Making the morning rounds.
? In the eye of the beholder. From the press box, the undisputed star of Texas' spring game was Case "Yes That McCoy" McCoy, younger brother of Longhorn great Colt McCoy, whose 9-of-11, 124-yard effort Sunday against the first-team defense — including the game's only touchdown pass — drew nearly unanimous praise in mainstream headlines. From the stands, on the other hand, reviews from the Longhorn-obsessed Burnt Orange Nation ran from tepid to genuinely alarmed: "[Incumbent Garrett] Gilbert did not look good, and if we're ever starting Case McCoy we're in trouble," wrote BON editor Peter Bean. "I know that he's going to appealing to some, but there's nothing there."
After weeks of practice, count Mack Brown as officially tepid on all four QB candidates: "I really can't rate any of them because I heard every play and some of them called the wrong plays, some of them got uptight and some did things you didn't see that weren't good," Brown said. "Nobody is ready to take over at this point." Ah, spring. [Austin American-Statesman, Associated Press, Burnt Orange Nation, ESPN, Dallas Morning News]
? Meanwhile, back at the ranch. Texas and eager partner ESPN also used the occasion to unveil the official name and logo of the forthcoming Longhorn-centered network, to be known (appropriately enough) as the "Longhorn Network," or LHN. The channel is set to launch in August, but got off to inauspicious start, per the Associated Press: "Sunday's announcement was supposed to include a short promotional video for reporters, but it didn't work." [Associated Press]
? Randall rocks Rebels. There was no doubt about the early leader in Ole Miss' four-man quarterback derby after Saturday's open scrimmage, where former juco transfer Randall Mackey left coaches, teammates, reporters and random onlookers alike gushing. Offensive coordinator David Lee called Mackey "oblivious to the rush," but the definitive assessment came from a fan who informed reporters at the end of the day, "It ain't even close, boys." [Clarion-Ledger]
? Terp derp. As expected, Maryland officials confirmed the Terps will be docked three football scholarships for falling short of the NCAA's mandated Academic Progress Rate, a fate usually reserved for the Florida Internationals of the world. (Of the 137 teams hit by APR penalties in 2010, the only "Big Six" conference football program to face sanctions was Colorado's, which lost a single scholarship.) Athletic director Kevin Anderson has responded since his arrival in October by hiring a new chief of academic support and adding a new staff position for football academics. [Baltimore Sun]
? Bad moon rising. Texas Southern cryptically fired head coach Johnnie Cole Friday in anticipation of, in the words of athletic director Charles McClelland, "major NCAA violations toward our football program with regards to recruiting, unethical conduct and academic inconsistencies among other things." TSU initially discovered the violations, whatever they are, after being randomly selected by the NCAA for an academic performance review, which revealed "inconsistencies in the materials," as well as further violations in both football and basketball. [Associated Press]
? One day at a time. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said star receiver Michael Floyd may learn his fate from the university's Office of Residence Life as early as this week, when Floyd is expected to meet with the office about last month's on-campus arrest for drunk driving —�his second alcohol-related offense in a little over a year. "He's already taken definitive action," Kelly said on Friday. "I'm not going to get into his personal life, but I think you can read between the lines — he's already reached out to make that happen in a very positive way. He understands that he needs to be educated, and he's started that process." [South Bend Tribune]
? You ain't him. New Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, late of the Baltimore Ravens, delivers the quote of the offseason so far, on installing his defense after three seasons in the pros: "[O]ur cut-ups are all Baltimore Ravens. So when we put in a defense, our way of visualizing that is to look at the cut-ups of the Ravens running it. In fact, a lot of times, a professional player doesn't do it exactly like you want [Michigan players] to, and I'll have to say, 'He's making $12 million, that's why he can do that.'" [Detroit Free Press]
Quickly… Jimbo Fisher asks for prayers for his son. … Finally, Alabama plans to unveil its Nick Saban statue before the A-Day game on April 16. … Gus Malzahn goes to bat for Cam Newton. … Armond Armstead returns to USC practice. … Jacory Harris on Miami's new "dink and dunk" offense. … Compliance departments are scrambling to define what qualifies as a "scouting service." … Prattville (Ala.) High's class of 2012 already has 13 Division I-A offers before the end of their junior year. … Mark Richt learns a new name. … The most dramatic video you'll ever see about Geno Smith. … And the annual reckoning has begun at UCLA.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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