Former NFL exec looks forward to reunion at Super Bowl

TEMPE, Ariz. — The last time the Super Bowl was in Arizona, Ray Anderson was the Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the NFL.

Seven years later, the Super Bowl is heading to Arizona but Anderson won’t have to make the long haul again from NFL headquarters in New York.

Anderson is in his first year as Vice President for University Athletics and Athletic Director at Arizona State University and is relishing the reunion in his new backyard.

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Former NFL exec looks forward to reunion at Super Bowl

Report: Bo Pelini to coach FCS member Youngstown State

Bo Pelini, fired as Nebraska’s coach at the end of November, will be the new coach at FCS school Youngstown State, a report says.

The Youngstown Vindicator reported the news Tuesday morning. Pelini is a Youngstown native.

The Vindicator said a school spokesman could neither confirm nor deny the report, but also that the spokesman said the school "hopefully" would have an official statement later Tuesday.

Youngstown State’s president is former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who enjoyed great success as Youngstown’s coach in the 1990s.

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Report: Bo Pelini to coach FCS member Youngstown State

Jameis Winston"s conduct hearing anticipated to finish Wednesday

The very first day of Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston’s code of conduct hearing went "as expected," his advisor told reporters, as well as the hearing is anticipated to close Wednesday.

"We believe this nightmare is going to be over really shortly," David Cornwell, Winston’s advisor, told reporters following the hearing ended Tuesday.

The school’s hearing — that is closed to the people — facilities on sexual assault allegations against Winston from December 2012, and possible punishments vary from probation to expulsion.

Winston did not talk to the media before or after the hearing, but both sides got their points across before the hearing. Cornwell said the accuser and her lawyers were attempting "to do their extortion strategy." And John Clune, the accuser’s lawyer, said in a statement, "it is the day that Mr. Winston has been urgently trying to prevent for two years. … Neither Jameis Winston nor his attorney can quit what’s coming."

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Jameis Winston"s conduct hearing anticipated to finish Wednesday

CFB Social: Week 12 in college football through social media

Week 12 of college football is underway and social media is buzzing with the action. Here are the best tweets, vines, videos and more from across the country.

Sub-freezing temperature? Check. Horizontal snow? Check. Minnesota football staffer eating a Dilly Bar on the sideline? Check.

When attending Minnesota game at this time of year, one typically dresses as a gopher for warmth.

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CFB Social: Week 12 in college football through social media

Washington"s Shaq Thompson will flip to shield vs. Arizona

The Shaq Attack is back… on defense.

After two starts at running back, Washington’s Shaq Thompson is headed back to his recognizable beginning job as the Huskies’ play-making outside linebacker ahead of the team’s confrontation against Arizona on Saturday.

>> College Football 24/7 Top 25 Power Rankings

"So we are getting our running backs going a little bit, so we are possibly able to balance (Thompson) back over there (on defense) a little bit more," head coach Chris Petersen said Monday at his weekly press conference. & quot;He Will begin on that defensive side and we’ll kind of go from there."

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Washington"s Shaq Thompson will flip to shield vs. Arizona

Myles Jack triumphs "jogging backer" matchup as UCLA rolls

Jack tackled Shaq. Shaq ran by Jack.

In Case you presume this is the beginning to some Dr. Seuss story, you would not be incorrect per se, but it is also an exact manner to describe UCLA’s 44-30 win over Washington on Saturday night.

>> Can Not-miss Minutes: Top school football plays of Week 11

The competition was billed in advance as a matchup between "jogging backers" — the Bruins’ Myles Jack and the Huskies’ Shaq Thompson — and it more than lived up to expectations most of the night despite the somewhat lopsided score.

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Myles Jack triumphs "jogging backer" matchup as UCLA rolls

Michigan AD Dave Brandon steps down

Beleaguered Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon stepped down Friday, school president Mark Schlissel declared in a news conference.

"Dave believes that it will take the very best interest of our student athletes, the athletic department as well as the university community if he moved on to other challenges and let the significant work of the section as well as the university to carry on without day-to-day diversions," Schlissel said. & quot;I agree with this particular choice.

" … There’s absolutely no doubt that Dave loves the University of Michigan and desires to see us move forward and succeed. I thank him for his long service and lifelong dedication to Michigan."

Schlissel became Michigan’s president in September.

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Michigan AD Dave Brandon steps down

Lookout: I do not understand if Oregon"s Marcus Mariota is alpha male

It Is the occupation of NFL scouts, and by extension, the general managers who supervise them, to discover defects in school possibilities.

They all have them — some more noticeable than others — as well as a failure to identify them accurately can establish itself into a wasted draft pick. Therefore, even the top-notch prospects that are considered surefire first-round draft picks will get their share of examination, even supposing it’s more microscopic — or as the case might be, myopic — in nature.

Enter Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, who has 24 touchdowns to only one interception this season, but according to one NFL scout may be overly fine for the NFL. Yep, overly fine.

