LINCOLN, Neb. — Already Nebraska’s
interim athletic director,
Tom Osborne declared himself
coach until he hires a successor
to Bill Callahan, allowing the
beloved former Cornhuskers
coach to visit prospective recruits
and try to prevent the program
from slipping during the recruiting
contact period.
Gary Bargen, assistant athletic
director in charge of compliance,
said the interim AD tag would
have limited Osborne to meeting
with prospective recruits only if
they visited campus. Now he can
visit recruits in schools and
homes until Dec. 15.
Several recruits who had been
committed to Nebraska have said
publicly that they are considering
other schools while awaiting
to see who the next coach will be.
Callahan was fired Saturday.
Possible candidates to replace
him include Buffalo coach Turner
Gill, LSU defensive coordinator
Bo Pelini, Wake Forest coach
Jim Grobe and Cincinnati’s Brian
Kelly.
Booster wins suit against
NCAA. SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — A jury awarded $5 million Thursday to a former University of Alabama football booster who claimed the NCAA defamed him when it imposed penalties on the Crimson Tide in 2002.
The state court jury awarded Ray Keller $3 million in punitive damages, $1 million for mental anguish, $500,000 for economic loss and $500,000 for damage to reputation.
Keller, a timber dealer and fan whom the university severed ties with because of the probe, argued the NCAA slandered and libeled him during the announcement of penalties by referring to him and others as “rogue boosters,” “parasites” and “pariahs.”
NCAA spokesman Chuck Wynn said the organization will ask the judge to set aside the verdict. “If not,” he added, “we’ll appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court.”
Buffs could get Independence. Signs point toward the Dec. 30 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., as the likely destination for Colorado.
Newspapers in Oklahoma City and Dallas have projected Oklahoma State to play in the Insight Bowl, Dec. 31 in Tempe, Ariz.
The Insight Bowl is closer to Colorado and its fan base, but Oklahoma State never has played in the Insight Bowl and OSU athletic director Mike Holder has close ties to the Karsten family (Ping golf) in the Phoenix area. Holder was formerly Oklahoma State’s men’s golf coach.
Also, CU having already played in Tempe this year (Sept. 8 at Arizona State) could work in favor of Oklahoma State.
Bowl pairings will be announced Sunday.
Tom Kensler
CSU delays recruiting weekends. Colorado State has postponed its first two football recruiting weekends in December that are traditionally the biggest of the year.
Before this week’s ouster of coach Sonny Lubick, staffers expected 30 recruits spread over the two weekends.
Director of football operations Tom Ehlers, named by athletic director Paul Kowalczyk to oversee the football office in the interim, said the assistant coaches are still in contact with recruits who already had committed.
Natalie Meisler
Nevada-BYU game in 2008 on hold. Brigham Young won’t be opening next season against Nevada after all.
BYU is looking for a new opponent after a scheduling conflict with Nevada. The Wolf Pack and Cougars had one game remaining on a three-game deal and Nevada was scheduled to visit Provo, Utah, on Aug. 30.
But Nevada scheduled Grambling State, a Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) team, for that date, leaving BYU with only UCLA as its nonconference home game.
