‘Zona may be victim of another significant knee injury

By John TaylorApr 17, 2011, 8:33 AM EDT

For whatever reason, the state of Arizona has seen its fair share of serious and significant knee injuries this spring.

Arizona State’s watched as a pair of starters have gone down with torn ACLs. Saturday, their in-state rival learned they could be about to take the lead in a category they have no desire in winning.

With just under three minutes left in Arizona’s spring game, starting linebacker Jake Fischer collided with a teammate and suffered what’s reportedly a significant injury to his knee. The severity of the injury won’t be known for a few days, but the Arizona Daily Star writes that head coach Mike Stoops admitted that he’s concerned.

“It’ll be disappointing if it’s significant,” Stoops said. “That’ll be another major blow for us.”

Earlier this spring, the Wildcats lost starting safety Adam Hall and top backup running back Greg Nwoko to torn ACLs. In addition to the injuries, UA’s linebacking corps has been hit hard by attrition already this spring; in late March, a pair of LBs left the team, leaving UA woefully thin at the position to begin with.

Last season as a true sophomore, Fischer finished third on the team in tackles. He’s played in 26 games during his two years with the Wildcats.

Former Navy coach Niumatalolo joins UCLA staff

Associated PressMar 31, 2023, 6:34 PM EDT

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LOS ANGELES – Former Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo is joining UCLA’s coaching staff as director of leadership.

The school said in an announcement Friday that Niumatalolo will serve as an advisor to the Bruins’ football staff and players.

Niumatalolo led Navy for 15 years and was the winningest coach in school history at 109-83. The Midshipmen, however, finished with losing records the past three seasons, including 4-8 the past two.

Navy played in 10 bowl games under Niumatalolo. He also was the only coach to win his first eight games in the storied Army-Navy rivalry.

Troy, Jon Sumrall agree to new 4-year contract through 2026

Associated PressMar 27, 2023, 8:45 PM EDT

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TROY, Ala. ⁠— Jon Sumrall agreed to a new four-year contract as Troy’s coach after leading the Trojans to a Sun Belt Conference championship and national ranking in his debut season.

The school announced the deal, which runs through 2026, but didn’t release details.

The Trojans went 12-2 and won their final 11 games, second only to national champion Georgia, including the league championship game and the Cure Bowl against UTSA. For the first time, they finished a season ranked, ending up 19th in The Associated Press Top 25.

“When we appointed Coach Sumrall in December 2021, we challenged him to return Troy football to the top of the Sun Belt Conference,” Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr. said. “It didn’t take long, as the 2022 season was the best in our FBS history.”

Troy held all 14 of its opponents to under their season average in scoring, beating UTSA 18-12. The Trojans beat Coastal Carolina 45-26 in the Sun Belt title game.

“Last year was an amazing accomplishment for everyone associated with Troy football and was the product of relentless effort from our players and staff, athletic administration and university leaders,” Sumrall said.