CFB notebook: Rose Bowl raising money for Keith Jackson statue

The Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation is working to raise $400,000 to build a statue in honor of the late Keith Jackson, who was widely regarded by several generations as the voice synonymous with college football. Jackson died on Jan. 12 at the age of 89. "Keith epitomized big moments in sports, that turned out to be iconic memories for generations of people," Dedan Brozino, the foundation's executive director, told the Los Angeles Times. "We owe a lot of our history to his mind and his voice. We hope this statue will provide a gift for future generations to experience and learn from his broadcast legacy and that of the venue." The Rose Bowl's television and radio booths were renamed "The Keith Jackson Broadcast Center" in 2005. --Although Miami coach Mark Richt said after the Orange Bowl loss to Wisconsin that every position, including quarterback, would be up for grabs in the spring, he apparently has reconsidered that stance for quarterback Malik Rosier. "Malik is the starting quarterback, for sure," Richt said in a recent interview with David Hale of ESPN.com. "Someone's got to dethrone him. Someone's got to beat him out if that's going to happen. It's not like -- to say it's wide open, every position is wide open because we want a competition at every level. Every player that comes back talks about the greatest competition they had was on the practice field. ... But Malik is the starting quarterback, and he's going to be unless somebody knocks him off the perch." Questions arose about Rosier's starting status for next season when he struggled in the Hurricanes' final three games. Miami was 10-0 before losing to Pittsburgh, Clemson (in the Atlantic Coast title game) and Wisconsin to finish the season. --Tennessee has hired away former Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke from Alabama, multiple media outlets reported. Weinke is expected to replace running backs coach Robert Gillespie, who left Tennessee earlier this week, GoVols247 reported, citing sources close to the situation. An offensive analyst with the Crimson Tide, Weinke will be reunited with Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt, who was defensive coordinator at Alabama before assuming his new position in December. --Western Michigan has decided to promote from within for its new offensive coordinator, one of several coaching changes for the Broncos. Kevin Johns left after one season as the Broncos' offensive coordinator to become offensive coordinator at Texas Tech. To fill that vacancy, Jake Moreland was promoted to offensive coordinator but will remain as the team's offensive line coach as well. Also, Eric Evans will move from coaching the running backs to coaching the quarterbacks, and Terry Malone will become the running backs coach after being director of player development this past season. Dontae Wright was named co-special teams coordinator and safeties coach after spending last season as Tennessee Tech's special teams coordinator and defensive ends coach.