Stewart out, Holgorsen in at WVU

Dana Holgorsen was introduced as West Virginia's head football coach last night, hours after Bill Stewart resigned.

Athletic director Oliver Luck didn't address specific reasons for Stewart's resignation at a news conference, but Luck said recent developments had become an issue.

"It was a combination of things," Luck said. "The program is more important than any individual. Clearly this was becoming a distraction for the program."

Both Holgorsen and Stewart made unwanted headlines in recent weeks. An intoxicated Holgorsen was escorted out of a casino last month. More recently, a reporter said Stewart had approached him shortly after Holgorsen's hiring to "dig up" dirt on his eventual successor.

Holgorsen was hired as offensive coordinator and head coach-in-waiting in December, while Stewart was to serve his final season in 2011. Now Holgorsen is a college head coach for the first time and also will serve as offensive coordinator.

* The relationship between former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor and Dennis Talbott, a photographer and businessman who allegedly gave him money for signed memorabilia, goes back to at least 2008, ESPN reported yesterday.

ESPN's "Outside the Lines" reported a new allegation earlier this week that Pryor was paid $500 to $1,000 each time he signed mini football helmets and other gear for Talbott, a Columbus businessman and freelance photographer. Pryor's lawyer has said there is "no truth" to the claim.

Now ESPN is reporting Pryor and Talbott played golf together several times in 2008, before Pryor began at Ohio State. It wasn't clear who was paying for the rounds but it would be an NCAA violation if it were Talbott.