Headlinin': NCAA would like to see Oregon's recruiting papers

Making the morning rounds.

• Come and get us, coppers. As expected, the NCAA has requested documents connected to Oregon's payments to at least two recruiting services run by men with connections to eventual Duck recruits. The university continues to insist the payments were entirely above board and approved by the compliance office, and the Eugene Register-Guard's George Schroeder writes that there really is nothing to see in its relationship with Los Angeles-based B2G Sports, to which Oregon paid $5,000 in 2009. He's less certain, though, about the Ducks' eyebrow-raising, $25,000 payment to a Texas-based service run by Willie Lyles, a personal trainer, scout and alleged middle man who could give the NCAA an opening to act against the rising influence of AAU-style "street agents" in football recruiting. [Associated Press, Eugene Register-Guard, New York Times]

• Get well soon. Confirming message board rumors that began swirling last Wednesday night, USC said defensive lineman Armond Armstead was hospitalized and undergoing tests for undisclosed medical condition. Coach Lane Kiffin said Armstead was in "stable condition" on Friday morning and "looking forward to getting back with his teammates soon," but didn't elaborate on the nature of the condition or what prompted the hospitalization. [Orange County Register]

Another Trojan defensive lineman, James Boyd, reportedly cleaned out his locker last week and is expected to transfer, severely cutting into an already thin depth chart. [L.A. Daily News]

• The rap sheet. Rising Iowa State seniors Jacob Lattimer – the Cyclones' best pass rusher and tight end Rocky Howard have been suspended indefinitely after being arrested in the wee hours Saturday morning for allegedly assaulting a police officer and interfering with official acts (Lattimer) and drunk driving (Howard), respectively. No details on what, specifically, constituted "assault" against an officer on Lattimer's part, but given his actual resemblance to the fictional Lattimer from "The Program," you can make your own assumptions. [Des Moines Register]

• First come, first serve. If LSU fans are secretly (or not so secretly) hoping JUCO transfer Zach Mettenberger takes command of the starting quarterback job, he's going to have to take it away from the incumbent, according to coach Les Miles: "Right now, if we had to start, first reps would certainly go to Jordan Jefferson," Miles told the Baton Rouge Advocate, specifically praising Jefferson's offseason conditioning. "I don't know that we’ll be in a quarterback 'situation.' But we'll let those guys that might naturally throw throw, and those guys that might naturally have athletic ability and movement to do the things they do." [Baton Rouge Advocate]

Meanwhile, in Tuscaloosa, Nick Saban will tell you what you need to know about Alabama's quarterback derby, when you need to know it, peasants. [al.com]

• Yo! SEC Raps. Artist: Former Auburn hoopster Francis Aihe. Genre: Activist hip hop. Track: Can't Forget Our Tree (Toomer's Corner).

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Comment: None. [War Eagle Reader]

Quickly… Offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar abruptly escapes retires from New Mexico State, to DeWayne Walker's chagrin. … Defensive back Marcus Trice is transferring from Oklahoma. … Backup quarterback Jacob Karam "made himself look better" in Texas Tech's weekend scrimmage. … Inside Washington's offseason workouts. … Art Schlichter speaks from prison. … Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow play an impromptu football game, say nothing. … And Chuck Smith's rambling attempt to clear the air about his departure from Tennessee makes the situation way, way more confusing.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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