Tom Sorensen, Charlotte Observer: The Atlantic Coast Conference didn't
get it right when it added Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech in
2003. The idea was that the lucrative Boston and south Florida markets
would generate money and enhance football. But Boston College has been
an utter waste and Miami, once the premier program in college football,
is now the overweight bald guy who sits
on a bar stool and tells you what a stud he used to be.
Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle: Critics will whine that Lane Kiffin's "reported" $4 million salary is too high for a young (35), unproven, scandal-plagued nimrod. USC, though, is confident that Kiffin will create so much havoc with his social blunders, petty rule violations and assorted lapses of decorum that he will make the world completely forget the ongoing Trojan scandals involving Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo.
John Wilner, College Sports Hotline: Pacific 10 Conference commissioner Larry Scott thinks the ACC's new TV deal ($155 million annually) bodes well for the Pac-10. "I've felt all along that college sports is undervalued ... And I think the Pac-10 is more undervalued than any conference."
Adrian Dater, Denver Post: Holding two fingers less than an inch apart, Colorado's Dan Hawkins said that is all that separates the Buffaloes from returning to "the national stage" as a program. "Guys, trust me. We are that far away."
Rob Moseley, Eugene Register-Guard: Mike Whalen, who is organizing a tour of U.S. military installations in Iraq and Afghanistan for Oregon's Chip Kelly, Army's Rich Ellerson, Harvard's Tim Murphy, Texas Tech's Tommy Tuberville and Illinois' Ron Zook, said the group will follow a "very aggressive schedule" of travel and events, and there are some coaches "that physically couldn’t do it."
Ken Tysiac, Charlotte Observer: Former North Carolina State coach Chuck Amato, 63, recovering from treatment for throat and neck cancer, wants to coach again.
Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: If the Southeastern Conference asked, would/should Georgia Tech say yes?
Ron Kantowski, Las Vegas Review-Journal: Meet Tina Kunzer-Murphy, the new chairperson of the Football Bowl Association.
Ben Volin, Gator Bytes: First-year Florida defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is getting paid $140,000 a year more than his predecessor, Charlie Strong, who left to become coach at Louisville.
Chris Murray, Reno Gazette-Journal: Is Boise State's exodus from the Western Athletic Conference fait accompli?
Brian Murphy, Idaho Statesman: San Diego State president Stephen Weber on the possibility of the Mountain West adding a team: "I'm more interested in building for the future, more interested in offense than defense."
Adam Zuvanich, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Don't believe all the expansion hype.
Dan Wolken, Memphis Commercial Appeal: Even Conference USA coaches are confused about the league's tie-in with the Liberty Bowl.
Jeff Barker, Baltimore Sun: Maryland has had no contact with the Big Ten.
Brent Schrotenboer and Kevin Gemmell, San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diego State will play Michigan in a 2011 game at Ann Arbor. Wolverine quarterback Tate Forcier, who grew up in San Diego, is "super pumped" for the game.
Greg Auman, St. Petersburg Times: South Florida senior running back Jamar Taylor, who was held out of spring practice to focus on his academics, is no longer part of the program.
Mark Bell, Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Two Middle Tennessee State players could soon face charges relating to an alleged assault on at least two females during a party early Tuesday.
Jesse James DeConto, Raleigh News & Observer: Three former Duke players pleaded guilty to firearms charges and will not return to campus.
Politics Daily: Today's little-known fact: Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan was once a sportswriter. Thanks to Michael Rothstein.
Pre-Snap Read: A look at No. 107 Vanderbilt.
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