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Here is a list of the underclassmen declaring for the NFL Draft

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Peterson denies report he's decided to turn pro



OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson said Thursday he has not yet decided whether he will declare himself eligible for the NFL draft.
"I have spent the last few days considering my options to either enter the NFL draft or stay at OU. The facts are that I have not hired any representation and I have not declared for the draft," Peterson said in a statement released by Oklahoma.

Peterson is considered a likely first-round draft pick if he were to leave the Sooners and skip his senior season. He has given no indication whether he will stay in college or turn pro. The deadline for juniors to enter the draft is Monday.

"He's very unsure," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Thursday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "He's still trying to figure out what he wants for his life and what he feels is best for him."

Citing two anonymous sources, The Dallas Morning News reported Wednesday night on its Web site that Peterson had decided to enter the draft and met with Stoops to inform him.

"The facts are that I have not hired any representation and I have not declared for the draft."
-- Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson
Peterson and Stoops both denied that report.

"My meetings with Coach Stoops and my parents have been to discuss all the scenarios," Peterson said in the statement. "I see a lot of options in both so I am still undecided on what I want to do. I wish people would give me the opportunity to decide. Once I do, I will make an announcement at the right time. Any reports that are different than that are false."

Added Stoops: "They said that our meeting was to inform me. That was anything but the case. The meeting was with me and his parents and just discussing through all the possibilities and what all the different scenarios might be. He was at that time still very unsure of what he truly wanted."

Stoops said he plans to keep in touch with Peterson.

"I'm sure I will. We'll talk daily, what he's thinking about, what he's feeling. Whatever the young guy wants, I'm all for," Stoops said. "I think people close to him respect that, that this is his life to live and he needs to do it where he satisfies what he feels he needs to."
Peterson missed seven games this season with a broken collarbone, but still finished with 1,012 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns. He ran for 77 yards and two touchdowns, including a 25-yarder on the first play of overtime, in Oklahoma's 43-42 overtime loss to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

The runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 2004, Peterson set an NCAA freshman record with 1,925 yards before injuries derailed his sophomore and junior seasons. He missed all or part of four games with a sprained ankle last season.

"I think what's been underplayed from everybody is Adrian's a great competitor and he loves playing here, he loves playing with his team and I think also that people don't realize maybe in the end he feels he hasn't gotten everything he set out to get," Stoops said. "He maybe feels a little unfulfilled that way."

Stoops said his goal is to make sure Peterson is well-educated and bases his decision on accurate information.

"I think in the end he's still undecided for his life what he wants," Stoops said. "Adrian's had people trying to tell him what to do for a long period of time and he's used to listening to what he wants, not what everyone else thinks he ought to do, which is what I think a lot of people respect and admire about him."

With 4,045 yards in three seasons, Peterson ranks third on Oklahoma's career rushing list, behind 1978 Heisman winner Billy Sims (4,118) and Hall of Famer Joe Washington (4,071). He also holds the NCAA with nine straight 100-yard games to start his career.

In recent years, defensive tackle Tommie Harris and safety Brodney Pool opted to skip their senior seasons at Oklahoma to enter the draft. Quarterback Jason White and linebacker Rufus Alexander are among those who chose to return.

"Some other guys maybe felt they've run their course and done what they set out to do. Maybe he feels there's still some more to do. That's up to him to decide," Stoops said. "There isn't any pressure at all from our end. We support him fully in whatever he wants to do. In the end, it's his life to life, and I think that's to be respected."

Ohio State's Ginn Jr and Pittman to Enter NFL Draft

Ted Ginn Jr., Ohio State's game-breaking return man and wide receiver, and tailback Antonio Pittman will skip their senior season to enter the NFL draft.

Ginn and Pittman join wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, who announced last week that he would give up his final season of eligibility to turn pro.

"It was the best thing for him," Ted Ginn Sr. told The Plain Dealer on Monday. "Emotionally it's not the best thing for him, but financially it was."

He had said the decision was difficult for his son because he didn't like the way things ended for him at Ohio State. Ginn sprained his foot after returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the Buckeyes' 41-14 loss to Florida in the BCS national championship.

But Ginn's dazzling speed is expected to make him a first-round pick in the NFL draft.

Pittman announced his intention Monday at a news conference at Buchtel High School in Akron.

Flanked by players from high school's football team, he called playing in the NFL a lifelong dream.

Losing Ginn, Pittman and Gonzalez, leaves Ohio State without its three of its top offensive weapons. The Buckeyes are also losing Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Troy Smith to graduation.

"We had a great year -- one loss don't take away from a great year," Pittman said. "This is a decision that's going to affect my family, not just my family here, but my family at Ohio State."

