College football

Slaying shatters Vandy coach

By Times Wire
Published December 28, 2004

NASHVILLE - Bobby Johnson said Monday that the shooting death of Vanderbilt running back Kwane Doster is the toughest situation he has dealt with as a coach.

"I've had other things happen that were tragic. This is the first time a violent act has taken somebody away from us," Johnson said.

Doster, a former Robinson High standout, was killed early Sunday morning while sitting in the back seat of a car in his hometown of Tampa. Johnson learned the news in a phone call just before 5 a.m. while in Charleston, S.C., with his wife for Christmas.

"That's why I always have my phone on. You know those calls in the early morning aren't going to be good. I was just shocked and devastated. It was just hard to believe, hard to believe," he said.

Johnson said he always reminds his players to be careful when leaving campus, for winter break, after a game or even after practice.

"There's so many things in today's world that can harm you. Not only harm you, but influence you the wrong way," he said. "But this one was just really senseless and tragic and like I said before, just practically unbelievable."

Vanderbilt chancellor Gordon Gee has chartered an airplane to take school officials, coaches and players to Tampa for Doster's funeral Friday afternoon. Johnson said they are trying to contact as many players as possible to let them know about the flight.

Doster was one of the first recruits Johnson brought to Vanderbilt after being hired in December 2001. He wanted Doster after seeing videotape showing him running down a sideline, then stopping and going back two steps to evade a defender, then restarting at nearly full speed.

But he didn't think he had a chance at signing Doster.

"He came up here and really liked Vanderbilt, and that told me a lot about him because he wanted to come into this academic environment. Once he got here, he said, "I'm going to battle this thing' and he's going to make it. That told me a lot more about him," Johnson said.

"I'd like to have a bunch like him."

STAR TE TO COACH: Former Pro Bowl tight end Ben Coates was hired as coach at Division II Livingstone, his alma mater, after an NFL career in which he won a Super Bowl with Baltimore in 2001. Coates succeeds George Johnson Jr., who went 8-22 in three seasons and 2-8 in 2004 at the school in Salisbury, N.C.

AUBURN: Coach Tommy Tuberville has agreed in principle to a new seven-year contract worth $16-million. Tuberville, the AP coach of the year, led the third-ranked Tigers to a 12-0 regular season and their first SEC championship in 15 years. They are playing Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl on Monday.

OHIO ST.: Kicker Mike Nugent has a chance to break two school scoring records against Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl on Wednesday night. Nugent needs two points to break Dan Stultz's record for a kicker of 342, and he needs eight to pass fullback Pete Johnson's overall school record of 348.

TENNESSEE: Both freshman quarterbacks may be out for Saturday's Cotton Bowl. Junior Rick Clausen will start as planned. Freshman Brent Schaeffer, who broke his collarbone Oct.30 at South Carolina, has been unable to practice in Texas because of flu-like symptoms, and Erik Ainge hasn't played since separating his shoulder against Notre Dame on Nov.6.

TEXAS: With the Longhorns preparing for their first Rose Bowl, coach Mack Brown is in line for a raise. Brown is already one of college football's highest-paid coaches with a salary of slightly more than $2-million a year. Athletic director DeLoss Dodds said details of the new contract will be announced during the week.

[Last modified December 28, 2004, 00:23:19]