September 6th, 2008 9:45 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
If you’re looking for a place to share your opinions on SEC football, this is the place to do it.
Our goal is to create a fan forum where folks from every SEC school can gather to discuss the weekend’s action before, during and after the games.
Many of you had asked us to add the comments feature to our site, and we’ve done so… because ultimately, this is YOUR site.
So we hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to share your thoughts, predictions, previews, anger, joy, and reactions to today’s games.
Go ahead, let your hair down (or your top if you’re painted in a school logo).
Good luck to your teams… and enjoy the games!
The Guys at MrSEC.com
September 6th, 2008 9:37 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Talk about needing a win. Sylvester Croom needs to put a whoopin’ on SE LA to get his team (and fanbase) back on the right track.
This shouldn’t be as tough a match-up at Louisiana Tech was last week, but the Bulldogs just don’t have enough offense to take ANYONE for granted.
My prescription? Just be dull and pound the ball with Anthony Dixon all game long. Croom has one really good player on offense. His braintrust needs to call plays accordingly.
Here’s a preview of the game.
And you can go to our comments section to give your own take on the ballgame.
September 6th, 2008 9:33 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
This is probably, for me, the most interesting SEC game of the day. Houston Nutt has overseen some upsets in his day (last year’s overtime win over eventual national champ LSU). Can he lead the Rebels past #20 Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons may well be the class of the ACC (again) and they play smart, old-fashioned football under Jim Grobe.
If Ole Miss can spring an upset, this Rebel team could be better than a lot of people think.
Here’s a preview of today’s game.
And you can click the “Comments” link to discuss the game with fellow UM fans.
September 6th, 2008 9:28 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Rich Brooks is looking for one big thing tonight versus Norfolk State that he didn’t get last Sunday at Louisville: “Some offense.”
Can Mike Hartline go from “managing the game” to making plays? He should have plenty of opportunities to prove himself tonight.
Here’s a game preview.
And our comments area is where you can provide your own analysis.
September 6th, 2008 9:24 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Last week, dealing with injuries and suspensions, Georgia whipped Georgia Southern 45-21. But giving up 21 points, even though they came late, had an influence on pollsters who dropped the Dawgs one slot behind Southern Cal at the top of the polls.
Today, we’ll learn a lot about Georgia. Central Michigan isn’t a total patsy. They have a talented quarterback and on paper, this looks a lot like last year’s match-up with Troy (which wound up being a 44-34 scare for UGA).
The “Gameday” section of The Athens Banner-Herald provides you with every angle of coverage of the game.
And you can discuss the game with other Georgia fans by punching the “Comments” link below.
September 6th, 2008 9:17 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Florida fans have been licking their chops for this one. It’s the chance to end a long losing streak against a weakened Hurricanes program.
But will this be the easy blowout everyone expects? (Yeah, probably so.)
Here’s a thumbnail-style preview of the game, complete with keys to watch, questions to answer and a prediction.
Click the “Comments” link to share your feelings on tonight’s game with other Gator fans.
September 6th, 2008 9:13 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Louisiana-Monroe was pounded 34-0 by Auburn last week, giving up more than 300 yards rushing, but very little passing.
Arkansas survived a scare versus Western Illinois last Saturday, but they had a very hard time running the ball.
So here’s what we’ll find out today: “How does Arkansas compare to one of the favorites in the SEC West?” and “Can Arkansas run the ball with Micahel Smith?”
Bobby Petrino knows his team will have to be better this week if they want to move to 2-0.
Here’s the game preview for you.
And the comments section awaits your take on the game.
September 6th, 2008 9:09 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
The two spread offenses of Auburn and Southern Miss will be on display on The Plains this afternoon, and you’ll probably see about 175 plays run between the two teams.
Talk about getting your money’s worth. That’s a lot of football.
Here’s a preview of the game.
And just click the “Comments” link to chat about the game.
September 6th, 2008 9:05 am ║ Posted By: MrSEC.com ║ Permalink ║
After demolishing Clemson last Saturday night, can Alabama avoid a letdown versus Tulane?
Here’s a game preview for you.
And just click the “Comments” link to discuss the game with other SEC fans.
September 5th, 2008 2:23 pm ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Receiver Percy Harvin and linebacker Brandon Spikes both had good practices on Thursday, which means they’re set to play on Saturday night against Miami.
They don’t play every year, but the Hurricanes still hold a long winning-streak against the Gators… the Gators are motivated to break.
They shouldn’t have much trouble doing just that. Anything can happen in college football, but Miami just isn’t the same Miami they used to be.
