Video: LaVar Arrington speaks out on Penn State scandal

By John TaylorNov 9, 2011, 6:51 AM EDT
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On his Washington D.C.-area radio show Monday, former Penn State All-American linebacker LaVar Arrington attempted to work his way through the scandal that’s erupted at his alma mater.  Talking about the heinous crimes his former defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, has been indicted on, Arrington said at one point he was reduced to tears upon hearing the reprehensible allegations levied against Sandusky.

“I always saw [Sandusky] giving back, I always saw him as being a part of the community, I always saw him working with kids and caring about them,” Arrington said.

“So when I heard about this information, when all of these allegations hit … it totally, and when I say totally, it totally took me off-guard. I was moved to tears. I looked at my children.”

On Tuesday’s edition of the Versus show “SportsTalk”, Arrington once again spoke out about the Sandusky arrest and how his image of Joe Paterno has been shattered.

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Central Michigan OL leaving football to pursue music career

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By Kevin McGuireMay 11, 2019, 3:16 PM EDT
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Central Michigan offensive lineman Shawn Wiley is stepping away from football with another goal on his mind. According to a report from Central Michigan Life, Wiley has refrained from entertaining potential transfer options so he can focus on his music career.

Officially, Wiley is currently sitting with his name in the NCAA transfer portal as he has made up his mind to explore his options beyond the Chippewas. But according to the report, he has no interest in digging into his potential transfer options despite coaches and staff members from other programs checking in to weigh his interest in continuing football with them.

“My heart isn’t on the field anymore,” Wiley said to Central Michigan Life. “I don’t care if Alabama hits me up to play ball, it’s done.”

For Wiley, a coaching change hasn’t meshed well with his goals. Wiley says he did not fit into the system being implemented by head coach Jim McElwain and his music work would not be able fit into the patterns McElwain wants to have with the program.

“I wasn’t fitting in and abiding by what he was saying,” Wiley said. “I respect the business aspect of it. He’s a really good coach, and CMU is going to be a totally new team.”

So we’ll keep an eye out on the charts for Wiley’s trade name of Jimmy Lee. In the meantime, Central Michigan will have one less body on the offensive line to work with.

Former New York Jets scout becomes first female coach in Brown history

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By Kevin McGuireMay 11, 2019, 1:33 PM EDT
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History was made with the Brown football program this week. Heather Marini became the Ivy League school’s first female football coach after being hired to be the team’s offensive quality control coach.

“I’ve always been an assistant and helped out around the club when I could and slowly worked my way up to head coach,” Marini told NBC 10 News (WJAR), referring to her time as a trainer and coach with a pro football team in Australia. “I coached there for three seasons. We made the state championship a couple of times. I really was hooked then.”

Marini started out as a trainer with the Monash Warriors in Australia and worked her way up the staff as an assistant coach to get her feet wet in the coaching game. Marini has her own football playing background too as a quarterback and former offensive MVP for Gridiron Victoria Women’s Tackle Football and Monash Women’s Gridiron in Australia.

Marini has worked with the New York Jets as a summer scouting specialist. Her involvement with the NFL’s Women’s Development Pathway, she crossed paths with Brown head coach James Perry, who brought her on board to help the Brown football program.

A year ago, another Ivy League program hired the first full-time female football coach in Division 1. Dartmouth hired Callie Brownson as an offensive quality coach to break the proverbial glass ceiling in college football coaching.

Former Arizona, Hawaii, San Jose State head coach Dick Tomey dies at 80

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By Kevin McGuireMay 11, 2019, 12:27 PM EDT
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The Arizona and Hawaii football families are honoring the life of former head coach Dick Tomey today. Tomey, 80, died after a battle with lung cancer on Friday.

“Our entire program is saddened by this loss, but we are also grateful to have been impacted by Coach Tomey,” Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin said in a released statement. “We will continue to do our part to represent his legacy well. Nanci and the entire Tomey family continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.”

Tomey started his coaching career as a graduate assistant with Miami Ohio under the legendary Bo Schembechler in 1962. His coaching journey made stops at Northern Illinois, Davidson, and Kansas before landing at UCLA in 1971 as linebackers and defensive backs coach for the Bruins. It was at UCLA that Tomey would eventually be named defensive coordinator in 1976, and one season later he was named the head coach at Hawaii. Tomey coached at Hawaii for 10 years, accumulating a record of 63-46-3 and cracking the AP Top 25 in 1981 with a record of 9-2. Tomey was named the WAC coach of the year for the 1981 season. Tomey is credited with making a strong effort to have Hawaii sign big-name opponents

Tomey was hired by Arizona after the 1986 season. Tomey led the Wildcats to a record of 95-64-4 over the span of 14 years, which included a 4-3 bowl record highlighted by a Fiesta Bowl victory and a top 10 finish in the 1994 season and a memorable 12-1 campaign that ended with a Pac-10 championship and a victory in the Holiday Bowl and a No. 4 finish in the AP Top 25 in the 1998 season. Tomey was named the Pac-10 coach of the year for the 1992 season after a 6-5-1 season filled with tight and close losses to bring down the record. Arizona lost at No. 1 Miami 8-7 at the end of September and was upset by No. 18 USC 14-7 in mid-November to drop the Wildcats from a No. 9 AP ranking. Arizona ended the regular season with a 7-6 loss to rival Arizona State and ended the season with a 20-15 loss to Baylor in the Sun Bowl. Arizona lost four games by a combined total of 12 points in the regular season. Tomey remains the winningest coach in Arizona program history.

Tomey resigned from his position at Arizona after a disappointing 1999 season and returned to coaching a few seasons later with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. After one season as an assistant with the 49ers in 2003, Tomey joined the Texas coaching staff as an assistant head coach and defensive ends coach. The Longhorns went 11-1 and won its first Rose Bowl in school history, and Tomey returned to the position of head coach with San Jose State the following season. In five seasons at San Jose State, Tomey coached the Spartans to a 25-35 record, including a 9-4 run in 2006 that ended with a rare bowl victory for the program.

A statement from the Tomey family says a celebration of life ceremony will be announced at a later date.

USC transfer QB Matt Fink denies he’s committed to Illinois

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By John TaylorMay 10, 2019, 8:31 PM EDT
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Oh no, Illinois. Not again.

Already this offseason, three wide receivers have reneged on their signed (in two cases) commitments to the Illini to either return to their previous school or sign with another. Which brings us to Matt Fink.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Fink, who last month decided to leave USC, would be transferring to Illinois; that move was subsequently confirmed by his own father. Friday, however, the quarterback took to Twitter to state that he has not yet committed to continuing his collegiate playing career with anyone, including the Fighting Illini.

Just when I try to look away, the ongoing train wreck pulls me back in…

In fairness to the Illini, it should be noted that Fink’s public denial of a commitment to Lovie Smith’s football program comes at the end of a week that also saw transferring Penn State quarterback Tommy Stevens’ name connected to Illinois as well.

A three-star 2016 signee, Fink completed 13-of-18 pass attempts for 89 yards and a touchdown in seven career games with the Trojans. The California product also ran for 106 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

Regardless of where he ultimately ends up, Fink would be eligible to play immediately at any FBS school. He’d also have another year of eligibility that could be used the following season.