Gerhart opts for NFL draft

Football: Heisman Trophy runner-up Toby Gerhart announced on Friday that he will enter the NFL draft instead of staying at Stanford for a fifth season.

Gerhart thanked coach Jim Harbaugh, former running backs coach Willie Taggart and his offensive linemen for helping his success this season. He could have stayed for a fifth season because he played just one game in 2007 because of injuries.

Gerhart ran for a school-record 1,871 yards and a nation-leading 28 touchdowns this past season. He won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting to Alabama’s Mark Ingram in the closest vote ever.

Associated Press

Morton joins Cougars staff

Football: Paul Wulff reached out to someone he knew.

The Washington State University coach filled his 2010 staff by hiring former Cougars player and coach Steve Morton as offensive line coach.

The hire re-teams Morton with one of his former players. Morton was Wulff’s offensive line coach in 1986, Wulff’s first season at WSU.

“Steve brings a tremendous amount of experience and a proven track record as a collegiate coach,” Wulff said. “He is a great teacher, tactician and recruiter, and will be a tremendous asset not only on the offensive line, but for our entire program.”

Like Wulff, the Chehalis, Wash., native also played center for the Cougars, though in 1973 and 1974.

Morton started his 35 years as a college coach at WSU, working for nine years under coach Jim Walden. Since leaving Pullman, he’s coached at Iowa State, Washington, USC, Nevada, Stanford and most recently at San Jose State.

Morton replaces Harold Etheridge, whose contract was not renewed.

Vince Grippi

Bowman gets call from NHL

Hockey: Former Spokane Chief forward Drayson Bowman has been recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League.

Bowman has scored eight goals and 15 points in 26 games with their American Hockey League affiliate in Albany, New York, in his first season as a professional. This marks the first NHL recall for the 20-year-old Bowman.

Bowman, a four-year player for the Chiefs, was drafted in the third round, 72nd overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.