With redshirt freshman Robert Marve making his first start at quarterback for the Canes, UF coaches had to dig up game tape from his high school days just to remind themselves of what he can do.
Urban Meyer recruited Marve to Gainesville, but couldn’t land him. Why? “It’s not velocity. It’s not size. It’s not speed. It’s the IT factor. It’s the Brett Favre. It’s the Joe Montana. It’s the Tim Tebow.” Pretty high praise for Marve. And Meyer also believes Miami might have more speed than his squad. And that’s saying a whole dang lot.
Meyer did a radio show last night in which he took questions from Gator fans at the local Beef O’Brady’s. Betcha Sylvester Croom and Phillip Fulmer are glad they didn’t have to face their fans this week.
September 5th, 2008 2:00 pm ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
We start with practice notes from Thursday. The young Razorbacks’ defense is gaining bodies and experience.
Former Springdale High School (think Gus Malzahn and defections) wide receiver Andrew Norton will soon transfer back to Arkansas from Tulsa and join the team as a walk-on. He will sit out this season and have two years of eligibility left.
Safety Matt Harris, after a scare from Western Illinois, isn’t overlooking Louisiana-Monroe (who were blown out by Auburn last week). “All the pressure is on the ‘big’ team. You have to live up to that pressure and perform and kind of block every one out. … Arkansas State and Texas A&M last week, it could happen to anyone and you don’t want to be that anyone.”
Bobby Petrino wasn’t happy with his team’s first practices of the week. But he “liked the way we practiced the last two days. I think we should show improvement on Saturday night.”
Defensive coordinator Willy Robinson, who coaches from the press box even though he prefers being on the field, is concerned about his unit’s run-stopping ability. “I’m up there in the press box spitting nails. Even though I’m not comfortable up there, it’s probably better, better not to have that on camera.”
September 5th, 2008 12:18 pm ║ Posted By: Chip Robie ║ Permalink ║
In the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, Les Miles has given the LSU football team a few days off to allow players the opportunity to visit with family.
Gustav did more than postpone the LSU-Troy game, it also forced members of the coaching staff to seek refuge in the football offices as homes were lost and emergency services tested.
September 5th, 2008 11:43 am ║ Posted By: Jarred Amato ║ Permalink ║
As a way of honoring his injured teammate, defensive tackle Corey Irvin will wear Jeff Owens’ No. 95 jersey this Saturday, but the number isn’t the only thing the two have common.
Both are outgoing guys with big-time talent. Still, Irvin knows it’s not going to be easy to replace Irvin’s leadership.
“I do feel the responsibility to step up and take on the leadership
of the front four of the defense,” Irvin said. “Jeff was the man. I’m
not gonna lie. He was the number one guy, and everybody knows that. Now
he’s hurt now and, you know, I hate that. It bothers me to my heart
that he’s gone.
“But I believe that will motivate me. Now the pressure’s a little more on me because I’m the next man. But I’m ready for it.”
While Georgia coach Mark Richt would have no problem playing a Thursday night game, don’t expect it to happen any time soon.
“It would disrupt our student body, our faculty and staff,” said associate
athletic director Arthur Johnson said. “The logistics of it
all (is problematic) - especially for home games - and we feel it’s
probably the same issue for road games.”
The Bulldogs’ next two opponents, Central Michigan and South Carolina, will play them coming off a Thursday night game the week before, thus giving them two extra days to prepare.
“I’d love to have a Thursday game before them,” said Richt, referring to South Carolina.
Soon Richt can start voicing his complaints in his blog…
September 5th, 2008 11:09 am ║ Posted By: Jarred Amato ║ Permalink ║
Who said defensive tackles are unappreciated? Kentucky’s Myron Pryor is getting all sorts of love after recovering a fumble and taking it 72 yards to the house last week against Louisville.
The play in which the 310-pound Pryor beat the Wildcats’ 309-pound center, Eric Wood, down the sideline (much to the delight of his teammates and coaches) was No. 3 on ESPN’s Top 10 plays of the week.
“I heard somebody compare me to the horse Curlin,” said Pryor, who received at least 100 text messages about the return.
Quarterback Mike Hartline loved having Garry Williams protect his blindside. Now, the left tackle will miss two to three weeks after having surgery to repair a torn knee ligament.
Fortunately, the Wildcats play Norfolk State and Middle Tennessee and then have a bye week before hosting Western Kentucky on Sept. 27.
Think offensive coordinator Joker Phillips listed enough reasons why Kentucky had trouble running the football last week?
“It was a combination of the (offensive) line, the wide receivers and the backs in the running game,” Phillips said.
Other than that, they were great.
