---Former Navy coach Ron Ginyard has joined the men’s basketball staff at Niagara. Ginyard replaces Phil Martelli, Jr. who left in May to take a similar job at Delaware.
“We are very excited to welcome coach Ron Ginyard to our Niagara University basketball family,” coach Joe Mihalich said. “Coach Ginyard brings a high level of basketball knowledge and experience both on the floor and in the recruiting world. He is a basketball lifer and basketball junkie. I was taught long ago that to be successful you need to surround yourself with good people and Coach G epitomizes this.’’
While at Navy, Ginyard built his reputation as a strong recruiter. He served as the recruiting coordinator for the last two seasons where he brought in consecutive highly-rated recruiting classes to the Patriot League.
The 2010-11 freshman class scored the most points by a freshman class in program history and had two players (J.J. Avila and Isaiah Roberts) named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team; Avila became Navy’s first Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
---Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor apologized for his role in creating the misery that NCAA violations have caused Ohio State, and took responsibility for the resignation of Jim Tressel. Pryor's 97-second presentation led off a fire-and-fall-back news conference orchestrated by his newly hired agent, Drew Rosenhaus. It was designed to put Pryor front and center as a quarterback prospect in a potential NFL supplemental draft.
---Miami Belen defensive back Imani Davis attended UB's Jr./Sr. Football Camp on Sunday and talks about his experience as well as which schools have shown the most interest in him.
---The resignation of West Virginia football coach Bill Stewart is "imminent," a university source told ESPN.com's Ivan Maisel on Friday.
Earlier Friday, ESPN's Joe Schad reported that WVU leaders were pondering whether terminating the coach-in-waiting scenario it created this year with offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen would be in the best interests of the program. Holgorsen is scheduled to succeed Stewart after the coming season.
---Seats on the coaching carousel typically are reserved for head coaches. The reality is, the assistant coaches' merry-go-round makes the head-coaching carousel look like a kiddie ride. Just ask new Texas associate head coach Rob Lanier. ESPN.com's Dana O'Neil profiles the Buffalo native and St. Bonaventure grad, Texas A&M's Glynn Cyprien and Wyoming's Scott Duncan.
---St. Joe's quarterback Chad Kelly, who is being recruited heavily by UB, ranks 80th on ESPNU's Top 150 rankings. Kelly, the nephew of Bills Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, is the No. 5 ranked QB on the list.
Kelly is also being recruited by Syracuse Clemson, Alabama, Florida State and Michigan State among others. Kelly and Rochester offensive tackle Jarron Jones are the only New Yorkers mentioned. Jones has already verballed to Penn State.
---Looks like there's more trouble for Ohio State as former Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor made thousands of dollars autographing memorabilia in 2009-10, a former friend who says he witnessed the transactions has told ESPN's "Outside the Lines." The signings for cash, which would be a major violation of NCAA rules, occurred a minimum of 35-40 times, netting Pryor anywhere from $20,000-$40,000, the former friend says. Pryor announed on Tuesday that he won't return for his senior year.
---A week after Ohio State coach Jim Tressel resigned, quarterback Terrelle Pyor announced, through his agent, that he has decided not to return for his senior season, ending his career with the Buckeyes.
“In the best interest of my teammates, I have made the decision to forgo my senior year of football at The Ohio State University,” Pryor said in a statement released by his lawyer, Larry James.
Pryor was one of five players currently under suspension for the first five game of the 2011 season because of their involvement in selling memorabilia for cash and tattoos.
Western New York native Bob DiCesare covers UB football, Big 4 basketball and writes an occasional column. He still holds a grudge against Chris Ford who, he's convinced, cost St. Bonaventure the 1970 NCAA basketball championship.
Rodney McKissic began his journalism career in 1989 after graduating from the University of Cincinnati and has worked for The Buffalo News since 2001. A proud father of four children, he enjoys reading in his spare time.
Amy Moritz, a native of Lockport, hhas covered colleges for The Buffalo News since 1999. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism/mass communication from St. Bonaventure University and a master’s degree in humanities from the University at Buffalo. An endurance athlete, she has completed several triathlons, half marathons and marathons.
