Maro Itoje may be one of English rugbys most instantly recognisable figures, but he is still able to pass incognito among classmates at university.Itoje is studying politics and development and politics in Africa in the final year of a politics degree at SOAS University in central London, spending Tu

Maro Itoje may be one of English rugbys most instantly recognisable figures, but he is still able to pass incognito among classmates at university.Itoje is studying politics and development and politics in Africa in the final year of a politics degree at SOAS University in central London, spending Tuesdays and Fridays in lessons.Despite being an ever-present for double-winning Saracens last season and a key figure in Englands Grand Slam march and series whitewash in Australia this year, the 21-year-old is able to attend lectures unnoticed.I dont think a lot of my classmates know who I am, Itoje said. My university experience is a little bit different to the standard students. I can be fairly discreet because only some lecturers and tutors know who I am.It makes life a little bit easier. I dont mind it -- its quite nice to go incognito for a while. Im in my final year now, I did my first two years full-time, but I had to split my last year over two. Im in the home straight.It helps me take my mind off rugby -- politics and development is a little bit different to Premiership rugby. It gives you a chance to lead a balanced life. It helps you keep the mind ticking over on other things, so its helpful.Itoje looks set to start at openside when England face South Africa in the first of four internationals staged at Twickenham this autumn, filling the void left by a succession of injuries in the position.Head coach Eddie Jones has described the Springboks as bullies ahead of their visit on Nov. 12 and Itoje has been given his own insight into their psyche due to the presence at Saracens of players such as Schalk Burger, Schalk Brits and Neil de Kock.South Africa are a very proud rugby nation and you notice that when you spend time with the South Africans in our squad, Itoje said.Theyre very proud and passionate about their rugby and they care a lot. Theyre very physical as well and are known for their physicality.Itoje was talking at Twickenham, which is being prepared to host its first NFL match when the Los Angeles Rams face the New York Giants on Sunday, and the second row has no desire to swap rugby for gridiron.I spent some time in America with an NFL player called Cassius Marsh. Hes a linebacker for Seattle, he said. Hes a good guy, a friend of one of my friends, but rugby is my passion and I have no desire to swap.He didnt try to recruit me, but he thought rugby was cool. He was like, You guys dont use pads man?They are obviously two different sports. The kind of tackles that they do, you wouldnt be able to do in rugby -- youd probably get a straight red in rugby. Walt Clago .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. 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Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Lane Kiffin was only 31 when the Oakland Raiders provided his first opportunity to become a head coach, and he insisted that he was ready.He was wrong.And he probably wasnt ready to coach Tennessee at 32 or USC at 34, either.Now 41, and freely acknowledging that hes made more than a few mistakes along the way, Kiffin thinks hes truly ready this time to lead a program -- and Florida Atlantic is betting hes right. Kiffin signed his five-year contract to become the Owls new coach on Tuesday, a deal paying him $950,000 annually and coming with a stiff buyout if he wants to leave anytime soon.The things you go through, if you look at them the right way and you learn from them, they make you stronger, Kiffin said. I know that sounds like a line, but they do. Ive got a unique life with a lot of unique experiences, but that makes me so much better prepared and so confident about doing this. Probably 10 years ago, I wouldnt have gone about this the right way. But you change.Hell live a double life for the next few weeks. Kiffin is still the offensive coordinator No. 1 Alabama -- hes going to be there for Tide coach Nick Sabans 7:30 a.m. staff meeting in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday -- preparing for a College Football Playoff semifinal against Washington on Dec. 31 while trying to build a staff at FAU.Some major changes await. Kiffin once counted 48 people at an Alabama staff meeting; there is no way to get 48 people into what will be his staff room at FAU. But in three years under Saban, Kiffin learned from one of the best in the college game and plans to incorporate those lessons in sunny Boca Raton.People grow up, FAU athletic director Patrick Chun said. Its a small enough industry where you can call people, we have mutual friends who would tell me what they think. We spent two three-hour settings together and the good thing with Lane, you dont have to spend a minute evaluating the football piece. This was about fits, values, who are you ... thats where he won me over.Kiffin poked plenty of fun at himself Tuesday, referencing some of his well-known past squabbles with coaches such as Urban Meyer and how Saban seemed to have aa penchant for giving him a number of ass-chewins during his three years with the Tide.ddddddddddddhun said hes certain FAU is getting a more humble, less brash Kiffin -- who has family in Florida, including his father, longtime coach Monte Kiffin.He simply wanted to be the next head coach of FAU more than anyone else we talked to, Chun said.At Alabama, Kiffin was part of a program that has been ranked every week and no lower than No. 3 in any of the last 21 installments of the AP Top 25. At FAU, he inherits a program that has won 15 games in the last four years and has never received a single vote in the AP poll.FAUs last home game this season drew less than 6,000 fans. With Kiffin, the Owls expect plenty of extra eyeballs.The school in the world that is trending most on Twitter in the last 24 hours is FAU, school president John Kelly said.Kiffin becomes the fifth coach in FAU history, after Howard Schnellenberger, Carl Pelini, Brian Wright and Charlie Partridge. The Owls are giving Kiffin $1.7 million for assistant coach salaries, and his buyout starts at $2.5 million in the first year and decreases by $500,000 in each subsequent year.Kiffin went 5-15 with the Raiders in 2007 and 2008. He was 7-6 at Tennessee in 2009, then bolted for USC -- where he went 28-15 in parts of four seasons. The Owls hope both sides can revive the other; FAU went 3-9 in each of the last three seasons and hasnt been to a bowl since 2008.It was very obvious that Florida Atlantic is committed to winning and committed to doing it together, Kiffin said. At Florida Atlantic, we will see great things happen. For us to do the impossible, we have to see the invisible.Kiffin met with the FAU players on Monday night, about two weeks after Chun met with them to tell them why he fired Partridge and promised hed deliver the best coach to lead FAU forward.He felt that was a promise kept.I was able to present to our team the best coach possible, Chun said.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '