Scott Wolf, L.A. Daily News: USC compliance officials are interviewing players regarding recruiting dinners held at the restaurant of John Papadakis, a former player. The concerns were originally raised last December by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.Dave Dye and Lynn Henning, Detroit News: Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has emerged as a possible frontrunner for the Michigan State opening. Steve Mariucci, who said he wasn't interested, confirmed a three-hour meeting last week with Spartan officials.
Aaron Fentress, Oregonian: Oregon backup quarterback Brady Leaf denies that he will transfer at season's end.
Associated Press: The Berkeley City Council has voted to file a lawsuit to stop extensive upgrades to California's Memorial Stadium, which straddles the Hayward Fault.
Adam Liptak, New York Times: An artist is being sued by Alabama because his merchandise allegedly violated the university's trademark rights (registration).
Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: The Hlist. Indiana receiver James Hardy picks Ohio State to beat Michigan. "They're stronger and they're faster. When they hit you, they try to hurt you." Subscription, so story is in comments.
Troy Phillips, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Texas Tech co-offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes, Texas Christian offensive coordinator Mike Schultz and Carroll (Texas) High coach Todd Dodge are possible candidates for the North Texas job.
Robert Cessna, Bryan-College Station Eagle: Texas A&M's Dennis Franchione doesn't have all the answers to his fading team's problems.
Brian Bennett, Louisville Courier-Journal: Some Louisville fans were upset over assistant coach Jeff Brohm yelling at his brother Brian, the starting quarterback, during the loss at Rutgers.
Lee Jenkins, New York Times: It started with billboards in South Florida. Then coach Greg Schiano held a camp in Miami. Rutgers' plan to lure players from Florida to New Jersey has worked to perfection (registration).
Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: From all indications, it's going to get ugly over Mike Shula's future at Alabama.
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11/14/2006
The Hlist
Mike Hlas
Cedar Rapids Gazette
FIRST DOWNS
1. It’s Just Plain Big: Michigan and Ohio State.
‘‘It’s going to be probably the biggest game of everybody’s life on our team,’’ Michigan tailback Mike Hart said.
‘‘It’s bigger than the things I’ve known,’’ said OSU quarterback Troy Smith. ‘‘It really blows my mind.’’
Indiana receiver James Hardy has played against both. His pick?
‘‘Ohio State. They’re stronger and they’re faster. When they hit you, they try to hurt you.’’
But Hardy’s quarterback, Kellen Lewis, made Michigan sound pretty ferocious itself after Indiana’s 343 loss to the Wolverines on Saturday.
‘‘They’re big, strong and fast, so I guess you mix those three and it causes a little bit of havoc,’’ Lewis said. ‘‘As far as speed goes, they’ve got a couple of freaks of nature on that side of the ball.’’
But could the Wolverines or Buckeyes beat Rutgers?
2. Red Zone: Last Thursday night, during and after unbeaten Rutgers’ 28-25 win over previously unbeaten Louisville, the Empire State Building was bathed in red lights in tribute to the team across the Hudson River in New Jersey.
‘‘Someday we’ll be the best,’’ Rutgers Coach Greg Schiano said. ‘‘This was a step in the right direction.’’
‘‘That’s the proudest thing I’ve been a part of, or been at, in years and years,’’ said New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, which may speak volumes about what’s been going on lately in Jersey.
3. Wild, Cats: Kansas State’s Wildcats ended Texas’ 21-game Big 12 win streak with their 45-42 shocker.
‘‘To be honest with you,’’ firstyear Kansas State Coach Ron Prince said, ‘‘we told our players all week, ‘Don’t be surprised if you jump out early on these guys and beat them.’ The kids believed it.’’
Why didn’t Prince tell the Wildats that before their 17-3 loss at Baylor on Sept. 30?
4. Perfect 10s: Both 10-0, Central College of Pella and St. Ambrose University of Davenport have earned NCAA Division III and NAIA playoff spots, respectively.
