North Carolina hires Davis as coach

Former NFL coach Butch Davis will return to the sidelines next year as coach at North Carolina, which is 1-9 and hasn’t beaten an NCAA Division I-A team this season. He will replace the fired John Bunting, the school said Monday.

Davis, who will turn 55 Friday, was 51-20 as coach of the Miami Hurricanes from 1995 to 2000.

“The timing of my decision to consider coaching opportunities and the opening at UNC seemed to intersect perfectly,” said Davis, who resigned from the Cleveland Browns in 2004 with a 24-35 record.

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South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier was reprimanded by Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive for criticizing SEC officials last week during his call-in radio show.

“I deserved it,” Spurrier said. “I’m glad I got it. And I’m not talking about the refereeing anymore this year.”

Spurrier had complained to his radio audience about several bad calls he said the Gamecocks have gotten and intimated that SEC officials had biases against certain teams, including his.

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Boise State running back Ian Johnson remained hospitalized in San Jose for treatment of a partially collapsed left lung and isn’t expected to be released until today, the school said.... The NCAA won’t appeal a district judge’s decision allowing North Dakota to play host to a playoff game despite its Fighting Sioux nickname....Florida defensive leader Brandon Siler, who has a partially torn ligament in his left knee, will probably be sit out Saturday’s game against Western Carolina.