Reporters' Notebooks

Joseph Person, Columbia State: What Steve Spurrier wants, Steve Spurrier gets. The university has streamlined the special admissions process for athletes who do not meet the university’s standard admissions guidelines. And had North Carolina not beaten Miami in 2004 to save John Bunting’s job, Spurrier might have found himself coaching the Tar Heels.

Mark Janssen, Manhattan Mercury: The NCAA is investigating Kansas State for possible rules violations, which are said to involve papers being written for the student-athletes by members of the tutoring staff, and players being romantically involved with a member of the tutoring staff.

Sports Business Daily: Amateur student-athletics, eh? An NCAA panel will vote in January on a proposal that would allow sponsors to use athletes' images to promote their businesses, as long as the athletes do not specifically endorse those products.

Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt, whose team seems to be rapidly descending to the bottom of the Big East, needs a victory Wednesday night against Navy or he could soon have a date with the university's firing squad.

Mark Purdy, San Jose Mercury News: Is cuddly little Stanford going to change and become a big-time power? Will the players now start skipping classes and dating strippers?

Darren Sabedra, Contra Costa Times: Tavita Pritchard's magical fourth quarter in Saturday's monumental upset of USC has earned the Stanford quarterback a starting job.

Shannon Shelton, Detroit Free Press: It has been a strange season for the Big Ten. Thus, it's time for the Big Tennys. The envelope, please.

Bud Withers, Seattle Times: So what brought the Washington State program to its knees? The easy answer is, recruiting happened. Or didn't.

Brian Christopherson, Lincoln Journal Star: Nebraska players vented their frustrations during a 45-minute meeting that was called "emotional" by offensive lineman Matt Slauson.

Black Coaches and Administrators: The group's hiring report card (PDF page). Division I-A schools getting a failing grade: Alabama, Air Force, Louisville and Tulsa.

Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: Here is why the BCA deserves an "F" for its report card.

Brandon Zimmerman, Gainesville Sun: Florida's Tim Tebow said he received hundreds of threatening messages on his cell phone last week after his number was posted on the Internet.

Glenn Guilbeau, Shreveport Times: Among those attending last Saturday's Florida-Louisiana State game: Jerry Tarkanian, who was wearing an LSU shirt.

Heather A. Dinich, Baltimore Sun: Maryland quarterback Jordan Steffy could be out as long as a month after suffering a concussion.

Kevin Tatum, Philadelphia Inquirer: Here's a rare headline: Temple is looking to avoid a letdown.

Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Advertiser: Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan, recovering from an ankle injury, says he will start Friday night's nationally televised game at San Jose State.

Paul Buker, Oregonian: Oregon State receiver Sammie Stroughter, sidelined since suffering a bruised kidney against Arizona State on Sept. 22, is out for the rest of season. He will apply for a medical redshirt.

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