KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas State coach Ron Prince was unable to rebuild the Wildcats into the Big 12 contender they were under his predecessor.
Now after 2 1/2 seasons in Manhattan, Prince is on his way out and Kansas State is in the market for another coach who can do what Bill Snyder did in the Little Apple.
Athletic director Bill Krause fired Prince on Wednesday, effective at the end of the season, just three months after signing the coach to a five-year contract.
Prince took over for Snyder in 2006, his first head coaching job after 14 years at six schools. He never lived up to the standard Snyder set, going 16-18, including 4-5 this year.
“It’s a decision that we arrived at in the best interest in the institution and the program,” Krause said. “All along I’ve looked at understanding we’re in a performance-based profession and in the final analysis we’re at a point that while our goal remains the same. A change is necessary.”
No. 16 Ball St. 45, Northern Illinois 14
MUNCIE, Ind. — Nate Davis threw for four touchdowns and ran for another as the 16th-ranked Cardinals (9-0, 5-0 Mid-American) routed the Huskies (5-4, 4-2) to remain undefeated and alive in the chase for a BCS bowl game.
Hardesty slowed by injury
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee tailback Montario Hardesty has a stress fracture in his leg and probably won’t play Saturday against Wyoming. Hardesty leads the team with five touchdowns.
Still in uniform.
Illinois receiver Jeff Cumberland will be in uniform when the Illini face Western Michigan on Saturday, even though he allegedly broke teammate Mikel LeShoure’s jaw during a fight last Saturday night.
Cumberland, a 6-foot-5, 247-pounder, reportedly accused the 240-pound tailback of taking his phone after last Saturday’s 27-24 win over Iowa.
LeShoure, a freshman, will miss the game against Western Michigan at Detroit’s Ford Field, and might be out longer.
Footnotes.
Quarterback Kevin Riley returned to practice with California less than a week after suffering a concussion. Coach Jeff Tedford, though, hasn’t named his starter for Saturday’s game against USC.
• Texas backup center Buck Burnette has been dismissed from the team following an undisclosed violation of team rules.
The Associated Press
