Off the wire

Compiled from Democrat-Gazette Press Services

FOOTBALL

Perez wins Harlon Hill Trophy

Texas A&M University-Commerce quarterback Luis Perez has won the Harlon Hill Trophy as Division II’s player of the year. Perez has led his team into Saturday’s national championship game against West Florida with a 13-1 record. His team defeated Harding University 31-17 in the semifinals. The senior from Chula Vista, Calif., received 198 total points in voting by Division II sports information directors announced Thursday at Florence, Ala. Gannon running back Marc Jones was second with 135 points while Slippery Rock defensive lineman Marcus Martin received 96 points for third place. Perez is trying to become the sixth Harlon Hill winner to follow up the award with a national title in the same season. He leads the nation with 4,678 passing yards and 44 touchdowns.

Frost coach of year Scott Frost, who led Central Florida to a perfect regular season before taking the Nebraska job, has won the Eddie Robinson Award as the national coach of the year. The Football Writers Association of America and the Sugar Bowl announced the winner Thursday in Dallas. In his second season at UCF, Frost guided the Knights to a 12-0 record, the American Athletic Conference championship and a Peach Bowl bid. He is transitioning from UCF to Nebraska, where he will coach his alma mater. He still expects to coach UCF in its bowl game. The other finalists were Bill Clark of Alabama-Birmingham, Lane Kiffin of Florida Atlantic, Jeff Monken of Army, Lincoln Riley of Oklahoma, Kirby Smart of Georgia, Dabo Swinney of Clemson and Jeff Tedford of Fresno State. Patrick charge dismissed

A misdemeanor marijuana possession charge against Georgia starting inside linebacker Natrez Patrick has been dismissed, apparently clearing the way for him to play in the Sugar Bowl semifinal game. The Athens Banner-Herald reported that the charge was dropped Thursday

morning, according to a Barrow County probate court official. The newspaper also reported that backup receiver Jayson Stanley negotiated an agreement to plead guilty to possession of marijuana of less than an ounce and speeding. A DUI drug charge was dropped. Patrick was facing dismissal from the team under Georgia athletic rules for a third violation of the drug and alcohol policy. The school hasn’t commented on his status for the College Football Playoff semifinal Jan. 1 against Oklahoma. Stanley is facing a mandatory one-game suspension as a first-time marijuana offender.

No charge for Sooner RB Oklahoma running back Rodney Anderson will not be charged after a woman accused him of sexual assault, Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn said Thursday. The accusation stemmed from a petition for a protective order in which the woman said Anderson assaulted her in her apartment and that she feared for her safety. An attorney for Anderson called the accusations “patently false,” saying the woman made them after Anderson declined her social invitations. Anderson has been one of Oklahoma’s breakout stars after season-ending injuries the past two years. He leads the Sooners with 960 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has 283 yards and 5 touchdowns receiving. Oklahoma plays Georgia in a College Football Playoff semifinal Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl.

Holtz sues Beast

Hall of Fame and former Arkansas Razorbacks football coach Lou Holtz is suing The Daily Beast over an article that claimed he called immigrants “deadbeats” at last year’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland. The federal lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Orlando, Fla., where Holtz lives, claims an article published by the news website on July 19, 2016, defamed Holtz, causing him to lose paid speaking opportunities and suffer personal humiliation. He’s seeking damages of more than $75,000. The article originally carried the headline “Lou Holtz at RNC Said Immigrants are Deadbeats Invading the US.” The suit claims The Daily Beast took Holtz’s comments out of context and that he never used the term “deadbeats.” After complaints, the website updated its headline to “Holtz Goes on Immigrant-Bashing RNC Rant.” A spokesman for The Daily Beast’s parent company said it doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

VOLLEYBALL

Huskers advance to final Mikaela Foecke had 19 kills, Annika Albrecht and Briana Holman had 13 apiece, and Nebraska fought off match point in the fourth set to beat Penn State in a five-set thriller in the NCAA volleyball semifinals Thursday night at Kansas City, Mo. The fifth-seeded Huskers will play the winner of Stanford-Florida for the title Saturday night. The Huskers took advantage of a series of service mistakes by the top-seeded Nittany Lions to beat their Big Ten rivals for the seventh consecutive time. They advanced to their eighth title match, where they will try to secure their fifth national championship. Nebraska won the opening set 25-18 before dropping the next two, and then rallied to win the fourth 28-26 and force a deciding set. The Huskers took it 15-11.