NCAA Endzone

Wisconsin running back P.J. Hill has had shoulder surgery and will not participate in spring football drills in March and April, the school announced recently.

Tight end Andy Crooks is scheduled to have shoulder surgery on Friday and also is expected to miss spring drills.

“Both P.J. and Andy are having surgery to correct injuries they sustained during the 2007 season,” Badgers coach Bret Bielema said in a statement. “They will miss spring ball, but will participate on a limited basis in summer conditioning and are expected to be 100 percent by the time fall camp opens.”

Hill, who had surgery Wednesday, was the 2006 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and led the conference with 1,569 yards rushing but appeared to wear down as the season progressed.

Crooks started every game for the Badgers in 2006, catching 19 passes for 206 yards and four touchdowns.

Wisconsin begins spring practice March 13.

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Former starting Wake Forest quarterback Ben Mauk said he is transferring for academic reasons.

Mauk will remain enrolled at Wake Forest until his graduation this spring. In the fall he will enroll at a school that offers a master’s degree in advanced education administration. Wake Forest does not offer that degree.

Mauk began last season as the Demon Deacons’ starter, but suffered a season-ending injury in the third quarter of the opener against Syracuse. He dove to recover a fumble but dislocated his right shoulder and broke his right arm on what coach Jim Grobe said was the most courageous play he’d ever seen by a quarterback.

Mauk spent the rest of the season rehabilitating and mentoring redshirt freshman Riley Skinner. Skinner became the Atlantic Coast Conference’s rookie of the year, leading the Demon Deacons to their first league championship in 36 years, an 11-3 record, a berth in the Orange Bowl and a final No. 18 ranking.

Mauk started 10 of the 18 games he played for Wake Forest from 2004-06, completing 54 percent of his passes for 1,522 yards and four touchdowns. His first pass as a freshman was an 85-yard touchdown that tied the school record for longest scoring pass.

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Once again, Clemson offensive coordinator Rob Spence has chosen to remain with the Tigers.

Spence interviewed last week with the Oakland Raiders for a position on the staff of new coach Lane Kiffin. But Spence told Clemson coach Tommy Bowden that he withdrew his name from consideration for the NFL job and wanted to stay at Clemson.

Earlier this offseason, Spence’s name came up for openings at Alabama with its new coach Nick Saban, and then at Minnesota with its first-year coach, Tim Brewster.

Spence is entering his third season at Clemson.

The Tigers offense led the Atlantic Coast Conference at more than 410 yards a game this past season. Clemson was also tops in rushing and scoring.

Wisconsin, Clemson, Wake Forest