Billy Joe goes Miles for new job
Former Villanova great Billy Joe is taking over as head coach at Division II Miles College in Birmingham, Ala.
Former Villanova great Billy Joe is taking over as head coach at Division II Miles College in Birmingham, Ala.
The 67-year-old Joe ranks behind only former Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson in victories at historically black colleges with 237 wins in 31 seasons at Cheyney, Central (Ohio) State and Florida A & M.
"My sabbatical is over with," Joe, who spent last season out of coaching, told the Associated Press.. "I took some time out for rest, research and travel. Now, I am invigorated, I'm energized and ready to go back to work."
Joe replaces Wade Streeter, who was fired after 7 seasons at the school, which competes in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Miles was 2-9 last season.
Joe was fired at Florida A & M in 2005 when the school self-reported 196 rules violations over a 7-year span among its 15 men's and women's sports. The NCAA found no wrongdoing by Joe; the university later agreed to a $135,000 settlement with him.
Joe was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Divisional Class in July.
"When I took the program over at Florida A&M in 1994, they had only won five games the previous year. I am very familiar with that scenario," Joe said. "It just fuels my engine."
Noteworthy
* Delaware senior running back Omar Cuff and junior placekicker Jon Striefsky were named I-AA first-team All-Americans by the Associated Press. Lafayette senior offensive lineman Jesse Padilla was on the second team, and the Blue Hens' Mike Byrne was a third-team offensive lineman.
* Delaware senior running back Omar Cuff and junior placekicker Jon Striefsky were named I-AA first-team All-Americans by the . Lafayette senior offensive lineman Jesse Padilla was on the second team, and the Blue Hens' Mike Byrne was a third-team offensive lineman.
* Southern Mississippi has hired Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Larry Fedora to be its new head coach, replacing Jeff Bower, who was forced to resign last month after 17 years and 119 wins.
* Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild has been hired to replace Sonny Lubick as Colorado State head coach.
* The Atlantic Coast Conference championship game is headed to Tampa, Fla., in 2008 and 2009, and to Charlotte, N.C. in 2010 and 2011. *