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News Nuggets, 01.03.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Icy Boise seems like Paradise to appreciative Tulsa

BOISE — When Tulsa's bowl status was pending, coach Steve Kragthorpe joked that he would snowshoe to Alaska if that's what it took to extend the season. He was more on target than he thought.

"Our athletic director, after we got invited to this, said, 'You made it about half way,"' said Kragthorpe, whose Golden Hurricane play Georgia Tech on Saturday in the Humanitarian Bowl.

After consecutive one-win seasons, Tulsa is thrilled to be in one of the less exotic bowl destinations, playing on a funky blue surface that was ringed with snow Friday. Nobody on either team is complaining.

Tulsa (8-4) got the Humanitarian bid when Western Athletic Conference champion Boise State opted out of another home game in favor of playing a ranked opponent in TCU in the Fort Worth Bowl. The Broncos won, but left the hometown bowl organizers looking for a new team to play Tech (6-6).

The Golden Hurricane were eager to accept after last appearing in a bowl in 1991. Tulsa had gone just 2-21 over the last two seasons, then Kragthorpe, an assistant with the Buffalo Bills, took over after Keith Burns was fired.

After a 3-4 start, Tulsa closed the regular season with a five-game winning streak and got Kragthorpe plenty of recognition. He tied for third with Oklahoma's Bob Stoops in the AP coach of the year voting.

Georgia Tech is in its seventh straight bowl, although this one is certainly a new experience. Wednesday's practice was held in snow, something many of the Yellow Jackets had never seen.

"I bet it was pretty unique for them. Those guys from Miami, they think it's sand," Tech coach Gailey said.

The Yellow Jackets actually enjoyed the snow so much they took a trip to Idaho City for some snowmobiling, tubing and snowball fights on Thursday. After just a few days, they felt plenty acclimated to the weather.

"I think it's colder in Atlanta sometimes with the wind chill factor than it is right here," wide receiver Nate Curry said.

O'Leary ticker on rapid-rebound track

ORLANDO — Central Florida football coach George O'Leary was released from a Minnesota hospital on Friday, two days after having a mild heart attack.

The heart attack came three days after the Minnesota Vikings' season ended with a last-play loss at Arizona. O'Leary was the Vikings' defensive coordinator.

Since he was hired by Central Florida on Dec. 8, he was splitting time between the NFL team and the Golden Knights.

"I'll be heading down to Central Florida sometime this week," O'Leary, 56, told The Associated Press after being released from Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, Minn. "Hopefully this weekend. ... I'll be there as soon as I can be there."

O'Leary, who guided Georgia Tech to a 52-33 record from 1994-01, was forced to resign as Notre Dame's football coach two years ago just days after his hiring because he had supplied inaccurate information on his resume.

He was hired by UCF to replace Mike Kruczek, fired during a 3-9 season that also included off-the-field problems.

O'Leary's part-time status and health problems, though, have created difficulties in recruiting players and coaches. He has three more assistants to hire to complete a staff of nine, but he said the process is nearly done.

Meanwhile, UCF assistants have been on the recruiting trail. "We've been hitting the road, granted, with a smaller staff than most," Knights athletic director Steve Orsini said.

Bowden 'nominates' Spurrier for Nebraska job

MIAMI — Florida State coach Bobby Bowden knows where Steve Spurrier should coach next. "I'd like to see him get the Nebraska job," Bowden joked. "That would be a good job for Steve. I wouldn't have to play against him."

Spurrier, who was Bowden's former coaching rival at Florida, quit the Washington Redskins earlier in the week after the team finished 5-11 by losing 10 of its last 12 games. Spurrier walked away from the final three years of a five-year, $25 million contract, the richest ever given an NFL coach.

"I was surprised, yet I was not surprised," Bowden said. "It didn't look like the same old happy Steve Spurrier that used to get on my case so much."

Bowden said he expected Spurrier to take a year off before possibly returning to the college ranks, where Spurrier led the Gators to six Southeastern Conference titles and 122 victories in 12 seasons.

"I've got a feeling that when he gets back, and I think he will, somebody's going to be lucky to get him," Bowden said.

Charlotte applies brakes to Salukis' home streak

CARBONDALE — Charlotte's defense clamped down when it was needed most to produce a 64-59 road win at Southern Illinois Friday night, ending the Salukis' 31-game home win streak.

With the game knotted at 54 with 4:32 to play, the 49ers allowed just five points the rest of the way, forcing three turnovers in a four-possession span for SIU, to regain control and grab the victory.

The loss was SIU's first non-conference home loss of the century, with the last one coming in 1999. That non-league home win streak was 17 games. The Salukis' 31-game home win streak was the third longest in the country behind Duke (34) and Pittsburgh (32).

The victory was the 49ers' fourth on the road this season, doubling last year's win total on the road. The victory also wraps up the 49ers non-conference season with an 8-3 record, the 49ers best non-conference record under Bobby Lutz.

Sophomore Curtis Withers posted his fifth straight double-double with a game-high 16 points and 11 rebounds. He also added five assists.

Among the 49ers road wins this year are the 96-92 victory at defending national champion Syracuse and a 105-102 double overtime victory at Old Dominion.

Charlotte tips off its Conference USA schedule Tuesday at DePaul.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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