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Morning Roundup, Tuesday

By Aditi on 19. Jan, 2010

Mark Cuban wades into the NBC late night mess… I’m SO sending this to my boyfriend… If you live in Massachusetts, your vote today will absolutely count… A Big East basketball brawl. A Big East women’s basketball brawl

Six years ago he left Rutgers for UConn. Now he’s leaving UConn for Georgia. (The Day)

One of Skip Holtz’s new staff additions is a UConn great. (Hartford Courant)

The secret to Charlie Strong’s recruiting prowess: bowling. (Louisville Courier-Journal)

Two of the country’s four-biggest winners in draft declaration season are from the Big East. (SI.com)

Kenny Britt was arrested. Pay those parking tickets, kid! (Tennessean)

It’s been exactly a month since the St. Petersburg Bowl, but the Daily Targum’s been on winter break. Here’s their welcome back highlight reel. (Daily Targum)

Great story about a former USF athlete giving back. (Tampa Tribune)

Current USF coach Skip Holtz is filling out his staff. (Rivals.com)

Meanwhile, could Jim Leavitt fill out Bob Stoops’ staff? (St. Petersburg Times)

A couple days after former assistant Doc Holliday stole a couple WVU recruits away to Marshall, Bill Stewart may be losing another to Mississippi State. (Commercial Appeal)

A look back at the decade that was - and a prediction that this next one will be stronger. (ESPN.com)

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Pitt promotes Scott Turner

By Aditi on 19. Jan, 2010

At least it was a decent weekend for someone in the Turner family.

A day after the Jets knocked out Norv Turner’s Chargers, the San Diego head coach’s son Scott got a promotion at Pitt. Scott Turner will be the Panthers’ new wide receivers coach. He spent the past two years as a Pitt offensive assistant, he was the offensive coordinator and receivers coach at South County Secondary School in Virginia for two years before that and he put in a year on Mike Riley’s administrative staff at Oregon State before that.

Turner was a quarterback at UNLV and his dad and Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt go way back. The senior Turner and Wannstedt were on Jimmy Johnson’s Cowboys staff in the 90s and Turner was Wannstedt’s offensive coordinator with the Dolphins in 2002 and 2003.

Scott Turner replaces Bryan Bossard, who was let go shortly after Pitt’s win over North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

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Morning Roundup, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

By Aditi on 18. Jan, 2010

Now the Times wants to charge for online readers? Nooooo!…. Haiti’s president isn’t talking to his peopleours, thankfully, is… On a day that should officially be one of service, some of MLK Jr.’s strongest sentiments

Here’s how UConn’s always had a strong running game, without a high-profile running recruit. (Hartford Courant)

UConn football fans still have plenty of questions. (Hartford Courant)

A Georgia QB originally headed to Florida is now coming to Louisville. (Louisville Courier-Journal)

Charlie Strong isn’t only poaching recruits: Miami’s top recruiter is set to join his staff. (Orlando Sun-Sentinel)

Skip Holtz is keeping four of Jim Leavitt’s coaches and saying good-bye to five. (Tampa Tribune)

Holtz’s first commit is a 6-foot-9 offensive tackle from New Jersey. (St. Petersburg Times)

Holtz is making a rock star impression already. (St. Petersburg Times)

Syracuse freshman Torian Phillips is transferring closer to home. (Syracuse Post-Standard)

Syracuse has enrolled six new football players this semester. (Syracuse Post-Standard)

Two one-time WVU commits are now following Doc Holliday to Marshall. (Charleston Daily Mail)

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Morning Roundup, Friday

By Aditi on 15. Jan, 2010

Today is obviously Skip Holtz’s day. We’ll dispense with the usual current events and just get right to him then.

When Holtz got off the plane in Tampa last night, he went straight to his new players. Whose emotions are still raw. (ABC Action News)

Holtz will definitely have to a lot of healing. (St. Petersburg Times)

Of course, a lot of those kids are just relieved there’s a new coach in place. (St. Petersburg Times)

Holtz will be collecting a pretty impressive paycheck. (Tampa Tribune)

Holtz is a “really good” choice and he’ll definitely set a new tone. (Tampa Tribune)

Holtz was once a QB. And a Notre Dame flanker. (Tampa Tribune)

Maybe Holtz was destined to coach in the Big East. (ESPN.com)

Five year hiring plans are a good idea. (Bonesville.net)

USF’s recruiting should get a boost. (Orlando Sentinel)

SI.com’s very early preseason Top 25 rankings are out. The Big East yet again has no impressively ranked teams. Sigh. (SI.com)

UConn’s tight ends coach is headed to Morgantown. (Hartford Courant)

Rick Pitino thinks kids may be getting too much power. (SNY.tv)

Another early look. This one’s at Rutgers’ 2010 depth chart. (Bleed Scarlet)

Devine and Sanders back is the biggest recruiting coup for West Virginia this year. (Wheeling News Register)

Devine wants that degree. Really. (nflmocks.com)

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Morning Roundup, Thursday

By Aditi on 14. Jan, 2010

The tsunami apparently taught aid organizations how to cooperate. Here’s a list of ways YOU can help. That is, of course, if you don’t believe Pat Robertson’s correct in saying this is the consequence of Haiti’s “pact with the devil.” Again, prayers to the people and nation of Haiti… Our government’s leaving no stone unturned when it comes to terrorists; we’ve got an eight-year old on the watchlistThe key to the Obamas’ marriage? Sportscenter

Cincinnati’s new president talks about his new football coach. (News Record)

Cincinnati owes Brian Kelly thank you. (SI.com)

Charlie Strong keeps bringing familiar faces into his staff. This time it’s the new line coach. (Louisville Courier-Journal)

It just might be fun to be a Cardinals fan again. (Card Game)

Two weeks in, Dave Wannstedt’s calling it a smooth off-season. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

A bunch more notes from that media session with Wannstedt, including Pitt’s scholarship numbers. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Checking in with former RU QB Mike Teel, who now has a new coach up in Seattle. (Home News Tribune)

The attorney for the kid who said Jim Leavitt hit him, then that he didn’t and then again that he did will have a news conference today. (Tampa Tribune)

Here’s another witness to the alleged incident saying Jim Leavitt got railroaded. (St. Petersburg Times)

Skip Holtz interviewed. So did former Grambling coach Doug Williams. Tommy Bowden may and Miami offensive coordinator Mark Whipple might too. This USF job really is hot. (Tampa Tribune)

Holtz may still be the guy in the lead, though. (St. Petersburg Times)

Calm down Cuse fans. Doug Marrone’s not going to Tennessee. (Syracuse Post-Standard)

Oh boy. Syracuse is going back to the West Coast Offense. Maybe it won’t be the same one Greg Robinson thought he was putting in. (Syracuse Post-Standard)

Any chance any other assistant in the league has an action figure on eBay? (Syracuse Post-Standard)

It’s a WVU prof leading the research on football-related brain injuries. (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)

Top 10 moments in the Big East’s 2009 season. (ESPN.com)

Crazy night in Big East hoops. Pitt upsets UConnSt. John’s upends CincinnatiRutgers’ Greg Echenique is transferring to Creighton

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Morning Roundup, Wednesday

By Aditi on 13. Jan, 2010

Our prayers to the people of Haiti… Wyclef Jean’s already started raising relief money… A junky trunk’s apparently better than love handles… I don’t really get it; has Lane Kiffin won anything yet?…

Summarizing the Cincinnati bloodlines on Brian Kelly’s new staff. (The Observer)

Of course, Kelly’s just one of the new breed of suspect role models masquerading as coaches. (The Stanford Daily)

But that’s the past; Cincinnati has its new offensive coordinator. (GoBearcats.com)

More and more recruits are seeing UConn as the big time. (Hartford Courant)

Charlie Strong will open his first spring at Louisville with four QBs. (Louisville Courier-Journal)

Tracking Rutgers’ commits. (Bleed Scarlet)

Meanwhile, could Rutgers’ hoops program be in any more disarray? (SNY.tv)

There’s a lot of musts for the new USF coach. Could Skip Holtz be the man to meet them? (Tampa Tribune)

Holtz’s buyout at East Carolina won’t hold him back. (Tampa Tribune)

And Holtz definitely wants the job. (St. Petersburg Times)

But wait. Bucs’ assistant head coach Rich Bisaccia may really be the best choice. (St. Petersburg Times)

Meanwhile, why was Coach P let go in Miami? (Syracuse Post-Standard)

Losing his recruiters hasn’t fazed Bill Stewart. (Times West Virginian)

A redshirt nose guard’s leaving WVU for ODU. (Charleston Daily Mail)

The takeaways from the Big East bowl season. (ESPN.com)

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Rob Moore returns to Syracuse

By Aditi on 12. Jan, 2010

Almost exactly two years ago, out in Phoenix at the Super Bowl, Rob Moore told the Syracuse Post-Standard’s Bud Poliquin he was sick over his alma mater’s demise. The one-time Syracuse All-American wideout said “it was shocking” to see Rutgers go from a one-time “stat game” (meaning easy game, and solely for padding stats) to an “L.”

“I talk to a lot of the guys,” Moore said of his fellow Orange alum, “and none of them are happy. Something’s got to change.”

Well, today he gets to be part of that change. Syracuse just announced Moore will be Doug Marrone’s brand new wide receivers coach. He’s a 12-year NFL vet and he’s most recently been the wide receivers coach for Phoenix Junior College, a consultant for Protect Management and Athlete’s Performance (training draft prospects) and an Arizona Cardinals’ radio analyst. He coached at Montclair High (in New Jersey) right after retiring from the NFL and last spring, he did an internship at Syracuse with Marrone.

