COLLEGE FOOTBALL REPORT: ‘Bama’s Smith suspended for Sugar Bowl

Alabama All-America left tackle Andre Smith has been suspended from the Sugar Bowl for violating team rules, possibly signaling an end to the Outland Trophy winner’s college career.

“The University of Alabama, the team and the football program are more important than any individual player,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said in a statement Monday. “Every one on our team depends on each other to be responsible, to make good choices and decisions relative to their actions.”

Saban did not specify Smith’s violation leading up to Friday night’s game against Utah (12-0).

The junior is expected to be one of the top players taken in the NFL draft if he opts to skip his final year at Alabama (12-1). Smith has been noncommittal about his plans, but Saban’s statement offered a hint that the player won’t be back.

“Andre Smith has done an outstanding job in our program as a person, student and a player, and we will do all we can as an institution to support him in all future endeavors,” Saban said.

An instant starter with the Tide, Smith has allowed only one sack this season and seven in his 38-game career.

He won the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy as a sophomore and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award this season.

Earlier this month, he said he submitted his name to the NFL draft advisory board for feedback on his draft status.

Miami fires Nix after two years leading the offense

Patrick Nix was fired Monday after two seasons as Miami’s offensive coordinator, the first of what could be plenty of significant changes to the Hurricanes this offseason.

Nix packed up his office Monday evening after a brief meeting with Miami coach Randy Shannon.

Miami was 7-6 this season and sputtered at times offensively, yet showed sporadic improvement in some areas during the second half of the year.

Out of 119 teams in the major college football rankings, the Hurricanes are 89th in total offense this season at 326 yards per game, and 52nd in scoring offense at 27.1 points per outing. Both are improvements over last season, and both came with two freshmen who had never thrown a pass in a college game before this season under center —- Robert Marve and Jacory Harris.

Nix came to Miami after five seasons at Georgia Tech, three of those as offensive coordinator.

Utah coach receives $6 million extension

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $6 million. The deal was announced in New Orleans, where the Utes are preparing for the Sugar Bowl.

Kentucky running back won’t play in Liberty Bowl

Kentucky coach Rich Brooks says backup running back Moncell Allen isn’t with the team in Memphis preparing for the Liberty Bowl on Friday. Brooks told The Courier-Journal that Allen isn’t academically eligible and that Tony Dixon and Alfonso Smith will be called on to fill Allen’s role.