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Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh bulled past the guys who play the glamour positions and proved you don't have to score touchdowns or toss passes to be the player of the year.

Spurred by a dominant performance against Texas in the Big 12 title game, Suh became the first defensive player voted The Associated Press College Football Player of the Year on Tuesday.

Suh had already won two defensive player of the year awards -- the Nagurski and Bednarik -- and two for best lineman -- the Lombardi and Outland. He also finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

"Just being recognized as player of the year is a huge accomplishment," Suh said in a recent phone interview from Lincoln, Neb.

He received 26 of a possible 59 votes from AP college football poll voters to edge Stanford running back Toby Gerhart , who received 20 votes.

Heisman winner Mark Ingram finished tied for third with Texas quarterback Colt McCoy , each getting six votes. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow received one vote.

Since the AP started handing out a player of the year award in 1998, all the winners have been quarterbacks or running backs.

UNLV hires Hauck

UNLV hired Montana's Bobby Hauck as its next football coach, less than a week after he coached the Grizzlies in the FCS national championship game, The Associated Press reported.

Hauck went 80-17 in seven seasons with the Grizzles and led the team to three Football Championship Subdivision national title games, including last week's 23-21 loss to Villanova.

Hauck will replace Mike Sanford, who was fired last month after going 16-43 and failing to make a bowl game in five seasons with the Rebels. The Rebels were 5-7 in 2009 and lost by 20 points or more five times, including a 41-0 loss at TCU and an embarrassing 63-28 loss at Nevada.

Sanford, Utah's former offensive coordinator before he took the UNLV job, was introduced Tuesday as the offensive coordinator at Louisville.

Bowden 'disappointed' by early departure

Bobby Bowden said Tuesday that while he wanted to coach another year at Florida State, "that was out" as an option.

Bowden announced his retirement Dec. 1 -- a day after expressing a desire to coach in 2010 during a meeting with university officials.

"I wanted to, but that was out," he told The Associated Press as he motored his golf cart onto Florida State's practice field for the final time Tuesday. "I'm disappointed, but that wears off."

Jimbo Fisher will officially become FSU's new coach on Jan. 5.

Regardless of the unceremonial ending to his 34 years at Florida State, Bowden said he has no regrets or hard feelings.

"No regrets whatsoever with the whole picture, big picture," the 80-year-old coach said. "I look at it for the 56 years, not what happened last year or the last four years or five years."

USC prepares without McKnight

USC coach Pete Carroll is preparing for Saturday's Emerald Bowl with the thought that leading rusher Joe McKnight won't be able to play.

McKnight is in Los Angeles dealing with paperwork following an investigation into whether he improperly used an SUV registered to a local businessman.

"There have been some raised issues that the compliance office is taking very seriously," Carroll said Tuesday at a news conference for the bowl game against Boston College.

McKnight led USC in rushing this season with 1,014 yards. He also scored eight touchdowns and averaged 6.2 yards per carry. If McKnight can't go, Allen Bradford will likely get the starting nod. Bradford had 98 carries for 596 yards and eight scores this season.

Going pro

Saying the NFL "has been in my heart for a while," Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis is skipping his senior season and entering the draft.

Some experts have slotted Davis as the third-rated, draft-eligible offensive tackle prospect behind Oklahoma State's Russell Okung and Oklahoma's Trent Williams .

Also, Fresno State star running back Ryan Mathews will skip his senior season to enter the draft. He leads major college football with 1,808 yards rushing this season.