’Huskers to Hoosiers: you won — what’s your problem?
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska coach Scott Frost said Monday he doesn’t know what prompted Indiana athletic director Fred Glass to say the Cornhuskers’ staff doesn’t respect the Hoosiers’ football program.
Glass told The Indianapolis Star after the Hoosiers’ 38-31 win in Lincoln on Saturday the victory was “particularly gratifying, particularly knowing Nebraska’s staff had no respect for our program.”
Glass didn’t elaborate, other than to say, “They know, and I know, and our team knew, and I’ll just leave it at that.” Glass declined further comment Monday.
Asked if he or his staff said or did anything that would have led to Glass’ comment, Frost said, “We’ve been scratching our heads wondering what that’s all about. We don’t have any idea, to be honest with you. I would be curious to know.”
Cowboys assistant coach Willie Mack Garza has resigned after being charged with drunken driving.
The safeties coach was cited Oct. 17 and coach Craig Bohl suspended him Oct. 18. Bohl announced Garza’s resignation Monday.
Bohl said defensive coordinator Dickert will go back to coaching safeties while Bohl’s son, graduate assistant Aaron Bohl, will coach linebackers.
The Casper Star-Tribune reports Garza pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor DUI and speeding. Garza didn’t have a listed number and couldn’t be reached for comment Monday.
Garza resigned as Southern California’s secondary coach in 2011 after an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations while he was an assistant at Tennessee in 2009.
Garza was an assistant to Bohl at North Dakota State from 200508 and hired at Wyoming in May.
UNLV: The family of Rebels assistant football coach Barney Cotton said Monday he is progressing well after a heart transplant in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.
The operation was Oct. 22 at Nebraska Medical Center. The 63-year-old Cotton stepped away from his position as UNLV’s offensive coordinator and tight ends coach in July.
In a statement, the Cotton family said: “The medical staff tells us the surgery and recovery up to this point have gone as expected. While we had intended to keep the news regarding this procedure private for several weeks out of respect for the organ donor process, we greatly appreciate the outpouring of support and prayers that we have received.”
Cotton had been on UNLV’s staff since 2015. Cotton was a lineman at Nebraska from 1976-78 and a Cornhuskers assistant in 2003 and again from 2008-14.
ARIZONA: Wildcats coach Kevin Sumlin has fired defensive coordinator Marcel Yates and linebackers coach John Rushing.
Sumlin promoted defensive analyst and former NFL assistant Chuck Cecil to interim defensive coordinator. He also promoted Hank Hobson from analyst to an on-field coaching role.
Yates, a former Boise State assistant, remained on Arizona’s staff after Sumlin was hired to replace Rich Rodriguez, who was fired in 2018.
Arizona has struggled defensively this season, ranking 119th in the FBS in total defense, allowing 469.9 yards per game, and 118th in scoring defense, giving up 35 points per game. The Wildcats have allowed 132 points the past three games, all losses.
Cecil spent 15 seasons as an NFL assistant before being hired as an analyst by Rodriguez in 2017.
DUKE-UNC: A relatively minor kerfuffle, broken up before it escalated, between Duke and UNC players and coaches on Saturday could lead to changes in protocol for the Duke-North Carolina football rivalry.
Both Duke coach David Cutcliffe and UNC coach Mack Brown said Monday they are in favor of moving the Victory Bell trophy to a neutral location at some point during the game to keep the opposing players from interacting following the game.
“We need the bell, regardless of the score or who has it, put in some sort of a neutral place, so you don’t have two teams coming together and something horrific happens,” Cutcliffe said. “What you need is at the start of the fourth quarter you figure out, in both stadiums, where the bell is. So if it’s retained, there’s not a problem. If it’s lost, there’s not a problem.”