College Football Notes | Backup punter charged

GREELEY, Colo. — In a scenario reminiscent of Tonya Harding vs. Nancy Kerrigan, the backup punter at Northern Colorado has been accused of stabbing his rival in the leg — his kicking leg.

Mitch Cozad, a sophomore from Wheatland, Wyo., allegedly attacked Rafael Mendoza in a parking lot this week. Arrested on a charge of second-degree assault, Cozad was freed Wednesday on a $30,000 bond.

Mendoza, who was treated and released at a Greeley hospital, will miss at least Saturday's game at Texas State. He told Denver station KCNC-TV he was recovering and wished luck to his teammates.

"I'm looking forward to getting back to playing with my team," said Mendoza, a junior from the Denver suburb of Thornton. "I'm upset this happened, but at the same time there's nothing I can do and just move on."

The saga conjured up images of the 1994 rivalry between figure skaters Harding and Kerrigan. Harding was banned from the sport for life after her former husband, Jeff Gillooly, hired a hit man to smack Kerrigan with a baton.

"I guess the only identified motive [in the attack on Mendoza] at this point in time is the competition for that position," Evans police Lt. Gary Kessler said.

Northern Colorado coach Scott Downing said he wasn't so sure. Cozad and Mendoza were competitive, he said, but no more than players at other positions.

"No different than starting quarterback or starting right tackle," he said. "Everyone was held accountable to the same level."

Asked if there was any jealousy between the two players, he said, "I have no idea. That would all be conjecture."

Cozad was suspended from the university and the team and was evicted from his dorm room, university officials said. He had no listed phone number in Greeley, and a phone message left at his Wyoming address was not immediately returned.

The stabbing took place Monday in Evans, a small town adjacent to Greeley and about 50 miles north of Denver. Kessler said Mendoza was attacked from behind after parking his car outside his apartment at about 9:30 p.m.

About 10 minutes after the attack, a liquor-store clerk told police that a car matching the description of the assailant's getaway car stopped outside the store, where two men stripped tape off the license plate and drove away.

The clerk gave police the license number and the car was traced to Cozad, who was arrested Tuesday, Kessler said.

Players were told not to discuss the situation with the media, Downing said.

South Carolina quarterback suspended

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina starting quarterback Blake Mitchell was arrested Wednesday for allegedly punching a bouncer in the face during an early morning incident at a bar.

Mitchell turned himself in on the simple-assault charge at the Richland County jail, where he was released Wednesday evening on a personal-recognizance bond.

Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier suspended Mitchell indefinitely and said the redshirt junior would not play in Saturday's game against Wofford.

"Blake got in a little scuffle last night. I don't know all the details, but I heard the other guy pressed charges so we suspended him until it's all cleared up," Spurrier said.

According to a Columbia police report, Mitchell was at the bar at 1:45 a.m. when he started a "verbal altercation" with Kylan Ertzberger, a 19-year-old who was working the door.

Ertzberger objected to the 21-year-old Mitchell trying to bring "underage girls" into the bar, according to the report. When Ertzberger turned to walk away, Mitchell punched him in his left eye.

While suspended from playing, Mitchell will remain on the team, Spurrier said.

"I was disappointed he got into a little fight. If he was out with his girlfriend and he wasn't drunk or whatever ... that's what college kids do," Spurrier said. "I went to college once. But we were in before 1:30. In our day, 12 was a late night."

Spurrier said he would not name a starter until later in the week. Freshman Chris Smelley and Syvelle Newton are the top candidates.

Notes

• Former Iowa coach Hayden Fry has revealed for the first time that he wore a bulletproof vest during the 1982 Iowa State-Iowa game in Iowa City because of a death threat. Fry led the Hawkeyes to the Rose Bowl and a winning record for the first time in 20 years in 1981.

"My bodyguard at the time got word that someone had me on a list of people that he wanted killed," Fry said from his home in Mesquite, Nev. He retired from coaching in 1998. "The guy was afraid I was going to someday be the governor.

"He knew I was from Texas, and for some reason, he didn't want a Texan to be the governor of the state of Iowa."

Fry said the man is now dead.

• Tennessee defensive tackle Justin Harrell, who was ruled out for the season earlier this week, will play Saturday against seventh-ranked Florida. Coach Phillip Fulmer said Harrell will delay surgery on a ruptured biceps tendon and believes he can play. Doctors said Harrell cannot make the injury worse. Harrell is not in pain, Fulmer said.

• Florida State linebacker Derek Nicholson, who was expected to miss Saturday's game with a right-ankle sprain, practiced and will be in the lineup against Clemson.

• Clemson offensive lineman Roman Fry won't face serious charges in the accidental death of assistant track coach Jarrett Foster. Fry pleaded guilty in Clemson, S.C., to reckless operation of a jet ski that struck Foster in the head on Lake Keowee. Fry was fined $257.50.

• Montana State tailback Evin Groves and tight end Elliott Barnhart are expected to be out until October after suffering torn knee ligaments, coach Mike Kramer said.