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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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The Spokesman-Review

College football

Cal’s Jackson will enter draft

California receiver DeSean Jackson will skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

Jackson, a star punt returner who had an underwhelming junior season as a receiver, waited until Tuesday, the last possible day, to declare his long-assumed intention to leave the Golden Bears (7-6), who lost six of their final eight regular-season games.

Jackson had 65 receptions for 762 yards and six touchdowns this season while battling injuries. He returned just one punt for a touchdown in the season opener against Tennessee, giving him a Pac-10 record six in his career.

Jackson had 59 catches for 1,060 yards and nine TDs in 2006. He finished his Cal career third in school history with 2,423 yards receiving and 22 TDs.

NFL

Titans fire Chow; Zimmer a Bengal

The Tennessee Titans fired offensive coordinator Norm Chow after a season of struggling to score points, even though they reached the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Chow had been on the staff for three years.

The Titans ranked 21st overall in total yards and became the only team to reach the playoffs in a 16-game season while scoring only nine touchdowns passing.

•Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer was hired for the same role with the Cincinnati Bengals, who have been dragged down by their defense for years.

The 51-year-old Zimmer, a former defensive coordinator at Washington State, was available because of the Falcons’ uncertainty over their next head coach.

The Falcons are still looking for a head coach to replace Bobby Petrino. Their assistant coaches were free to look for other jobs.

College football

Vobora to play in Shrine Game

University of Idaho linebacker David Vobora is a late addition to play in the East-West Shrine Game on Saturday at the University of Houston after another player dropped out.

The game for college seniors will be shown on ESPN at 4 p.m. PST.

Vobora is the first Vandal to play in the game since Ma’o Tosi in 1999.