Auburn hires Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator

Auburn hires Muschamp as defensive coordinator

Will Muschamp didn’t last two weeks out of coaching.

Muschamp accepted the job as Auburn’s defensive coordinator 13 days after coaching his last game at Florida and following a weeklong vacation in the Dominican Republic. By the second day he was restless and wondering to wife Carol: “What do you do all day?”

“I’m just a ball coach and at the end of the day that’s what I enjoy doing and I’m very thankful to have a great family that understands that,” Muschamp said Saturday at his introductory news conference. “We’re looking forward to the next step.”

Coach Gus Malzahn quickly targeted Muschamp to replace fired defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson. He lured him back to the sidelines with a three-year deal worth about $1.6 million annually.

Muschamp coached his last game at Florida on Nov. 29, ousted after posting a 28-21 record in four seasons. But he has led highly ranked defenses in previous stops at Auburn, Texas and LSU.

Muschamp will monitor practices starting Monday leading up to the Outback Bowl New Year’s Day against Wisconsin and stay busy trying to recruit more players to bolster a defense that faded badly last season. Safeties coach Charlie Harbison will serve as defensive coordinator for the bowl.

Navy makes it 13 in a row over Army

Navy extended its winning streak over Army to 13 games, using a strong defensive performance and the versatility of quarterback Keenan Reynolds to carve out a 17-10 victory Saturday.

After Army turned a blocked punt into a touchdown in the first quarter, the Midshipmen used the passing of Reynolds to pull even at halftime. Navy (7-5) then took a 10-7 lead before Reynolds scored from the 1 with 12:07 left to put the Mids in control.

Ken Niumatalolo became the winningest coach in Navy history, breaking a tie with George Welsh. Niumatalolo (56-35) also became the first Navy coach to win his first seven games against Army (4-8).

Reynolds ran 26 times for 100 yards and completed six of eight passes for 77 yards and a touchdown.

As the clock ticked down the final seconds, the thousands of Midshipmen in attendance jumped, yelled and cheered from their perch in the end zone.

The 13-game run by Navy is the longest in the history of a series that began in 1890. Before the Midshipmen went on their unprecedented run, neither team in this storied rivalry had won more than five in a row.

Mount Paran routs Eagles Landing Christian in GHSA Class A private school finals

Dorian Walker scored on three long runs and finished with 215 yards in 23 carries in leading unbeaten Mount Paran Christian to the Georgia High School Association Class A-Private football championship Saturday with a 49-7 rout of Eagle’s Landing Christian.

Walker, who scored 36 touchdowns this season, had runs of 42 and 50 yards in the first quarter at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta and added a 21-yard score in the third as Mount Paran (14-0) became the first team from Cobb County to win a state title since Marietta in 1967.

Eagle’s Landing (7-7) trailed 28-0 at the end of the first quarter and it was 42-0 before Trevor Gear caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Donald Hammonds with 56 seconds left before halftime.

The Henry County school started 0-6, including a 31-14 loss to Mount Paran in the opener, before going on a seven-game winning streak to reach the title game.

Benedictine thumps GAC in GHSA Class AA finals

Stevie Powers threw two touchdown passes and scored on a pair of quarterback sneaks Saturday as he led Benedictine of Savannah to a 45-21 victory over previously unbeaten Greater Atlanta Christian for the Georgia High School Association Class AA football title.

Powers, who completed 10 of 14 passes for 256 yards, connected with Brad Stewart for a 29-yard score and John Kennedy on a 59-yard touchdown as Benedictine (13-2) won in its first trip to the title game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

GAC (14-1) posted a 24-21 home victory over Benedictine to open the season, but trailed 30-7 in the second quarter this time. The Spartans committed five turnovers, with Joseph Holguin going 74 yards with a fumble recovery for a Cadets touchdown in the first quarter.