Fresno State Retains Sweeney Influence

Pat Hill, an assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens, returned to Fresno State on Tuesday as the successor to his former boss, Jim Sweeney.

Sweeney retired at the end of this season after becoming the 16th major college coach to win 200 games.

Hill, 44, was Fresno State’s recruiting coordinator and offensive line coach from 1984 to ’89 before going to Arizona as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. In 1992, he became tight ends and offensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns, now the Ravens.

“It’s great to be home; I’ve worked very hard to get to this day,” Hill said. “[Fresno] has always been a special place to me. My children were born here.”

About his plans for the 4-7 team, Hill said he will use multiple offensive sets and introduce a no-huddle offense, particularly on third down.

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Ron Vanderlinden, an assistant coach who helped revive moribund programs at Colorado and Northwestern, will replace the fired Mark Duffner at Maryland.

Vanderlinden, 40, has been the defensive coordinator at Northwestern since 1992. He received a five-year contract with an annual base salary of $130,000. The Terrapins were 5-6 this season after a 2-0 start.

“The thing that mattered most to me was his involvement in two major rebuilding jobs,” Athletic Director Debbie Yow said. “He’s a great fit for us--this is not a guy who will whine about academic standards. This is a guy who will get the job done.”

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A day after Notre Dame was left out of the bowl alliance and rejected bids from two lesser bowls, Lou Holtz said he wasn’t sure he has coached his last game for the Fighting Irish.

“I don’t think it’s been ruled out, but I don’t know what they’re going to do,” Holtz said.

It sounded fairly certain Monday, when Notre Dame was officially taken out of the running for the Sugar, Fiesta and Orange bowls.

Athletic Director Mike Wadsworth said the Irish also had turned down bids from the Copper and Independence bowls. The Aloha Bowl possibly could still have an at-large bid.

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The winner of Saturday’s Army-Navy game will be invited to the Independence Bowl, officials for the New Year’s Eve game said.

Army (9-1), is No. 23 in the Associated Press poll; Navy (8-2) is No. 26 in the coaches’ poll. The Cadets, winners of five of the past six meetings, hold a 46-43-7 advantage in the series.

For the first time since 1978, the winner of this year’s game will win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, given annually to the service academy with the best record.

Army’s last bowl appearance was in 1988 when it lost to Alabama; Navy last played in the 1981 Liberty Bowl, losing to Ohio State.

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Nebraska running back Ahman Green, the team rushing leader with 917 yards, is questionable for Saturday’s Big 12 Conference championship game against Texas because of an injured left foot. Green, a sophomore, hurt himself in practice during preparations for Nebraska’s 17-12 victory over Colorado last week. . . . Three Texas A&M; assistant coaches apparently are paying the price for the Aggies’ worst season in more than a decade. Offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger, defensive coordinator Phil Bennett and wide receivers coach Les Koennig Jr. have been fired, Bryan-College Station television station KBTX reported Tuesday. A&M; had a 6-6 overall record, the Aggies’ first nonwinning season since a 5-5-1 mark in 1983. . . . Iowa State’s Troy Davis is going back to New York. The junior running back, who finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting a year ago, has been named as a finalist for this year’s Heisman, which will be announced Dec. 14. Davis ran for 2,185 yards this year, making him the first NCAA player to break 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons.