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Gridiron Bash: Ticket refunds are available for the cancelled concerts starring ZZ Top, Kid Rock, Dwight Yoakum, Alan Jackson ...
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The ill-conceived pep-rallies/concerts surrounding various spring games around the country collapsed onto themselves. The promoter failed to check with the NCAA when it intended to use players as part of the bash.
If you need John Parker Wilson to push an Alan Jackson gig over the top, something is wrong.
Matthew Stafford, superstar: The hype had barely died from the NFL Draft when Georgia's Stafford was named (by several outlets, including this one) as the No. 1 quarterback prospect in next year's testosterone party.
Are you kidding? After two seasons, Stafford has 26 career touchdowns, 23 interceptions and a 54.5 percent completion rate. His next 300-yard game will be his first. Put it this way: Stafford's own team is waiting for him to break out.
Let's wait until Stafford actually plays his third year before handing him a $30 million signing bonus.
Hot Seat: Washington's Tyrone Willingham is on one of those dead-man-walking forced marches. It seems inevitable that this season will be his last. The AD who hired him (Todd Turner) is gone. A booster offered $200,000 to the school if it fired Willingham. Aside from quarterback Jake Locker, the Huskies' prospects are dimmer than a 40-watt bulb.
Others who need to win now: Kirk Ferentz (Iowa), Ron Prince (Kansas State), Randy Shannon (Miami (Fla.)
The Big Douse: ... as in the doused hopes for Michigan this year a) winning the Big Ten b) beating Ohio State, c) getting to a Jan. 1 bowl, d) getting to any bowl.
Rich Rodriguez is trying to change the culture at Michigan. The last time that phrase was used Bill Callahan ripped up the carpeting at Nebraska. What followed was two losing seasons in the next four.
Hate to say this, but Michigan is headed that way. Rodriguez will ultimately succeed but it's going to be a long, slow, painful slog. The Big House is being renovated, now Rodriguez needs to go to work on the roster.
Rutgers feelin' it: Two years ago, Rutgers would have jumped at the chance to play Notre Dame at Giants Stadium.
When Notre Dame came calling about starting a series, AD Bob Mulcahy said he wanted to play Rutgers' home games at Rutgers. What a concept. The Scarlet Knights have been in three consecutive bowls for the first time in history. They are adding 14,000 seats to Rutgers Stadium. They don't have to rely on revenue from a Notre Dame gate at Giants Stadium to make their budget. They're also a better program than Notre Dame right now. Way to stick to your guns, Bob.
Not so fast, Nebraska: What does it say about Bo Pelini's turnaround efforts that he had to move tailback Cody Glenn to linebacker? Not much about a defense that gave up 38 points per game last season.
If Husker Heads are expecting an immediate turnaround they'd better check the lineup in the Big 12 North. Missouri and Kansas will both start in the top 15. Colorado is making its own push. It will be hard to slot Nebraska any higher than third in the suddenly competitive North. Which leads us to ...
... The most gutless move of the spring: Less than six months before kickoff, Kansas State's Ron Prince told Fresno State he wanted out of the September game with the Bulldogs.
Fresno State beat K-State in Fresno last season, but what kind of message does that send to K-State players? Prince couldn't handle playing a third-place WAC team at home, coming off a gimme against North Texas and with an off week to follow. Fresno State went out and picked up Rutgers. Kansas State will play Montana State. Prince will hope to compete in a North Division that is slipping away from him.
Emmanuel Moody Watch: The USC transfer reportedly struggled picking up Urban Meyer's spread offense. Not that there is any pressure. Meyer continually told Moody, "Boy, I hope you're really, really good."
The Pac-10's Freshman of the Year in 2006 transferred because he saw the depth chart stocked with talent at USC. Despite winning a national championship, Meyer is struggling to find that go-to tailback. Moody had problems picking up the intricacies of the spread.
If Moody develops, there will finally be some options in the backfield besides Percy Harvin end-arounds and Tim Tebow off tackles.
If not ...
