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Hogs' Wade reportedly arrested after nearly hitting police car
Associated Press
Updated: July 27, 2008, 8:24 PM ET

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Arkansas wide receiver Marques Wade faces a drunken driving charge after authorities said he nearly hit a police officer with his car late Saturday night.

A Fayetteville police report shows an officer stopped the sophomore from Ellenwood, Ga., after he sped through a parking lot and nearly slid into another officer. The report alleges Wade had bloodshot eyes and denied drinking, but said he had "smoked some marijuana earlier in the day." Police said a breathalyzer test showed Wade had a blood-alcohol level of 0.11. Arkansas' legal limit is 0.08.

Wade also faces a misdemeanor careless driving charge. He was released from Washington County jail early Sunday morning after posting an $880 bond. Wade told The Associated Press he had no comment Sunday about his arrest. Kevin Trainor, a university spokesman, said the team was aware of Wade's arrest.

"He's very upset," Trainor said of coach Bobby Petrino. "The matter will be dealt with."

Wade is scheduled to appear Aug. 18 in Fayetteville District Court. He played only four games last year. The incident marks the fifth arrest of a member of the Arkansas' football team this year.


Oregon linebacker suspended indefinitely for breaking team rules
Associated Press
Updated: July 26, 2008, 11:08 PM ET

EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon linebacker Kevin Garrett was suspended indefinitely for breaking team rules. Coach Mike Bellotti announced the suspension Saturday. Details of the violation were not released.

Garrett, a junior from Harbor City, Calif., was at the top of the depth chart at weakside linebacker heading into preseason practice. He had 21 tackles, 51⁄2 for losses, in 12 games last season.


UK's Pulley faces misdeamenor drug, traffic charges
Associated Press
Updated: July 25, 2008, 8:32 PM ET

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Curtis Pulley has gotten into trouble with the law twice in the last two months, including an arrest for multiple traffic violations this week.

WLEX-TV in Lexington first reported Friday that Pulley was charged last month in Louisville on a misdemeanor count of marijuana possession. Then this week, Pulley was arrested in Hardin County on traffic charges including speeding, driving on a suspended or revoked license and having expired or no plates or registration papers, according to court documents.

Court records indicate Pulley was placed on diversion on the marijuana charge, which usually means the charge can be removed from the record if the defendant doesn't violate the terms.

Kentucky spokesman Tony Neely said the university didn't become aware of the charges until Friday and that coach Rich Brooks would decide at a later date what penalties Pulley will face but that it could include loss of playing time. Pulley, a junior, is expected to compete for the starting job with sophomore Mike Hartline when preseason practice begins in August.


Wisconsin back suspended for not meetiing program terms
By Adam Rittenberg
ESPN.com
Updated: July 24, 2008, 8:59 PM ET

CHICAGO -- Wisconsin Badgers running back Lance Smith has been suspended, coach Bret Bielema announced Thursday afternoon.

"It has come to my attention that Lance has failed to meet certain requirements relating to the first-offender program he was placed in last fall," Badgers coach Bret Bielema said in a statement.

Smith was arrested last July and faced several charges stemming from an incident with his girlfriend. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of battery and disorderly conduct, and he was prohibited from participating in away games last season. Smith is suspended from competing and practicing with the team. He remains on the roster and can still use team support services.

The junior had 429 rushing yards and three touchdowns last fall despite playing in just eight games. He was expected to share carries this season with projected starter P.J. Hill and reserves Zach Brown and John Clay.


Paterno reiterates retirement not in his immediate future
By Mark Schlabach
ESPN.com
Updated: July 25, 2008, 1:22 AM ET

CHICAGO -- Joe Paterno wouldn't say how long he plans to keep coaching at Penn State, but the 81-year-old icon was full of punch lines as he addressed a ballroom full of reporters at Big Ten media day.

"Obviously, you get tired of answering the same question: 'When are you going to retire?'" Paterno said. "You can only answer so many ways."

