Designated Read: Dread Cap’n returneth

This long-burning question finally has an answer: Washington State. (Icon SMI)

• We have our heading: CBS’ Bruce Feldman had it first, and had it correct: The Dread Cap’n has docked in Pullman and intends to stay a spell. And we owe a debt of gratitude to Larry Scott, whose blockbuster Pac-12 media rights deal facilitated the triumphant return of Mike Leach to the ranks of active college football coaches. Triumphant? At Washington State? You bet your barnacles. Stewart Mandel has a much longer column up on this topic, but let me just add to the chorus: Leach is inheriting a talented passing offense from Paul Wulff. He’ll have the money to hire some talented assistants. He’s well-known enough to garner media attention for his team even if ESPN decides in a fit of entirely plausible petulance to plunge the program into a total Worldwide Leader media blackout. (What will become of the GameDay flag?)

Apart from all that, it’s just a win for fans of the game. College football is more interesting with Mike Leach in it than without, and since it’s just Washington State and it can’t possibly threaten your team’s livelihood for months at least, those of you without active rooting interests in the Cougars have plenty of shady cover beneath which to become ravenous sidewalk alumni.

• Rest in peace, Tiger: Chester McGlockton, former star Clemson defensive tackle and current Stanford assistant coach, died Wednesday of what’s being reported as a heart attack. McGlockton, 42, was finishing up his second season on the Cardinal staff. Our sincere condolences and best wishes to his family and the Clemson and Stanford football communities.

• Bowltyme! UCLA could make a bowl game with a 6-7 record while, to name one more deserving team, an 8-4 FIU team sits at home all winter. In other depressing news, ESPN has released the roster of commentators for the college football postseason, and can you imagine anything you might want to listen to less than a Craig James-helmed Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl?

• This is going to take a while: The first of what can reasonably be assumed to become a host of civil lawsuits has been filed against Jerry Sandusky and Penn State University.

• Home for the ruptured: Gird your loins for RGIII versus Manny Diaz.

• Roster blotter: D.J. Adams will transfer out of Maryland, and several LSU players (including Jarrett Lee) are reportedly in academic trouble that could sideline them for bowl season.

• Thursday whimsy: That B1G seat-filling story maintains its entertainment value even upon admittance of hoaxing. A Connecticut columnist tears a big damn strip out of Randy Edsall’s hide. Crowning a Big 12 champion could get wacky. Fear not the return of Georgia’s Pro Combat unis of dubious quality. USC’s excellence in sartorial trolling continues. Speaking of fashion, TJ Maxx takes “house divided” just a smidge too far. And you’ll be impressed to know Hal Mumme’s hair remains magnificent.