Michael Rothstein, Ann Arbor.com: The Detroit Free Press report on how Rich Rodriguez and his staff allegedly exceeded NCAA guidelines regarding practice time limits is another black eye for Michigan football. Consider what has happened since Rich Rod became coach. He had a messy contract situation with West Virginia that was played out in public. Then there was a 3-9 season. Players left the program, questioning "family values" of the coaching staff. And a failed cocaine deal that led to the dismissal of receiver Justin Feagin, a Rich Rod recruit. How much more can Michigan take?
Mark W. Smith, Detroit Free Press: Online reaction to the Michigan story.
Robert Cessna, Bryan-College Station Eagle: Another coach has dropped weight in the offseason. Texas A&M's Mike Sherman is 40 pounds lighter.
Kurt Streeter, Los Angeles Times: It's time to give the federal ban against sports gambling the boot.
Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star: A look at Bill Snyder's influence on college football. It's not all good, especially when it comes to the scheduling of nonconference games.
Birmingham News: All guts, no glory. Offensive linemen may be the most selfless players in any sport. There are few stats, plenty of aches and pains and not much glamour. They get noticed only when one makes a mistake. But they're the key to moving the ball. Plus, a PDF detailing career offensive line starts for the past five Bowl Championship Series title game participants, this year's top 10, and the 12 Southeastern Conference teams.
Katie Thomas, New York Times: The college season is set to begin, but the swine flu season has already started.
Lonnie White, FanHouse: The pressure is on Matt Barkley to prove that Pete Carroll's decision was correct.
Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: It's too much, too soon for Barkley. Asking a true freshman to start at quarterback at Ohio State on Sept. 12, as Carroll appears set on doing, looks like a high-risk, low-reward decision.
Dave Hooker, Knoxville News-Sentinel: Now that USC has named Barkley the starter, perhaps it's time for Jesse Scroggins, a quarterback at Lakewood High in Los Angeles, to reconsider his commitment to the Trojans.
Chris Foster, Los Angeles Times: Defensive tackle Willie Mobley, who left the Ohio State team on Friday, is transferring to UCLA.
Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: Just because Nick Saban has a new contract doesn't mean he will be the Alabama coach until 2017. What Saban really wants is total control.
Associated Press: St. Paul's College had to cancel its opener against West Virginia Wesleyan because the Division II Tigers didn't have enough helmets.
The Quad: Paul Myerberg looks at No. 8 Virginia Tech and No. 7 Louisiana State.
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I've gotta laugh. The negativity from the media and some alumni/boosters that fancy themselves as being an Ivy League program has been there from day one and they were never going to give him a chance unless he won 10 games right off the bat (amazing how those supposed behavioral standards melt away when you're winning and become an issue when you're losing). The light has been coming down the tunnel right from the get-go, and it is so funny to see how this is going down.
Posted by: Chris | August 30, 2009 at 10:02 PM