The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 58

1 r1 SECTION Scoreboard '2 College Basketball4 Classified7 2 Friday, January 11, 1985 i gi i fesjt Sports Scope LJ, "jLJ F.M. WILLIAMS alters Nip Chilly VU 1'' rrt! Florida Wins 68-64 By LARRY WOODY Florida slipped out of Memorial Gymnasium a 68-64 victor last night, leaving Vanderbilt pondering the case of the Incredible Shrinking Basket "It was like the basket had a lid on it," said Commodore senior Phil Cox, held to just one field goal in the first half and a total of eight points for the game 10 critical points below his average. Cox was 3-for-12 for the evening, and he kept some cool company. Vandy, as a team, shot 25 the first half and 37.3 (22 of 59) for the game. "I don't know the explanation for 25 shooting," said Commodore coach CM Newton, whose team suffered its second straight Southeastern Conference loss after winning its opener.

Vanderbilt is 8-4 overall. "With all respect to Florida, it wasn't so much their defense added Newton. The Commodores were fortunate to trail by only six at the half, 31-25, in light of their frigid shooting. They fell behind by as much as 10 in the second half before making a run that twice narrowed the Gators' lead to two late in the game. Their last real chance came with 1:22 left, when a Brett Burrow turnaround jumper pulled them within a pair, 65-63.

But Florida, now 2-1 in the SEC and 9-2 overall, came right back with a shot by Darryl Gresham that stretched the lead back to four, 67-63, with 48 seconds showing. Vandy then missed a jump shot and a followup and Florida's Andrew Moton was fouled. He missed the first of a one-and-one and the Commodores got the rebound, keeping their chances alive if not well. But Vandy failed to cash in. The Commodores raced downcourt where Glen Clem missed, Burrow missed, and teammate Darrell Dulaney was fouled on the rebound.

1 The crowd of 14,089 groaned as Dulaney's first of two free throws spun out He sank the second to make it 67-64 and Florida's Vernon Maxwell was fouled on the inbounds pass with three seconds left Maxwell made one and missed one to make it official at 68-64. "We're not a one-man team," said Newton when asked if Cox' chilly performance might have been the key to the demise. "It's not as Phil Cox goes, we go." The Commodore coach said he offered Cox no specific advice when he went into intermission with just one field goal to show for his first-half work. "What Phil has to do is look for opportunities without forcing it," said Newton. "We've got other players who can score." (Turn to Page 4, Column 4) urn mi It JNt 1 tliii irM Staff Photo by Ricky Rogers Steve Reece (33), Vandy's 6-9 forward, gets free a jump shot in a mismatch with Florida's 6-3 guard Danny Sheldon in the Commodores' 68-64 loss to the Gators.

Reece had 1 6 points for the Commodores. Regents Plan Promising A PLAN INSTITUTED by the Tennessee Board of Regents to conduct annual audits of athletic, academic and financial-aid eligibilty of the institutions under its jurisdiction is going to the NCAA next week for consideration as part of its effort to end abuse. Chancellor Roy Nicks, under whose direction the audit took place, has no illusions the system will pass at the NCAA convention at Opryland Hotel, but the fact it has been praised by Walter Byers, executive director, and by Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner Jim Dela-ny, holds promise for the future. "It is one way of solving a portion of the problems we have in college athletics," Dr. Nicks says.

"It doesn't touch on recruiting, but it does keep us all aware of the eligibility of athletes, and of the progress they are making towards a degree." Delany doesn't think it will pass, either, but he thinks it is something that has served well in Tennessee. "The presidential commission (of the NCAA) is studying the audit to determine if it wants to endorse it," Delany says. "We wanted to let people know how we are monitored here in Tennessee. The audit is a way to show how much compliance there is in areas such as admission standards. It has helped tighten our operation.

It's a good idea." Dr. Nicks, in an article published in the January-February issue of the Association of Governing Boards, asks why there should not be an audit of academic and financial aid for athletics. "We audit accounts payable, accounts receivable, purchasing, equipment, travel, just to mention a few areas," he says. "These are for financial compliance and operational audits. They are for the protection of individuals, the state and the public's investment in educatioa "We concluded we needed to help protect student-athletes, the coaches, counselors and admission officers, while insuring compliance with policy and regulations as well as effective operational procedures.