“We’ve got to get
everybody headed in the right direction this week — and headed in the
right direction a little bit faster.”
September 5th, 2008 10:20 am ║ Posted By: Jarred Amato ║ Permalink ║
Don’t look now but Vanderbilt (2-0, 1-0 SEC) finds itself on top of the SEC East after stunning South Carolina 24-17.
For the past few years, the Commodores have been looking for a signature home victory. They finally got one last night, beating Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks for the second straight year.
With Erin Andrews and the rest of the ESPN crew in the house, the Commodores overcame a 10-3 halftime deficit to pull off their first home win against a Top 25 team since defeating No. 25 Ole Miss on Sept. 19, 1992 — a span of 16 years.
“We owed it to (our fans),” said Vanderbilt quarterback Chris Nickson. “We’ve had some great wins away, then we’ve come home and stunk it up. It’s a great win for us. We needed it.”
“We’re trying to defend our house,” said defensive end Steve Stone. “That’s a big point for us this year. We catch a lot of bad breaks here at Vanderbilt, but tonight we made our own breaks.”
Vanderbilt’s defense was as good as advertised, recording two first-half interceptions and four sacks, including two huge ones by Stone on South Carolina’s final drive.
In a game that tested their resilience and resolve, the Commodores played their best when it mattered most, which isn’t something we’re used to seeing, writes The Tennessean’s David Climer. And as he said, maybe, just maybe, “that glass ceiling is sporting a crack.”It was the Commodores’ first win was its first in eight appearances on the ESPN flagship network, The Tennessean writes in its football notebook.
Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson was refreshingly honest in his post-game press conference, and at one point wondered out loud why everyone thought it would be impossible to beat South Carolina after winning 17-6 in Columbia a year ago.
“I was surprised that so many people thought it would be real hard for us to beat them,” he said. “We beat them last year, and I don’t know why everybody thought they got so much better than we were getting. I was glad to get out there and play the game.”
Added tailback Jared Hawkins: “We’re not a blowoff team. We’re going to hit you in the mouth.”
That they most certainly did.
September 5th, 2008 10:16 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Things can change pretty fast in the college football world. So writes Tommy Hicks of The Mobile Press-Register.
Mr. Hicks looks at the fan, media and poll reactions to wins and losses… and how the entire outlook for a season can change on a single Saturday.
Will this keep anyone from over-reacting with each win and loss? Heck, no.
But it’s a good read.
September 5th, 2008 10:08 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
The Rebels have been working on wet-ball drills this week in preparation for any lasting affects from Tropical Storm Hanna, which could dump some rain on Wake Forest’s field prior to Saturday’s game. Houston Nutt said the weather should affect his team’s game plan. Call it the “Wet and Wild Rebel” package.
Also noted in the above column, cornerback Cassius Vaughn will play but defensive tackle Peria Jerry will be a gametime decision.
Nutt believes his defense will have to play a whole lot better than they did against Memphis if Ole Miss is to upset #20 Wake Forest on their home turf. Defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix wants to see fewer blown assignments and fewer missed tackles.
September 5th, 2008 9:59 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
With Southeastern Louisiana headed to Starkville for the Bulldogs’ home opener, there are still health questions facing Sylvester Croom’s team. In this same notes column, it’s revealed that Jamie Jones is still scheduled to start in place of injured linebacker Jamar Chaney.
A little good news to come MSU’s way: left tackle Derek Sherrod will play on Saturday. How much he’ll play depends on how he responds after dealing with an infection in his foot.
The Bulldogs’ special teams units look to put last week’s bungles, bumbles and busts behind them as they head into the Southeastern Louisiana game. Getting Derek Pegues back is a step in the right direction.
September 5th, 2008 9:47 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Quarterback Jonathan Crompton missed his second day of practice yesterday. Phillip Fulmer: “Jonathan is limited right now. He got beat up real good. He got hit way too many times last Monday nght. We’re kind of holding him, getting him ready to go Sunday (in practice).” The Vols play UAB a week from tomorrow.
Defensive coordinator John Chavis saw some good things from his unit in Pasadena. “There were a lot of positives. For 50 minutes, we played as well as we’re capable of playing. What we’ve got to do is learn to finish. That’s what we’re doing now.”
Safety Demetrice Morley is wearing a cast on his right hand’s middle and index fingers. He still pulled down a one-handed interception in practice yesterday.
Fans of other schools, it’s called “schedenfreude.” And if you want to enjoy Tennessee fans misery, you’ll click this link and listen to the calls recorded at The Knoxville News Sentinel’s “Vol Frustration Line.”
