Reporters' Notebooks

Jim Carty, Ann Arbor News: A Lansing public relations firm employed by Comcast Cable has apologized for an employee posing as a fan unhappy with the Big Ten Network and criticizing Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany on Spartan Tailgate.com and sites that cover Michigan and Northwestern sports.

Wendell Barnhouse, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Gone are Troy Smith, Paul Posluszny, Chris Leak, Garrett Wolfe, Daniel Sepulveda, Brady Quinn and JaMarcus Russell. Who are the replacements?

Paul Buker, Oregonian: Sammie Stroughter, Oregon State's All-American receiver, returned to practice after taking time off to deal with personal issues, but nobody is saying if he has returned for good.

Doug Robinson, Deseret Morning News: It's year two of The mtn., the Mountain West's TV venture, and a year later, nothing is fixed.

Pete Pelegrin, Miami Herald: The story of a 28-year-old who had a $90,000-a-year job and became a father last year, but then decided to quit work and go back to college, at Florida International. He made the team as a walk-on linebacker.

Mark Tupper, Decatur Herald & Review: Illinois' Memorial Stadium, undergoing a $120 million renovation, is strewn with debris. But officials say the work will be complete before for the Fighting Illini's Sept. 8 home opener against Western Illinois.

Chip Brown, Dallas Morning News: We'll know about the strength of the Big 12 by the third week in September. By then, nine key nonconference games involving Big 12 teams will be in the books.

Mike Baldwin, Oklahoman: Oklahoma State's opener at Georgia is a "money ball” game. A win between the hedges would be worth more than your typical September non-conference victory. A lot more.

Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia coach Mark Richt issued a public apology for what he described as "knee-jerk" comments he made two days earlier about the the lack of an indoor practice facility.

Joseph Person, Columbia State: South Carolina quarterback Blake Mitchell will start the season on the bench after losing an appeal over his one-game suspension. And suspended Gamecock safety Emanuel Cook underwent an appendectomy over the weekend, shortly after being released from jail on a gun charge.

Bryan Mullen, Tennessean: Tennessee running back LaMarcus Coker was reinstated to the team, but won't play in the opener at Cal.

Rachel Carter, Raleigh News & Observer: Meet East Carolina, the team much of the country will be pulling against in the opener against Virginia Tech.

Jeff Wilson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: How important is it to have experience at cornerback? Only one of the 16 teams with 11 victories in 2006 started two freshmen at the position. That team was Texas Christian.

Jeff Carroll, South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen confirmed what readers to this blog have known for months. He had elbow surgery.

Here is today's mystery link.