SEC football coaching salaries are increasing at a rate 128.9 percent faster than those of instructors in the league. (AP)

By Zac Ellis

Salaries of college football coaches increase at a much higher rate than those of instructors at the same universities, a new study shows.

Even as many institutions of higher education fight through far-reaching budget cuts, a study by Inside Higher Ed shows that universities with the largest athletic programs are the driving force behind the lopsided trend.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the SEC leads the way in salary discrepancy. The league boasts about a quarter of the country’s 23 athletic programs where revenues actually outpace expenses. Its instructional salaries rose 15.5 percent between 2006-11 ($70,886 to $81,758); SEC football coaching salaries increased 128.9 percent over that same span ($3,147,149 to $6,928,989).

The smallest salary gap belonged to the WAC, “where football salaries rose 46.4 percent, from $1,370,332 to $1,819,845, and instructional paychecks rose 15.2 percent (a faster increase than several other conferences), from $65,038 to $76,533,” according to the report.

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The NCAA has suspended the recruiting rule allowing for unlimited phone calls and texts to prospects. (AP)

By Zac Ellis

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors suspended the rule allowing unlimited phone calls and text messages to recruits, the organization announced on Thursday.

After receiving more than 75 requests to override the measure, the Board opted to reverse the rule, which was originally adopted in January. The Board instead supported a recommendation that “all the recruiting concepts under review be examined as a group to develop a model that considers how the changes would work together.”

“We are supportive of moving as aggressively as possible while still studying the issues with due diligence,” said Board of Directors chair Nathan Hatch, president at Wake Forest University. “It’s important to make sure all the pieces of the recruiting model work together to make the most effective change in the culture.”

MANDEL: Recruiting deregulation fiasco underscores deeper NCAA disconnect

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier continues to push for payments to players. (Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

The SEC’s new television network will officially be announced on Thursday, setting the already lucrative league up for even more revenue. Does that mean it’s time for SEC players to begin getting part of that payout? South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier certainly thinks so.

Spurrier told GoGamecocks.com that players should see a share of the revenue they produce, especially with the prospect of significantly more money on the horizon.

“As the commissioner and the presidents and the athletic directors all say, we are going to make a whole lot more money,” Spurrier said. “My question is, ‘When are we going to start giving a little bit of it to the performers?’ Football and basketball players. It won’t do any good probably, but I’m going to still keep yelling for them. They bring in an awful lot of money for all of us.”

This isn’t a new position for Spurrier, who has pushed the issue of player stipends before. It’s also worth noting: When the SEC network and new College Football Playoff take effect, each team in the league could enjoy a potentially $10-14 million increase in payout from 2011-12 in as little as two years, according to a USA Today report.

By Zac Ellis

Today’s news sure to raise some eyebrows comes courtesy of the NCAA, as it so often does. According to Jordan Moore, the director of social media for the USC athletic department, the NCAA has nixed the use of Twitter hashtags on college football fields.

Social media police: The NCAA has banned hashtags on college football fields.—
Jordan Moore (@MooreSports) May 01, 2013

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Start your engines, ladies: Alabama icon AJ McCarron is taking his talents to the Talladega race track. (USA Today)

By Zac Ellis

Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron might have two BCS titles under his belt, but he’s set for a new kind of thrill this weekend. The Crimson Tide quarterback will serve as an honorary pace car driver at Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday’s Aaron’s 499, the track announced Tuesday.

“I have enjoyed races at Talladega before and have always had a passion to get up to speed on the track,” McCarron said in a release. “This is an incredible opportunity, and to be able to do it in front of the most famous drivers in the world, is something I am really looking forward to.”

Alabama coach Nick Saban, who served as the grand marshal of the race in 2009, said he offered McCarron some advice about avoiding temptation behind the wheel.

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Ed O’Bannon (above) and the plaintiffs are seeking class-action status in their case against the NCAA. (AP)

By Zac Ellis

Administrators noted “real concern” within the NCAA that use of athletes’ likenesses in video games “adds to the argument that student-athletes should be unionized and receive a cut of the profits, etc.” according to lawyers representing the plaintiffs in Ed O’Bannon v. the NCAA.