Pittman earlier in the season had said he would play his senior year and attempt to bring the Heisman back to Butchel.

Ted Ginn Sr., coach at Glenville High School in Cleveland, said last Thursday that his son had sprained his left foot and will have to wear a walking boot for several weeks. The injury may prevent him from participating in the combine or a draft day, but he already has sizable resume built on his speed.

Ginn teamed with Smith, his fellow Glenville teammate to turn the Buckeyes into one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. Yet he was expected by many to star on defense when he was recruited. Ginn was USA Today's national high school defensive player of the year in 2003.

Ginn came to Ohio State as a defensive back but was switched to offense soon after head coach Jim Tressel saw his breathtaking speed during early season workouts.

His freshman year, he returned four punts for touchdowns to set school and Big Ten season records. He scored on one punt return each of the next two years to set the Ohio State and conference career marks with six scores.

Ginn's BCS national championship game kickoff return was the second such touchdown return of his career.

In his college career he had 25 touchdowns, averaging more than 50 yards on them.

A 6-0, 180-pounder from Cleveland, Ginn had caught a pass in 31 consecutive games before his title-game injury ended that string.

Ginn played quarterback, wide receiver, running back and defensive back and returned punts and kickoffs in high school. He was also a national champion in the 110 high hurdles as junior and recorded the fastest time in the nation as a senior.

Pittman, who often was overlooked on an offense featuring Smith and Ginn, rushed for 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, a year after going for 1,331 yards and seven scores.

Pittman is one of only five Ohio State backs to top 1,000 yards rushing in consecutive seasons. The others are Archie Griffin (1973-75), Tim Spencer (1981-82), Keith Byars (1983-84) and Eddie George (1994-95).

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/f ... index.html

Adrian Peterson to Enter NFL Draft

Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft.

"In the end, I think I just realized that this is a business decision and that it is time for me to take that next step," Peterson said in a statement released by the university Monday, the deadline for underclassmen to declare themselves eligible for the draft.

"It wasn't easy," he said. "I haven't been sleeping much. I just put it all in God's hands."

Peterson returned from a broken collarbone to run for 77 yards and two touchdowns in Oklahoma's 43-42 overtime loss to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. He had been sidelined for seven games with the injury, suffered Oct. 14 on a touchdown run against Iowa State.

Peterson's final carry in an Oklahoma uniform was a 25-yard touchdown run that put the Sooners ahead 42-35 on the opening play of overtime in the Fiesta Bowl.

Peterson opted not to hold a news conference to announce his decision, but said in the statement that he considered his relationships with teammates as a reason to stay at Oklahoma. He said his parents and Stoops were among the people that advised him.

Peterson ran for 4,045 yards in three seasons, ranking behind only 1978 Heisman winner Billy Sims (4,118) and Hall of Famer Joe Washington (4,071) on Oklahoma's career rushing list. His 1,925 yards in 2004 were a school rushing record and the most by a freshman in NCAA history.

He started that season with an unprecedented nine straight 100-yard games. Peterson also finished second to Matt Leinart in voting for the 2004 Heisman Trophy, the highest showing for a freshman.

Peterson had shoulder surgery in the offseason after his spectacular freshman season, then sprained his ankle and missed parts of four games as a sophomore.

"There were some things that we didn't accomplish," Peterson said. "I didn't really do all of the things I set out to do. Those things, the guys and the love for college football were things I thought about."

He still finished the season with 1,012 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns.

"I know this has been a trying time for him and he just needs to know that we support him wholeheartedly," Stoops said. "Adrian has been a great individual player and a great teammate."

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2732041

South Florida RB Dies After Conditioning Practice

South Florida running back Keeley Dorsey collapsed and died Wednesday after a team conditioning workout at the school's athletic facility.

The 19-year-old freshman died at University Community Hospital, South Florida said in statement.

Dorsey was a graduate of Tallahassee Lincoln High School.

"Our entire athletic family is deeply saddened by this tragic loss," USF athletic director Doug Woolard said in a statement. He said head coach Jim Leavitt had spoken to Dorsey's father and was returning from a recruiting trip in West Palm Beach to join his players.

Dorsey was given first aid before he was transferred to the hospital, the school said. A hospital spokesman did not immediately know Dorsey's condition when he arrived.

"The USF community is extremely shocked and saddened by the death of one of our student athletes on campus today," South Florida President Judy Genshaft said. "There is nothing more tragic than the loss of one of our students, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Keeley's family, friends and fellow athletes and students."

