BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Now that Bobby Petrino is back in the coaching ranks, he wants to make the most of his second chance.
Western Kentucky hires
Petrino as football coach
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Now that Bobby Petrino is back in the coaching ranks, he wants to make the most of his second chance.
Petrino was introduced Monday as Western Kentucky’s new head football coach. The 51-year-old was fired by Arkansas in April for a “pattern of misleading” behavior following an accident in which the coach was injured while riding a motorcycle with his mistress as a passenger.
“At this point in my career, it’s about getting back and coaching players,” Petrino said. “It just happened to open up at a place we love.
“I hope it can be as long as possible.”
Petrino had a 34-17 record at Arkansas before he was dismissed in the wake of the scandal. Petrino had an affair with former Razorback volleyball player Jessica Dorrell, whom he later hired as a football assistant and gave $20,000 in gifts. Petrino said initially he was the only person on the motorcycle but later admitted to Dorrell’s presence.
Petrino is replacing Willie Taggart, who left WKU last week to become South Florida’s coach. Western Kentucky gave Petrino a four-year deal with a base annual salary of $850,000. If he terminates the deal at any time, he must repay the university $1.2 million in six monthly payments starting the month after he leaves.
Colorado lands San
Jose State’s Mike MacIntyre
BOULDER, Colo. — Mike MacIntyre’s inaugural meeting with his new team lasted just long enough to leave his players with this thought: He’s turned around one downtrodden program and he can do the same at Colorado.
Not someday, either, but starting next season.
The 47-year-old coach revived a San Jose State football team in short order. Now, he’ll try to fix the beleaguered Buffaloes, who are coming off their worst season in the 123-year history of the program.
“We’ve got a long way to go. But I’ve been there before and I know what to do,” MacIntyre told a room full of boosters and media on Monday night after agreeing to a five-year deal worth $2 million a season. “There’s no reason Colorado shouldn’t be at the top of the conference and competing year in and year out.”
His hiring ends a two-week search by Colorado that included a rejection by its first choice, Butch Jones.
MacIntyre inherits a squad that’s coming off a 1-11 record this year that led to the firing of Jon Embree.
Former UTEP player Kugler returns to coach team
EL PASO, Texas — UTEP hired Sean Kugler as its new coach Monday, bringing in a former Miners’ player and coach to replace the retired Mike Price.
Kugler spent almost three years as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line coach, following stints with the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions. He also worked at Boise State. He played for current UTEP athletic director Bob Stull, graduating in 1988, and later coached at the school for eight seasons.
“I spent 13 years as a player and coach at UTEP and loved every minute of it,” Kugler said in a statement. “I’m excited about starting a new chapter in my coaching career at a place that has so many fond memories.”
Kugler was on UTEP’s staff from 1993 to 2000.
“He brings a lot of enthusiasm and experience and, most importantly, has a great love for UTEP and the city of El Paso,” Stull said.
UTEP says a salary is still being negotiated. The 46-year-old Kugler is a native of Freeport, N.Y., and has three children. His oldest son, Robert, is a lineman at Purdue.
AP Sources: Gamecocks’ Lattimore declaring for NFL
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Injured South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore will enter the NFL draft, said people familiar with the decision.
One person said Monday that Lattimore is expected to announce his decision later this week. The people spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there has not been an official statement regarding Lattimore’s decision.
The running back suffered a horrific injury to his right knee against Tennessee on Oct. 27. Doctors say Lattimore had successful surgery to repair several ligaments on Nov. 2. It is unclear when he’ll be able to return to the field.
Lattimore injured his left knee in 2011 as a sophomore. He rushed for 662 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, both team highs. He is South Carolina’s career leader in both overall touchdowns with 41 and rushing scores with 38. Lattimore did not immediately answer a text message or phone call from The AP. ESPN first reported Lattimore’s intention to declare for the draft.
NHL cancels games
through Dec. 30
NEW YORK — The NHL eliminated 16 more days from the regular-season schedule Monday, and if a deal with the players’ association isn’t reached soon the whole season could be lost.
The league wiped out all games through Dec. 30 in its latest round of cancellations.
Already, 422 regular-season games had been called off through Dec. 14 because of the lockout, and the latest cuts on Day 86 of the NHL shutdown claimed 104 more. The New Year’s Day Winter Classic and the All-Star game were canceled earlier.
In all, the 526 lost games account for nearly 43 percent of the regular season that was scheduled to begin Oct. 11.
The cancellation of just two more weeks of the season, however, could perhaps signal hope of a deal to begin play in early January. Negotiations between the league and the players’ association broke off last week, but NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Sunday the sides are trying to restart talks this week.
Arturo Gatti, Virgil
Hill enter boxing hall
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The late Arturo Gatti and five-time world champion Virgil Hill have been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Gatti died three years ago in Brazil under mysterious circumstances. He won titles in two weight divisions. Hill won a silver medal at the 1984 Olympics and defended his light heavyweight title 20 times.
Both were elected Monday in their first year of eligibility.
Elected from the modern category were two-time light flyweight champion Myung-Woo Yuh, referee Mills Lane, ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. and journalist Colin Hart.
Lightweight Wesley Ramsey and middleweight Jeff Smith joined the 2013 class from the posthumous category. Manager Arturo “Cuyo” Hernandez, cartoonist Ted Carroll and 19th century Irish boxer Joe Coburn made it in the pioneer division.
Selections were made by the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of international boxing historians. Induction ceremonies are June 9 in Canastota, N.Y.
Redskins coach Shanahan
says RG3 has mild sprain
ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said Monday that Robert Griffin III has a mild sprain of a ligament in the right knee and hasn’t been ruled out for the upcoming game against the Cleveland Browns.
Shanahan said the injury is a Grade 1 sprain of the lateral collateral ligament on the outside of the knee, caused when the rookie quarterback was hit at the end of a scramble late in regulation in the Redskins’ 31-28 overtime win Sunday over the Baltimore Ravens.
Shanahan says Griffin has mild swelling and is receiving treatment multiple times a day.
Governor congratulates
Teo as Heisman runner-up
HONOLULU — Gov. Neil Abercrombie has congratulated Hawaii-born Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Teo for finishing as the runner up for college football’s top individual prize Saturday night.
Abercrombie released a statement Saturday calling Teo “a standard for others to achieve,” and said he represents strong family and Hawaii values.
By wire sources