TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama coach Nick Saban has signed a three-year contract extension, athletic director Mal Moore said Saturday.
Saban signed an eight-year contract when he joined the Crimson Tide in 2007. The extension takes him through 2017.
The extension is subject to approval by the compensation committee of the board of trustees of the University of Alabama System. The committee is expected to meet soon to discuss it.
"Coach Saban has impressively led the Alabama football program back to national prominence in a short period of time," Moore said.
"That success has been evident in all facets — on-field results, his embrace of Alabama's athletics and academic culture, recruiting, and community service," Moore added. "In every way, coach Saban has positioned our program among college football's elite."
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Saban is about to begin his third season with Alabama against Virginia Tech on Sept. 5 in Atlanta.
In two seasons, Saban has led the Crimson Tide to a 19-8 record, including a 12-2 record last season that earned a Southeastern Conference Western Division title, a trip to the Sugar Bowl and a final ranking of sixth.
USC receiver Johnson
breaks collarbone
LOS ANGELES — USC receiver Ronald Johnson will be out six to eight weeks after breaking his collarbone during the No. 4 Trojans' mock game.
Johnson was the Trojans' third-leading receiver last season with 33 catches for 570 yards and eight touchdowns. The junior was expected to start for USC this season alongside Damian Williams.
Johnson was hurt Saturday during the second series of the mock game at the Coliseum when he was tackled after catching a 34-yard pass from freshman quarterback Matt Barkley.
Football is returning to Old Dominion
NORFOLK, Va. — After 67 years without it and one season that included all the practices but no games, football is returning to Old Dominion University on Sept. 5.
The Monarchs, who last fielded a football team in 1940, will host Chowan in their opener on Saturday, completing a more than three-year buildup that has been wildly anticipated.
When the school made season tickets available, it got orders for far more than the 14,377 it had to offer and had to convince some buyers to accept lesser packages or fewer tickets.
And when it put student tickets on sale last Monday at 10 a.m., students by the hundreds camped out overnight to make sure they got theirs.
Bobby Wilder, who was hired as coach in February 2007 and has been recruiting for two seasons, said the preparation — and the excitement — have been everything he could ask.
Extra points
• Georgia is looking forward to the return of starting center Ben Jones as the No. 13 Bulldogs mark the one-week countdown to their season opener at No. 9 Oklahoma State.
Jones and guard Chris Davis, who has filled in for Jones, each missed Saturday's 90-minute scrimmage with ankle injuries.
