Div. II schools scoff in Irene’s general direction, open 2011 season

What, you thought a lil’ ol’ hurricane that’s already claimed the lives of at least eight people as of this posting was going to stop a pair of schools in its path from getting their season-opening football on?

Rain-soaked, wind-swept child please.

Just as the leading edge of Hurricane Irene was making its way into the state of Virginia early Saturday afternoon, Div. II schools Virginia Union and St. Augustine’s were scheduled to kick off their 2011 season.  And, of course, they decided to go ahead and play the opener as scheduled.

And, of course, the game was slightly affected by the weather conditions.

The Associated Press‘ account of the game — Virginia Union is located in Richmond; the Richmond Times-Dispatch had no gamer posted — included such tidbits as punts traveling back-in-time distances of minus-1 and minus-9 yards.  The AP also notes that Virginia Union “scored on a fumble recovery in the end zone when St. Augustine attempted to punt, but the ball was blown away as the punter dropped it to kick it.”  Or, as WRAL-TV’s website put it, “the contest was scoreless until Trevon Winston of VUU scored on a fumble recovery in the second quarter after the St. Aug punter missed the ball completely on an attempted punt in the end zone.”

WRAL also noted that “a torrential downpour” contributed to “[p]unting miscues and turnovers [that] hurt Saint Augustine’s College”.  That college, oddly enough, is located in North Carolina, the state where Irene first made landfall in the United States.

Oh, and if you’re curious, Virginia Union won 12-0.

UPDATED 12:39 a.m. ET: The Richmond Times-Dispatch has subsequently posted an article on a game in “some of the worst conditions imaginable” that was attended by “about 80″ people.  It’s real, it’s spectacular and it’s right HERE.

Appropriately enough, given the holiday we are in the midst of celebrating, there is a pretty damn cool story developing at Clemson.

After starring at Brooke Pointe High School in Virginia, Daniel Rodriguez appeared set to embark on a playing career at the collegiate level. Tragically, his father died of a heart attack four days after Rodriguez graduated, pushing the player away from realizing his dream of playing college football and into a career in the military.

Rodriguez joined the Army in 2007 and, one month after completing basic training, began serving a 15-month tour of duty in Iraq as part of an infantry unit. He served a second tour in Afghanistan, losing eight friends in a fierce battle with the Taliban in October of 2009. For his heroics during that battle, he was awarded both the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Honorably discharged roughly six months later, Rodriguez began attending community college and resumed his effort to play football at the collegiate level. Rodriguez, the Greenville News writes in a very nice feature on the veteran, “began training tirelessly and produced a video that served as his recruiting film.”

While Rodriguez had hoped to remain in his home state and play for Virginia or Virginia Tech, the tape caught the attention of Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney. After making two visits to the school, Rodriguez was offered the opportunity to become a walk-on for the Tigers by Swinney, a walk-on himself at Alabama in 1989 before earning a scholarship.

Rodriguez, a 5-8, 175-pounder who hopes to fill a role at slot receiver, is still awaiting clearance from the NCAA that would allow him to be eligible to play in 2012. When the NCAA does ultimately come to its senses and clears Rodriguez, the veteran doesn’t want a “play-for-pity arrangement,” the News writes.

“A handout is a shortcut to failure,” he said. “I don’t feel that I deserve anything. I don’t feel like I’m entitled to anything.

“I know there is a spotlight on my situation, but at the same time, I don’t feel like it’s been handed to me. I feel like I busted my butt in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I feel like I’ve busted it in the gym and in school to be given this chance.”

How can you not root for a young man like that, with that attitude and what he’s given to this country?

Fittingly, the paper also deftly fits in a discussion with Rodriguez regarding Arlington National Cemetery and how he wants to live his life honoring those killed in battle.

“I have friends buried there. I say my piece, and I always break down,” said Rodriguez…

“I definitely want to live my life better for the ones that have given everything,” he said. “A lot of people take stuff for granted and complain about things, when I’ve got mothers on my phone that are never going to see their sons again.

“I will never be over the losses 100 percent, but it’s what builds my character. It’s the foundation inside of me. You can have a foundation, or you can have an anchor. Both are solid and strong, but one is going to drag you down. The other is going to build you up.”

