College Football | Stewart to leave Oregon for NFL

EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart announced he will pass up his senior season and enter the NFL draft.

Stewart, a graduate of Timberline High School in Lacey, rushed for a school-record 1,722 yards in helping Oregon go 9-4 last season. The 5-foot-11, 230-pound junior set school records with 2,481 all-purpose yards and nine 100-plus-yard rushing efforts in 2007. He rushed for at least 100 yards 14 times in his career, another Ducks record.

"To be honest with you, it came down to my faith," Stewart said Friday of his decision. "Going to the NFL draft, you're going to have to go ... it's a crapshoot, nothing is set in stone. I based my decision on things that are like prediction and had to lean on something like faith to make my decision. That's where I went."

Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said he believes Stewart will be a first-round choice.

"I know this wasn't an easy decision for him but he feels in his heart that this is what he wants," Bellotti said.

Stewart rushed for 7,755 yards and scored 95 touchdowns for Timberline.

The list of running backs in this year's draft includes Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall, Texas' Jamaal Charles, Michigan's Mike Hart, Tulane's Matt Forté and Rutgers' Ray Rice.

ESPN.com reported Arkansas' Darren McFadden, the Heisman Trophy runner-up in each of the past two seasons, will enter the draft.

Notes

• Other players who announced they would enter the draft include defensive lineman Vernon Gholston of Ohio State and linebacker Lamar Myles of Louisville.

Meanwhile, receiver Brian Robiskie and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins of Ohio State said they intend to return and play as seniors.

• Purdue coach Joe Tiller will retire after the 2008 season and be replaced by new associate coach Danny Hope, university officials said in an announcement that had been expected. Hope, 49, was 35-22 at Eastern Kentucky.

Tiller, 65, has an 83-54 record at Purdue. He was an assistant coach at Washington State from 1971 to 1973 (the last two of those seasons as offensive coordinator) and returned to WSU to serve as offensive coordinator in 1989 and 1990.

• Richmond coach Dave Clawson resigned to become Tennessee's offensive coordinator.

• Air Force and coach Troy Calhoun agreed in principle to a new five-year deal.