"Like in case you hit him in the gut, he might apologize to you personally," the scout told Sports Illustrated’s Interior Read. & quot;I simply do not understand if he is that alpha male that you are looking for. The child’s kind of a fly on the wall type of man. Physically, he is actually gifted, but it is likely to have some time. In the event you are expecting him to come in and be your savior year one, I do not believe that is going to be it."

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Lookout: I do not understand if Oregon"s Marcus Mariota is alpha male

Josh Robinson"s stunning runs help Mississippi State to win

No. 2-ranked Mississippi State received a bit of a panic Saturday, but running back Josh Robinson set the actual panic in Kentucky’s shield.

The junior rushed for 198 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs survived a 45-31 road triumph that was closer than the final score suggested. MSU TE Christian Holmes returned an onside kick for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter after Robinson’s 73-yard touchdown run before in the quarter helped give the Bulldogs some much-needed breathing room.

The 73-yarder might have been Robinson’s longest & most impactful run, but it most definitely was not his finest of the day. That distinction goes to the scamper that featured seven broken tackles. Not amazingly, it was Kentucky defensive end Bud Dupree, an NFL draft prospect plus among the greatest athletes to the field Saturday, who ultimately corralled Robinson:

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Josh Robinson"s stunning runs help Mississippi State to win

Ex-Michigan WR Csont"e York sentenced to seven days in jail

Former Michigan wide receiver Csont’e York was sentenced Friday to seven days in jail for 2 misdemeanor assault convictions.

York struck one man, breaking his jaw and knocking him unconscious, and shoved another guy during a July 18 incident outside an Ann Arbor pub. Michigan suspended York on Aug. 3 and declared he’d been fired from the football team on Aug. 18. York is now registered in the University of Toledo.

York pleaded guilty to assault and assault and battery on Sept. 22.

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Ex-Michigan WR Csont"e York sentenced to seven days in jail

Texas ADVERTISING: Longhorns establish to cover stipend of $10,000 per sportsman

Texas football players might soon find themselves with a somewhat thicker wallet.

No, not thanks to Longhorns supporters, but as the school could be establish to supply a significant stipend in addition to what it is that they receive now.

Athletic director Steve Patterson, speaking in a forum in Washington D.C. on faculty sports, said the school is set to spend almost $6 million a year for a cost of attendance stipend for each student athlete and to comply with the recent O’Bannon opinion that’s still making its way through the court system.

That breaks down to about $10,000 per player at the school across all sports, nearly the maximum possible new rules would permit.

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Texas ADVERTISING: Longhorns establish to cover stipend of $10,000 per sportsman

Tuesday Tweetbag: Heisman candidates, CFB Playoff scenarios

Week 8 college football activity is in the novels, so we chose to fire up the Tuesday Tweetbag to handle the burning issues in your head this year about everything from top professional possibilities to the most effective teams in the sport.

Feel liberated to file your questions to @BryanDFischer on Twitter each Monday or early Tuesday morning to get them answered every week. Without further ado, allow the smorgasbord of questions commence.

@BryanDFischer Will Rakeem Cato even be described as a Heisman candidate? Or he’s doomed for playing at an under-the-radar school?

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Tuesday Tweetbag: Heisman candidates, CFB Playoff scenarios

Alabama TE Kurt Freitag caught with marijuana

A search conducted by the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force yielded 112 grams of marijuana and $4,661 in cash in the dorm room of Alabama reserve tight end Kurt Freitag, but Freitag apparently was not charged.

A court record filed Monday indicates the task force witnessed Freitag as part of a drug transaction last week, but according to al.com, there is no record of a legal charge against Freitag. The agents approached Freitag and read him his rights, and Freitag consented to a search of his residence at Bryant Hall that turned up the drugs and cash, which were seized. A confidential informant had previously alerted the task force to the drug deal. A spokesperson for the task force declined to comment, and an Alabama spokesperson said the matter is being looked into.

A third-year sophomore, Freitag has seen limited playing time in his career and was passed on the depth chart by a younger tight end last year in O.J. Howard.

Alabama plays host to Texas A&M on Saturday.

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Alabama TE Kurt Freitag caught with marijuana

A"Shawn Robinson run defense bails out Alabama

Of all that went wrong for Alabama Saturday in a 14-13 win over Arkansas, the one thing the Crimson Tide needed most given the opponent — a stout run defense — proved to be reliable as ever.

The dynamic Razorbacks duo of Jonathan Williams (83 yards) and Alex Collins (13 yards) never broke free for the big gains that had highlighted a 317-yards-per-game rushing attack all season. As a team, Arkansas rushed 39 times for 89 yards, about 30 percent of their season average. Central to Alabama’s run-stopping efforts was sophomore defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson. The 320-pounder made five tackles, 1.5 of them for losses, and forced a fumble by Williams that Alabama recovered in the second quarter. In the fourth quarter,  Robinson beat a double-team to force a fourth-and-1 run outside, where Xzavier Dickson made a tackle for no gain.

