Tuesday, August 21, 2001
LINCOLN, Neb. >> The off-field troubles for No. 3 Nebraska are building as two more players, including former St. Louis School star Tony Tata, face disciplinary action after weekend arrests for an argument at a bar. [COLLEGE ATHLETICS]
Off-field problems for
ex-Crusader Tata continueStar-Bulletin wire services
Since June, four players have been arrested and a fifth, linebacker Randy Stella, was kicked off the team for violating team rules.
I-back Dahrran Diedrick and Tata, a backup linebacker, spent Saturday night in jail after being charged with disturbing the peace.
"You cannot be out at midnight standing on the street and generally have something good happen," coach Frank Solich said yesterday.
Solich said that no decision had been made on the players' status. He planned to make a determination by week's end.
"I'm just trying to get as many facts on it as I can," Solich said. "In a number of cases we have waited until things have played out in the court system. I don't know if that will be the case here."
Diedrick is scheduled to appear in Lancaster County Court Sept. 12. Tata is to appear two days later.
Nebraska opens the season Saturday at home against TCU.
Michigan: Coach Lloyd Carr picked John Navarre to replace Drew Henson as the starting quarterback for the No. 12 Wolverines.
Navarre started the first four games last season, filling in for an injured Henson. He completed 40 of 77 passes for 583 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception.
Florida State: Anquan Boldin, the Seminoles' top returning receiver, was lost for the season yesterday because of a knee injury that requires surgery.
Boldin was hurt Saturday in a scrimmage, but the extent of the injury was not clear until yesterday, when an examination showed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Connecticut: Quarterback Ryan Tracey is leaving the team just 10 days after saying he had "no concerns whatsoever" about playing on his injured knee,
The 6-foot-3, 217-pound senior tore ligaments in his left knee late last season after throwing for 15 touchdowns in eight games and setting a school record with four 300-yard passing games.
"It is with great disappointment that I have decided to end my football playing career," Tracey said yesterday.
TCU: The Horned Frogs aren't sure there's just one player who can be a capable replacement for LaDainian Tomlinson, the NCAA's leading rusher the past two seasons.
When the Frogs play their season opener Saturday at Nebraska, three players will rotate at tailback.
With 178 yards, Andrew Hayes-Stoker is the top returning rusher, but he's had surgery twice since last fall for torn cartilage in his right knee and is listed third on the depth chart.
Ricky Madison, who had 20 carries for 89 yards last year, will likely get the start Saturday. Corey Connally has no carries at TCU.
Charleston: Hired Chaminade University graduate Samba Johnson as its new assistant men's basketball coach.
Johnson comes to the school from Duquesne University.
The Pittsburgh native played at Robert Morris from 1992 through 1994 and finished his career at Chaminade, where he received a degree in marketing in 1996.