Associated Press
The college football notebook …
COLUMBUS, Ohio ó The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that a former Ohio State football player is the lawyer who sent e-mails to football coach Jim Tressel last spring telling him that players were selling memorabilia.
The newspaper, citing three unidentified sources, reports Columbus attorney Christopher Cicero sent the e-mails. Cicero lettered in football at Ohio State in 1983, when Tressel was an assistant coach, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
In a statement released Wednesday Cicero says he voluntarily cooperated when an Ohio State attorney asked him to meet with university representatives and the NCAA about e-mails he exchanged with Tressel.
The university on Tuesday suspended Tressel for the first two games of the 2011 season and fined him $250,000 for failing to notify the school about the playersí involvement.
FLORIDA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. ó Florida is closing spring practice for the first time in school history.
First-year coach Will Muschamp made the announcement Wednesday, saying he wants to minimize distractions with a new staff. The sessions will be off limits to fans and media.
Muschamp says the decision was made “in the interest of helping our program be successful on Saturdays this fall.”
Muschamp believes closed practices could give the Gators the element of surprise next season with new offensive and defensive schemes.
The Gators will continue to open their spring game to the public. It will be played April 9 at Florida Field.
NOTRE DAME
SOUTH BEND, Ind. ó The family of the Notre Dame student who died filming a Fighting Irish football practice when a hydraulic lift fell over last October is pleased the university is installing remote-controlled cameras to prevent a similar tragedy.
“The family thinks that’s a very wise course of action, very much a safer environment for their employees,” said Mike Miley, the uncle of Declan Sullivan.
Sullivan, a 20-year-old junior from Long Grove, Ill., died Oct. 27 when the hydraulic lift he was on fell while he was filming practice. The National Weather Service reported gusts of up to 51 mph at the time and the Indiana Occupational Health and Safety Administration is investigating why the lift fell over.
GEORGIA VIOLATIONS
ATHENS, Ga. ó Georgia acknowledged breaking NCAA rules in its recruitment of linebacker Ray Drew.
The school sent a letter to the Southeastern Conference saying that two former football players attended a Jan. 28 news conference in which Drew announced his commitment to Georgia, a violation of five NCAA bylaws relating to illegal contract before signing a letter-of-intent.
While the ex-players aren’t named in the letter, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other news outlets reported and photographed Randall Godfrey and David Pollack attending Drew’s news conference at Thomas County Central High School.
AULT CONTRACT
RENO, Nev. ó The state Board of Regents is scheduled to consider a two-year contract extension for Nevada football coach Chris Ault this week that would push his base pay above the $500,000 mark for the first time in 2013 but still rank below the conference average.