St. Louis — Mark McGwire is back in baseball, reunited with Tony La Russa as the St. Louis Cardinals’ hitting coach.

La Russa agreed to return for a 15th year as manager Monday with a one-year contract, the first time he hasn’t had a multiyear deal with the team. All of his coaches will return except for Hal McRae, who will be replaced by the former star.

“Mark is passionate about the game, passionate about the Cardinals,” chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said. “Tony thinks he’ll be a great coach, and I think he’s got a lot to offer.”

McGwire was not at the news conference at Busch Stadium, but La Russa and general manager John Mozeliak said there will be no effort to shield McGwire from questions about steroids. The team anticipated a telephone news conference with McGwire.

“By no means is he trying to hide, and by no means are we trying to hide him,” Mozeliak said.

McGwire hit a then-record 70 home runs in 1998 and retired with 583 homers and a .263 career average in 2001. He famously refused to answer questions about steroids use during a March 2005 congressional hearing, saying he wasn’t there to talk about the past.

Former congressman Tom Davis, who led the committee that held the hearings, told the Daily News of New York that he welcomed the news.

“I think he’s entitled to another chance,” Davis told the newspaper.

McGwire has received just under 25 percent support from voters in his three appearances on the Hall of Fame ballot, well under the 75 percent needed. La Russa hopes the 46-year-old can use this position to repair a tarnished image.

“I’m a big fan of his,” the manager said. “He’s back in uniform and, hopefully, people will see his greatness. But the No. 1 reason he’s here is to coach our hitters.”

College football

Kiffin, Mullen reprimanded

Birmingham, Ala. — Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin and Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen were reprimanded Monday by the Southeastern Conference for criticizing officials, raising the number of coaches to be scolded by the league for knocking game officiating to three in the last week.

Michigan to be investigated

Ann Arbor, Mich. — University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman says the NCAA has given the school a notice of inquiry and will keep looking into allegations against the football program.

Coleman said in a statement Monday the school and NCAA will continue to work together on an “objective investigation.”

The investigation stems from an August report in the Detroit Free Press in which anonymous players said the amount of time they spent in the Rich Rodriguez-led program during the season and in the offseason exceeded NCAA limits.

Bradford follows advice

Norman, Okla. — As his teammates gathered around him in a show of support, Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford described the unanimous advice it took for him to enter the NFL Draft and end his college career at Oklahoma that was the fulfillment of his childhood dreams.

“To make this decision and realize that I’ve probably played my last game at Oklahoma,” Bradford said, taking pause at the thought, “it’s really tough.”

Dr. James Andrews will perform season-ending surgery on Bradford’s right, throwing shoulder Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala. Bradford’s recovery is expected to take four to six months, with the NFL Draft slightly less than six months away. Bradford said he’ll stick with his plan to enter his name in the draft in January as long as his rehab is going according to plan.

“I just know him personally, how hard this is for him to do this because I know deep down in his heart he wants to play,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “But really for his future, immediate and long range, we are all the way fully supportive and want what’s best for him. And as hard as it is for him to do, this is the right path to take.”

UConn CB mourned

Miami — Family, friends and teammates of a slain Connecticut football player say they will remember the small-framed cornerback for his swagger, heart and devotion to his family.

The entire UConn football team attended Jasper Howard’s funeral services Monday, and Huskies coach Randy Edsall addressed the mourners. Edsall praised Howard, saying the 20-year-old was “on track for greatness.”

NBA

Wright’s option exercised

New Orleans — The New Orleans Hornets have picked up swingman Julian Wright’s option for the 2010-11 season.

Wright, who is 6 feet 8, 225 pounds, is a former first-round draft choice entering his third NBA season and is expected to be in the starting lineup when the Hornets open the regular season at San Antonio on Wednesday night.

Picked 13th overall in 2007, the Kansas standout averaged 4.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.3 minutes last season in 58 games, including 19 starts.

Griffin sidelined

Los Angeles — Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin has a broken left kneecap that could sideline the No. 1 overall draft pick for six weeks.

The Clippers confirmed Griffin’s stress fracture late Monday night. The team will reveal further information today.

Griffin won’t be in the Clippers’ lineup when they face the Lakers in their opener tonight, and the former Oklahoma star could be out much longer.

Griffin broke his kneecap during the Clippers’ final preseason game against New Orleans last Friday, apparently after a dunk that left him wincing in pain.

Barkley wants to be GM

New York — Charles Barkley thinks he can do better than some of the general managers he criticizes on TV.

The Hall of Fame player and TNT analyst said Monday he’d like his chance to run an NBA team, though he’s in no rush because he’d want the right job.

“I think that it’d be fun to try to build my own team,” Barkley said at a luncheon, joined by studio partners Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson. “We talk about it all the time. Sometimes we say, ‘What is that guy doing? Why did he draft that guy? Why did he make a trade for that guy?’

“Some of these guys have done a bad job, plain and simple.”

Bulls exercise options

Chicago — The Chicago Bulls have exercised contract options on point guard Derrick Rose and forward Joakim Noah for the 2010-11 season.