Next Troy Smith? OSU can hope
Todd Boeckman gets the first chance to show he’s up to replacing Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith. “He’s been waiting so long for this opportunity,” Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said in naming the fourth-year junior the starting quarterback for the Buckeyes’ 118th season opener Saturday against Youngstown State. “He knows who we are and what we want to do.” The 6-foot-5-inch, 235-pound Boeckman has thrown only 10 passes in six mop-up appearances since coming to campus in 2004. “It’s an honor to be named the starting quarterback at Ohio State,” he said. “It’s pretty much a dream come true for me. But I have to go out there and stay focused and do what I need to do and lead this team.”
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It pays to win big at Texas
Texas coach Mack Brown got a two-year extension, a raise and a pair of hefty bonuses. He also got a promise of a good job if he ever decides to quit coaching the Longhorns. The University of Texas Regents unanimously agreed to extend Brown’s contract through 2016, boosting his salary from $2.66 million to $2.91 million, with a special $100,000 payment to be paid Saturday when Texas opens against Arkansas State. Brown, 56, also gets a $1 million bonus if he stays through next season and a $2 million bonus if he’s still there Jan. 1, 2010. Another major change in Brown’s contract calls for him to be reassigned to another “significant position” at Texas if he steps down from coaching.
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NFL already on his mind
Justin King’s career at No. 17 Penn State could end as quickly as he runs down receivers on the field. NFL draft experts are already praising the speedy cover cornerback’s considerable talents. King, a junior, has said his immediate priority is getting the Nittany Lions back to another bowl game. “I feel real good about coming into this season,” King said. “Just stay humble and keep working hard and it will pay off.” Things get a little murky after this season, though. King has said that, like any college player with dreams of turning pro, he has thought about leaving. He already is set to graduate in December — three years after arriving in Happy Valley as part of an early enrollment program.
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