Texas Player Pulls Off Scam Then Disappears

A Texas football player accused of being an imposter skipped town on the eve of the Sugar Bowl, and school officials turned over information gathered during their investigation to the FBI.

The player, known to the Longhorns as Ron McKelvey, is really 30-year-old Ron Weaver, a veteran of six college football seasons at two California junior colleges, the Californian of Salinas, Calif., reported.

The newspaper said Weaver was posing as McKelvey with the intention of writing a book about the scandals of college football.

It said he revealed the scheme to a reporter during a telephone interview from New Orleans.

“It looks like he did provide false information,” said John Bianco, Texas’ associate sports information director. “He skipped town after a second meeting this morning. His roommate said he packed up and left.”

The newspaper said Weaver’s mother and a former teammate identified the man pictured in the Longhorns’ media guide as Weaver.

The player in New Orleans offered what he said was his parent’s home phone number to The Associated Press, but the reporter at the Californian said the number actually belongs to the real Joel Ron McKelvey and his wife.

That McKelvey, 23, told the paper he knows Weaver and used to see him when they both worked out at a local physical fitness center.

Texas also announced walk-on running back Ricky Hinnant and freshman quarterback Marty Cherry have been suspended from today’s Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech for violating unspecified team rules.

K-State QB OK

Matt Miller, Kansas State’s senior quarterback, who was knocked out of the Holiday Bowl, was released from a hospital Saturday afternoon in time to return home with his victorious teammates.

Miller sprained his neck in a frightening helmet-to-helmet collision with Colorado State linebacker Nate Kvamme early in the second quarter of No. 10 K-State’s 54-21 rout Friday night.

He has personality

John Blake, the next football coach at Oklahoma, brings a dynamic personality and a reputation as an outstanding recruiter - two things sorely needed at a program that has floundered in recent years.

The university planned a news conference for 3 p.m. today to introduce the new coach. Sources confirmed Saturday that the job will go to Blake, who was backed strongly by his current boss, Dallas Cowboys coach Barry Switzer.

Scandalous Wuerffel

Now the truth can be told: Danny Wuerffel isn’t perfect.

The Florida quarterback - who set an NCAA record for passing efficiency, was chosen an academic All-American and maintains a deep religious faith - changed his entire demeanor after moving into the running for the Heisman Trophy.

“He was a jerk,” his favorite receiver, Chris Doering, said. “He was real cocky.”

Doering, of course, was only kidding.

“No, that’s not Danny at all,” he said, becoming serious. “He was the same guy he’s always been, and that’s what I like about him the most, his consistency, the way he handles all the media exposure. He’s such a nice guy he doesn’t let any of that stuff go to his head.”

That’s airball, thank you

Florida coach Steve Spurrier wants to set the record straight about his “Fun ‘N Gun” offense.

“The offense was born at Duke (where he coached from 1987-89), and the better name for this offense is ‘Air Ball,’ not ‘Fun ‘N Gun,”’ Spurrier said. “Somebody stuck that on it at Florida, but it was called ‘Air Ball’ at Duke.”

Spurrier said the nickname grew from the derisive “air ball, air ball” chant Duke basketball fans shout when an opposing player misses the entire basket with a shot.

“We’d throw a long pass and somebody would catch it and the students would holler, ‘Air ball. Air ball,”’ Spurrier said. “That was sort of neat that we got Duke students excited about football.”