Damn. Again, how can you not root for Rodriguez?

Additionally, and for those who are interested, below is the video that caught Swinney’s attention. I’d strongly urge you to take seven minutes and some change out of your day to view it.

It would be well worth your time.

(Photo credit: Daniel Rodriguez)

(Reprinted with permission for a third straight year from, well, me.)

You have to admit that, despite the financial woes and political in-fighting and everything else, we have a pretty damn good life, living in these United States of America.  It’s a far-from-perfect country, but, dammit, it’s ours.  Ours because our own have and will continue to shed their blood in the ultimate sacrifice.  Gave and will continue to give their lives, their hopes, their dreams so that we — and our children and our children’s children — may live and realize ours and theirs.

As you go about your day today, doing whatever it is that you do on Memorial Day, take a second or two or sixty — or more — to reflect on what exactly this day is all about.

Please.  Just take a moment.  Take a moment to God bless those who have given so much.

God bless those who have paid the ultimate price for the freedom we enjoy day-in and day-out.

God bless those hundreds of thousands who’ve lost fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters in the ultimate sacrifice paid forward to every single one of us, for our freedoms.

And thank you — thank you, thank you, thank you with every fiber of my being — to those who continue serving this country and keeping this great nation safe.

And, again, God bless families torn apart and made lesser by the heartbreaking losses, hellish and unthinkable holes in the soul that allow us to do whatever the hell it is we want to on this day and every other day of the year…

Meandering our way through the offseason minutia, a lone one-liner at a time…

– Birmingham News: As successful as he has been, Nick Saban‘s assistant coaches have yet to find similar glory as head coaches

– From the Dept. of FWIW: Michigan offensive coordinator Al Borges is 2-0 lifetime vs. Nick Saban-coached teams.  The Wolverines, of course, open the 2012 season against Coach Woodcock’s Alabama Crimson Tide.

– St. Louis Post-Disaptch: Mizzou will get fully immersed in the SEC at the spring meetings this week.

– After its spring meetings, the Big East’s athletic directors are breathing a sigh of relief — for now.

– Here’s a feature from the Chattanooga Times Free Press on the Ol’ Ball Coach still stirring the SEC pot.

– Is TCU’s Gary Patterson (gasp!) lighetning up?

– Charleston Gazette-Mail: Needle moving for West Virginia football program

– One-time Nebraska quarterback commit Bubba Starling, the fifth-overall pick of the 2011 MLB draft, will always be a Cornhuskers fan at heart.

– Michigan State tight end Dion Sims showing more toughness and consistency, less propensity for lifting laptops.

– The San Diego Union-Tribune opines that the legacy of athletic director Jim Sterk “hangs in the balance as he attempts to lead the navigation of San Diego State football into the Big East Conference.”

– Nearly two years removed from playing his last game at Texas A&M, “Gig ‘em” is still a part of Von Miller‘s Twitter-toire.

One player who may have helped replace the production lost (192 receptions, 2,237 yards, 21 touchdowns) with the departures of Justin Blackmon and Josh Cooper for the NFL has abruptly departed himself, multiple media outlets are reporting.

The head coach at Lamar University confirmed in a text message reported by, among others, the Daily Oklahoman and Tulsa World that Kevin Johnson has left the Cowboys and is transferring into his program.  An OSU spokesperson subsequently confirmed the wide receiver has been given a release from his scholarship.

The transfer was first reported by the Beaumont Enterprise.

No reason was given for Johnson’s decision to leave Stillwater.  As Lamar is not a Div. 1-A (FBS) program, Johnson will be eligible to play immediately in 2012.

As a redshirt freshman last season, Johnson had zero catches for, oddly enough, zero yards, but was listed as No. 2 at one of the receiver positions on OSU’s most recent depth chart.  In the spring game, he caught three passes for 95 yards and a touchdown, a signal that he could’ve played a rather significant role in the Cowboys’ offense this season.

(Photo credit: Oklahoma State athletics)

By all appearances, the ACC’ and its very existence is under assault if the latest churning of the rumor mill is to be believed.

