Associated Press
The college football notebook …Mike Leach has removed himself from consideration for the University of Washington’s coaching position, a person close to the Texas Tech coach said Thursday night.
“He’s out,” said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak.
The news came on the same day Fresno State coach Pat Hill also took his name out of the mix to replace Washington’s Tyrone Willingham, who was fired and will coach his last game Saturday.
Tommy Tuberville’s resignation at Auburn began another round of college football’s season-ending coaching carousel.
A day after Tuberville surprised the school by resigning, two schools came up with new coaches Thursday: Utah State hired Utah defensive coordinator Gary Andersen and Toledo hired Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Tim Beckman.
Auburn’s wish-list to replace Tuberville includes Leach, Louisiana Tech’s Derek Dooley, Arkansas’ Bobby Petrino and Jimbo Fisher at Florida State and Will Muschamp at Texas.
Tuberville became the third SEC coach to depart this season. The others are Sylvester Croom at Mississippi State and Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee. Lane Kiffin replaced Fulmer on Sunday.
Earlier this week, Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen was hired at Wyoming, replacing Joe Glenn, who was fired Nov. 23.
ACC TITLE GAME
TAMPA, Fla. ó Boston College and Virginia Tech have played each other more in the last 14 months than any two Atlantic Coast Conference schools, so when they say they know each other well they mean it.
The Eagles (9-3) and Hokies (8-4) meet for the fourth time since 2007 in Saturday’s ACC championship game, with the winner earning the league’s automatic BCS spot and a return trip to Florida for the Orange Bowl.
Not bad for a couple of teams few thought had much of a shot at repeating as division champs after meeting in last year’s title game in Jacksonville, Fla. And not many saw B.C.’s 28-23 home victory against Tech less than two months ago as a championship game preview.
“Last year it was expected. This year, no one expected it and we still did it. That’s gratifying,” Jeff Jagodzinski, Boston College’s second-year coach, said during a conference call this week.
TEAM MEETING
COLUMBIA, S.C. ó South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia says the Gamecocks have held a players-only meeting to get themselves back on track after losing the last two games of the season.
About a dozen players spoke, including Garcia and Chris Smelley, who have rotated at quarterback this season.Garcia says most of the players talked about getting their motivation back for a bowl game after a 56-6 loss to Florida, followed by a 31-14 loss at Clemson.
PENN STATE MASCOT
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. ó The Penn State senior who plays the Nittany Lion mascot will miss the Rose Bowl after being suspended for violating team rules.
The school suspended James Sheep, of Chambersburg, Pa., on Thursday, a week and a half after being charged with DUI.
KORN SURGERY
CLEMSON, S.C. ó Clemson backup quarterback Willy Korn had surgery on his right shoulder and could be ready to play in the Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day.