Smith Nabs Another Aide From Idaho Football Staff

New Louisville football coach John L. Smith has plucked another assistant coach from the University of Idaho staff.

Greg Burns leaves UI after just one season to coach Louisville’s cornerbacks. Nick Holt, Idaho’s defensive coordinator, joined Smith in Louisville about 10 days ago.

“Greg is sharp, articulate and intelligent,” said Smith, Idaho’s head coach from 1989-94. “I really tried hard to hire him when I went to Utah State. The only reason I didn’t was because of previous loyalties to some people.”

Burns, a four-year letterman at Washington State as a cornerback, was honorable mention All-Pac-10 in 1992.

Smith initially offered the job to former Idaho standouts Eric Yarber and Kasey Dunn, but both declined.

Arkansas State, Part II

The Big West Conference is ready to go east to get bigger.

Arkansas State, a football-only member dropped by the Big West in 1995, appears set to rejoin the conference in the same capacity.

Commissioner Dennis Farrell anticipates offering membership to Arkansas State, provided Big West presidents approve of the idea.

“Most people I’ve talked to in our conference are strongly in favor,” he said. “Most of the presidents recognize we need to do something about (the current) five-game league schedule.”

The addition of Arkansas State, which would likely join in 1999, would create a six-game schedule.

The Big West is discussing membership with Louisiana Tech, too.

“They felt a little bit hurt by the conference when the consortium (Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Southwestern Louisiana and Northern Illinois) was disbanded a few years ago,” Farrell said. “It’s pretty much the same (administrators) there. They have to overcome some of those feelings. They went 9-2 this year and didn’t go to a bowl, even though they beat Cal and Alabama.”

Card overseas?

North Idaho College basketball player Ehab Al-Arorey, who was expected to make his Cardinals debut after the holidays, is mulling an offer to play professionally overseas.

“He has an offer for $350,000 to play in Spain,” NIC coach Hugh Watson said. “I can’t believe it’s for that much.”

Al-Arorey has left for holiday vacation. Watson hopes the 6-foot-11 center returns, but admits, “I’m afraid I won’t see him again.”

Al-Arorey thus far has been academically ineligible. He figured prominently in Watson’s plans because he would be the team’s tallest player and rebounding has been a sore spot.

Cougars to practice at Coliseum

Washington State will holds its Rose Bowl practices at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum starting Sunday, the Cougars announced Monday.

WSU chose the Coliseum because its field was in better condition than other potential sites in the area.

The eighth-ranked Cougars arrive in Los Angeles on Saturday and plan to practice Sunday at 1:15 p.m. They will practice Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. before taking Christmas Day off.

Top-ranked Michigan arrives in Los Angeles on Friday and will practice at Citrus College in Glendora.

Rose Bowl souvenir balls

A St. Louis marketing company is selling a limited number of commemorative Rose Bowl footballs, with a portion of proceeds going to charity.

Each ball includes one white leather panel featuring full-color Washington State and Michigan logos, plus a Rose Bowl logo that includes the date and site.

Nikco Sports is offering 1,998 such footballs for $99 apiece, with $5 of each sale going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Seattle. Call (800) 345-2868.

Idaho girls basketball

Jill Miller and Katie Dugan scored 12 points each to lead Clark Fork to a 44-7 win over visiting North Idaho Christian in a non-league girls high school basketball game on Monday.

Miller also had six rebounds and six steals and Dugan nine rebounds for the Wampus Cats (4-4) and Ashley Ruen added six steals.

Clark Fork 44, N.I. Christian 7

North Idaho Christian 2 0 2 3 - 7

Clark Fork 8 14 10 12 - 44

NORTH IDAHO CHRISTIAN- Fimpkin 0, Droesch 0, Budro 0, Lambert 2, Mason 0, Remmick 3, Short 0, A.Grisham 0, L.Grisham 2.

CLARK FORK - Ruen 2, Miller 12, Manderscheid 0, Scofield 0, Dugan 12, Decker 6, Hess 10, McDaniels 2.

, DataTimes MEMO: Changed in the Spokane edition.