Making the morning rounds.
? Sounds like a bargain. LSU paid $6,000 for 32 DVDs of legitimate recruiting film from Willie Lyles, the Houston-based scout who was paid a whopping $25,000 by Oregon for a shoddy, out-of-date scouting report he claims was meant to cover for the Ducks' efforts to improperly exploit his influence with several key recruits. LSU released copies of the DVDs Thursday to the (Portland) Oregonian, which found that they included exactly what Lyles said they did. Cal also paid Lyles $5,000 for a scouting report, and like LSU, believes it has nothing to worry about from the NCAA. LSU has even passed the materials on to investigators.
Then again, respect the depths: Lyles has also been connected to former LSU star Patrick Peterson, on whose behalf he allegedly requested a five-figure payment from Texas A&M in 2008. [The Oregonian, San Jose Mercury News, Associated Press]
? Yeah, I'd probably fire me, too. Irascible L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke lays out the minimum standard for Rick Neuheisel to save his job at UCLA beyond the upcoming season: Finish .500 or better and play in a bowl game. And Rick Neuheisel basically agrees. "I hate talking like that, but, as an alumni, I would say absolutely yes," Neuheisel said Thursday. "Obviously, I've had a number of conversations like, 'Hey, you're on the hot seat, you're the No. 1 guy on the hot seat.' ? A friend of mine said to me, 'You were a great coach, you won a lot of games, what did you do? Do what you do!' " [Los Angeles Times]
? This is not what we mean by "Fighting" Illini. Illinois signee Chris Jones, a 310-pound defensive lineman from Jacksonville, Fla., pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony aggravated battery. Jones was charged in a July 3 attack on two men who claim Jones shouted anti-gay slurs and assaulted them for their sexual orientation, leaving both with facial injuries. [Chicago Tribune]
? What about Dr�? SEC coaches released their preseason all-conference team Thursday with no surprises, except one: Alabama cornerback Dr� Kirkpatrick, a former five-star recruit and possible top-10 draft pick next April, is relegated to third team by the same coaches who voted him second-team All-SEC last December after his first season as a starter in one of the top secondaries in the country. One possible explanation: With 10 other 'Bama players on the first and second teams, they were just trying to spread the wealth. [SECSports.com]
? Hey, I know we said we needed you over here, but... The premature departures of leading rushers Washaun Ealy and Caleb King has forced Georgia to move linebacker Richard Samuel back to running back, where he spent his first two seasons in Athens in 2008-09. The move is strictly for depth ?�incoming freshman Isaiah Crowell is the starter from the moment he sets foot on campus ?�and will probably force Samuel to drop the 15-20 extra pounds he added in the original switch. [Atlanta Journal Constitution]
Quickly? ESPN is moving Mike Bellotti up in its announcer rotation. ? Florida State picks up a commitment from one of the fastest teenagers in America. ? Austin Scott isn't giving up his legal fight against Penn State just yet. ? Chaz Ramsey continues his legal crusade against Auburn. ? Dismissed Tiger running back Eric Smith still hopes to return to the team. ? Nu'Keese Richardson has been arrested again. ? Miami players are getting into police cars voluntarily. ? When is Michigan going to retire Desmond Howard's number already? ? And if these are the best entries to the Detroit Free Press' Wolverine mascot contest, I'd hate to see what was rejected.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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