Ex-assistant replaces Lubick

Sonny Lubick was Steve Fairchild’s mentor at Colorado State. Now, the Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator is Lubick’s replacement with the Rams.

Fairchild, 49, a former Colorado State quarterback and assistant coach, was hired as the school’s 19th coach Wednesday.

Lubick, let go last month after 15 mostly successful seasons, could not be reached for comment. His son, Marc, said his father was pleased with the decision to hire Fairchild, who won’t leave the Bills until their season concludes.

The Big Ten Conference will extend the season to the weekend after Thanksgiving in 2009 and whenever necessary so teams can work an off week into their schedules.

The conference often has only 12 weeks to play 12 games, starting Labor Day weekend.

Ohio State and Michigan opposed the change.

Auburn hired Troy offensive coordinator Tony Franklin to replace Al Borges, who resigned this week.

Southern Mississippi hired Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Larry Fedora as its coach. Fedora, 45, replaces Jeff Bower, who was forced out.

Penn State replaced Arkansas State with Oregon State on its 2008 home schedule. . . . Concerned about attendance, the Atlantic Coast Conference will move its title game from Jacksonville, Fla., to Tampa, Fla., in 2008 and 2009 and to Charlotte, N.C., in 2010 and 2011.

HIGH SCHOOLS

Barkley is top player

Junior quarterback Matt Barkley from Santa Ana Mater Dei was named the Gatorade national player of the year. He’s the first non-senior to receive the honor in three decades of the award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic achievement but also exemplary character and academic success.

Running back Milton Knox of Lake Balboa Birmingham was selected the City Section player of the year for the second consecutive season by a panel of sportswriters after leading the Patriots to their fourth City title in the last six years.

MISCELLANY

Oregon awarded trials

The 2012 U.S. Olympic track and field trials will be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, also the site of the 2008 trials.

Officials also announced that Eugene will host the 2009 and 2011 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

UCLA junior Nellie Spicer earned her second consecutive first-team All-American honor as announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Assn, becoming the sixth Bruin to receive the honor twice.

The Indiana Fever hired assistant Lin Dunn to replace fired coach Brian Winters.

PASSINGS

Hassett, boxing judge, 72

Chuck Hassett, a Hall of Fame boxing judge, died Tuesday in Fullerton of cancer. He was 72.