1.Jim Tressel depends on defense and field position and waits for the other guy to make the mistake. That’s what makes the NCAA allegations against the Ohio State coach so sobering. He made one mistake after the other. The NCAA hasn’t uncovered anything new. But it described Tressel’s behavior in terms that Ohio State refused to use. Tressel lacked honesty and integrity, the NCAA said. Tressel allowed ineligible players to play. This isn’t going to end well for Ohio State. The question now is if it will end quickly.
2.Washington coach Steve Sarkisian, trying to decide when to name sophomore Keith Price or redshirt freshman Nick Montana as the replacement for quarterback Jake Locker, made a crosstown phone call Monday to his former boss at USC. Sarkisian asked Seahawks coach Pete Carroll about how and when to tell the team. “I know what I feel. I know what I want,” Sarkisian said. “How do you get it all across?” One hint regarding timing: Sarkisian recalled 2003, when Carroll waited until after spring practice ended to name Matt Leinart as the starter over Matt Cassel.
3.My colleague Mark Schlabach has West Virginia at No. 24 in his new ranking. I understand why, and I hope he’s right, because the reason I think he is optimistic doesn’t bode well for the Mountaineers. It is way too easy to see how lame duck head coach Bill Stewart and the successor he did not pick, offensive coordinator Dana Holgersen, will struggle to co-exist. The coach-in-waiting concept can be difficult even when everyone works together. When they don’t, it can be way more than difficult.