We considered the audit as a way of helping the institutions help themselves." There were seven major objectives, Nicks reveals in his story. 0To determine if student athletes are admitted in accordance with regular, published entrance requirements at the institution. 0To determine if student athletes meet the minimum institutional retention standards and are enrolled in curses in accordance with the requirements in the institution's catalog. 0To determine the student athlete's hours earned, grade point average and other data contained on athletic and eligibility reports are accurate and agree with official institutional transcripts and supporting documents. BTo ascertain whether student athletes, certified as eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics, meet the eligibility criteria of the NCAA.

0To determine if scholarship student athletes, who also receive Pell grants, are within the NCAA limitations on the amount of cash they can receive. 0To determine if student-athletes claim the correct dependency on Pell grant applications. 0To make recommendations to the management at the institutions for correcting any deficiencies or to improve operations. There were some 22 specific items that were pinpointed for attention, and there were violations found both of regents policies and the NCAA. The examples that Nicks cites as violations include failure to obtain high school grade point averages; failure to adhere to admission standards; failure to remain enrolled in 12 credit hours during a term; repeating of courses previously passed with a grade of free use of certain university and private facilities not extended to other students; and excessive financial aid.

"Findings concerning violations of institutional policies have been rectified," Dr. Nicks says. "For those institutions with findings that are in violation of NCAA or conference regulations, they were promptly reported." Byers, in a letter to one Tennessee college president, says: "I believe the type of audit of an athletics program that is outlined in your report would be extremely worthwhile for all institutions." Delany says: "This audit procedure not only has the potential for identifying non-compliance with conference and NCAA standards, but, as in a specific institutional case, indicates that 100 of student athletes over a four-year pe- (Turn to Page 4, Column 1) Coach of Year mmmmm 41 4 A Honors Edwards I 1 1 I 1 1 1, a6 1 Mi vy mmmmm By LARRY WOODY After accepting the Kodak Coach of the Year Award yesterday, casting him as the No. 1 football coach in the nation, Brigham Young's LaVell Edwards couldn't resist a quip: "Now I expect some enterprising soul will come up with a survey to see whether I can keep it or not" The reference was to certain efforts to discredit BYU's No. 1 national ranking in both final wire service polls.

Some critics questioned the Cougars' top ranking, even though they were the only major college team to fashion a perfect (13-0) record. At least one newspaper conducted a survey of fans to see if they thought BYU deserved to be ranked No. 1. "Oh, I was just joking," said Edwards later, when asked if he was sensitive about the subject "Anytime a team is voted No. I there'll always be someone ready to question it" Edwards was voted the Division I-A honor by his fellow members of the American Football Coaches Association, which concluded its four-day convention yesterday at Opryland Hotel.

The Division I-AA Coach of the Year award went to Dave Arnold of Montana State. He edged out Middle Tennessee State's Boots Donnelly, who won the regional award. Chan Gailey of Troy State (Ala) was voted top coach in College Division I and Bob Reade of Augustana (111.) in College Division II. BYU's Edwards said the 25th annual Kodak award "is the single greatest honor I've received in my profession." And, he admitted, it has been a long time coming. "During the first 18 years of my career, I was in volved in just four winning seasons," said Edwards.

"I don't guess I ever realized how bad we were but apparently someone still had confidence in me." Those first 18 seasons were spent as a high school coach and a BYU assistant He took over the BYU head coaching position in 1972. "When I arrived at BYU as an assistant in 1962, the stadium held 10,000 and we averaged maybe except during deer season, when we drew 500," said Edwards. "Today we have a stadium and we've had sellouts every game for the last three years." Asked what he planned for an encore to a 13-0 season and No.l national ranking, Edwards replied: "Each year is a new season. We'll try to get the new club as good as it can be. That's always the new challenge." Edwards admitted his success at BYU and his fame for developing a dazzling passing attack has attracted the attention of the pros.

