Rimington named AD

Dave Rimington, who became the most decorated offensive lineman in college football history in the early 1980s, was named interim athletic director at Nebraska on Tuesday as the school searches for a successor to Shawn Eichorst.

Nebraska reached back to its more glorious football past to find a temporary leader for its athletic department.

Dave Rimington, who became the most decorated offensive lineman in college football history in the early 1980s, was named interim athletic director Tuesday as the school searches for a successor to Shawn Eichorst.

Rimington, 57, said he is not a candidate for the permanent position.

“We’re very, very pleased, obviously, that No. 50 is willing to come back in this interim time of leadership,” Chancellor Ronnie Green said at a news conference. “The very first person I thought of as a potential leader in an interim capacity was Dave Rimington. It was the first thought I had because not only of his accolades as a great Husker, but also because he was an academic All-American and he represents our program so well.”

Rimington has been president of the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which raises money and awareness for cystic fibrosis research, since 1995. The foundation sponsors the Rimington Award, which is awarded to the nation’s top center. Rimington’s appointment is for up to 60 days, and he’s taking a leave of absence from the New York-based foundation.

Rimington was a first-team All-American in 1981 and ‘82 and is the only player to win the Outland Trophy as the top interior lineman in consecutive years. He also won the Lombardi Award in 1982 as the best lineman or linebacker and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.

A first-round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1983, he played five seasons with the Bengals and two with the Philadelphia Eagles before retiring in 1989.

University leaders fired Eichorst on Thursday, five days after Northern Illinois became the first football team from outside a Power Five conference in 13 years to beat the Cornhuskers.

Harbaugh, Meyer say the Big Ten needs locker room reform

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer may not see eye-to-eye on much, but they agree on one thing — something needs to be done about locker rooms for visiting football teams in the Big Ten.

“It’s unsportsmanlike,” Harbaugh said in his news conference Monday.

The coach of one of the Big Ten’s richest programs was complaining about the facilities at Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium, where the Wolverines topped the Boilermakers 28-10 on Saturday. He wants the Big Ten to investigate and develop some standards for space, cleanliness, technology and comfort for visitors.

The locker room Michigan used at the West Lafayette, Indiana, stadium was not air-conditioned. Some of the players went out to the airconditioned charter bus to get relief from the oppressive heat.

“It was so cramped and so hot, it was like a hot box,” Harbaugh said. “Really the only way to get relief was to open the doors, (and) you have people watching you dress. It’s not good. I’ve seen this at other facilities in the Big Ten.

“It’s become apparent after going around to all the visiting schools the last couple years that (there is) a conscious effort of gamesmanship,” he said.

He also complained that his quarterback, Wilton Speight, had to be taken away from the stadium in a van to get X-rays because medical equipment wasn’t available at the stadium.

Meyer, at his news conference in Columbus on Monday, said his team has encountered “a couple” problems with substandard dressing rooms on the road. And he agreed the Big Ten needs some locker room reform.

“And I’ve shared that with our athletic director, and the commissioner should handle that,” Meyer said. “In my very strong opinion, that should not be allowed.”

The Big Ten said there is a protocol for member schools to suggest and make changes.

“While current conference policy does not set minimum specifications for team locker rooms, most, if not all, of our sports and game management procedures come from recommendations based on the experience of our schools and are supported by a vote of the majority of our members,” the statement said.

9 Florida players facing felony fraud charges

Florida standout receiver Antonio Callaway used a stolen credit card to add $1,970 to his campus bookstore prepaid account and then used the money to purchase a high-end computer and fancy headphones, according to university police.

Now he’s facing two thirddegree felony charges and potentially the end of his college football career.

According to Alachua County court records, sworn complaints were filed Monday against Callaway and eight teammates. The players were suspended indefinitely in August. The State Attorney’s Office will investigate before deciding whether to formally charge the players.

The maximum possible sentence is five years in prison and a $5,000 fine per charge, but State Attorney Bill Cervone said first-time offenders would be eligible for a diversion program that includes reduced charges.

When asked about the potential charges affecting the players’ status with the team, coach Jim McElwain said: “You’re darn right.”

Running back Jordan Scarlett, defensive lineman Keivonnis Davis, defensive lineman Richerd Desir-Jones, linebacker James Houston, linebacker Ventrell Miller and receiver

Rick Wells also are facing felony charges that include fraudulent use of a credit card and identity theft. Each of them made one charge with a stolen credit card number, ranging in value from $500 to $2,000, authorities said.

The suspended players remain in school, and some are still living with teammates.