Ohio State Players Get OK

Three of top-ranked Ohio State’s top players, including Butkus Award-winning linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer, were declared eligible Thursday and cleared to play in Saturday’s game at No. 11 West Virginia.

Also making the grade besides Katzenmoyer, a first-team All-American, were starting offensive guard Rob Murphy and starting strong safety Damon Moore. Moore is a fifth-year senior. Katzenmoyer and Murphy are juniors.

Their grade problems have been in the spotlight for the past month.

Meanwhile, Katzenmoyer’s backup, Chris Kirk, has hired an attorney to examine the player’s legal options after he was declared ineligible earlier in the week because of a mixup involving credit hours.

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University of Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti agreed to a new contract that could pay him up to $470,000 a year, making him the highest-paid coach in school history.

Bellotti has led the Ducks to a 22-13-0 record and two postseason bowl appearances in three years.

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Ing Aleaga, a heavily recruited Washington State freshman, will sit out Saturday’s season opener against Illinois at Pullman, Wash., because he is not yet academically eligible.

Aleaga, 6-foot-2, 297-pound defensive tackle from Aiea, Hawaii, has not yet qualified academically under NCAA guidelines to play, Cougar Coach Mike Price said.

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South Carolina starting tailback Troy Hambrick has been suspended for Saturday’s opener against Ball State for violating team policy, the school said.

Hambrick, who school spokesman Kerry Tharp said won’t dress for the game, led the Gamecocks in rushing last season with 604 yards and scored five touchdowns.