Posts from the Ncaa Fb Rumors Category at FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

Greg Schiano is a young, successful coach who's turned down offers from Miami and Michigan the past two years. Joe Paterno is a thousand years old and is widely rumored to be entering his final season as Penn State's head coach. Schiano was a Penn State defensive backs coach back before he came to prominence as Miami's defensive coordinator. Add it all up and...

Barring a last-minute power struggle or change of heart, the source indicated that this will be Paterno's last season in Happy Valley, and that Penn State would move quickly after Schiano at season's end.

That's an internet sportsmag called The Phanatic that covers the sports of Philadelphia and environs. Though few have heard of them, they seem to be a relatively up-and-up lot and do feature a couple hundred thousand hits on their site counter. Take or leave that as you please.

Penn State blogs naturally go "urk!?!" at mention of this since Schiano appears to be the only truly attractive option available to Penn State should this be Joe Paterno's last year of vaguely guiding actual Penn State head coach Tom Bradley, nominally the defensive coordinator.

Color this guy skeptical, since the Phanatic's article is explicitly couched in anonymity and vagueness. From appearances, coaching searches are always but always fiascoes. Even if the Phanatic's source is Graham Spanier himself, the situation will change a thousand times before a new Penn State coach is named.

Evidence? Last year during the Michigan coaching search a highly reliable tipster told me Michigan had come to an agreement with its new head coach: Greg Schiano.

Sure, the Big East may have 16 members in basketball, and the Atlantic 10 has 14 members, but not since the WAC of the 90s has there been a conference with more than 12 teams in 1-A football and basketball. According to Andy Katz at ESPN.com ($), the MAC may be considering a leap to 14 members.

The MAC meetings are going on in Chicago, and according to a coach in attendance, there was more talk about expanding the league to 14 teams with adding Temple (Atlantic 10 for all sports but football) and Western Kentucky (Sun Belt) as full members.

For the MAC, this removes the awkward 13-team football conference with at least an equal number of teams in each division. It also eliminates the very annoying associate member status of Temple as a football-only member. The addition of two schools with strong basketball history provides additional possibilities of finally getting more than one team in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Something the MAC hasn't had in 10 years.

University of Iowa police have issued arrest warrants for two former Hawkeye defensive backs in connection with an alleged sexual assault which took place on campus last October. Cedric Everson and Abe Satterfield were both suspended by Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz on October 23.

Ferentz didn't explain at the time why Everson and Satterfield were suspended, but Internet rumors quickly centered on an incident much like what came to light when the warrants were announced yesterday. Both Satterfield and Everson are charged with second-degree sexual abuse. In Iowa, that means that the perpetrator displays a dangerous weapon in a threatening manner, or if the crime is aided by one or more persons. Satterfield is additionally charged with third-degree sexual abuse, which involves mental or physical incapacitation, physical helplessness, or a victim under the influence of a controlled substance.

Satterfield is denying his involvement. Everson has yet to comment. Ferentz isn't saying anything much, but he wants you to remember that Everson and Satterfield are both ex-Hawkeyes.

The Des Moines Register's Sean Keeler says this could be just the beginning of an ugly period in Hawkeye football history. It's hardly the beginning, from this fan's point of view, but Keeler says Ferentz himself could be in trouble.

There are two off seasons in college football. The one before spring games and the one after. The one before is bearable because at least there's news about recruiting and your teams big win in the BCS bowl is still fresh in your mind. For me anyway. The one after, however, is filled with long periods of boredom and sprinkles of athletes misbehaving.

And then there's stories of the Crimson Permanent Assurance corporate raiders otherwise known as BCS conferences raiding smaller conferences for their best teams. Only this time that story is in reverse as both Memphis and East Carolina are chomping at the bit to get into the Big East.

East Carolina desperately has wanted in to the Big East since the re-formatting a few years ago. They still want to find their way in. Even if just in football.

The Big East still won't bite. They don't have to. As much as it makes things difficult to schedule in football, even a provisional, part-time new member would likely upset the delicate balance with the basketball schools. Until the conference realizes it has to split, ECU has no chance

Memphis on the other hand, seems to be in top secret negotiations with the Big East. Even though Mike Tranghese has stated way too many times for me to count that it ain't gonna happen.