Both have many players from Eastern Iowa. Central’s starting safeties, Dustyn Baethke and Trenton Blythe, are from Williamsburg.
Starting linebacker Greg Altmaier is from Iowa City.
Starting defenders for St. Ambrose include seniors Chad Otdoerfer of Oelwein, Andy Wulf of Tipton and Nathan Shultz of Cedar Rapids. See, good college football is being played in Iowa after all.
FUMBLES
1. Lousy Reviews: Instituting video reviews of officials’ calls in college football was done with good intentions. Which, as has been said, is what paves the road to hell.
We had the Oklahoma-Oregon debacle earlier this year when an Oregon player touched an onside kick before it went the required 10 yards. The Ducks’ recovery was allowed to stand, though every television viewer of the game saw it shouldn’t have.
The Pac-10 boys struck again Saturday during the Oregon-USC game. After calling an Oregon touchdown on a tipped pass, the officials reviewed the play and voided the catch because they saw the receiver step out of the end zone before catching it. Then they huddled again to reverse the review because a receiver can come back from outside the end zone on a tipped pass.
It took 15 minutes to uphold the original call.
Last week, Big Ten and national coordinator of officials David Parry admitted officials at last season’s Rose Bowl couldn’t properly review a Texas touchdown that should have been overturned.
Remember when the refs could ref?
2. Nil for ’Noles: Wake Forest 30, Florida State 0?
‘‘It’s the worst football game I’ve ever been a part of,’’ said Drew Weatherford, who threw two of FSU’s four interceptions. ‘‘After playing like that, I don’t think anybody’s worthy of wearing this uniform right now.’’
It was the Seminoles’ first shutout loss at home in Bobby Bowden’s 31 seasons as their coach.
‘‘We were just inept,’’ Bowden said.
Wake Forest is 9-1. Florida State is 5-5. Honest.
3. Sour Apples: Washington plays Washington State on Saturday in the annual Apple Cup. Both feel rotten to the core.
‘‘We’re going to take our aggression out on them,’’ WSU defensive end Lance Broadus said after the Cougars were aggression-free in a 47-17 loss at Arizona State.
‘‘This is the lowest of the lowest,’’ said Washington linebacker Scott White after the Huskies lost 20-3 to previously winless Stanford. ‘‘I have to say, ‘Willingham, what did you do?’ Obviously, that was not good football,’’ rued Washington Coach Tyrone Willingham.
4. Hate Week: That’s what Columbus punk band The Dead Schembechlers call the week of the Michigan-Ohio State game.
Former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler recently got his first look at www.deadschembechlers.com.
‘‘I still matter in Columbus!’’ Bo howled happily.
Each of the four Dead Schembechlers is named Bo. On stage, they wear the Woody Hayes’ trademark Ohio ball cap, short-sleeved white dress shirt, necktie and glasses.
Among their songs: ‘‘Bomb Ann Arbor Now,’’ ‘‘Schembechler Kicked My Crippled Dog,’’ and ‘‘M Means Moron.’’
‘‘This game is going to be the biggest struggle the United States has been involved in since the DDay invasion,’’ lead singer Bo Biafra said.
The Hlist says the Dead Schembechlers will come and go. But Bo is immortal.
FROM THE PAPERS
‘‘You can tell students at Rutgers are so used to losing they aren’t really quite sure how to act.
For example, after Thursday night’s huge home victory over Louisville, fans swarmed the field toward the end zone, but instead of tearing down the goal posts, they simply circled them and stared menacingly.’’
— Greg Cote, Miami Herald
FINAL WORD
‘‘This is probably one of the best wins I’ve ever had here. Just because I hate Iowa so much. . . . It’s so sweet.’’ — Wisconsin senior defensive end Joe Monty after the Badgers’ four-game losing streak to the Hawkeyes ended with a 24-21 win.
Mike.Hlas@gazettecommunications.com
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