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Boston College fires Jeff Jagodzinski

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass., Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Boston College has fired head football Coach Jeff Jagodzinski, who had met with the NFL's New York Jets about their coaching vacancy.

BC Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo made the announcement Wednesday at a news conference. DeFilippo had said earlier that Jagodzinski would be fired if he met with officials of an NFL team.

Jagodzinski, who has previous NFL experience, met with the Jets and later with DeFilippo Tuesday, The Boston Globe reported. The two met again Wednesday to "finalize details" of the coach's termination, the newspaper said.

The 45-year-old Jagodzinski had a 20-8 record in two seasons at Boston College. The Eagles, 9-5 this season, lost to Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl.

Jagodzinski was the tight ends coach for the Green Bay Packers (1999-2003), offensive line coach for the Atlanta Falcons (2004-05) and offensive coordinator for the Packers in 2006.

Boston College defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani was the leading candidate to replace Jagodzinski, the Globe said.

Yale hires Tom Williams as football coach

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Yale University Wednesday announced the hiring of Tom Williams as football coach, the first black head coach in the history of the program

The 38-year-old Williams was a defensive assistant for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars the past two years.

He is the 33rd head coach of the Yale Bulldogs.

"I am thrilled for this tremendous opportunity to be the head football coach at such a historic and fabled institution," Williams said.

Williams succeeds Jack Siedlecki, who retired after 12 seasons and became an assistant athletic director.

Yale was 6-4 this season.

Ex-NASCAR owner McClure pleads guilty

ROANOKE, Va., Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Former NASCAR team owner Larry McClure said in a guilty plea agreement filed in Abingdon, Va., that he expects to be imprisoned on tax charges.

SceneDaily.com said Wednesday that in this week's filed agreement, the Morgan-McClure Motorsports co-founder acknowledged his plea would likely result in a substantial prison sentence of up to 15 years.

McClure had been accused of filing false tax returns during a three-year period ending in 2004 and with providing Internal Revenue Service investigators with false statements.

The five charges filed against McClure each hold a maximum prison sentence of three years and McClure cannot appeal the sentence he receives as part of his plea agreement.

The potential fines for the charges could reach $1.25 million, SceneDaily.com said.

No sentencing date has been scheduled as McClure will not formally enter his plea until Jan. 15, the Web site said.

McClure's NASCAR racing team did not enter a Cup car last year, but had previously competed in the racing league between 1983 and 2007.

Giants' Jacobs: 'I'm ready to go'

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Jan. 7 (UPI) -- New York running back Brandon Jacobs, who has been nursing a knee injury, says he'll be "ready to go" for the Giants' playoff game Sunday against Philadelphia.

Jacobs missed two of the last three games with a knee injury but practiced with the team Wednesday.

"I'm ready to go, I feel real good about our situation and where we are right now," he said. "I just can't wait for the game to get here."

Jacobs ran 1,089 yards this season, averaging 5 yards per carry.

"I've been playing since Week 3 with the same (injury)" Jacobs said. "I've been performing at a very high level. I don't think it's going to bother me on Sunday or any other time period through this run."

The Giants, defending Super Bowl champions, will be at home for their NFC divisional playoff battle against the Eagles.