Hurricanes name QB

STEPHEN MORRIS was named opening-day starting quarterback for Miami's game at Boston College on Sept. 1.

Morris sealed the job with a strong performance in a scrimmage on Saturday.

"That's the most celebrated question around here, who's the starting quarterback," Miami coach Al Golden said. "I just think Stephen earned it."

Morris said he was told of the decision on Monday.

"I was very humbled," said Morris, who has completed 108 of 190 passes for seven touchdowns and with 11 interceptions in parts of two seasons at Miami. "It's a great opportunity for me and this team to just keep moving forward. My main focus right now is just continuing to be Boston College, getting my mind ready for that, and just finish out this camp strong, really."

Morris started the first game of the season a year ago at Maryland, filling the role when Jacory Harris served a one-game suspension for NCAA violations. He completed 19 of 28 passes in that game, and was just 7-for-9 the rest of the season as a backup.

Morris missed spring football after back surgery, and has said in recent months that he was worried about what that would mean for the start of this season.

Morris was a fixture at spring practices wearing a whistle, becoming an unofficial coach of sorts.

"Had a great offseason, had a great summer, he's the unquestioned leader right now and his performance is backing that up," Golden said.

In another matter, former Miami safety Ray-Ray Armstrong has enrolled at Faulkner University, in Montgomery, Ala., and hopes to play for the NAIA team.

Faulkner coach Brent Parker said Armstrong will practice Wednesday while awaiting clearance from the NAIA Eligibility Center.

Miami kicked Armstrong off the team in July.

Lleyton Hewitt and James Blake will receive wild cards into the U.S. Open. Hewitt is a two-time major champion, winning the 2001 U.S. Open, but at age 31 the Australian has fallen to 134th in the world. Blake has twice reached the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows, but the 32-year-old American's ranking was also too low to automatically qualify for the year's last Grand Slam, which starts Aug. 27.

* Andy Roddick developed back spasms during his opening match at the Western & Southern Open in Mason, Ohio, setting up a two-set loss to Jeremy Chardy that left questions about his health heading into the U.S. Open.

The National Hockey League Players' Association had made its first proposal in the latest round of collective bargaining talks with the NHL. The union says its proposal to the league includes a smaller percentage of revenues for players and an expanded revenue-sharing program to help struggling teams. An NHL proposal last month called for a significant decrease for players in revenue share by introducing new contract restrictions, including a 5-year cap on deals. The NHLPA has proposed a 3-year deal for a CBA with an option for a fourth.

* Jockey Robby Albarado was fined $500 for a misdemeanor assault conviction stemming from a scuffle with his former girlfriend. Judge Ann Bailey Smith set a Nov. 14 hearing to decide whether the Preakness-winning rider violated conditions of his release in a previous assault case. Albarado could be sent to jail for up to a year if he's found to have violated those terms.

* A man has appeared in a British court for sentencing after admitting spying on members of the Chinese Olympic swimming team in a women's changing room. Declan Crosbie is accused of peering over the top of cubicles as members of the team were getting changed at a sports center where they were training in the northern city of Leeds.

* Aaron Fleshner and Meghan Houston won 1-meter springboard titles at the U.S. national diving championships in Greensboro, N.C.

La Salle University soccer players Kelsey Haycook and Renee Washington have been named to the 2012 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced. The trophy is the highest individual award in intercollegiate soccer.