Sports Notebook
Star-Bulletin staff
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WAC FOOTBALL
Scheduling ain’t easy
SALT LAKE CITY » Hawaii isn't the only school that has had to deal with late schedule bailouts over the years.
Fresno State has the reputation of playing anyone, anytime, anywhere. But going to Rutgers to open the season Sept. 1 wasn't coach Pat Hill's idea. The Bulldogs got pushed into it because of a late pullout last spring.
"Kansas State decided they wouldn't play us ... I don't know how people can just cancel contracts like that," Hill said at his briefing at the WAC Media Preview yesterday. "It was one of those, 'Oh, by the way, we're not going to play' things. Our schedule got changed around and travel becomes tougher than it was."
Hill said he is grateful ESPN could step in and provide Fresno State with an interesting matchup at Rutgers. But he's not very happy with the dynamics that allow a big-name team from a power conference to drop games late.
"They pay you $250,000 (for voiding the contracted game) and they can turn around and play a home game and make $2.5 million," he said. "It doesn't take a great business major to figure that out.
No handgun control
It seems Nevada's pistol offense is catching on.
Hawaii used it a little last year and Boise State has experimented with it this spring.
"I'm looking at (2008 opponent) Missouri (on tape), goal line, they're lined up in the pistol," Wolf Pack coach Chris Ault said.
In the pistol, the quarterback lines up a few yards behind the center for a shorter snap than in shotgun formation. It allows for more variation in the running game than the shotgun, while allowing for some of the quick passing and protection from blitz concepts of the regular shotgun.
Akey Breaky Heart
Robb Akey's Idaho team went 1-11 in his first season as head coach last year, prompting the best line from the three coaches who addressed the media.
"My wife got all the sharp objects out of our house," he said. "That was miserable."