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News Nuggets, 12.09.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

UCF resurrects O'Leary to lift beleaguered program

ORLANDO — George O'Leary was hired Monday to coach Central Florida, giving him another chance in college football two years after Notre Dame forced him to resign because he lied on his resume. O'Leary, the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator for the past two seasons, said he chose UCF because he saw the opportunity to build the program into a national powerhouse.

"I see the University of Central Florida as a sleeping giant," O'Leary said at a news conference, in which he acknowledged the problems in his past, but said he was ready to move on. He had lied about earning a master's degree and receiving three letters playing football at New Hampshire. He resigned less than a week after Notre Dame hired him in 2001.

"I made a terrible, terrible mistake as a youngster and I paid a dear price for it," he said. "I'm truly sorry for that ... My past is my past."

Central Florida president John Hitt said a thorough background check was done on O'Leary, and he was confident he made the right decision in hiring him. "I think he deserves another chance," Hitt said. "How he handles that chance, of course, we'll all be watching to see."

Central Florida fired coach Mike Kruczek late in the season, and he was replaced on an interim basis by Alan Gooch on Nov. 10. UCF athletic director Steve Orsini was Georgia Tech's senior associate athletic director during O'Leary's tenure there.

At Georgia Tech, O'Leary had a 52-33 record from 1994-2001. O'Leary will finish the season with Minnesota, which is 8-5 and in position to make the playoffs.

He is a taking over a UCF program battered by losses on the field and discipline problems off the field. Although the Golden Knights were expected to contend in the Mid-American Conference's East Division, their 3-9 record was their worst since 1984. Coincidentally, that was the last year the program lost a coach during the season.

The Knights had eight players, including four starters, suspended this season for various infractions.

O'Leary's five-year contract reportedly was worth about $700,000 annually. That financial package would be far more than what UCF has paid in the past. Kruczek made $185,000 a year. UCF spokesman John Marini said he did not know the details of O'Leary's contract.

UCF has been competing at the Division I-A level for eight years, and the 2002 season was its first as a member of a conference after 23 as an independent.

Bowls leave 10-2 Huskies out in cold

CHICAGO — This was one upset Northern Illinois could not pull off. As the final bowl pairings emerged, Huskies coach Joe Novak held out a sliver of hope his team would somehow find a place in college football's postseason. But even with a 10-2 record and a non-conference win over No. 23 Maryland, Northern Illinois woke up Monday to the harsh reality that its season is officially over.

"There is no doubt in my mind that we have one of the best 56 teams in the country," Novak said. "I don't think a .500 team should get in over a team that won 10 games. Are you telling me they had a better season than us? Baloney."

Northern Illinois opened the season with wins over Maryland, Alabama and Iowa State and climbed to No. 12 in the rankings. The Huskies even made an appearance at No. 10 in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

It all unraveled with a pair of Mid-American Conference losses. After losing to Bowling Green and Toledo, Northern Illinois fell out of the Top 25. Only two teams from the MAC are guarantees bowl slots, and those went to Miami of Ohio and Bowling Green.

Initially, the Fort Worth Bowl seemed like a be possibility for an at-large bid. The Huskies were one of six teams under consideration for the game. They ultimately were passed over for No. 18 Boise State and No. 19 Texas Christian.

"If they had wanted us to play on a paved street in the middle of nowhere, we would have gone," quarterback Josh Haldi said. "That's what college football is all about - playing in a bowl game."

MAC teams with 10 wins have been left out before. Miami of Ohio missed out on the Las Vegas Bowl after going 10-1 in 1998. The bid went to North Carolina, a team that was 6-5 and had lost to Miami to start the season. In 2000, Toledo finished 10-1 record and ranked 25th but failed to make a bowl game.

"We're awful disappointed. We played a strong schedule. We're a good team," Novak said.

Associated Press basketball poll

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' men's college basketball poll, as announced on Monday, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec. 7, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking:

[Conference USA and Carolinas teams in bold.]

Rank/Team/Record/Points/Previous
 1. Florida (46) 5-0 1,732 2
 2. Connecticut (9) 6-1 1,593 3
 3. Missouri (6) 3-0 1,512 4
 4. Duke 5-1 1,422 6
 5. Kansas 3-1 1,364 1
 6. Texas (3) 4-0 1,351 8
 7. North Carolina (3) 5-0 1,339 10
 8. Kentucky (1) 4-0 1,324 9
 9. Arizona 2-1 1,212 7
10. Georgia Tech (4) 7-0 1,167 13
11. Oklahoma 5-0 1,071 14
12. Saint Joseph's 5-0 986 12
13. Stanford 4-0 941 21
14. Illinois 4-1 829 11
15. Wake Forest 5-0 754 18
16. Purdue 6-0 725 20
17. Gonzaga 6-1 693 17
18. Cincinnati 4-0 573 19
19. Syracuse 2-1 567 16
20. Pittsburgh 6-0 457 22
21. Michigan State 3-3 417 5
22. Marquette 6-0 415 24
23. Wisconsin 4-1 373 15
24. Iowa 6-0 132 _
25. Dayton 6-0 116 _

Others receiving votes: Louisville 60, Vanderbilt 36, Oklahoma State 35, Maryland 32, UCLA 26, Oregon 24, Auburn 15, BYU 15, Florida State 14, Georgia 14, Mississippi State 14, South Carolina 8, N.C. State 7, Virginia 6, LSU 5, Notre Dame 5, Texas Tech 5, Kent State 3, Boston College 2, Murray State 2, Niagara 2, Butler 1, George Washington 1, Manhattan 1, N. Illinois 1, S. Illinois 1.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2003 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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