Oregon coach to stay put

Oregon football coach Mike Bellotti, approached by UCLA in its search for a coach, said Friday he’s staying put.

“You’re always flattered when others want to talk to you, but that’s because of the success we’ve enjoyed based on our players, our support staff and our administration,” Bellotti said in a statement. “I have been, and continue to be, 100 percent committed to the University of Oregon and our pursuit of a national championship.”

Bellotti, who turned 57 on Friday, is in his 13th season as Oregon’s coach with a record of 105-52. The university confirmed Thursday that he had spoken to UCLA officials.

“I was approached by them on several occasions and finally agreed to allow them to come to Eugene and speak with me,” his statement said.

The Ducks (8-4) lost their final three regular-season games after losing quarterback Dennis Dixon to a knee injury. Oregon will play South Florida in the Sun Bowl on New Year’s Eve in El Paso, Texas.

UCLA is seeking a successor to Karl Dorrell, who was released from his contract Dec. 3 after compiling a 35-27 record in five seasons.

Bruins officials have talked to a number of prospects.

• LOUISIANA STATE — A Louisiana state judge near the home of the Tigers has agreed to postpone a trial scheduled to start on the same day LSU plays Ohio State in the Bowl Championship Series national championship game.

Stephen Babcock, an attorney defending Imperial Casualty Insurance Co. in a lawsuit over a car crash, requested the delay because he has tickets to the Jan. 7 game at the Superdome in New Orleans. He and other LSU fans have rented out the second floor of a Bourbon Street bar for a pregame tailgate party.

In his written request to West Baton Rouge Parish District Judge Alvin Batiste for a new trial date, Babcock refers to Ohio State as “Slowhio” (“due to their perceived lack of speed on both sides of the ball”) and notes that Allstate, sponsors of the Sugar Bowl, “are not a party in the insurance case.”

Babcock, whose law office is in Baton Rouge, said lawyers for the plaintiff in the case also have tickets to the game.

• FLORIDA STATE — University president T.K. Wetherell attributed an academic cheating scandal to a lack of oversight by athletic department officials, an inattentive faculty member and a rogue tutor.

Wetherell described the course in question, a three-hour music history class, as “contaminated” and said changes have been made.

The school has suspended about two dozen football players, including some starters, for its Dec. 31 game against Kentucky in the Music City Bowl. The players who won’t travel to the game will be identified today when the school announces its travel list.

• TENNESSEE — Three starters are among six Volunteers ruled academically ineligible for the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl against Wisconsin.

Wide receiver Lucas Taylor, linebacker Rico McCoy and defensive tackle Demonte Bolden are among the six scholarship players whose fall semester grades didn’t meet NCAA and Southeastern Conference requirements to play. Also ineligible to play are free safety Ricardo Kemp, wide receiver Kenny O’Neal and linebacker Chris Donald.

• MICHIGAN — Fred Jackson was brought back as the team’s running backs coach, a day after new coach Rich Rod-riguez fired all the assistants on Lloyd Carr’s staff.