The classiest college athlete, has managed to do the unthinkable. He’s got Virginia Tech actually contemplating discipline for on-field thuggery.

* He can renounce his final year of eligibility and turn pro, something Vick said he wouldn’t do in an interview before the Gator Bowl. He would need to declare his intentions to turn pro by Jan. 15

* He can transfer to a Division I-AA school for the final year of his eligibility. He would be immediately eligible.

* He can accept a suspension — likely only one game but maybe more — at the start of next season with the understanding that one more on-field or off-field incident would result in dismissal from the team.

Two of the sources said Vick may even be required to sit out spring practice, though that hasn’t been determined.

My guess, is that next year it will be one more thing he will refuse to discuss in interviews. Along with marijuana, his fun with minors, and reckless driving.

UPDATE: It’s not looking good for Vick the Younger.

Virginia Tech has announced a press for 11 a.m. Saturday in Blacksburg to discuss the Gator Bowl incident involving Marcus Vick.

Television cameras caught Vick stomping on the left calf of Louisville defender Elvis Dumervil during the Hokies’ victory Monday.

A press release states that University President Charles Steger, Athletic Director Jim Weaver and Coach Frank Beamer will take part in the session.

Note, that Marcus isn’t included in the list of participants. Add in his previously unreported arrest on December 17 for speeding. Well, no, he wasn’t arrested for speeding. He was pulled over for it, then arrested for driving with a suspended license — stemming from his previous arrest for reckless driving and marijuana possession. The story goes, of course, that he didn’t tell anyone on the VT coaching staff about it.

New ACC Slogan: The ACC, now even more like the SEC.

UPDATE 2: It’s over for Vick. He’s been dismissed. Beamer seems, shall we say, ambiguous about the outcome.

Said Coach Frank Beamer, “I’m very disappointed that this didn’t have a better ending. We wanted what’s best for this football team and Marcus. I certainly wish him the best.”

Roughly translated: We still needed his talent. It wasn’t my call.

Arguably, VT had no choice after previously saying that anything else would end Marcus Vick’s time at VT. Still, this took a certain level of stones considering his brother Michael is probably the most famous alum — not to mention a very generous donor.

I’ll give some props to VPI for jettisoning the baggage. At the very least, they’ve shown themselves to be above Florida State.

So, did anyone catch the Jamie Dixon Show on the radio? Has he gotten any more relaxed when he talks? Still nothing but cliches?

With Pitt off until Thursday (ESPN 9 pm), there’s a little more talk about how Pitt won the ND game. There is the “glass is half-full” view.

Pitt did not close out the game with efficiency, but two freshmen and a sophomore were at the forefront of the pulsating victory. After Krauser fouled out with 2:06 remaining in regulation, coach Jamie Dixon turned to his talented underclassmen, who performed like veterans under trying circumstances.

Freshman Sam Young scored seven of his 15 points in the overtime periods. Freshman Levance Fields came in, ran the team and scored five points. And not to be outdone by the fantastic freshmen, sophomore Ronald Ramon made the winning shot, a 3-pointer, with 16 seconds remaining after Fields penetrated and kicked it out.

“It was tough,” Ramon said of playing without Krauser. “He was the one who was going out there and making plays for everybody. He’s the energy guy. We feed off him. But it was time for us to step up and make plays.”
…
When Pitt looks back on the 2005-06 season, the performances of Young, Fields and Ramon against Notre Dame might be viewed as one of the turning points of the season. There are going to be other times when Krauser is in foul trouble or having an off night. The Panthers now know that they have the players capable of filling the void.

Or the somewhat “half-empty” approach.

But the Panthers nearly self-destructed by missing two free throws in the final 35 seconds of regulation and making only 10 of 19 during the two overtimes to finish 30-for-46 overall.

Still, through it all — the missed free throws, Notre Dame’s hot shooting, the loss of Krauser — Dixon said his team hung together.

“You want to win them all,” he said, (but) there’s no extra value, nothing special we should take away from this, other than it’s the effort we need throughout conference play.”

Consistency from the free throw line is going to drive everyone crazy. Pitt shot 65% against ND. In the previous 5 games it was 58.3, 81.0, 83.3, 72.7 and 60.0. Overall, it is 68.6%. One thing to expect is that there will be times late in a game where the opponent will decide to make Pitt finish the game from the line. Especially when no one is sure what kind of performance Pitt will give at the line.

The P-G basketball Q&A is up early today. Questions about Gray’s NBA potential, why Graves plays, the strategy of not fouling at the end of the ND game, getting into holiday tournaments, finding Paul Evans, and a couple more. Also one on RPI and SOS.

Q: Just some clarification about the RPI as it affects Pitt’s chances come NCAA tournament selection time. Isn’t Pitt’s RPI higher this year than it has been in the past? Is the RPI based on what the rankings of a team were when Pitt played them? Or does the RPI fluctuate based on how that team does after the game?

FITTIPALDO: The RPI is adjusted throughout the season, Ed. That’s why you hear coaches rooting for teams they just played. You want them to do well the rest of the season because it will help your RPI. Pitt’s RPI is better than it has been, but I maintain that it’s way too early to be looking at the RPI now. I think you have to wait another month or so before examining what it means. You have to wait and see how some of these teams perform in their leagues.

I would argue that the RPI is worth looking at in terms of the non-con at this point. It’s silly to worry about NCAA seeding or bubble things right now, but SOS and non-con RPI are good to compare. Especially to other ranked teams. I think it helps with perspective.

He’s going to Liberty University.

Jennings, an LCA grad, has transferred to Liberty and will start school later this month when the spring semester begins. Since he is transferring from a Division I-A to a I-AA school, he will not have to sit out a season and will be eligible to play next season.

“I don’t want to leave all the burden on my mom,” Jennings said. “When my football career is all said and done, the only thing that’s going to matter to me is the loved ones. I’d rather be spending my time closer to them.

“I love the Pitt program and coach Wannstedt and the fans, but it’s just that we all have to take different routes to get somewhere. Pittsburgh was not working for me.”

The article notes that he considered University of Virginia but, Coach Wannstedt wouldn’t release him from his scholarship if that was his destination. Sounds harsh and not mentioned in the story, but as previously noted Pitt plays 2 games with UVA starting this fall.

Liberty, though. Ack.

Good luck to Rashad and his family.