ESPN VIDEO: Raiders Fire Lane Kiffin, Won’t To Pay Salary

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen on the Raiders firing of head coach Lane Kiffin…

The Firing Line: Focus on Glenn - 9/30/2008

The Denver Post reports Joe Glenn will remain head coach of the Wyoming Cowboys at least through the end of the 2008 season…

Joe Glenn will coach the Wyoming football team through the 2008 season. Only then will his job status be evaluated, according to athletic director Tom Burman. Unlike the musical chairs quarterback situation at Wyoming, Burman said Monday there is no chance of a midseason replacement of his coach. “Joe is our head coach, and we believe in him and his staff,” Burman said in a telephone interview. “At the end of the year, we will assess the program and the full body of work. Until then, we will just let them play.” Speculation about Glenn’s job status has grown the more the team struggles. The Cowboys (2-3) were blown out by Bowling Green 45-16 on Saturday. – Denver Post

The Firing Line: Focus on Bowden - 9/30/2008

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Clemson’s Tommy Bowden…

Fan discontent is at abnormally high levels because, in the 10th year under Bowden, the Tigers haven’t shown signs of fulfilling the great expectations they carried into the season. Even Bowden’s job security — thought to be strong after he signed a major contract extension last December — appears on shaky ground, according to sources. At this point, anything short of a trip to Tampa for the ACC title game could bring a change. But Bowden, who has gone 10-10 in his past 20 games against Football Bowl Subdivision teams, says he’s been through this drill before. The Tigers get this weekend off before a Thursday night trip to Wake Forest on Oct. 9. “In the 10 years I’ve been here, this is surely not the first time this has happened,” he said of speculation about his job security. “That’s kind of what you do is motivate your team and get them back up after a loss. That’s kind of what coaching is. … There’s major disappointment inside this building, and I know it is outside the building also. You feel the pain of not only disappointing yourself and your players, but 80,000 people.” – Post & Courier

Five games and two losses into the season, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden is defending himself, his program, and his offensive coordinator. This, from the coach who just got a contract extension and was the overwhelming preseason favorite to win the program’s first ACC title since 1991… “If you look at the penalties and when you got them — I don’t know,” Bowden told reporters. “Y’all might call plays differently, but I’ve done it for a long time. And there’s not much more we could have done.” Well, that’s a problem, because even with his contract extension, the Tigers are going to have to do a lot more this season in order for Bowden to get another chance at falling below expectations. – ESPN

Just five games into the season, Clemson Coach Tommy Bowden finds himself in a tight spot with last week’s loss to Maryland. Then again, Bowden has had plenty of experience the past 9 1/2 seasons navigating through the hottest of waters. The latest problem came Saturday, the Tigers (3-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) squandering an 11-point halftime lead in a 20-17 loss to the Terps. Clemson’s players were already battered from a season-squelching first-game loss to Alabama. Now they’ve got the memory of angry Death Valley fans booing loudly as time ran out. Bowden remained confident in offensive coordinator Rob Spence and his playcalling. Bowden also said he wasn’t considering benching QB Cullen Harper. What’s got Bowden worried, though, are his players’ psyches heading into the off week. – Orlando Sentinel

The Firing Line: Focus on Willingham - 9/30/2008

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Washington’s Tyrone Willingham…

From the brink, Tyrone Willingham called opening his eyes Monday morning an achievement. He’s alive and employed, at least. If the keys to his office still work today, he’ll probably need a plaque to commemorate the feat. This is what a four-games-old season has come to: a day-by-day, mistake-by-mistake, wrenching anticipation of the inevitable. It’s no longer worth wondering if Willingham can save his job. He’s finished at Washington. Basic arithmetic suggests he could still win enough this season to be retained, but if there were mathematicians at Husky Stadium on Saturday, even they would agree it’s over. – Seattle Times

Asked Monday how he keeps himself going in the midst of what he has acknowledged is one of the toughest professional situations of his life, Tyrone Willingham said he reviews previous successes. “You look at all the things you have done in your life, and every now and then go back and count your successes,” the Washington coach said. “And I’ve had quite a few successes since I was born. Waking up this morning was one of those, and it’s not bad.” Waking up with his job intact, some might say, would be another. Later on his radio show, when asked if he had considered resigning, Willingham responded, “Nope,” and said he thinks a turnaround is ahead. “I am still very enthusiastic and optimistic about our football team and the things we can do,” he said. – Seattle Times

With increasing calls for his job raining down around him, Washington football coach Tyrone Willingham said Monday that he would resign if he felt it was in the best interest of his players or the university. “I’ve always said this, that it is important that everybody in our program be part of the solution,” Willingham said. “And I’ve always said that if I’m cynical about my job then, no, I don’t want to do my job… Asked how he would respond if his employer asked why he should be kept on in light of an 11-29 record over 40 games at Washington and a 76-80-1 record over 14 seasons at three major universities, Willingham responded: “Because I have the enthusiasm for it, the focus and concentration for it, and I’m still very much into what I’m doing.” It appears Willingham will not have to make that pitch anytime soon. When Scott Woodward became permanent athletic director 13 days ago, he said that he believes in evaluating coaches at the end of the season, and that he would fire a coach during the season only in special circumstances. Woodward reaffirmed that stance Monday from Dallas, where he is attending a national meeting of athletic directors. – The News Tribune

