Barnett Not Job-Hunting

Gary Barnett, his name surfacing for every major coaching vacancy in college football, tried to blunt speculation by announcing he’s negotiating with Northwestern for a new contract.

“I am not a candidate for the coaching job at the University of Georgia, nor am I a candidate for a coaching position at any other university,” Barnett said in a statement released by the school.

“Presently, I am in serious negotiations with Northwestern University for a new long-term contract, and they are being very fair to me. My top priority now is to prepare for the team to face USC and win the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.”

Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier has been chosen as college football’s player of the year by the Sporting News.

The St. Louis-based weekly also announced that it has picked Barnett as coach of the year.

Virginia Tech has suspended football players Tony Morrison and James Crawford from the team, and neither will travel with the Hokies to the Sugar Bowl.

Coach Frank Beamer said in a news release that Morrison and Crawford were indefinitely suspended “for failure to live up to the standards set for Virginia Tech football players.”

Defensive lineman Ryan Phillips of the University of Idaho and quarterback Dave Dickenson were named to the American Football Coaches Association Division I-AA All-America football team.

Other Big Sky Conference players on the All-America team include wide receiver Pokey Eckford of Weber State, and defensive back Rayna Stewart of Northern Arizona.