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Graduation rules could pass today

FORT LAUDERDALE - An academic reform package that will punish schools that fail to retain and graduate athletes is expected to get final approval today by the NCAA Division I Board of Directors.

Today's vote will allow the NCAA to create new measurements for retention and graduation rates then create penalties for teams and schools that fall below the standards, which will be set during the next year.

If the reforms are adopted, the NCAA will be able to withhold scholarships, ban teams from postseason tournaments and eventually kick them out of the NCAA.

The board also is expected to approve removal of the "five-eight" rule that limited basketball scholarships to five per year and eight over two years.

South Florida said it still hopes to move its Sept. 4 game against Pittsburgh to Sept. 6, Labor Day, so it can be televised by ESPN.

Pittsburgh athletic director Jeff Long said Tuesday it was not feasible. USF associate AD Tom Veit said if USF could accommodate ESPN on the Pittsburgh game, it also likely would air the Memphis game Nov. 27.

FSU football coach Bobby Bowden will be in the bay area twice in the coming weeks.

He will play in a scramble golf tournament at 8:30 a.m. May 7 at the Belleview Biltmore Country Club. A social and dinner follow at the Pinellas Expo Center at 5:30 p.m. Golf costs $120 per person. For details, call (727) 536-1016. The dinner costs $22 for adults and $10 for children 12 and younger. For details call (727) 397-7363.

Bowden will play golf at the Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club at 8:30 a.m. May 17 then attend a social/banquet at 5:30. The cost to golf is $100 per person. The dinner is $35. For details call Chip Storm at (813) 254-1861.

AUBURN: An attorney for AAU coach Mark Komara said his client was a "fall guy" for what he called the NCAA's disdain for summer basketball leagues.

Dennis Goldasich said the Huntsville, Ala., coach knew and abided by all rules during Auburn's recruitment of two of his players from 1999-2001. The NCAA said Komara acted as a representative of the university when he arranged to wire $3,125 to Jackie Butler and get a 1996 Dodge Stratus for Chadd Moore.

The NCAA on Tuesday placed Auburn on two years of probation and cut one scholarship.

BCS: Computers will remain a part of the process to determine the teams to play for the national title in the new formula being worked out. Their role, however, will not be so big as to skew the process as they did in the selection of Oklahoma last season even though it was ranked No. 3 in both human polls, behind USC and LSU.

BCS coordinator Mike Tranghese said he expects to unveil the new formula in early June. While he revealed few details, he said all four models being considered would have had Oregon, instead of Nebraska, reaching the title game after the 2001 season and USC playing last season.

OBITUARY: Mike Wadsworth, who spent five tumultuous years as Notre Dame's AD before stepping down in 2000, died at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He was 60.

The cause of death was not known, but Mr. Wadsworth had been diagnosed with bone cancer recently and bladder cancer a year ago while waiting for a kidney transplant.

During his tenure, Lou Holtz resigned as football coach and was replaced by defensive coordinator Bob Davie, a choice that became unpopular with fans as the Irish struggled. Notre Dame also discussed joining the Big Ten, which outraged many alumni, and was placed on probation because of relationships former booster Kimberly Dunbar had with more than a dozen football players.

- Times staff writers Brian Landman and Pete Young contributed to this report.