The coaching hot seat is cooling off for Arizona’s Mike Stoops, but it’s on fire for Washington’s Tyrone Willingham after an 0-4 start. “Complaints and speculation over his future have become the No. 1 topic surrounding UW football,” The Tacoma Tribune wrote Monday about Willingham, “and that seems unlikely to change until either a joyous breakthrough is achieved or a grim press conference is called.” Stoops is 20-29 in his fifth season at UA; Willingham is 11-29 in his fourth year at Washington. – Arizona Central

30 September 2008 Morning Headlines

Bo Pelini’s late-game temper tantrum has Nebraska tongues wagging about his lack of self control along the sidelines late in the Cornhuskers’ loss to Virginia Tech. By my count, that’s Pelini’s second bench penalty for chewing out referees in his five-game tenure as a head coach. He picked up another one during the Cornhuskers’ Alamo Bowl victory over Michigan State in 2003. The new Nebraska coach can afford such showy public outbursts against the San Jose States and New Mexico States of the college football world. Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Kansas will be a different story.  That’s why veteran Omaha World-Herald columnist Tom Shatel had a friendly tip for the new Nebraska coach in his column today. Namely, it was to keep his passion, but to keep his ballistic nature in check — if it can be done. – ESPN

Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden was happy with a lot of what he saw in the Seminoles’ win over Colorado on Saturday, but he wasn’t too pleased with another penalty-filled game. “Nobody can play a game without making at least one mental error,” Bowden said. “But make too many and that can cost you a ballgame.” – Palm Beach Post

Sunday was not a day of rest for the Florida Gators. After Saturday’s stunning home loss to underdog Ole Miss, Coach Urban Meyer called an evening practice on the team’s usual off day and then canceled Monday’s drills. “The first time we’ve done that on a Sunday,” he said. “We all had to get around those players and put closure to a bad day. We practiced. I was impressed by the way they came out.” A team meeting was also part of the session. “Made it real clear that it’s a long football season,” Meyer said. “It’s not if a team deals with adversity and injury. It’s how you deal with it and we’re going to find out. I kind of have a feeling I know how we are going to handle it.” Meyer declined to provide details of the closed-door meeting but acknowledged it was passionate. “We all had a bad taste in our mouth,” he said. “Myself and some people had some things on their chest and if you want to say something, let’s say it. – Tampa Tribune

The losses are mounting, fans are getting restless and chances of making it to the postseason are quickly vanishing. It’s not the start first-year Hawaii coach Greg McMackin wanted, especially with the meat of the Western Athletic Conference schedule coming up starting with No. 22 Fresno State on the road Saturday. McMackin, however, said there’s a lot of football left and still believes the Warriors (1-3, 0-1 WAC) could turn it around. “I believe in the players. I believe in the coaches. We just have to continue to get better,” he said Monday. Hawaii is coming off a 20-17 loss at home to San Jose State where it self-destructed, committing six turnovers and five personal fouls. The Spartans overcame a 17-7 halftime deficit by forcing five turnovers in the second half. The Warriors are ranked last in the nation in turnover margin at -3.75 a game. In four games, they have been intercepted 11 times and lost six fumbles. – Union-Tribune

Peter Lalich, who started Virginia’s first two games at quarterback before being dismissed from the team for alcohol-related issues, has transferred to Oregon State. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Lalich was 39 of 74 for no touchdowns and three interceptions in two games, which included a 52-7 loss to USC. Lalich was on probation for underage drinking when he made a court appearance and told a judge he had violated the terms of his parole. Riley said he talked with Virginia coach Al Groh, “and other people involved in Peter’s life,” and Riley said he feels comfortable adding Lalich to his program. “I’m looking forward to working with him,” Riley said. “He’s a terrific talent.” Lalich must sit out the 2008 season, but will be eligible to play at the start of the 2009 season. – Oregonian

An NFL assistant coach who watched USC lose to Oregon State on Thursday said the Beavers’ top priority was stopping tailback Joe McKnight and the Trojans did not adjust by passing the ball more. “They kept trying to run into a brick wall,” said the assistant, who asked not to be identified. That analysis was hardly repudiated by USC coaches Monday. “We tired to do more stuff with Joe. That package of plays didn’t work out, it wasn’t that Joe didn’t work out,” running backs coach Todd McNair said. “We felt that package was going to be effective with Oregon State.” McNair said Stafon Johnson and C.J. Gable will get more carries this week, especially if the Trojans decide to implement a conventional running game. – LA Daily News

The root of the transformation within Duke’s football program began in the weight room this past winter, where over 500 collective pounds were shed for a vast physical improvement that appears to have had a correlation with the Blue Devils’ win column this fall. “I told them, I said, ‘You’re going to feel like different players if you buy in to what we do,’” first-year coach David Cutcliffe said. “We’re big in that regard, as far as being able to run.” Now, the Blue Devils not only look like an FBS football team this season, but a pretty good one at that. Duke, a program that won a total of four games in the past four seasons, is 3-1 overall and off to its first 1-0 start in the ACC since beating Maryland in the 1994 season opener. – ESPN

