Wannstedt steps down after six seasons at Pitt

Dave Wannstedt is out as Pitt football coach following a disappointing season in which the Panthers were big favorites to win a weak Big East Conference, only to finish 7-5 and qualify for a minor bowl.

Wannstedt resigned under pressure Tuesday, three days after Pitt salvaged its regular season by beating Cincinnati, 28-10. The former Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins coach, highly respected by Pitt's administration, will remain at the school as a special assistant to athletic director Steve Pederson.

Pitt apparently chose to change coaches now, rather than after the Jan. 8 Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., because most top candidates would have been hired by then. Also, the national letter-of-intent signing day would be less than a month away.

Wannstedt gave no signs Sunday after Pitt accepted a Compass Bowl bid that he was considering resigning, and he said he was looking forward to recruiting. But after Wannstedt met Tuesday with Pederson, Pitt held a hastily called news conference to announce that Wannstedt would not return next season.

Wannstedt went 42-31 in six seasons, including a 26-12 mark from 200-8-10 that is Pitt's best for a three-season stretch since 1981-83.

Army rewards coach. Army coach Rich Ellerson, who this season will guide the Black Knights to their first bowl game in 14 years, has been given a two-year contract extension.

Terms of the agreement were not revealed. The new pact will extend Ellerson's contract through 2015.

In just his second season at Army, Ellerson has guided the Black Knights (6-5) to a berth in the Armed Forces Bowl against SMU on Dec. 30. Army was 5-7 his first season.

Army concludes its regular season against Navy (8-3) on Saturday in Philadelphia.

BCS standings glitch. The final Bowl Championship Series standings had to be corrected after a mistake was found that changed the rankings of Boise State and LSU, but did not effect any bowl matchups.

Jerry Palm, who runs the websites www.collegebcs.com and wwww.collegerpi.com, found a discrepancy in the Colley Matrix computer ratings, one of six used by the Bowl Championship Series to determine which teams play for the national championship and in some of the other marquee bowl games.

Kentucky shake-up. Kentucky coach Joker Phillips is shaking up his staff.

The school announced it has released running backs coach Larry Brinson and Chris Thurmond effective immediately.

Brinson spent the last four seasons with the Wildcats, helping the program produce 1,000-yard rusher Rafael Little and second-team all-SEC selection Derrick Locke last season.

Air Force coach staying. Air Force coach Troy Calhoun is reiterating his commitment to the academy amid speculation he'd be a prime candidate to take over the Denver Broncos' head coaching job.

Calhoun issued a statement saying he is looking forward to coaching the Falcons in 2011 "and beyond."

Air Force athletic director Hans Mueh said that the academy is happy that Calhoun is continuing his commitment to the academy.

Aggie wins Butkus Award. Texas A&M's Von Miller has won the Butkus Award as college football's best linebacker.

The senior was surprised on campus by the award's namesake. He beat out Luke Kuechly of Boston College in voting by journalists, coaches, scouts and recruiters.