CFB notebook: Tennessee, Currie reach $2.5 million settlement

Tennessee and John Currie reached a settlement that will pay the former athletic director $2.5 million. Currie was placed on paid leave on Dec. 1, after his attempts to hire a new football coach were met with controversy. The two parties agreed on a one-time payment of $2.2 million Thursday night. Currie had been receiving his monthly salary of $75,000 since he was dismissed. "We wish John and his family well in their future endeavors," Tennessee chancellor Beverly Davenport said in a statement Thursday. "We are grateful for his contributions to the University of Tennessee, which began more than two decades ago." --Auburn starting wide receiver Will Hastings suffered a knee injury during Saturday's scrimmage, multiple media outlets reported. The extent of the injury to Hastings' knee was unclear, although 247sports.com reported that the senior wideout was headed to the Andrews Institute for further evaluation. Hastings, who averaged 20.2 yards and scored four touchdowns on 26 catches last season, is the second big injury to the Tigers' receiving corps. --Michigan tight end Tyrone Wheatley Jr. is expected to miss the remainder of spring football with a foot injury, coach Jim Harbaugh announced. "It looks like he fractured the (metatarsal) in his foot (Friday)," Harbaugh said, per MLive. "He'll be out all of spring ball -- but back for the season." Wheatley, who is listed at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, is the son of former Wolverines running back Tyrone Wheatley. The younger Wheatley had red-shirted as a true freshman in 2015 and reeled in just three catches in back-to-back seasons. He has totaled 61 receiving yards and a touchdown. -- Syracuse quarterback Rex Culpepper announced that his testicle cancer has spread to his abdomen after surgery but he expects to return to football after chemotherapy. Culpepper, 20, was diagnosed with testicular cancer last May. Culpepper played in 12 games last season, mostly on special teams. In four of those games, he appeared as a quarterback, including one start. He completed 45 passes for 518 yards with two touchdowns.