PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers hired Sean Kugler as their offensive line coach Thursday.

Kugler replaces Larry Zierlein, an original member of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin's staff in 2007. Zierlein and special teams coordinator Bob Ligashesky were fired last week after the Steelers (9-7) missed the playoffs.

Kugler, a former UTEP player, worked with the offensive linemen and tight ends with the Detroit Lions from 2001-05. He was the assistant head coach and offensive line coach at Boise State in 2006 before joining the Bills in 2007 as an assistant offensive line coach. He was promoted to offensive line coach in 2008. The Bills fired their entire coaching staff last week.

OWENSBORO, Ky. — Southern Indiana center Jeron Lewis died late Thursday after collapsing on the basketball court during a game at Kentucky Wesleyan, school officials said.Lewis, 21, fell under the basket with about 4 minutes left, said athletic department spokesman Ray Simmons. Lewis was rushed to Owensboro Medical Health Center, where he died just before 10 p.m.Simmons said he had no details about what may have caused his death, and the school scheduled a news conference for this afternoon.

WASHINGTON — Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas was charged Thursday with felony gun possession in connection with a Dec. 21 locker room confrontation with a teammate.Prosecutors charged Arenas with one count of carrying a pistol without a license, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The charges were filed in D.C. Superior Court in an "information," a document that generally signals a plea deal.Arenas is scheduled to appear before a judge today.

HONOLULU — Davis Love III hasn't played a tournament in two months. Robert Allenby probably should not have played at all. And then there was Troy Merritt, who had never played a PGA Tour event in his life until Thursday in the Sony Open.They were among six players tied for the lead on a windy day at Waialae that swept into all sorts of possibilities.The first full-field event of the PGA Tour season produced quite the log jam, with Allenby and his severely twisted ankle and John Merrick the latest to join the fray at 5-under 65.The other two were defending champion Zach Johnson and Ryan Palmer.

TAMPA, Fla. — The player who says fired South Florida football coach Jim Leavitt grabbed him by the throat and slapped him in the face wants a public apology.The attorney for Joel Miller said Thursday that the sophomore walk-on is not interested in filing a lawsuit, but could if Leavitt doesn't "man up" and admit wrongdoing in the locker room incident that cost the coach his job.Leavitt was fired last week after a university investigation concluded he grabbed Miller during halftime of a game, slapped the player twice in the face and then lied about it."