Young says he'll be back

N.C. State defensive end isn't thinking about NFL draft

N.C. State junior defensive end Willie Young said Tuesday that he hasn't given any thought to leaving for the NFL draft after this season.

"I haven't," he said after practice. "I'm enjoying myself right now. I'm enjoying myself with the Wolfpack. I can say that with a smile on my face. Yes, I can. It's a lot of love here. I have another year. And I'm looking forward to coming back next year."

Young leads the team with 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 tackles for loss and 22 quarterback pressures heading into Saturday's season finale against Miami.

Asked again if he plans to return, Young said, "Yes, sir," at first, then seemed to backtrack.

"Right now, we've got Miami to worry about," he said.

DUKE DISMISSES PLAYER: Sophomore defensive back Eddie Morgan has been dismissed from the Duke program for violation of team standards, coach David Cutcliffe said Tuesday.

Morgan, a 6-foot, 185-pound safety from McKinney, Texas, played in 22 career games with one starting assignment. He collected 23 tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup.

The Blue Devils play their season finale against North Carolina on Saturday.

SOUTH CAROLINA FANS PAY TO KEEP TICKETS: More than 90 percent of people with South Carolina season tickets paid up to $395 in new annual fees to keep their seats for 2009, athletic director Eric Hyman said Tuesday.

The "Yearly Equitable Seating" plan required fees of $25 to $395 annually. The nearly $8 million collected will go to improving athletic facilities, Hyman said. About 51,000 fans -- or 92 percent of ticket holders -- chose to keep their seats.

WVU PLAYER DISMISSED: West Virginia has dismissed freshman running back Mark Robert Sampson Jr., an 18-year-old walk-on from Glen Dale, W.Va., from the team "for a violation of team policy" after he and another man, Carson Dale Koontz, 19, of Moundsville, W.Va., were charged with sexually assaulting a woman after a weekend party.

PITT'S MCCOY SAYS HE'LL RETURN: Despite speculation he might enter the NFL draft next spring, Pittsburgh running back LeSean McCoy said Tuesday he plans to return for his junior season. On Friday, Pitt (7-3) plays West Virginia (7-3).

PATERNO LEAVES HOSPITAL: Penn State coach Joe Paterno, 81, was released from Mount Nittany Medical Center on Tuesday, two days after undergoing hip replacement surgery.

He was expected begin preparations for the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl, but it was unclear whether he will be able to be on the sideline.

TUESDAY'S GAME

NO. 15 BALL STATE 45, WESTERN MICHIGAN 22: MiQuale Lewis Lewis ran for three touchdowns, setting a season school record, and Nate Davis threw for one TD and ran for another to help the host Cardinals (12-0, 8-0 Mid-American) defeated the Broncos (9-3, 6-2).

Ball State completed its first perfect regular season since 1949 and finally clinched a spot in the conference title game.

The Cardinals will face Buffalo on Dec. 5 in Detroit with a chance to win their first league championship since 1996.