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We had three breaking stories just as The National posted yesterday. Two were legit; one maybe not so much.
Missed the Cut, Again: Seth Greenberg is out at Virginia Tech, fired at a ridiculously late date in the coaching calendar for what really appears to be "inability to retain a coaching staff" more than anything. Virginia Tech AD Jim Weaver says the coaching search commences today, but I have a very hard time believing that any competent AD would fire a coach at the end of April without already having a really good idea who he wants, and a fair certainty he's going to get him.
A Knife in the Back: That's what Weber State got yesterday when their new head coach, who had accepted the job at his alma mater less than 20 weeks ago, packed his bags to head to Arkansas for a 10-month temporary contract. John L. Smith, also late of Michigan State, Louisville, Utah State, and Idaho, will be taking over in Fayetteville for the season. Smith had mentored Bobby Petrino at Idaho, Utah State, and Louisville, finally turning the reins over to him when he left for Sparty; Petrino returned the favor by hiring him as an assistant at Arkansas a couple of years ago.
From the Arkansas perspective, this was a case of bringing in someone who has familiarity with the team AND has head coaching experience at the BCS level, while buying time to be able to steal Gus Malzahn without creating an in-state uproar which would dwarf the anger in Utah today. (Jason Kirk provided a nice piece on why this was the logical hire.) The players seem to be happy with the move as well. For Smith, it's a slender opportunity to maybe accomplish something this season and hang on to the job; barring that, it's probably the end of his coaching career, since abandoning a school less than five months after signing a contract is always going to be a massive black mark on his resume. For Weber State, a program which has been stuck at the top of the second tier in the Big Sky seemingly forever, this is an unmitigated disaster on every level and threatens to destroy their 2012 season.
Perhaps This News Was Untrue: San Diego State AD Jim Sterk flatly denied yesterday's report that SDSU was eyeing the possibility of a return to the Mountain West. Jon Wilner, who initially reported the story, is pretty reliable, so either someone's wires got crossed, or Sterk's covering.Miscellany: Marquette assistant Tony Benford lost out on the SMU job to Larry Brown, but he's now the leading candidate at North Texas. Baylor's Quincy Miller had said he was sticking around, but he's now done a 180 and will be declaring for the draft. You have fun with that, Scott Drew. As expected, Aaron Lynch is on his way from Notre Dame to South Florida.
Finally, Outright Silliness: President Obama strikes a pose. RGIII, sculpted in sandwich. USC players, led by Matt Barkley, attend class in full uniform.