1. The University of Memphis football team cranks up its first practice on Thursday, the first in the post-DeAngelo Williams era.

The effect of Williams will still be felt, even though he’s moved on to the NFL. When you have a great player like Williams who helps, you win, go to bowls and get on TV, it raises the level of your program. That usually translates into better recruiting, since good athletes want to play in a program that has a great athlete like Williams.

There’s no DeAngelo in Tommy West’s hizzy, but there’s plenty of talent in the cupboard to have a winning season and get to a fourth straight bowl.
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1. Some college football coaches are in a tizzy over two rules changes involving the clock. One is the clock will start on kickoffs as soon as it is kicked, not when it is received. Also at the start of an offensive possession, the clock will start when it is marked ready for play by the referee, not when a ball is snapped.

Coaches say they could have 10 to 15 fewer plays. The coaches griping will be the ones slowest to adjust. Other coaches will try and have their offenses ready to go on the field and have a play call. That way the offense can run on the field, go straight to the line and snap the play.

College football will live for this rule at least a year. If it doesn’t work, it will go back to the old way or something else.
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