Alabama entered the game ranked No. 3 in the NCAA in rush defense, allowing 65 yards per game.

Beyond Robinson, key defensive contributions came from everywhere. Defensive lineman Jonathan Allen blocked a PAT try that proved to be the difference in the game, All-American safety Landon Collins intercepted a pass and broke up two others, and inside linebacker Reggie Ragland made 12 tackles.

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A"Shawn Robinson run defense bails out Alabama

USC CB Josh Shaw remains on indefinite suspension

Suspended USC cornerback Josh Shaw’s immediate future remains up in the air.

The Los Angeles Daily News reported Wednesday that Trojans coach Steve Sarkisian said Shaw’s status rests with USC "higher-ups" after he was asked if Shaw would play this season.

"I know Josh is trying to do everything in his power to make that happen, but really there’s not even a decision to be made on our end, at this point," Sarkisian told trojansports.com.

Shaw (6-foot-1, 200 pounds), who would’ve started at cornerback for USC, was suspended indefinitely in late August, after he admitted he fabricated a story saying he had injured himself saving a drowning nephew. He is being investigated for a possible domestic violence incident.

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USC CB Josh Shaw remains on indefinite suspension

Inside Slant: Dysfunction at Michigan extends beyond sideline

» Michigan’s Hoke atop hot-seat coaches list

One of the first questions Michigan president Mark Schlissel should be asking today is this: "How will we ever get this right from play to play in a Saturday instant when we can’t even get it right between Saturday and Monday?"

He should ask it while sifting through more failures in Michigan’s concussion protocol than can be easily counted. If the school’s admitted mishandlings of quarterback Shane Morris’ concussion were fumbles on a field, they could be strung together for an award-winning blooper clip.

Except that there’s not much humor in institutional dysfunction.

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Inside Slant: Dysfunction at Michigan extends beyond sideline

Raiders" Derek Carr harm, replaced by Matt McGloin

A miserable day for the Oakland Raiders was exacerbated when quarterback Derek Carr was sidelined with an obvious left ankle/knee injury in the 3rd quarter.

Carr’s knee was turned at the conclusion of a scramble. Despite a heavy limp, he remained in for one more play before it became clear that he could not place any weight on the leg.

He was quickly sent to the locker room for X rays and is formally questionable to return.

The rookie authored an impressive opening touchdown drive vs. the Miami Dolphins, but neglected to transfer the offense over the next two quarters.

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Raiders" Derek Carr harm, replaced by Matt McGloin

Su"a Cravens outshines Leonard Williams in USC success

LOS ANGELES — With Oregon State’s Sean Mannion being talked about as possibly the top senior quarterback in college football and USC’s defense coming off a lousy performance in a loss to Boston College, I was fascinated to see how that matchup would play out Saturday night in the Coliseum.

That conflict turned out to be a one sided event. Here are my observations on a few of the best prospects in the game:

USC DL Leonard Williams gets mentioned as one among the best defensive prospects in college football, but Trojans outside linebacker Su’a Cravens stole the show vs. the Beavers.

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Su"a Cravens outshines Leonard Williams in USC success

Can not-miss Minutes: Top plays of Week 5 in college football

Saturdays during school football season consistently deliver a bevy of "Can Not-miss Moments." College Football 24/7 is here to make sure you’ve access to all the plays fans will be raving about.

Georgia running back Todd Gurley set his hurdling abilities to make use of against Tennessee, jumping over a Volunteers defenseman en route to some huge increase.

Before his high-hurdling trick, Gurley broke this 51-yard run for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a tight match vs. Tennessee.

TCU QB Trevone Boykin has rather an experience on an errant snap, picking up the tumbling pigskin and then throw it to the crossbar of the goal post. Fortunate for TCU, an SMU defensive lineman jumped offside prior to the play began; 5-yard penalty and replay the down. Serious disgrace averted.

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Can not-miss Minutes: Top plays of Week 5 in college football

Ameer Abdullah: Jameis Winston has "long way to go" in adulthood

Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah needs what Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston already has — a Heisman Trophy — but it was Abdullah doling out some serious guidance for Winston on Monday.

The two school stars both hail from Alabama and consider each other friends. They were high school competitions in the Birmingham region, however they attended several summer camps jointly and apparently prepared together at exactly the same fitness center.

Nevertheless, Winston has been no stranger to off-the-field problems, as well as the episode that resulted in his suspension from Florida State’s game against Clemson — Winston shouted an obscene phrase within the student union — has seemingly rankled his fellow Heisman Trophy candidate and buddy. The Cornhuskers star directed a message Monday directly at Winston: Grow up.

"(Winston is) a very intelligent young man," Abdullah told the Associated Press. & quot;But he’s made his fair share of errors. It gets to the point at which you are feeling like he needs to begin understanding and take things more seriously because these matters can change what the results are in his future."

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Ameer Abdullah: Jameis Winston has "long way to go" in adulthood