Georgia coach Mark Richt said the Bulldogs were not punting away from Javier Arenas, who came into the game with an 18.7-yard return average. “He wasn’t trying to directionally kick,” Richt said Monday. “We were not asking him to do that. We just asked him to do his normal thing. He knew that part of the objective was to kick the ball high and I think he tried to overdo it in that regard.” Whatever the strategy was being utilized, Mimbs certainly didn’t pull it off. The senior from Dublin, Ga., averaged just 30.2 yards on four punts. His first punt was 29 yards and was returned 17 yards for a net of 12. He followed that up with a shank that went 19 yards. Alabama scored after both plays. Mimbs came into the game ranked second in the SEC and 15th nationally with a 43.9-yard average. That includes a 77-yarder he hit against South Carolina. Richt just chalked it up to a player having a bad day. “He had a few that weren’t very pretty,” Richt said. “It was not like Brian at all. But I still have a lot of belief in Brian. If he just gets his mind right and just focuses on the drop and nail it like he always does it’ll be plenty high enough for us to cover.” – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt spent a lot more time talking about the Florida Gators than his next opponent at his weekly press conference Monday. Then again, the Rebels knocked Florida out of the Top Five on Saturday at The Swamp, stunning the Gators 31-30 to earn their third victory against two defeats. Ole Miss takes a 1-1 SEC record into Saturday’s home game against Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina squad. “We made a commitment not to beat ourselves. There’s no way you can beat anybody with costly penalties,” Nutt said. “We wanted to be more physical in our blocking.” – Sun Herald

USC tailback Allen Bradford has waited patiently for his chance. He starred on special teams for two seasons. Broke off highlight-reel plays almost daily last spring and during fall training camp. The powerful junior from San Bernardino, coaches said, would be part of the tailback rotation. But after getting no carries in the Trojans’ loss at Oregon State, Bradford could not contain his frustration. “Even with as many tailbacks that we have, I shouldn’t be going through this,” Bradford said Monday after practice. “I just want to play. I came here to play.” The 5-foot-11, 225-pound Bradford, who starred at running back and linebacker at Colton High, did not rail. He spoke quietly about his situation and acknowledged that fellow junior Stafon Johnson and sophomores C.J. Gable and Joe McKnight also were talented backs. But that did not ease the sting of not carrying the ball once in a game when the Trojans managed only 86 rushing yards and McKnight struggled and fumbled. “I don’t want to sound selfish, but I put in hard work and competed and practiced hard — I’ve done everything I’ve been asked,” Bradford said. “I just feel I could do more. No carries, and we lost.” – Los Angeles Times

Oklahoma has been ranked No. 1 for as many weeks as any college program in the country. OU coach Bob Stoops said that’s a compliment to previous coaches and teams from previous eras as well as current players and coaches who have continued the tradition. Stoops, though, downplayed being ranked No. 1 before might allow this team to handle the publicity better than a program unaccustomed to the top spot. “I don’t know that gives us any special advantage in the end,” Stoops said. “Each year is different. You have to go earn it each time. Just because we’ve done it before, sometimes that’s a long time ago. The bottom line is all that matters is what you’re able to do now.” Stoops also was asked if being ranked No. 1 puts an ever larger bulls eye on their backs. “We generally have a pretty good sized one regardless,” Stoops said. “We’re fairly used to that.” – Oklahoman

Colorado State’s quarterback depth chart remained the same Monday despite a dismal offensive showing Saturday. “Billy’s our starter,” CSU coach Steve Fairchild said Monday of fifth-year senior Billy Farris, who failed to direct a scoring drive against Cal. In his collegiate debut, redshirt freshman Klay Kubiak put up better numbers in one quarter, albeit long after the outcome was decided. “We just have to get our rhythm back in the passing game,” Fairchild said at his weekly news conference. “We were just completely out of rhythm from a technique and fundamentals standpoint.” – Denver Post

The last time Southern Miss (2-2, 0-1 C-USA) played, it lost 34-27 to Marshall. The last time UTEP (1-3, 1-0) played, it defeated UCF 58-13. “We focused on the things we had been doing every week,” Fedora said about the Eagles’ off week. “There is so much room for improvement in the little things, the small areas, that we didn’t have time to expand, because we’ve got to get better in what we’re doing. If we get better at what we’re doing, we’ll be fine, then we can expand in other areas. “There’s nothing scheme-wise that needs to be changed. We just need to do a better job executing.” Fedora said the loss to Marshall left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Eagles, and he hoped that motivated them to practice harder. And he didn’t make it easy on the players as, for much of last week, the No. 1 offense went against the No. 1 defense in workouts. “They came out to practice and practiced hard,” Fedora said. The first-year USM coach wants the team to concentrate on fundamentals more than expanding its game plan. – Hattiesburg American

The 250 return yards that Terrence Austin covered against Fresno State underscored the game-breaking potential the junior wide receiver totes around. The difficulty has been getting Austin the ball on offense, where he can use his speed. He leads the team with 20 receptions, but is averaging only nine yards a catch. Austin ran the ball twice against Fresno State — on a reverse and on a fly-sweep when the Bruins lined up quarterback Kevin Craft at wide receiver and had a running back take a direct snap. “Part of what you do on offense is say, ‘What can you do?’ and part of it is, ‘How do you get your playmakers the ball?’ ” Rick Neuheisel said. “In the passing game, that’s a little more difficult because you can’t predict what the coverage will be. You don’t ever want to tell a quarterback who to throw to. That being said, we want to get the ball in Terrence’s hands as many times as we can.” – Los Angeles Times

