Stanford hires Harbaugh to coach football

Stanford hired former NFL quarterback Jim Harbaugh on Monday to take over its struggling football program.

Harbaugh spent the last three years as head coach at the University of San Diego, a non-scholarship Division I-AA program. He led the Toreros to a 29-6 record, winning 27 of his final 29 games at San Diego.

The school planned to formally introduce Harbaugh at a news conference today. Phone messages left for Harbaugh were not immediately returned.

Harbaugh has the tough task of turning around the Cardinal, which set a school record for losses in a 1-11 season this year that led to the firing of coach Walt Harris.

Harbaugh was a star in college at Michigan, finishing third in the voting for the 1986 Heisman Trophy. He has ties to Stanford, where his father, Jack, served as defensive coordinator in 1980-81. Harbaugh spent his final two years as a prep player at Palo Alto High School before going to Michigan.

“The only thing I’ve heard is he’s done a great job there and he would be a good guy to fill the position,” said quarterback Kellen Kiilsgaard, Stanford’s top recruit for next season. “He was a great quarterback while he was playing. That always helps to have a coach who played quarterback to relate to.”

Boston College is preparing to hire Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski as head coach, a school official told the Associated Press.

Jagodzinski has been offered the job and is expected to be introduced at a news conference Wednesday, according to the official.

Derek Dooley, son of longtime Georgia football coach Vince Dooley, was hired as head coach by Louisiana Tech. Dooley has been an assistant coach for the Miami Dolphins the last two years. Dooley succeeds Jack Bicknell, who was fired Dec. 4 after the Bulldogs finished 3-10.

Arkansas added a year to Coach Houston Nutt’s contract and intends to give him a raise as reward for leading the Razorbacks to the Southeastern Conference championship game.

The extension keeps Nutt under contract until 2012.

Virginia Tech will be without No. 2 quarterback Ike Whitaker when the Hokies play Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Sophomore Cory Holt, who hasn’t attempted a pass this season, will back up starter Sean Glennon in the Dec. 30 bowl game in Atlanta.

AUTO RACING

No. 2 NASCAR series

to lose its sponsor

Anheuser-Busch will end its title sponsorship of NASCAR’s No. 2 series after the 2007 season.

The parent company for Busch beer cited its desire to reassess all of its NASCAR marketing as its reason for pulling out of the Busch Series. The company just celebrated its 25th season as title sponsor.

Steve Phelps, NASCAR’s marketing chief executive, said NASCAR would start serious negotiations in January for a new title sponsor but had no timetable for securing a replacement for Busch.

BASEBALL

Mariners acquire Vidro from Nationals

The Seattle Mariners acquired second baseman Jose Vidro and $4 million from the Washington Nationals for oft-injured outfielder Chris Snelling and right-hander Emiliano Fruto in a deal finished Monday.

Vidro had been the longest-tenured player with the Expos-Nationals franchise, but has been slowed by leg injuries the last two seasons. He hit .289 with seven homers and 47 runs batted in last season, when he sat out 36 games. He is a career .301 hitter.

Pitcher Jeremy Bonderman and the Detroit Tigers agreed to a $38-million, four-year contract. Bonderman would have been eligible for free agency after the 2008 season. The 24-year-old right-hander was 14-8 with a 4.08 earned-run average and 202 strikeouts in 34 starts last season.

The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum called a news conference for today to announce plans for an exhibit recognizing the achievements of banned career hits leader Pete Rose.

Cuban right-hander Yoslan Herrera agreed to a $1.92-million, three-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Herrera, listed at age 25, has not pitched competitively since 2005.

Infielder Chris Gomez stayed with the Baltimore Orioles, agreeing to an $850,000, one-year contract.... Minnesota Twins right-hander Brad Radke, who struggled with injuries to his throwing shoulder last season, is expected to announce his retirement today.

SOCCER

Cannavaro, Marta voted players of the year

Fabio Cannavaro was voted FIFA men’s player of the year, becoming the first defender to earn the honor and only the second Italian. Brazilian midfielder Marta was voted FIFA women’s player of the year, with U.S. forward Kristine Lilly finishing second.

The 33-year-old Cannavaro was captain as Italy won its fourth World Cup title.

The only other Italian voted world player of the year by FIFA was Roberto Baggio in 1993.

Marta topped the voting for the women’s award with 475 points. Lilly had 388.

MISCELLANY

Landis seeks financial help to fight charges

Tour de France champion Floyd Landis is seeking help to meet the expense of fighting the doping charges against him. A spokesman for the cyclist said he has established the Floyd Fairness Fund, which aims to raise more than $2 million in a public appeal, to help pay his bills for legal assistance and scientific experts.

Landis says he has already spent $150,000 to defend himself against the charge that he doped with testosterone during his victorious ride in the race this summer. Landis maintains he is innocent.

Landis says he will also start a separate entity, tentatively called the Athlete Fairness Organization, to help wrongly accused athletes fight doping charges and lobby for improved protection for accused competitors.

-- Michael Hiltzik

Markus Larsson of Sweden used a strong second run to win a men’s World Cup slalom at Alta Badia, Italy. American Ted Ligety finished second.

Bode Miller fell and failed to finish the first run.

The first state high school football championship games in 79 years, played Saturday at the Home Depot Center in Carson, turned out to be a ratings success for FSN Prime Ticket. The first of the three title games, Westlake Village Oaks Christian vs. Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman, got a 0.5 rating with a 1 share and drew an average of 29,000 viewers. The second game, Orange Lutheran vs. Palo Alto, got a 0.9/2 with 58,000 viewers. And the third game, Canyon Country Canyon vs. Concord De La Salle, got a 1.2/2 with 102,000 viewers.

-- Larry Stewart

Times columnist Helene Elliott and San Francisco Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler are the finalists in balloting for California sportswriter of the year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Assn. The winner will be presented with the award in April.

Oaks Christian, which capped its undefeated season with a 27-20 overtime victory over Cardinal Newman in the Division III CIF State Football Championship Bowl Game on Saturday at the Home Depot Center, has been selected state team of the year by CalHiSports.com.

PASSINGS

Thoroughbred trainer Saip; was 62

Thoroughbred trainer Jack Saip, who worked locally for about 20 years, died recently at his home in Playa del Rey after battling lung cancer. He was 62.