Happy New Year! Thursday Sports Update (1/1)

As 2015 begins, a lot of sports to talk about…Florida will be without a couple of players for its bowl game, a possible new hire for the future football coaching staff, bowl games galore including the national semi-final games and more in our Thursday Sports Update…

** As Florida prepares to play in the Birmingham Bowl on Saturday, it will do so without two players.   Wide receiver Andre Debose has opted not to play in the game and defensive tackle Darius Cummings will miss the game because of a violation of team rules.

** Several reports today have surfaced saying former University of Miami head coach and current Arkansas linebackers coach Randy Shannon will be added to the Florida staff of new coach Jim McElwain in the same capacity.   The reports say Shannon would also be the recruiting coordinator.

** Bowl games yesterday see Boise State beating Arizona 38-30 in the Fiesta Bowl; Georgia Tech downs Mississippi State 49-34 in the Orange Bowl and TCU crushes Ole Miss 42-3 in the Peach Bowl.

** The traditional bevy of bowl  games for New Year’s Day continues this year as the Outback, Citrus, and Cotton Bowls are on tap for today.

** The National Semi-Final college football games will also be played today.   The Rose Bowl has Oregon and Florida State while the Sugar Bowl features Alabama and Ohio State.

** In the NFL, the Buffalo Bills search fora new coach today after Doug Marrone opts out of his contract with new ownership taking over the team.    Also, the Washington Redskins will not retain defensive coordinator Jim Haslett.

** In the NBA, the Miami Heat lose to Indiana 106-95.  Brooklyn is in Orlando today.