News and Notes: More Michigan, Is Schiano Next? and Volleyball Vindication

Michigan has stolen the spotlight this week. But that's not really difficult to do when you're wearing the Maize and Blue. If you didn't figure it out by now--or, didn't read my comments posted minutes after the UM hiring story broke--there could be some immediate problems stemming from installing Rich Rodriguez's spread-run system at Ann Arbor. CollegeFootballNews.com's Pete Fiutak really hit the nail on the head with his analysis of the situation.

Rutgers head man Greg Schiano might join the coaching carousel sooner than we think. Talk on him making a move to coach Penn State after Joe Paterno retires has been swirling around for years, especially since RU has become much improved. But going back to that CFN article on Rodriguez, I thought it was interesting how Fiutak found it necessary enough to mention Schiano's possible future with the Nittany Lions.

"Michigan made overtures to Rutgers' Schiano, but he'll probably end up in the NFL or at Penn State sometime in the next three years."

Now, I'm sort of biased towards Schiano, being from North Jersey and all. But I can't help but get excited at this very real possibility. Schiano has all the makings of the next Joe Paterno. You laugh, but who expected JoePa to be as wildly successful as he's been, when he was hired to replace the revered Rip Engle?

Finally, congratulations to the Penn State Women's Volleyball team. After posting a mere two losses, national coach of the year, and four All-America selections, Penn State took home the 2007 Women's Volleyball National Championship, defeating top-seeded Stanford 3-2.

While everyone in the Nittany nation is ga-ga over football, Head Coach Russ Rose has turned Penn State into a powerhouse not unlike UCLA basketball under Gooden, Oklahoma football under Wilkinson, or the New Enlgand Patriots under Belichick. Good job. I've been to quite a few V-ball games in Rec Hall, and I can tell you, they're some of the best game environments you'll see. It's like a Beaver Stadium night game, but packed into a 5,000-seat gym.