Associated Press
The college football notebook …
CHAPEL HILL ó North Carolina quarterback Cameron Sexton plans to graduate in May and use his remaining year of eligibility elsewhere next season.
The school said the redshirt junior told the coaching staff of his decision this week. NCAA rules prevent a player with one year of eligibility left from transferring to another Bowl or Championship subdivision program, though Sexton could play immediately if he went to a Division II program.
In a statement, Sexton thanked his teammates and coaches, and said he didn’t know what the future would hold.
Sexton started six games for the Tar Heels this year after starter T.J. Yates went down with an injury. Sexton also came off the bench to direct a last-minute comeback win at Miami.
SPILLER UNDECIDED
CLEMSON, S.C. ó It looks like Clemson star C.J. Spiller will take his latest career decision down to the wire.
Clemson athletic spokesman Tim Bourret said he didn’t expect Spiller to announce Wednesday whether he would enter the NFL draft or return for his senior season. The deadline for third-year sophomores or juniors is Thursday.
It isn’t the first time the lightning-fast Spiller has kept fans in suspense. A star at Union County High School in Lake Butler, Fla., Spiller shocked many when he chose to play for the Tigers over nearby Florida or Florida State.
Then when it looked like he might transfer to the Gators after his freshman season, he chose to stay at Clemson.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Spiller led Clemson with 1,770 all-purpose yards and accounted for 11 touchdowns this season.
PRESBYTERIANCLINTON, S.C. ó Presbyterian called on another of its former quarterbacks to continue its Division I football progress, naming Bucknell offensive coordinator Harold Nichols as its head coach.
Nichols will have to build on the intial steps of former coach and Presbyterian quarterback Bobby Bentley, who guided the Blue Hose through their first two seasons transitioning to the full membership in the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision.
“This is an exciting time in Presbyterian College football history,” Nichols said.
The Blue Hose have gone 10-13 the past two seasons since leaving Division II and the South Atlantic Conference. They’ll eventually take part as full-fledged members of the Big South Conference, eligible for a league title in 2012.
LSUBATON ROUGE, La. ó LSU running back Charles Scott and offensive lineman Ciron Black will return to school for their senior seasons and putting off the NFL.
Scott ran for 1,174 yards, the fifth-best mark in school history and 18 touchdowns in 2008.
PITTSBURGHPITTSBURGH ó LeSean McCoy, the running back who broke some of Tony Dorsett’s records at Pittsburgh, is leaving school after two seasons to enter the NFL draft.
McCoy, who led Pitt to a 9-4 record and Sun Bowl appearance this season, broke the news to coach Dave Wannstedt in a phone call Wednesday.
NOTES
Former NFL MVP Brian Sipe was hired as quarterbacks coach Tuesday at his alma mater, San Diego State. It’s the first college coaching job for Sipe, who has spent the last eight seasons as the head coach at Santa Fe Christian High in nearby Solana Beach. … Coach Jim Harbaugh set the record straight Tuesday: He plans to stay put coaching at Stanford. There has been speculation in recent weeks that Harbaugh might interview for NFL openings in Detroit or Oakland. … Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin has a new son. Kiffin’s wife, Layla, gave birth Tuesday night to Monte Knox Kiffin. The news was announced at the Kentucky-Tennessee basketball game. His name will be “Knox,” a reference to Knoxville.