28 October 2008 Morning Headlines

Few people know what college football coaches are thinking as well as Sexton. He represents five head coaches in the SEC alone in Nick Saban, Tommy Tuberville, Phillip Fulmer, Houston Nutt and Steve Spurrier. Sexton is starting to hear that coaches across the country don’t necessarily want to bang heads with those guys on a daily basis. As he said, “They look at it as, `Why do I want to go do that? If my school will pay me an SEC-type salary in another conference, I might be able to stay here forever.’” – Birmingham News

Andy McCollum is like any assistant coach who has been a head coach. He misses being in charge but not as much lately as he used to be. “The whole game is changing,” the N.C. State assistant coach said Monday night to the Macon Touchdown Club. “And firing coaches … I’m afraid to pick up the paper every morning.” Tommy Bowden stepped down at Clemson two weeks ago and Washington’s Ty Willingham was forced out Monday but will finish the season. There are debates if Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee and Tommy Tuberville at Auburn - who fired his offensive coordinator three weeks ago - will last much past the final game of the season. And there is unrest at Iowa, Texas A&M and Syracuse, among others. “It ain’t just (the fired coach) that’s affected,” said McCollum, particularly unhappy with the Clemson move in the middle of the season. “It’s his family. It’s nine other coaches, the trainers, the strength coach. “There are nine coaches at Clemson right now, their wives are looking at them, their kids are looking at them. ‘What are we going to do, Daddy?’ “And a lot of these kids go to certain schools, it ain’t because of what’s on that shirt. They go because of who recruited them. Some of these kids, all they got is us coaches.” McCollum, who was dismissed at Middle Tennessee State with two games left in the 2005 season, did have a sense of humor about such moves. “(Bowden) got a better buyout than I did,” McCollum said. “His was about $5 million, I think I received about $25,000 in my buyout. And I’m still paying taxes on that.” – Macon.com

Florida coach Urban Meyer has complained about the 40-second clock between plays since the season started. He’d probably better get used to it. Rogers Redding, the SEC’s coordinator of football officials, said the change actually has been greeted with great enthusiasm by just about everyone else. “It’s much more consistent, of how quickly the ball is ready to put into play,” Redding said. In the past, with a 25-second clock, the clock did not start until officials marked the ball at the new line of scrimmage. Under the new rule, the clock starts immediately after a play ends. Redding there have been “very little complaining” about the change. At the halfway point in the season, statistics around the country have shown that offenses, on average, are only losing about three plays a game, the total scoring is about the same as 2007 and games are about 10 minutes quicker. – Florida Today

A Hoosier will soon be running the athletic department at Indiana University. Fred Glass, an Indianapolis attorney with Baker & Daniels and a graduate of IU, is Indiana’s 20th athletic director, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation. Glass replaces Rick Greenspan, who resigned in June amid NCAA allegations that the university’s athletic department failed to monitor the men’s basketball program. Greenspan, who was hired in September 2004, will remain on the job until the end of the calendar year. It’s unclear when Glass will begin his duties as athletic director. The decision by IU President Michael McRobbie came after a 13-member search committee, chaired by IU vice president for engagement Bill Stephan, identified a group of three finalists for the position. One of the other finalists was Oregon State athletic director Bob De Carolis, who told the Oregonian newspaper Monday night that he was no longer a candidate for the IU job. It’s unclear who the third finalist was for the position. – Indianapolis Star

Former U.S. House of Representatives member and Tulsa standout Steve Largent became the eighth student-athlete in the history of Golden Hurricane football to have his jersey retired. – College Football Insiders

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said Monday that quarterback Josh Nesbitt shouldn’t have to shoulder the blame for Saturday’s loss. Nesbitt fumbled twice in the third quarter, was sacked four times and was intercepted on Tech’s final drive as Virginia won 24-17. “It’s like we told him today going over the film, as long as you learn from it, it’s not a loss,” Johnson said. “The kid’s played four games [actually five]. He hasn’t played. He can hardly set his [darn] feet when he goes back to throw; there’s somebody in his face every second. “There were a lot of guys who made a ton of mistakes that cost us the game — it wasn’t Josh Nesbitt,” Johnson continued. “You hope he gets better. If they [the turnovers] continue, you’ve got to give somebody else a chance.” Johnson said backup Jaybo Shaw had a good week of practice last week, and if he has another this week, “we may play him some. But it’s a feel thing.” – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Knowshon Moreno, Gators coach Urban Meyer said, has actually made Georgia’s young offensive line look better than it is. “And I think he’s made the quarterback [look better], made the receivers [look better]. It’s that whole balance.” Meyer was asked if Moreno was the best back in the SEC. “I haven’t seen them all,” he said. “The [Charles] Scott guy from LSU we thought was pretty good. I’d have to give the edge to Knowshon.” – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

