College Football -- South Carolina Hires Lou Holtz To Rebuild Team -- Five-Year Deal For Ex-Notre Dame Coach

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Lou Holtz took over South Carolina's struggling football program today after marathon, last-minute negotiations to complete his $600,000-a-year coaching deal.

About 5,000 fans cheered Holtz as the former Notre Dame coach walked to the center of Williams-Brice Stadium this afternoon. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm here because I want to be here," the former Notre Dame coach said.

"When I left the University of Notre Dame, I honestly felt I would never coach again. My heart is now here at the University of South Carolina. My effort and dedication is to you."

The crowd burst into cheers again when Holtz told them, "Our goal is to win the national championship."

South Carolina's 1-10 record this season was its worst in 106 years, and Brad Scott was fired as coach on Nov. 23.

He will be paid a $150,000 base salary. With broadcast revenues, endorsements and other payments, the five-year deal is worth a total of about $600,000 annually, the school said.

The announcement of Holtz's hiring followed a night of uncertainty after CBS reported yesterday that Holtz was leaving his football analyst's job at the network to return to coaching.

Negotiations apparently hit a snag, and the announcement the school had expected to make last evening was delayed until this morning.

An athletic administration source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said telephone negotiations with Holtz continued until 3:30 a.m. today, then resumed at 7:30 a.m. Holtz said they wrapped up at 10:45 a.m.

He played down any differences during the talks.

"It's not easy to put everything together," Holtz said. "There wasn't any problem or indecision."

The (Columbia) State citing unidentified sources, said the snag was at least in part over whether Skip Holtz, the coach at Connecticut, would eventually succeed his father as head coach at South Carolina. An athletic administration source who spoke with The Associated Press said Skip Holtz was given no guarantees he would take over the job, but he would get "fair consideration" if his father leaves. Lou Holtz said later that there was no contractual agreement covering his son.

Fans and supporters waited all night for the final word on Holtz. A plywood sign put up in Columbia's Five Points shopping district said: "Yes, South Carolina, there is a Santa Claus. Welcome Coach and Mrs. Holtz."

Holtz, 61, was cautious about returning to coaching because of the health of his wife, Beth, who is fighting throat cancer. Kevin Holtz said that she has improved in the past year.

Holtz left Notre Dame in 1996 after 11 years at Notre Dame, where his record was 100-30-2, including a national championship. He also has coached William & Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas and Minnesota, and spent one season with the NFL's New York Jets.

EVERYBODY'S HAPPY

CLEMSON, S.C. - Clemson got the coach it wanted, and Tommy Bowden is where he always wanted to be - with an orange jacket and a $700,000-a-year job.

"Fifteen years ago, I kind of designated eight schools that were south of the Mason-Dixon Line and east of the Mississippi where I would like to retire," said Bowden, 44. "At the top of that list was Clemson University. "I plan on being here the rest of my coaching career."

He takes over at the Atlantic Coast Conference school from Tommy West, fired just before the end of a 3-8 season after five years at Clemson.

Bowden's five-year contract has a base salary of $155,000 a year. With guaranteed radio and television income of $325,000 a year, endorsements of $180,000 and other payments, the total package is $700,000.

The incentives for going to a bowl or winning a national championship could boost his yearly paycheck as high as $750,000.

Leaving the Tulane program he turned around was a difficult decision, Bowden said, but the chance to compete at a higher level helped him make up his mind. He will not coach Tulane (11-0) in the Liberty Bowl.

NOTES

-- Texas A&M quarterback Randy McCown has a broken left collarbone, knocking him out the Big 12 championship game with No. 2-ranked Kansas State.

McCown was injured last Friday during the No. 10 Aggies' 26-24 loss to rival Texas. He had been undergoing treatment, but he felt pain during practice in his left, non-throwing shoulder. X-rays revealed a hairline fracture on his collarbone.

The injury means Branndon Stewart, who lost the starting job earlier this season, will be the starting quarterback.

-- The Orange Bowl Committee announced Syracuse will be its Big East representative at the Jan. 2 Orange Bowl game in Miami. Syracuse (8-3) will make its first trip to the Orange Bowl since Jan. 1, 1959, when it lost to Oklahoma, 21-6.

-- Four former Northwestern University players, including star tailback Dennis Lundy, were indicted on charges of lying to federal grand juries investigating sports betting at the school. Lundy, Christopher Gamble, Michael Senters and Gregory Gill were charged with perjury for lying about their relationship with student bookie Brian Ballarini.

Each court carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Lundy and Senters are charged with one count; Gamble and Gill are charged with two.

-- Coach George O'Leary signed a new contract with Georgia Tech. The deal is a six-year rollover contract, meaning O'Leary will alway have six years remaining on the deal unless the school decides against it.

-- Toledo is scheduled to play Marshall tonight in the Mid-American Conference championship game in Huntington, W.Va. The winner will face Louisville (7-4) in the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 23 in Pontiac, Mich.