Reporters' Notebooks

Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Another round of depositions in the Rich Rodriguez case have been released. West Virginia president Mike Garrison acknowledged he told Rich Rod he wasn't sold on the idea of buyouts in contracts, but denied telling the former Mountaineer coach in August that the $4 million buyout clause in Rodriguez's contract would be lowered. Plus, the Charleston Gazette has posted downloadable files of the five transcripts that were released Monday.

Angelique S. Chengelis, Detroit Free Press: "Michigan Replay," the coach's show that has been on the air for 33 years, is no more. Rich Rod said he's not interested in hanging around after games to tape a show because he would rather use the time visiting with recruits and spending time with his family.

Graham Couch, Kalamazoo Gazette: Michigan State and Western Michigan will play a Nov. 7, 2009 game at Detroit's Ford Field.

Brett Dawson, Louisville Courier-Journal: Kentucky fans won't be able to fire up a Marlboro inside Commonwealth Stadium this season. Smoking inside the stadium is now prohibited.

Chip Towers, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Dignitaries were out in full force in Athens as Uga VI was laid to rest in a ceremony at Georgia's Sanford Stadium.

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Washington's recruiting class of 2005 — generally regarded as the worst in team history — is living down to the hype. There are only seven players from the group left on the team.

Ryan Finley, Arizona Daily Star: Arizona's Mike Stoops is bringing a military approach to training camp this fall. The Wildcats will practice at Fort Huachuca, sleep in army barracks and spend much of their downtime with the troops.

Thayer Evans, New York Times: Jamarkus McFarland, one of the nation's top defensive tackle recruits out of Lufkin, Texas, is prized for his brainpower as much as his brawn. McFarland is senior-class president at Lufkin High and makes $6.50 an hour working part-time at a Kmart. He also has an academic average of 92.4 on a 100-point scale.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: Montgomery attorney Donald Maurice Jackson says things have changed dramatically over the years for African American students, and it hasn't all been good. "For example, I love rap music," Jackson said, "but USC has Snoop Dogg walking around the sidelines and when you connect your program to that element, you are inviting this."

Kevin Donahue, FanBlogs: California will have new helmets and uniforms this season that will feature bear claw slashes around the neckline and on the side of the pants.

Mike Knobler, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia Tech cornerback Jerrard Tarrant was arrested and charged with rape and sodomy stemming from an incident that allegedly occurred in late April on campus.

Northwest Arkansas Times: Arkansas sophomore linebacker Freddy Burton, 19, was arrested in Fayetteville and charged with driving while intoxicated.