Miami’s Coker Sends Winslow to the Bench

Miami Coach Larry Coker benched tight end Kellen Winslow on Tuesday, punishing the team’s top receiver for his behavior on the field.

Coker also has benched center Joel Rodriguez and quarterback Brock Berlin, meaning the No. 14 Hurricanes (7-2) will have a total of six offensive players in new positions Saturday against Syracuse (5-3).

Winslow was benched for committing two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in losses to Virginia Tech and Tennessee. Rodriguez was benched for committing a critical holding penalty in the fourth quarter against the Volunteers. And Berlin was benched after throwing 14 interceptions and fumbling three times in nine games.

Although Winslow and Rodriguez will not start against the Orangemen, Coker said they will play. Berlin could play too, but Coker said it will depend on how backup Derrick Crudup performs.

Winslow was penalized 15 yards in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 10-6 loss to Tennessee for taking off his helmet. After the game, Winslow said his helmet was ripped off. He then lashed out at the officials in a profanity-laced tirade.

Winslow apologized a day later.

He also nearly got flagged for celebrating a hard-hitting block on safety Corey Campbell in the third quarter.

In a 31-7 loss to Virginia Tech, he was flagged 15 yards for punching linebacker Brandon Manning.

“We’ve got to understand we can’t have that,” Coker said. “It hurts our football team. The most pain you can inflict on a player is playing time, so I am going to take away some playing time.”

Kevin Everett will start in place of Winslow, who leads the team with 51 catches for 527 yards.

Rodriguez was flagged for his fifth holding penalty of the season against the Volunteers.

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Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops remains on the defensive after the No. 1 Sooners’ 77-0 victory over Texas A&M.;

Stoops’ defended the team’s etiquette and said the Sooners were not trying to run up the score.

Stoops said starting quarterback Jason White and most other offensive starters didn’t play in the second half, he couldn’t have possibly expected cornerback Derrick Strait to score on a 17-yard fumble return, and, by the end of the game, his lineup mostly featured walk-ons and scout team players running plays not even in the playbook.

“The bad part of it is we’re having to apologize for playing well,” Stoops said. “That’s unfortunate. But I’ll take that kind of criticism every week.”

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Officials in Morgantown, W.Va., are bracing for Saturday night’s game between West Virginia and No. 16 Pittsburgh.

The start time was moved from noon to 7 p.m. to accommodate television coverage, despite objections from officials at each school and Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese.

More than 40 fans were arrested and several fought with police in an unsuccessful attempt to tear down the goal posts after the Mountaineers’ 28-7 victory over Virginia Tech on Oct. 22, the last night game at Morgantown.

In addition, more than 100 fires were set in the area after the game.

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Former Arizona Coach John Mackovic, who was fired in September with 2 1/2 years left on his contract, will receive a buyout of $910,000, according to the Arizona Daily Star.

Mackovic, who was the highest-paid college coach in Arizona, will be paid in four annual payments of approximately $225,000.

“I think it’s good for us from a financial standpoint, and it’s good for John from a tax standpoint,” Athletic Director Jim Livengood said.

The university recently completed a $600,000 buyout of Dick Tomey, who resigned after the 2000 season.

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Quarterback Matt Kegel, who injured his right shoulder in Washington State’s victory over UCLA, might be able to play Saturday against Arizona State.

Josh Swogger, who replaced Kegel in the UCLA game, led the team in practice Tuesday, but Kegel will have the shoulder evaluated today.

A decision on his playing status could come as late as kickoff, Coach Bill Doba said.

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California cornerback Mike McGrath had surgery on his broken right leg, ending his season. McGrath, a junior, broke the fibula and tibia bones in his leg in the fourth quarter of the Golden Bears’ 21-17 loss Saturday at Oregon.

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Maryland will be without running backs Bruce Perry (sprained ankle) and Sammy Maldonado (arthroscopic knee surgery) for Thursday’s Atlantic Coast Conference game against Virginia. Josh Allen will get the start.... Iowa defensive tackle Jared Clauss (ankle) and linebacker Grant Steen (ankle) are expected to play Saturday in Iowa’s game against Minnesota. The Gophers could be without quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq, who is questionable after injuring a shoulder in a victory against Wisconsin.

Missouri tight end Victor Sesay has a torn patella tendon in his right knee, and his season is over. Sesay caught a touchdown pass on a fake field goal that propelled the Tigers to their victory over Nebraska on Oct. 11.... Mississippi defensive tackle McKinley Boykin is questionable for the Rebels’ Nov. 22 game against Louisiana State after surgery on his knee.

Illinois’ trustees will consider a resolution Thursday to retire Chief Illiniwek, the school’s mascot. In 1990, the board voted, 6-1, to retain the symbol, but four new members have been appointed to the board since that vote. Chief Illiniwek opponents say the symbol is degrading to American Indians, while supporters say the 75-year-old mascot honors American Indians.... No. 23 Miami of Ohio (8-1, 5-0 Mid-American) plays host tonight to Marshall (6-3, 4-1) and will try to end a six-game losing streak to the Thundering Herd.