Steve Berkowitz of USA Today reports documents filed Thursday by the plaintiffs cited an email written in 2005 by former NCAA membership services staffer Bo Kerin in their allegations. The documents also allege that Peter Davis, a former NCAA director of corporate alliances, “admitted that there are ‘likenesses of student-athletes’” in video games developed by EA Sports. Along with the NCAA, EA Sports and collegiate trademark licensing and marketing firm Collegiate Licensing Co. make up the defendants in the O’Bannon case, in which several former student-athletes are seeking damages for the illegal use of their likenesses by the NCAA.

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By Zac Ellis

UCLA offensive guard Alberto Cid will end his career by taking a “medical retirement” due to concussions, Chris Foster of the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

#UCLA OL Alberto Cid (concussion) annoucned he will take a medical retirement.—
chris foster (@cfosterlatimes) April 25, 2013

Cid missed all of spring camp after starting seven games over the past two seasons for the Bruins. The 6-foot-2, 325-pound lineman transferred to UCLA from Citrus Junior College in 2011.

In the wake of Cid’s departure, UCLA will likely look to incoming freshmen Caleb Benenoch, Kenny Lacy and Christian Morris to build depth on the offensive line.

Gene Chizik spoke out against the finger-pointing directed at his former coaching staff. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Gene Chizik said his Auburn team “did it right” despite allegations of NCAA violations, specifically academic fraud, within the program while he was head coach. In his first interview since being fired as the Tigers’ headman after last season, Chizik spoke with Alabama’s WJOX radio on Monday and defended his tenure at the school.

A Roopstigo.com story earlier this month reported numerous instances of academic fraud, as well as impermissible financial benefits to players, under Chizik’s watch. On Monday, Auburn released a statement from AD Jay Jacobs refuting the Roopstigo report based on a lack of evidence found by an internal review of the program.

Chizik backed the university’s defense, saying his reputation has been on the line with these allegations:

“I’m here because I care about my reputation, I care about the integrity of who I am and what I do, and I’m simply giving out the facts, because I’m 100 percent confident that we did it right,” Chizik said.

The coach went on to deny the allegations that his coaching staff changed players’ grades:

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By Zac Ellis

Another NCAA enforcement staffer is reportedly heading out the door. Jeremy Fowler of CBSSports.com is reporting that NCAA enforcement assistant director Marcus Wilson is moving to Maryland, where he will become senior assistant AD of compliance.

#NCAA loses another. Enforcement assistant director Marcus Wilson joining Maryland as senior assistant AD of compliance.—
Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerCBS) April 23, 2013

The NCAA enforcement office has seen its share of defections in recent months. Just last week, veteran enforcement official Dave Didion announced his departure to assume the role of associate athletics director for compliance at Auburn. Meanwhile, investigator Ameen Najjar was fired in 2012 after it was discovered he signed off on payments to Miami booster Nevin Shaprio’s attorney during the NCAA’s probe into the Hurricanes. Vice president of enforcement Julie Roe Lach was later fired as a result of the investigation. Two other enforcement staffers, investigators Rich Johanningmeier and Abigail Grantstein, have also left the NCAA within the last year.

In an official statement, Commissioner John Swofford highlighted the ACC’s solidarity and leadership. (Chuck Burton/AP)

By Zac Ellis

The ACC’s member schools have signed a 15-school Grant of Rights agreement through 2027, the league announced Monday. ACCSports.com’s David Glenn first reported the news.

“This announcement further highlights the continued solidarity and commitment by our member institutions,” said ACC commissioner John Swofford in a statement. “The Council of Presidents has shown tremendous leadership in insuring the ACC is extremely well positioned with unlimited potential.”

The move will likely halt conference realignment for the immediate future by drastically decreasing the odds of current ACC teams leaving for another conference. A Grant of Rights agreement involves teams surrendering control of TV rights to the league, meaning the ACC would retain rights to certain media revenue until the deal’s conclusion, even if a team left the conference. The ACC already has a $50 million exit fee in place — which Florida State voted against and which Maryland is currently fighting — but this would be a more definitive move toward enhancing the league’s stability. The Big 12 was the last major football conference to agree to a Grant of Rights.

MANDEL: Rejoice! ACC deal should halt conference realignment

Jeremy Fowler of CBSSports.com reports that the ACC is in talks with ESPN about establishing its own network, following the model of the Big Ten, Pac-12 and the soon-to-be-announced SEC network.