'Good' news from college

Some observations from the college football scene:
U The mess of the Miami-Marshall post-game revealed this: The conduct of coaches doesn't need scrutinized so much as the conduct of fans. As many times as that type of celebration has taken place following a game, it's surprising that similar types incident haven't happened more frequently.
This isn't to excuse the conduct of the two Miami coaches. The coach or coaches who ransacked the press box area should be suspended -- without pay. Nor do I think fans should be discouraged from expressing their, well, fanaticism ... within reason, of course (although the person who invented those thunder sticks made popular during the World Series should be taken out and flogged).
Allowing fans to swarm the field, especially in a volatile situation like the one Tuesday night, can only lead to more problematic situations.
Just last Saturday, University of Connecticut police used pepper spray on students who overran the field and attempted to take down the goal posts following the Huskies' victory over Kent State.
Common sense should prevail: Under normal circumstances, would you want to run into an area populated by hulking behemoths wearing full body armor?
JoePa
Penn State coach Joe Paterno is touting his running back, Larry Johnson, as a viable candidate for the Heisman Trophy.
Here's a question: If Johnson doesn't win the award, will Paterno race across the Yale Club of New York on Dec. 14, grab a Heisman official to "show him" how illegal voting was conducted, then whine about it for weeks afterward?
University of Arizona coach John Mackovic, during an emotional press conference, issued a public apology last week for being too hard on his players. The situation was so bad that almost half the team arranged a meeting with the university president to voice their complaints.
Among the diatribes Mackovic admitted to: telling one player he was "an embarrassment to his family."
Some of the players said they doubted the sincerity of Mackovic, who is 59, and could certainly be considered "old school."
Did we mention -- Mackovic is a former assistant coach to Bo Schembechler, who was a former assistant to Woody Hayes?
What feeling is this?
With Ohio State just one win away from a spot in the Bowl Championship Series title game, does anyone else feel a relatively calming sense of confidence heading into Michigan week that's been missing for the last, oh, 15 years or so? (Come to think of it, just thinking the Buckeyes have a chance makes me nervous.)
Some Sacramento State players were caught spraying their uniforms with a nonstick cooking spray on the sidelines of last Saturday's game against Montana.
The players, who evidently haven't quite grasped the concept of "higher education" (not to mention, "covert operations") altered their uniforms in front of the Sacramento State bench, in full view of fans and one University of Montana photographer, who took several candid snapshots of the "greasers" in action and turned them over to school and conference officials.
The coach of Sacramento State said he didn't see the incident, but then, he had a viable excuse: He was banned from the sideline as a punishment for publicly criticizing game officials the week before.
There was no announcement as to what punishment the players might be handed, but I think we can all assume the words "food preparation" won't be a part of it.
The incident has provided a beneficial side, though. The school has already signed a deal to have its games televised next season on The Food Network.
XRob Todor is sports editor of The Vindicator. Write to him at todor@vindy.com.