will be a very talented back at the next level."
The 6-foot-4, 219-pound Kelly also is a potential first-round pick. He was Oklahoma's second-leading receiver this season with 49 receptions for 821 yards and nine touchdowns, helping the No. 8 Sooners finish 11-3. His 21 career touchdown catches rank second in school history behind Mark Clayton's 30.
"We're excited for Malcolm and his family," coach Bob Stoops said. "He was an outstanding player in our program and we appreciate all of his efforts."
Bennett leaves Vanderbilt as the leading receiver in Southeastern Conference history with 236 catches in three seasons. He has 28 more catches than Craig Yeast, who played four years at Kentucky.
"If I came back, there was always a risk that I could get injured," Bennett said. "There were a lot of pluses and a lot of minuses. I couldn't go wrong with my decision whether I came back or whether I left."
Commodores coach Bobby Johnson said he supported Bennett's decision to skip his senior season.
"This is one of the great things about America. You've got choices to make," Johnson said. "I have no doubts that Earl will be a fantastic player in the NFL."
Bennett finished 2007 with 75 receptions for 830 yards and five touchdowns. He is the only receiver in SEC history to have three 75-catch seasons.
Bennett has 20 career touchdown catches and ranks ninth in league history with 2,852 yards receiving.
In his freshman year, Bennett set an SEC record with 79 catches for 876 yards and nine touchdowns with current Denver Broncos starter Jay Cutler at quarterback for Vanderbilt.
The 5-foot-10 Reynaud was the top receiving threat in West Virginia's run-oriented spread offense. He had 733 yards receiving this season and scored two touchdowns in a 48-28 Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma, helping the Mountaineers (11-2) finish the season ranked No. 6 in the country.
His 64 catches tied for the fourth-most in a season in school history and his 12 TD catches matched Chris Henry's school record set in 2004. Reynaud was named to the all-Big East second team for a second straight season. He finished in the top 10 in school history in kickoff return yards and all-purpose yards.
A senior who is expected to graduate in May and earn eligibility for a fifth season, Reynaud and his longtime girlfriend have a 2-year-old daughter.
Merling had seven sacks and led Clemson with 17 tackles for loss, helping the Tigers (9-4) finish this season ranked No. 21 in the country. He was fourth on the squad with 78 total tackles.
"I advised him to remain for his senior year, but he felt this was the best decision for his future," Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said. "I will help him any way I can as he prepares for the draft."
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Hawaii enjoying New Orleans while preparing for Sugar Bowl
NEW ORLEANS -- With Waikiki in its backyard, Hawaii knows how off-field distractions can get in the way. So the Warriors have a strategy of experiencing the Big Easy heading into the Sugar Bowl: get the distractions out of the way early.
No. 10 Hawaii, which arrived in New Orleans on Wednesday and faces No. 4 Georgia on Tuesday, had no curfew for the first two nights and was encouraged to enjoy the town with teammates and family members. With no limits on the travel roster, Hawaii brought 111 players, including scout-team members.
"This is a great group of kids and I am not worried we are going to do anything we would be ashamed of," coach June Jones said Thursday. "It's OK with me to let them experience something they may never get to experience again."
Despite an 11-hour flight through four time zones, jet lag wasn't an issue. The players went shopping, walked around the French Quarter and took in the sights.
One of the Warriors' favorite attractions was the New Orleans Saints' indoor practice facility, where they opened practice Thursday. The team took the field right after the Saints.
"This is cool," Warriors quarterback Colt Brennan said. "This is obviously the next level, a place where a lot of us are trying to get. To be here, to see it, is really neat."
Jones said it's been a world-wind experience so far.
"I tried to share with the team that this is the big time and the city of New Orleans is a great place to visit," he said. "A Super Bowl atmosphere surrounds us."
Brennan said the first hurdle for the Warriors (12-0) was dealing with all the attention.
"We just got to get over the fact that we're on this big stage I think, once we're over that, we'll be fine," the senior said.
Saints coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis watched the first half-hour of Hawaii's scheduled two-hour practice.
"We're not really here scouting," Loomis said. "We're just allowing them to use the facilities."
