College Football | The joke is on Clemson assistant

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson's affable defensive coordinator has apologized for saying two of Alabama's most highly regarded recruits each drove off from high-school events in a Cadillac Escalade.

"I guess I made a mistake in cutting a joke," Vic Koenning said.

The No. 9 Tigers open their season Saturday against No. 24 Alabama in Atlanta. In a week where antiseptic comments of mutual respect are the norm, Koenning most likely gave the underdog Crimson Tide something to rally around.

After practice Monday, Koenning talked about Alabama freshman receivers Julio Jones and B.J. Scott.

"Julio? You know what, I actually ran into Julio in the spring recruiting," Koenning said. "I said hello to him and said, 'I guess I'll be seeing you at the end of August.' Then he got out and got in his Escalade and drove off. That's serious.

"And then I went over and watched [Alabama freshman] Burton Scott at Vigor High School at the track over there, and Burton Scott was running around. He went and got in his Escalade out at track practice and drove off. So I'm familiar with those two guys."

Koenning said he sought out the reporters involved to emphasize he was kidding. Koenning said he had a text-message conversation with Alabama assistant Burton Burns, who worked at Clemson from 1999 to 2006, to make sure he understood Koenning was joking.

Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said Koenning's remarks don't reflect the staff's high regard for Alabama and its aboveboard recruiting tactics.

Koenning said he has never had a problem with Alabama's recruiting practices and doesn't know what vehicles, if any, Jones or Scott drive.

The situation is "100 percent a distraction," Koenning said.

"It was my misjudgement in saying something in a joking manner that got taken and run with," he said.

Notes

• The quarterback carousel: Junior Kellen Lewis, suspended for spring practice for breaking team rules, was named Indiana's starter; senior Daryll Clark is Penn State's starter; and at Virginia Tech, senior Sean Glennon will start and sophomore Tyrod Taylor is expected to redshirt.

• Penn State opens against Coastal Carolina. Coastal Carolina coach David Bennett, realizing his team is an underdog, said, "It'll be nice at halftime not to be obliterated."

• Florida's Percy Harvin participated in drills, but coach Urban Meyer said he was not sure if Harvin would play in Saturday's opener against Hawaii.

Harvin, recovering from a heel injury that required offseason surgery, rushed for 764 yards and six touchdowns and caught 59 passes for 858 yards and four TDs last season.

• Coach Skip Holtz and East Carolina agreed to a contract that will last through 2013. Athletic director Terry Holland said the contract contains changes to his incentive and bonus structure and should encourage Holtz "to stay with us a long, long time."

Holland said specifics of Holtz's new deal can't be released until the contract is approved by the school's board of trustees.

• Colorado tight end Riar Geer, 21, was sentenced to two years' probation and 50 hours of community service after pleading guilty to misdemeanor third-degree assault for his role in an off-campus brawl in March.

Geer avoided a jail term of up to two years.