College Football Confidential

Report: New witness in Benson arrest

The Chicago Tribune reports that a new witness has emerged in the arrest at Lake Travis of Cedric Benson, the former University of Texas standout now with the Chicago Bears. Here is an excerpt:

A witness emerged Thursday to support Benson’s claim that he was mistreated at nearby Emerald Point Marina on Saturday night.

Toby Patch claims he saw police “manhandling” Benson after taking him off the boat. Patch was not one of the 15 people on the boat.

“As they were taking him up the dock, they stopped. He said, `I am fine, I can continue walking,’ and they put their legs behind his knees and knocked him over his knees and started hog-carrying him,” Patch told WXAN-TV in Austin.

Near the parking area, Patch says the treatment of Benson worsened.

“They ended up — I don’t know why — but laid him on his back, I heard him say, `Please don’t pepper-spray me, please don’t pepper-spray me,”’ Patch said. ”It was uncalled for, it was ludicrous, no point for it.“

Patch’s version sounded similar to the account Elizabeth Cartwright, who was on the boat, gave the ChicagoTribune on Tuesday night. She called her father, Jeff, to urge him to call 911 because she feared her cell-phone battery would run out before she could describe the incident to a dispatcher.

Benson is in Chicago and has not commented since proclaiming his innocence Sunday night and saying police mistreated him. He is considering a lawsuit.

UNT should survive APR hit

Yes, North Texas has a bit of a mess to clean up after this week's latest Academic Progress Reports released by the NCAA. This fall, the football team can't carry more than 80 scholarship players, a penalty of five from the usual limit of 85. UNT football has a four-year average APR score of 917. To avoid penalties, a program must average 925 or better.

While UNT appears more serious about player retention and academic progress, graduation rates of those athletes who remain in a program don't factor into the APR formula. UNT is getting the job done in this area, but a spate of player departures in waning years under former coach Darrell Dickey, and in the transition period to Todd Dodge, took a toll.

So, what now? Five scholarships is a hefty penalty, but maybe it sounds worse than it is. Immediately, it affects the walk-on program, where each August a few worthy hopefuls are rewarded for their progress.

UNT won't be completely without rides to offer for 2008. In 2007, the program was two or three short of the 85-scholarship limit. Also, five scholarship players with remaining eligibility -- Tye Rexrode, Korey Washington, Kevin Ealey, Desmon Chatman and Dominique Green -- won't be returning. Absorb the hit with those five absences, and UNT can give at least two scholarships to get to 80, or hold them for another recruiting class.

It should be noted that the NCAA's APR waiver process is counterintuitive and counterproductive, if you consider schools aren't rewarded for maintaining higher graduation rates in the general student body.

Basically, if you adequately fund (everyone should, no excuses) student-athlete academics and graduate all students with reasonable regularity, don't hope for much of a waiver shake. The NCAA is glad to hand out waivers like candy for schools that cry mea culpa loud enough when it comes to funding or overall academic quality. Hmm...we don't graduate college students, so don't penalize us.

It's true when people say Division I athletics includes too many schools, that BCS and non-BCS suffer a too-wide disconnect. But the problem isn't on the field, and schools like UNT aren't the ones that need to go.

--Troy Phillips

QB Nichol to transfer from Oklahoma

Third-string quarterback Keith Nichol plans to transfer from Oklahoma after just one season.

Sooners coach Bob Stoops announced Friday that Nichol would not be returning.

“We had a good conversation with Keith and certainly understand his desire to seek an opportunity in another program,” Stoops said in a statement. “He knows that we are supportive of him under any circumstance, whether it’s here or at a different school. We want what’s best for him.”

Nichol initially committed to Michigan State, but then enrolled at Oklahoma last January to get an early jump on the quarterback competition. Sam Bradford eventually won the starting job and became the nation’s top-rated passer last season.

Joey Halzle, a senior-to-be, was the Sooners’ backup and replaced Bradford after he suffered a concussion in the first quarter of a loss at Texas Tech last season.