In fact, the board of trustees at both Florida State and Clemson has done the rumor mill one better, publicly hiking up its skirts confirming they’d be willing to listen to overtures from other conferences, specifically the Big 12.  Miami has also been specifically mentioned by a soon-to-be Big 12 athletic director, forcing the Hurricanes to issue a public “I (heart) you” statement of support for remaining in the ACC.

Virginia Tech has kinda, sorta been on the periphery of expansion discussion as well, although — much to the chagrin of the Richmond Times-Dispatch — that’s seemingly more related to a potential future interest from the SEC than the Big 12.

Late this past week, the Hokies became the latest school to publicly scoff at the latest round of expansion speculation, with athletic director Jim Weaver telling VTEffect.com that his school is not looking at jumping the ACC ship.

“I can tell you I have not talked to anybody about relocation,” Weaver said. “Nobody whatsoever. But people write that stuff just to keep the topic hot.”

(Writer’s note: of course, Weaver doesn’t address whether anyone connected to Tech has spoken to other conferences about relocation.)

As for the speculation connecting other ACC schools to other conferences, Weaver said he takes his fellow AD’s words of commitment to the conference at face value.

“The thing about communicating with the ADs in our league is, I believe we can take their word for gospel,” Weaver said. “If they tell us there’s nothing to it then I believe them. They’re not going to lie to us.”

Of course they wouldn’t.

Also, for what it’s worth, Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage was singing the same tune, telling the Times-Dispatch that the speculation connecting ACC schools to other conferences “is unfounded.”

“No one is talking about other conferences. No other conferences have been in touch with schools from the ACC,” Littlepage said.

(Photo credit: Virginia Tech)

AP

Bubbling just below the surface recently have been rumors that at least three members of the TCU football program, including two starters, would not be a part of the Horned Frogs football team when the 2012 season kicked off.  Specifically, running back Ed Wesley has been rumored to be off the team.

Unfortunately, it appears the speculation as it pertains to Wesley is on the mark.

In a feature on head coach Gary Patterson posted very late Saturday night, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram‘s Randy Galloway confirmed that Wesley “will leave school because of family reasons.”  Despite the lengthy piece, however, the coach did not specifically address Wesley’s situation, at least in quotes utilized by Galloway for the article.

An email sent to TCU seeking clarification on Wesley’s status has yet to be answered.

Wesley led the team in rushing in 2010 (1,078 yards), and finished second last year (726) and third in 2009 (638).  He’s scored 24 touchdowns in that span, including 21 on the ground.

While the loss of Wesley would certainly be a significant one, it’s not exactly a death knell for the Frogs’ running game.  Wesley was one of three TCU backs who finished the 2011 season with at least 700 yards rushing, and both of those two — Waymon James (led the team with 875 yards) and Matthew Tucker (702) — will be back this season.

Galloway also mentioned that an unnamed backup linebacker will not be with the Frogs in 2012 due to academic issues, which was actually the rumor surrounding Wesley.  Additionally, a potential starter at offensive tackle, Nykiren Wellington, has already been confirmed to have moved on to the JUCO level.

AP

Literally.

And, yep, The Rivalry still burns white-hot, even in the offseason.

While the long-running Ohio State-Michigan blood feud lost some of its luster last decade thanks to the former’s dominance of the series, the arrival of Brady Hoke in The Big House began the refueling process last season.  The addition of Urban Meyer into the mix as the Buckeyes’ mix will likely do the same off the field, and is definitely doing the same on the recruiting trail.

Speaking of which, Illinois high school offensive lineman Logan Tuley-Tillman has been a verbal commitment to the Wolverines since February.  As is ofttimes the case, especially when Meyer is involved, schools are attempting to flip Tuley-Tillman’s commit, including the Buckeyes.

Saturday afternoon, Tuley-Tillman, the No. 13 tackle prospect in the Class of 2013, cleared up any confusion as to whether a flip to the Buckeyes is in the cards:

Yes, that’s a piece of OSU recruiting mail set afire by the lineman, which heavily intimates — and I’m no recruiting guru/savant — that the Buckeyes are currently not in the player’s future.

