• ND in NYC? Following up on the initial speculation, it looks like the revival of the ancient Army-Notre Dame series in Yankee Stadium is a go:

So Army and Notre Dame have agreed to play next year at the new Yankee Stadium, according to several Army sources.

Army will also play one game against an undetermined opponent at Yankee Stadium in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons.
[...]
Notre Dame wanted to play the first college football game at the new stadium. Army wanted to play in the first game and maybe bring some more regional attention to its program with games against other teams. The Yankees make it loud and clear they want to host events other Bronx Bombers games.

The only people this could effect in a negative way might be the die-hand Army fan, who appreciates West Point's tradition and enjoys tail-gating as much as the game itself.

If "the die-hard Army fan" can guarantee at least a half-million dollars and a national television audience for an extra home game in West Point, I'm sure Academy administrators are listening.

• Life boats were launched after Holtz attempts to pronounce, 'et cetera.' Speaking of Notre Dame, here's Lou Holtz, preparing to enter the College Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, on the Hall of Fame philosophy that made him the last great Irish coach:

"I coached life. The same thing that would enable you to be a good player would enable you to be a good student, a good father, a good business person, et cetera," he said.

Especially the violence, right, coach? Especially the violence.

Holtz is one of the more recognizable and obviously deserving members of this year's class, which includes ex-Oklahoma and UCLA legend Troy Aikman; LSU halfback Billy Cannon, a mere 50 years after his famous Halloween run against Ole Miss earned him the Heisman Trophy; and such coaching luminaries as, ahem, Jim Donnan and John Cooper. Meanwhile, Deion Sanders is still waiting ...

• Graham Harrell is a Roughrider. Outgoing Texas Tech slinger Graham Harrell is one man who will probably never be enshrined in the Hall of Fame despite one of the most prolific passing careers in major college history -- if you enshrine one Red Raider quarterback under Mike Leach, you have to enshrine them all -- but it seems his numbers at Tech weren't even enough to secure a more immediate dream: The NFL. Harrell signed with the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders Thursday despite having never played in a game north of Lincoln, Neb., relegating one of the greatest "system quarterbacks" ever to pursuing the rarely-trodden Doug Flutie route into the League.

Leach, of course, thinks this is ridiculous, but the outspoken offensive genius didn't help his star's efforts much.

• Fanney asks out. Alabama's defense may still be dominant on a historical level, but it will be slightly less experienced with the pending transfer of "Jack" linebacker Brandon Fanney, who started all 14 games on last year's terrific Tide D and finished third on the team in tackles. Fanney was one of two 'backers suspended by Nick Saban in March, along with oft-troubled Prince Hall, but unlike Hall had returned to the team and was penciled in to resume his front-line role. I assume we'll be hearing more about Fanney's departure in the next couple weeks.

Meanwhile, his exit opens a spot at the Jack position, a hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end, that will likely be filled by one of two sophomores, Courtney Upshaw or Donta' Hightower, whose move from the middle would open up an immediate opportunity for hyped freshman Nico Johnson inside.

Quickly ... Former Auburn offensive lineman Chaz Ramsey is suing a former Auburn trainer and ex-offensive line coach Hugh Nall for mishandling a back injury Ramsey claims ended his career. The New York Times feels his pain. ... The Solid Verbal podcast gets NCAA Football 10 tips from the EA Sports designers themselves. Meanwhile, Sam Keller notwithstanding, at least some Nebraska players like seeing their likenesses in video games. ... Colorado coach Dan Hawkins goes under the knife to have a kidney stone removed. ... South Florida, one of the worst academic performers in the country according to the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate, is instituting a new class attendance policy. (This just after USF called foul on the grades of one of its own recruits.) ... Denarius Moore's broken foot will keep the Tennessee receiver out 8 to 10 weeks following successful surgery, likely including the UCLA and Florida games in September. ... Career rushing leader Damion Fletcher has been reinstated at Southern Miss after a suspension for firing random gunshots in March. ... Texas Tech punter Jonathan Lacour was suspended for six games for an unspecified "violation of Big 12 eligibility rules." ... The Atlanta Journal-Constitution tries to get a read on Oklahoma State ahead of the Cowboys' opener with Georgia. ... Tennessee didn't get that coveted quarterback commitment, after all. ... Eric Berry on the first time his little brother committed to Tennessee. ... And it's one thing to get chased down after snatching a purse. But getting chased down by an offensive lineman with a bum leg? I tell ya, petty criminals ain't what they used to be.