Hoosier head coach? Not Bill Lynch, officially

By John TaylorNov 28, 2010, 5:43 PM EST

Following up on reports from earlier this afternoon, Indiana has made it official and are now in full search mode for their next head coach.

By way of a press release, the Hoosiers have announced that Bill Lynch “will be replaced as the head coach of the Indiana University football team.”

Per the release, athletic director Fred Glass noted that it was his sincere and oft-stated desire for Coach Lynch to coach the football Hoosiers through the full four years of his contract and beyond. Still, after evaluating the state of the program and his options with Coach Lynch entering the last year of his contract — to either extend Coach Lynch’s contract, have him coach the final year of his contract without committing to an extension (or non-extension), or making a coaching change now — Glass concluded that he needed to make the change.

“Bill Lynch is often described as a ‘nice guy’ and he absolutely is, but it is important to recognize he is much more than that,” Glass observed. “People should know that Bill is also smart, talented, passionate, perceptive, committed to his players, a great teacher, and a very good football coach. That I have concluded we need a new coach at this point in time does not change any of that.

“The tremendous job he did in rallying and leading the grief-stricken 2007 Hoosiers to the Insight Bowl will remain an Indiana University football milestone forever. On behalf of myself and all of Hoosier Nation, I thank Bill for his selfless commitment to Indiana University football and in particular to the student-athletes under his care.”

Glass added that he will personally head the search for Lynch’s replacement and that there will be no official search committee, although the school will utilize the services of athletics consulting firm Neinas Sports Services.

“While I look forward to soliciting and receiving input from a variety of diverse sources, I think it is important for people to know that selecting this coach will ultimately be my decision, particularly given some of the past confusion in that regard. The buck stops with me,” Glass said.

Lynch finishes his four-year IU tenure with a 19-30 record, including an abysmal 6-26 mark in conference play.

As for potential replacements for Lynch, keep an eye on and an ear out for Ohio State co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Luke Fickell; there’s an early buzz out there that he could wind up being a very serious candidate for the position.

Utah State player upgraded to fair condition after collapse

Associated PressMar 25, 2023, 1:50 AM EDT

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Utah State redshirt freshman wide receiver Josh Davis is in fair condition on Friday, one day after collapsing at spring football practice following sudden cardiac arrest, the university announced.

Davis, initially was listed in critical condition, was breathing on his own. He is in the intensive-care unit at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah.

Davis’ parents arrived in Utah on Thursday evening.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Davis, who is from Carlsbad, California, collapsed at Merlin Olsen Field and was immediately treated by the training staff, the university said. He was taken to Logan Regional Hospital.

The university said Davis was stabilized in the Logan hospital before being moved to Ogden.

Alabama suspends freshman defensive back after drug arrest

Associated PressMar 20, 2023, 10:32 PM EDT

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama freshman defensive back Tony Mitchell has been suspended from the team following his arrest on a drug charge.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Monday after the first practice of spring that Mitchell was suspended from the team “and all team activities until we gather more information about the situation and what his legal circumstance is.”

The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office arrested Mitchell and another man, Christophere Lewis, last week on a charge of possession of marijuana with the intent to sell or deliver, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page. Lewis also was charged with carrying a concealed gun without a permit.

“Everybody’s got an opportunity to make choices and decisions,” Saban said. “There’s no such thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You’ve gotta be responsible for who you’re with, who you’re around and what you do, who you associate yourself with and the situations that you put yourself in. It is what it is, but there is cause and effect when you make choices and decisions that put you in bad situations.”

Mitchell, who is from Alabaster, Alabama, was a five-star prospect rated the 34th-best player and No. 3 safety in the 247Composite rankings.

Mitchell was driving the vehicle during a traffic stop. After deputies smelled marijuana, Mitchell picked up a baggie of marijuana from the passenger floorboard, according to the department’s Facebook post.

Sheriff’s deputies found “an additional significant amount of marijuana, a set of scales, a loaded handgun between the passenger seat and center console, and a large amount of cash,” according to the department’s Facebook post.