Tuley-Tillman’s decision to set fire to the Scarlet & Gray literature came a day after the Buckeyes offered Michigan commit Mike McCray, a four-star linebacker from Ohio who committed to the Wolverines in March.  McCray took to Twitter as well, writing in separate tweets “I’m not going anywhere” and “#GOBLUE“.

(Tip O’ the Cap: AnnArbor.com)

AP

Meandering our way through the offseason minutia, a lone one-liner at a time…

– Schedules, BcS and expansion will headline the docket at the SEC’s spring meetings this week.

– The Chicago Tribune sorts through Notre Dame’s options, ultimately concluding that football independence is still in the Irish’s future.

– The Dallas Morning News (rightly) credits interim commissioner Chuck Neinas for reviving the Big 12.

– Birmingham News: Experts point out how quarterback commitments fill needs at Alabama and Auburn.

– Detroit News: Michigan State vs. Michigan deserves better spot on Big Ten football schedule.

– Hartford Courant: Big East seeking big TV deal amid realignment.

– RGIII played a significant role in altering Baylor’s image and drastically changing recruiting, the Dallas Morning News writes.

– First-year San Diego State head coach Rocky Long has tweaked his Aztecs coaching staff, naming linebackers coach Kevin McGarry as his full-time special teams coach.  Long and a grad assistant will now handle LB coaching duties.

– The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer tackles the problem of student attendance at Georgia football games.

– USC running back D.J. Morgan failed to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the 110-meter high hurdles.

– 2012 Washington signee Kalei Auelua will take a grayshirt this year, delaying his enrollment at UW until January.

– At Big Cat Weekend, Georgia high school tight end Arshad Jackson became the 10th commitment in Auburn’s 2013 recruiting class.

– Oregon lands a verbal commitment from four-star running back Dontre Wilson.

AP

In the works for months, it now appears Clemson is on the verge of reaching an agreement on a new deal for its head football coach.

Following a much-discussed meeting centered on expansion Thursday, CU Board of Trustees chairman David Wilkins confirmed the long-held notion that a new pact for Dabo Swinney will be coming sooner rather than later.

“Last time I talked to our athletic director [Terry Don Phillips] they were having serious discussions and were very close to coming to an agreement,” Wilkins said.

The Greenville News wrote that “a final deal isn’t expected to be announced until at least Tuesday.”  ESPN.com‘s Joe Schad reported on Friday that the two sides are close to announcing what would be a six-year deal.

Swinney’s current deal runs through 2014 and is scheduled to pay him $1.9 million in 2012.  Utilizing USA Today‘s figures, Swinney was the 36th-highest paid head coach in the country in 2011 at just over $1.8 million.  He was seventh among the 12 head coaches in the ACC in pay last year.

It’s unclear how much of a bump in pay Swinney will receive in the new agreement.

Seven of Swinney’s assistants received raises totaling $450,00 earlier this year, with 60 percent of that money coming from Swinney himself through a clause in his contract.  After being pursued by multiple high-profile programs this offseason, offensive coordinator Chad Morris was the recipient of a new deal that makes him one of the highest-paid coordinators in the country.

Morris’ new deal runs through 2017.  Presumably, Swinney’s new agreement will do the same.

AP

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott spooked some folks earlier this week with the absurd notion that, because of the newly-announced SEC-Big 12 bowl alliance, the plus-one model for college football’s postseason has gained some traction, which would essentially not be a playoff in any sense of the word.

The Big 12 and ACC have already, essentially, come out against a plus-one model by favoring a seeded four-team playoff.  Now, one of the most powerful men in the sport has come out against such a proposal as well.

Speaking at his conference’s baseball tournament Saturday, SEC commissioner Mike Slive said that while he appreciates the dialogue jump started by Scott’s “traction” comment, he (rightly) doesn’t think such a model is in the best interests of the sport.

“It’s interesting because clearly what we did (with the SEC/Big 12 bowl) created a lot of thinking by a lot of people,” Slive told the Birmingham News‘ Jon Solomon. “I appreciate people thinking about that. But I think what’s in the best interest of college football is a four-team playoff. I think it’s better for everyone involved in the game.”