Ever since the Memphis Tigers got left behind in the Great Bum Rush to leave Conference USA-- also known as the Big East expansion in 2003-- Tiger fans have had one singular goal. To follow their old rivals from Louisville, and Cincinnati to the greener pastures of the Big East. And here's where it gets interesting. Sources have confirmed to FOX13 Sports that University of Memphis officials have been in serious talks with the Big East about joining the conference.

I tend to agree with Charles that there is no way that the Big East is going to move on any of this. East Carolina is a fine football program by Conference USA standards. But would they really bring anything to the table that doesn't already exist? The conference is already littered with programs that seem to be just on the threshold of breaking the top 25. What good would one more do? And if the Big East does split, is there anything else at East Carolina that is Big East worthy?

...I think. Does "snitching" imply veracity? I need a ruling from someone who watches more hip hop videos than I do.

St Bonaventure High School has a "recruiting coordinator" -- kind of odd for a high school to have, but whatever -- named Roger Sonsini. Or, rather, had. Sonsini had the ill fortune to say this in the aftermath of Darrell Scott's surprising decision to pick Colorado:

"Colorado came in on Friday and said and did something and offered something that Darrell and his mom couldn't pass up."

If this seems like a good way to lose your job, you win a prize:

Roger Sonsini, also an assistant coach at Ventura (Calif.) St. Bonaventure High School, said he was terminated Friday but refused further comment.

Awww, you got fired. Now is the time to comment, comment like you're a guest on Jerry Springer. Comment like you're Maurice Clarett. Maybe the Scott family's retention of a lawyer who "who specializes in First Amendment law, defamation and civil litigation" has contributed to Sonsini's sudden reticence.

Score one for the internets.

LSU is out one starting quarterback, from the looks of it:

LSU quarterback Ryan Perrilloux was suspended indefinitely for an unspecified violation of team rules, leaving his status unclear for the start of spring practice Feb. 29.

Coach Les Miles did not elaborate on the violation in his statement Monday or how the suspension would affect Perrilloux's future with the national champions.

The rumor has it that the "violation of team rules" in this instance is Not Being On The Team Anymore, which includes not going to meetings or class and, if you believe the truly tinfoil-hat version of events, shaking down LSU for money before returning.

Which is completely insane and would be unbelievable if we were talking about anyone other than Ryan Perrilloux, who had a now-you-see-me-now-you-don't commitment to Texas, somehow got involved in a countefeiting investigation, and has already been suspended twice by LSU. Ryan Perrilloux could announce he is the reincarnated David Bowie, and not even David Bowie would be that shocked.

Even so, both sides have to come to their senses here, don't they? Perrilloux has two years to start at an elite program, which can be a ticket to NFL riches. LSU has a guy who used to play for Harvard and a freshman backing Perrilloux up. Both parties have a huge incentive to work things out. If they don't, LSU's title defense is over before it starts.

Everyone hates it when the NCAA starts muddling around in the clock rules at the behest of television executives wanting to cram yet more non-football into their three-and-a-half hour windows of commercials sometimes interrupted by men in pads, and it looks like the rules committee is treading dangerous territory with this year's changes.

There are two clock rules under consideration:

• Going to an NFL-style 40 second playclock; the clock would start immediately after the last play's completion instead of when the ref signals ready for play.
• Treating an out-of-bounds play like a first down: the clock will stop until the referee signals ready for play, but then it will run.

The immediate reaction from everbody: "arrrgh, hated 3-2-5e returns! fie!" For an example, see SMQB or Fanhouse colleague Brian Grummell:


I'm not sure I agree with your policework there, Norm.

The generalized "arrrgh" directed at the 40-second playclock is misplaced, as EDSBS readers who emailed the head of the rules committee have been told. That claim and an evaluation of its validity after the jump.

