Newsmakers

Signed The Seattle Seahawks have obtained veteran long snapper Kevin Houser, who has spent his entire career with the New Orleans Saints. The team announced Houser’s signing on Thursday. The Seahawks report to training camp next week.

Pleads Seahawks fullback Owen Schmitt pleaded guilty to reckless driving in Black Diamond, the town southeast of Seattle where he was arrested June 25 and accused of drunken driving. The News Tribune of Tacoma reported that Schmitt was sentenced Wednesday to 24 hours of community service and two years’ probation and ordered to pay $2,130 in fines, fees and court costs.

Extended The Minnesota Vikings have signed cornerback Antoine Winfield to a five-year contract extension. In his 10th season out of Ohio State, Winfield had 95 tackles, four forced fumbles, two interceptions and two sacks last season to help the Vikings to the NFC North title.

•Illinois football coach Ron Zook has received a one-year contract extension. University trustees approved the agreement keeping the fifth-year coach under contract with Illinois through January 2014. The agreement does not include a raise. Zook makes just more than $1.5 million a year.

•Murry Bartow has been given a two-year contract extension as head basketball coach at East Tennessee State University. The school said in a news release that his contract now runs through the end of the 2013-14 season. Bartow, in six seasons at ETSU, has a 118-72 record and two trips to the NCAA tournament.

Rejected Cleveland Cavaliers first-round draft pick Christian Eyenga, a raw shooting guard from Spain, has informed the NBA team he will stay with his Spanish club next season. The 20-year-old Eyenga thanked Cleveland for drafting him with the 30th overall pick, but said he doesn’t feel ready for the NBA. The 6-foot-5 Eyenga chose to sign a three-year contract extension with DKV Joventut. Terms of the deal were not available.

Re-signed The Carolina Hurricanes have locked up Tuomo Ruutu for three seasons. The Hurricanes said they avoided arbitration with the physical forward by signing him to a deal worth $11.4 million. The 26-year-old Ruutu is coming off a regular season in which he had career highs with 26 goals, 28 assists and 54 points, then added a goal and three assists during the Hurricanes’ run to the Eastern Conference finals.

Playing Boise State is headed to the East Coast in 2010 to take on Virginia Tech. The Broncos and Hokies will play Oct. 2 at FedEx Field, home of the NFL’s Washington Redskins. Boise State will get a payout of $1.25 million.