The SEC will hold its annual spring meetings this week, and Slive hopes that, by the time the gathering in Destin, Fla., comes to an end Friday, his conference will have hashed out its preference for how the postseason should.  One thing is clear, though, that such a preference likely won’t include anything related to either a plus-one model or one that includes conference champs only.

Instead, the conference will likely come out in favor of a seeded four-team playoff consisting of the four highest-ranked teams regardless of how they fared in conference play.

As for how the four teams — and it will be a four-team playoff despite Scott’s and other similar “threats”, as Kevin Scarbinsky deftly notes HERE — are selected, Slive is open to pretty much anything that doesn’t limit the field to conference champs only, up to and including a selection committee.

“It seems to me if that is the issue, then we ought to address that and not compromise the national championship by gerrymandering who plays,” Slive said. “I am very much open to a thorough analysis of the selection process and whatever changes people recommend.”

Slive did allow that a selection committee would be “difficult, but doable.”

A final decision on what the postseason will look like is expected before the end of summer, perhaps as early as the end of next month.

Stabbed to death following an altercation at a school-sponsored dance in October of 2009, Jasper Howard‘s parents are seeking significant financial compensation for the parties they believe are at least partly responsible for their son’s death.

A Connecticut claims commissioner, the Hartford Courant writes, “is considering a request by Howard’s parents… to file a lawsuit against UConn for damages ‘in excess of ‘$5 million‘.”  The paper goes on to explain that “[t]he state, by law, enjoys immunity from most lawsuits unless the claims commissioner grants a request to sue.”

Months of depositions will take place before the claims commissioner makes a decision on whether a lawsuit against UConn should go forward.

A lawsuit against the company that provided security the night of their son’s death seeking unspecified monetary damages has already been filed.

The cornerback became mixed up in a confrontation involving a group of UConn students and a group of non-UConn students, altercations that allegedly took place both during the Oct. dance and after.  The non-UConn group went back to their vehicles following one of the verbal altercations, and at least two armed themselves with knives and returned to confront the group of UConn students.

Howard, along with teammate Brian Parker, was stabbed in what the family’s attorney claims was the third altercation involving the group of non-UConn students.  Howard, who was reportedly not involved in the original confrontation(s), died a short time later as a result of the injuries suffered in the stabbing.  Parker recovered from his injuries.

The school claims it is not responsible for Howard’s death and that the family should not be permitted to sue the university.

The murder of Jasper Howard was a terrible and senseless tragedy. Although we strongly condemn this brutal crime and continue to express our condolences to Jasper Howard’s family and friends, the State of Connecticut is not legally liable for his death,” Associate Attorney General Perry Zinn-Rowthorn and Assistant Attorney General Michael R. Bullers wrote in March 2011.

“The legislature has determined that the State – and by extension its taxpayers – shall only bear legal and financial responsibility for claims in which the State has caused the damage or injury that is the subject of the claim. Based on the foregoing, the [state] respectfully denies liability in this claim.”

In response to the civil suit, the company that provided security for the dance shot back that Howard himself was to blame for his death.

“Any injuries, damages or losses suffered by the plaintiffs’ decedent, Jasper Howard, were a direct and proximate result of the negligence and carelessness of Jasper Howard, and his own actions or inactions were the primary and substantial factor” in what happened to him.

Howard “initiated, instigated, caused and/or became involved “in either a “verbal altercation” or a “physical altercation,” or both, Paice wrote.

John Lomax was sentenced to 18 years in prison last March after pleading no contest to first-degree manslaughter in connection to Howard’s death.  Hakim Muhammad was sentenced to over two years for the stabbing of Parker.

AP

The post-spring attrition across college football continues into the Memorial Day weekend, with Miami the latest to lose some depth on its roster ahead of the start of summer camp.

By way of the Sun Sentinel, the Hurricanes have confirmed that fullback C.J. Holton and tight end Billy Sanders are no longer members of the Hurricanes’ football team.  No specific reason was given for either departure.

At least for the time being, it doesn’t appear transfers are the motivation as both players will remain in school.

Holton is the most noteworthy of the two departures as the redshirt senior began the spring No. 2 on the depth chart and moved up to the starting spot thanks to an injury to Maurice Hagans.  An ankle injury during a scrimmage ended his spring prematurely, however.  It’s unclear if that injury played a role in his decision.