He was well-aware, however, of the talent on the Warriors, who won their first outright Western Athletic Conference title, finished the regular season as the only unbeaten team in major college football and earned a berth to their first Bowl Championship Series appearance.
Loomis said the Saints' story last year, as far as overcoming obstacles and having a special season, is similar to the Warriors' success this year.
With the Warriors working out at the Saints' practice facility this week, the Bulldogs (10-2) are practicing a few miles away at the Louisiana Superdome.
Georgia coach Mark Richt said it's difficult for his scout team to imitate Hawaii's high-powered offense, which averages 529.3 yards and an NCAA-leading 46.2 points.
"You can't duplicate it," Richt said. "You can try to line up with the same sets and try to run the same routes, but it is very difficult to run it with the same precision as they run it and the same precision as Colt Brennan throws the ball."
Brennan expects Georgia to pressure him and play man-to-man, instead of dropping back into a zone defense because, "we kill zone," he said.
"I think with the athletes they have, the speed they have, their philosophy is going to be to blitz, bring the pressure, man-up and knock us off our timing and just rattle us," he said. "It's a good game plan, but we'll be prepared for it."
Brennan said the Bulldogs could be the best defense he's ever faced. But he enjoys being an underdog for the first time this season.
"We understand what's going to be waiting for us in that dome," he said. "But we're excited to be here and we want to live up to that opportunity."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Wabash: Drake hires Wabash coach Creighton as football coach
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Chris Creighton has left Wabash College to take over as Drake's football coach, Wabash said Thursday.
Creighton was 63-15 in seven seasons at Wabash, which reached the NCAA Division III quarterfinals this season before losing to eventual champion Wisconsin-Whitewater.
He replaces Steve Loney, who finished 6-5 in one season as Drake's interim coach after Rob Ash left the school to coach Montana State.
"This was a really hard decision to make," Creighton said. "These last seven years at Wabash have been the best years of my life, both on the field and off the field."
Drake is a non-scholarship program in the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division I-AA. It has scheduled a press conference Friday to introduce Creighton.
Drake athletic director Sandy Hatfield Clubb declined comment Thursday night.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Nix named D coordinator at Ole Miss
OXFORD, Mississippi (Ticker) - Ole Miss football coach Houston Nutt raided the staff of a Southeastern Conference rival to strengthen his own.
Nutt announced Tuesday that former South Carolina defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix has decided to leave the Gamecocks and coach Steve Spurrier to serve as defensive coordinator on Nutt's first staff with the Rebels.
Nix, 35, has been one of the youngest defensive coordinators in Division I college football for the past seven years, running the defense at Southern Miss - his alma mater - and most recently South Carolina.
"Tyrone Nix is one of the up-and-coming, bright defensive coordinators in America," Nutt said. "I love the fact that he has a deep connection with the state of Mississippi. He has a great name in this state, has recruited the state and knows the high school coaches. Tyrone is also an excellent teacher and knows how to relate to young men."
This year, Nix's Gamecocks unit was No. 1 in the SEC and ranked fifth nationally in pass defense, allowing just 168.8 yards per game. In 2006, South Carolina was sixth in the SEC and 29th in the country in scoring defense, surrendering 18.7 points per game.
"Tyrone Nix is a good person, a wonderful family man and an outstanding football coach," Spurrier said. "We wish him the very best at Ole Miss except when they play the Gamecocks. We understand change is part of the coaching profession and hopefully this will be a good move for everyone. I can say to the Gamecocks that I will try my best to hire a proven, outstanding defensive coordinator."
Nix graduated from Southern Miss in 1995 after a standout career as a linebacker and team captain. During his 10 years on the Southern Miss staff, Nix coached every position on defense and served as defensive coordinator the last four seasons, when the Golden Eagles' defense was among college football's toughest.
From 2001-03, Southern Miss was ranked in the top 15 in the nation in both scoring defense and pass efficiency defense each season.
"My family and I have had a wonderful time here in Columbia, South Carolina," Nix said. "I've had an opportunity to work for one of the best head coaches in the game and I've learned a lot of football from him.
