Many wondered if Ron Turner would like going back to college coaching after five years in the NFL. We'll never know. Turner spent about a week as a Stanford assistant before becoming receivers coach with the Indianapolis Colts. Maybe working under a guy he had coached, Jim Harbaugh, didn't feel right to Turner. Or maybe the idea of going back on the road to recruit wasn't something he wanted to do.

Koenning, who was hired Dec. 18 after one year at Kansas State, is slowly getting to know his players. And they are getting to know him.

"I was making a joke with a guy today, 'For some of us, playing football is like being on the interstate, dodging cars,' " Koenning said. "Some of these players, these jokers are big and fast. You've got to have a little bit of courage to be a football player. Until you see those guys out there in the line of fire and gauge your courage, you're just making assessments based on work habits, their look, their demeanor."

Former News-Gazette All-Stater Kraig Appleton has been suspended from the Wisconsin football program for violation of team rules. It's a fate that doesn't surprise many.

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas likes its position in the Big 12 Conference and has not talked with the Big Ten about its expansion plans, athletic director DeLoss Dodds said Wednesday.

Dodds spoke with The Associated Press on Wednesday after recent speculation that the Longhorns program could be courted by the Big Ten, which is considering expanding.

And Ed Bond was there to document it.

Let's start with an easy one: Is the NCAA tournament going to 96 teams?

I don't know. It will be a decision that will be made after consultation with the membership and our Division I board of directors.

First workout on March 30

CHAMPAIGN – Whew! Football recruiting is in the rearview mirror. Not very encouraging for the Illini, was it? Ron Zook and his new gang salvaged what they could with 21 signees, mostly from distant precincts. It fell short of his previous standards.

But for those of us living in the now, we'll worry about 2012 later. Meanwhile, Zook has plenty of talent returning from more highly ranked classes to make things interesting for the two years that matter, the next two.