Auburn fans and grads serving in the armed forces in Afghanistan couldn’t make it to the final rolling of the Toomer’s Corner oaks on Saturday, so they did the next best thing — they rolled a tank.

Troops in Afghanistan: Since we couldn't be "home" for the big event...we did the next best thing, we rolled a tank! twitter.com/AUFAMILY/statu…

— AUFAMILY (@AUFAMILY) April 21, 2013

Twenty-three men and women posed in the photo to show their team spirit. Really, in Afghanistan, where trees are probably pretty scarce, rolling a tank is truly the next-best idea.

(AP)

Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno has been dead for more than a year, but that doesn’t mean he still doesn’t have some thoughts on this year’s Nittany Lions.

Penn State, coached by Bill O’Brien, had its annual spring game Saturday, and according to the television guide on Verizon FiOS, the late Paterno considered his team “very average.”

@deadspin Check out how @verizonfios listed the Penn State spring game this morning.Interesting info. twitter.com/dcdeller/statu…

— Derick Deller (@dcdeller) April 20, 2013

In case you can’t read it, the listing says: “Coach Joe Paterno has been critical this spring, calling the Nittany Lions a very average team."

(AP)

The famed Toomer’s Corner oaks will be torn down on Tuesday, so Saturday fans took the opportunity to give their beloved trees one final roll.

A record crowd of 83,401 watched Auburn’s annual spring game and then fans took to the streets — like they do after big Auburn victories — and launched rolls of toilet paper into the air to drape over the trees.

(Paul Bys/UMass Football)

UMass’ announced earlier this week that it was going to wear commemorative helmet stickers during its spring game to honor the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, and offer those who participated in the Marathon a chance to come down to the field at halftime, run a lap and finish the race at a ceremonial finish line at midfield.

But this morning, the team added another touch — special jerseys to honors the victims and the city of Boston.

(USA Today Sports Images)

Like many fads, the Big Ten Legends and Leaders division names didn’t last long. What was initially an innovative way to delineate two sides of the conference turned out to be the Pepsi Clear of college football.

So the Big Ten is going the conventional route and changing its division names to the standard geographical classification of East and West in 2014 when Maryland and Rutgers join the conference.

(AP)

LSU running back Alfred Blue issued an apology late Friday night following anti-gay comments that surfaced in the campus student paper The Daily Reveille.

The article was about the possible inclusion of gay players on the LSU football team and how some players would feel about having homosexual teammates.

Blue was the only player in the article that took a negative approach.

[Also: Kansas State coach says college football is 'in a bad place']

“Football is supposed to be this violent sport — this aggressive sport that grown men are supposed to play. Ain’t no little boys out here between them lines. So if you gay, we look at you as a sissy. You know? Like, how you going to say you can do what we do and you want a man?”

LSU never questioned the validity of Blue’s statement, but did say the quote was incomplete and taken out of context.

This turned out to be true.

(USA Today Sports Images)

Colorado fourth-year junior quarterback Nick Hirschman announced Friday on Twitter that he was leaving the Buffaloes’ program. His decision comes after the conclusion of spring and a week where coach Mike MacIntyre and his staff were scheduled to meet individually with players and evaluate them.

Wednesday I decided to move on from CU and continue my graduate education and football career elsewhere.

— Nick Hirschman(@NickHirschman) April 19, 2013

I loved my time here and the relationships I've had with my fellow teammates I wouldn't trade for anything. — Nick Hirschman(@NickHirschman) April 19, 2013

Part of me will always be a Buff and thank you to Buffnation for all the support.

— Nick Hirschman(@NickHirschman) April 19, 2013

Hirschman’s departure leaves the door open for former Texas transfer Connor Wood to become the Buffs’ starting quarterback.

(AP)

Earlier this week, UCLA released it’s “You Can Play Project” video encouraging homosexual athletes in collegiate sports to be comfortable coming out, and football coach Jim Mora was candid about his support for a gay player or coach joining his program.

However, not everyone in college football is as open-minded as Mora.

The Daily Reveille, LSU’s student newspaper, talked to several LSU football players and asked their thoughts about having a gay teammate. The responses, as one could imagine, were diverse.

“Football is supposed to be this violent sport — this aggressive sport that grown men are supposed to play,” senior running back Alfred Blue told the paper. “Ain’t no little boys out here between them lines. So if you gay, we look at you as a sissy. You know? Like, how you going to say you can do what we do and you want a man?”

It’s all-too-common attitudes like Blue’s that have likely prevented the first FBS player to come out while still in school. The air of machismo in the college football locker room is heavy and cutting through that is no small task.