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News Nuggets, 11.25.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Stockstill among trio of assistants retained by Spurrier

COLUMBIA — Three of Lou Holtz's assistant coaches will remain at South Carolina under new coach Steve Spurrier, though their assignments may change.

Wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Rick Stockstill, defensive backs coach Ron Cooper and assistant David Reaves will be part of Spurrier's new staff. Their specific responsibilities will be determined later.

Spurrier, hired Tuesday to replace the retired Lou Holtz, has said he hopes to have a full staff together by the first of next year. He said Tuesday he would be looking to the NFL and coaches in bowl games to fill out the rest of his staff.

Stockstill, who has been coaching for 22 years, was hired last December when Holtz fired most of his assistants after back-to-back 5-7 seasons. He was at Clemson for 14 years.

Prior to joining Holtz, Stockstill spent 2003 serving under recently fired East Carolina coach John Thompson as offensive coordinator for a Pirate team that set new school benchmarks for futility in a 1-11 season.

Cooper has nine years of head coaching experience, and just completed his first season with the Gamecocks. He coached under Holtz at Notre Dame in 1991 and 1992.

Reaves was promoted following the 2003 season after serving two years as graduate assistant. He helped Cooper with the defensive backs this season.

UTEP mines berth in EV1.net Houston Bowl

EL PASO — Future Conference USA member Texas-El Paso accepted a bid Wednesday to play in the Houston Bowl on Dec. 29 against a Big 12 opponent.

Under new coach Mike Price, No. 24 UTEP clinched second place in the Western Athletic Conference last Saturday with a 57-27 victory over Southern Methodist, guaranteeing the Miners (8-2, 6-1) their third bowl appearance since 1967 and first in four years.

UTEP and fellow WAC members Rice, SMU and Tulsa have accepted all-sports invitations to bolt for C-USA in 2005-06.

School officials were excited about playing a bowl game in their home state of Texas.

``It's great for the team, great for the fans, great for recruiting and a great place to play,'' Price said.

The Miners will face either Colorado, Iowa State, Nebraska or Oklahoma State at Reliant Stadium in a game sponsored by EV1.net.

``Coach Price, his coaching staff and players have done an incredible job this year. We're looking forward to having them in Houston,'' said J. Shea Guinn, bowl chairman.

Normally, the bowl would have pitted a Big 12 team against a Southeastern Conference team. But Houston Bowl officials said the SEC couldn't provide a team, so they looked for a nationally ranked team to bring in.

One of the SEC's eligible teams, South Carolina, will not accept a bowl bid, punishment for players who brawled toward the end of Saturday's game against Clemson.

UTEP finishes its regular season Saturday at Tulsa.

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

Page Updated: 02/23/2007 12:06 PM