TAMPA - Drew Hixon, the Tennessee Tech receiver who was seriously injured in a game with USF on Sept. 11, is breathing on his own after being taken off a ventilator Thursday and his condition upgraded from critical to serious at St. Joseph's Hospital, hospital spokesman Will Darnall said.
Hixon, 22, who sustained an unspecified brain injury when two defenders tackled him after he caught a pass at midfield, remains in a medically induced coma. Thursday's news, however, is his first marked improvement. Hixon's father told the Associated Press that doctors believe Hixon is improving but the recovery process will take a long time. and the senior could regain consciousness at any time.
A gathering of students and faculty at Tennessee Tech drew a crowd of about 1,000 to Tucker Stadium in Cookeville on Thursday afternoon. The crowd formed a 7, Hixon's jersey number, on the field, and an aerial photograph was taken. It will be sent to the Hixons as a gesture of the support and thoughts from the campus.
Northern Illinois rolls
DEKALB, Ill. - Garrett Wolfe replaced an injured A.J. Harris and rushed for a career-high 202 yards and three touchdowns as Northern Illinois beat Bowling Green 34-17.
Chris Nednick's 25-yard field goal gave the Huskies a 10-7 lead early in the third. Wolfe's 42-yard and 21-yard runs later in the quarter made it 24-10.
Northern Illinois sealed it with a drive that started with 14:47 left. Wolfe, who entered after Harris sprained his left ankle, carried 14 times for 75 yards during a 16-play, 81-yard drive. He capped the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to make it 31-10 with 6:07 left.
AGENTS BILL BECOMES LAW: President Bush signed a law establishing tougher penalties for unethical agents. The bill stiffens penalties for agents who lure student-athletes into contracts that compromise their amateur standing and damage the reputations of their schools.
The legislation, which passed by voice vote in the Senate earlier this month, was promoted by Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb., the former Nebraska coach.
The law bars agents from recruiting student-athletes by giving false or misleading information or providing anything of value to the athlete or his family before entering into a contract.
The agent also must disclose in writing that the athlete might lose NCAA eligibility after signing an agency contract.
And the law requires the athlete and the agent to notify the school's athletic director that the athlete has signed a contract so the school does not allow a now-ineligible athlete to play.
DUKE: Quarterback Mike Schneider, who left last week's game with a concussion, is expected to start today. But coach Ted Roof hasn't said who will start among Schneider, Chris Dapolito and Curt Dukes.
VIRGINIA TECH: Tailback Mike Imoh and receiver Brenden Hill are available today for the first time this season. They and quarterback Marcus Vick were suspended for three games after being caught giving teenage girls alcohol at a party during the offseason.
Vick was subsequently suspended for the season after pleading guilty Tuesday to reckless driving and no contest to marijuana possession in August.
Imoh is expected to see more time because starter Cedric Humes and backup Justin Hamilton have combined to average just 96 yards.
Information from Times wires was used in this report.
