Stanford’s Love, Shaw capture Pac-12 awards; FSU, UCF hire coaches
Stanford running back Bryce Love has been named the Pac-12 offensive player of the year and Washington lineman Vita Vea the defensive player of the year. Stanford’s David Shaw was the coach of the year.
Love, a junior, ran for 1,973 yards and 17 touchdowns. Shaw helped the Cardinal clinch the Pac-12 North.
• Cal linebacker Devante Downs, running back Patrick Laird, defensive end James Looney and offensive lineman Patrick Mekari were honorable mentions.
RICE TO HIRE STANFORD ASSISTANT >> Stanford offensive coordinator Mike Bloomgren will be named Rice’s new football coach Wednesday, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle.
FSU HIRES TAGGART >> Oregon coach Willie Taggart has agreed to become Florida State’s next coach, replacing Jimbo Fisher, who resigned Friday to accept the opening at Texas A&M. UCF TAPS HEUPEL >> Central Florida has hired Josh Heupel as the Knights’ next football coach. Heupel was offensive coordinator at Missouri the past two seasons. He replaces Scott Frost, who accepted the Nebraska coaching job after leading UCF to a 12-0 record. The Knights will play Auburn in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Jan. 1. MEMPHIS COACH RE-UPS >> Memphis coach Mike Norvell tweeted that he has signed a contract extension with the Tigers.
KELLY NAMES AIDES >> New UCLA coach Chip Kelly added defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro and linebackers coach Don Pellum to his staff. Azzinaro worked under Kelly at Oregon and again with the NFL’s Eagles and 49ers. He was defensive line coach at Cal this season. SPURRIER, MANNING ENTER COLLEGE HALL >> Former Florida coach Steve Spurrier and former Tennessee QB Peyton Manning led a group inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Other inductees were Marshall Faulk of San Diego State; Matt Leinart of USC; Bob Crable of Notre Dame; Kirk Gibson of Michigan State; Bob McKay of Texas; Dat Nguyen of Texas A&M; Mike Ruth of Boston College; Brian Urlacher of New Mexico; and Adrian Peterson of Georgia Southern.
Boxing
HALL WELCOMES NINE >> Three years after he threw his hat back into the political ring for good, former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko achieved the ultimate honor for his time in that other ring — selection to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Klitschko, now the mayor of Kiev, Ukraine, was one of nine people selected for induction next June.
Other boxers in the class of 2018 were four-division world champion Erik Morales and light middleweight champion Ronald “Winky” Wright, while Sid Terris was elected posthumously in the old-timer category.
Five others were elected from the “observer” and “non-participant” categories.
Soccer
U.S. SOCCER HONORS >> U.S. Soccer announced the nominees for its 2017 U.S. Soccer Player of the Year awards.
The men’s field features forwards Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey and Stanford alum Jordan Morris as well as midfielders Michael Bradley and Christian Pulisic.
Female Player of the Year nominees include midfielders Julie Ertz (Santa Clara), Lindsey Horan and Samantha Mewis, as well as forwards Alex Morgan (Cal) and Megan Rapinoe.
The Young Female field includes Stanford midfielder Tierna Davidson.