Backup safety Antonio Wardlow and reserve linebacker Dorian Davis were both kicked off the Tennessee football team on Wednesday. Wardlow is best known for blocking a couple of punts in his career, including one in UT's 2006 blowout win at Georgia that landed him on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and for sealing UT's Outback Bowl win against Wisconsin with an interception (pictured). Davis is pretty well unknown, though he would have had a chance to compete for a staring job in spring practice.

The official university line on the players' dismissal is the ubiquitous "violation of team rules," but scuttlebutt amongst fans is that weed was the root of their problem. Now technically, it's just a rumor, and the comment linked is just the first on that site to bring up the drug thing (though none refute it, and similar comments can be found elsewhere). But if it is true, take into account LaMarcus Coker, an infinitely talented running back who failed the requisite number of drug tests to get himself kicked off the team (like 14 or something, I think), and Gerald Jones, an infinitely talented wide receiver who just got busted for possession like two weeks ago,and there's got to be a reason that Tennessee players keep risking their scholarships and athletic futures over getting high.

Is it brash egos that make them think they're above the law? Maybe. Is it plain stupidity? Possibly. But I think Occam's razor would say: Knoxville's got the stickiest icky around. Now I don't smoke, but in the five years I lived in Knoxville, had I known that I was living in some kind of ganja heaven, I'd at least given it a shot. You know, when in Rome, support the local economy, etc. But I digress.

So how do these losses affect Tennessee from a football standpoint?

It was all good just a week year ago. After four years of Reggie Ball and his unorthodox approach to quarterback, Georgia Tech was finally to have some sort of stability in the form of Taylor Bennett, a statue of a dropback passer who had looked more than competent in the chances he got to sub in. Whether it's due to the loss of Calvin Johnson, I'm not to say, but the Yellow Jackets somehow managed to have an even worse passing game in 2007, with Bennett sporting a sub-50 completion rate and a 7-9 TD/INT ratio. Still, that was good enough to earn GT a chance to get worked something horribly by Fresno State in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, and hey- maybe with another year, he'd get the hang of it.

But that's before Paul Johnson took over for Chan Gailey (enjoy, KC- really) and promised to apply his spread-option offense from Navy pretty much verbatim. Some recruits understandably jumped ship, including QB prospect Sean Renfree, who eventually ended up at Duke. The latest casualty is Bennett himself, who is planning to transfer to an unnamed number of schools. Mind you, this is the second team in the ACC Coastal Division that lost their starting QB for 2008 for reasons other than graduation or injury, the other being Virginia (Jameel Sewell). Can't say I blame Bennett on this one, even if he'll need a waiver to play D-I football after using his redshirt season. Ben Mauk at Cincinnati may have set a precedent for seemingly lost campaigns to get back up and running, but he might get two seasons as a Bearcat. Bennett might find himself lucky to get a season in at any DI-A school, let alone as a starter. But hey, I know a school in Charlottesville that's looking for a solid backup.

"B-b-b-b-but wait it gets worse!!!"- Sticky Fingaz

I'll admit that the original article I wrote about UVA signing on for a home-and-home against USC might have jumped the gun a little. Virginia's played extremely well at home under Al Groh, lord only knows what mood the Trojans will be in before their tilt with Ohio State and there was every indication that the Cavaliers would field that a team that could certainly compete for an ACC Coastal crown, even if they weren't at a level where they could realistically match wits with top-five teams. With the possibility of the offense getting another year to congeal and a defense that had been increasingly effective and aggressive under Mike London, hell- at the very least, they could've shocked the world by giving USC a run for it.

Of course, that was my line of thinking before the Hoos started hemorrhaging in 2008; to recap, they'll take the field against USC without the following:

- Possibly the greatest defensive player in school history, but at the very least, the highest draft pick of the modern era (Chris Long)

- Three fifths of the starting offensive line, including their most talented guard (Branden Albert)

- The popular and blitz-happy defensive coordinator who also happened to be the most important in-state recruiter (Mike London)

- The quarterback around whom the offense was completely retooled over the past two years to fit his skills (Jameel Sewell) ... to academics

- The best cover corner (Chris Cook) ... to academics

- Considering that the first of these was the only one to be expected, hope as well? More on that after the jump...