The former Michigan standout running back stays close to his roots.
Hart is leaving Eastern Michigan as running backs coach to take the same position at Western Michigan, according to MLive.com.
Hart, Michigan’s all-time leading rusher, ran for 5,040 yards and 41 touchdowns in four seasons with the Wolverines (2004-07). He finished sixth in Heisman voting in 2006 after rushing for a career-best 1,562 yards and 14 scores.
Last season, Western Michigan finished 1-10 and lost to Eastern Michigan, 35-32, in overtime. In that game, EMU ran for 264 yards and WMU managed just 120.
Last season was P.J. Fleck’s first as head coach at Western Michigan.
IRISH SIGN WITH UNDER ARMOUR
Not known as a school to make a lot of changes, Notre Dame made a significant one Tuesday.
The university and Under Armour announced a 10-year agreement in which Under Armour will design and supply the Fighting Irish’s footwear, apparel, training equipment and uniforms for all men’s and women’s teams.
Notre Dame’s uniform supplier had been Adidas for the past 17 seasons.
"Notre Dame is the standard-bearer of excellence in collegiate athletics and is one of the most recognizable and admired universities in the world," Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank said in a statement. "It's an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to dedicate our passion and innovation for making athletes better into this game-changing partnership. We look forward to collaborating with the university's administration, athletic department, student-athletes, alumni and its powerful fan base to uphold the Fighting Irish's championship pedigree."
Plank told the Associated Press that Notre Dame wants to be Under Armour’s laboratory for new technology.
“It puts us on a completely different level, and frankly, we’re ready for that level,” said Plank, who added that he didn’t expect major changes with the overall look of Notre Dame uniforms, known as some of the most traditional in college athletics.
Notre Dame is the 13th school to sign on with Under Armour, joining Auburn, Maryland, South Carolina and Texas Tech, among others.
INDIANA PROMOTES JOHNS TO OC
Indiana coach Kevin Wilson has promoted Kevin Johns to offensive coordinator, apparently expecting Seth Littrell to take the North Carolina job.
Johns takes over for Littrell, who was negotiating a deal with North Carolina to run its offense. Wilson said he "wished Littrell well."
McDaniel spent the last three seasons coaching the defensive line at Bowling Green. He replaces Jon Fabris, who was fired last week after the Hoosiers turned in a historically bad season.
Wilson also hired Larry McDaniel as the Hoosiers' new defensive line coach and assigned offensive assistant James Patton to tight ends and fullbacks.
Wilson said he would continue to play a big part in the Hoosiers' offense, too, and that he planned to keep nine defensive coaches and four offensive coaches in 2014.
FRESNO STATE EXTENDS DERUYTER
Fresno State has reached an agreement with coach Tim DeRuyter to extend his contract through the 2018 season.
The school announced Monday the terms of the letter of intent of the deal that will pay DeRuyter a base salary of $7.5 million for the next five years. DeRuyter can also earn performance bonuses that are expected to be worth between $500,000 and $700,000 a year.
The two sides still need to finalize the contract, but athletic director Thomas Boeh said he hoped the announcement will give stability during the upcoming recruiting period.
DeRuyter has led the Bulldogs to a 20-6 record in two seasons. He won the Mountain West title game this past season and was in the running for a BCS berth before a late-season loss to San Jose State.
NEVADA RB ARRESTED, SUSPENDED
A Nevada running back who has been suspended from the team after his arrest for suspicion of misdemeanor battery is accused of injuring his girlfriend at a Reno residence they share.
Reno Police Lt. William Rulla said Tuesday officers found evidence 19-year-old Christopher Solomon battered his girlfriend when they responded to a call about 4 a.m. Sunday.
Solomon of West Covina, Calif., was booked into the Washoe County jail on suspicion of domestic battery and released Monday on $3,000 bail.
Nevada coach Brian Polian said Solomon has been suspended while school officials gather additional information.
A redshirt freshman last season, he played mostly as a third-string running back. He finished the year with 89 carries for 282 yards and a touchdown, and caught three passes for 79 yards.
LAWSUIT VS. SABAN’S DAUGHTER
The daughter of Alabama coach Nick Saban told lawyers she was only defending herself from a drunken sorority sister when the two women brawled after a night of partying in 2010, according to written testimony and arguments in court Tuesday.
Court documents show Kristen Saban portrayed one-time best friend Sarah Grimes as the aggressor even though it was Grimes who sued Saban over the altercation, which began over a Facebook post.
While neither woman was in court during a hearing, Grimes' lawyer filed copies of their sworn testimony in pleadings before Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge James H. Roberts Jr.
After a hearing, Roberts said he would consider a request by Kristen Saban's attorneys, Robert Prince and Joshua Hayes, to end the lawsuit with a ruling in her favor.
But Grimes' attorney, Stephen Strickland, told Roberts jurors should get to hear the dispute. Kristen Saban punched Grimes "like Boom Boom Mancini," Strickland said, referring to the professional boxer.
"She had the devil beat out of her," said Strickland.
Both women were members of Phi Mu sorority at Alabama but graduated last year.
While Grimes contends Saban started a fight that ended in Grimes receiving a concussion and needing nasal surgery, the coach's daughter depicted Grimes as out of control and angry the night they clashed.
Contributors: Ken Bradley, The Associated Press