Looking ahead, Tennessee has inked a deal to play home-and-home with UConn. In football, not women’s basketball.
Tennessee continues to lead the SEC in non-conference scheduling, playing at least one BCS-conference school every year between 2009 and 2018 (UCLA, Oregon, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Nebraska, and Ohio State are all on future slates, each at home and away).
September 5th, 2008 9:28 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Tailback Eric Smith is diggin’ the fact that people are comparing him to former Auburn back Rudi Johnson. “Going through the Tiger Walk a lot of people were saying, ‘Here comes Little Rudi.’ It put a smile on my face.”
We know that Chris Todd will be the man handing Smith the ball to start the Tigers’ game with Southern Miss, but will he give way to Kodi Burns, now that Burns is practicing again? “(Burns) is not 100 percent,” Tommy Tuberville said. “He did practice. He didn’t have the burst like he normally has. He’s got to have that quickness.” Sounds like Todd’s got a real shot to make his case for the starting job this weekend.
Auburn’s defense will be going against Larry Fedora’s spread offense on Saturday. And Southern Miss tailback Damion Fletcher is the man who makes it go. Try 222 yards and two touchdowns in little more than a half last week.
September 5th, 2008 9:12 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Kevin Scarbinsky sat down with Nick Saban and talked with the coach about trying to keep his team focused after their big win over Clemson. He covers everything from how he wants his team to play like Freddy Krueger (relentless) to his memories of the Louisiana-Monroe loss last year (worst week of practice he’d ever seen). And hopefully, by the time you click the link, The Birmingham News will have fixed the story so it doesn’t cut off midway through. (I feel your pain, B-News.)
Saban also says that he shouldn’t use salty language in his press conferences. %*!@# that!
Yesterday we told you that cornerback Marquis Johnson had a moment of redemption against Clemson. Today you’ll learn that he’s a pretty good singer with a background in Vocal Jazz Ensemble.
Sophomore David Ross is preparing for his first start as Alabama works to replace Andre Smith on the offensive line.
Finally, Tulane will be without senior safety David Skehan who has been suspended for Saturday’s game.
September 5th, 2008 8:54 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Which SEC team faces the biggest challenge this weekend?
Which coach most needs to win to quiet his fanbase?
Which SEC team is most ripe for an upset?
Those are just three of the questions covered by our Ace Reporter, Jimmy Hyams in this 9-minute webcast.
Agree with us? Disagree? The comment box awaits you.
September 5th, 2008 8:46 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Seth Emerson of The State writes about and links you to a story at cbssports.com that seems to say Darrin Horn was hired by Carolina mainly because his Western Kentucky team hit an amazing shot in the NCAA tournament.
And Horn isn’t arguing.
“I think (the shot) definitely impacted things. Now I don’t think anybody hires anybody over one shot. But does it push you over the edge? Does it help? Absolutely I think it helps.”
College basketball coach-hiring is a crazy business. I’m a big fan of finding small school coaches who have built their program and sustained it (a la Bruce Pearl). But most schools continue to go after a guy based on one hot tourney run (a la Stan Heath).
September 5th, 2008 8:33 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
I’m not going to lie, things don’t look good for you, Carolina fans. Clearly Vanderbilt is an improved football team, even over the past couple of competitive years. But their improvement has to come at someone’s expense… and it’s probably not going to be Georgia or Florida that topple from top of the East’s standings.
What kind of damage will this do, so early in the season, to the Cocks’ psyche. There’s no question this team had eyed Vandy since last year’s upset. How do they recover? Hopefully better than they did after losing to the Commodores last year (when they went from 6-1 to 6-6).
Lastly, the fact that Steve Spurrier simply can’t build an offense at Carolina (as he did at Florida and even Duke) tells you that either A) the SEC is much tougher now, B) the football world has caught up with the ol’ ballcoach, or C) it’s a little bit of both. C appears to be the answer.
Phillip Fulmer and Steve Spurrier dominated the SEC in the 1990s. Now, neither can seem to win a title since 2000. The game catches up with people after a while. I think it’s caught up with the two guys that used to the have their run of the place.
Here’s the game wrap from The State, detailing how Carolina gave up 21 second half points to a team that could do NOTHING in the first half. Also, there’s a quote from Vandy’s Bobby Johnson that will probably smart a little bit: “I was surprised so many people thought it would be real hard for us to beat them. We beat them last year and I don’t know why everybody thoguht they got so much better than what we’re getting.”
Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson gave his group a B- or a C+ for their tale-of-two-halves effort on Thursday.
Vandy quarterback Chris Nickson ran for just 17 yards and passed for only 90. But he was the difference in the game. And he only cares about the scoreboard anyway: “We needed it, and now we proved we can beat teams over and over again.”
