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News Nuggets, 01.04.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Coach tells cash-waving Huskers, Nutt-in' doin'

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Houston Nutt rejected Nebraska's $2 million coaching offer, saying strong family ties and a job left undone kept him at Arkansas. "I could not take my family, myself, and get on that plane," Nutt said at a news conference Saturday. "My heart was here."

Nutt, teary at times, said he was flattered by Nebraska's offer, but it was best for him to remain in his home state.

Nebraska fired coach Frank Solich in November after a 9-3 regular season. The Cornhuskers finished 10-3, beating Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl under interim coach Bo Pelini.

Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson said Saturday the head coaching job hasn't been offered to anyone yet and that he simply wanted Nutt to come to campus for a formal interview. Pederson also said that reports Nutt was offered a package worth up to $2.5 million were false.

Nutt confirmed that there had been no formal Nebraska offer on the table. Details of his new Arkansas new contract were not announced, but Nutt said the deal was worth close to $1.5 million annually, almost doubling his salary.

Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles extended Nutt's contract by a year to 2010 two weeks ago to show potential recruits that he had faith in Nutt, who is 48-27 in six seasons at Arkansas.

Broyles called Nutt "the best man for the job anywhere in America," and his decision to stay was reason for celebration.

Nutt played high school football in Little Rock and college ball at Arkansas and Oklahoma State.

Nebraska was rejected for the second time this week. Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders turned down the job, Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said Thursday.

Bengals vs. Chargers in Senior Bowl

Marvin Lewis and the Cincinnati Bengals' coaching staff will direct the North squad in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 24 in Mobile, Ala.

"We're excited about this opportunity," Lewis said Friday. "It gives us an excellent chance for hands-on evaluation of some great prospects for the draft. Everyone knows the Senior Bowl draws a tremendous collection of talent, and having coached in the game before, I know the advantage of being there in that role."

Lewis was defensive coordinator on the Baltimore staff that coached the South team in 1998.

One of the players on the South team opposing Lewis's squad in this year's game is East Carolina offensive tackle Brian Rimpf, whose team will be coached by Marty Schottenheimer and his San Diego Chargers' staff. Based on an incorrect wire story from The Associated Press, Bonesville.net reported on Wednesday that Schottenheimer would direct the North team.

Big doings in Big Easy

NEW ORLEANS — The Sooner Schooner is in town, pulled by horses named Boomer and Sooner. The glittery Golden Girls and their 325-member Golden Band from Tigerland are here, too.

The LSU flagship radio station was set to start 24 straight hours of football coverage and RVs toting OU wind socks rolled in by the dozen. More than 1 million people might descend on Bourbon Street by Sunday night while 75,000 fans lucky enough to get tickets will pack the Superdome.

Too bad they won't get to see a team win a true national championship. Because as much as the Sugar Bowl is about a matchup between No. 2 LSU and No. 3 Oklahoma, this game has brought into focus an even bigger battle issue in college football — humans vs. computers. "It's not going to be perfect," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said.

The winner of this Bowl Championship Series title game automatically receives the USA Today/ESPN coaches' crown. The Sooners are a six-point favorite, but even a six-touchdown romp would almost assuredly produce yet another split national championship.

Top-ranked Southern California virtually wrapped up The Associated Press title with a 28-14 win over Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

"The system is not equipped to handle three teams at the top," LSU coach Nick Saban reiterated Saturday. "Somebody was obviously going to be the odd man out."

So while voters in the AP media poll and the coaches' poll picked USC as No. 1 going into the bowls, the computer rankings put LSU and Oklahoma ahead of the Trojans and sent them to New Orleans.

And the one sure way to wind up with only one champion — a playoff, as they have in Division I-AA and all other ranks — is also out for now. BCS coordinator Mike Tranghese is sure of that after hearing from university presidents. "They don't even waver on this thing," he said Saturday. "They just say we're not going to do it."

So how would Tranghese weight it?  "I have always been a proponent of the human element," he said.

The BCS system started after Michigan and Nebraska split the title in 1997. It was the third time in the decade that two teams called themselves champions, and it was too much for too many college officials. Now, it's happened again.

Marquette inks Senegalese big man

MILWAUKEE — Marquette University basketball coach Tom Crean has announced that Ousmane Barro has signed a national letter of intent to attend the university next fall and play for the 2004-05 Golden Eagles men's basketball team. Barro is a native of Dakar, Senegal.

“Ousmane’s size and athleticism is very exciting to all of us," said Crean, "but his commitment, personality and work ethic are what we feel will separate him and help him eventually become an excellent player at Marquette.

“Even though he is still relatively new to this country and is continuing to grow in every area of his life, Ousmane understands the value of hard work and has made a commitment to getting better.”

Barro, a 6-foot-10 inch, 230 pound forward, is currently in his senior year at Chicago Julian High School and due to Illinois High School Association athletic policy is not permitted to compete athletically because of his foreign-exchange-student status.

“I hope all of us can remain patient with Ousmane because in a period of time he will be an outstanding player,” said Crean.

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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