Dec 7, 2018 4 min read

Cal’s Stafford commits to Youngstown State

California High School running back and defensive lineman Jelani Stafford has committed to Youngstown State.

Stafford, who ran for 1,077 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, was also considering Eastern Kentucky, Robert Morris, The Citadel and Albany.

He was also featured on the Trojans’ defensive line for the first time in his high school career this season, the position he will likely play at Youngstown State. Stafford had 34 tackles and a pair of sacks in 11 games.

Liberty hires Freeze

Hugh Freeze has enjoyed the highs of football, such as winning the Sugar Bowl and beating mighty Alabama. He’s also known embarrassment and shame following a personal scandal that cost him his job at Mississippi.

The 49-year-old Freeze believes those experiences will serve him well as the head coach at Liberty, where he’s been given a second chance.

“I believe in teaching young men on our team all of the lessons of when I got it right and when I got it wrong and what the consequences are,” Freeze said.

He was introduced as Liberty’s football coach on campus Friday, calling the opportunity an “unbelievable day for me and my family.” He was emotional at times.

“I’ve made decisions that have hurt a lot of people,” Freeze said. “I don’t ever want to experience that again.”

Freeze will replace Turner Gill, who resigned after his seventh season. The Flames finished 6-6 this season, their first competing at the Football Bowl Subdivision level, and were 47-35 under Gill.

Liberty will have full status for FBS bowl eligibility in 2019. The Flames are not part of a conference and are playing as an independent.

Temple’s Collins

to Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech hired Temple coach Geoff Collins on Friday, choosing a Georgia native with a background in defense to replace Paul Johnson as the Yellow Jackets’ football coach.

Collins, 47, is a former Florida and Mississippi State defensive coordinator and Georgia Tech assistant who was 15-10 in two seasons at Temple.

Before his time at Florida (2015-16) and Mississippi State (2011-14), Collins was a graduate assistant and tight ends coach at Georgia Tech under coach George O’Leary from 1999-2001. He returned to serve as recruiting coordinator at Georgia Tech under coach Chan Gailey in 2006.

Former NFL linebacker killed

Former two-time All-Pro linebacker Isaiah Robertson was killed when the limousine he was driving skidded on a rain-slicked curve on a dark, rural East Texas highway and was hit by two other vehicles.

The Texas Department of Public Safety reports the crash happened about 10 p.m. Thursday on Texas Route 198, about 50 miles southeast of Dallas. A DPS statement says the limousine Robertson was driving entered the curve at an unsafe speed for the rainy conditions. It veered off the road and skidded sideways before coming to a stop partially on the road. A pickup truck following behind hit the limo, knocking the limo into the southbound lane where it was slammed by an oncoming car.

The Los Angeles Rams drafted Robertson from Southern University in the first round of the 1971 NFL draft. He remained with the Rams through 1978, then played in 1979-82 for the Buffalo Bills. He was named first-team All-Pro in 1973 and 1976 and was chosen for the Pro Bowl in his rookie 1971 season, as well as 1973-77.

In the NBA

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 26 points and Cory Joseph added 15 to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Orlando Magic 112-90 on Friday night.

• Kemba Walker had 21 points, eight assists and six rebounds, fellow point guard Tony Parker added 19 points off the bench and the Charlotte Hornets snapped the Denver Nuggets’ seven-game win streak with a 113-107 victory.