Report: Toledo, Axman on Texas El Paso List

Bob Toledo, who was fired last December as UCLA coach, and current Bruin offensive coordinator Steve Axman reportedly are among candidates to become coach at Texas El Paso.

El Paso’s KTSM-TV reported Tuesday night that Miner Athletic Director Bob Stull met with six candidates earlier in the day in Dallas. The station did not attribute the report.

Besides Toledo and Axman, Stull reportedly met with Texas Christian offensive coordinator Mike Schultz, Philadelphia Eagle offensive line coach Juan Castillo, Tampa Bay Buccaneer tight ends coach Art Valero and Auburn defensive coordinator Gene Chizik.

Former Washington State and Alabama Coach Mike Price also has expressed interest in the opening.

Stull is seeking a replacement for Gary Nord, who was fired last week after a four-year record of 14-34. Nord’s staff also was released.

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After threatening to pull his team from the Hawaii Bowl if the university didn’t ensure all players were academically eligible, Hawaii Coach June Jones said he was confident he got his message across to administrators and the Warriors will play Houston in the Christmas Day game.

“We’re going to play the football game,” Jones told Houston’s KRIV-TV.

Jones earlier this week said he would pull his team from the bowl rather than risk losing players to academic suspensions.

The Western Athletic Conference requires that student athletes pass a minimum of six-credit hours in the fall semester leading to a postseason competition.

Last year, university officials said that because of the short time between the posting of grades and the Christmas Day game, they were unable to officially certify that players had met the requirement.

After grades were submitted Dec. 28, starting quarterback Timmy Chang was found to have been ineligible. The conference publicly reprimanded Hawaii, suspended Chang for this year’s season opener and fined the school $5,000.

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Washington State quarterback Matt Kegel, bothered by a sore throwing shoulder, should be ready to start in the Holiday Bowl against Texas on Dec. 30, Coach Bill Doba said.

Kegel had an MRI exam on Tuesday, and the team got the results Wednesday.

“His rotator cuff is in good tack and in good shape,” Doba said. “There’s a little rough edge in the cartilage somewhere; I don’t know what that means. So we’ll probably give him the rest of this week off and then start working him next week. But I expect him to be the guy.”

If Kegel can’t go, redshirt freshman Josh Swogger would start.

Kegel benched himself in the last two games because of a sore throwing shoulder.

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Oklahoma junior defensive tackle Tommie Harris won the Lombardi Award, given to the top lineman.

Harris beat out Dave Ball of UCLA, Shawn Andrews of Arkansas and David Pollack of Georgia. Harris was runner-up last season to Arizona State’s Terrell Suggs.

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Oklahoma quarterback Jason White was named Associated Press player of the year.... Miami’s Kellen Winslow Jr. won the John Mackey Award, given to the top tight end.... A university committee, citing a difficult economy, recommended that the Massachusetts program should remain at the Division I-AA level.