Report: Reggie Bush to Have Heisman Trophy Stripped

Reggie Bush, whose NCAA violations while a running back at the University of Southern California were at the root of heavy sanctions against his alma mater, will reportedly have his Heisman Trophy stripped by month’s end.

The Heisman Trophy Trust is close to concluding its investigation that has led to the same conclusions as the inquiry by the NCAA,Yahoo! Sports reported on Monday. Bush, now a running back for the New Orleans Saints, would be the first player stripped of college football’s most prestigious trophy in the 75-year history of the award.

Bush met with Heisman officials last month in a New York law office, according to Yahoo! Sports. Instead of passing the trophy along to the 2005 runner-up Vince Young, the former University of Texas quarterback who now plays for the Tennessee Titans, the Heisman Trust will likely leave that season vacant, according to the website.

The NCAA ruled in June that Bush committed several violations while a member of the Trojans, including receiving gifts, cash and other benefits. He was retroactively ruled ineligible for part of the 2004 season and all of the 2005 — the year he won the Heisman.

 

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Virginia Tech Stumbles Early, Stumbles Late in Disappointing Defeat

Filed under: Boise State, Virginia Tech, ACC

LANDOVER, Md. — This was not Virginia Tech football.

That was the overriding theme from the deer-in-the headlight-looking Hokies here at FedEx Field Monday night following their 33-30 defeat to third-ranked Boise State. They searched for answers and clues, wondering what happened to the Beamerball that they are noted for inside and outside of Blacksburg, Va.

Sure, the 10th-ranked Hokies absorbed a deflating early-season loss for the third straight season. Yet, this one felt different, looked different, smelled different. There were costly penalties. Poor execution on special teams. Inconsistency and mistakes across the board.

 

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Boise State Victory Could Be Springboard to National Title

Filed under: Boise State, Virginia Tech, ACC, WAC

LANDOVER, Md. — Boise State is hoping history repeats itself. Critics of the Broncos are praying it doesn’t.

Last season, Alabama opened the season by defeating Virginia Tech at a neutral site on its way to the national title. Monday, at FedEx Field, Boise State rallied past Virginia Tech 33-30 at a supposedly neutral site, although the Hokies gobbled up at least 3/4 of the 86,587 tickets.

Will the Broncos also use a season-opening victory against Tech as a catapult to the national title?

We’ll have to wait and see. But no matter where you stand in the great debate — would 12-0 Boise State be BCS title game worthy? — there is no debating the Broncos deserve to be in the conversation after rallying past the Hokies.

“The nation is always going to doubt us just because we’re from the WAC,” Boise State junior defensive end Shea McClellin told FanHouse. “Every week, we’re going to have to go out to the nation and prove who we are.”

Playing just minutes from the Nation’s Capital, the Broncos have become the epitome of America’s Team. You either feel an undefeated Boise State deserves a shot at the BCS title or you believe the Broncos have no business playing for a national title with their soft conference schedule.

“We know the bulls-eye will continue to grow,” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said.

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FanHouse Fab 40: Boise State Tops the Chart in Week 1

Filed under: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Boise State, Brigham Young, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Houston, Iowa, University of Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, Stanford, TCU, Texas, Utah, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Top 25

FanHouse national college football writer Brett McMurphy shares his weekly Associated Press Top 25 ballot along with his next 15 best teams for FanHouse’s Fab 40.

LANDOVER, Md. — Minutes after Boise State’s thrilling 33-30 victory against Virginia Tech Monday night, Kellen Moore would not answer my question.

“If you had a vote in the AP or coaches poll, where would you rank Boise?” I asked him.

“I’m not going to answer that,” Moore said.

That’s fine, Kellen, I’ll tell you where I would rank Boise State: No. 1 with a bullet. The Broncos are ranked No. 1 on my Associated Press ballot this week.

Why Boise State?

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Boise State Topples Virginia Tech With Fast Start, Late Touchdown

Filed under: Boise State, Virginia Tech, ACC, WAC

LANDOVER, Md. — Boise State argued this preseason that it wasn’t concerned about proving critics wrong anymore. Instead, the third-ranked Broncos are determined to justify their lofty status and, as head coach Chris Petersen eloquently reasoned, prove everyone right.

Right on – barely yet dramatically.

Boise State squandered an early 17-point advantage but regrouped in the closing minutes to beat 10th-ranked Virginia Tech 33-30 here Monday night at Fedex Field.

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Navy Goes for Win, Maryland Denies It by Stuffing Ricky Dobbs at Goal Line

Filed under: Maryland, Navy, ACC

BALTIMORE — The odds that the player who scored more touchdowns than any other quarterback in a single season in college football history would get stuffed at the goal line in a nail-biter of a game, not once … or twice … or three times … but four times? Probably incalculable.

But the odds were in Maryland’s favor on Monday afternoon in M&T Bank Stadium. So when the Terps, underdogs to their in-state brethren in a resumption of a long-dormant series, lined up against Navy and Ricky Dobbs with their backs to the goal line, the record-setting Dobbs lost, time and time again. That included the last time, with 37 seconds left, Navy trailing by three and the ball inside Maryland’s 1-yard line.

