West Virginia coach quits amid controversy
MORGANTOWN, W.Va., June 10 (UPI) -- West Virginia Athletic Director Oliver Luck announced Friday Bill Stewart had resigned as the school's football coach.
The resignation came after a story was published in the Charleston Gazette Friday that said Stewart had asked at least two newspaper reporters to "dig up dirt" on assistant coach Dana Holgorsen.
Stewart had already said he planned to leave the school at the end of the 2012 season and Holgorsen was scheduled to replace him. Instead, Holgorsen will take over the job a year earlier than planned.
"Coach Stewart and I have talked these past few days and both believe this is the right thing to do for our football program, our team, our university, our state," Luck said.
Holgorsen was hired Dec. 15 to be both the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during the next season. Stewart had been coach of the Mountaineers since Rich Rodriguez left for Michigan four years ago.
The Gazette reported Stewart had asked the reporters to find anything they could that would be incriminating to Holgorsen. One of the reporters disclosed the conversation this week on a radio program.
"He (Stewart) respects the Mountaineer program and the student-athletes he coaches too much to let any conflict and any perception of disorder continue to be a distraction to the staff, team and fans," Luck said in his statement.
Stewart's teams went 27-12 in his three seasons as head coach. He became an assistant coach at West Virginia in 2000.
Red Sox win seventh straight
TORONTO, June 10 (UPI) -- Clay Buchholz gave up three hits in seven innings Friday and helped extend Boston's winning streak to seven games with a 5-1 victory over Toronto.
Buchholz (5-3) allowed the lone Toronto run and struck out six. He did not have a decision in any of his four previous starts.
Adrian Gonzalez had two RBI with a fifth-inning single and a ninth-inning double. A run scored in the first when Gonzalez grounded into a double play.
Toronto starter Jo-Jo Reyes (2-5) suffered the loss with four runs on eight hits in 6 1/3.
The seven-game Boston winning streak has come after the Red Sox suffered four consecutive losses. Boston was coming off a three-game road sweep of the New York Yankees.
Karlsson leads by three at St. Jude
MEMPHIS, June 10 (UPI) -- Robert Karlsson equaled the low round of the tournament Friday and grabbed a three-shot lead at the midway point of the St. Jude Classic.
Karlsson, who lost in a playoff to Lee Westwood at this event a year ago, shot a 5-under 65 at the TPC-Southwind course. That was one of three such scores produced Friday and gave him a 36-hole total of 131.
He has won 11 times on the European Tour, including last year's season-closing event in Dubai, but he is still looking for his first victory in the United States. This is the first time he has held the 36-hole lead at a tour event.
Colt Knost and recent Byron Nelson Classic winner Keegan Bradley shared second at 134 while John Merrick was alone in fourth at 135.
First-round leader David Mathis settled for a 72 that left him in a tie for seventh at 137. Westwood, the second-ranked player in the world, finished 36 holes at 139.
It took a score of 2-over 142 to survive the cut and John Daly was among those who made it. It was only the third time in 10 tournaments this year he has made the cut.
Those who missed out included David Toms and Sergio Garcia, who needed 11 shots to play the par-5 third hole during the opening round and eventually completed 36 holes at 147.
Auburn raises Chizik's salary
AUBURN, Ala., June 10 (UPI) -- Auburn football Coach Gene Chizik was given a contract extension that raised his annual salary to $3.5 million, the school said Friday.
The new agreement ties Chizik to Auburn through the 2015 season. His base salary will be $3.5 million but could be as much as $4.5 million a year if all incentives are fulfilled.
Chizik led the Tigers to the BCS title last season, ending 14-0 after a 22-19 victory over Oregon in the championship game. Auburn is 22-5 in two seasons under Chizik.
"We believe that we have the best coach in college football," Auburn Athletics Director Jay Jacobs said in a statement.
"More importantly, Coach Chizik is a great mentor to our student-athletes, he represents Auburn with class and integrity in all that he does and he is an outstanding ambassador for Auburn University."
Chizik said, "We will continue to work tirelessly to build the foundation of the Auburn football program so that we can compete for championships regularly."
