Making the morning rounds.• Tentative, mediocre things come to those who wait. Oddsmakers still haven't posted a point spread for Saturday's Notre Dame-USC collision in Los Angeles, thanks to questions over whether Trojan quarterback Matt Barkley will try to play on a badly sprained ankle. Barkley watched Tuesday's practice and left the field early on crutches, leaving once-hyped senior Mitch Mustain as the (unofficial) odds-on favorite to make his first USC start since transferring from Arkansas in 2007. Coach Lane Kiffin did say, however, that he'd play Barkley against the Irish if he's cleared on Saturday, regardless of practice time. [Orange County Register, L.A. Times]
USC also expects to have the services of freshman running back Dillon Baxter, who participated in Tuesday's practice after donating $5 to charity in atonement for a golf cart ride with an "agent" last week. He's expected to be cleared to play before the weekend. [ESPN Los Angeles]
• We'll take Barkley on crutches, if he's available. Across town, UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel repeatedly and pointedly refused to commit to offensive coordinator Norm Chow in the wake of the Bruins' latest collapse on national television, opting for the Mack Brown approach instead: No changes are in the works until a postseason review. Chow – celebrated molder of multiple Heisman winners, first-rounders and national championships in his stops at BYU, N.C. State and USC – currently presides over an injury-plagued attack that ranks 100th or worse nationally in total offense, scoring offense, passing offense, pass efficiency and giveaways, and was just held to seven points by one of the worst defenses in the country at Washington. On top of that, the two-year contract extension Chow signed in the summer is somehow still waiting on approval from the sprawling University of California system.
It's a good thing he's zen about it: "I'm a big guy, I've been around this business a long time," Chow said after Monday's practice. "I have been fired before. That's part of the deal. Obviously, it is something he's thinking of doing. What else can you say?" After three years of crippled linemen and a revolving door at quarterback, getting fired might be a relief. [L.A. Times]
• Let's clear this up. Ball State clarified its position toward head coach Stan Parrish, who initially described rumors of his imminent demise on Monday as "rumors": He's fired. Parrish took over a 12-1 outfit fresh from the highest poll ranking (No. 12) in school history in 2008, led it to a blowout in the subsequent bowl game and has overseen a 6-18 slide over the last two years. [Associated Press]
• What we have here is a failure to communicate. Contrary to the initial report on Sunday, St. Joseph County (Ind.) Police were initially informed of a sexual assault complaint against a Notre Dame player by a St. Mary's College student who died of an apparent overdose of prescription medication barely a week after the complaint. The complaint against the player wasn't included in the initial police report, which led a spokesman to tell the Chicago Tribune that it hadn't been reported at all. The player remains on the team, and Notre Dame has refused to publicly discuss the case. [South Bend Tribune]
• Godspeed. Rutgers lineman Eric LeGrande, paralyzed from the neck down during the Knights' win over Army last month, has been taken off a ventilator and is breathing on his own for the first time since the injury. He remains at Kessler Institute in New Jersey, a leader in spinal cord rehabilitation. [Associated Press]
Quickly... The New York Times looks at Cecil Newton's churches. ... Marshall offensive lineman Brandon Campbell, a senior starter, has been booted from the program less than a week shy of his final college game. ... The NFL's annual coveting of the Harbaugh has begun. ... Bowl projections that put Boise State in the BCS Championship Game. ... Auburn won't try a Tiger Walk in Tuscaloosa. ... Teammates defend Nick Fairley. ... Even accounting for inflation, Iron Bowl tickets break the bank. ... And more proof that Alabama-Auburn fans just care more.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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