Associated Press
The college football notebook …
CARY ó With financial woes ending its bid to join Division I, Winston-Salem State is headed back to its old conference.
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s board of directors voted Friday to let the school back into the Division II league of historically black colleges and universities in time for the 2010-11 academic year.
“We are elated. There are no hard feelings on our part,” said Jimmy Jenkins, of the CIAA board.
Winston-Salem State left in 2004 with plans to move to the NCAA’s top tier with an invitation to join the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. But the school faced financial difficulties, amassing losses of more than $6 million since, including $1.8 million in the fiscal year ending June 30.
Chancellor Donald Reaves projected the deficit would grow to $15 million by 2012.
“Over the past two years, we have continued to be concerned that budgetary constraints would not allow us to successfully complete the transition,” Reaves said.
The school will now have to reduce scholarships in football and basketball to meet Division II and CIAA criteria. The moves must be made before the Rams are eligible for CIAA championships
Winston-Salem State gives the conference 12 schools. The league is best known for its basketball tournament, which has drawn about 180,000 fans annually to Charlotte, for the games and numerous auxiliary events.
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EUGENE, Ore. ó Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount’s season-long suspension for punching an opponent could be lifted if he meets certain conditions, coach Chip Kelly said.
“It’s not a football decision, it’s a human being decision. It’s about that individual,” Kelly said Friday. “And he’s got a lot of things he’s got to do.”
Blount punched Boise State’s Byron Hout in the aftermath of Oregon’s 19-8 season-opening loss to the Broncos. The suspension banned him from games, but Blount was allowed to remain on scholarship and practice with the team. Kelly said he set down academic, behavioral and football-related “ladders” that Blount must achieve for possible reinstatement.