Sports briefs
Steelers fire running backs coach
The Pittsburgh Steelers have parted ways with running backs coach James Saxon.
Coach Mike Tomlin announced Monday that the team opted not to renew Saxon’s contract for the 2019 season. Saxon spent five years with the Steelers after coming over from the Minnesota Vikings.
Pittsburgh’s running backs thrived under Saxon. Le’Veon Bell reached the Pro Bowl three times in his four seasons with Saxon. When Bell opted to sit out the 2018 season after declining to sign his one-year franchise tag, second-year back James Conner filled in capably. Conner ran for 973 yards and 12 touchdowns, but was limited in the second half of the season because of injuries.
Saxon’s departure marks the second dismissal among the coaching staff since the Steelers went 9-6-1 and missed the playoffs. The team fired outside linebackers coach Joey Porter last Friday.
Players of the week
After recording three double-doubles in the past four games, Washington & Jefferson senior women’s basketball player Danielle Parker earned her second straight Player of the Week award from the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.
Parker, a Canon-McMillan graduate, averaged a double-double during W&J’s four-game stretch over the holiday break. The senior averaged 16.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game to help extend the Presidents’ winning streak to seven games.
Parker had three double-double efforts during the stretch, bringing her season total to six and her career total to 20. The senior added 2.2 steals, 2.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per game and shot 55.6 percent (30-of-54) from the floor.
• California University freshman guard Zyan Collins was named the PSAC West Men’s Freshman of the Week after helping the Vulcans post a pair of conference victories last week. The Vulcans’ Shauna Harrison was named the Women’s Freshman of the Week after scoring a career-high 12 points against Edinboro.
Collins scored 14 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and had eight assists in California’s 90-66 win at Edinboro. He followed that performance by scoring 16 points, pulling down six rebounds and dishing out two assists in the Vulcans’ 72-56 victory at Gannon.
Harrison played 11 minutes in a 99-92 loss at Edinboro with several players in foul trouble. The freshman also played 13 minutes off the bench in the Vulcans’ 69-55 win at Gannon.
• W&J freshman Jaden Datz was recognized as the PAC Rookie Wrestler of the Week for his performance Saturday at the Waynesburg Invitational. Datz went 5-1 and finished third at 174 pounds. All five of Datz’s victories were by decision.
Polamalu among selections for HOF
Texas quarterback Vince Young and Notre Dame speedster Raghib Ismail have been selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, along with 11 other players and two coaches.
Young was the Heisman Trophy runner-up and led the Longhorns to the 2005 national championship with a memorable performance in the Rose Bowl against Southern California. Ismail, better known as Rocket, was an electric receiver and kick returner for the Fighting Irish and the Heisman runner-up in 1990.
The rest of the players to be enshrined at the National Football Foundation’s award banquet in December include Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, Oklahoma defensive back Rickey Dixon, John Carroll linebacker London Fletcher, Texas A&M defensive lineman Jacob Green, North Carolina State receiver Torry Holt, Arizona State quarterback Jake Plummer, USC defensive back Troy Polamalu, Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas, Michigan State running back Lorenzo White and Mississippi linebacker Patrick Willis.
Dennis Erickson, who coached Miami to two national championships, and Joe Taylor, who won 233 games at historically black colleges, were selected for induction as coaches.