The biggest thing, though, just like Marrone, Moore is a representation of Syracuse’s glory days. From 1987-1989, the Orange team Moore played on went 29-6-1. He and his teammates beat Auburn in the Sugar Bowl, LSU in the Hall of Fame Bowl and Georgia in the Peach Bowl.  Moore still holds Syracuse’s record for average receiving yards per game (75.8) and touchdown receptions (22). He’s the first player there to hit 1,000 yards in a season and his 2,122 career receiving yards rank third in school history. He was an All-Pro for both the Jets and the Cardinals and Rutgers and Pitt – who are both in the market for new wide receivers coaches – may have trouble matching the splash the hiring of this receivers coach makes.

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Morning Roundup, Tuesday

By Aditi on 12. Jan, 2010

The New Jersey State Senate presented a resolution Monday saluting Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer’s entrance into the Naismith Hall of Fame. Then it made medical marijuana legal… Looks like the Fed made a boatload of money for the government… Guess it doesn’t matter how strong you are if a minivan comes at youWhat the baseball world’s saying about Mark McGwire’s “startling” admission…

The highs and lows of the Big East bowl season. (ESPN.com)

Cincinnati’s Lance Stephenson is coming home. And expecting boos. (Zagsblog)

USC calling Randy Edsall? (Hartford Courant)

A new Louisville QB was at Freedom Hall last night. (Louisville Courier-Journal)

Pitt WR Jonathan Baldwin’s been cleared off all the charges associated with the alleged butt-smacking last April. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Paul Zeise again has a Pitt football roundup chockfull of info: Phil Bennett’s not going to A&M, WR coach Bryan Bossard is moving on, Jonathan Baldwin shouldn’t have been arrested, and more. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Heckuva debut for Titans rookie - and Rutgers product – Kenny Britt. (Bleed Scarlet)

South Florida is not lacking for big names or big interest in its search to replace Jim Leavitt: Skip Holtz, Phil Fulmer, Calvin Magee, Kevin Sumlin, Dan McCarney, Larry Fedora, on it goes. (Tampa Tribune)

Jim Leavitt says the allegations against him are “misreported” and promises he’s going to fight. (St. Petersburg Times)

Not that there’s any chance of him getting his job back now. (St. Petersburg Times)

Could former Syracuse great Rob Moore be Doug Marrone’s new WR coach? (Syracuse Post-Standard)

Former Orange coach Paul Pasqualoni was relieved of his duties as Miami’s defensive coordinator. Could he be interested in South Florida’s job? (Miami Herald)

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Rutgers and Pitt lose WR coaches

By Aditi on 12. Jan, 2010

The NFL movings and doings trickle down.

Five days after George McDonald was announced as Rutgers’ new wide receivers coach, he decided to return to the Browns. I was told new Cleveland GM Mike Holmgrem gave McDonald a two-year deal with a sizable raise, and he’d only apparently left in the first place because of the uncertainty on Browns coach Eric Mangini’s status. (Holmgrem’s since said Mangini will stay in place.

It’s Brian Jenkins Rutgers needs to replace; he left for Bethune-Cookman’s head job after just one year On the Banks.

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt will also be searching for a new WR coach at this week’s American Football Coaches Association convention. Bryan Bossard’s left, with Post-Gazette beat writer Paul Zeise saying he simply wasn’t the right fit with the rest of Wannstedt’s staff.

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Morning Roundup, Monday

By Aditi on 11. Jan, 2010

Can this cat just go away already? … The year’s travel list; I’ve only been to four on this list… It’s bad enough that he’s the cuckolded husband. Now they want HIM to resign

The loss to Seton Hall wasn’t fun, but Deonta Vaughn sure is coming around for Cincinnati. (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Jasper Howard’s murder is as much a definer of this college football season as anything. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Two kids from Georgia – and a usual Kentucky pipeline – are going to Louisville. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Strong also snagged NJ tailback Kamal Hogan, from usual Rutgers pipeline St. Joe’s of Montvale. (Louisville Courier-Journal)

Dave Wannstedt, Bill Stewart, Mack Brown – do these coaches not play their back-up QBs enough? (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

First Joel Miller said Jim Leavitt hit him. Then he said Leavitt didn’t. Now, since the USF coach has been canned, he’s back to saying Leavitt did indeed hit him. (Tampa Tribune)

The AFCA convention opens with the USF job a “plum” opportunity. (Tampa Tribune)

Jim Leavitt, meanwhile, has an attorney and is holding a presser today. (St. Petersburg Times)

West Virginia got itself a start safety out of Cleveland. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

WVU’s student paper thinks Bill Stewart needs to adjust his offensive philosophy. (Daily Athenauem)