Cameron Dismissed as Indiana’s Coach

Cam Cameron, 18-37 in five years at Indiana, was fired Wednesday as coach even though the Hoosiers won four of their last five games.

“Five years is an important time to demonstrate success on the field and in the classroom,” Athletic Director Michael McNeely said. “We expect to be successful on the field and in the classroom.

“There is not compelling evidence that the current direction of the football program will yield a higher level of competitive success.”

Cameron, 40, who has three years left on his contract, did not attend the news conference.

He will be paid about $150,000 a year in base salary for the next three years.

His compensation package, including retirement benefits and additional payments, will total about $183,000 for each of the next three years.

A handful of players attended the news conference but stood in the back of the room with sullen expressions. Quarterback Antwaan Randle El described a meeting Cameron had with the team.

“He was emotional, teary-eyed. He was hurting,” Randle El said. “This is his love and he’s leaving a lot of players behind.”

McNeely said he made his decision Tuesday night, slept on it, then made his recommendation to President Myles Brand.

Cameron’s best season was his last, when he went 5-6.

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Phil Bennett, 46, the Kansas State defensive coordinator with strong ties to Texas high school football, was introduced as Southern Methodist’s coach.

Bennett was given a five-year deal to rebuild a program that has had only one winning season in the last 12 years.

“We need to win here and we need to win right away,” Bennett said. “I think that our expectation is to win a [Western Athletic Conference] championship.”

The Mustangs were 4-7 this season under coach Mike Cavan, who was fired Nov. 18.

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Julius Peppers, the North Carolina defensive end who gave up basketball to concentrate on football, won the Vince Lombardi Award as the nation’s top college lineman.

He beat out linebacker Rocky Calmus of Oklahoma and defensive ends Alex Brown of Florida and Dwight Freeney of Syracuse for the award

Peppers was the sixth man on the Tar Heel basketball team but decided to put all of his efforts into football this season.

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Brigham Young Athletic Director Val Hale told the Salt Lake Tribune that the school might consider suing the bowl championship series for alleged antitrust violations.

The No. 9 Cougars, 12-0 with a game remaining at Hawaii, were notified Monday that they have been dropped from BCS consideration. They are scheduled to play Louisville in the Liberty Bowl, where the school will earn a payoff of about $1.25 million that must be shared with the rest of the Mountain West Conference.

The Cougars would have received $13 million if they would have received a berth in the Rose, Orange, Fiesta or Sugar bowls, games run by the BCS.

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San Francisco 49er Coach Steve Mariucci and Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops say they have no interest in coaching at Notre Dame.... Florida quarterback Rex Grossman was chosen the Associated Press player of the year.... Colorado defensive end Matt McChesney has been suspended indefinitely by Coach Gary Barnett for violating team rules.... Washington tight end Kevin Ware, accused of assaulting a police officer, has been suspended indefinitely by Coach Rick Neuheisel.