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College football notebook

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 9, 2001

Vandy coach set to resign

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Vanderbilt coach Woody Widenhofer announced Thursday he was resigning effective at the end of the season.

Widenhofer, who went 15-37 in five seasons with the Commodores, said it was in "everyone's best interest" for him to resign.

"This has been a difficult season for me," he said. "I'm an optimist, and I thought we were poised for a breakthrough year. Unfortunately, things have not gone as I'd hoped.

"I've come to the conclusion that significant changes are needed -- and expected -- for this program to reach the level of excellence we all want. I believe the best thing I can do at this time is to resign."

Widenhofer's record against SEC opponents is 4-33. His Commodores (2-6) haven't beaten an SEC team since last November's 24-20 victory at Kentucky, his only league win in 2000.

The 71-13 loss to Florida on Saturday was one of Vanderbilt's worst and guaranteed its 19th consecutive losing season.

He said he began thinking about quitting after the 37-28 season-opening loss to Middle Tennessee State. Then a couple of days ago, he met with chancellor Gordon Gee and athletic director Todd Turner about buying out his contract.

"I'm not a quitter," he said, but "you can only get beaten up so often and get beaten so many times."

Widenhofer signed a four-year contract in 1999 to extend his tenure through 2005 with a reported base salary of $350,000 a year.

Kickoff return propels Colorado State to victory

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Pete Rebstock's 73-yard kickoff return helped set up Henri Childs' 1-yard scoring run with 6:46 left as Colorado State held off Air Force 28-21.

The Rams (5-5, 4-2 Mountain West) got two touchdown runs from Duan Ruff and blocked a punt for another score.

Nose tackle Lucas Smith ended Air Force's final threat, sacking Keith Boyea on fourth down at the Colorado State 23 with 1:15 left.

Air Force (5-4, 2-3) lost its third consecutive conference game despite outgaining the Rams 481-300 and posting 30 first downs to the Rams' 13.

Boyea ran for 188 yards and all three Falcons touchdowns.

ARKANSAS: The War Memorial Stadium Commission plans to spend $500,000 to install Field Turf, the surface at Tropicana Field, at the Little Rock venue. The turf is to be in place in time for next season. The Razorbacks play two games in Little Rock in 2002.

KENTUCKY: Three starters have been lost to season-ending injuries: freshman defensive tackle Ellery Moore and senior offensive linemen Nolan DeVaughn and Matt Brown.

Moore sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee during Saturday's 17-14 loss at Mississippi State. He is scheduled for surgery next week and could be available for spring practice.

Brown had surgery on his right shoulder during the offseason and missed the Mississippi State game after it flared up. A subsequent MRI revealed a stress fracture.

DeVaughn dislocated his right shoulder against South Carolina on Oct.6 and has been out since.

OHIO STATE: Eddie George, the 1995 Heisman Trophy winner, will have his No. 27 retired Saturday at halftime of the home game against Purdue. After practicing with the Titans in Nashville on Saturday morning, George will fly by private jet to Columbus.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: Running back Sultan McCullough said he will have surgery Nov.19 to determine the extent of damage from a slightly torn stomach muscle, which ensures he will miss the remainder of the season.

The operation might sideline him for only four to six weeks if no complications are discovered and would make him available for spring practice.

McCullough has been sidelined since the first quarter of USC's victory over Arizona State on Oct.13, and he finished with 410 yards and 5 touchdowns on 115 carries.

OBITUARY: Lou Farber, a guard on the 1926 Brown team who played almost four complete games without a substitution, died Monday. He was 94.

Farber was one of 11 starters who earned national acclaim for playing the entire 60 minutes in consecutive games at Yale and at Dartmouth midway through the 1926 season. Brown beat Yale, 7-0 and Dartmouth 10-0.

Two weeks later, the starters went 57 minutes at Harvard and won 21-0. In the season finale against Colgate, they went the distance again in a 10-10 tie.

Around the state

Florida defensive end Alex Brown, wide receiver Jabar Gaffney and quarterback Rex Grossman were named semifinalists for the Football News offensive and defensive player of the year awards.

Grossman and Gaffney were the only sophomores for the offensive award.

Grossman also is a semifinalist for the Walter Camp and Davey O'Brien award. Gaffney is a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, and Brown is a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award for the third consecutive season.

Five finalists for each award will be announced Nov.20 with the winners announced Dec.12.

CENTRAL FLORIDA: The status for receiver Doug Gabriel (right ankle sprain) and defensive end Rashad Jeanty (left ankle sprain) will be determined just before Saturday's game at Arkansas. Gabriel, who leads the nation in yards per reception, missed last week's game. Defensive tackle Larry Brown (pinched nerve in his upper shoulder) is probable.

MIAMI: Defensive end Cornelius Green (turf toe), defensive end Andrew Williams (knee), linebacker Darrell McClover (knee), safety Jermell Weaver (knee) and offensive guard Sherko Haji-Rasouli (knee) will not play Saturday against Boston College.

Running back Daryl Jones (ankle sprain) will not start but will play after missing the West Virginia and Temple games.

-- Times correspondent Debi Jones contributed to this report.

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