O’Leary’s Bio Was Erroneous

Notre Dame Coach George O’Leary never earned a letter playing football at New Hampshire, even though his biography says he was awarded three.

In his bio in Georgia Tech’s media guide, it states O’Leary earned three letters at New Hampshire at offensive line and fullback. O’Leary went to New Hampshire only two years, and never made it into a game.

O’Leary left Georgia Tech on Sunday to take over at Notre Dame, which also included the erroneous information in its release.

John Heisler, Notre Dame associate athletic director, said Thursday that O’Leary told him he was unaware of the error.

O’Leary transferred to New Hampshire after two years at the University of Dubuque. He said he was on the New Hampshire team in 1967 and 1968, but unable to play his first year because of mononucleosis, and did not play his second year because of a knee injury.

“It sounds like at some point somebody in our business put that in there and it wasn’t right. Who knows why?” Heisler said. “There was no intent to deceive anyone here. Somewhere along the line someone made a mistake.”

The mistake dates back at least to the 1987 Georgia Tech media guide, when O’Leary was defensive coordinator at the school.

The sports information department at New Hampshire said it has no record of O’Leary on a football roster, and that it does not keep records of letter winners.

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Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen, who led the Terrapins to a 10-1 record and their first Atlantic Coast Conference title since 1985, was selected as the Associated Press college coach of the year.

Friedgen received 48 votes in balloting by the 72 members of the AP college football poll board, which includes member newspapers, TV and radio stations.

He won easily over another rookie coach, Miami’s Larry Coker, who was second with 14 votes. Brigham Young first-year coach Gary Crowton was third with four votes, and Colorado’s Gary Barnett had three.

“I’m very proud for the school, our assistant coaches, our players and our administration,” Friedgen said. “I really think they all are represented by this award.”

The Terrapins, who will play Florida in the Orange Bowl, were 5-6 last season.

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Boise State quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie was charged with driving under the influence of drugs and faces up to six months in jail if convicted.

He was found unconscious behind the wheel of an idling car last month.

The Boise city attorney’s office said Dinwiddie was under the influence of GHB, known as the “date-rape drug.”

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Three University of Kentucky football players pleaded innocent to arson charges after a fire in a dormitory caused the evacuation of the building.

The three players--defensive back Brett Hamblen, 19, defensive lineman Ben Scott, 19, and offensive lineman Jeremy Darveau, 20--are all freshmen who were redshirted this season. They were in the Fayette County Detention Center, a jail spokesman said. Bond was set at $5,000 each.

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Louisiana Lafayette hired Virginia Tech assistant Rickey Bustle as its new head coach.

Bustle, who was the Hokies’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, replaces Jerry Baldwin, who was fired last month after a 3-8 season and a 6-27 record in three years.

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New Kansas Coach Mark Mangino hired Southern Methodist assistant Pat Henderson as the Jayhawks’ secondary coach.

Mangino will retain defensive line coach Travis Jones and tight ends and special teams coach Clint Bowen from fired coach Terry Allen’s staff.

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Defensive coordinator Don Lindsey is leaving the Mississippi coaching staff after only one season, Ole Miss Coach David Cutcliffe said.

Cutcliffe did not say whether Lindsey was fired or resigned.