By Compiled from Times wires
Published August 26, 2003
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Freshman tight end Greg Olsen has followed the lead of brother Chris, a sophomore quarterback, and left Notre Dame.
Greg Olsen left school a day before classes are scheduled to begin, Lisa Mushett, Notre Dame's associate sports information director, said Monday.
"I have no idea where he's going," she said.
Telephone messages seeking comment were left at the Olsen home in Wayne, N.J., by the Associated Press.
Coach Tyrone Willingham was not immediately available to talk about the Olsens' decision, Mushett said.
Chris Olsen planned to enroll at Virginia on Monday so he would be eligible to play for the Cavaliers next year, his father, Chris Olsen Sr., told the South Bend Tribune.
"For my future as a quarterback, I think I'm better served being at Virginia," he told the Herald News of West Paterson, N.J., for Monday's editions.
"I left because I felt like I was possibly not the guy they were looking for in the future, and I respect that," he said.
Chris Olsen missed Saturday's practice for what Willingham called personal reasons. The team did not practice Sunday. Chris Olsen was a top recruit when he signed with the Irish, but he did not play last season.
Notre Dame is left with three quarterbacks: returning starter Carlyle Holiday; Pat Dillingham, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship last year; and freshman Brady Quinn.
GEORGIA TECH: Coach Chan Gailey named Reggie Ball the starting quarterback for the season opener Thursday at BYU. Ball, who had been taking all the snaps with the first-team offense in recent weeks, learned after Sunday's practice that he will be the first freshman to start at quarterback in a Tech season opener.
MISS. STATE: Senior quarterback Kevin Fant will start in the opener against Oregon on Saturday. Coach Jackie Sherrill said that Fant had beaten out sophomore Kyle York, who entered the preseason No. 1 on the depth chart.
SOUTHERN MISS: Micky D'Angelo, who started most of last season, has been named the starter for the Saturday opener at Cal. Dustin Almond, who started three games and played extensively last season, is No. 2. "But it is never out of the question for us to play two quarterbacks in the game," coach Jeff Bower said.
Basketball: Another Baylor player leaves
Baylor is down to seven scholarship players after junior guard John Lucas III enrolled at Oklahoma State on Monday, new Baylor coach Scott Drew told ESPN.com. Lucas, the son of former Maryland and NBA great John Lucas, will be in class today at Oklahoma State, the Internet site reported.
"It's disappointing because we could have used him, but he wants to play and he had a good visit up there this past weekend," said Drew, who had scheduled a meeting with Lucas' family today in Houston. "I guess I've got one less thing to do (today). Now I've got to get some more recruits."
Lucas' decision came a few hours before the Big 12 announced it would waive the transfer rule within the conference for Baylor players. That means Lucas and former Baylor guard Kenny Taylor (Texas) won't lose a season of eligibility and will have two seasons remaining. The NCAA waived the transfer rule of sitting out one year in residence for all Baylor players.
USF: For the first time since the 2000-01 season, national power Louisville will play at South Florida. The Cardinals visit the Sun Dome at 1 p.m. Jan. 10. It will be televised by ESPN Plus. USF said it expects to release its full schedule this week. The Bulls previously announced non-Conference USA games at Providence (Dec. 2), Nebraska (Dec. 6) and Michigan State (Dec. 16), and at home Dec. 22 against Colorado State.
- Times staff writer Pete Young contributed to this report.
