College Football | Spurrier issues threat to South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Saying he was embarrassed by the university's rejection of two of his recruits, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said he would leave the school if there are no changes made in the admissions process.

Spurrier opened his media-day news conference by attacking the university's decision to deny admission to players who were qualified under minimum NCAA standards.

"As long as I'm the coach here, we're going to take guys that qualify," Spurrier said Sunday. "If not, then I have to go somewhere else because I can't tell a young man, 'You're coming to school here,' he qualifies and not do that. And we did that this year."

Despite meeting NCAA standards, receiver Michael Bowman of Wadesboro, N.C., and defensive back Arkee Smith of Jacksonville, Fla., were turned down by the university's special-admissions committee.

"I've got to apologize to two young men that we recruited," Spurrier said. "They qualified. They signed with us in February. They were denied admission to our school.

"Personally, I don't think that's the way you do business. I'm embarrassed that I and our coaches basically misled these young men into believing they were coming here."

Spurrier, under contract through 2012, said he was not "blasting" South Carolina president Andrew Sorensen, whom Spurrier said has agreed to change the admissions process.

But Spurrier later said, "I can't operate, misleading young men."

On Monday, Spurrier said his main complaint was about the timing of admission denials and said coaches need to know earlier in the process whether a prospective athlete will be admitted.

Notes

• A woman who dated Mitch Cozad, a Northern Colorado backup punter accused of trying to kill starter Rafael Mendoza, testified she lied to police at Cozad's request.

At first, Angela Vogel told police Cozad was with her Sept. 11 at the time Mendoza was stabbed, but she said she quickly regretted that lie and 15 minutes later told investigators Cozad had left for part of the evening.

• Florida running back Brandon James pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor marijuana-possession charge, was placed on six months' probation and received community service.

• Wisconsin running back Lance Smith, who was charged with battery and disorderly conduct last month, was reinstated to the team shortly before the first practice.

• Nevada center Dominic Green is expected to be out for seven weeks with a broken foot.

• The Oregon Ducks began practice, looking to erase the bad memories of ending last season with a 38-8 loss to Brigham Young in the Las Vegas Bowl.

"To go out how we did — that's the worst thing I can remember feeling," said junior running back Jonathan Stewart, a former standout at Timberline High School in Lacey who rushed for 981 yards last season.