The Birmingham News reported that former University of Tennessee football player Kenny Smith and his parents have decided to re-file a lawsuit against Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer that was dismissed by a judge in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

On Monday, Circuit Court Judge Scott Donaldson cited a lack of jurisdiction in dismissing the defamation lawsuit.

The Smiths' original suit also named the NCAA, the American Football Coaches Association, NCAA investigator Richard Johanningmeier, NCAA president Myles Brand, Brand's senior adviser Wallace Renfro, and freelance recruiting analyst Tom Culpepper.

The suit alleged that Fulmer defamed Vicki Smith Dagnan, the former player's mother, in a statement to Johanningmeier during the NCAA's investigation of the Alabama football program. The suit claimed Fulmer told Johanningmeier that Smith Dagnan had an extramarital affair with an Alabama assistant coach. Fulmer's statement as a confidential witness was revealed in documents that came to light as part of the Logan Young bribery case in Memphis.

The News reported that no timetable was given for filing the suit in Tennessee.

UK Player Charged: Suspended Kentucky football player Ricky Abren had a second felony charge added to his case during a court hearing in his hometown of Hopkinsville, Ky.

Abren, a redshirt freshman nose guard, was arrested July 23 on charges of carrying a concealed deadly weapon, a felony; possession of marijuana; possession of a suspended license; and operating a vehicle with a suspended license. The other charges are misdemeanors.

In court on Friday, he also was charged with knowingly receiving stolen property, the second felony charge against him, said Abren's attorney, Foster Cotthoff. The loaded handgun found by police in the car that Abren was driving allegedly had been stolen.

Cotthoff said Abren plans to be on campus Monday when players report for the season's first practice. Abren was suspended from game action by coach Rich Brooks on July 26.

He sat out last season as a medical redshirt because of an irregular heartbeat but rose to No. 2 on the depth chart at nose guard during spring practice.

Another Title?: It seems that winning half of last season's national championship only made the Southern Cal football program hungry for more.

The Trojans have gone back through the record books and are now laying claim to a portion of the 1939 title.

That season's undefeated team, though finishing No. 3 in the young Associated Press poll, ranked first in the Dickinson System, a now-defunct formula that was among the recognized polls of the era.

USC is not alone in its assessment; the NCAA also lists the team among three champions named by 13 polls in existence that season.

Texas A&M, at 11-0, ranked atop 10 of the polls. Cornell, 8-0, won two.

The Trojans shut out six teams and allowed only 33 points, still a school record. A 14-0 victory against No. 2 Tennessee in the Rose Bowl left USC at 8-0-2.