WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2016 SPORTS New coordinators in spotlight as spring football blooms ARIZONA: Spring comes early in college spring game back to the big stage. Narduzzi, the architect of Michigan an NFL skill set in Christian Hackenberg. were excellent. The Vols have talent (DL Derek football - or at least spring practice does. Pittsburgh will wrap up its workouts with an State’s great defenses while working under There was plenty of blame to go around, but Barnett, CB Cameron Sutton) and high expec- Arizona, Duke and Northwestern have intra-squad game on April 26 at Heinz Field. Mark Dantonio, brought in former North offensive coordinator John Donovan was tations. There will be no patience in Knoxville. already started spring practice. Stanford It will be the first time since 2011 the Carolina State offensive coordinator Matt the one who got fired. In steps Moorhead, does today. Soon after the calendar flips to Panthers have held a spring game at the Canada to replace Jim Chaney, who left for who spent the last four seasons as the head STERLIN GILBERT, TEXAS March there will be football on college cam- home they share with the Pittsburgh Georgia. Rodriguez parted ways with long- coach at Fordham, leading the Rams to The Baylor offense has been ripping up puses all over the country. Steelers. Construction at Heinz last year time assistant Jeff Casteel, who had been his three straight FCS playoff appearances with the Big 12 for most of Art Briles’ eight years Off campus, too. Michigan opens its forced Pitt to hold its spring game at nearby defensive coordinator at West Virginia, and a high-powered spread offense. as coach of the Bears. But can it save Charlie spring practice on Monday in Bradenton, Highmark Stadium, a 4,000-seat facility used brought in Marcel Yates from Boise State to Strong at Texas? The Longhorns coach Florida, at the IMG Academy. Maybe you by a professional soccer team. In three sea- fix an Arizona defense that ranked 93rd in NOEL MAZZONE, TEXAS A&M plucked the 37-year-old Gilbert from Briles’ have heard? sons under previous coach Paul Chryst, Pitt the nation in average yards allowed per play. The swag left Texas A&M’s offense with coaching tree, luring him away from Tulsa, Coaches get 15 practices to sort through either played its spring game at local high Here are six more teams breaking in coor- Johnny Football. Highly recruited quarter- where he was the offensive coordinator last their rosters and implement new schemes, schools as a way for the new staff to build dinators for whom much will be expected backs have not developed. The running season under former Baylor OC Philip leading up to a spring game which in some relationships in the area or did not have one. next season. Brady Hoke, Oregon. Second- game has been spotty at best. The overall Montgomery. One of the best parts of places will pack game day-sized crowds into The Panthers’ average attendance last year coordinator Don Pellum, who has been inconsistency led to the dismissal of 30-year- Baylor’s offensive system is it usually doesn’t stadiums. At Arizona, Rich Rodriguez has year was 48,150, up 17 percent from the year on staff for 25 years, was demoted after the old Jake Spavital, who as it turned out was take long to get it up and humming. For decided to take a different approach this before as new coach Pat Narduzzi helped Ducks’ defense finished 98th in the nation in not quite ready to be the next Kliff Strong’s sake, that better be the case for spring. The Wildcats are focusing almost exclu- excite fans. Coming off an 8-5 season, average yards allowed per play. Oregon Kingsbury. Coach Kevin Sumlin hired the Gilbert in Austin. sively on fundamentals instead of schemes, Narduzzi hopes playing the spring game at prides itself on being a promote-from-within veteran Mazzone away from UCLA hoping to and they won’t be playing a spring game. Heinz helps Pitt develop a home-field program, but coach Mark Helfrich knew the trade some swag for production. MANNY DIAZ, MIAMI “Half the scrimmages you have, or the advantage that has been challenging to cul- Ducks were in need of a fresh perspective. Diaz has fully rehabbed his reputation spring game, you either don’t play your top tivate off campus. “It’s always important to Hoke, the former Michigan coach, came BOB SHOOP, TENNESSEE after it was dragged down by Mack Brown’s guys or you cross your fingers that nobody get into your home field and get our kids through the ranks as a defensive line coach The Volunteers’ defense was OK last sea- sinking ship at Texas. The Hurricanes will gets hurt,” Rodriguez told reporters