More college football news & notes

EKU hires CWRU grad Mark Elder as head coach

RICHMOND, KY.

Eastern Kentucky has confirmed the hiring of Tennessee assistant Mark Elder to be its head coach. EKU athletic department spokesman Kevin Britton said Tuesday that the school will hold a news conference Thursday to introduce Elder, who’s in his third season as the Volunteers’ tight ends/special teams coach. It will be the first head coaching job for the Case Western Reserve graduate in a 15-year career with stops at seven schools including Michigan, Cincinnati, Central Michigan and Akron. Elder replaces Dean Hood, who was dismissed last month after going 55-38 in eight seasons as Colonels coach, including 6-5 this year. Tennessee athletic department spokesman Ryan Robinson said Elder is planning to stay with the Volunteers through their bowl game. Tennessee (8-4) faces No. 12 Northwestern (10-2) in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 in Tampa, Florida.

New Big 12 rule calls for tougher scheduling

Big 12 football teams will now be required to play at least one non-conference game each season against a team from one of the other Power Five leagues or Notre Dame. No. 4 Oklahoma (11-1), the outright Big 12 champion, is in the College Football Playoff this season. But 2014 league co-champions Baylor and TCU were left out of the initial four-team playoff last year after both were 11-1 in the regular season. Under the plan announced Tuesday by the league, each Big 12 team will have to annually play against the Fighting Irish or a team from the ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 or SEC. The Big 12’s new scheduling requirement doesn’t affect existing non-conference game contracts, though only Baylor and Kansas are without a Power Five non-conference opponent on their 2016 schedules. The new Big 12 scheduling requirement also states that teams should play no more than one game annually against teams outside of the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Two Arkansas State players arrested on drug charges

JONESBORO, ARK.

Two Arkansas State football players have been arrested on drug charges. The Craighead County Sheriff’s Office says 23-year-old senior defensive end Chris Stone and 22-year-old senior receiver Tyler Trosin were arrested at about 2 a.m. Tuesday on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine or cocaine. Online records show both were in jail late Tuesday morning. Coach Blake Anderson says he is “aware of the unfortunate and disappointing incident.” Anderson says he’s gathering information and declined further comment. Stone has been listed as a starter on the defensive line while Trosin is a backup receiver. The Red Wolves are 9-3 and are preparing for the Dec. 19 New Orleans Bowl against Louisiana Tech after winning the Sun Belt Conference title with an 8-0 league record.

Oklahoma’s Reilly wins Broyles Award

LITTLE ROCK, ARK.

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley won the Broyles Award given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach on Tuesday. The fourth-ranked Sooners are averaging 45 points and 543 yards per game and will play in a national semifinal Dec. 31 against No. 1 Clemson. The Tigers beat Oklahoma 40-6 in last year’s Russell Athletic Bowl. Other 2015 finalists were Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, North Carolina defensive coordinator Gene Chizik and Baylor offensive coordinator Kendal Briles.

Mountain West unhappy with Arizona Bowl matchup

Mountain West Conference officials sent emails, texts and made calls to almost everyone they could think of to prevent Colorado State and Nevada from playing in the same bowl together. They reached out to other bowl games, conferences, the NCAA, the Football Bowl Association and ESPN. They spoke to the athletic directors within the Mountain West, both individually and on conference calls, and to the MWC board of directors. They suggested swaps, financial arrangements and other creative alternatives. Despite all the effort, the Dec. 29 Arizona Bowl in Tucson will pit the Rams against the Wolf Pack.

Associated Press