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News Nuggets, 08.09.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Auto accident claims life of Mean Green quarterback

CALVERT, TX — A University of North Texas quarterback was killed Saturday after his vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with an 18-wheeler in Central Texas.

Andrew Smith, a 21-year-old from Bay City who was expected to compete for starting quarterback this fall, was pronounced dead at the scene. The pre-dawn accident happened on Texas Highway 6, about five miles north of Calvert, which is 48 miles southeast of Waco.

"This brings everything back into perspective," UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal told the Denton Record-Chronicle for its Sunday editions. "The players are all kids and they are vulnerable. Regardless of what you can do on the field, nothing is promised. He will be missed."

A Texas Department of Public Safety accident report said it is not known why Smith's 2003 Ford pickup crossed into oncoming traffic. The report said Smith was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the truck when it hit the tractor-trailer.

The 18-wheeler's driver was treated for minor injuries at the scene, the report said.

Smith was in his third year at UNT, where he had started as quarterback 16 times, said Eric Capper, a spokesman with the university's athletic program. Smith had two years of eligibility left to play for UNT.

"He was a significant player, and was loved by his teammates," Capper told the Waco Tribune-Herald for its Sunday editions. "He was going to continue to be an important part of the team, and we will miss him."

Smith was an honorable mention all-state pick at Bay City High as a senior when he led his team to the Class 4A Division I state title.

In 2001, Smith spent his first year at UNT as a redshirt. The next year, he began the season as a backup, but was thrust into the starting lineup when starter Scott Hall was injured in UNT's season-opener.

Smith led the Mean Green to an 8-4 record as starting quarterback, including a 24-19 win over Cincinnati in the New Orleans Bowl. The win was UNT's first in a bowl game since 1946.

"What Andrew did for us as a player paled in comparison to what he brought to the team as a person," UNT offensive coordinator Ramon Flanigan said. "He was unselfish and a hard worker. You don't find a lot of kids like that who play quarterback any more."

Smith maintained his role as UNT's starting quarterback through the first four games of the 2003 season before giving way to Hall, who led the Mean Green to a third straight Sun Belt title. Smith was expected to compete with Hall for the starting spot this fall.

Smith threw for 1,393 yards and eight touchdowns with 13 interceptions in his career.

ABC locks up Rose Bowl, focus turns to BCS

NEW YORK — The Rose Bowl is staying on ABC through 2014.

The bowl game's management committee and the network agreed last week to extend their deal starting with the 2007 game. The network has broadcast the Rose Bowl since 1989.

"ABC has been a wonderful partner to us," said Mitch Dorger, chief executive of the Tournament of Roses. "That came through very strongly in the negotiations, that we were both important to each other."

Dorger declined to say how much the extension was worth. Under a deal signed in 1998, ABC paid almost $80 million to broadcast the Rose Bowl from 1999-2002. ABC also paid $525 million to televise the BCS for seven years, ending with the 2005 season.

The BCS is expected to begin negotiations for its television contract within the next few weeks.

"The Rose Bowl is a great American institution, so it was a priority for ABC to keep it on our schedule," said George Bodenheimer, the president of ABC Sports and ESPN.

The extension removes the last bit of uncertainty the Rose Bowl was facing this summer. The BCS revamped its format in June, adding a bowl game, and the Rose Bowl Committee had had some concerns about how its relationship with the Big Ten and Pac-10 conferences would be affected.

The Rose Bowl is the only BCS game with ties to two conferences. Two seasons ago, Pac-10 co-champ Southern California and Big Ten co-champ Iowa played in the Orange Bowl, which left the Rose Bowl with Pac-10 co-champ Washington State and Oklahoma of the Big 12.

But Rose Bowl officials were satisfied with what the BCS decided. Starting in the 2006 season, the BCS will play five games at the current four sites, with the bowl that hosts the national championship game also holding an earlier postseason game.

Under the new model, the championship game will still rotate among the Sugar, Fiesta, Orange and Rose bowls, but it will be played about a week after the other four games. The name of the championship game has yet to be determined.

The new BCS model creates the potential for the Rose Bowl to pit the Big Ten and Pac-10 champs one week and a national title game the next.

"This was an uncertain time in a year that college football has seen turbulence with people wanting to change the format of the BCS and the BCS going through its own internal review," Dorger said. "To settle this first one moves us a long way down the road in terms of eliminating uncertainty for our future."

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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