Mike Leach has removed himself from consideration for the University of Washington’s coaching position, a person close to the Texas Tech football coach said Thursday.
, citing unidentified sources, reported Southern Cal assistant head coach Steve Sarkisian will be hired to replace fired coach Tyrone Willingham. Huskies athletic director Scott Woodward had no comment on the report.
The news came on the same day Fresno State coach Pat Hill also took his name out of the mix to replace Willingham, who will coach his last game Saturday.
Two schools came up with new coaches: Utah State hired Utah defensive coordinator Gary Ander- sen and Toledo hired Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Tim Beckman.
• Florida’s leading rusher, Chris Rainey (654 yards), will play in Saturday’s Southeastern Conference championship game against Alabama despite being hampered by a groin injury for more than a month.
Giants’ Pierce to talk today
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Linebacker Antonio Pierce and the doctor who treated his New York Giants teammate Plaxico Burress after he accidentally shot himself will talk to investigators today.
The authorities are interested in why neither Pierce, who drove Burress to New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, nor Dr. Josyann Abisaab called police to report the shooting early Saturday. Abisaab has since been suspended for not reporting the gunshot injury, as required by law.
Pierce is expected to play Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Minnesota Vikings defensive linemen Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, their four-game suspensions temporarily overturned in court, resumed practice ahead of Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. A federal judge will be asked to decide today whether the Williamses — and three other players with the New Orleans Saints — should be allowed to play this weekend in spite of the NFL’s ruling they violated the league’s anti-doping policy.
• New York Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, speeding and driving without insurance after being pulled over by police Saturday. Ellis is expected to play Sunday at San Francisco.
Footnotes.
Michelle Wie fired a 7-under-par 65 that put her in a tie for the lead with Shiho Oyama (70—134) after the second of five rounds of the LPGA Tour’s qualifying tournament in Florida.
• Paul Sheehan birdied the 18th hole today to finish with a 6-under 66 for a share of the first-round lead with Tim Wilkinson at the Australian PGA championship in Coolum.
• Henrik Stenson tied the course record at the Gary Player Country Club with a 9-under 63 in the first round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa.
• Philadelphia 76ers forward Elton Brand is day to day with a strained right hamstring.
• Japanese automaker Honda has pulled out of Formula One, citing a slowdown in the global economy.
• Ryan Lochte won the 200-yard individual medley at the U.S. Short Course Nationals in Atlanta.
The Associated Press