Navy was sure that going for the touchdown and the victory was the safer move than trying a tying field goal. But Maryland safety Kenny Tate denied Dobbs one final time, and that locked up a 17-14 upset that bodes well for a team that went 2-10 last season and put head coach Ralph Friedgen’s job in jeopardy.

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Ruben Narcisse, Wyoming Football Player, Killed in Single-Car Accident

Filed under: Wyoming

Ruben Narcisse was killed and three other University of Wyoming football players were injured in a single-car crash Monday, shortly before 5:30 a.m. According to a release from the school, the four were in a Toyota Tundra traveling north when the driver apparently fell asleep. The Colorado State Patrol has issued a statement saying there is no evidence drugs or alcohol were a factor in the accident.

“The loss of any student saddens us immeasurably,” UW president Tom Buchanan said. “My condolences go out to Ruben’s family and friends. The entire university community grieves his loss.”

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ruben’s family,” athletic director Tom Burman said. “Our thoughts are also with the students who were involved in the accident and their families as well. Sadly, this athletics department has experienced this kind of loss before, and we know how difficult it is for all involved.”

“We’re reaching out to our entire team and coaching staff,” coach Dave Christensen said. “It’s a terrible tragedy, and a terrible loss. Our focus now is helping our team and staff deal with this tragedy and making sure the families of the young men involved know that we are here to support them in any way we can.”

 

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Southern Miss Coaches Question Wide Receiver’s Effort

Filed under: Southern Miss, Conference USA

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — While Southern Miss receiver DeAndre Brown may have undeniable talent, coach Larry Fedora isn’t thrilled with his attitude.

In Thursday’s 41-13 loss to South Carolina, the 6-foot-6, 240-pound Brown caught four balls for 65 yards and a touchdown-but all of his catches came in the fourth quarter after the game was basically decided.

“If you look at his game from the other night there was nothing special on his part,” Fedora said. “It wasn’t even an average performance to be honest with you.”

Fedora and offensive coordinator Blake Anderson questioned Brown’s effort during Monday’s press conference, particularly when plays weren’t designed to go his way.

“It’s not any different for him than it is for anyone else.” Fedora said. “We expect him to play hard whether he’s getting the ball or not and give everything he’s got on every snap. That’s not just DeAndre Brown, that’s everybody.”

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Big Ten Harvest: Impressive Debuts for Several Quarterbacks

Filed under: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Big 10

Ohio State junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor entered the month as either the Heisman favorite or No. 2 candidate on just about every list out there. Pryor, the Buckeyes’ leading rusher (and, of course, passer) a year ago did just fine in the Buckeyes’ 45-7 defeat of Marshall. He threw the longest touchdown pass (65 yards, to Dane Sanzenbacher) of the week in the Big Ten and completed 17 of 25 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns.

Still, at least on the season’s opening weekend, a few Big Ten quarterbacks who were making their first starts were more impressive. Michigan’s Denard Robinson was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a school-record (for a QB) 197 yards and completing 19 of 22 passes for 186 yards. Northwestern’s Dan Persa had an even higher completion percentage, hitting on 19 of 21 (90.5%) and throwing three touchdown passes as the Wildcats outlasted Vanderbilt in the SAT Bowl in Nashville. Persa, like Robinson, led his team in rushing with 82 yards.

And then there was Purdue’s Robert Marve. While his numbers at Notre Dame were not as impressive (32 of 41 for 220 yards, with two interceptions), Marve warmed up in the second half. The Miami transfer, who sat out last season, showed off his cannon arm, twice launching catchable 55-plus yard missiles (if Golden Tate were his receiver, at least one of them would’ve been caught). He also scored the Boilermakers’ only touchdown, keeping the ball on a 4th-and-1 read option and going 23 yards untouched into the end zone.

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Starting 11: LSU Coach Les Miles Needs His Own Reality Show

Filed under: Auburn, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, South Carolina, SEC

Les Miles is the most overpaid coach in the history of college athletics. But he might be underpaid as an entertainer, the “Situation of the Sideline,” the “Cajun Lindsay Lohan.” Just as America can’t seem to look away from other celebrity train wrecks, so college football fans can’t look away from the man whose hat is the third tallest structure in the state of Louisiana. Even when Miles seems to have games well in hand, he doesn’t. Such was the case Saturday against a depleted North Carolina squad.

Holding a 30-10 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining, against a team of backups, Miles went all Les Miles on us. That means his decision-making suddenly went askew. Two touchdowns from North Carolina sliced the LSU lead to 30-24 and the Tar Heels recovered the onside kick. UNC managed to force a turnover and took possession with 1:29 remaining.

At this point, North Carolina had two timeouts left.

This is where the entire LSU coaching staff bears the brunt of criticism. If LSU is willing to overpay Miles $4 million a year, why can’t it pay someone, anyone $80,000 a year to be the voice of Les Miles reason? That person would listen on the headset and say something like, “Instead of running offensive plays, let’s just take three knees, coach. They only have two timeouts left. No need to get risky here. Let’s take the win and get out of town. Drop a quarterback back twice, take knees, and you’re sitting at 1:20 left after they burn both of their timeouts. Take another knee, drop back until a defender gets close, knee it, and we’re sitting at around 40 seconds left when we punt. Drill the ball through the end zone and North Carolina has to go 80 yards in 32 seconds with no timeouts left.”

 

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