COACHES' VOTES NEED TO GO PUBLIC.

Byline: SCOTT WOLF College Football

Beginning this weekend, a monumental event will take place in the way teams are voted into one top 25 poll.

The Associated Press has decided that it will release the individual ballots of every voting member every Sunday.

It's a good start toward full disclosure by announcing the sportswriters' opinions, because it prevents some yahoo in Mississippi from going to bed early on Saturday night oblivious to events on the West Coast. For years, the poll has been criticized for its regional bias, especially against teams that didn't play in the Midwest or East.

But now that this problem has been solved, it's time to move on to a more serious offender: The CNN/USA Today coaches poll.

If you think this group will ever make its votes public, you've never met a coach.

By nature, coaches are a paranoid and insecure lot. Besides, exposing their votes might reveal the real process in how they vote.

More than a few simply let their sports information director, or some other university lackey, cast the ballot. Most coaches hole up in their office for 120 hours a week during the season. You think they have time to see how Arizona will fare against Hawaii this weekend?

Yeah, right.

Then there is the little issue of cronyism. Coaches have as many cliques as an average episode of ``90210.'' It's not much of a stretch to think a coach might put one of his ``dear old friends'' a couple of notches higher than, say, someone who ran the score up on him a couple of years ago.

You don't think more than a few coaches have held their nose voting for Florida (and smug coach Steve Spurrier) the past few years? Or enjoyed giving a break to everybody's buddy, Florida State's Bobby Bowden?

Maybe. Maybe not. It's the mere appearance of conflict that makes releasing this information to the public critical.

Which means it probably will never happen.

Check it out: South Carolina, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Arkansas run routine criminal background checks on recruits, according to The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C.

``I've had my integrity questioned, as well as my program,'' South Carolina coach Brad Scott said. ``I'm not going to let that happen again.''

Kansas kicks ad: Lowly Kansas filmed a television commercial to promote the sale of season tickets this summer. In the commercial, kicker Joe Garcia is shown kicking a dog that is being ``held'' by its owner. Of course, Garcia didn't kick the dog; it was all editing and camera angles.

But Kansas chancellor Robert Hemenway wisely ordered the commercial to be pulled from local television stations.

Brain dead: It's usually an honor for a player and his school to be pictured on the cover of a national football publication, but San Diego State representatives are pained having to explain why running back Tyrone Evans was pictured in some Athlon Western region preseason magazines.

It's one thing that Evans was only the Aztecs' third-leading rusher last year with 163 yards, far behind Jonas Lewis' team-leading 1,021. But it's quite another that Evans has only a jail yard to run around for the next three years - his recent sentence after pleading no contest to 13 misdemeanor assault charges.

And, pending are felony assault charges after being accused of assaulting a girlfriend who was seven months pregnant.

Local watch: Former Hart High School wide receiver Soren Halladay caught two touchdown passes in Brigham Young's preseason scrimmage last week.

Mr. Tact: Florida's Spurrier has been known to show his disgust on the sidelines when his quarterbacks play poorly, but he says he has learned to show more self-control. In fact, after seeing Colorado's Rick Neuheisel angrily confront his quarterback on the sidelines last year, Spurrier gave him some advice this summer.

``I told him those TV cameras are on you at all moments waiting on you to yell at somebody,'' Spurrier said. ``He looked bad doing it. I have learned to not look and yell at them if I have to.''

Spurrier displayed how he stares at the ground and imitated what he says when he's angry with a player: ``Doug, how can you be so stupid?'' he said. ``It comes off much better that way instead of getting in their face.''

Switching positions: USC isn't the only school moving quarterbacks. Dan Kendra was the nation's top-rated quarterback coming out of high school, and after three years as an understudy, he was slated to be Florida State's starting quarterback against Texas A&M on Monday night.

A spring practice knee injury ended those thoughts, as well as his dreams of playing quarterback. Kendra, who is out for the season, has now decided to play fullback next year.

Less of Moore: It is looking less and less like All-Big Ten safety Damon Moore will be in the lineup for top-ranked Ohio State this season.

A Ohio State administrator said Moore's eligibility is more precarious than that of linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer, who like Moore is engaged in final examinations this week hoping to obtain the requisite grades to meet Big Ten eligibility standards.

Where's the patch? Colorado State announced its intention of defecting from the WAC, effective June 30, 1999.

And the 15th-ranked Rams left themselves open for interrogation Saturday by playing Michigan State without the league's trademark ``WAC'' patch on their jerseys.

The incident has set off a furor within the conference, but Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick blamed the mishap on new uniforms and a new equipment manager.

SCOTT WOLF'S TOP 10

1. Michigan (0-0)

Notre Dame High star Justin Fargas faces the real Notre Dame.

2. Florida State (1-0)

Paul Hackett wasn't encouraged by what he saw against Texas A&M.

3. Nebraska (1-0)

They let a receiver go wild for 402 yards, but still won by 29 points.

4. Ohio State (0-0)

Does anyone seriously believe Andy Katzenmoyer's eligibility was ever in doubt?

5. Florida (0-0)

Steve Superior says Gators lost two games because they were cocky.

6. Kansas State (0-0)

No need to pay attention to these guys until they play Nebraska.

7. Louisiana State (0-0)

Working feverishly in preparation for Arkansas St. on Sept. 12.

8. Arizona State (0-0)

Sun Devils' season rides on season opener against Washington.

9. Syracuse (0-0)

If Big East wants respect, Orangemen need to defeat Tennessee.

10. UCLA (0-0)

Bruins currently have nation's third-longest winning streak (10).

Five more to watch: Colorado State (1-0), Notre Dame (0-0), Virginia (0-0), West Virginia (0-0), Penn State (0-0).

THE LIST

Which coach makes the most money in the Pac-10? Who makes the least? Check below:

Coach School Salary

1. Paul Hackett USC $680,000

2. Jim Lambright Washington $566,333

3. Bruce Snyder Arizona State $533,000

4. Tyrone Willingham Stanford $500,000

5. Mike Price Washington State $450,000

6. Bob Toledo UCLA $403,000

7. Dick Tomey Arizona $394,000

8. Mike Bellotti Oregon $270,000

9. Tom Holmoe Cal $200,000

10. Mike Riley Oregon State $135,000

Note: Estimated annual income including base salary and money from outside sources.

SAY WHAT?

``In the state of Alabama, I've decided we're agrarian in our history. We like the ground a lot more than the air. I'm convinced Auburn people would rather go 8-3 running than 9-2 passing - as long as we beat Alabama.''

- Auburn coach Terry Bowden.

BEST BET

Colorado vs. No. 15 Colorado State

A crowd of nearly 76,000 is expected at Mile High Stadium and Colorado State is believed to be favored for the first time since the series began in 1893. Colorado State is coming off a victory at Michigan State, but if Colorado loses, the deathwatch on coach Rick Neuheisel begins immediately in Boulder.

CAPTION(S):

Box

BOX: SCOTT WOLF'S TOP 10 (see text)