Reporters' Notebooks

Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Tulsa appears ready to back out of an Aug. 30 game at Texas Tech in order to schedule a game against Arkansas. "For Tulsa to cancel this game with only eight months notice would be an act of bad faith on their part. ... A cancellation at this late date would make it almost impossible to schedule a quality opponent at this time,'' Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said. ... Tulsa offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn served one tumultuous season as offensive coordinator at Arkansas in 2006.

Ron Morris, Columbia State: South Carolina's Steve Spurrier is talking like he will tweak his offense to allow for more running by the quarterback. "We’re just trying to get our quarterback more involved in running, not a lot, maybe five to seven times a game. That's not a lot," he said.

Dick Jerardi and Ted Silary, Philadelphia Daily News: Steve Slaton's father is blaming Rich Rodriguez for his son's decision to leave West Virginia early for the riches of the NFL. "It was pushed on him with Rodriguez leaving and taking the whole coaching staff," Carl Slaton said.

James Salzer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Political football: A University of Georgia lobbyist spent about $24,000 on state officials and lawmakers during the final five months of 2007, most of that going for football tickets to everyone from Gov. Sonny Perdue to back-bench legislators.

Steve Ellis, Tallahassee Democrat: Junior quarterback Xavier Lee, who is not enrolled for spring semester classes, is done at Florida State.

Nick Krug, Lawrence Journal-World: A staff photographer talks about the unique experience of shooting 1,075 images at the Orange Bowl.

Mike DeArmond, Kansas City Star: Missouri's Gary Pinkel is not eager about continuing the Border War rivalry game against Kansas in Arrowhead Stadium beyond 2008.

Dave Reardon, Honolulu Star-Bulletin: Hawaii could name a coach by Wednesday and defensive coordinator Greg McMackin is the odds-on choice to get the job. New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, who has expressed interest, might have had his chances derailed by the Giants advancing to the NFC championship game.

Wally Hall, Northwest Arkansas Times: What is Darren McFadden, 20, and his brother, who is 17, doing in a bar anyway?

Brian Davis, Dallas Morning News: The Texas A&M marketing department has struck a deal to bring in ZZ Top for a gig the night before the spring game.

Lenox Rawlings, Winston-Salem Journal: What's wrong with the Atlantic Coast Conference in postseason games? A lack of quarterbacking, for starters.

Tarnished Heisman: The website for the book by Don Yaeger goes online, with all the documents on the Reggie Bush case.

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