The redshirt senior played in 16 games the past two seasons, including three last year.

After playing six games as a redshirt freshman in 2010, Sanders didn’t see the field at all last year.

AP

Six months after being dismissed in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal, Penn State’s ex-president is taking his former long-time employer to court.

According to the Centre Daily Times, lawyers for Graham Spanier filed a civil lawsuit against Penn State late Friday seeking access to emails related to the school’s internal investigation of the Sandusky scandal.  The lawsuit, filed in a Centre County (PA)  court, claims that the emails “would refresh his recollection significantly and allow him to assist the university fully in its investigation,” the suit stated according to the paper.

Former FBI director Louis Freeh is heading the school’s independent probe into the scandal, and an attorney who’s part of the investigative team claims stated that the emails in question only recently surfaced.  The school is refusing to turn the emails over, the suit claims.

Spanier was fired the same day as legendary head coach Joe Paterno last November 9, charged by the school’s board of trustees of, among other things, failing to inform them of the extent of the allegations against Sandusky, the alleged pedophile and former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator whose trial will commence early next month.

Incidentally, Freeh’s investigation is expected to be completed sometime in the fall — yes, right in the middle of the 2012 season.  No specific month for a release of the report has been given.

AP

Meandering our way through the offseason minutia, a lone one-liner at a time…

– Associated Press: “Condolences streamed in from as far as Texas and Massachusetts as fans and friends gathered Thursday to pay tribute to former West Virginia University football Coach Bill Stewart.”

– Ohio State linebacker/freak John Simon (pictured) says Urban Meyer “calling me ‘Tebowish,’ that means a lot.”

– After setting a personal best in the long jump (25′ 5.5″), Marquise Lee, whose day job is stud wide receiver at USC, moved on to the NCAA Championships next month in Iowa.

– Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News takes a sledgehammer to Larry Scott‘s “plus-one is gaining traction” notion, and gets a shot in at the Rose Bowl as well.

– Florida’s Will Muschamp makes the 10th and final stop on his spring booster tour, reiterates his past stance on the quarterback position: a starter won’t be named until sometime during summer camp.

– The esteemed and/or imitable Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times does his post-spring thing in a Q&A centered on the Washington Huskies.

– New Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien reviews the Nittany Lions’ spring and previews the 2012 schedule in an interview with the school’s official website.

– AnnArbor.com: Michigan football commit Mike McCray, son of former Ohio State captain, receives offer from Buckeyes.

– al.com: Auburn targeting some big-name prospects during Big Cat recruiting weekend.

– The Deseret News reports that BYU has landed a verbal commitment from former Washington signee and current “massive” JUCO defensive lineman Ma’ataua Brown, and by “massive” they mean 6-5, 360 pounds.

– Stanford head coach David Shaw has been named Male Coach of the Year by the Black Coaches & Administrators.

– Former Arizona State quarterback Andrew Walter spent some time this past week with the three players vying for his old job.

When last we left Brock Berglund and his transfer situation back in mid-April, the former Kansas quarterback was zeroing in on a pair of Sun Belt Conference schools as potential landing spots.

A month later, that’s still where things apparently stand location-wise, although a decision for the quarterback should be forthcoming in the next week or two.

Berglund told the Denton Chronicle Thursday that he hopes to have a decision on a new football home in early June at the latest, and that North Texas and FIU are still very much in the mix.

“There are a few variables that are taking a little longer than we had hoped, but we are coming down to natural deadlines with getting into school,” Berglund told the paper. “I will know the first week of June where I am going for sure. I won’t make a decision any earlier than next week.”

The Colorado native has visited both SBC schools, as well as several other unnamed destinations.  It’s believed, however, that UNT and FIU are the front-runners.

Berglund signed with the Jayhawks but was not a part of the team due to a legal issue in his home state.  While the charge was dismissed in January, so was the player the same month after he missed a team meeting.

A three-star member of Turner Gill‘s last KU recruiting class, Berglund was rated as the No. 15 dual-threat QB in the country by Rivals.com.  As noted by the Chronicle, it’s unclear how many years of eligibility Berglund will have left when he does ultimately move to another school.