Boise State coach Petersen trashes BCS system, says changes needed

Boise State football coach Chris Petersen is calling for an end to the current Bowl Championship Series system after the No. 7 Broncos were left out of the high-profile games.

The Broncos (11-1) on Sunday accepted an invitation to the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium on Dec. 22, opposite Arizona State (6-6) of the Pac-12.

It's the fourth time the Broncos have finished in the top 10 of the BCS without getting a bid to one of the elite match-ups. This year, they were passed over along with No. 6 Arkansas, No. 8 Kansas State and No. 9 South Carolina.

During a news conference Monday, Petersen said people are frustrated and tired of the BCS. He said the system needs to be changed, perhaps by using a committee like the men's basketball tournament to rank the teams.

"Everybody is just very tired of the BCS," Petersen said. "I think that's the bottom line. Everybody is frustrated. Everybody doesn't really know what to do anymore. It doesn't make sense to anybody. I don't think anybody is happy anywhere.

"The whole thing needs to be changed, there's no question about it. ... I think (change) is coming, I really do."

■ BRIGHAM YOUNG -- Cougars sophomore quarterback Jake Heaps plans to transfer after losing his starting job to Riley Nelson. Coach Bronco Mendenhall said Heaps wants a fresh start.

Heaps started the first five games before Nelson took over midway through the Utah State game and led BYU to wins in six of seven starts.

Last year, Heaps set school freshman passing records for yards, touchdowns and wins, starting the final 10 games. He was offensive Most Valuable Player in the Cougars' New Mexico Bowl victory.

■ OREGON -- All-American cornerback Cliff Harris was dismissed from the Ducks for violating team rules. Harris had been suspended from the team, missing the last five games of the regular season and the Pac-12 championship game.

Harris was suspended by coach Chip Kelly following a traffic stop in Eugene, during which Harris was cited for driving on a suspended license, without proper insurance and without a seatbelt.

■ HAWAII -- Coach Greg McMackin is retiring after a 6-7 season in which the Warriors missed the postseason for the second time in his four seasons. One of the losses this year was at UNLV, 40-20. Assistant Rich Miano will serve as interim coach until a replacement is selected.

■ WEBER STATE -- The school hired former Louisville and Michigan State coach John L. Smith, 63, as the Wildcats' coach.

The former Weber State player has been special teams coach at Arkansas since 2009. He also had stints as a head coach at Idaho and Utah State.

■ SOUTH DAKOTA -- Former Wyoming coach Joe Glenn was hired as the Coyotes' coach. The 62-year-old Glenn had been living in semi-retirement in Phoenix when he was asked to replace Ed Meierkort. Meierkort's contract was not renewed after eight years at the helm.

■ UNITAS AWARD -- Stanford's Andrew Luck won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented annually to the nation's top quarterback. The trophy will be presented Friday in Baltimore, where Unitas starred with the Colts.

■ WAC HONOR -- UNR quarterback Cody Fajardo was named Western Athletic Conference freshman of the year.

Fajardo led the WAC with a 71.4 percent completion rate. He didn't become the Wolf Pack's starter until the fifth game but accounted for more than 2,300 yards of offense and 17 touchdowns. He threw for 1,647 yards and six TDs, and ran for another 680 yards and 11 scores.

■ MIAMI -- Hurricanes receiver Tommy Streeter and defensive lineman Marcus Forston are skipping their senior seasons and declaring for the NFL Draft.

Streeter had 46 catches for 811 yards and eight touchdowns, all team highs. Forston missed much of the season with a knee injury.

■ PATERNO-SECOND MILE -- Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno had business ties with board members of The Second Mile, the charity founded by alleged child molester and former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, the State College (Pa.) Daily reported.

The newspaper reported Paterno and three fellow investors, including longtime Second Mile board chairman Robert Poole, secured financing to build a $125 million luxury retirement community around 2002.

The publication also reported that Paterno was partnered with the same team of investors in developing a golf resort and nearby restaurant and inn. Paterno also joined with other current and former Second Mile board members on a bottled water company, a coaching website and a chain of convenience stores.