Ex-Buckeye pleads no contest to lesser charge

ELYRIA (AP) — A former Ohio State University football player has pleaded no contest to a lesser charge in a felony drug case against him.

The (Elyria) Chronicle-Telegram http://bit.ly/1nOu7HJ reports that Tracy Sprinkle pleaded Thursday to attempted failure to comply, a misdemeanor. He received a $500 fine, 30-day suspended jail sentence and two years’ probation.

Sprinkle was charged after a brawl outside a bar in Lorain on July 4. He also was charged with drug paraphernalia, rioting and failure to disperse. Police say officers found cocaine in the back seat of the squad car that took Sprinkle to jail.

The redshirt freshman was suspended from the team.

Defense attorney Michael Duff says Sprinkle wants to keep playing at Ohio State and the plea was a good way to put the case behind him.

 

Heisman winner Lujack recovering from surgery

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Johnny Lujack, the star quarterback who led Notre Dame to three national championships and won the Heisman Trophy in 1947, is recovering after spinal surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Surgery on the 89-year-old Lujack was successful and he is doing “very well” Thursday, Mayo spokeswoman Duska Anastasijevic said. Amy Flanagan, Lujack’s granddaughter, said he is in good spirits.

“He came through the surgery just great, telling jokes in the intensive care unit,” Flanagan said. “He’s so positive. He’s already making great progress. But he’s got a long road to go. He’s got to be patient.”

She said he had spinal stenosis that was causing numbness. She said he was brought from Genesis Medical Center in his hometown of Davenport, Iowa, to the Mayo Clinic by helicopter on Monday and had surgery Wednesday. She said he risked paralysis if he didn’t have the five-hour surgery.

“It was a pretty dire situation,” she said.

The Fighting Irish won national championships in 1943, 1946 and 1947, with Lujack posting a 20-1-1 record as the starting quarterback. He missed the 1944 and 1945 seasons while serving in the Navy during World War II.

Lujack won the Heisman in 1947 and was selected the athlete of the year by The Associated Press. He also was a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears. He played four seasons with the Bears, playing in the Pro Bowl his final two seasons before retiring at age 26.

 

Amway coaches’ poll lists Ohio State sixth

NEW YORK (AP) — Defending national champion Florida State is ranked No. 1 in the preseason Amway coaches’ poll.

Florida State received 1,543 overall points and earned 56 of a possible 62 first-place votes in the poll, which was released Thursday. Alabama was second in the poll despite not receiving any first-place votes. Rounding out the top five were Oklahoma, Oregon and Auburn with the first-ever playoff looming at the end season.

Ohio State was sixth, UCLA seventh, Michigan State eighth, South Carolina ninth and Baylor 10th.

The Southeastern Conference had five of the top 13 teams in the poll, with No. 12 Georgia and No. 13 LSU joining Alabama, Auburn and South Carolina.

Oklahoma received three first-place votes. Oregon, Ohio State and South Carolina received one first-place vote each.

 

Detroit minor leaguer arraigned on sexual assault

DETROIT (AP) — Minor league pitcher Evan Reed says he passed a polygraph test earlier this year after he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a downtown Detroit hotel.

Reed, who appeared in 27 games for the Detroit Tigers, was arraigned Thursday and appeared in court via video on two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. A not guilty plea was entered for Reed, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 12.

Reed was on the Opening Day roster for the Detroit Tigers but was sent down to the minor leagues in June. The 28-year-old right-hander now plays for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.

Wayne County prosecutors said the 45-year-old woman met Reed at a bar in the suburbs on March 30, and she “began to feel odd” after consuming alcohol. They took a cab to the MotorCity Casino Hotel.

His lawyer has said Reed and the woman had consensual sex, and Reed echoed that Thursday during a news conference after the hearing.