Report: MWC seeks boost in BCS status

The nine-team Mountain West Conference is pushing for an automatic berth into the high-stakes, big-money BCS bowl mix, USA Today has reported.

Three teams in the conference, including undefeated Utah in sixth, TCU in 11th and BYU in 16th, finished among the top 25 in the final 2008 BCS standings, and the league's schools will press for a meeting of their presidents, chancellors and Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson with Atlantic Coast commissioner and current BCS coordinator John Swofford, according to the newspaper.

"The argument I will hear back is, 'Craig, here it is. It's done. It's been agreed to. It's signed,'" Thompson said of a possible reply from the BCS regarding its legal obligations. "That doesn't mean you can't put it on the table.

"One of the options would be to visit with the BCS coordinator ... just to lay out our position."

He adds: "I would not be optimistic. As I explained to them [the Mountain West presidents], it's a series of legal contracts among 11 conferences, four bowls, two TV partners with yet another TV partner coming in. I would not see much of a relaxation."

The BCS bowl games' payout for each team's school is $17 million -- more than five times what teams in second-tier bowls garner.

For his part, Swofford recalled that the Mountain West was among the 11 conferences that agreed to the current model, which "incorporates the strength of a league as a whole over a series of years," the USA Today report says.

BCS coordinator duties are rotated among the commissioners from the Big East, Big 12 and SEC. Six conferences -- the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pacific-10, SEC and ACC -- name champions that automatically qualify for the BCS' five bowl games.

Utah, Swofford told USA Today, "had a terrific season this year, and the BCS provided an excellent platform to showcase their team."

According to the report, an opening exists for a nonqualifying conference to gain the automatic status temporarily based on a BCS formula that includes "the number of top 25 teams, finish of the highest-ranked team and average rank of all teams over a four-year period."

But the Mountain West will be vying for the highest level of qualifying status, USA Today reported.

BC hires Tranquill as O-coordinator

Former Navy coach Gary Tranquill has been hired as Boston College's offensive coordinator, the school announced Saturday.

Tranquill, who was head coach at Navy from 1982-86, replaced Steve Logan, who resigned recently following the firing of former coach Jeff Jagodzinski. Tranquill and BC coach Frank Spaziani have known each other for about 20 years and both coached on George Welsh's staff at Virginia in 1990.

"Gary Tranquill might be one of the best football coaches in America," Spaziani said in a prepared statement. "He is a great teacher, and I welcome his experience to our staff. I have coached with Gary, and I have coached against him. Believe me, I like coaching with him better."

Spaziani had to make a hire quickly with national signing day rapidly approaching and Friday's news that former offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. had decided to take the same position with the New York Giants.

Tranquill brings ACC experience to the Eagles' staff, as he was offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech (1994), and held the same position at Virginia (1999-2000) and North Carolina (2001-2005). He was also an offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns (1991-93), and at Michigan State (1995-98). Most recently, Tranquill was quarterbacks coach for the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe during the 2007 season.

Spaziani, who was the Eagles' defensive coordinator for the past 10 seasons before being hired to replace Jagodzinski, still needs to fill his old position and replace Bicknell.

WR Shipley undergoes shoulder surgery

All-Big 12 wide receiver Jordan Shipley of Texas will miss spring practice after undergoing shoulder surgery Friday for injuries sustained during the 2008 season.

Shipley underwent surgery to his right shoulder, which was injured for much of the 2008 season. Despite the injury, Shipley produced 89 receptions and 1,060 receiving yards and led the Longhorns with 11 touchdown receptions.

"It's an injury I aggravated a couple of times during the year, but was able to play through," said Shipley, who was granted a sixth season of eligibility last month after missing his first two college seasons with injuries in 2004-05. "I worked hard to rehab it and kept playing. But now that I have time, I got it cleaned up and can get back to full strength for next season."

The Longhorns will begin spring practice on Feb. 27.

"I'm disappointed I won't be out there helping the young guys on the field this spring, but I'll be in all the meetings and at practice to help them out," Shipley said. "I'll work hard to stay in shape and get stronger than ever and should be back before summer workouts start."

Shipley was a third-team All-American as selected by The Associated Press and was a consensus All-Big 12 receiver in 2008, becoming the first player in Texas history to score a touchdown by reception, kickoff and punt return in the same season.

His 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Oklahoma helped kick-start Texas' comeback in a 45-35 victory.

Robinson new Michigan D-coordinator

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan has hired Greg Robinson as its defensive coordinator. The former coach at Syracuse, fired in November after going 10-37 in four seasons, replaces Scott Shafer. Shafer resigned in mid-December after his first season with the Wolverines. He coordinated a defense that gave up 347 points, the most in school history. The team finished 3-9 in 2008, Rich Rodriguez's first year as Michigan's head coach.