Wisconsin to hire Gary Andersen as its new football coach, report says

Wisconsin has selected Utah State’s Gary Andersen to be its new football coach, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

A person close to the Wisconsin program told the State Journal on Tuesday night it is a done deal: Andersen is the choice of Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez to succeed Bret Bielema, who left to become the coach at Arkansas. The person said Andersen was going to inform his staff of his decision to leave on Tuesday night.

TIMELINE: College football 2012-13 bowl schedule

Utah State (11-2) concluded the most successful season in school history with a 41-15 victory over Toledo on Saturday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Manziel is AP player of year

Chalk up another major award for Johnny Manziel.

The Texas A&M; quarterback became the first freshman to be voted the Associated Press player of the year in college football. He also won the Heisman Trophy and Davey O’Brien Award.

Manziel collected 31 votes to 15 for Manti Te’o, Notre Dame’s star linebacker, who finished second.

The 6-foot-1 Manziel threw for 3,419 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 1,181 yards and 19 more scores to help the Aggies to 10 wins for the first time since 1998.

Manziel and his teammates did it in their first year in the Southeastern Conference. Those wins included an upset of Alabama that showcased Manziel’s ability for a national TV audience.

Manziel is the third straight Heisman-winning quarterback to receive the honor, following Robert Griffin III and Cam Newton.

The 4,600 yards of total offense Manziel gained in 12 games broke the SEC record for total yards in a season. The record was previously held by Newton, who needed 14 games to pile up 4,327 yards. The output also made him the first freshman, first player in the SEC and fifth player overall to throw for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000 in a season.

Tuel drops bid for fifth year

Washington State quarterback Jeff Tuel has dropped a bid to get a fifth season of NCAA eligibility and will focus his efforts on preparing for the NFL draft. Tuel told the Seattle Times that he feels good about his chances for a pro career.

The attempt to get Tuel a fifth year revolved around his injury-plagued 2011 season in which he broke a collarbone early in the opening game. He came back at midseason for two games, then reinjured his collarbone and was out for the year.

Tuel said questions by the NCAA appeared to make the fifth year hinge on whether he thought he had been “mistreated” by the coaching staff, and he said that was not the case.

Robinson enters plea, will play in bowl

Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson pleaded guilty to driving with a suspended license and remains eligible to play in the Outback Bowl against South Carolina.

Wolverines spokesman David Ablauf said that Robinson paid a fine and faces no additional punishment from the school.

Bath Township (Mich.) police Lt. Lyle Lindemulder said Robinson was pulled over in the early morning hours of Nov. 4 for failing to signal and having an expired license plate tag. The Clinton County district court clerk’s office said Robinson pleaded guilty Monday.

Etc.

Paul Haynes was formally announced as Kent State’s new coach. He was the defensive coordinator at Arkansas this season. He replaces Darrell Hazell, who become Purdue’s coach on Dec. 5.

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Utah State lineman Sini Tauauvea was booked into an Idaho jail about 2:30 a.m. Sunday on charges of misdemeanor battery and trespassing.

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Former Aggies player Caleb Mandale Taylor, who was a senior in 2008, also was arrested for investigation of misdemeanor battery. Utah State beat Toledo, 41-15, on Saturday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Boise’s Bronco Stadium.

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Missouri freshman safety Ka’Ra Stewart was dismissed from the team after he was arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession for the second time in two months.

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcherthis morning on December 1, 2012, shot and killed his girlfriend before going to Arrowhead Stadium and fatally shooting himself as team personnel tried to stop him, police said.