Smith Will Announce Decision

Utah quarterback Alex Smith will reveal today at a news conference whether he’s leaving school a year early for the NFL draft.

Neither Smith nor Coach Kyle Whittingham returned several phone messages Monday.

Smith, a junior, was Utah’s first Heisman Trophy finalist, and he has a 21-1 career record. He threw four touchdown passes to help lead the Utes past Pittsburgh, 35-7, in the Fiesta Bowl and complete a 12-0 season, the school’s first perfect record since 1930. Utah is the first team from outside the six bowl championship series conferences to force its way into a BCS game.

The Salt Lake Tribune and KSTU-TV reported Monday that Smith would make himself available for the April draft.

Smith, 6 feet 4 and 210 pounds, has said he would enter the NFL draft if he felt his status was good enough.

“Can I improve myself that much? Can I get better over the year? Can I help my stock? That’s kind of what this is going to come down to,” Smith said last week. “Would it be better for me to leave now? Those are the things that are going to have to get weighed.”

Steve Savoy, Utah’s second-leading receiver with 60 catches for 891 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns, also is considering leaving the school early.

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Les Miles was introduced at Baton Rouge, La., as football coach at Louisiana State.

Miles said his competitive spirit would not let him decline the opportunity to take over the program.

Miles took an Oklahoma State program that hadn’t been to a bowl game for 12 years and guided it to three consecutive bowls. He had a 28-21 record in four years with the Cowboys and was selected coach of the year in the Big 12 Conference in 2002.

He succeeds Nick Saban, who left Louisiana State to become coach of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.

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Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State’s offensive coordinator the last four seasons, was promoted to replace Miles.

Gundy, 37, lost out to Miles for the coaching job in 2001 but was hired as offensive coordinator.

After a mediocre first season, the Cowboys have averaged 34.2 points and 402.7 yards a game the last three seasons.

The Cowboys averaged 31.5 points a game during his tenure as offensive coordinator.

Gundy was Oklahoma State’s quarterback from 1986 to 1989 and holds school records for career total offense and most yards passing in a game with 429.

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Oklahoma State junior running back Vernand Morency said he submitted papers to the NFL, making him eligible for the draft.

Morency, who turns 25 in February, said he took the step because Miles left the Cowboys.

Gundy said he learned of Morency’s decision Monday and wished the running back the best.

Morency reiterated his preseason statement that he is the top back in the nation and that he’s ready to make his presence felt in the NFL.

He had 1,454 yards and 12 touchdowns in 250 carries despite sitting out one game because of a knee injury.

Morency was limited to 24 yards in eight carries in the Alamo Bowl, which the Cowboys lost to Ohio State, 33-7.

Before the game, he said he would return for his senior season so he could keep a pact with his mother to earn a degree.

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Louisville Coach Bobby Petrino apologized for his dalliance with Louisiana State only days after signing a new contract with the Cardinals, and said he needs to mend his relationship with the school’s athletic director and its fans.

Petrino met with LSU officials Dec. 26, less than a week after Louisville nearly doubled his salary to $1 million a year. The Cardinals finished 11-1 this season and led the nation in points and yards per game.

Speculation about Petrino’s future came as the seventh-ranked Cardinals prepared for the Liberty Bowl, which they won against 10th-ranked Boise State, 44-40, on New Year’s Eve.

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Former head coaches David Cutcliffe, Bill Lewis and Rick Minter joined the staff of new Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis.