COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP \ News and notes

Notre Dame: Athletic director Jack Swarbrick says he has started contacting the candidates to replace fired coach Charlie Weis. Swarbrick would not say how many people he has talked to, but says he didn’t begin contacting candidates until Tuesday. He wouldn’t comment on any of the names widely reported as possible replacements for Weis. He also says the search could take him out of town as early as today. He spent part of the day talking with Notre Dame assistant coaches about the football program.

South Carolina: Steve Spurrier is in line for another contract extension. University president Harris Pastides and athletic director Eric Hyman said Tuesday they will recommend a one-year contract extension for Spurrier to the school’s board of trustees, which must approve the recommendation. The move will keep Spurrier tied to the Gamecocks through 2013. He currently earns more than $1.75 million a season. Spurrier said he appreciates the support from administrators and he expects even bigger accomplishments to come soon. South Carolina has been bowl eligible in all five of Spurrier’s seasons, during which he’s compiled a 35-27 record. The Gamecocks defeated rival Clemson 34-17 to finish the regular season 7-5.

Florida: Defensive end Carlos Dunlap was arrested early Tuesday and charged with driving under the influence, just days before the top-ranked Gators play No. 2 Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game. Coach Urban Meyer says Dunlap won’t play Saturday, adding that there is no timetable for his return. Meyer says he is “stunned” by Dunlap’s actions. Dunlap, the defensive MVP of the BCS national title game in January, has started every game this season for the defending champs. He has 35 tackles and is tied for the team lead with seven sacks.

Michigan State: The University has suspended eight football players in the fallout from at a disturbance at a campus dormitory last month. The university said Tuesday that coach Mark Dantonio suspended starting receivers Mark Dell and B.J. Cunningham, and defensive back Chris L. Rucker. Dantonio imposed the suspensions pending the outcome of an investigation by campus police into the Nov. 22 incident at Rather Hall. The university says police have identified 10 suspects and are attempting to identify five others. Dantonio earlier dismissed running back Glenn Winston and defensive back Roderick Jenrette. Others suspended are reserves: running back Ashton Leggett, receiver Fred Smith, defensive back Brynden Trawick, defensive lineman Ishmyl Johnson and linebacker Jamiihr Williams. The Spartans finished 6-6 this season and are awaiting a bowl bid.

Maryland: Ralph Friedgen will return for the 2010 season. Friedgen’s job status appeared shaky after the Terrapins lost a school-record 10 games this season. But after meeting for two consecutive days with athletic director Debbie Yow, he has been given the go-ahead to make plans for a 10th season as head coach at his alma mater. Yow made the announcement Tuesday, saying that Friedgen “continues to have my full support.” The 62-year-old Friedgen has two years left on a contract that pays him $2 million annually. He is 66-46 at Maryland and has gone to six bowl games, but the Terrapins have endured four losing seasons over the past six years.

Southern Illinois: Senior running back Deji Karim is one of three candidates for the Football Championship Subdivision’s equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Karim joins Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards and Elon wide receiver Terrrell Hudgins as the three finalists for the Walter Payton Award. Named last week as the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s offensive player of the year, Karim led the FCS in rushing this year with 1,667 yards. The winner of the Payton award will be announced Dec. 17 in Chattanooga, Tenn. The 11-1, third-seeded Salukis host William and Mary on Saturday in the FCS’s quarterfinals.

Atlantic Coast Conference: Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly is the conference’s defensive rookie of the year. The freshman from Cincinnati averaged 11.83 total tackles per game, the highest average for a rookie since the NCAA began tracking tackles in 2003. He has made 10 or more tackles in eight straight games. Kuechly was second in the nation in tackles to New Mexico linebacker Carmen Messina. Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams was named ACC Rookie of the Year.

California: Tailback Jahvid Best has been ruled out of this week’s game against Washington as he recovers from a frightening fall and concussion that sidelined him last month. Coach Jeff Tedford said Tuesday that Best is doing well in his recovery but there has been no talk about when he might return to the field. This will be the third straight game he has missed since sustaining the injury Nov. 7 against Oregon State. Best flew to Pittsburgh to get checked out by a concussion specialist and is expected to return to campus today. “We’re just making sure the head is 100 percent completely clear,” Tedford said. “We’ve given it a lot of time. It’s something we said after that happened that we would by no means take any risk or anything like that with him. He’s back there getting evaluated and making sure everything is OK.” Best was injured when he hurdled an Oregon State defender at the end of a 7-yard touchdown run. He vaulted into the air over safety Cameron Collins and then was bumped even higher by another defender before falling on his back and head from about 8 feet in the air. Best’s helmet came off on impact and he briefly lost consciousness. He spent one night in the hospital with the concussion and sore back. “His head has been doing fine,” Tedford said. “His thing now is he has a sore back. That’s the main thing with him. He hasn’t had any symptoms with headaches or anything like that for a couple weeks now. The back has been what’s bothering him.” Best had originally targeted Saturday’s regular season finale at Washington as his possible return date. The 19th-ranked Golden Bears will also have a bowl game later this month. Best, one of the most dynamic running backs in the country and a preseason Heisman Trophy contender, has 16 touchdowns and 867 yards rushing this season. He also has 22 catches for 213 yards.

Associated Press