Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: The columnist says he's not going to apologize to Central Florida's George O'Leary after writing that the school should part ways with the coach.
Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com: Charles Barkley says Auburn, his former school, did not hire Buffalo's Turner Gill as coach because Gill is African American. "I think race was the No. 1 factor. You can say it's not about race, but you can't compare the two resumes and say [Gene Chizik] deserved the job. Out of all the coaches they interviewed, Chizik probably had the worst resume."
Des Moines Register: Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard said that Chizik told him twice that he planned to turn down the Auburn job — including the same day he accepted the position.
Ray Melick, Birmingham News: Auburn fans, angry over the hiring of Chizik, began getting their renewal notices for season tickets in the mail last week, about the same time word leaked that Chizik was getting the job.
Lya Wodraska, Salt Lake Tribune: Utah fans are not all that jazzed about the Sugar Bowl. Over 5,000 of the team's allotment of 17,500 tickets remain unsold.
Dan Zeiger, East Valley Tribune: Arizona State is selling Camp Tontozona, which served as the Sun Devils' preseason practice retreat from 1960-2007.
Jeff Huth, Champaign News-Gazette: Illinois athletic teams spent $1,203,500 on recruiting during the 2006-07 season, nearly double median average ($632,000) for all I-A schools. Fighting Illini coaches also make frequent use of private planes provided by boosters.
Michael Rothstein, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Notre Dame tight end Will Yeatman has decided to transfer. He had been suspended for the 2008 season because of his arrest at an off-campus party in September.
Desmond Conner, Hartford Courant: Connecticut running back Donald Brown plans to return for his senior season.
Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald: A Georgia season that did not live up to expectations is still paying off for Georgia coaches, who are cashing big bonus checks this holiday season.
Michael DiRocco, Florida Times-Union: Former Florida defensive back Jamar Hornsby pleaded no contest to four misdemeanor counts of improper use of a credit card and was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay nearly $10,000 in restitution and court costs.
Knoxville News-Sentinel: All in the family. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said he will join his son, Lane, at Tennessee after the NFL season ends. Lane earlier hired his brother-in-law, David Reaves, for a position on his staff.
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