Miami coach Randy Shannon said he has been more aware of players’ injuries this season in the context of when to play them and when to let them rest. The 37-29 victory last year at Florida State, Shannon said, ‘was supposed to be a springboard, but we had so many injuries that it wasn’t the springboard we thought it would be. When you have all those injuries and you say, `OK, we’re ready to take that next step,’ you better evaluate what kind of injuries you have because they may prevent you from getting there. ‘I realize from last year to this year, I feel very leery of that now. I look at our injuries all the time to see who is nicked and who is not, and who is going to play. Like [defensive tackle] Marcus Forston — he didn’t play the other day. You probably could have said, `Let’s try him out and see if he can make it,’ but if you aggravate it more . . . you definitely wouldn’t get him for Florida State. Maybe you give him another week, and now he’ll be fully recovered.” – Miami Herald

As a quarterback, Washington’s Jake Locker will be out six to eight weeks after having surgery Monday to repair a broken right thumb suffered Saturday against Stanford. But Huskies coach Tyrone Willingham left open the idea that Locker could return earlier at another position. “It is possible,” Willingham said. “I can’t tell you where right now. But he is a tremendous athlete, and the ability to play five, six, seven positions exists.” Willingham wouldn’t speculate as to what those positions might be, or when Locker might be available. First for Locker, however, was surgery, which was reported on Willingham’s radio show to have lasted at least three hours and involved inserting plates and screws to repair the thumb. Willingham said Locker broke the first metacarpal bone, which connects the thumb to the hand. Locker was hurt while throwing a block on a reverse by Jordan Polk midway through the second quarter of the 35-28 loss to the Cardinal. – Seattle Times

Arizona State was 7-0 last year when tailback Ryan Torain went out for the season with a foot injury. The Sun Devils are 5-5 since, a drop-off that correlates in part to their troubles rushing without the Train, a rare combination of strength and speed at 6 feet 1 and 213 pounds. With ASU (2-2, 1-0 Pac-10) now averaging just 89 yards rushing (110th nationally), it’s hard to remember that the Sun Devils put up 296 yards rushing against Washington in what turned out to be Torain’s final game. They were averaging 177.1 yards rushing before Torain’s injury; by the end of last season they were down to 137 per game. Dennis Erickson is determined to reverse that trend coming off a Georgia game in which ASU rushed 19 times for 4 yards. “If I had a mulligan, I would go in and run it more,” against Georgia, Erickson said Monday. “It doesn’t have anything to do other than let’s make a commitment to doing it more, and we’re going to do that. It’s not how many yards you gain, but that you run it and you’re physical. We made a mistake not thinking we could go in and run it against Georgia. It’s just doing it more, believing in what you’re doing. Obviously we’ve got to get better up front, that’s simple to see. But it’s hard to get better running the ball if you don’t run it.” – Arizona Republic

TheWolverine.com reported Monday that Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips junior wide receiver Ricardo Miller was offered today by Michigan and committed to the Wolverines. He is the first oral commitment for the 2010 class. – Detroit Free Press

When the University of Florida’s football season began, the offensive line appeared to be one of the strongest units on the field. You wouldn’t know it four games into the season. Multiple injuries to the line means quarterback Tim Tebow is being hurried and pressured more than usual when fewer defenders rush him, causing overthrown and underthrown passes and short-yardage scrambles. Fifth-year senior offensive lineman Jim Tartt reinjured his shoulder in No. 12 Florida’s 31-30 loss to Mississippi on Saturday, and Gators coach Urban Meyer lists him as “very questionable, probably doubtful” for this weekend’s game at Arkansas. “He’s had three surgeries. It’s just wear and tear,” Meyer said. “Poor guy, he’s as tough a human being as there is, but he’s had three surgeries on one shoulder. Jim’s good for a week and off, then he’s off for a week.” – Palm Beach Post

It’s Miami, but it’s not as deeply talented and feared as it once was. hat said, Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher had a point when the questions outside the Florida State locker room following Saturday’s 39-21 victory over Colorado turned to the next opponent. This remains a dangerous Hurricane team. Two days of watching film have not altered Fisher’s thinking that the Hurricanes pose plenty of challenges for his mostly young offense. Miami has the ACC’s top rushing defense, just ahead of FSU, plus more speed with intimidating size up front… Miami has allowed 65 yards rushing per game. FSU rushed for 259 yards against a less experienced and less formidable defensive line in Colorado than what it will face against Miami. A review of the Colorado game showed FSU coaches that the offensive line must play much better this Saturday for the team to find some success on the ground against Miami. “In this day and age of flinging it around, which everybody does, you still got to run the football,” Fisher said. “And you find out all those spread teams, if you really look at ‘em, they all find ways to run it in there. “You have to run the football. It’s going to get back to that when you play good people. You can’t put every play on the quarterback’s back.” – News-Press

Georgia coach Mark Richt wasn’t sure how they’re going to do it but the coaching staff plans on ending Georgia’s run as the most penalized team in college football. The Bulldogs have been flagged 53 times for 437 yards, including 10 for 81 in Saturday’s loss to Alabama. “It’s been about 10 at least every game,” he said. “I’ve got to send a stronger message than we’ve sent to this point. That’s one of my number one priorities right now to make sure I do that.” – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Perry offensive lineman Johnnie Farms, who is an AJC Super 11 selection, committed to South Carolina on Monday night. The Gamecocks were actually the second choice for Farms, who tried to commit to Alabama a few days earlier. However, Farms said the Crimson Tide coaches told him that they were “full” at his position. He also generated interest from Auburn and Florida. – Atlanta Journal Constitution