Nichol played in three games last season, completing 2 of 7 passes for 15 yards. He still has three years of eligibility remaining and has not used his redshirt season.

LSU dismisses Ryan Perrilloux

Defending national champion LSU has dismissed quarterback Ryan Perrilloux. Coach Les Miles made the announcement Friday morning.

"Ryan was given every opportunity to be a part of htis football team,'' Miles said in a statement. "In the end, he didn't fulfill his obligation as an LSU student-athlete. We hope that a new beginning will benefit him.''

Perrilloux was one of the nation's top recruits in 2004. He verbally committed to Texas before signing with LSU. When he arrived in Baton Rouge, he said he would win a Heisman Trophy. Last season, he was a short-yardage specialist in place of starter senior Matt Flynn.

Perrilloux was expected to replace Flynn as the starter in 2008. However, a continuing series of off-field missteps led to Perrilloux being suspended for spring practice. Miles reinstated him after spring drills.

_ Wendell Barnhouse

Missouri's new weapon

Chase Daniel had his usual sharp game for the Missouri Tigers in their spring game Saturday, but the Kansas City Star reports that a new addition to the Missouri offense raised the excitement level.

To find out how close Nebraska came to breaking Alabama's one-year-old record for spring-game attendance go to our Spring Football roundup.

Duck and cover

Greetings from Kyle Field and the Maroon & White Spring game.

The fireworks that will be touched off as part of the post-game festivities appeared to be aimed in the general direction fo the press box. What's Dennis Franchione doing these days and could it have anything to do with pyrotechnics?

_ Wendell Barnhouse

Former Redskins DT from Midland dies of heart failure at 43

Wally Kleine, a football standout from Midland who played defensive tackle for Notre Dame and the Washington Redskins, has died. He was 43.

Kleine died of heart failure Sunday at a Lubbock hospital.

Kleine was an all-state player at Midland High School in 1981 and earned All-American honors at Notre Dame. He was a second-round pick by the Redskins in 1987 and spent two years with them.

When injuries ended his pro career, Kleine spent two years as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech under former coach Spike Dykes.

After leaving football, he remained in the Lubbock area and worked in commercial real estate and investments.

-- The Associated Press

UNT spring scrimmage II

Notes, etc. from UNT's second spring scrimmage, held Friday:

DENTON -- North Texas' defense isn’t shy about bringing it this spring, and quarterback Giovanni Vizza is proof.

Vizza might need some minor dental work after defensive tackle Joseph Miller leveled him during Friday’s second spring scrimmage, ending the quarterback’s session early. From there, Vizza and backup Daniel Meager (sore non-throwing shoulder) were both unavailable.

Vizza still got in some good work, throwing touchdown passes to Casey Fitzgerald and Breece Johnson before Nathan Tune and Matt Phillips shared the rest of the snaps.

“I bit my tooth and sliced my tongue,” said Vizza, who was helped to the sideline before rinsing blood out of his mouth several times. “I’m fine. We started off the scrimmage real well. I wish I could have played a little more.”

Tune threw two touchdown passes to B.J. Lewis and Phillips one to Greg Brown, but the offense mostly struggled against a defense bent on breaking it. Penalties were numerous all scrimmage long, and the amount of running each unit did afterwards showed it.

“Nathan is a guy who’s benefitted greatly from the year he’s been in the system,” UNT coach Todd Dodge said of Tune’s extensive work. “He’s very intelligent and makes good decisions. The big picture with Nathan is he does better [in workouts] when you’ve got all 22 on the field.”

Bare-bones DL

Defensive end Eddrick Gilmore and tackle Charlie Brown were both in class Friday, leaving an already-thin defensive line thinner. As a result, defensive coordinator Gary DeLoach worked a three-man front that incorporated linebacker Marquis Sykes at Gilmore’s end spot.

The line mixed up looks that included moving different linebackers to a standup defensive end. Tackle Miller and end Ryan Davenport were the constants, and the pieced-together unit was overall disruptive.

