Woodson a Happy Camper

Michigan two-way standout Charles Woodson was the winner of the Walter Camp Award, honoring the nation’s top college football player and perhaps serving as a precursor to the Heisman Trophy.

Only five times in its 31 years has the Camp award gone to a player who did not win the Heisman, the last time in 1990 when Notre Dame’s Raghib “Rocket” Ismail won the Camp and Brigham Young quarterback Ty Detmer won the Heisman.

Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr was named the Walter Camp Football Foundation’s coach of the year for guiding the No. 1 Wolverines (11-0) to the Rose Bowl and the brink of their first national title since 1948.

The awards--named after the former coach at Yale and Stanford in the late 1800s--are chosen by the coaches and sports information directors from Division I-A schools.

Woodson joined former Pittsburgh star Hugh Green as the only defensive players to win the Camp award. Green won it in 1980, the year South Carolina running back George Rogers won the Heisman.

Woodson has seven interceptions, 11 receptions and four touchdowns this season.

*

One season after suffering some of the worst losses in school history, Pittsburgh (6-5) accepted a bid to play No. 22 Southern Mississippi (8-3) in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31.

The Panthers’ first bowl game since they upset Texas A&M; in the 1989 John Hancock Bowl was set up by Friday’s dramatic 41-38, three-overtime victory over rival West Virginia.

Last season the Panthers were 4-7 with losses to Ohio State (72-0), Notre Dame (60-6) and Syracuse (55-7) that rank among the worst in school history. The average margin of their seven losses was 39.7 points.

*

Jack Lengyel, Navy’s athletic director, said he is hesitant to grant permission for Coach Charlie Weatherbie to interview for the coaching vacancy at Arkansas or any other school because he is signed to a contract through 2006. . . . Alcorn State Coach Cardell Jones, whose team has had three consecutive 4-7 seasons since NCAA lifetime total offense leader Steve McNair graduated, was fired. Defensive coordinator Mario Kirksey was made interim coach.