USC tailback Allen Bradford has waited patiently for his chance. He starred on special teams for two seasons. Broke off highlight-reel plays almost daily last spring and during fall training camp. The powerful junior from San Bernardino, coaches said, would be part of the tailback rotation. But after getting no carries in the Trojans’ loss at Oregon State, Bradford could not contain his frustration. “Even with as many tailbacks that we have, I shouldn’t be going through this,” Bradford said Monday after practice. “I just want to play. I came here to play.” – Los Angeles Times

The Firing Line - 9/29/2008

A few excerpts from the morning news about coaches on “The Firing Line”…

That Tommy Bowden and Al Groh have hit their ceilings. The last time I did a “worst coaches list” in the summer of 2007, three of the five choices (Dennis Franchione, Bill Doba and Karl Dorrell) were fired by season’s end. The other two, Clemson’s Bowden and Virginia’s Groh, came within a game of winning their respective ACC divisions, achieving temporary redemption and earning fat offseason contract extensions. A year later, any semblance of momentum is shot. Following Saturday’s loss to Maryland, the most talented team of Bowden’s tenure is 3-2 and Clemson fans are likely resigned to the likelihood that no Bowden-coached team is ever going to make it past the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Meanwhile, Groh’s program is sinking like a rock. It’s one thing to have a down season; following a 31-3 loss to Duke, the Cavs — a year after reaching the Gator Bowl — appear well on their way to a 1-11 nightmare. It appears both schools have a whole lot invested in a pair of coaches who will never eclipse anything greater than they already have. – SI

Gettin’ toasty seat — Al Groh. The numerous off-field issues the program had, coupled with its losing record and the direction the team is headed could add up. – ESPN

The Clemson Tigers are stuck with Tommy Bowden after giving him a six-year extension in December just because Arkansas made a phone call. But remember, this is Clemson, not exactly a bastion of integrity, and a university with enough boosters used to paying off people, most illegally, so that a few million to break a contract should be no problem. – Palm Beach Post

(Chancellor Jim) Rogers and (Head Coach Mike) Sanford aren’t exactly best pals, because a couple of years ago Rogers wrote this memo to the higher-ups at UNLV saying that although Sanford wasn’t the problem with the football program, the program had problems he couldn’t fix. – Las Vegas Sun

29 September 2008 Morning Headlines

It’s not surprising that Nick Saban is winning. The man can coach, and any coach with a clue should be able to win at Alabama — the obvious implication being that a lot of cluelessness emanated from Tuscaloosa before Saban arrived to clean up the mess. Still, it’s surprising just how quickly Saban has turned the Crimson Tide into one of the nation’s best teams. Most people expected that to come in 2009 or perhaps as late as 2010 when he’d have a full stock of his own highly-prized recruits. But name a team with two more impressive victories than Alabama’s season-opening 34-10 destruction of Clemson or its 41-30 blitzing of the Bulldogs on Saturday in Athens. The polls now have Alabama at No. 2, its highest ranking since 1993. – Orlando Sentinel

One-loss schools looking stay in the national-title race will have some points-scoring opportunities next weekend. No. 14 Ohio State at No. 18 Wisconsin and No. 23 Oregon at No. 9 USC are effectively elimination matches. So, probably, is No. 13 Auburn at No. 19 Vanderbilt. – Los Angeles Times

Who said football and academics do not mix? Certainly not those at Duke and Northwestern. Two schools far more likely to produce a national championship in debate than in football suddenly have passing grades on the gridiron this year. Duke ended a 25-game ACC losing streak by rolling over Virginia 31-3. The Blue Devils are 3-1 under David Cutcliffe; that’s one less victory than Ted Roof produced in the past four years. Duke’s only loss this season is to … Northwestern. The Wildcats (5-0) may need another quality win to prove they are for real, but winning 22-17 at Iowa and joining Penn State as the lone unbeaten teams in the Big Ten helps. – Palm Beach Post

The starting quarterback job is officially open at Tennessee. Coach Phillip Fulmer said Sunday he would split first-team repetitions this week between current starting quarterback Jonathan Crompton and backup Nick Stephens. Fulmer said a decision on the starter would not come early this week, but added that it wouldn’t be a game-time decision either. – Tennessean

Eleven major-conference teams trotted out new coaches this season. Their combined record? 24-22. Unimpressive, considering how many of those victories have come against small-school cupcakes in non-league play. Against fellow major-conference opponents (and Notre Dame), the newbies are 7-17. For the most part, the ballad of the new coach has been a story of missed blocks, scattershot passes and square pegs trying to fit into the new regime’s round holes. Seven of the 11 teams with first-year coaches rank in the bottom half of the Football Bowl Subdivision in total offense. Three — Texas A&M, Michigan and UCLA — aren’t even among the top 100. – Wall Street Journal

It was a bruising defeat for Georgia, all around. By the end, quarterback Matthew Stafford had a head injury that was said to be less than a concussion; tailback Knowshon Moreno had an undefined elbow injury; linebacker Dannell Ellerbe was facing down time with a knee injury, and receiver Kris Durham was on crutches with an ankle injury. Georgia coach Mark Richt said Stafford “was very clear-minded, but he got dinged pretty good.” Stafford said “I’m fine” as he was led off by medical personnel. Richt said Moreno’s elbow will have to be “checked out,” probably Sunday. The coach said Ellerbe will miss “some time” but not the rest of the season and Durham at least the next game. – Atlanta Journal Constitution

