Associated Press
The college football notebook …
CHAPEL HILL ó T.J. Yates has long known every throw will be scrutinized, every read questioned and every mistake criticized simply because he’s the quarterback.
But having something thrown at him as he walked off the field in his own stadium? That’s something new.
Consider it the latest chapter in a frustrating season for Yates and North Carolina (4-3, 0-3 ACC), a team that’s gone from nationally ranked to flirting with a bowl-less season.
The junior said Monday someone threw a coin or pin that hit him in the helmet after the Tar Heels blew an 18-point second-half lead and lost to Florida State 30-27 in the first Thursday night home game in program history. That capped a night in which Yates threw for just 64 yards and tossed a key interception.
Yates understands fans are frustrated with the season-long struggles. But he won’t dwell on the criticism as he heads into this week’s trip to No. 14 Virginia Tech for a second straight nationally televised Thursday night game.
“It’s hard not to hear about all that stuff,” he said of angry fans screaming at him
N.C. STATE
RALEIGH ó The open date on the schedule has been good to N.C. State the past two seasons. Coming out of their bye week, Wolfpack players and coaches are looking for another jolt.
“We’re ready for almost a new beginning, a second chance at the season,” center Ted Larsen said. “I think everybody is looking forward to going out there and kind of starting over.”
N.C. State (3-4, 0-3 ACC) has lost three straight and is winless in October.
N.C. State figured it was positioned for a run at a division championship with all-ACC quarterback Russell Wilson and eight home games. But it has allowed at least 30 points in four straight games.
OKLAHOMA STATE
OKLAHOMA CITY ó Wide receiver Dez Bryant will remain suspended for the remainder of the football season for lying to NCAA investigators.
The NCAA ruled that the junior All-American will not be eligible to play until September 2010, possibly bringing his college career to an end if he enters the NFL draft. Oklahoma State plans to appeal the decision.
The university announced on Oct. 7 that Bryant was ineligible because he lied to the NCAA about his relationship with Deion Sanders.
UCONN
STORRS, Conn. ó Police charged a 21-year-old man with murder in the stabbing death of a Connecticut football player outside a school-sanctioned dance, where the suspect’s lawyer says he was just trying to break up a fight.
John William Lomax III is scheduled to appear in court today on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit assault in the Oct. 18 death of Jasper Howard, police said. His bond was set at $2 million.
Police also arrested two other people in connection with the fight that led to Howard’s death. Hakim Muhammad, 20, was charged with conspiracy to commit assault and Jamal Todd, 21, faces a felony charge of falsely reporting an incident and a misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment for pulling a fire alarm that emptied the dance early that Sunday morning.
TENNESSEE
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ó Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin is doing his best not to comment about SEC officials or the reprimand he received from league commissioner Mike Slive.
“I’m not gonna get into it. I’m excited about this matchup versus South Carolina. As hard as it is for me to do, I’m not gonna do that. I’d love to,” Kiffin said Tuesday when asked about his second reprimand as Volunteers coach.
Kiffin will face additional penalties or a suspension if Slive finds cause to reprimand him a third time this year, according to the letter sent Monday.
On Sunday, Kiffin questioned why officials failed to penalize Alabama’s Terrence Cody for unsportsmanlike conduct when the defensive lineman removed and threw his helmet after blocking a field goal on the last play of Alabama’s 12-10 victory.