NOTEBOOK \ College football

Ohio State: Offensive tackle Kirk Barton, fullback Dionte Johnson and linebacker James Laurinaitis have been selected by their teammates as captains. A second defensive captain will be named for each game because of the close voting. Barton is one of the few seniors back this year and is a returning offensive lineman. Johnson, another senior, was the second-team fullback last season. Laurinaitis, a junior, was an All-American linebacker last season who had 115 tackles to win the Nagurski Award.

Tennessee: Tailback LaMarcus Coker, the team’s leading rusher last season who was indefinitely suspended two weeks ago, will rejoin the team. Coach Phillip Fulmer said Friday that Coker “has fulfilled his obligations” to return to the team starting with practice Saturday. He also said that the decision came “at the recommendation of [Coker’s] medical advisers.” “He’s worked out some, I don’t know how much,” Fulmer said. “Really, he’s been quite busy doing other things.” Fulmer also said that the troubled tailback’s attitude through the entire ordeal has been exceptional. Though he will be back, Coker will not make the trip to California for the Tennessee’s season opener Sept. 1, but could make the home opener the following week. “I do expect him to return against Southern Miss if he continues on a positive track,” Fulmer said. The sophomore led the Volunteers with 696 rushing yards his freshman year, even though he was sidelined for two games by an injured knee. He was competing for time with junior Arian Foster and sophomore Montario Hardesty. Coker, who had a pair of touchdown runs for more than 80 yards each last season, was suspended for several practices last December for undisclosed reasons.

South Carolina: Safety Emanuel Cook was arrested on a gun charge and suspended from the university Friday, making him ineligible to play for the Gamecocks. The 19-year-old player was charged with unlawful possession of a pistol, according to a police report. Cook and James Gore III were arrested by university police Thursday night at a parking lot near campus dormitories, the report said. The athletic department said Cook was suspended from the university because of an arrest involving a weapon. “He’s a good young man and obviously was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” coach Steve Spurrier said Friday. “You’ve got to choose your friends. Supposedly, the gun was not [Cook’s] but he was with a guy with a gun. You’re guilty by association.” Cook’s arrest comes a day after Spurrier said three players, including starting quarterback Blake Mitchell, would sit out the first game against Louisiana-Lafayette on Sept. 1 because of excessive absences during summer school. The other players were running back Bobby Wallace and defensive back Chris Hail. Cook was released from jail on his own recognizance, said his lawyer, Lowell Bernstein. Cook hopes to again be a student and rejoin the football team, Bernstein said. “He’s got no record and this is out of character for him,” Bernstein said. Bernstein said it was neither Cook’s gun nor car, but would not discuss any more about the case. Gore, 21, from Chester, was charged with unlawful carry or display of a firearm. Cook, a sophomore from Riviera Beach, Fla., played in 10 games a year ago, starting five. He earned a spot on the all-Southeastern Conference freshman team. “He’s one of our best players, no question, and one of our best guys,” Spurrier said.

Associated Press