Headlinin’: Miami ponies up to keep players’ Shapiro stories off the record

Making the morning rounds.

• We won't be seeing you in court. Dozens of former Miami players accused of accepting untold thousands in cash and prizes from ex-'Cane booster turned convicted Ponzi-schemer turned jailhouse snitch Nevin Shapiro will not be forced to disclose or return any gifts they may have received from Shapiro during their tenure at the U, according to an agreement reached between the university and a law firm attempting to recoup millions Shapiro swindled from investors. The upshot from an NCAA perspective: Those players also will not be compelled to disclose incriminating information about improper benefits under oath, a significant boost to Miami's defense.

In return for keeping those testimonies off the record, the university has agreed to pay $83,000 to the bankruptcy trustee handling Shapiro's case — $55,610 for jilted investors in Shapiro's Ponzi scheme, and $27,390 for the Miami law firm Tabas Freedman. [Miami Herald]

• Baylor just scored again. And again. For those of you who happened to catch Baylor's record-smashing, 67-56 win over Washington Thursday night: No, you weren't dreaming. For those of you who didn't: No, we're not talking about a basketball game. All you missed was the most spectacular offensive explosion — or most spectacular defensive implosion, if you resent human joy — in postseason history.

The box score is like background radiation from a blast that incinerated every defender in its path. They could have saved electricity and powered the Alamodome for the entire second half with the heat coming off these offenses. Altogether, the Bears and Huskies combined to generate:{YSP:MORE}

• 1,397 yards of total offense, a bowl record.
• Eighteen total touchdowns, a bowl record.
• Ten touchdown drives covering six plays or less.
• Five touchdown drives covering one minute or less.
• Nineteen plays from scrimmage covering at least 20 yards.
• Five plays from scrimmage covering at least 50 yards.
• Six successful conversions on fourth down, five of which led to touchdowns.

Baylor alone had 777 yards of total offense, 33 first downs and three different rushers over 100 yards on the ground, including Terrence Ganaway, who went for 200. Excluding the kneel-down drive to end the game, the Bears scored six touchdowns on their last 21 offensive snaps … but only after Washington's offense had ripped off an identical run of six touchdowns on 21 snaps in the second and third quarters. [Baylor 67, Washington 56]

• Molting season. It's December, which means it's time for Tommy Tuberville to begin shedding coordinators. This year, Tubs is losing defensive coordinator Chad Glasgow, whose predictable exit on Thursday leaves Texas Tech in search of its fourth new defensive coordinator in as many years.

Tech described Glasgow's departure as "a mutual agreement on [the part of] both parties," but given that the Red Raiders finished 115th in total defense and allowed at least 41 points in all seven losses this year, it's safe to assume one side felt more mutually than the other. [Lubbock Avalanche-Journal]

• Finally, someone who wants to come to Penn State. That someone is Jamil Pollard, a four-star defensive tackle from Westville, N.J., who just became the first recruit to commit to the Nittany Lions since the Sandusky child sex scandal broke in early November. Pollard originally committed to Penn State in the spring, but had his offer yanked due to academics. Either his grades are now in order (Pollard says they are, thanks to extra effort in the classroom since the spring), or the Lions are starting to get desperate. [BlueWhiteIllustrated.com]

Quickly… Jimbo Fisher gets a contract extension. … Oklahoma State is trying to track down a man who — brace yourself — bought a $5 drink for a player at a bar. … Ellis Johnson adds two former head coaches to his first staff at Southern Miss. … A.J. McCarron's brother is walking on at Alabama. … If you're not on the Cam Newton bandwagon at this point, it's probably because you're a racist. … Denard Robinson and Mike Martin chill with a police horse on Bourbon Street. … And Luke Fickell joins Ohio State players in the most boring go-cart race ever.

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Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.