Tony Franklin knows he has critics. He knows his spread offense hasn’t lived up to the billing it received prior to the start of the 2008 season. He hears the boos. ” If I was them, I’d boo,” Auburn’s first-year offensive coordinator said Sunday. “I’d boo me. I’d be angry. Everybody’s expectations were high. My expectations were high. if I was a paying fan I’d be (ticked). “This product has not been good, and it was my product.” To date, Franklin’s offense, which was heralded coming into the Plains after successful stints at Kentucky and then at Troy and has been installed at countless high schools across the country, is ranked 10th in the SEC, averaging 329.4 yards a game, just in front of Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, respectively. The Tigers are also 10th in passing offense (173.2) and in scoring offense (19.8). “I don’t blame (fans) for being upset,” Franklin said. “I don’t take it personal. When they said how wonderful you were, I didn’t take that personal because I knew it wasn’t true. “I said all along that I wasn’t very smart and y’all thought I was joking. Now you know. It’s pretty true.” – Opelika-Auburn News

Georgia tailback Knowshon Moreno, considered one of the nation’s leading Heisman Trophy candidates, could miss the Bulldogs’ next game due to an injury. Moreno, a sophomore, suffered a contusion “night’s 41-30 loss to Alabama. Georgia is off this week before resuming play against Tennessee in Athens on Oct. 11. – Atlanta Journal Constitution

A day after saying he doesn’t understand how some of South Carolina’s players look at themselves in the mirror, Steve Spurrier went a little easier on his team. OK, a lot easier. But, make no mistake, the seemingly endless search for playmakers is still very much on for the Gamecocks in the wake of a less-than-impressive 26-13 victory against UAB. “We did have probably more positives than I was thinking about at the end of last night,” said Spurrier, who looked visibly shaken late Saturday. – Post and Courier

Behind the grumblings of LSU fans irate Alabama has topped the Tigers in The Associated Press poll is the growing volume of another debate topic: Does junior running back Charles Scott deserve the Heisman Trophy? Only in the feverish fan swamps that dot the nation from Penn State”s Happy Valley to the Longhorns in Austin, Texas, do players win the Heisman Trophy in September. But Scott’s statistics and the success of No. 3-ranked LSU (4-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference and No. 2 in the USA Today coaches poll and Harris Interactive poll) show Scott merits the discussion. After gaining more than 100 yards in every game this season, Scott is fifth in Division I in rushing with a 133.8 yards-per-game average. Inside that ranking, however, is evidence Scott might be the best back in the nation. He is the highest-ranked rusher among teams in the top 10, and his 7.5 average ranks him third. – Times-Picayune

Tim Tebow’s news conference ended, but he wasn’t ready to stop talking. Dejection shone through his bloodshot eyes and weak voice, but he replied to each and every question after Saturday’s 31-30 loss to Mississippi. He answered the last one. But he didn’t leave the podium. “I just want to say one thing,” he began. “To the fans and everyone in Gator Nation,” he trailed off. He paused. Then he launched into a passionate promise. “I’m sorry, extremely sorry,” he said. “We were hoping for an undefeated season. That was my goal. It’s something that’s never been done here. But I will promise you one thing. A lot of good will come out of this. “You will never see any player in the country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season. You will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push the rest of the season. You will never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season. God bless.” – St. Petersburg Times

Alabama’s O-line is Overpowering. Of all the impressive moments in the Crimson Tide’s de-pantsing of Georgia — and if you watched, you know there were many — the one that stood out to me most was a seemingly simple four-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter. Roy Upchurch took a quick handoff on the draw — and proceeded to run through a hole the size of Athens. Each ‘Bama blocker sealed off his man like he was forming a police barricade, and Upchurch was not touched until his teammates were congratulating him. It was like that all night for the Tide, just like it was in their season-opening rout of Clemson. A replay of one long running play showed tackle Andre Smith manhandling an opposing defender 10 yards downfield. Meanwhile, ‘Bama QB John Parker Wilson (13-of-16, 205 yards and a TD) spent most of the night standing on his own private island. Other top-10 teams may have more stat-happy QBs or more flashy skill players, but if, like me, you believe games are won in the trenches, you know why Nick Saban’s team is as suited as anyone for a national-title run. – SI

After the game, it was clear how Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was reacting. While holding back tears, he gave an impassioned speech apologizing to fans for the loss. “I promise you one thing: A lot of good will come out of this,” Tebow said. Urban Meyer said afterward he felt Tebow would back up his talking. “That”s Tim,” he said. The main culprit for three of Florida’s five fumbles was poor ball security, Meyer said. “We’ve got to work on that this week much more than we already have,” said Meyer, whose team travels to play Arkansas on Saturday. – Palm Beach Post

In West Virginia’s football preseason, quarterback Pat White was more than the focus. He was the Heisman Trophy candidate. He was the media guide cover boy. He got his own Web site. Now, as the Mountaineers enter Big East Conference play, maybe it’s time to give White something that has proven to make WVU much better. It’s time to put the ball in the senior’s hands more than it was at Mountaineer Field in Saturday’s ho-hummer of a Coal Bowl victory over Marshall. WVU didn’t get to three straight top 10 poll finishes and major bowl wins with White as a decoy. Yes, the new Mountaineer coaching staff wanted to lighten the ball-carrying load on the southpaw Alabaman, and for good reason. – Daily Mail

