Colorado receiver getting Heisman buzz
Away from the field, he's just Laviska Shenault Jr. —a mild-mannered, soft-spoken person who doesn't like the spotlight.
Once he steps onto it, the Colorado sophomore receiver transforms into an alter ego he's nicknamed "Viska 2Live" — a play-making wizard who's vaulted into the conversation for the Heisman Trophy.
That humbleness and being the best he can be is his way of honoring his father , who died while getting out of the car to change drivers in 2009 while the family was returning home from a pool party. Shenault Jr. was only 10 at the time and a passenger in the vehicle.
Ever since, he's grown out his dreadlock hair as a tribute to his dad . After touchdowns, he points toward the sky — for dad.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound wideout from DeSoto, Texas, is dynamic from multiple positions on the field. As a receiver, he's caught 60 passes for 780 yards and six TDs. His 130 yards receiving per game lead the nation.
As a tailback in the wildcat formation, he's scored five times, including a 49-yard scamper last weekend at Southern California during a 31-20 loss.
Hurricanes changing quarterbacks
Malik Rosier back.
Miami has changed starting quarterbacks again, with Rosier returning to the first-string spot that he lost to N'Kosi Perry three games has his job ago. Rosier led Miami to the Atlantic Coast Conference's Coastal Division championship last season, and he'll be back under center when the Hurricanes (5-2, 2-1) resume this year's title race at Boston College on Oct. 26. Rosier is 14-4 as Miami's starter, and 8-1 in ACC regular-season games.
"Right this minute, I think Malik's just better equipped from his abilities and his experiences to lead this team right now," Miami coach Mark Richt said Wednesday.
USC coach wants balanced offense
Southern California coach Clay Helton wants a balanced offense. But the Trojans need to do more than establish equilibrium between the run and pass, as inconsistency in generating scoring drives is also a problem headed into their crucial Pac-12 South showdown at Utah on Saturday night.
In a 31-20 win over Colorado, USC (4-2, 2-1 Pac-12) relied on a dominant passing attack in the second quarter, with freshman quarterback JT Daniels completing 10 of 16 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns.
USC gained 71 yards passing and 63 yards rushing during the other three quarters, averaging a meager 3.35 yards per play.
Arkansas to pay Tulsa $1.45 million for game
Arkansas will pay Tulsa $1.45 million total for Saturday's homecoming game.
The Arkansas DemocratGazette reports that the game guarantee will be $1.085 million. Arkansas also paid Tulsa a scheduling fee of $365,000 last June in an amendment to the original contract. The newspaper says that's believed to be the second-largest payout guaranteed by the Razorbacks for a home game.
The original deal, signed then-Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long and Tulsa athletic director Dr. Derrick Gragg, called for a game guarantee of $1.5 million. After Tulsa asked that a portion of the guarantee be paid early, the overall payment was reduced by $50,000. The largest payout Arkansas has made was $1.5 million payout to Coastal Carolina last season.