There is little question Kent State football coach Doug Martin was mad before his Golden Flashes defeated the Miami RedHawks, 54-21, Saturday. He was even more upset afterward as KSU’s record now stands at 2-6 overall, 1-3 in the Mid-American Conference. “This is meaningless until we can do it one week, then come back and do it again,” Martin said. It was a stunning upset, even over a Miami team that has clearly struggled this season. Kent forced six turnovers against Miami (2-6, 1-3), including four fumbles. The 54 points scored were the most against a Miami of Ohio team since Miami of Florida scored 54 in 1987. Kent State’s 54 points were the most ever scored against Miami of Ohio in Yager Stadium. – Plain Dealer

Another week, another University of Memphis quarterback sacked by injury. True freshman Tyler Bass, who alternated with starter Brett Toney in Saturday’s 36-30 Conference USA win over Southern Miss at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, underwent an MRI Monday to determine the status of his injured right knee. The results were as suspected: Bass is lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Tiger coach Tommy West said Monday at his weekly press luncheon that Bass will undergo surgery on his knee after the swelling subsides in about two to three weeks. West said Bass, who attended Stockbridge High in Atlanta, also will miss spring practice while in the midst of his rehabilitation. Playing in his second game, Bass had been forced into action after the Tigers lost starter Arkelon Hall and backup Will Hudgens to injuries the previous weekend in a loss at East Carolina. Hall, a junior, fractured the thumb on his throwing hand and will be out for at least three more weeks. Hudgens, a senior, tore his right ACL and medial collateral ligament and also is out for the season. – Memphis Commercial Appeal

Two days after Jarrett Lee threw three interceptions in a 52-38 loss to Georgia, LSU coach Les Miles reinforced his confidence in the young quarterback. Yes, Andrew Hatch, who has split time with Lee this season, will continue to play. Yes, true freshman Jordan Jefferson could become an option. But Miles isn’t giving up on Lee, a redshirt freshman with four starts under his belt. The answer, he said, might be condensing the playbook, a move Miles hopes will make Lee more efficient directing the offense. – The Baton Rouge Advocate

USC QB Mark Sanchez has committed a total of six turnovers in his past three games, with Pete Carroll speaking of his hard work in trying to fine-tune the mentality it takes to run a high-powered offense. “It’s part of the growing pains,” offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said. – Riverside Press-Enterprise

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said yesterday that there might be some lineup changes this week in the wake of the 54-34 loss Saturday to Rutgers. However, he was extremely cryptic about how many and what the changes will be. He also refused to name a starting quarterback for the game Saturday at Notre Dame (5-2). Redshirt junior Bill Stull left the loss to Rutgers with a concussion and stinger in the third quarter and was replaced by sophomore Pat Bostick. If Stull can’t play, Bostick will make his first start of the season, but both quarterbacks have been made off-limits to the media this week, so Wannstedt’s decision might not be known until Saturday. One thing Wannstedt made abundantly clear was that regardless of who starts, the offense will not change much. – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Nate Carlisle, a reporter with the Salt Lake City Tribune, sent along this link in which McMahon’s father wrote an open letter to the Brigham Young athletic director that before he dies (he’s 72) he wants his son to be enshrined in the BYU Hall of Fame. Sounds simple enough, right? The future Bears quarterback set all kinds of records, won bowl games and gave the school a national profile. But, happily for those of us who like to watch other families fight, it’s not that simple. In his letter, the senior McMahon paints a conspiracy that involves rules set up specifically to keep his son out of the BYU Hall of Fame. Think Mormon conspiracy. Then, like any good reality series, there is a following episode. In this story, it’s this link about the response prompted by the letter from McMahon’s pop. The respondents make many good points, most notably writing that BYU was happy to prop up McMahon on the field, but forget about it when the school can’t benefit anymore. Think hypocrisy. – Chicago Tribune

Ron Prince is experimenting. Believe it or not, Kansas State, 4-4 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12, is still in contention for the Big 12 North, one of five teams within a game of each other at the top of the division. And Prince has actually encouraged his Wildcats to study the standings. “I’ve never done that, and I’ve never been any place that’s ever done that,” Prince said Monday. “But I thought coming into this year, it was going to be important for our team. … It’s easy for coaches to say, ‘One game at a time. . . .’ to stay focused that way, but because I had a pretty good sense the North could be pretty competitive this year because of who everybody played and how the whole thing shook out, I wanted to give the players a sense of the big picture.” And that picture expands this week when K-State travels to Lawrence for the 106th installment of the Sunflower Showdown, creating an interesting question: Is it more important to beat Kansas, 5-3 and 2-2, which K-State hasn’t done under Prince, or to maintain pace in the North, which is almost certain to be claimed by Missouri? Junior quarterback Josh Freeman pointed out that both teams are in the midst of two-game losing streaks, suggesting K-State and KU “feel like they should be in a better place than they are.” – Kansas City Star

