LSU’s Mauck to Test the NFL Draft Waters

Louisiana State quarterback Matt Mauck said Tuesday that he would skip his final year of college eligibility to make himself available for the NFL draft.

Also Tuesday, LSU defensive end Marcus Spears, Texas running back Cedric Benson and Michigan defensive back Marlin Jackson chose to stay in school for their senior seasons.

Mauck was 18-2 as a starter and set an LSU record with 28 touchdown passes this season en route to a Sugar Bowl victory over Oklahoma and the bowl championship series title. He becomes the second Tiger to leave school early, joining receiver Michael Clayton.

The early-entry deadline is Friday.

“I want to give it my best shot, and hopefully it will work out,” Mauck said at a news conference.

Mauck, who turns 25 next month, graduated in December. He is getting married in February and was considering dental school.

Benson, who rushed for 1,360 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2003, is only the third Longhorn back to rush for 1,000 yards in three seasons.

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New Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan fired seven assistants, including Bo Pelini, who led the Cornhuskers to victory over Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl as interim coach.

Pelini will interview Thursday at Oklahoma for a position on Bob Stoops’ staff.

Beside Pelini, Callahan also fired offensive coordinator Barney Cotton, and assistants Marvin Sanders, Jimmy Williams, Tim Albin, Ron Brown and Jeff Jamrog.

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Eastern Michigan’s starting quarterback, Chinedu Okoro, has been dropped from the team after being charged with injuring a police officer attempting to break up a disturbance at Ypsilanti, Mich.

Backup defensive back Yves Dieudonne, also charged with resisting and opposing an officer, causing injury, was dismissed from the team as well.

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Tennis

French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero was upset by Australian teen Chris Guccione in the first round of the Adidas International at Sydney, Australia, 6-3, 7-6 (6).

Guccione, an 18-year-old wild-card entry playing in his third ATP event, closed the match with his 19th ace. Guccione is ranked 447th, Ferrero third.

Guccione next faces veteran South African Wayne Ferreira, who was a 6-2, 6-4 winner over James Blake.

Wimbledon runner-up Mark Philippoussis, seeded fourth, beat Spanish qualifier Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

Third-seeded Carlos Moya beat Alex Bogomolov Jr., 7-5, 6-4.

In women’s first-round matches, sixth-seeded Elena Dementieva beat Ansley Cargill, 6-0, 0-6, 6-3; Amanda Coetzer defeated Patty Schnyder, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0; and Lina Krasnoroutskaya beat Daniela Hantuchova, 6-2, 6-2.

Defending champion Gustavo Kuerten saved a match point against former world No. 2 Alex Corretja before advancing to the second round of the Heineken Open at Auckland, New Zealand.

The third-seeded Kuerten took 3 1/2 hours to beat Corretja, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 7-5, to post his seventh straight victory over his Spanish training partner and rival.

Corretja, who saved a match point in the second set, was given a wild-card entry into the main draw.

He was surprised to meet a player of Kuerten’s stature in the first round.

“I was told this was a small tournament, so I was surprised there should be a replay of the 2001 French Open final in Round 1,” Corretja said.

Top-seeded Paola Suarez of Argentina beat Italy’s Antonella Serra Zanetti, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1, in the first round of the Canberra Classic at Canberra, Australia.

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Miscellany

A memorial service for V.J. Lovero, the team photographer for the Angels and Mighty Ducks who died Monday, will be held Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at St. Edward’s Church, 33926 Calle La Primavera, Dana Point. The funeral will be held at noon Friday at Holy Family Cathedral, 566 South Glassell St., Orange. Burial will take place after the funeral at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, 7845 Santiago Canyon Road, Orange.