NFL
Redskins hire a Gruden – Jay Gruden, not Jon Gruden
WASHINGTON – Jay Gruden has his first NFL head coaching gig, charged with ending the perpetual state of turmoil that has become the Washington Redskins.
He was hired Thursday after spending the last three seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals, where his skill in helping to develop Andy Dalton no doubt will be of use when he takes on the task of grooming another young franchise quarterback, Robert Griffin III.
Gruden replaces Mike Shanahan, who was fired last week after a 3-13 season that ended with eight consecutive losses. The Redskins finished last in the NFC East during three of Shanahan’s four seasons in Washington, a time marked by discord among coach, quarterback and ownership.
Gruden will become Dan Snyder’s eighth coach in 16 seasons as an NFL owner. The span includes four winning seasons and seven last-place finishes.
College Football
Petrino returns to the school where it all started
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Looking back, Bobby Petrino said the first of his many mistakes in recent years was leaving Louisville, which provided the first of several head coaching opportunities on the college and professional levels.
Upon returning Thursday to the Cardinals after seven years, Petrino promised his second stint would be permanent because this always was his destination – even with collegiate stops at Arkansas and Western Kentucky and a 13-game foray with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
Petrino returns to a Louisville program that has changed a lot since he left, one that’s gearing up to join the Atlantic Coast Conference next season with a home game against newly-crowned champion Florida State.
Petrino coached Western Kentucky to an 8-4 record last season in his only year with the team. He led the Cardinals to a 41-9 mark from 2003 to 2006, including a BCS Orange Bowl victory his final season.
Petrino succeeds Charlie Strong, who left last weekend after four years to accept the Texas job. Petrino inherits a team coming off a 12-1 finish and is 23-3 the last two seasons with two bowl wins.
Petrino received a seven-year contract with a base annual salary of $3.5 million. It includes a $10-million buyout for leaving that decreases after four years.
Auburn’s Heisman Trophy finalist enters the draft
AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn tailback Tre Mason, who helped power the Tigers into the national championship game, is skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft.
The Heisman Trophy finalist was the Tigers’ workhorse late in the season, coming through in the season’s biggest games. Mason, who finished sixth in the Heisman voting, is projected as a likely mid-round draft pick. The 5-10, 205-pounder said he received a third-round grade from the NFL draft advisory board.
Third-year sophomore left tackle Greg Robinson also is headed to the NFL.
Mason broke Bo Jackson’s 28-year-old school single-season record with 1,816 yards. He also ran for 24 touchdowns and finished with six consecutive 100-yard rushing games, including 195 yards and two touchdowns in Monday night’s BCS championship game against Florida State on Monday night. His tackle-breaking 37-yard run with 1 minute, 19 seconds left gave the Tigers the lead before losing 34-31.
NHL
Sabres hire a familiar face as their general manager
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Tim Murray has the background, decisiveness and family pedigree that made him the Buffalo Sabres’ choice to turn around a losing franchise.
The 50-year-old Murray is the nephew of Senators’ general manager Bryan Murray and has spent the last seven seasons working under his uncle in Ottawa as an assistant GM. Beyond that, Tim Murray has 20 years of NHL experience in a variety of roles in evaluating both amateur and professional talent.
Associated Press