"Yes, I've been contacted a few times," he said. "I don't totally rule out the possibility (of a pro career) sometime in the future but I don't dwell on it "I grew up near BYU, I have the same religious beliefs the school endorses and I'm happy there. I enjoy what I'm doing and that's the important thing. I'm already anxious to get started on next season." The 2,400 coaches who attended the AFCA convention compiled a list of proposals to be presented the NCAA, which holds its annual meeting here next week. Among those proposals are: 0 To increase the number of scholarships in division (Turn to Page 4, Column 2) fi lh 'tfr v- UPI Telephoto LaVell Edwards of Brigham Young University was voted the 1984 Kodak Coach of te Year by members of the American Football Coaches Association meeting at Opryland Hotel.

Decision Today on Nashville Track State Fair Manager Says Hodgdon's Check Has Not Been Received TSU's Milam Lost For Rest of Season By TED POWER Sophomore Wesley Milam, the leading scorer on the Tennessee State basketball team, was denied admittance to school for the spring semester yesterday for academic reasons. The forward from Washington, D.C, will be lost for the remainder of the seasoa Milam's dismissal is just the latest chapter in this season's hard-luck Big Blue basketball story. Earlier, senior center Thomas Walker quit the team and veteran head coach Ed Martin resigned. Milam averaged 13.4 points a game while playing in TSU's first 14 contests. He did not play in Wednesday night's 90-57 loss at Memphis State.

His contribution to the team was more than just a scorer. Milam was co-captain and the vocal leader of a young, quiet team that has struggled through the season. The Tigers will carry a 5-10 record into tomorrow night's encounter with Augusta State at Gentry Center. Milam plans to remain in Nashville and attend summer school in hopes of being readmitted for the fall semester, at which time he could resume his playing career. The auction of the complex, including the NASCAR oval, Thunder Valley Dragway and Thunder Valley Stables and Showgrounds, is set Feb.

8 on the courthouse steps in Blountville, Tenn. Hodgdon asked for a third extension which was in effect granted when the Fair Board last month delayed any action until today's 2:30 p.m. meeting. Raceway general manager Joe Carver had said following the Board's last meeting he was "absolutely confident" Hodgdon would be able to make the payment after the first of the year. Carver said last night he had been in contact with Hodgdon, and that he said he "would try" to make the payment "I can't tell you anything other than that" said Carver.

Complicating the matter is the fact that the Fair Board holds a check By LARRY WOODY Barring an 1 lth-hour payment State Fair manager Ted Vaughn will recommend today that Warner Hodgdon's Nashville Raceway lease be forfeited and the track ownership be put up for bids. The five-man Fair Board meets this afternoon to decide the fate of the race track. As of last night Hodgdon had failed to make an overdue payment of $102,644.29 owned the Fair Board for last year's lease. The payment was originally due Nov. 30, but Hodgdon, a California businessman, asked for and was granted an extension.

He then failed to meet the second deadline, Dec. 20. In a related situation, the Bank of Virginia is set to put the Bristol International Raceway, also owned by Hodgdon, on the acution block next month after the bank foreclosed on the property. Asked if he felt Hodgdon has had sufficient time to make the payment Vaughn said: "Oh yes, no questioa He's had plenty of time." The Bank of Virginia began foreclosure proceedings against Hodgdon when his company. National Raceways, failed to meet a Dec.

31 deadline for a $102,000 payment on the total principal of a $1.55 million mortage. Bristol raceway operations Is not expected to change, according to Larry Carrier, president and general manager. Hodgdon's partnership with Junior Johnson in Johnson-Hodgdon Racing is also in trouble with four liens totaling $284,492 placed against Hodgdon's stock in the North Carolina operation which fields the cars for NASCAR oavers Darrell Waltrip of Franklin, and Neil Bonnett for the full amount of the lease payment provided by Hodgdon's former partner in the track, Gary Baker. Baker offered to make the payment but Hodgdon asked the Fair Board to tum it down, saying "Baker would have me in a box" if the check was accepted. Hodgdon told Carver there was a clause in a contract between he and Baker in which the latter could assume control of the track if he forced a debt on his former partner.

Baker admits he still has an interest in the local race track, but said he offered to make the payment "to protect my own investment" Baker said he is owed no money by Hodgdon but is still a "secured creditor" on some earlier transactions. Vaughn said last night he still had Baker's check and would probably consult the Metro Legal Department before deciding what course to take in today's meeting..