As the nation’s most sought-after recruit coming out of Eleanor Roosevelt High in suburban Washington in 2004, Derrick Williams seemingly was on the express route to superstardom with the Nittany Lions before he ever tugged on a blue jersey. But although he has had a productive career in Happy Valley, some might say he has taken detours along too many side roads. Williams had been eclipsed, at least statistically, by fellow senior wide receivers Deon Butler, a former walk-on defensive back, and Jordan Norwood, a local kid from State College High who arrived on campus with a fraction of Williams” advance publicity. But with Norwood, Penn State’s leading receiver this season, out with a sore hamstring, Williams - who had been advised earlier in the week by coach Joe Paterno that he was “due for a big game” - found his way back onto the main thoroughfare against the Illini. He became the first player in Paterno’s 43 years as Penn State”s head coach to score on a kickoff return (he also had an 89-yarder in the season opener against Coastal Carolina), on a pass reception (a 21-yarder from quarterback Daryll Clark) and on a rush (a 5-yard end-around). All in all, Williams amassed a career-high 241 all-purpose yards. Given the stage and the setting - the prime-time game, the Big Ten Conference opener for both teams, was televised by ABC, with 109,626 white-clad fans screaming themselves hoarse - Williams” hat trick made perfect sense, as all sorts of sports analogies were trotted out to categorize Penn State”s most important, and possibly most impressive, victory of the season. – Philadelphia Daily News

In an effort to shake the doldrums of Ole Miss 31, UF 30, the No.12 Florida Gators football team practiced from around 8:30 to 10 on Sunday night. Practicing on Sunday during the regular season is a rarity for the Gators, who normally rest the day after a game before grueling practices on Monday and Tuesday. Because of NCAA rules limiting the number of hours teams can practice during the week, Florida must alter its practice schedule one day this week to adjust for practicing on Sunday. Expect the change to come early in the week. – Miami Herald

USC quarterback Mark Sanchez came to a harsh conclusion Sunday while pondering the Trojans” still-bitter loss to Oregon State. “The “SC interlock logo doesn’t win games,” Sanchez said. Former USC coach Larry Smith was fired when he made a similar comment in 1992, but Sanchez should be able to get away with it - as long as the Trojans don”t lose too many more games. “The coaches always say you just can’t show up in cardinal and gold,” he said. “It’s good for our team, I guess. I don’t know what it teaches us but it teaches us something. “There’s plenty of mistakes we need to clean up and I”m as guilty as the next guy. We just didn’t play like us and it really showed.” – LA Daily News

USC players gathered Sunday for the first time since losing at Oregon State, their place in the college football landscape changed but not as badly as some feared. The Trojans tumbled from No. 1 to ninth in the USA Today coaches’ and Associated Press media polls and debuted at No. 7 in the Harris Interactive Poll. The coaches’ poll, the Harris poll and computer rankings are used to determine the Bowl Championship Series standings, which come out for the first time next month. “Big picture-wise, we’re still in good shape,” quarterback Mark Sanchez said. – Los Angeles Times

Notre Dame’s field-goal-kicking woes continued in the first quarter when Brandon Walker missed a 31-yarder. That made Walker 0-for-4 on the season and 6-for-16 dating to last season, including 1-for-11 from 30 yards and beyond. That’s what made what happened late in the fourth quarter so potentially significant. The Irish offense stalled at the 23, and coach Charlie Weis sent Walker into the game to attempt a 41-yarder — but not before giving him some advice. ”I didn’t talk to him after the miss,” Weis said. ”But after he made a couple extra points, I just walked over to him and said, ‘Look, you’re going to have to make a kick in this game. It’s just like the extra point. We’ve seen you kick balls 50 yards in practice. Just believe you’re kicking the extra point, and let’s go.”’ Walker’s first made field goal of the season also had a practical purpose because it put Notre Dame up by three scores. ”It boosted my confidence, the coaches’ confidence and the players’ confidence in me, so it was a relief,” Walker said. – Chicago Sun Times

UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said Saturday’s 36-31 loss to No. 25 Fresno State is further affirmation the Bruins” passing game needs to become more vertical. While praising the play of quarterback Kevin Craft - “It might have been his best game,” Neuheisel said - there is a need for the Bruins to throw the ball down the field more. He said a similar thing after the Bruins lost to Arizona a week prior. “We’d like to have some more chances where we just throw it down the field,” Neuheisel said. “Deep throws. We haven’t really taken our shots down there yet, and I’d like to see us develop some of that.” – LA Daily News

On a purely optimistic or pessimistic level, Greg Schiano considers himself a glass-half-full kind of guy. But after his team’s first victory of the season Saturday afternoon against Morgan State, that glass doesn’t seem to be filled with champagne. Seems more like sour milk. During his weekly day-after conference call with reporters yesterday, Schiano wasted little time on praising what went right during the 38-0 win, opting rather for criticism. Schiano was notably irked about a number of areas on his team. Chief among them was the running game and the protection and blocking of the offensive line. And any inkling that the absence of star left tackle Anthony Davis due to a one-game suspension would buy them a free pass was quickly ruled out. One point of Schiano’s focus seemed to be on the lack of solid blocking at the fullback position. Jack Corcoran, a junior from Atlantic City, seemed to miss two blocks during the course of the game on Saturday. However, Schiano wasn’t ready to say that a change needs to be made. – Newark Star-Ledger

Miami coach Randy Shannon believes squaring off against the Seminoles will sober up his team quickly. “Oh yeah, that’s a good thing,” Shannon said. “We don’t have time to think and dwell. We have to snap back and play. I think those guys will respond real quick.” Shannon generally praised the performance of his players against North Carolina except for some breakdowns - primarily by veterans - down the stretch. – Palm Beach Post

Tuberville to Tennessee?

