Mountain West had ‘in-depth discussions’ about keeping Boise State in league

The Mountain West said it had “in-depth discussions” with Boise State about keeping the Broncos in the league in the future, but that the school late last week opted to “continue with its plan to move to various other conferences.”

The league also confirmed that Boise State “has not yet officially withdrawn from the Mountain West.”

The Mountain West said it was a “one-time opportunity” for Boise State to reconsider its position.

The statement from Commissioner Craig Thompson to the Idaho Statesman came hours after Boise State Athletic Director Mark Coyle met with the media in Florida at the Big East meetings and denied full-blown meetings with the Mountain West. Coyle said he attended the Mountain West meetings “a few weeks ago.”

Rebels await academic reports

OXFORD — Ole Miss should find out soon the status of three players who are in danger of not being academically eligible for the fall.

“We’re waiting on some final answers from faculty,” coach Hugh Freeze said. “You have to get 18 (hours) in two semesters. If you don’t get the 18, you cannot regain eligibility without sitting out in residence for one year. That’s the issue with those.”

Read more: ClarionLedger.com

College football coach rankings: Alabama’s Nick Saban tops list of 124 coachesSporting News has ranked the 124 FBS head coaches by conference. Now it’s time to see how they rate overall.

First, some notes about our list:

— The Big 12 coaches have by far the best average ranking: 27.2, which crushes the second-best SEC’s average ranking of 43.3. Next in line: the Pac-12 (43.8), ACC (45.6) and Big Ten (46.8).

— Of course, the Big 12 has only 10 teams. Compared with the top 10 rankings by conference, it falls slightly below the SEC’s average of 26.6. The Pac-12 still ranks third at 34.5, followed by the Big Ten (35.9) and the ACC (37.0).

— The SEC is the only league other than the Big 12 whose lowest-ranked coach isn’t in the 100s. Tennessee’s Derek Dooley, the No. 14 SEC coach on our list, ranks 99th overall.

Read more: aol.sportingnews.com

Irish payout to Weis keeps piling up

While it played football in 2010, Notre Dame paid men who ran the program a total of $4,949,867 — one to coach the team and one not to coach it.

That figure includes the first look at compensation for Irish coach Brian Kelly and continued payments in the buyout for former coach Charlie Weis — a sum now approaching $8.7 million and counting, according to federal tax documents the Tribune obtained Tuesday.

The totals for Kelly and Weis are revealed on Notre Dame’s Form 990 it must submit to the Internal Revenue Service that was made available to the Tribune upon request. In essence, Notre Dame paid in excess of $618,000 for each of its eight victories in the 2010 season.

read more: chicagotribune.com

Nick Saban skeptical of Steve Spurrier’s proposal to count only division games toward division championships

FLORENCE, Ala. — One week after LSU coach Les Miles voiced his support for Steve Spurrier’s proposal for the SEC to choose division champions based exclusively on division record, Nick Saban politely did the opposite.

Speaking to reporters before Tuesday’s Crimson Caravan stop at the Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa in Florence, Saban said he understood the South Carolina coach’s logic behind his opinion, but couldn’t get behind an idea that essentially eliminated the importance of cross-divisional games.

“I just think that’s one of those things that’s not always going to be controlled,” Saban said. “It’s not manipulated with who you play. We have a rotation, we have to go through it.

read more: al.com

Whitehurst released from Razorbacks football team

FAYETTEVILLE — Kane Whitehurst, a redshirt freshman wide receiver, will transfer from Arkansas after receiving a scholarship release over the weekend.

Whitehurst had been suspended indefinitely after he was arrested April 1 on drug possession charges. He did not play in his first season with the Razorbacks in 2011.

The Alpharetta, Ga., native is the fourth of Arkansas’ 31-player 2011 signing class to leave the Razorbacks’ program. He is the third to do so this off-season, along with linebacker Brock Haman and receiver Quinta Funderburk.

read more: arkansasonline.com

Sandusky asks judge to postpone June 5 trial on abuse charges

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Jerry Sandusky’s lawyer on Wednesday asked for a delay in the former Penn State assistant football coach’s child sex-abuse trial, saying he needed more time to prepare and that he was still waiting for disclosure of prosecution material.

In a 13-page motion, defense attorney Joe Amendola wrote that without more time, he was worried he would be “unable to effectively and adequately” represent Sandusky. Amendola said he was still waiting for material from prosecutors.

Judge John Cleland has previously indicated he was reluctant to push back the trial, currently scheduled to begin June 5 in Bellefonte. A hearing on defense subpoenas and pretrial discovery disputes between the defense and prosecutors was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Cleland could, or would, rule on the new motion at the hearing.

read more: cbssports.com

College basketball players transfer in large numbersThe players started leaving in earnest during the spring of 2008, a trickle having turned into a stream that has seen 12 players transfer out of the basketball program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Although there is no way to play down the problem and its impact, SIUC athletics director Mario Moccia can at least take solace in one regard: The program has been mimicking a national trend.

Transfers in college basketball remain brisk, with about 40 percent of all players switching schools within their first two years, according to NCAA President Mark Emmert.
Read more: stltoday.com

Still smarting from brutal 2011, Dooley says Vols are on right track

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Every college football program, particularly those in the SEC, produces a fair share of drama. But for real drama it would be hard to beat the soap opera that was the University of Tennessee during the 2011 season:

• After going 6-7 in 2010, the Volunteers entered 2011 knowing they would be pretty good on offense as long as two players stayed healthy: Quarterback Tyler Bray and wide receiver Justin Hunter. Neither made it past the fifth game.

• On Sept. 17 against Florida, Hunter collapsed without being touched on the fourth play of the game. Torn ACL. Out for the season. Done. Tennessee lost 33-23 in Gainesville.

Read more:CBSSports.com

State tops Ole Miss to clinch series

STARKVILLE — Ole Miss is still looking for answers to its Sunday struggles on the mound.

Mississippi State took advantage of a disastrous start for the Rebels, scoring four runs thanks to three hit batsmen and two walks in the first inning to cruise to a 4-2 win in the rivals’ rubber game today at Dudy Noble Field.

The Bulldogs (27-17, 10-11 SEC), who recorded only two hits, have won three SEC series this season and took their second series in as many seasons from the Rebels (28-16, 10-11).

read more: ClarionLedger.com