ST. LOUIS, MO., January 22, 2020­ – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have agreed to terms with free-agent catcher Matt Wieters (pronounced WEE-ters) on a one-year contract for the upcoming 2020 season.

Wieters, 33, returns to the Cardinals for a second-straight season.   He signed with St. Louis on February 27 last year as a non-roster invitee, and was a key member of the Redbirds’ N.L. Central Division-winning club, appearing in 67 games (54 starts).

The 6-5, 235-pound Wieters hit 11 home runs last season, his most since 2016, and threw out 8 of 19 (42 pct.)  attempted base-stealers.  Wieters owns a career .250 batting mark with 146 HR’s and 546 RBI in 1,148 games played and he begins 2020 just 11 hits shy of 1,000 for his career.   His 146 career home runs rank 6th all-time among switch-hitting catchers.

Before joining St. Louis last season, Wieters had played two seasons (2017-18) with the Washington Nationals after an eight-year stint in Baltimore where he was named an American League All-Star four times (2011-12, 2014 & 2016).

A former first round (5th player overall) draft selection of the Baltimore Orioles in 2007 out of Georgia Tech University, Wieters was a Rawlings Gold Glove recipient in both 2011 and 2012.

Wieters addition puts the Cardinals 40-man Major League roster at a full 40.

(By The Associated Press) –  Iowa athletic director Gary Barta has been chosen as the new chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee. Barta was appointed to the selection committee in January 2019 and will replace Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens as chairman. Three new members of the selection committee were also appointed for three-year terms. They are former Penn State offensive lineman John Urschel, Wyoming athletic director Tom Burman and Colorado AD Rick George. Besides Mullens, also cycling off the committee are former Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer and Robert Morris University President Chris Howard, a former football player at Air Force.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell announced today that Mick McCall, who was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northwestern the past 12 seasons, was added to the Cyclone coaching staff to coach the running backs.

McCall, who has 41 years of collegiate coaching experience, including 13 seasons as an offensive coordinator at the FBS level, will reunite with Campbell. The duo were on the same staff at Bowling Green from 2003-04 and 2007.

“Mick will be a wonderful addition to our coaching staff,” Campbell said. “Mick has had an outstanding career in coaching and his vast experience and knowledge of the game will certainly give our offensive staff room an added boost. Mick was one of my mentors when I began my career in the coaching profession and I have no doubt he will be a great fit for Iowa State football.”

McCall joined the Northwestern coaching staff as the director of the offense and quarterbacks coach in 2008, helping the Wildcats go 89-67 and record three 10-win seasons (2012, 2015, 2017). NU qualified for nine bowl games, winning four, and claimed its first-ever Big Ten West title in 2018.

Northwestern boasted a number of quality quarterbacks under McCall’s guidance, including Clayton Thorson, Trevor Siemian, Kain Colter, Mike Kafka and Dan Persa.

Thorson, a three-time All-Big Ten performer, graduated in 2018 as the program’s career leader in passing yards (10,731), completions (991) and passing touchdowns (61). Siemian ended his NU career fourth in passing yardage (5,931) and completions (550) before forging a successful NFL career. He was the Denver Broncos starting quarterback in 2016 and 2017.

Northwestern offenses were effective in the running game and passing game during his tenure. One of his best weapons was Justin Jackson, who was a four-time All-Big Ten honoree from 2014-17. Jackson is NU’s career leader in carries (1,142), rushing yards (5,440) and rushing touchdowns (41). He also utilized wide receiver Austin Carr, who became just the third player since 1990 to lead the Big Ten in receptions (90), receiving yards (1,247) and touchdowns (12) in 2016. Carr and Jackson were the only duo in the nation to lead a conference in both receiving yards and rushing yards.

In 2012, McCall served as the architect to one most unique offensive systems in the country with Colter and Siemian. Colter started 12 games and rushed for 894 yards and a team-best 12 touchdowns. Siemian threw for 1,312 yards and six touchdowns.

In 2009, McCall directed the conference’s top passing attack (286.5 ypg). In the Outback Bowl, McCall’s offense broke 21 bowl records, compiling 625 total yards during a dramatic 38-35 overtime loss to Auburn. Kafka’s 47 completions, 78 passing attempts and the Wildcats 115 total offensive plays were both NCAA bowl and NCAA FBS records.

McCall was the offensive coordinator at Bowling Green in 2007, directing the Falcons’ spread offense, which averaged 402.5 yards per game. Prior to 2007, McCall spent four years as BGSU’s quarterbacks coach, mentoring All-Americans Josh Harris (2003) and Omar Jacobs (2004). In 2004, Jacobs set an NCAA record by throwing a nation best and MAC-record 41 TD passes with just four interceptions, the best TD/interception ratio in the history of college football.

McCall began coaching in 1979 at his alma mater, Southern Colorado, as the quarterbacks and running backs coach. He had coaching stints at Idaho State, Oregon State and Wyoming. Among the more notable players McCall has coached is former Idaho State running back Merril Hoge. Hoge went on to star for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL from 1987-93.

Prior to his coaching career, McCall was a quarterback at Southern Colorado in Pueblo, Colo., from 1975-78 where he was a two-time All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference performer and lettered in basketball. He was invited to participate in the training camp of the NFL’s Detroit Lions following his college playing career.