Wolverines coach Brady Hoke announced the news Thursday.

Earlier this week, Hoke said Gardner has been slowed by turf toe. On Thursday, Hoke said Gardner would not play in the game at all and there is concern from doctors about broken bones in his foot.

“It’s probably just a little more than just the turf toe,” Hoke said of the injury.

Shane Morris will get the start. The true freshman has played in four games and is 5 of 9 passing for 65 yards and an interception.

Gardner completed 60.3 percent of his passes this season for 2,960 yards, 21 TDs and 11 interceptions. He’s also second on the tea with 483 yards rushing and 11 scores.

The bowl game is Saturday at 10:15 p.m. in Tempe, Ariz., and will be televised by ESPN.


CLOWNEY TICKETED — AGAIN


South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney received another speeding ticket Thursday.

Columbia Police pulled over Clowney for driving 84 in a 55 mph zone near downtown Columbia, according to WISTV.com in Columbia.

Clowney was given a $445 ticket and released, Officer Jim Crawford told WISTV.com.

Earlier this month, Clowney was stopped going 110 in a 70 mph zone on Interstate 77 near Columbia.

South Carolina plays Wisconsin in the Jan. 1 Capital One Bowl in Orlando.

The game likely will be Clowney’s final college game as he is expected to enter the NFL draft and be one of the first players selected next April.


MSU’S BULLOUGH SUSPENDED


Michigan State has suspended senior linebacker Max Bullough for violating team rules, making him ineligible to play in the Rose Bowl.

In a news release sent early Thursday, Spartans coach Mark Dantonio said Bullough had been suspended for the rest of the season. He did not say what rules the two-time team captain violated.

"It is extremely disappointing for all parties involved," Dantonio said.

The No. 4 Spartans will play No. 5 Stanford in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif. It is Michigan State's seventh straight bowl game and first appearance in the Rose Bowl in 26 seasons.

Bullough, from Traverse City, had 76 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss this season, earning him third-team All-America honors and first-team All-Big Ten honors. He has 299 career tackles and made 40 consecutive starts.

Playing for Michigan State has been a family affair. Max Bullough's grandfather, Hank Bullough, played for Michigan State in the early 1950s, and his father Shane followed in the mid-1980s. Two of Max Bullough'suncles were Spartans and his younger brother Riley is a redshirt freshman.

"Max will forever remain a Spartan and valued member in this team's achievements," Dantonio said in the statement.


MUSCHAMP ANNOUNCES ROPER


Florida is turning to Duke's Kurt Roper to improve the Southeastern Conference's worst offense.

Coach Will Muschamp is counting on Roper's previous success in the league and his experience with an up-tempo scheme to get it done.

Muschamp announced Roper's hire Thursday, three days after he agreed to take the job.

"He has a diverse, up-tempo background on offense and does a good job of adapting to what the players do best," Muschamp said. "The most important thing, though, is he has always remained balanced. He has had success calling plays in the SEC and has tutored three NFL quarterbacks. He has had players produce at every offensive position and he is one of the most well-respected coaches in the country."

Roper is leaving the same position at Duke. He also was an assistant head coach with the Blue Devils.

Roper spent hours interviewing for the job with Muschamp on Monday. He will remain with Duke through the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Tuesday night.

"I feel like this was the right situation for me and my family at the right time," Roper said on a conference call with reporters. "It's obviously a great university that has a great tradition, and I look forward to trying to add to that."

The Gators (4-8) are coming off their first losing season since 1979. Muschamp wants to overhaul the offense after three consecutive years ranked worse than 100th nationally in total yards. Muschamp fired offensive coordinator Brent Pease and offensive line coach Tim Davis less than 24 hours after the season ended.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe said Roper's coaching style includes "intensity, tempo and quality of repetition."

"From the minute they hit the field, it's going to be intense," Cutcliffe said. "I wouldn't call him a laid-back football coach by any stretch of the imagination. It's going to be what we call treat the ground like a hot stove. If you hit the ground, you better get up running. And you know by the time they get on the field until they get off, they're going to be moving and getting a bunch of quality reps so I would call it very intense."

An 18-year coaching veteran, Roper spent six seasons as Duke's offensive coordinator. He has 14 years of experience coaching quarterbacks, including working with NFL quarterbacks Eli Manning (N.Y. Giants), Sean Renfree (Atlanta Falcons) and Thaddeus Lewis (Buffalo Bills).

He inherits an offense that features mobile quarterback Jeff Driskel and plenty of running back depth, but also includes a woeful offensive line and few playmakers on the perimeter.

"I think the biggest thing is you got to find out the strengths of your quarterback and the strengths of your offensive line," Roper said. "Once you find those strengths, then you can start putting together what you're going to start hanging your hat on offensively. Then the other five players you have to find out who can make something happen with the football. If it's running backs, if it's tight end or if it's wide receivers, then you try to find the way to get those guys the football and you create personnel or formations based on that.

"I think there's a reason for tempo in games that obviously causes defenses problems, but we'll never sacrifice tempo over execution. We want to play fast, but we want to play smart and take care of the football and those types of things."

Muschamp's next offensive coordinator had been considered the most important hire in his tenure, a choice that surely will impact whether the head coach sticks around beyond 2014.

If Florida doesn't show significant improvement in Muschamp's fourth year — he is 22-16 through three seasons — athletic director Jeremy Foley almost certainly will clean house.


UMASS FIRES MOLNAR


After two unsuccessful seasons, Charley Molnar was fired as head coach at Massachusetts, the school announced Thursday.

Molnar led the Minutemen into their first two seasons in FBS and managed just back-to-back 1-11 seasons and 1-7 in the Mid-American Conference.

“We want to thank Charley Molnar for his service and the extraordinary time and energy he devoted to coaching the Minutemen as we entered competition in the Football Bowl Subdivision,” UMass AD John McCutcheon said in a statement. “It was become clear, however, that we must improve our performance in several area and move in a new direction to ensure success in the FBS. Going forward, we must build a strong foundation to win on the field and stimulate enthusiasm and support for the program throughout the university community.”

Molnar had three years remaining on his contract worth about $836,000, McCutcheon said.

Prior to being hired at UMass, Molnar was the offensive coordinator and QB coach for Brian Kelly at Notre Dame for two seasons. He’s also been an assistant at Cincinnati, Central Michigan, Indiana State, Western Michigan, Eastern Illinois, Kent State, Illinois State and Western Carolina. 

Contributors: Ken Bradley, The Associated Press