UCLA’s Walker may be on San Diego State’s short list

UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker is continuing to talk with San Diego State officials and appears to be among the finalists for the coaching job there, sources close to the situation said Tuesday.

The sources required anonymity because they are not yet allowed to speak about the job on the record.

Walker declined to comment but had previously said that he was in contact with both the Aztecs and New Mexico State. He recently withdrew himself from consideration at Utah State, which subsequently hired Utah defensive coordinator Gary Andersen as its coach.

Walker’s name also has come up in connection with coordinator openings at Louisiana State -- he worked with LSU Coach Les Miles at Oklahoma State -- and in the NFL.

During his first two seasons at UCLA, Walker oversaw a defense ranked among the best in the nation against the run. This fall, the Bruins slipped to 48th in total defense but were 11th against the pass.

-- David Wharton

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Former UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame along with 12 other players, including former Louisiana State star Billy Cannon and former Oklahoma State star Thurman Thomas, and coaches Lou Holtz and John Cooper. . . . Wake Forest senior Aaron Curry won the Butkus Award honoring the nation’s top college linebacker. Curry received 63 points in voting, finishing seven ahead of USC’s Rey Maualuga. James Laurinaitis from Ohio State, USC’s Brian Cushing and Boston College’s Mark Herzlich rounded out the top five. . . . Dozens of Auburn University students and alumni marched across campus to the president’s mansion to protest the school’s treatment of former football coach Tommy Tuberville.

PRO FOOTBALL

Portis blasts Zorn over playing time

Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis unleashed a load of frustration toward rookie Coach Jim Zorn, criticizing the coach for giving inconsistent messages and flippantly calling Zorn a “genius.”

Portis was removed from Sunday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens after the first series of the second half. He finished with 32 yards in 11 carries. Zorn said Portis’ lack of practice time had caught up to him.

“Either you feel like you need to sever ties with me -- split ties with me -- but don’t sit here and throw me out like I don’t pay attention, like I don’t know what’s going on . . . ,” Portis said.

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The NFL Players Assn. filed a grievance challenging the suspension and fine given to Plaxico Burress by the New York Giants after the receiver accidentally shot himself in a nightclub more than a week ago. . . . The NFL upheld Matt Jones’ three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, meaning the Jacksonville Jaguars receiver will sit out the final three games without pay. . . . The Detroit Lions released Brian Kelly, formerly of USC, after the veteran cornerback had complained recently about his lack of playing time.

SOCCER

Liverpool finishes first in group play

Liverpool beat PSV Eindhoven, 3-1, to finish at the top of Group D of the Champions League.

Chelsea, Roma and Panathinaikos won their final group matches to claim the remaining spots in the last 16 of the Champions League.

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Real Madrid fired Bernd Schuster and immediately installed Juande Ramos as his successor just two days after the German coach said it would be “impossible” for the defending Spanish champion to win against Barcelona. . . . Ronaldo has agreed to play with the Brazilian team Corinthians, a return home for the three-time FIFA player of the year. . . . Former Major League Soccer defender of the year Michael Parkhurst signed with FC Nordsjaelland of the Danish league after four years with the New England Revolution.

ETC.

Ballesteros out of hospital

Seve Ballesteros thanked doctors and staff for giving him the chance to play the “mulligan of my life” when he was released from a hospital in Madrid, Spain, more than two months after brain surgery to remove a malignant tumor.

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Times sports columnist Bill Dwyre will be given the Pyramid Award, presented to an individual who exemplifies the qualities of John Wooden’s “Pyramid of Success,” on Friday at the John Wooden Classic coaches dinner. Dwyre was sports editor of The Times for 25 years until becoming a columnist in May 2006. . . . Three-time Olympian Paula Weishoff has been named head coach of the UC Irvine women’s volleyball team. . . . Tony Kubek, an All-Star shortstop who became a fixture on NBC’s “Game of the Week” telecasts for more than two decades, was honored with the Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award. . . . Willamette University women’s basketball coach Bruce Henderson, 47, collapsed at Monday’s practice in Salem, Ore., and later died from the apparent heart attack.