Light speedster

Transfer receiver/return man Jamel Jackson is an intriguing addition this spring. If he makes the receiver rotation or regular return unit, he’ll need to adhere to a certain mindset.

If they can’t catch you, they can’t hurt you.

Jackson, who spent two seasons at Northwestern (La.) State, is listed at 5-foot-9, 165 pounds but appears to be UNT’s fastest player. He scored on a kickoff return in UNT’s first scrimmage and was on the field most of Friday's session.

Defensive back Brendan Lamb flattened Jackson (he got right up) on a sideline route. On separate kick returns, Antoine Bush and Adryan Adams lifted Jackson off his feet.

“I’m not worried at all,” said Jackson, who could dramatically improve UNT’s starting field position next season. “I’m used to it.”

Kick or punt returns are Jackson’s best chance to break UNT’s lineup, but he’ll push for whatever time he can get at receiver.

“I believe I’ll get a real shot,” he said. “I’m getting used to the plays and routes, but I really have a chance.”

--Troy Phillips

Texas finalizes 2009, 2010 FB schedules

Texas officials have completed their non-conference football schedules for 2009 and 2010 by adding games against Wyoming, Louisiana-Monroe and Florida Atlantic.

Texas will play a three-game series against Wyoming, beginning in 2009, as well as home games against Louisiana-Monroe (2009) and Florida Atlantic (2010).

DeLoss Dodds, Texas' athletic director, said one vacancy on the 2009 slate arose when officials agreed to postpone a scheduled game at Arkansas until after the 2013 season, at the request of Razorbacks' officials. To fill that vacancy, Texas will play at Wyoming on Sept. 12, 2009. As part of the three-game agreement, the Cowboys will play twice in Austin _ on Sept. 11, 2010 and Sept. 1, 2012.

Texas also announced one-game agreements to play Louisian-Monroe on Sept. 5, 2009 and Florida Atlantic on Sept. 25, 2010. Both games will be in Austin.

Looking ahead, here are Texas' football schedules the next two seasons:

2009 SEASON

Sept. 5 _ Louisiana-Monroe

Sept. 12 _ at Wyoming

Sept. 19 _ Central Florida

Sept. 26 _ UTEP

Oct. 10 _ Colorado

Oct. 17 _ vs. Oklahoma (Dallas)

Oct. 24 _ at Missouri

Oct. 31 _ at Oklahoma State

Nov. 7 _ Texas Tech

Nov. 14 _ at Baylor

Nov. 21 _ Kansas

Nov. 26 _ at Texas A&M

2010 SCHEDULE

Sept. 4 _ at Rice

Sept. 11 _ Wyoming

Sept. 18 _ UCLA

Sept. 25 _ Florida Atlantic

Oct. 2 _ vs. Oklahoma (Dallas)

Oct. 16 _ at Nebraska

Oct. 23 _ Iowa State

Oct. 30 _ Baylor

Nov. 6 _ at Kansas State

Nov. 13 _ Oklahoma State

Nov. 20 _ at Texas Tech

TBA _ Texas A&M

_ Jimmy Burch

Longhorns complete non-conference schedule

Texas officials have completed their non-conference football schedules for 2009 and 2010 by adding games against Wyoming, Louisiana-Monroe and Florida Atlantic.

Texas will play a three-game series against Wyoming, beginning in 2009, as well as home games against Louisiana-Monroe (2009) and Florida Atlantic (2010).

DeLoss Dodds, Texas’ athletic director, said one vacancy on the 2009 slate arose when officials agreed to postpone a scheduled game at Arkansas until after the 2013 season, at the request of Razorbacks’ officials. To fill that vacancy, Texas will play at Wyoming on Sept. 12, 2009. As part of the three-game agreement, the Cowboys to play twice in Austin _ on Sept. 11, 2010 and Sept. 1, 2012.

Texas also announced one-game agreements to play Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 5, 2009 and Florida Atlantic on Sept. 25, 2010. Both of those games will be in Austin.

-- Jimmy Burch