Although Coach Karl Dorrell hasn't made a decision about who will start at quarterback on Saturday, he did praise Ben Olson's play. Jeff Gross/Getty Images

UCLA quarterbacks Ben Olson and Patrick Cowan split plays Tuesday with the first-team offense. Although Coach Karl Dorrell said he'll name a starter later this week, he praised Olson's work after practice.
-- Los Angeles Times

Texas defensive coordinator Gene Chizik left by private plane for his new job, although  given the defensive meltdowns in the last two Longhorn games  some wondered if he left town on a rail. And because Texas sources say Chizik has been considering the Iowa State job for two weeks if not more, you wonder where his focus has been leading up to Kansas State and Texas A&M.
-- Austin American-Statesman

Texas tight ends coach Bruce Chambers has emerged as a candidate for North Texas' head coaching job. Chambers has connections with North Texas, where he played wide receiver, ran track and earned his degree in 1982.
-- Houston Chronicle

Larry Coker's firing is not hurting Miami's recruiting. Of the nine fall commitments before Coker was fired, only one, Monsignor Pace receiver/cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke, pulled his name from the list.
-- Miami Herald

Five coaches -- including four with ties to the University of Miami -- have emerged as leaders in the search for a head football coach at Florida International. Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, a former Hurricanes defensive back, was in South Florida this past weekend to interview for the position. Former UM offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, UM defensive coordinator Randy Shannon, UM offensive line coach Mario Cristobal and Arkansas quarterbacks coach Alex Wood also are candidates.
-- Miami Herald

Mark Dantonio chose to leave even though Cincinnati made an offer close to matching the $1.1 million a year he'll receive at Michigan State, more than double what he was making
-- Cincinnati Enquirer

Austin Westlake quarterback Nick Foles still wants to play for Arizona State, his father said. ASU is honoring the scholarship promised to its eight commitments, although two of those - wide receivers T.J. Simpson and Kerry Taylor - are going to re-open their recruitment.
-- Arizona Republic

USC Coach Pete Carroll went on the offensive for assistant head coach Steve Sarkisian on Monday. Carroll said he called Lisa Love, Arizona State's athletic director, to talk about Sarkisian as a replacement for Dirk Koetter.
-- Los Angeles Times

This year alone, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez stands to make more than $175,000 in outside income, ranging from speeches to major corporations, autograph signings, and radio and television appearances. That comes on top of his $500,000 annual salary as AD, as well as the $100,000 he receives each year through the Mendota Gridiron Club and the National W Club.
-- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Gator Bowl might be forced to invite Georgia Tech back to Jacksonville for its Jan. 1 game if the Yellow Jackets lose to Wake Forest in the ACC championship game. Depending on the league's interpretation of the new four-year contract with the Gator Bowl Association - a contract that remains unsigned - the GBA might have to set aside plans to invite Clemson or Maryland to take an ACC championship loser.
-- Florida Times-Union

Butch Davis repeatedly referred to Miami, where he was 51-20 from 1995 to 2000, to demonstrate how he will run the North Carolina program. Davis said he wants to recruit two-sport athletes, as he did with Kennard Lang, Santana Moss and Ed Reed in Miami and establish North Carolina as the school's primary recruiting base.
-- Charlotte Observer

After searching the junior college ranks for linemen, Georgia finally secured one Monday. Joe Blaes, a 6-foot-2, 290-pound guard from Kansas' Coffeyville Community College, became the 20th prospect to commit to the Bulldogs for the class of 2007.
-- Atlanta Journal-Constitution