In brief: Neuheisel confirms he’s candidate at UCLA

Four years after leaving college football amid controversy and a lawsuit at Washington, Rick Neuheisel is resurfacing as a candidate to coach UCLA.

The former Bruins quarterback, now the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, confirmed Wednesday that his alma mater has contacted him about replacing the fired Karl Dorrell. Neuheisel’s current boss, Ravens coach Brian Billick, is unabashedly lobbying for him to get the job.

“I have been contacted and, as an alum, I want what’s best for them. And if I can help I would certainly be excited,” Neuheisel told the Associated Press in Owings Mills, Md., where he was helping prepare the Ravens for Sunday’s game at the Seattle Seahawks.

When asked if returning to the Bruins, whom he quarterbacked to victory in the 1984 Rose Bowl and before he became a UCLA assistant from 1986-93, would be his dream job, the 46-year-old Neuheisel said: “Yeah.

“But I want what’s best for them … All of us (Bruins) want to see that football program on top.”

Several media reports in Los Angeles have said defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, the interim head coach for the Bruins’ game Saturday against BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl, is another candidate for the job. So are Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow and Philadelphia Eagles assistant coach John Harbaugh.

“Kansas coach Mark Mangino was selected as the Associated Press Coach of the Year.

In voting by AP college football poll voters, Mangino received 28 of a possible 58 votes, easily outdistancing Missouri’s Gary Pinkel, who had 11. Hawaii’s June Jones was third (seven votes) and Illinois coach Ron Zook fourth (five votes).

administration

Osborne will stay until 2010 as Nebraska A.D.

The interim tag is off – Tom Osborne is Nebraska’s athletic director.

Chancellor Harvey Perlman announced that the 70-year-old Osborne would remain as athletic director until June 30, 2010.

Ten years removed from his celebrated coaching career, Osborne returned to the university as interim athletic director Oct. 16, the day after Steve Pederson was fired.

Since then, Osborne has fired Bill Callahan as football coach, hired Bo Pelini and helped the Huskers in recruiting.

“We’ve made some great strides over the last two months, but the chancellor and I agree that these next two years are crucial to keep our program moving forward,” Osborne said.

Osborne, whose annual salary is $250,000, oversees a 23-sport program that runs on a $66.7 million budget.

Men’s basketball

Ball State apologizes, says ex-coach a victim

Ball State apologized to former basketball coach Ronny Thompson after an outside review found “unprofessional behavior” by an employee tainted the school’s report to the NCAA on possible rules violations.

The school’s statement also said the university and Thompson agreed he had not lied during an internal investigation last May into possible rules violations.

From wire reports