COLLEGE roundup

YOUNGSTOWN STATE

Freshman DT Smith hurts neck in practice

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State freshman defensive tackle Savon Smith suffered a neck injury in Wednesday’s practice and was taken to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.

Smith did have feeling in his extremities, but was complaining of neck pain, YSU sports information director Trevor Parks said.

Smith (6-1, 315), who is from Syracuse, N.Y., was a first team all-state selection last season at Henninger High.

OHIO STATE

Buckeyes lose Brown for year with leg injury

COLUMBUS

Ohio State wide receiver Noah Brown injured his left leg during practice Wednesday and will miss the season.

Ohio State released a statement saying Brown would have surgery Thursday and is expected to make a full recovery.

The 6-foot-2, 222-pound Brown saw limited playing time in 13 games as a freshman last season and had one catch for 9 yards. But he was vying for a starting spot for the defending national champions and having a strong preseason. Coach Urban Meyer said last week Brown was one of the most improved players in training camp.

“There was a point in camp no one could cover him. He was just so physical and really good with his hands and he catches everything,” cornerback Eli Apple said about Brown on Tuesday.

The Buckeyes were already planning to be short-handed at receiver against the Hokies because of suspensions to wideout Corey Smith and H-backs Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson.

Meyer said last week that Brown was scheduled to be in the receiver rotation against Virginia Tech that includes Johnnie Dixon, Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin and Michael Thomas.

The injury could also open up playing time for freshman Torrance Gibson, a highly-recruited quarterback who switched to wide receiver this season in order to get playing time as J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones compete to be the starting quarterback.

VIRGINIA TECH

AD squashes Hokies coach’s idea for fines

BLACKSBURG, VA.

Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock quickly responded to defensive coordinator Bud Foster’s suggestion that coaches might fine players from their cost of attendance stipends by saying no such thing will happen.

New NCAA rules allow schools to pay a stipend of several thousand dollars to athletes that cover school expenses beyond tuition, fees and room and board. Virginia Tech is among the many schools paying the stipend.

Foster was quoted by reporters as saying the staff would explore fining or withholding cost of attendance money as a way to punish players for minor transgressions, creating a small Twitter firestorm. Withholding financial aid would be an NCAA violation.

After being alerted to Foster’s comments, Babcock sent a text to The Associated Press, saying, “Will be stopped immediately.”

Staff/wire reports