COLLEGE FOOTBALL

OLE MISS HIRES FORMER ARKANSAS COACH

One day, Houston Nutt was leaving Arkansas. The next, he was heading to Mississippi. Ole Miss will introduce Nutt as its new coach today, ending a whirlwind hiring that began when he resigned at Arkansas on Monday and agreed to become the Rebels’ coach about four hours later. Mississippi was without a coach for less than three days. Ed Orgeron was fired on Saturday after three losing seasons. Rebels athletic director Pete Boone said yesterday he contacted Nutt on Sunday after hearing a rumor the coach would be resigning. Nutt didn’t really want to talk then “because he had a job,” Boone said. That soon changed.

FOOTBALL

WILLIAMS OUT FOR SEASON AFTER JUST SIX CARRIES

Ricky Williams’s latest comeback lasted one game. The Miami Dolphins running back will miss the rest of the season with a torn chest muscle, according to his agent, Leigh Steinberg. Williams was hurt Monday at Pittsburgh, when he played in his first game in nearly two years. He returned following a 1 1/2-year suspension for his latest violation of the NFL drug policy. Steinberg said the arm will be in a sling from four to six weeks and the rehab will take five months.

IN PITTSBURGH, WEATHER SILENCES NATIONAL ANTHEM

Oh, say can’t you sing? With the kickoff already delayed 25 minutes by terrible weather, and a stadium filled with rain-drenched fans growing impatient for the opening kickoff, the NFL skipped the national anthem before Monday night’s Dolphins-Steelers game.

Every game in the four major American pro sports leagues traditionally starts with the anthem. But the NFL rushed to start the game because of the deteriorating weather and field conditions.

GIANTS SIGN LB DANIELS OFF PRACTICE SQUAD, RELEASE PASS

The Giants signed linebacker Torrance “Tank” Daniels off their practice squad and released halfback Patrick Pass on yesterday. Pass was signed last week and played mostly on special teams in Sunday’s 41-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The eight-year veteran had one assisted tackle.

BASEBALL

METS UNVEIL 2008 SCHEDULE

The Mets play NL East rival Philadelphia in their home opener April 8, and the regular-season finale at Shea Stadium will be September 28 against Florida.

New York released its 2008 schedule yesterday, which also includes the return of former Yankees manager Joe Torre to the Big Apple when his Los Angeles Dodgers open a four-game series against the Mets on May 29.

The September 28 game against the Marlins would be the final game at Shea Stadium if the Mets don’t make the playoffs. They plan to move into a new ballpark, Citi Field, in 2009. New York started playing at Shea when it opened in 1964.

The Mets begin the 2008 season April 1 at Florida.