Three wins in five years. Nine straight losses. The most embarrassing loss in school history. Alabama’s November resume doesn’t exactly read like that of a championship contender. The Crimson Tide’s storied tradition is full of championships won in November, but not in this decade. Among the list of lowlights is a five-game losing streak to LSU and a six-game losing streak to Auburn, both school records. There’s also that humiliating 21-14 loss at home to Louisiana-Monroe last year, one that found its way to billboards in Louisiana last winter and to banners strategically placed throughout the football complex this summer. “There are signs up all over this complex,” Alabama guard Mike Johnson said. “I don’t think you have to remind anybody on this team what this game means, especially being a November game. Starting off the month — it’s been so troublesome for us in the past — on a good foot.” – Montgomery Advertiser

Before the season, if you’ll recall, I ranked all of Conference USA’s coaches and, yes, I had the nerve to rank Tulsa’s Todd Graham ahead of UCF’s George O’Leary. I received many perturbed e-mails from UCF fans and some comments about the decision on my blog.   Wrote one fan: “How do you put Todd Graham in front of O’Leary after Tulsa was DESTROYED by UCF last season… TWICE!? If it was only once, I could give you the benefit of the doubt.”   Well, Tulsa is now unbeaten, has the most potent offense in the country and just destroyed UCF 49-19.   Any questions?   The reason I ranked Graham ahead of O’Leary is because Graham has been outstanding at two different C-USA schools while O’Leary has been wildly inconsistent at UCF. For the record, I actually ranked SMU coach June Jones No. 1 in the league and stand by that decision. Even though the Mustangs are horrible this season, this is Jones’ first year and he took over a team totally bereft of talent. – Orlando Sentinel

Saying “next year is Saturday,” coach Dennis Erickson continues to play to win now in his second season at Arizona State. Erickson reiterated his support of ASU’s 16 seniors, including quarterback Rudy Carpenter, on Monday as the Sun Devils try to end a five-game losing streak. “All I care about is for those seniors to go out as winners,” Erickson said “That’s the most important thing to me. Nothing in the future concerns me right now other than what happens for those seniors that are going to finish their career in the next five weeks.” – Arizona Republic

When Nutt left for Ole Miss after last season, he brought along his commitment to the ground attack, and kept the twists. The “Wild Hog” has become the “Wild Rebel,” but the concept is the same: a running back lines up at quarterback, takes the snap and, ideally, havoc ensues. “It’s something that you have to thoroughly prepare for,” said Auburn defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads. Ole Miss (4-4, 2-3) hosts Auburn (4-4, 2-3) Saturday in Oxford in a game that features double-dipping SEC West coaches on both sidelines. Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville spent five years at Ole Miss before coming to Auburn in 1999. Nutt traveled to his old stomping grounds in Fayetteville last week, coaching the Rebels to a 23-21 victory. The teams have identical records, although Auburn is in the midst of a three-game losing streak while Ole Miss is celebrating progress in Nutt’s first year, including a stunning upset of Florida. – Huntsville Times

Florida and Texas have appeared in at least one BCS Standings every year since 1998. Texas was the first school to be included in 70 different surveys and has appeared in 71 of the first 78 standings (91 percent). Florida is next with 70 appearances through the second set of ‘08 standings. Top 12 Schools By Appearance (through Oct. 26, 2008): Texas - 71; Florida - 70; Oklahoma - 62; Michigan - 62; Virginia Tech - 60; Ohio State - 54; Florida State - 52; Tennessee - 52; Southern California - 51; Miami (Fla.) - 50; Georgia - 48; and LSU - 46. – College Football Insiders

Northside-Warner Robins linebacker Eric Fields has ended his flirtation with UGA and committed again to Clemson, according to GoGamecocks.com. Fields, an AJC Super 11 selection, committed early to Clemson but backed away from it in early September, saying he wanted to take official visits with both the Tigers and Georgia. Fields took an unofficial visit to Georgia for the Alabama game with his high school teammate, defensive tackle Abry Jones, who has committed to UGA. According to Jones, UGA linebackers coach John Jancek spoke with Fields at the game but only about taking the ACT test again and not a scholarship. Fields also told the website that he will only take an official visit to Clemson. – Atlanta Journal Constitution

Dutchtown playmaker Joe Stewart is wise to listen to his father, Joe Sr., a former NFL receiver. But that doesn’t mean he’ll follow Dad’s footsteps in college. Joe Sr. still holds record at the University of Missouri, and while the Tigers are on the younger Stewart’s lengthy list of offers he may not end up at the Big 12 school. The 6-foot, 165-pound “athlete” with 4.4 speed in the 40 also has offers from Stanford, Ole Miss, North Carolina State, Central Florida, Hawaii, along with several smaller programs. Alabama is in the mix, too, although an offer hasn’t come yet. – Atlanta Journal Constitution