Making the morning rounds.
? We'll take a look and get back to you. Fiesta Bowl officials were in Chicago for the weekend to plead their case to a seven-member BCS "task force," assembled in response to the self-disclosed scandal drop that put the bowl's privileged status on the BCS food chain in the crosshairs last month. Fiesta reps argued that they'd weeded out the bad seed, free-spending CEO John Junker, and "personally impressed" the task force's chairman, Penn State president Graham Spanier, with the "depths of their presentation" and "sincerity of their efforts" at reform. But the verdict on the game's place in the BCS rotation is still weeks away, after the task force's report goes in front of two more committees, by which time the NCAA may have decided whether or not it will allow the bowl to exist at all. [Arizona Republic, Associated Press]
? The Rap Sheet. Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins — still enjoying the campus scene after passing on a first-round grade in this week's NFL Draft — was arrested early Saturday morning for misdemeanor marijuana possession in downtown Gainesville, his second weed-related arrest of 2011 and third in his Gator career. Combined with charges against teammates Chris Martin and Kedric Johnson, it also gives Florida four weed-related arrests in Will Muchamp's first four months as head coach. [Gainesville Sun, Palm Beach Post]
? Take it, new kid. Ohio State fans got exactly what they wanted to see Saturday when hyped true freshman Braxton Miller led three touchdown drives in four possessions —�including a 92-yard march — in the Buckeyes' spring game, putting him in the thick of the race to take over the starting QB role while Terrelle Pryor serves a five-game suspension this fall. Of course, Miller was working a) With an extremely "simplified" playbook, b) Entirely behind the starting offensive line, and c) Against mostly non-starters on defense, and all four quarterbacks in the competition finished the game with a touchdown pass. But don't let the details ruin a perfectly good "The Future Is Now" narrative this summer. [Columbus Dispatch]
Elsewhere in Big Ten quarterback derbies, Wisconsin has officially ruled out junior Curt Phillips, who'll miss the entire regular season with lingering effects of multiple knee injuries that cost him almost all of 2010. As for the three Badger quarterbacks on display in Saturday's spring game, well, at least one of them can play the piano. [Wisconsin State Journal, Associated Press]
? Get well soon. Northern Illinois linebacker Devon Butler said Friday he's at least six months away from beginning physical therapy and will miss the entire 2011 season in recovery from a gunshot wound that left him in critical condition earlier this month. Butler was released from the hospital last week with a collapsed lung; bond for both NIU students suspected in the shooting has been set at $1 million. [Associated Press]
? Cool your jets, Hoosier. Indiana has suspended its leading returning rusher, Darius Willis, for at least one game this fall for "conduct detrimental to the team," almost certainly related to an allegation of domestic violence last month. Willis led IU in rushing as a true freshman in 2010 but missed of 2011 with a knee injury; if the suspension remains at one game, it will likely be the Hoosiers' opener against Ball State. [Indianapolis Star]
Quickly… Ardmore, Okla., celebrated "Justin Blackmon Day" in honor of its favorite son. … Kansas State plans to install the latest brand of super turf. … In defense of Dan Beebe. … Florida receiver Chris Dunkley is likely headed for South Florida. … Brady Hoke shows up at Ball State's spring game. … Remembering Atavus Stone, the man who didn't break the Orange Bowl color barrier. … A tree falls in Bristol. … And he may be just another hayseed attorney general, but Mark Shurtleff's aimin' to take down them city-slickin' BCS types a notch or two.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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