Truth & Rumors: April 4, 2007
West Virginia athletic director Ed Pastilong is charged with the responsibility of finding John Beilein's replacement. Two candidates that should be mentioned prominently are Eastern Kentucky coach Jeff Neubauer and Kansas State coach Bob Huggins. -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A little birdie says new Minnesota coach Tubby Smith has hired former Gophers assistant Jimmy Williams away from Oklahoma State. There is not a better recruiter in the nation than Williams. -- St. Paul Pioneer Press
Kevin Willard, an assistant coach for Louisville, has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Jeff Ruland at Iona College. -- Journal-News
Corey Brewer said when Florida was in St. Louis for the Midwest Regional, the ''Gator Boys'' already had made up their minds on their future. But no one knows which way they are leaning -- although most believe Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Brewer and Taurean Green will go pro. -- Miami Herald
If Billy Donovan is going to walk away from Florida and go to Kentucky after 11 seasons and two straight national championships, he's not going to do it any time soon. As it turns out, the 41-year-old Donovan is pretty booked up for the next 10 days. Donovan insisted that he has had no contact with Kentucky officials about the job. And if his agent has had contact with Kentucky, Donovan said he doesn't know about it. -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If Kevin Stallings did interview for ? and ultimately turn down ? the Iowa men's basketball coaching position, as has been reported, it's news to Vanderbilt Vice Chancellor David Williams. -- The Tennessean
USC tailback Hershel Dennis took small but important steps toward a possible return for a sixth season on Tuesday when he participated in full contact drills for the first time since suffering a second major knee injury last spring. -- Los Angeles Times
Learning Georgia Tech's offense and getting Auburn's out of his head are two of transfer Calvin Booker's challenges in his first spring practice with the Yellow Jackets. The rising junior has shown enough potential that he was the first quarterback to lead the second team in Saturday's scrimmage. He is competing with Steven Threet for the backup role to Taylor Bennett. -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chris Burns, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound running back from Wilmington (Pa.) High School, made a verbal commitment to Pitt Monday night. Pitt's recruitment of Burns is an interesting story. Wilmington coach Terry Verrelli sent out a highlight tape of Burns to a few colleges and also to talent scout Joe Butler of Metro Index in Pittsburgh. Butler was so impressed that he sent the tape to a few more colleges, including Pitt. -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Sam Maresh had just finished a recruiting visit to the University of Minnesota on Tuesday night when he asked his father to turn the car around. Maresh, a highly touted linebacker, made up his mind shortly after leaving the Gophers' practice: He wanted to commit to Minnesota coach Tim Brewster. Maresh had scholarship offers from Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. -- St. Paul Pioneer Press
