■ Coach Jim Grobe of Wake Forest announced several changes to his coaching staff yesterday in advance of spring drills, which will start March 16.
The most significant change will involve Steve Russ, who will go from coaching tight ends and fullbacks to coaching linebackers. Russ played linebacker for Grobe at Air Force and in the NFL with the Denver Broncos and is a former defensive coordinator at Syracuse. Steed Lobotzke, the offensive-line coach and offensive coordinator, will take over tight ends.
Also, associate head coach Billy Mitchell, who has been coaching running backs and kickers, will add fullbacks; defensive coordinator Brad Lambert will work with the safeties; Keith Henry will move from defensive ends to cornerbacks; and Tim Billings will coach defensive ends.
The Deacons will generally practice Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:15 p.m. and Saturdays at 9:15 a.m. on campus, but the schedule is subject to change. There are practices scheduled at BB&T Field on March 27 and April 10, and the spring game will be April 17 at BB&T.
■ Virginia Tech's defense already had plenty of holes to fill and now will start spring drills March 31 without another starter.
Barquell Rivers, a rising junior linebacker, tore the quadriceps tendon in his left leg Wednesday during max-out weightlifting testing, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. The injury will require surgery and will sideline Rivers three to four months -- a recovery period that puts him on track to return in time for practice in August.
Rivers was a first-year starter last season and was second on the team with 96 tackles, including 6½ for losses and a fumble recovery. His backup last season was Bruce Taylor, a rising sophomore who played 57 snaps on defense last season.
Tech must replace seven defensive starters -- ends Jason Worilds and Nekos Brown, tackle Cordarrow Thompson, whip linebacker Cody Grimm, cornerback Stephan Virgil, free safety Kam Chancellor and rover Dorian Porch. Tech also lost its top backup tackle, Demetrius Taylor.
■ Joel Miller said he won't pursue legal action against Jim Leavitt, the former coach at South Florida who was accused of striking Miller at halftime of last year's game against Louisville, the Tampa Tribune reported.
The university eventually fired Leavitt after its investigation concluded that he grabbed Miller by the throat and hit him twice because he was angry about a missed block. Leavitt has denied the allegations.
■ The NCAA has denied Oregon State's appeal for an additional year of eligibility for quarterback Lyle Moevao.
The Beavers asked for a sixth year of eligibility for Moevao, who injured his right shoulder in 2008 and required surgery before playing just one down early last season. He injured his right foot in practice in October and didn't play again.
Moevao was 11-4 as a starter and passed for 3,410 yards and 21 touchdowns.
■ John Baxter, a longtime assistant at Fresno State, is leaving the program to become Lane Kiffin's associate head coach and special-teams coordinator at Southern California.
Baxter spent the last 13 seasons as Pat Hill's right-hand man at Fresno State, coaching perennially strong special-teams units.
and spending time coaching tight ends and receivers.
Kiffin still hasn't hired an offensive coordinator nearly two months after he left Tennessee to return to USC.
■ Adrian Clayborn, Iowa's All-Big Ten defensive end, pleaded guilty yesterday to a lesser charge in a case involving a taxi driver.
Clayborn, 21, originally was charged with assault causing bodily injury after it was alleged that he punched the driver on Jan. 19, 2009, when the cabbie honked at him. Online court records show that Clayborn pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, a simple misdemeanor described in court records as fighting or violent behavior. He was fined $100, and the assault charge was dismissed.
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