Associated Press
NEW YORK — Jake Scott had a promise to keep.
The former Georgia star doesn’t make many trips to the mainland from his home in Hanalei, Hawaii, a small coastal town on the island of Kauai.
He made an exception, however, for the College Football Hall of Fame induction Tuesday because his late friend Jim Mandich made him vow to do so.
“He got me before it went down,” Scott said Tuesday, referring to the death in April of his former Miami Dolphins teammate. “So I agreed to do it and that’s why I’m here.”
Scott, along with Heisman winner Eddie George, former Florida State star Deion Sanders and retired Michigan coach Lloyd Carr are among the latest class of 16 players and coaches to be inducted into College Hall of Fame by the National Football Foundation.
The group also includes former Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry; Alabama defensive lineman Marty Lyons; Miami defensive lineman Russell Maryland; Texas defensive lineman Doug English; Florida receiver Carlos Alvarez; Oregon State fullback Bill Enyart; Nebraska guard Will Shields; Minnesota’s Sandy Stephens, who was inducted posthumously; West Virginia linebacker Darryl Talley; Oklahoma halfback Clendon Thomas; Arizona defensive lineman Ron Waldrop; and Michigan State receiver Gene Washington.
PENN STATE
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State likely won’t provide the NCAA all the answers it wants by a Dec. 16 deadline for its inquiry into whether the school broke rules with its handling of the scandal that cost Joe Paterno his job.
School president Rodney Erickson said Tuesday the university would respond to the NCAA as a “work in progress.” A school spokeswoman cited the volume of investigations under way as a potential factor.
Investigations began after police arrested former assistant Jerry Sandusky last month. He maintains his innocence on charges he sexually abused eight boys over a 15-year span.
BOISE MAD
BOISE, Idaho — Boise State football coach Chris Petersen is calling for an end to the current Bowl Championship Series system after the No. 7 Broncos were left out of the high-profile games.
The Broncos (11-1) accepted an invitation to the MAACO Bowl in Vegas on Sunday. It’s the fourth time the Broncos have finished in the top 10 of the BCS without getting a bid to one of the elite match-ups. This year, they were passed over along with Nos. 6 Arkansas, 8 Kansas State and 9 South Carolina.
LEACH INTRODUCED
PULLMAN, Wash. — New Washington State coach Mike Leach said Tuesday that some people have been asking him why he wanted to take over a downtrodden program in a remote town in the Pacific Northwest.
His response?
“I think that’s a stupid question,” Leach said, drawing a roar from about 1,000 fans, players and marching band members at a rally where he was introduced on Tuesday. “You can win here and win big, I believe.”
Leach, a former coach at Texas Tech, was hired last week to replace Paul Wulff, who was fired after going 9-40 in four seasons at the helm at Washington State.
DIVISION II PLAYOFFS
DETROIT — They play in near-anonymity at an athletic complex next to a freeway interchange, just a few miles from the home of the Detroit Lions.
Overshadowed by bigger college football programs — not to mention the Motor City’s pro team — the Wayne State Warriors are trying to bring a national championship to Michigan. And this would certainly be an improbable one.
Less than a month ago, the Warriors were celebrating their first berth in the Division II playoffs. Three road wins later, they are still playing, in the midst of a magical run that has them two victories from a title.
Wayne State (11-3) plays at Winston-Salem (13-0) on Saturday. Delta State (11-2) faces Pittsburg State (11-1) in the other semifinal, with the title game set for Dec. 17 in Florence, Ala.