COLORADO SPRINGS — The commissioners of the Mountain West Conference and Conference USA have discussed staging a postseason game between their champions in hopes of securing an automatic berth to the Bowl Championship Series.
C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky issued a statement Friday confirming he had met the previous day in Colorado Springs with MWC chief Craig Thompson to discuss “scheduling, television and postseason football.” Neither league has an automatic BCS bid and would likely have to wait until the current BCS contracts expire in four years to broker a deal for one.
The talks follow this week’s announcement that Nevada and Fresno State will move to the Mountain West from the Western Athletic Conference.
Pick picked as KU starter
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas coach Turner Gill said sophomore Kale Pick has won the competition to be the Jayhawks’ starting quarterback.
Pick beat out Jordan Webb, a redshirt freshman, for the job.
Pick, a 6-foot-1, 208-pounder, played in seven games last season, completing 4-of-5 passes for 22 yards.
Gill also said senior Angus Quigley will start at running back and sophomore Toben Opurum will move to linebacker. Opurum rushed for 554 yards and nine touchdowns in 133 carries last season, an average of 4.2 yards per carry.
And freshman Keeston Terry will move from wide receiver to safety.
No kicks likely for Moreland
NORMAN, Okla. — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said he doesn’t expect kickoff specialist Matt Moreland to be with the team this season because of academic issues.
Stoops said Moreland’s academic situation hasn’t been resolved and the senior likely won’t be kicking for the Sooners.
Moreland was the kicker for all 81 of the Sooners’ kickoffs last season and recorded six touchbacks. On average, opponents started drives on the 26-yard line.
The Sooners, who struggled with kicking last season, still have Patrick O’Hara, Jimmy Stevens and Michael Hunnicutt competing to be the team’s kicker. Punter Tress Way could also handle kickoffs.
Footnotes.
Ohio State sophomore offensive tackle Marcus Hall will redshirt the 2010 season because of academic problems. He was expected to be a backup this season.
• BYU and Texas agreed to a home-and-home series starting in 2013. The Longhorns will visit Provo, Utah, for the first game, then the game moves to Texas in 2014.
