West Virginia University and ex-football coach Rich Rodriguez will have their day in court. Judge Robert Stone has set an April 3 scheduling conference and hearing date on motions and counterclaims filed in WVU's lawsuit over the $4 million buyout clause in Rodriguez's contract. The hearing will be in Monongalia (mon uhn GALE' yuh) County Circuit Court in Morgantown. Rodriguez resigned in December to take the head coaching job at Michigan, touching off a bitter public feud.

Better watch out, LSU. Appalachian State is coming to town. The Mountaineers, who kicked off last year's wacky college football season with a stunning win at Michigan, will get an even tougher assignment next season when they open against the defending national champion Tigers. Of course, Appalachian State knows plenty about winning national championships. The Mountaineers enter next season as the three-time defending champs in Division I's Football Championship Subdivision.

-Stanford hired Ron Lynn on Friday to be the team's new co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. Lynn, who has 38 years of coaching experience in college and the pros, will share the defensive coordinator duties with linebackers coach Andy Buh. The two will replace Scott Shafer, who left last month to take the defensive coordinator job at Michigan. "We're tremendously excited to add Ron Lynn to our staff," Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said. "He brings a wealth of football knowledge and experience to our staff that our players and coaches will benefit from. I feel like we have one of the great defensive minds in the country."

Almost a year ago to the day, Michigan's Lloyd Carr announced the signing of one of the top-rated high school quarterbacks in ...

Rich Rodriguez defended his Michigan residency in an effort to keep the West Virginia lawsuit in federal court.