In 2001, Florida State linebacker Devaughn Darling collapsed and died during an offseason workout. An autopsy concluded he had suffered a cardiac arrhythmia.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/f ... index.html

Alcohol Played A Factor In USC Kicker's Death

Southern California kicker Mario Danelo was drunk when he plunged over a cliff to his death, but the coroner's office Monday was unable to say why he fell.

A toxicological report accompanying Danelo's autopsy report found he had 0.23 blood-alcohol level, nearly three times the legal limit in California. No drugs were detected in his body, the report said.

The autopsy report said the cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries, but "because of the unanswered questions, we are stating the manner of death as undetermined," Deputy Medical Examiner Jeffrey Gutstadt of the Los Angeles County Coroner's office wrote in the report.

Danelo, 21, was found Jan. 6 more than 100 feet down a rocky cliff in San Pedro. Police said from the outset that foul play was ruled out and his death was either an accident or a suicide.

Following Danelo's death, several Southern California players said they were convinced the kicker did not take his own life.

A USC spokesman declined to comment about the coroner's report. Danelo's brother, Joey Danelo, was not immediately available for comment.

The report also couldn't ascertain what Danelo's state of mind was before his death but he "would have had to scale a wall to get to the strip of land before the steep drop-off of approximately 150 feet while under the influence of alcohol."

Danelo made 15 of 16 field goals this season and led the Trojans in scoring with 89 points. He made two field goals in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day to help USC beat Michigan 32-18.

He missed two field goals in his two-year career at USC, going 26-for-28, and he was 127-of-134 on extra points. He set NCAA single-season records with 83 extra points and 86 attempts in the 2005 season.

Danelo, the son of former NFL kicker Joe Danelo, was a walk-on at USC in 2003 and received a scholarship two years later.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/f ... index.html

Replay Official for Oregon-Oklahoma Game Loses Job

The Pacific-10 Conference official who missed a call during the Oklahoma-Oregon game last season has been told he will not return to the job in that capacity.

Gordon Riese said he received death threats after a call on an onside kick near the end of the Sept. 16 game that the Ducks won 34-33. Televised replays showed the Sooners recovered that kick, but Riese did not see that angle in the replay booth.

Conference officials informed Riese last week that he was relieved of his replay duties. He will remain a Pac-10 technical assistant, making about $350 a game.

Riese, who took a leave of absence for the season after the game at Autzen Stadium, told The Oregonian newspaper that his doctors had advised him not to return to the job, anyway.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/f ... index.html

More Trouble for USC




LOS ANGELES -- The University of Southern California is looking into whether it may have violated NCAA recruiting rules while pursuing highly rated recruit Joe McKnight, a university official said.

McKnight signed a national letter of intent with USC on Wednesday and made comments during a news conference that seemed to suggest communications involving former Trojan Reggie Bush, who is now with the New Orleans Saints.

Former players are forbidden from telephoning prospective recruits, their relatives or guardians.

"We're aware of it, and we are looking into it," sports information director Tim Tessalone told The Associated Press late Thursday.

The university's action was first reported by the Los Angeles Times on its Web site late Thursday.

USC coach Pete Carroll denied any call took place, and McKnight's high school football coach said the recruit misspoke during the news conference. The star running back has been living with his high school coach, J.T. Curtis.

"It never happened," Carroll told the Times.

During the Wednesday news conference, McKnight said Carroll set up a conference call so he and Curtis could talk to Bush and ease concerns USC might face sanctions.

The NCAA and the Pac-10 Conference are investigating whether Bush or his family received "improper benefits" from agents while he was playing for USC.

Regarding McKnight, Mike Matthews, associate commissioner of compliance for the Pac- 10, said boosters are not supposed to be involved in the recruiting process but could not comment without knowing specifics. NCAA spokeswoman Crissy Schluep also said she could not comment without knowing more.

Curtis told the Times on Thursday that he spoke to Carroll during McKnight's recruitment, but not on a conference call with McKnight or Bush. He also said McKnight told him "Coach Carroll was talking to Reggie on the speakerphone and Joe was able to listen and hear Reggie Bush's side of the story," the newspaper reported.

After being informed of Carroll's denial Thursday night, Curtis called McKnight and later said the recruit never heard Bush on a speakerphone.

"He said when they came in his house, the discussion was brought up about probation and that's when the conversation came up that they had talked to Reggie, but Joe was not there," Curtis said. "He said, 'I was not on the speakerphone. I never called him and he never called me. I want to make it clear I never spoke to Reggie and he never spoke to me. I just messed it up. I shouldn't have said it that way [at the news conference].' "

Curtis said McKnight may have been overwhelmed by the attention and scrutiny that accompanied his announcement.

"At the press conference, it seemed like he got 1,000 questions in five minutes," Curtis said. "If you saw what was going on it would be easier to understand."