Toledo’s Pinkel to Missouri?

Toledo Coach Gary Pinkel has accepted the coaching job at Missouri, Toledo Athletic Director Pete Liske said Wednesday night.

“It’s certainly a loss to our program, but the program is still on strong footing,” Liske said.

Missouri officials scheduled a news conference for this afternoon to introduce the new coach. However, Jeremy McNeive, Missouri’s assistant director of media relations, said he could not confirm the hiring of the 48-year-old Pinkel.

Pinkel, who visited Missouri’s campus Tuesday, led Toledo to a 10-1 record this year and is 73-37-3 in 10 seasons at the school.

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Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen was hired as head coach at Maryland.

Friedgen, who is returning to his alma mater and the scene of his first coaching job, was signed to a six-year, $175,000-a-year contract.

It will be the first head coaching job for Friedgen, who won the Frank Broyles Award last year as the nation’s top assistant.

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The 1978 Heisman Trophy belonging to former Oklahoma running back Billy Sims will be sold Dec. 7 in a telephone auction.

Sports World Inc., a Boca Raton, Fla., company that sells sports memorabilia, will conduct the auction. Bidding will start at $10,000.

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Louisville Coach John L. Smith signed an eight-year contract to stay with the Cardinals. . . . Jim Hofher, the quarterbacks coach at Syracuse, was named head coach at Buffalo. . . . Josh McCown, a junior quarterback who started nine games for Southern Methodist, plans to transfer, Coach Mike Cavan said.