Paterno, who is set to begin his 43rd season as Penn State's coach, answered the question more than a few ways on Thursday.

"I'd like to retire when I feel that I can't make a contribution to Penn State," Paterno said. "I feel very obligated to Penn State. I want to get out of it when I feel it's appropriate. … I don't want to be so stupid that you go so far that I can't leave it the way I want to leave it."

Paterno, whose 372 wins are one behind Florida State's Bobby Bowden for most victories among major college football coaches, doesn't have a contract beyond 2008. Paterno and Penn State president Graham Spanier agreed in April to meet after the coming season to discuss the coach's future at the school. What would it take for Paterno to step down?

"I'm having fun, and I'm enjoying it," Paterno said. "We could lose 10 games by 15 points, and I could say, 'Hey, we're close. We're one play away.' I'll know. If I don't feel I'm doing a good job, I'll know."

When a reporter from a Philadelphia newspaper continued to press Paterno on the subject, the coach replied, "I don't know! I don't know! Do you want me to spell it? I-d-o-n-t-k-n-o-w. How many times can I say it?"

Paterno joked that he hasn't sought counsel from Purdue coach Joe Tiller, who will retire after the 2008 season, his 12th year with the Boilermakers.

"He knows what he wants to do," Paterno said. "He said he wants to fish. I said, 'Fish? For crying out loud!' You catch three and look at one and they all look the same. … You think I'm going to go to some guy who sits on his rear and fishes for advice? Joe will do it his way, and I'll do it my way."


Time to move on from offseason saga, Rodriguez says
Associated Press
Updated: July 25, 2008, 2:27 PM ET

CHICAGO -- Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez stepped to the podium Thursday for his first appearance at the Big Ten preseason media event and promised to clear up what he called "a little bit of drama going on in the last seven months."

That's putting it mildly. Rodriguez's departure from his alma mater West Virginia was messy and acrimonious and ended up in court.

"It was like I was afraid to open up a paper to see what's next and what do I have to refute. There were some tough lessons learned," Rodriguez said.

"I always tell my coaches that you give your life and soul to the place you're working at and I probably did that. It certainly didn't end the way we wanted it to. But there were a lot of great people there, a lot of great young men on the football team, a lot of great fans in the state of West Virginia and I know they're going to have great success in the future."

A lot of those fans were livid when Rodriguez left for Michigan and the way it unfolded. He'd helped shape West Virginia into a perennial national contender and they figured he was staying put. Rodriguez said wading into his new and demanding job has been a way to shut out all the clamor. For his family, it wasn't that easy.

"Unfortunately for my wife and my family, at times it was a little frustrating and disappointing at how that played out. The folks at the University of Michigan have been terrific and the fans have been terrific. The players, none of them have asked about it. It does not seem like it has been an issue at all in my current job and that's the way I want it."

Rodriguez and Michigan agreed earlier this month to pay a $4 million buyout to the West Virginia with $1.5 million of that coming from Rodriguez in three annual payments beginning in 2010.

"There's a lot of things that I would like to talk about, but I want to move on. That's one of the biggest reasons that everything got settled because I think everybody wanted to move on," Rodriguez said.

"Am I disappointed with certain things? Sure I am, disappointed in that maybe not all of the things that I thought were truthful had an opportunity to come out to set the record straight on certain situations," he said without elaborating.

His transition at Michigan has not been without problems, either. Offensive lineman Justin Boren left the program, saying the family values had eroded and then he did the unthinkable. He transferred to Ohio State.

Rodriguez is installing his vaunted spread offense, which was so successful at West Virginia. The Wolverines said goodbye to most of the offensive stars on last year's team, including top overall NFL draft pick Jake Long, quarterback Chad Henne, running back Mike Hart and receivers Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington. The players that remain are being jammed into on offense nothing like they were recruited to play in.

"We lost a lot of talent offensively," Rodriguez said. "When you're young, you're hungry. A hungry player is fun to watch."