Louisville lags roughly 6,000 behind its season-ticket total from last season at a stadium that will be expanded by more than 13,000 seats for the 2010 season. That construction is under way. The Courier-Journal learned through an open-records request that the university sold 27,218 season tickets by the school’s June12 deadline. However, that is not a firm deadline, and UofL senior associate athletic director Gary Friedman said ticket holders who want to upgrade their seats may not be included in the number. As it stands, it would be the lowest total since the stadium opened in 1998, but sales will continue until the Cards’ opener against Indiana State on Sept.5. – Courier-Journal

University of Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen says he might want to remain in his post for up to five more years if the team is performing well - a move that could complicate the school’s coaching succession plan. Friedgen, 62, said in an interview with The Baltimore Sun that he might want to stay beyond the three years for which he is under contract. On Feb. 6, the university signed an agreement promising to pay $1 million to offensive coordinator James Franklin - who has turned down coaching jobs at other schools and in the NFL - if he is not elevated to head coach by Jan. 2, 2012. – Baltimore Sun

Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin didn’t have to think long when he went looking for strength and conditioning coach to replace Mark Smith. “I knew that was the direction I wanted to go,” Kiffin said of hiring Aaron Ausmus. “It was very easy for me.” And likely very easy for Ausmus to accept the job, considering he threw the shot put for UT’s track and field team before building his resume as a strength and conditioning coach. Kiffin, however, didn’t hire Ausmus because of his connection to UT. There were other, more important ties. Kiffin worked with Ausmus at Southern California. Assistant head coach Ed Orgeron worked with Ausmus at Ole Miss. – Knoxville News Sentinel

Bob Stoops will make nearly $5 million as Oklahoma football coach in 2011, should he remain that long, according to his revised contract approved Wednesday by the OU Board of Regents at their regularly scheduled meeting in Ardmore. – Tulsa World

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio completed another off-season radio interview over the weekend, this time with a station in Lakewood, Ohio, outside of Cleveland. No major news came from the session, but a few interesting tidbits resulted from the questions Dantonio received from Glenn Moore and Dan Brock on “The Dugout Sports Show.” When asked if he had any interest in other coaching jobs, Dantonio cut off the end of the question to say MSU was his last stop. “This is our last coaching job as a family,” he said. “This is where I want to be. I’m 53 years old, so … Michigan State’s a great place, I was here for six years prior to coming back here. I try to keep my eyes and focus on what we’re doing here, so I’m here for the long term.” – Detroit Free-Press

Cincinnati has given football coach Brian Kelly a contract extension, adding a year at nearly $1.5 million. The school said Monday that Kelly is guaranteed $1.475 million to coach the Bearcats through the 2013 season. He had been signed through 2012. – AP

Follow the money, and it’ll lead to the SEC. A report released Monday in Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal ranks the 10 highest-earning football programs in the country. Five (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee) reside in the SEC. A sixth SEC school, LSU, barely missed the cut, checking in at No. 12 overall. – Birmingham Business Journal

Before a packed house, the guest speaker expressed confidence in his team, which opens Sept. 5 at Ohio. “I feel good about this group of young men that we have in terms of their focus and what’s going on,” UConn coach Randy Edsall said. “We do have a very tough schedule, the toughest one we might play. I know some fans want it to be tougher.” Edsall drew laughter when he said, “You play all those pretty-named schools and everything … that doesn’t do much for a coach.” “Edsall said the Huskies could figure in the Big East picture if everybody comes together for the common goal, which is what he noticed from the people at MCH. “If you can always keep things in perspective, never get too full of yourself and remember to always give back, that’s what it’s all about,” Edsall said. – Hartford Courant