Roos gets another honor
Earning his third All-America honor, Eastern Washington University offensive tackle Michael Roos has been selected to the American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division I-AA Coaches’ All-America Team, announced Thursday.
Roos was previously a first-team selection on The Sports Network All-America team, and second team as selected by Associated Press.
In other Division I-AA honors, William & Mary quarterback Lang Campbell won the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player.
Sam Houston State quarterback Dustin Long finished second with 17 first-place votes and 185 points. Appalachian State wide receiver DaVon Fowlkes was third with eight first-place votes and 151 points.
Campbell, the Atlantic 10 offensive player of the year, threw for 3,037 yards and 21 touchdowns with one interception during the regular season. He also ran for 201 yards and seven touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Southern Illinois coach Jerry Kill won the Eddie Robinson Award as the I-AA coach of the year.
Cal Poly linebacker Jordan Beck won the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in I-AA. The 6-foot-2, 231-pound senior finished the season with 135 tackles, 18 1/2 tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks and six forced fumbles.
Idaho signs seven JC players
The University of Idaho’s coaching staff signed seven junior college recruits to national letters of intent, the school announced.
Because they signed in December, the signees are eligible to join the Vandals for spring ball in 2005.
The early class includes three wide receivers – Adrian Smith (6-3, 195) of Compton College, Daniel Smith (5-11, 205) of Los Angeles Pierce Community College and Matt Askew (6-3, 200) of West Hills Junior College.
Offensive lineman Matt O’Donnell (6-4, 288) of San Jose City College and quarterback Steven Wichman (6-3, 225) of San Joaquin Delta College also signed.
Defensive lineman Ryan Davis (6-0, 275) of Orange Coast College and cornerback Jason Martin (5-9, 180) of Mt. San Antonio College in California will join the Vandals defense.
Elliott leads list
Brett Elliott’s record-breaking season made him an All-American.
The Linfield College quarterback with an NCAA single-season record 59 touchdown passes leads The Associated Press Little All-America team for the best players in Division II, III and NAIA.
Elliott, who transferred from Utah to the tiny Division III school in Oregon after losing his job to Heisman finalist Alex Smith, was joined on the first team by Fort Valley State’s Derrick Wimbush. The senior running back ran for 1,840 yards and was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the top player in Division II.
Wannstedt passes on Pitt
Former Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears coach Dave Wannstedt has decided not to seek the coaching job at Pittsburgh, the school where he played and once was an assistant coach.
Wannstedt, who resigned as the Dolphins’ coach Nov. 9 after a 1-8 start, was believed to be the front-runner to succeed Walt Harris at Pitt. But Wannstedt called Pittsburgh athletic director Jeff Long and pulled his name out of consideration.
“As much as I appreciate everything that Jeff and Mark (Nordenberg, Pitt’s chancellor) are doing and the opportunity there – everybody knows how I believe in Pitt and love the city – the timing just wasn’t right,” Wannstedt said.
Ex-Bruins QB signs with OSU
Former UCLA quarterback Matt Moore has signed a letter of intent to play for the Oregon State Beavers, the team announced.
For his career at UCLA, the 6-4 quarterback completed 85 of 165 passes for 967 yards and four touchdowns.
Croom lands extension
Sylvester Croom, the first black head football coach in Southeastern Conference history, agreed to a one-year extension with Mississippi State through 2008, the school announced.
Croom signed a four-year deal when he was hired last December. The Bulldogs finished 3-8 this season, 2-6 in the SEC. An upset of then-nationally ranked Florida was the high point of Croom’s first season.