C.O.

In an article about the Eastern Washington game, Stephen Tsai writes about good news for ex-Warrior Chad Owens.

Former UH receiver/returner Chad Owens yesterday signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Like all NFL contracts, only the signing bonus is guaranteed. Owens received an undisclosed bonus.

"I got a little change," Owens said.

Owens finished the past two seasons on the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad. He was credited with one year of NFL service.

If he makes the Buccaneers' 2007 roster, he will earn $360,000, the NFL minimum for a second-year player.

"I'm definitely going to miss Jacksonville," Owens said. "I've made some friends in the organization. From a business standpoint, now I have to do what I have to do to get on the field."

Owens said he turned down an offer to return to the Jaguars, who released him each of the past two years. They signed him to the practice squad both times.

But Owens said: "It was time to move on."

Thank goodness. He hopefully will be given time to shine in Tampa Bay.

And here's an AP article about the WAC's good showing in the bowls.

Benson sees the bowl results as a vindication for his conference, which doesn't get an automatic berth into the Bowl Championship Series games. Boise State had to win the WAC and finish high enough in the final BCS standings to earn a berth, just as do other teams from the so-called "mid-major" conferences.

But Benson doesn't like the term mid-major, and Boise State's win might have changed how it is perceived anyway.

"The amount of notoriety that is bringing makes it the biggest moment in WAC history," Benson said.

He said both Boise State and Hawaii should start next season ranked in the Top 25, and that Boise State ought to be in the Top 10.

"When you finish the season ranked in the Top 25 and you have star caliber players back, that tends to be a factor," Benson said.

Boise State has running back Ian Johnson, who scored 25 touchdowns this season. Hawaii has quarterback Colt Brennan, who broke the NCAA single-season record for touchdown passes with 58.

"Colt Brennan, you expect he will be one of the preseason leading Heisman candidates," said Benson. "And Ian will be on a lot of preseason Heisman lists as well."

Brennan, who will be a senior, finished sixth in Heisman voting in 2006 while Johnson, who will be a junior, was eighth.