College Football News and Notes
Jim Svoboda, criticized this past season for his conservative play-calling, was fired Thursday as UCLA’s offensive coordinator.
“This was a hard decision to make,” Bruins coach Karl Dorrell said in a statement. “Jim has done a good job working with our quarterbacks over the last three years. However, I felt that a change was in the best interests of the overall offense.”
The Bruins went 7-6 in 2006, losing to Florida State 44-27 in the Emerald Bowl. The team averaged 23 points per game. A year earlier, UCLA averaged more than 39 points and went 10-2.
The 46-year-old Svoboda was UCLA’s quarterbacks coach in 2004-05 and added the offensive coordinator duties this past season.
Dorrell became more involved in calling plays late in the season.
****
West Virginia running back Steve Slaton had surgery on his right wrist and will miss spring practice.
Slaton injured the wrist during the 2005 season. A pin was inserted in the wrist during surgery this week, coach Rich Rodriguez said. Slaton also hurt his left elbow and wrist in a Nov. 2 loss at Louisville and played sparingly in the Gator Bowl after suffering a deep thigh bruise in practice.
Despite the injuries, Slaton set a school record with 1,744 yards as a sophomore and was named a first team All-American.
****
South Florida running back Keeley Dorsey collapsed and died Wednesday after a team conditioning workout at the school’s athletic facility.
The 19-year-old freshman died at University Community Hospital, South Florida said in statement.
Dorsey was a graduate of Tallahassee Lincoln High School.
Dorsey was given first aid before he was transferred to the hospital, the school said. A hospital spokesman did not immediately know Dorsey’s condition when he arrived.
In 2001, Florida State linebacker Devaughn Darling collapsed and died during an offseason workout. An autopsy concluded he had suffered a cardiac arrhythmia.
UCLA, Florida State, West Virginia
Leave a Reply