Zone read: So long, farewell, goodbye Dillon Baxter
The Zone Read is your morning college football primer to make you seem like the smartest person at the water cooler even if you're not.
Goodbye Dillon Baxter, San Diego State hardly knew you.
Just six weeks after transferring from USC, Baxter is on his way out at San Diego State, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Coach Rocky Long confirmed to the paper that Baxter was "no longer part of the program," but would not elaborate on the circumstances that led to his dismissal. Baxter also would not comment on his status, but a source told the San Diego Union-Tribune that Baxter was struggling with class attendance and falling asleep during study hall. Baxter also had a baby, which may have compounded his problems.
However, it seems a little harsh to dismiss a player for those types of issues. Baxter had already been suspended for spring football for what Long called "various reasons" and Long said he and Baxter had reached an undisclosed agreement that set forth provisions for him being on the team in the first place.
Class attendance had been a problem at USC during Baxter's two seasons with the Trojans. He left the team in October 2011.
Baxter was already going to have to sit out this season because of NCAA transfer rules, but he could transfer to an FCS school, get on the right track and declare for the NFL draft in 2013.
Cold feet about the Big East? Temple canceled a Board of Trustees athletics committee meeting Wednesday amid speculation that the group was going to decide whether the Owls should leave the Mid-American Conference and (re)join the Big East.
Temple is the latest school courted by the conference that currently stretches from San Diego to Piscataway, N.J. While Temple was kicked out of the league back in 2004 for poor performance and nearly lost its football program because of it, the Big East is desperate for football membership for 2012 and the Philadelphia television market in incredibly enticing. Not to mention Temple has reaffirmed its commitment to football and its results on the field have proven it.
If Temple does try to leave the MAC (and Atlantic-10 in other sports), the university would owe its current conferences at least $4.5 million total.
Recruiting is hard:
First-year New Mexico coach Bob Davie is being humbled in his new role especially when it comes to recruiting. Gone are the days of sending assistants to recruit and then flying in to close the deal like he did at Notre Dame. Now, Davie has to be wooer and closer while using his GPS to find some of the more remote schools in New Mexico and Texas.
Davie isn't the only old dog learning new tricks. Larry Coker, the head coach at Texas-San Antonio, Dennis Franchione, the head man at Texas State, also have had to adjust to recruiting at a lower level and watching the schools that they used to coach with come in and snatch away some of the better finds.
Sticky notes: Jimbo Fisher claims Florida State is one of the few schools that can play against and recruit against the SEC… Miami quarterback Steven Morris, who was supposed to be the heir apparent to Jacory Harris, underwent offseason back surgery and will be limited this spring, opening the door for Memphis transfer Ryan Williams… And check out Mets third baseman David Wright rocking a Michigan jersey at spring training after losing a Sugar Bowl bet to Mets owner Fred Wilpon, a Michigan grad.
- - -
"Like" Dr. Saturday on Facebook for football conversations and stuff you won't see on the blog. And follow Dr. Saturday at its new home on Twitter: @YahooDrSaturday
