Reporters' Notebooks

Jerry Hill, Waco Tribune-Herald: Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw flew to California on Monday to interview San Francisco 49ers assistant head coach Mike Singletary the day after firing Guy Morriss, according to a source.

Donnie Webb, Syracuse Post-Standard: Remember Connecticut's Larry Taylor, who pulled off the fair catch/punt return for a touchdown (video) against Louisville? He tried to pull the same trick against Syracuse.

Mark Fagan, Lawrence Journal-World: If you would have bet $100 on Kansas at the beginning of the season and let it ride, you’d have $102,400 to wager on this weekend’s Missouri game, with a shot at much, much more.

Jim Moore, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Washington's Tyrone Willingham wasn't saying much about Saturday's game against Washington State, but Husky defensive tackle Jordan Reffett, who is married and has a kid, was talking: "I plan to have more kids, and none of my kids will be at WSU. I want them to have a job someday."

Jack Corcoran, Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State linebacker Geno Hayes: "We're going to have the attitude that Tim Tebow is going to go down this week. That's what we're going to say; Tim Tebow is going down this week. Ya'll put that down."

Mark Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald: Vanderbilt kicker Bryant Hahnfeldt's 49-yard missed field goal against Tennessee in the final minute last Saturday could keep Georgia's assistant coaches from collecting a total of nearly $100,000 in bonuses.

Ian Rapoport, Birmingham News: The way coach Nick Saban sees, his Alabama team is divided into two factions: The players who care and the players who don't. "And the ones that don't care, they shouldn't be here," Saban said.

Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: Saban on back-to-back losses to Mississippi State and Louisiana Monroe: "Changes in history usually occur after some kind of catastrophic event. It may be 9/11, which sort of changed the spirit of America relative to a catastrophic event. Pearl Harbor got us ready for World War II or whatever, and that was a catastrophic event."

Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times: He also takes exception to Saban's comments: "I guess I'm more acutely aware of it since my wife, Patricia, just returned from a two-week assignment in Iraq for this paper. And because I buried my World War II veteran father last spring in a military cemetary where thousands of heroic, unselfish men and women have been laid to rest."

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: The loss to Monroe shouldn't bother Alabama fans so much. Instead, it should be the fact that Saban seemingly sold out his principles by letting DJ Hall come back in the second half to try and reverse the scoreboard.

Rob Keys, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: There he was, alone on the press box elevator, checking a text message on his cell phone when Houston Nutt, the beleaguered Arkansas coach and most infamous texter in the state, stepped on board. How great is that?

Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech looks to be headed to the Gator Bowl.

Pete Thamel, New York Times: Now that Lloyd Carr has decided to call it quits at Michigan, what will the Wolverines do?

Ron Maly: The only reason Kirk Ferentz's name is being mentioned in connection with Lloyd Carr's old job is that Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman once had the same job at Iowa. Hey, when was the last time a school president had any influence in who is named the football coach at her school?

Lafayette Journal and Courier: Purdue receiver Selwyn Lymon is accused of driving drunk and fleeing from police who responded to a domestic disturbance complaint at his West Lafayette apartment last weekend.

Charley Walters, St. Paul Pioneer Press: Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi said he "understands" the football team's 1-11 record under first-year coach Tim Brewster. But what if Minnesota finishes 1-11 again next season? "Then you and I probably would have a different conversation," Maturi said.

Mark Alesia, Indianapolis Star: An Indiana state representative said that he'll introduce legislation to mandate arbitration between cable television and channels such as the Big Ten Network and if federal regulators don't intervene.

Robbi Pickeral, ACC Now: North Carolina's Butch Davis wants Kenan Stadium expanded by 8,000-10,000 seats.

Frank Dascenzo, Durham Herald-Sun: The good news is that the college football season is nearly over around here.