last comfortable with playing in that stadium,” but has never been a coordinator. son (39th in the country in yards per play) so have one of the best quarterbacks (Brad month. “It’s good to look at schemes, but Narduzzi said. While Narduzzi and Rodriguez it was a little surprising when coach Butch Kaaya) in the country, leading an experi- what are you trying to win? Beat your own are taking different approaches to spring, JOE MOORHEAD, PENN STATE Jones fired coordinator John Jancek. Then it enced offense for new coach Mark Richt. If team? It’s not nearly as important as teach- they do have something in common: Both The Nittany Lions’ first two seasons under all made sense when Jones quickly pulled Diaz can fix a defense that has been an ing them how to play.” are breaking in new coordinators on the side James Franklin have produced some ugly Shoop away from Penn State. Even burdened underachieving mess, maybe Miami can At Pitt, the Panthers are taking their of the ball that is not their specialty. offenses, despite having a quarterback with by limp offenses, Shoop’s Penn State defenses finally reach the ACC title game. — AP Murray to lead British Davis Cup defence against Japan LONDON: Andy Murray is set to make his Wimbledon champion, endured heartache first competitive appearance since becom- when losing the Australian singles final to ing a father after being confirmed yesterday Djokovic in January, Melbourne proved a in the team that will begin Great Britain’s happy hunting round for Jamie who, defence of their Davis Cup title against together with Brazil’s Bruno Soares, won the Japan. Murray has not played since losing to Australian Open doubles title last month. Novak Djokovic in last month’s Australian “Jamie Murray is arguably the most in form Open final, opting instead to spend time doubles player in world tennis, currently at with new daughter Sophia, born on a career high ranking of number two and February 7, and wife Kim Sears. continues to show signs of improvement,” But having inspired Britain to their first said Smith. “He made vital contributions to Davis triumph in 79 years with victory over our 2015 Davis Cup campaign and is play- Belgium in Ghent in November, it was no ing the best tennis of his life right now.” surprise that the 28-year-old was included However, Smith added: “Japan have a in captain Leon Smith’s team for next week’s very strong team, progressed well in recent first-round tie against Japan in Birmingham, years and with Kei Nishikori have an estab- central England. lished top-10 player. “Andy Murray has once again demon- “It will be a test for us but I’m confident strated his commitment to the team and his in our team and I’m sure when the guys pull country in making himself available to play, on their GB shirt they will give their all. “We especially so soon after becoming a father,” are lucky to have another home tie and it’s Smith told the Lawn Tennis Association’s exciting to be returning to Birmingham.” website. Britain were languishing in the third tier “His outstanding performance at the of the Davis Cup, the sport’s leading inter- Australian Open is further evidence that he national men’s team event, before Smith is one of the world’s best players,” Smith took over as skipper in 2010 but, thanks added. Also included in a five-man squad, mainly to Andy Murray, have enjoyed a rap- which will eventually be trimmed to four for id rise in recent years. ST LOUIS: San Jose Sharks’ Brent Burns, right, congratulates teammate Joe Thornton after Thornton scored a hole during the third period of an the tie proper, was Murray’s older brother The winners of the Britain-Japan tie will NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues on Monday, in St. Louis. The Sharks won 6-3. — AP Jamie, a doubles specialist. face either Serbia or Kazakhstan in a July While Andy, a former US Open and 15-17 quarter-final. — AFP Sharks tops Blues 6-3 on the road in NHL ST. LOUIS: Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture and Joe Thornton each scored two goals, powering the San NHL results/standings Jose Sharks to a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues in the NHL on Monday. Thornton also had two assists as San Jose improved to 21-9-2 on the road, Montreal 1, Nashville 2 (SO); St. Louis 3, San Jose 6; Boston 4, Columbus 6; Washington 3, Arizona 2. matching their total road wins from last season. Eastern Conference Western Conference At home, the Sharks are just 11-12-3. The Blues lost Atlantic Division Pacific Division goalie Brian Elliott to a lower-body injury in the first W L OT GF GA PTS Chicago 38 19 5 176148 81 period.