Off the wire

COLLEGE Army gets new coach

Army has hired Jeff Monken as its football coach. Monken spent the last four seasons at Georgia Southern after learning the triple-option offense under Paul Johnson during stints as an assistant at Navy and Georgia Tech. Monken posted a 38-16 record at Georgia Southern and helped guide the program’s transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision from the Football Championship Subdivision ranks. Georgia Southern, which will join the Sun Belt Conference next year, qualified for the NCAA playoffs in all three eligible seasons under Monken, advancing to the national semifinals each year while winning at least 10 games each of those seasons. The Eagles made national headlines this year during a 7-4 season when they defeated Florida 26-20 in Gainesville, Fla. Monken will be officially introduced during a news conference Monday. He replaces Rich Ellerson, who was fired last week after his fifth straight loss to Navy.

NFL

Manuel back at practice

Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback EJ Manuel has resumed practicing, though it’s not clear whether he’ll play in Buffalo’s season finale at New England this weekend. Coach Doug Marrone was non-committal about Manuel’s chances after the first-round draft pick tested his injured left knee Tuesday. Marrone wants to review the practice video and evaluate Manuel’s mobility once the Bills (6-9) return to practice Thursday following a day off. Manuel was hurt in a 27-20 win at Jacksonville on Dec. 15. He had swelling in his knee, which forced him to sit out a 19-0 win over Miami last weekend. Manuel and backup Thad Lewis split snaps during the portion of practice open to the media. Running back Fred Jackson (ribs) and starting safety Aaron Williams (ribs) did not practice.

Falcons defensive tackle Corey Peters will undergo season-ending Achilles surgery after getting injured in Monday’s loss at San Francisco. Coach Mike Smith said Tuesday that Peters suffered a non-contact injury and likely will be sidelined until the start of the 2014 season.Peters, a pending unrestricted free agent, was drafted in the third round of 2010 out of Kentucky. The fourth year starter tweeted that he plans to “come back stronger than ever” next year. Smith says that rookie safety Zeke Motta, a seventh-round pick from Notre Dame, will go on the reserved injured list after undergoing neck surgery Sunday to repair his first cervical vertebra. Peters has nine career sacks, including five this season, and has started 53 of 56 games. Motta started one game, two weeks ago against Washington.

San Francisco police say 30 people were arrested during the 49ers’ final regular season game at Candlestick Park. Police did not say what the arrests were for at Monday night’s game, when the 49ers clinched a playoff spot after beating the Atlanta Falcons 34-24. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that at least some of the people were arrested on suspicion of stealing seats from the stadium. In addition to the arrests, police said 81 people were ejected and seven people were cited. Police Chief Greg Suhr had said earlier that fans could expect 50 percent more officers at Monday’s game than a regular night game. The Niners began playing at The Stick in 1971. The team is moving to a new, $1.2 billion stadium next season.

BASKETBALL Nets’ Pierce fined

Brooklyn Nets forward Paul Pierce has been fined $15,000 for his flagrant foul on George Hill of the Pacers. Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indiana’s 103-86 victory on Monday. Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. But his arm ended up going around Hill’s neck for a clothesline tackle. Referees ruled it a flagrant 2 after review, an automatic ejection. The NBA said Tuesday that Pierce made “ excessive and unnecessary contact.”

Knicks star Carmelo Anthony will be a game-time decision for their Christmas match up with the Thunder. Anthony sprained his left ankle in New York’s 103-98 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday. The Knicks will be without at least one starter today. They said Tuesday that guard Raymond Felton will miss the nationally televised home game against Oklahoma City because of a strained right groin. Felton was also hurt Monday after returning from a six-game absence caused by a strained left hamstring.

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Seth Curry, who had been playing with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA Developmental League. The Grizzlies announced the move on Tuesday. The 6-1 guard averaged 21.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 1.58 steals on .439 shooting in 37.3 minutes in 12 games for Santa Cruz this season. Curry, 23, is the brother of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. They are the sons of ex-NBA player Dell Curry, who made at least 40 percent from three-point range in nine of his 16 NBA seasons. Seth Curry was not drafted this year after his senior season at Duke, during which he ranked second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring at 17.5 points per game.

SOCCER Dempsey on loan

United States captain Clint Dempsey will be returning to Fulham on a two-month loan from the Seattle Sounders. Dempsey passed a medical test with the Cottagers last week, and the loan was completed Tuesday. No dates were announced for when Dempsey would join Fulham or return to Seattle. But the expectation is he would come back before the Sounders opener in March against defending MLS champion Sporting Kansas City. Dempsey scored 60 goals in 225 games for Fulham from 2007-12, including 50 goals in 184 Premier League matches.

Sports, Pages 22 on 12/25/2013

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