"Change is a part of this profession and I think the best thing for me at this time is to go work for the University of Mississippi and see what we can get done there. It will be great to be closer to home."
Copyright 2007 PA SportsTicker. All Rights Reserved
Tebow wins Maxwell and Davey O'Brien on way to Heisman presentation
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Tim Tebow stopped off in central Florida on Thursday on the way to the Heisman Trophy presentation and picked up the Maxwell and Davey O'Brien awards.
The Florida quarterback beat out fellow Heisman finalist Darren McFadden of Arkansas and Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon for the Maxwell Award, given to the nation's best all-round player, at the college football awards show held at the Walt Disney World Resort.
"I just want to thank my teammates and all the seniors back in Gainesville," Tebow said. "I'm just glad to be a Gator."
Tebow, the first player in major college football to run for at least 20 touchdowns and throw for at least 20, is considered the favorite for the Heisman and is trying to become the first underclassmen to win the award.
The Maxwell used to be considered a good barometer for predicting who would win the Heisman, but none of the last seven Maxwell winners have gone on to win college football's most prestigious individual award.
Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn won the Maxwell last season and finished third in the Heisman voting behind Ohio State's Troy Smith and McFadden.
The other Heisman finalists who will be in New York on Saturday night for the award ceremony are Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel and Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan.
Tebow beat out Daniel and Dixon for the O'Brien award, given to the nation's top quarterback.
McFadden won the Doak Walker Award for best running back for the second consecutive season. Ricky Williams of Texas was the last player to win back-to-back Walker awards in 1997-98. McFadden ran for 1,725 yards and had 2,172 all-purpose yards, breaking the school records he set last year.
Penn State linebacker Dan Connor won the Bednarik Trophy as the nation's best defensive player, making it three straight and four overall for the Nittany Lions. Linebacker Paul Posluszny won the Bednarik the past two seasons and linebacker LaVar Arrington won it in 1999.
"It's the reason I went to Penn State because it's Linebacker U.," said Connor, who beat out LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis.
Dorsey won the Outland Trophy as college football's best interior lineman. The senior had already won the Lombardi Award (outstanding lineman) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (outstanding defensive player).
Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree became the first freshman to win the Biletnikoff Award, given to the top receiver. Crabtree leads the nation with 125 catches and 1,861 yards receiving.
Arizona cornerback Antoine Cason won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back, Thomas Weber of Arizona State took the Lou Groza Award for best kicker, and Georgia Tech's Durrant Brooks won the Ray Guy Award as the best punter.
The coach of the year was Kansas' Mark Mangino, who led the Jayhawks to a school-record 11 victories and their first Bowl Championship Series appearance.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Rutgers accepts invitation to play in International Bowl
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- Rutgers has accepted a bid to play in the International Bowl, marking the third consecutive season the Scarlet Knights will play in a bowl game after a nearly three-decade drought.
Rutgers will play a team from the Mid-American Conference, most likely Ball State. The Cardinals earned a share of the MAC's West Division title with a 27-21 victory over Northern Illinois last Saturday.
The Scarlet Knights lost 41-38 at Louisville on Thursday night, dropping to 7-5 overall and 3-4 in the Big East.
The second International Bowl will be played on Jan. 5 at Toronto's Rogers Centre. Cincinnati won the inaugural game in January, defeating Western Michigan 27-24.
"We're thrilled to accept this invitation to play in the International Bowl and I know our team is excited about the opportunity to play in a bowl game for the third consecutive year," Rutgers athletic director Robert E. Mulcahy III said.
Last year, Rutgers won the first bowl game in the program's 137-year history, defeating Kansas State 37-10 in the Texas Bowl. The previous year the Scarlet Knights lost 45-40 to Arizona State in the Insight Bowl.
The program's only other appearance in a bowl game was in 1978.
Rutgers had high hopes entering this season after finishing 11-2 a year ago and missing a BCS berth only after a triple-overtime loss to West Virginia. But consecutive losses to Maryland and Cincinnati in October knocked the Scarlet Knights out of the Top 25.
Subsequent losses to West Virginia and Connecticut dashed any hopes of a Big East title.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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