Michigan Captain Off Team After Arrest

Cornerback James Whitley, the captain of the No. 16 Michigan Wolverines, was dismissed from the team after an arrest on a concealed weapon charge.

Whitley, who was arraigned Thursday afternoon, was free on a $10,000 personal bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 27 in a Washtenaw County court.

Ann Arbor police said Whitley, 21, a four-year letterman and a three-year starter, was arrested Thursday morning on the charge, a five-year felony.

The Wolverines play Auburn in the Florida Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day.

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Alabama hired former North Carolina coach Carl Torbush as defensive coordinator.

Torbush, fired Nov. 20 after the Tar Heels went 6-5 in his third season, joins the staff of new Crimson Tide Coach Dennis Franchione.

“Carl Torbush is one of the premier defensive coordinators in the nation, and is a coach who is familiar with the SEC,” Franchione said. “It is a plus that Coach Torbush has been an assistant and head coach.”

Torbush built one of the nation’s top defenses at North Carolina from 1988-97 before replacing Mack Brown as coach. He went 17-18 in three seasons.

Torbush got the job after Franchione’s defensive coordinator at Texas Christian, Gary Patterson, was elevated to head coach last week.

Patterson will coach the No. 13 Horned Frogs against Southern Mississippi in the Mobile Bowl on Wednesday.

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Georgia Tech Coach George O’Leary signed a six-year contract for about $1.1 million a year. . . . Davidson named Michael Toop as its new coach, replacing Joe Susan, who left to take the offensive line coaching job at Rutgers. Toop has been Connecticut’s defensive coordinator for the past two seasons.