BATON ROUGE, La. - Les Miles was introduced as LSU's coach Monday and said he wants to build on the work of Nick Saban, who left the Tigers for the Miami Dolphins.
"The goal is to run the finest football program in the country where our guys can have an experience that is second to none," Miles said.
Miles, 51, who led Oklahoma State to three straight bowl games, emerged as the top candidate Saturday after Louisville coach Bobby Petrino withdrew from consideration.
The LSU job opened when Saban took the Dolphins coaching job Dec.25.
Oklahoma State, meanwhile, promoted offensive coordinator Mike Gundy to coach to replace Miles. Gundy was offensive coordinator under Miles the past four seasons. OSU scored 31.5 per game over his tenure. And OSU junior running back Vernand Morency said he's turning pro.
RB Hall returning to USF TAMPA - For Bulls fans, it's the news they were hoping for: Andre Hall is returning for his senior season at USF.
"I have made my decision, and I'm going to come back," said the 5-10, 205-pound Hall, who set the Bulls' single-season rushing record with 1,357 yards as a junior. "I made a commitment to South Florida to play for two years, and I'm a man of my word."
Hall, a Dixie Hollins graduate, had submitted his name to an NFL advisory board for underclassmen to get a better sense of where he would be selected if he entered the April draft, saying he would strongly consider leaving if he would go in the first three rounds. Hall said he made up his mind even though he hasn't heard from the league.
"I didn't even wait on that. I want to lead this team to a winning season next year," he said. "Hopefully I'll be able to go higher in next year's draft, maybe even the first round."
USF coach Jim Leavitt said he was pleased with 22-year-old's decision, though he always felt he was coming back for another year with the Bulls.
"Obviously, we want Andre Hall back. He's an outstanding running back," Leavitt said. "That's great, but I don't know that I ever really thought he was going in that direction."
--GREG AUMAN, Times staff writer
UF THEFT: Florida athletic officials and security personnel at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Buckhead, Atlanta, are investigating the theft of a laptop computer that belonged to former offensive coordinator Larry Fedora. The computer was stolen from Fedora's hotel room Wednesday, two days before the Gators played Miami in the Peach Bowl. According to UF officials, the laptop was worth about $1,400 and was one the team's nine that assistant coaches used to view film of UF and its opponents.CALIFORNIA: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers will skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft.
LOUISVILLE: Bobby Petrino apologized for his dalliance with LSU days after signing a contract with the Cardinals and said he needs to mend his relationship with the school's athletic director and its fans.
WASHINGTON: Coach Tyrone Willingham hired five assistants, three who worked with him at Notre Dame. Kent Baer, Steven Wilks and Mike Denbrock will join the Huskies from the Irish. Assistants Randy Hart and Chris Tormey will be retained from Keith Gilbertson's staff.
Times staff writer Antonya English contributed to this report.