Speculation has already begun about who will replace Phillip Fulmer when (if) he’s fired at Tennessee. Could Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville be on the shortlist? At least one columnist thinks so…

Is it almost time for UT athletic director Mike Hamilton to tell Fulmer thanks for the 1998 national championship, and the three SEC title game appearances this decade, and the 75 percent winning percentage, but we’ve decided to move in another direction?… There is no joy in this. The Big Orange Nation will never, ever find a more loyal, faithful head football coach than Fulmer, who grew up in this state, played for the Vols and recently gave the school $1 million to be used for something other than athletics. And you’d like to believe Fulmer could save his job by a means other than luring David Cutcliffe back to K-town for a third tour of duty as offensive coordinator, because that security blanket has flown. While Fulmer stands 1-3 for just the second time in his illustrious 16-year career, Cutcliffe is a shocking 3-1 as the new head coach at Duke. On second thought, maybe Cutcliffe should come back as head coach and Fulmer should stick around as offensive line coach… Beyond that, the more Fulmer looks like a lame duck coach in the eyes of the general public, the less likely he is to land the type of recruits he needs to return to a BCS bowl for the first time since the 1999 season. So let the rumors begin, Fulmer being jettisoned in favor of everyone from Jon Gruden, to Cutcliffe, to, possibly, Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville, who could somewhat escape the giant shadow of Alabama coach Nick Saban, as well as stick it to Auburn booster Bobby Lowder, who once tried to fire him in favor of Bobby Petrino. – Chattanooga Times Free-Press

People have been calling for Phillip Fulmer’s head all season since the UCLA loss, and even before that point after a string of sub-par seasons. Maybe UT doesn’t need a new coach. It just needs its veteran coach to return to what was working for him in his glory days. Get a better QB, a better offensive line, get back to a scheme that works for his philosophy and go out and play the type of Tennessee football that made Tennessee what it was when Manning left. – Jackson Sun

End of a Groh-ss Era at Virginia?

Following the 31-3 disaster loss to Duke Saturday, the future doesn’t look bright for Al Groh and his Virginia Cavaliers. Groh appears to be in deep trouble. If he can’t right the ship soon, there could very well be a new head coach in Charlottesville in 2009…

The Cavaliers solidified their spot as the worst team in the ACC by managing just three points — three — against a Duke program that had a 25-game losing streak in conference play. Heading into this season and following a one-year contract extension, it seemed as if it would take a monumental collapse for Al Groh to officially be on the hot seat. Well, he might want to duck, because the walls are caving in in Charlottesville. – ESPN

Virginia is somewhere in the area of where James Madison is right now, but the Cavs would be looking up at the Dukes after the six-turnover embarrassment in Durham today in a 31-3 loss that marks either the beginning of the end of the Al Groh Era in Charlottesville or the beginning of the end of both the Groh Era and the Craig Littlepage Era as well… I’ve been saying for going on three years now that Littlepage’s inability to pull the plug on the Groh Era was a sign that he and others in the administration had given up on football in Charlottesville, which is immensely sad to those of us who remember the hard work of guys like George Welsh and Jim Dombrowski and Don Majkowski and Shawn and Herman Moore and Terry Kirby and Chris Slade and Tiki and Ronde Barber and James Farrior and Jamie Sharper and Aaron Brooks and Thomas Jones and Matt Schaub and Heath Miller to take the program from doormat to perennial ACC contender. – Augusta Free-Press

There was the 23-3 loss at Wyoming in the 2007 season opener. There was the 17-10 loss at home to Western Michigan in 2006. There was the 52-14 pipe job at home to Virginia Tech in 2005. And then there was Saturday. Virginia’s 31-3 loss at Duke is arguably the low point of the Al Groh era. As dispiriting as those other performances were, this was worse. Duke had lost 25 ACC games in a row dating back to 2004, had a first-year coaching staff, had not beaten a soul, yet somehow was favored (example No. 348 why the Vegas smart guys know more than you and me). And the Blue Devils covered – comfortably… The question du jour: Where else does Virginia pick up a win? The Cavaliers don’t figure to be favored in any of their remaining eight games. Nor should they. They aren’t as collectively talented as anyone left on the schedule. The offense, as presently constructed, is a mess. Virginia’s worst season in recent memory was 3-8 in 1986, an early hiccup in the George Welsh era. Welsh had banked plenty of goodwill, leading a previously dreadful program to three consecutive winning seasons, and a bowl game, the previous three years. The ’86 season predated a streak of 13 consecutive years with at least seven wins. Groh hasn’t amassed a similar reservoir of brownie points, despite leading the Cavs to nine wins last season and at least eight wins in four of the past six seasons. Folks expect more, particularly given Chairman Al’s big contract. Said contract is a large impediment to swift change. – Daily Press

ESPN VIDEO: Rams Fire Linehan

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen on the Rams decision to fire Scott Linehan…

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