UNM received offer

for 'media silence`

New Mexico president David Schmidly said Wednesday that an attorney representing an assistant football coach sent a letter offering "continued media silence" in exchange for a $500,000 settlement in a dispute with head football coach Mike Locksley.

Schmidly said the overture was rejected.

"I outright refused it," Schmidly said during a news conference. "I turned the letter over to our legal staff and told them the answer is no."

Julian Haffner, a lawyer in Bethesda, Md., who is representing receivers coach J.B. Gerald, didn`t immediately return telephone messages seeking comment.

Gerald, who claims he was punched and choked by Locksley, made his first public comments about the dispute during an interview broadcast last week by ESPN. Schmidly said he "wouldn`t be surprised" if Gerald files a civil lawsuit against the university.

Bowden to pick

new D-coordinator

Bobby Bowden sounds like he plans to coach next year at Florida State and says he`ll choose the successor to longtime defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews.

In response to a question on Wednesday`s Atlantic Coast Conference football coaches teleconference, Bowden said he would give his designated successor, offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, a lot of input in the selection, but that he would make the final decision.

Andrews announced his intention Tuesday to retire after 26 seasons at Florida State.

Bowden, who turns 80 Sunday, is on a year-to-year deal at Florida State with a final option for the 2010 season since the school has promised $5 million to Fisher if he is not the head coach by January 2011.

Spikes` suspension

bumped to full game

With all the negative attention "weighing heavy on his heart," Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes asked to serve a full-game suspension for apparently trying to gouge the eyes of a Georgia running back.

Coach Urban Meyer obliged, saying Wednesday that it was in the top-ranked Gators` best interest that Spikes sit out Saturday`s game against Vanderbilt.

"I really don`t want to be a distraction to the team," Spikes said after practice. "I want the guys to prepare without any negative things going on, and I feel like if I would play, it would be a big thing going on. I`m just trying to stay out of the way and just motivate the guys."

Notable

The replacement for the Cotton Bowl game has been lined up. Dallas city leaders say the Dallas Football Classic is planned for New Year`s Day 2011. The plan calls for using teams from the Big Ten to play teams from Conference USA and the Big 12 on a rotating basis.

A Hartford, Conn., man has been charged with lying to police investigating the stabbing death of UConn football player Jasper Howard. UConn Police Lt. Andrew Fournier says 18-year-old De`Quan Muhammad was arrested on Monday and charged with making a false statement, hindering prosecution and interfering with an officer.