Iliana Limón, Orlando Sentinel: The Capital One Bowl in Orlando could
be in danger of losing its position as the best bowl game outside of
the BCS. Officials from the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences are putting pressure on the Citrus Bowl to make renovations to the dilapidated facility.
But Orlando city officials aren't likely to fork over the needed $175
million because of a flattened economy. The Champs Sports Bowl, which
also plays at the facility and has deals with the Big Ten and Atlantic
Coast Conference, could encounter the same problem. A proposed bowl at Bright House Networks Stadium was not certified for 2009 after organizers were unable to land a title sponsor.
Chuck Carlton, Dallas Morning News: Texas' Mack Brown, one of the leading proponents of a change to the controversial Big 12 tiebreaking procedure, will not be attending the league meetings next week in Phoenix, where the tiebreaker will be discussed. Brown's wife, Sally, is undergoing previously scheduled surgery on her wrist to repair injuries suffered in a hiking accident last October.
C-SPAN: The cable network will be providing live coverage of Friday's hearing on the fairness of the Bowl Championship Series before a House subcommittee. The coverage is scheduled to air from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Eastern). You can watch over the Internet at this link. Update: Replay available at this link.
Ray Melick, Birmingham News: If the BCS were to go, what would take its place? Everybody has an idea, but nobody has the right idea.
Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News: Just because Mike Leach is crazy doesn't mean he isn't right occasionally.
Steve Ellis, Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State officials have eliminated a seating perk for state legislators. Officials say the move has nothing to do with deep budget cuts for state universities that are being discussed by lawmakers.
Ivan Maisel, ESPN: Penn State's Joe Paterno wants the Big Ten to add a 12th team. "Everybody else is playing playoffs on television," Paterno said. "You never see a Big Ten team mentioned. So I think that's a handicap. I've tried to talk to the Big Ten people about, 'Let's get a 12th team — Syracuse, Rutgers, Pitt — we could have a little bit of a playoff."
Renée Schafer Horton, Tucson Citizen: Arizona's Mike Stoops will earn $1 million for the 2009 season and get a $100,000 raise each of the following four years under a contract extension approved, 6-1, by the Arizona Board of Regents. Dennis DeConcini voted against it. "I find it hard to believe we're going to approve this when we're facing the [economic] problems we're facing now," DeConcini said.
Donnie Webb, Syracuse Post-Standard: Central Florida's George O'Leary says he has been talking with Syracuse counterpart Doug Marrone. He said the conversation has been about "organizational stuff," though he joked they've also discussed things such as dealing with the media.
Chris Foster, Los Angeles Times: Kevin Prince was named UCLA's starting quarterback.
Scott Wolf, Los Angeles Daily News: The American Football Coaches Association will examine the results of a three-month review of the USA Today coaches' poll at its annual spring meeting next week. Coaches will discuss if they want to make their ballots public on a weekly basis.
St. Paul Pioneer Press: Legislation cleared the Minnesota House that would allow alcohol sales throughout Minnesota's new stadium.
Rob Moseley, Eugene Register-Guard: Oregon hired Mark Helfrich as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He had the same title at Colorado.
Patrick Ridgell, Longmont Times-Call: Colorado promoted receivers coach Eric Kiesau to offensive coordinator.
J.P. Giglio, ACC Now: North Carolina has released Angelo Hadley from his letter of intent after his second arrest in a month. According to police, Hadley was having sex with a 14-year-old girl while his brothers robbed the house of jewelry, cash and a shotgun — $17,000 in loot.
Dana Littlefield, San Diego Union-Tribune: Former Nebraska running back Lawrence Phillips will go to trial on charges that he attacked his girlfriend in 2005. Phillips, who faces eight felony counts, could be sentenced to more than 25 years in prison if convicted. In October 2008, Phillips was sentenced in Los Angeles to 10 years in prison for driving onto a field near the Coliseum in August 2005 and striking three boys and a 19-year-old man with his girlfriend's car.
Andrew Carter, Orlando Sentinel: The state attorney's office has issued an arrest warrant for Cameron Wade, a Florida State receiver who failed to appear in court to face a charge of misdemeanor battery stemming from an on-campus fight last fall.
Lincoln Journal Star: A Gator Bowl championship ring belonging to a Nebraska player has been stolen.
Kevin Gorman, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Receiver T.J. Porter and defensive tackle Tommie Duhart have been booted off Pittsburgh's team by coach Dave Wannstedt.
Brent Zwerneman, San Antonio Express-News: Matt Allen, a junior who’s competing for a starting job on the Texas A&M offensive line, was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated late last week.
Mike Chambers, Denver Post: Rich Bircumshaw, the affable voice of the Colorado State Rams, died after suffering a stroke. He was 54.
Ted Lewis, Times-Picayune: Drew Villar, a walk-on kicker at Tulane, died in his hometown of Gonzales, La., of unknown causes.
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