Florida head coach irritated by threats
Florida coach Jim McElwain can handle the heat, the hate and even the harassment.
He gets paid to deal with it.
But he would like his players, coaches and all their families, including his own, to be left alone.
McElwain said Monday that Florida players and families have received death threats amid the team’s struggles. McElwain acknowledged the allegation while responding to a question about whether the team deserves credit for staying competitive despite missing more than 20 scholarship players because of injuries and suspensions.
“Credit in this business is internal; it’s never external,” McElwain said. “It’s a good lesson for the way things are. There’s a lot of hate in this world and a lot of anger and yet (there’s) freedom to show it. The hard part is obviously when the threats against your own players, death threats to your families, the ill will that’s brought upon out there.
“It’s really one of those deals that really is a pretty good testament to what’s going on out there nationally. A lot of angry people. In in this business, we’re the ones they take the shots at and that’s the way it is.”
McElwain declined to say whether he personally received death threats. He added that he has not contacted police.
BYU football player arrested
Brigham Young football coach Kalani Sitake says two players cited for alcoholrelated offenses over the weekend were released from the team several weeks ago.
Sitake said at a Monday news conference that linebacker Francis Bernard had asked to be released several weeks ago and that was granted.
Bernard had been suspended for violating BYU’s honor code and was arrested Saturday on suspicion of DUI, driving without a valid license or proper registration.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that safety Marvin Hifo was with Bernard and cited for having an open container of alcohol in the vehicle.
Bits and pieces
•Exactly a month has passed since the last time Tennessee’s offense reached the end zone. Tennessee’s offense hasn’t crossed the goal line in its last 14 quarters, and the Volunteers (3-4, 0-4 SEC) have been outscored 108-19 during that stretch.
•SMU has completed 94 passes over the last three games. Receiver Trey Quinn has been on the end of 49. The transfer from LSU tied his career high with 17 catches against Cincinnati on Saturday, including an incredible fourth-and-26 conversion on a 28-yard pass from Ben Hicks to keep the Mustangs alive in overtime in a 31-28 win.
•Penn State, against Michigan, once again held an opponent scoreless in the first quarter. The Nittany Lions are the only Bowl Subdivision team to not allow a score in the first quarter. They’re outscoring opponents 90-0 over the first 15 minutes. Penn State gets powerful Ohio State on Saturday.
•The three players at the top of the national sack chart all come from the Mid-American Conference. Anthony Winbush of Ball State averages 1.36 per game; Joe Ostman of Central Michigan averages 1.25; and Sutton Smith of Northern Illinois averages 1.21. Ostman matched the national season high with four sacks against Ball State on Saturday, and the Chippewas finished with eight.
•Only two players hit the 200-yard rushing mark over the weekend. LSU’s Derrius Guice, who has battled an ankle problem much of the season, ran 22 times for 276 yards against Mississippi. He totaled 98 yards on his first six carries.
Pittsburgh’s Darrin Hall rushed for career highs of 254 yards and three touchdowns against Duke and broke a century-old school record with his 92-yard touchdown run.