Campus Watch

---Many of the Big East's current problems stem from the first round of expansion in 2003. Now six months into a potential Big Ten expansion one truth seems to have emerged no matter who you talk to: The Big East may not survive. But when the Big East holds its annual meetings this weekend in Ponte Vedra, Fla., expansion will be one of the main topics.

---Strength and conditioning coaches are of great value to a college football program as this story from Rivals.com points out. It features quotes from former UB strength and conditioning coach Buddy Morris.

---Stanford receives help in recruiting from a huge college fan and one of its professors: Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. 

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

The NBA Draft Lottery is over, Washington is the winner and Kentucky's John Wall is the prize. Where will the other Lottery-bound players end up?

1. Washington - John Wall, PG, Kentucky: Might as well play Wall and Gilbert Arenas together.

2. Philadelphia - Evan Turner, SG, Ohio State: Can play three positions.

3. New Jersey - DeMarcus Cousins, C, Kentucky: Best pure center available.

4. Minnesota - Wes Johnson, SF, Syracuse: Will team up with Jonny Flynn.

5. Sacramento - Derrick Favors, PF, Georgia Tech: Superior athlete who will only improve with time.

6. Golden State - Al-Farouq Aminu, F, Wake Forest: Game is similar to Atlanta's Josh Smith's.

7. Detroit - Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas: Has good mobility.

8. Clippers - Ekpe Udo, F, Baylor: A crossover dribble away from being a good SF.

9. Utah - Greg Monroe, PF, Georgetown: The Jazz need more size up front.

10. Indiana - Ed Davis, PF, North Carolina: Long, smart, athletic.

11. New Orleans - Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky: Very efficient player.

12. Memphis - Hassan Whiteside, PF, Marshall: Led nation in blocked shots.

13. Toronto - Daniel Orton, C, Kentucky: Has all the physical tools to be solid in the post.

14. Houston - Donatas Motiejunas, PF, Lithuania: Smooth left-hander who shoots threes.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---Retiring Kent State AD Laing Kennedy is going to miss the school where he worked for the last 16 years.

---USA Today has a quick hitter on how some of the conference expansion scenarios will be played out as well as how demographics may prompt the Big Ten to expand.

---Just because John Calipari Tweeted he's staying at Kentucky, columnist Rick Bozich writes LeBron James and Coach Cal will keep Wildcats fans waiting for a while.

---Florida's football assistants combined make nearly $3 million in salary. New defensive coordinator Teryl Austin tops the list at $440,000 annually which is $15,000 more than Jeff Quinn's reported salary of $425,000 at UB.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---These days it seems everyone in college sports is waiting to hear what Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany will say about league expansion and that includes the league's football and basketball coaches as well as the conference's athletics who arrived Monday for their annual spring meetings in Chicago. As Wisconsin basketball coach said Bo Ryan: "If you're not curious, you better check your pulse."

---The Sporting News is evaluating potential Big Ten candidates and talks about the merits of Syracuse.

---The website Pre-Snap Read breaks down UB football with a review of 2009 and a preview of the up coming season. The author thinks VERY highly of former coach Turner Gill.

---Author Denny Dressman talks about his new book on former Grambling coach Eddie Robinson called, Eddie Robinson ... He was the Martin Luther King of football.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Here is the UB press release about the Bulls' series with Army, which runs through 2020. The school also announced an agreement to play FCS Morgan State on Sept. 8, 2012 at UB Stadium, giving the Bulls seven home games for the first time. UB hosts four MAC foes to be determined, and will host Boston College, Morgan State and Pittsburgh. It will be the first time the Bulls host to a pair of teams from the BCS.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Depew offensive lineman John Kling’s commitment is the first of what should be many in the upcoming months for UB football. They recently offered scholarships to several prospects with an emphasis on the secondary which loses safety Davonte Shannon and cornerback Domonic Cook, a pair of four-year starters in 2011. Some of the 2011 prospects include:

Cornerback Jared Boyd and center Tarik Cook from Stone Mountain, Ga.; cornerbacks Darius Hillary from Cincinnati and Corey Tindal from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; wide receiver Reggie McKnight from Hollywood, Fla. and Jake Duzey from Troy, Mich.; safety Neville Hewitt from Conyers, Ga.; middle linebacker Jake Lindsay from Cincinnati; and tailback Tristin Boykin from Centerville, Ohio.

---Speaking of recruiting, Scout.com's Allen Wallace put together his best and worst recruiing stories from the last decade.

---Just like he did at UB, Turner Gill places a heavy emphasis on recruiting at Kansas.

---In its College Gridiron 360 series, the Orlando Sentinel is up to No. 106: Ball State.

---A few weeks ago, Jerry Sullivan wrote about Erie Community College's athletic cutbacks. Now Buffalo Sports Daily's Patrick Moran writes how the ECC golf program attempted to raise funds to keep its program going but were informed by administrators to shut it down.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

John Kling, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive tackle from Depew High School, has given a verbal commitment to UB, according to a source.

Kling is the first player to give a verbal commitment to UB for the 2011 recruiting class and is also one of 15 Western New York players who have been offered scholarships by coach Jeff Quinn and his staff. Under Quinn and recruiting coordinator Ernest Jones, the Bulls have made over 40 offers to players who are primarily from New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Georgia.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---Butler's formula to a run at the Final Four was simple: Just be yourself.

---Missing an exit meeting and a mandatory team function got linebacker E.J. Carter booted from the Syracuse football team.

---ESPN.com's Graham Watson looks at potential bowl teams from the MAC. UB fans won't like what she has to say.

---A drug arrest and rehab have given from Washington State QB and NFL bust Ryan Leaf a new perspective on life.

---Florida State AD admits discussing the Noles possible move into the SEC.

---Faith has helped guide former Bills assistant and Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe throughout his coaching career.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---Missing from the Syracuse summer depth chart are tailback Delone Carter, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2009, who was suspended from school and the team following his being charged with misdemeanor assault, and sophomore linebacker E.J. Carter.

---This is a day old, but ESPN.com's Graham Watson talks about UB's quarterback situation.

---This is also old, but HSBC Arena led the NCAA Tournament in attendance for the first and second rounds.

---We should learn more soon about how the expanded NCAA Tournament will be formatted. 

---Talk about cashing in, former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis was paid $2.9 million smackers last year for services rendered. But the interesting information is at the bottom of the story and something that's hard to believe: Tyrone Willingham is still getting paid by the Irish.

---Sticking with the Irish, new coach Brian Kelly wants Notre Dame to remain an independant in football.

---You remember Gene Corrigan, the man behind UB's semi-famous Corrigan Report a few years back? Since we're on the subject of expansion on the Campus Watch these days, Corrigan says no matter what happens with expansion, someone is going to get hurt.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---Potential expansion could trickle down to leagues like the MAAC and America East.

---Expansion could slow strip away the power of the NCAA.

---Bucky Gleason says local colleges are missing out on big time Division I hockey.

---Hershey could be the new sponsor for the Orange Bowl.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)