Cougars’ Anderson to focus on track

Washington State wide receiver Jeshua Anderson is quitting football to focus on track, another blow to the struggling Cougars (0-2).

The speedy junior and former standout at Woodland Hills Taft High announced his decision through a school spokesman Wednesday.

Anderson is a two-time NCAA champion in the 400-meter hurdles and finished ninth at the U.S. Olympic trials last year. He caught 33 passes and had two touchdowns while starting 11 games in 2008 and had four catches this season.

He says he wants “to focus all my attention on track. . . . I can’t give 100% to both and still reach my goals.”

Coach Paul Wulff says Anderson is a “once-in-a-lifetime athlete” and that he respects his dedication to try to be the best in the world in the hurdles.

Michigan incident

Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez says he didn’t see linebacker Jonas Mouton throw a punch at Notre Dame lineman Eric Olsen.

Rodriguez faced questions as video of the incident during Saturday’s 38-34 Wolverines victory spread on the Internet. Mouton appears to swing at Olsen’s chin after getting up from the turf after Olsen fell on him.

Rodriguez says an official would have called any infraction and says Mouton won’t face discipline.

Quick hits

Nebraska running back Collins Okafor has left the team. Coach Bo Pelini announced the redshirt freshman’s departure in a statement. Nebraska spokesman Keith Mann says Okafor decided to leave the team on his own. . . . Mississippi State will allow Maurice Langston to join the team after the defensive back took a plea deal following his arrest for marijuana possession. . . . Georgia Coach Mark Richt says sophomore tailback Caleb King is “very probable” to make his season debut against Arkansas. . . . The Southwestern Athletic Conference’s first female official in football will work a game this weekend. Yvonda Lewis will help officiate the Texas College-Texas Southern game Saturday in Houston. . . . Louisiana State and North Carolina will meet in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game to open the 2010 season. The game will be played Sept. 4 in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.