college football
Sarkisian moves south from Washington to Southern Cal
LOS ANGELES – Steve Sarkisian is the new head coach at Southern California, leaving Washington to return to the Trojans.
USC announced Sarkisian’s hiring Monday, replacing interim coach Ed Orgeron with yet another assistant coach from Pete Carroll’s championship-winning era at the school.
The 39-year-old Sarkisian is a Los Angeles-area native who went 34-29 in five seasons at Washington, rebuilding a decimated program into a bowl contender.
Sarkisian is the permanent replacement for Lane Kiffin, his former co-offensive coordinator at USC under Carroll. Kiffin was fired in late September and replaced by Orgeron, who didn’t get the permanent job from athletic director Pat Haden despite going 6-2.
Orgeron resigned Monday. It’s unclear who will coach the Trojans in their bowl game later this month, but it could be Sarkisian.
Colorado’s Richardson moving on to the next level
BOULDER – Paul Richardson is leaving Colorado to enter the NFL draft.
The junior receiver, who caught 83 passes for 1,343 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, announced Monday that he’s forgoing his senior season to turn pro.
Richardson was voted first-team all-conference in the Pac-12 on Monday. He ranked second in the conference in receptions per game and yards receiving per game.
Richardson was named the Buffaloes’ MVP at their annual banquet Sunday, the first junior to win the honor in 11 years and just the sixth receiver to win the award since it was created in 1959.
He set 20 school receiving records.
Woman allegedly killed for lack of anger at Alabama loss
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A woman charged with killing a fellow Alabama fan after the end of last weekend’s Iron Bowl football game was angry that the victim and others didn’t seem upset over the Crimson Tide’s loss to archrival Auburn, said the sister of the slain woman.
Adrian Laroze Briskey, 28, was charged Monday with murder in the killing of 36-year-old Michelle Shepherd.
Hoover police Capt. Jim Coker said both Birmingham women were Alabama fans and at the same party for the annual game between interstate rivals. With no time left on the clock, Auburn returned a missed Crimson Tide field goal more than 100 yards for a 34-28 victory, dashing any hopes of Alabama playing for a third consecutive national championship.
The victim’s sister, Nekesa Shepherd, said she witnessed the killing and had no doubt it was about football.
Nekesa Shepherd said Briskey flew into a rage when she saw the sisters and others joking that the Crimson Tide’s loss wasn’t as bad as if the NBA’s Miami Heat had lost a game.
college basketball
Michigan State remains at the top of the rankings
Michigan State stays No. 1 for a third consecutive week in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, receiving all but two of the first-place votes.
Arizona moved from fourth to second Monday, drawing the other No. 1 votes from the 65-member national media panel.
Kentucky remained third, while Syracuse jumped from eighth to fourth. Ohio State moved up two spots to fifth and was followed by Kansas, which had been second. Completing the top 10 are Louisville, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State and Duke.
soccer
Alston’s comeback, Porter’s coaching earn MLS awards
NEW YORK – New England defender Kevin Alston was voted Major League Soccer’s Comeback Player of the Year after returning from treatment for leukemia, and Portland’s Caleb Porter was selected Coach of the Year.
Alston took a leave of absence in April and returned July 27 to play in five of his team’s final 14 games. He helped New England reach the playoffs for the first time since 2009.
Associated Press
