San Diego State Removes Tollner

Ted Tollner, whose teams have won only five games in the last two seasons, will not coach San Diego State for a ninth season.

Tollner, 61, will coach his final game Saturday at home against Wyoming.

The Aztecs have a 2-8 record this season and have lost five in a row. They are 42-48 in eight seasons under Tollner.

“We have not won enough over the last two years,” Athletic Director Rick Bay said Monday. “There is a perception in the community that we’re not making the progress that we ought to be making. The only way to change that thinking and resurrect community confidence in the program is to change personnel.”

Tollner approached Bay to discuss his job status after a 17-3 loss to Utah on Saturday. He accepted a position as special assistant to Bay with a focus on fund-raising, but has not ruled out seeking another coaching job.

“The last two years, we have not got it done,” Tollner said. “To have five wins over two seasons coming into our last game is not acceptable. I understand that.

“All I know is that I want to work. Whether it’s here or somewhere else, I have something positive to contribute.”

The Aztecs’ 3-8 record last season equaled the team’s worst since 1988.

Boston College running back William Green, who had emerged as a Heisman Trophy contender before he was suspended for the Eagles’ game last Saturday against No. 1 Miami, rejoined the team and said he has no plans to leave school for the NFL draft.

“The NFL is the last thing on my mind right now,” Green said in his first comments since being suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules. “In December, after the season is over, I’ll sit down with Coach [Tom] O’Brien and we’ll weigh our options and we’ll figure out what’s best for me.”

Green leads the nation in rushing at 145.5 yards a game, and has 14 touchdowns. But just before Boston College’s biggest game of the year, the school announced Green would not play. He also missed last year’s Aloha Bowl because of similar circumstances.

A report in The Boston Globe on Saturday, citing two anonymous senior school officials, said Green was chafing under O’Brien’s discipline and had made up his mind to leave school. After losing to Miami, 18-7, O’Brien called the report “bogus” and, on Monday, Green agreed.

“Nobody spoke to me at all about it,” he said. “I found out like you did. I was watching the game Saturday and I looked up and they said I was entering the draft. I never told anybody I was entering the draft.”

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Reno Mahe, Brigham Young’s leading receiver, had an emergency appendectomy and will miss Saturday’s game against Utah.

Mahe, a junior, leads No. 8 BYU with 62 catches for 747 yards.

“Our first concern is that Reno is OK,” Coach Gary Crowton said. “We understand the surgery went well and that is our main concern.”

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Hawaii Coach June Jones said he was ordered by the Western Athletic Conference not to criticize or comment on the officiating to the media--or face being suspended.

Jones said the WAC imposed the restriction on him following the Southern Methodist game Oct. 6.

“I was wired [for television] for the game, which was not the smartest thing to do,” he said.

When asked about the frustration that his players were feeling regarding the officiating in Saturday’s 28-21 loss to Boise State at Aloha Stadium, Jones said, “I don’t want to say it.”

Jones then explained the edict imposed by WAC Commissioner Karl Benson.

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Florida junior Earnest Graham, the fourth-ranked Gators’ leading rusher, missed practice because of a sprained right ankle.

Graham should be able to play Saturday against No. 21 Florida State, Coach Steve Spurrier said.

“He said he was fine during our meeting, but then he didn’t come out,” Spurrier said. “It shows you how much control I have.”

Graham missed Florida’s 23-20 loss to Auburn last month because of a sprained ankle.

Florida State offensive tackle Brett Williams will miss the game with a sprained right knee ligament.

Williams, who has started all nine games this season, was carried off the field after injuring his knee during Saturday’s 34-28 loss to North Carolina State.

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Three Missouri players were suspended for the team’s Nov. 24 game at Kansas State.

Junior end Antwaun Bynum, senior punter Jared Gilpin and redshirt freshman punter Brock Harvey were suspended for violating team standards that Coach Gary Pinkel did not specify.