Newsmakers

Selected Weber State selected Jody Sears as its interim football coach to replace John L. Smith. Smith left Monday to take the Arkansas job following that school’s firing of Bobby Petrino. The 44-year-old Sears joined the Wildcats staff this spring and has been working as the team’s defensive coordinator. He will continue in that role as well. Sears spent the previous three seasons at Washington State, where he was co-defensive coordinator. He also is no stranger to the Big Sky Conference as he spent five seasons as defensive coordinator at Eastern Washington. Sears was a two-year letter-winner at WSU after walking on as a wide receiver.

Hired Former Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine has a new job. The 66-year-old Fine has been hired as a consultant by the Maccabi “Bazan” Haifa franchise of the Israeli Basketball Super League. Fine, who coached at Syracuse under Jim Boeheim for just more than 35 years, was fired in November after two former team ball boys accused him of sexually abusing them more than 20 years ago. Fine has denied the allegations and has not been charged.

Signed The Pittsburgh Steelers agreed to terms with veteran backup quarterback Byron Leftwich. Leftwich missed the entire 2011 season after breaking his left arm in the preseason. Leftwich spent the first four seasons of his career with Jacksonville after being selected seventh overall in the 2003 NFL draft.

• Hours before the NFL draft, the New York Giants added depth to their defensive line signing tackle Shaun Rogers. A three-time Pro Bowler, Rogers spent last season with the New Orleans Saints, starting four games and making 22 tackles. He also has played with Detroit and Cleveland.

• The Minnesota Vikings signed Jerome Simpson, the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver recently convicted on a felony drug charge.

Filed Eighteen Olympians, including swimming greats Mark Spitz and Janet Evans, and diver Greg Louganis, have sued Samsung Corp. over a Facebook app they allege misuses their names and images. According to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, the athletes object to the Samsung Olympic Genome Project, which shows Facebook users how they are connected to famous Olympians.

Dismissed A judge dismissed an assault charge against Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga after learning the dispute was settled in mediation. He still faces possible punishment from the NFL under its personal conduct policy. Maualuga was charged with misdemeanor assault after an employee at a downtown bar told police that the middle linebacker punched him in the face on Feb. 5.