Penn State sophomore quarterback Steven Bench has been granted a release to transfer, according to the school.

Bench, who will complete the spring semester on campus, tweeted that he wanted to go to a school that gave him an opportunity to compete for a starting quarterback job.

Penn State coach Bill O’Brien said sophomore Tyler Ferguson and freshmen D.J. Crook, Christian Hackenburg and Austin Whipple will compete for the starting quarterback job.

Some reports had Bench even with Ferguson as the Nittany Lions finished spring practice.

Last January, Bench said O’Brien’s experience mentoring New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady influenced his decision to sign with Penn State. He played in two games as a true freshman in 2012, completing two of seven passes for 12 yards and rushing for 18 yards against Virginia. He did not complete his lone pass attempt against Purdue.

“I have been meeting with all the players this week with my evaluation of where they are at related to football and academics and to discuss what they need to work on this summer,” O’Brien said in a release. “After meeting with Steven, he informed me he wants to play elsewhere. We want what is best for Steven. I want to thank him for his contributions to the program. We wish Steven the best in the future and will assist him anyway we can.”

Penn State opens its 2013 season on Aug. 31 vs. Syracuse at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

I've decided to leave Penn State and go to a school that will give me the opportunity to compete for the QB spot and reach my full potential—
Steven Bench (@SBench12) April 24, 2013

According to Coach O'Brien, soph. QB Steven Bench has been granted a release to transfer from the football program: bit.ly/ZNuBhB—
Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) April 24, 2013

The Big Ten will be divided into East and West divisions beginning in the 2014 season, according to ESPN.com’s Brett McMurphy and Adam Rittenberg.

Teams will be assigned to the divisions based on geography, with Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin in the proposed Big Ten West and Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Rutgers in the proposed Big Ten East.

Maryland and Rutgers are set to join the league in 2014.

The alignment will replace the current setup of the Legends and Leaders divisions, which were created in 2011 based primarily on competitive balance.

The conference’s presidents and chancellors are expected to vote on the matter next week, when they will likely approve a change to a nine-game conference schedule beginning in the 2016 season.

From the ESPN.com report:

With the new division format, rivals Indiana and Purdue will be the only protected game between teams from the East and West divisions, ESPN.com reported last month.

The Big Ten wants to create as much flexibility as possible with its league schedules.

A 10-game conference schedule, once considered by the league, is no longer a possibility because of the necessity of teams needing seven home games a year, a source said.

Steve Alford fell out of favor with Iowa boosters for his handling of the Pierre Pierce sexual assault case. (Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)

New UCLA basketball coach Steve Alford apologized Thursday for past comments about Pierre Pierce who was accused of sexual assault while playing for Alford at Iowa 10 years ago.

Alford’s handling of Pierce was raised during questions at his introductory UCLA press conference last week.

Alford strongly defended Pierce in 2002 — going so far as to say his player was innocent — of a third-degree sexual assault charge before Pierce later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. Iowa suspended and red-shirted Pierce that season.

In 2005, the Hawkeyes starting point guard was charged with sexual assault again, accused of threatening an ex-girlfriend with a knife and choking her. He was dismissed from the team before charges were filed, and eventually spent 11 months in prison after pleading guilty to two charges of first-degree burglary, assault with intent to commit sexual assault and fourth-degree criminal mischief.

Alford’s standing with Iowa supporters waned during the ordeal. He left Iowa City to coach New Mexico in 2007.

“That was an instance that happened years ago,” Alford said via the Associated Press. “I followed everything that the University of Iowa, the administration, the lawyers that were hired … I followed everything that I was told to do.”

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Braylon Heard and Kentucky coach Mark Stoops both attended Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, Ohio. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Former Nebraska running back Braylon Heard will transfer to Kentucky, according to ESPN.com.

Heard, who rushed for 348 yards while averaging 6.7 yards per carry with the Huskers last season, chose Kentucky over Pittsburgh.

Heard was a highly recruited back out of Cardinal Mooney High School of Youngstown, Ohio — the same high school new Kentucky coach Mark Stoops attended. Heard said he wanted to play for a school closer to his hometown.

“I feel it is the right spot because I feel like I fit in well at the university,” Heard told ESPN. “Kentucky will set up the run really well. They have good players on the outside, three good QB’s, a great line and backs. And yes, can’t beat being in the SEC.”

The Huskers are left with Ameer Abduallah and Imani Cross as the only two running backs on the roster with experience.

Defensive back Matt Robinson #40 of the Maryland Terrapins leads the team onto the field. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The University of Maryland’s move to the Big Ten conference includes a multimillion-dollar subsidy for travel expenses, according to Jeff Barker of The Baltimore Sun.

Although financial details are not disclosed in the report, sources familiar with the deal estimate Maryland is in line for somewhere between $20 million and $30 million for travel expenses. Whether the money will be provided in a lump sum or spread out over time is undetermined at this point. Maryland’s travel budget is set for about $3 million in 2012-13 and would increase to $6 million in 2014-15 following the move to the Big Ten.

Maryland, which called the Atlantic Coast Conference home for nearly 60 years, struck a deal to join the Big Ten conference in an attempt to increase revenue. The Big Ten projects Maryland will make $32 million in 2014-15.

Maryland’s motion to dismiss an ACC lawsuit filed against it was denied. The school faces a $52 million exit fee for leaving the conference. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

A North Carolina judge refused to drop the lawsuit the ACC filed against the University of Maryland for exiting the conference, reports the Baltimore Sun. The conference slapped a $52 million exit fee on Maryland for its plans to leave the ACC and go to the Big Ten; the school’s attorneys filed a motion to drop the lawsuit last month, saying the suit was invalid but was denied.

David Paulson, the spokesman for Maryland’s Attorney General, said “the state is going to be be considering its options in light of this ruling.”

Maryland’s attorneys have 30 days to appeal the ruling, which was issued on Monday. The school’s argument is that since it is state-funded, it is protected from lawsuits by sovereign immunity. The ACC’s attorney says sovereign immunity is not a part of contractual claim in North Carolina.