Carolina’s defense cracked in the second half, but they still played well enough to win. This loss, like many before it, lies with the USC offense, which has hurt when Kenny McKinley left the game with a hamstring injury. At that point, the whole Gamecock offense appeared hamstrung.
Here’s a columnist who agrees that Carolina can win with their defense… if they get just a LITTLE help from a consistent passing attack. Chris Smelley, thought decent last night (under duress) just isn’t on par with Spurrier’s past Florida quarterbacks. No one he’s had under center in Columbia has been.
This columnist also focuses on the offense, but he saves a little scorn for Carolina’s special teams foibles.
Finally, how did the Cocks grade out in terms of The State’s Joe Person’s “Keys to the Game.” Not too well.
September 4th, 2008 6:00 pm ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Here’s the spot for South Carolina and Vanderbilt fans to leave their comments before, during and after tonight’s game.
I’m beginning to feel like the mayor in Jaws who has to send people into the ocean just to convince the crowds that it’s okay to jump in.
Well unlike the ocean in Jaws, our comment sections are safe as can be.
And some of you are using them more and more.
At any rate, for those of you who want to discuss the game, the door is open.
September 4th, 2008 4:36 pm ║ Posted By: Ethan Smart ║ Permalink ║
ESPN.com’s Chris Low gives us an inside look at the rumblings and grumblings coming form some of the SEC coaches offices, plus more previews and predictions of Week Two action:
First, he provides us some insight on the internal affairs of a few SEC teams:
Auburn: It took the entire preseason and the first game, but Auburn has finally chosen Chris Todd over Kodi Burns as the clear-cut starting quarterback. This doesn’t mean Burns will ride the pine for the rest of the season, but right now it’s Todd’s job, and the coaches are looking for him to run with it.
Georgia: Injuries and suspensions have left the Bulldogs thin at some positions, but their offensive line gets a boost this week as Clint Boling returns from suspension to start at right tackle.
Kentucky: Coaches didn’t panic when starting cornerback Paul Wartford was declared academically ineligible to start the season. They liked what they saw in senior David Jones, and the converted wide receiver justified that confidence as he more than held his own against Louisville this weekend.
Tennessee: Junior quarterback Jonathan Crompton found himself under extreme duress on multiple occasions in Monday’s game against UCLA, but the Tennessee coaching staff is working on ways to relieve that pressure. Head coach Philip Fulmer said they’re looking at ways to roll Crompton out and get him out of the pocket.
LSU: Head coach Les Miles and offensive coordinator Gary Crowton are enticed by freshman quarterback Jordan Jefferson’s mobility, so look for him to see some action in this weekend’s matchup with North Texas.
“Don’t freak, man! There’s a lot more where that came from.” This is Nick Saban’s message to you, Alabama fan. It’s only one game, and the Tide’s head coach wants the fans to have the same championship aspirations as the coaches and players. This shouldn’t be a problem in Tuscaloosa.
A healthy Chris Nickson means a whole heaping lot to Vanderbilt’s offense, and the Commodores’ starting quarterback says he’s feeling healthy for the first time in a while.
South Carolina’s defense is buying into first-year coordinator Ellis Johnson’s system. Johnson has the defensive players well-disciplined, and now the Gamecocks are hoping this translates into an actual run-stopping defense.
Florida’s matchup with THA U this weekend has been on the mind of Florida safety and Miami native Major Wright for quite some time. That’ll happen when you grow up a Hurricanes’ fan and two of your close friends play for them.
And finally, here are Mr. Low’s predictions for this weekend’s outcomes:
South Carolina 21, Vanderbilt 13
Auburn 35, Southern Mississippi 10
Alabama 27, Tulane 7
Arkansas 27, Louisiana-Monroe 14
Kentucky 31, Norfolk State 3
Mississippi State 28, Southeast Louisiana 6
Georgia 41, Central Michigan 17
Wake Forest 31, Ole Miss 20
Florida 45, Miami 14
September 4th, 2008 2:26 pm ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
We’ve got a lot of different Auburn stories today. Here they are in no particular order:
Wide receiver Robert Dunn is out of Tommy Tuberville’s doghouse after scoring on a 66-yard punt return versus Louisiana-Monroe.
New coordinators Tony Franklin and Paul Rhoads have finally signed their contracts with Auburn. After six months.
Former Alabama offensive coordinator Homer Smith helped lay the foundation or the today’s favorite fad: The Spread. With Auburn and their opponent on Saturday night (Southern Miss) both running it, Ray Melick of The Birmingham News tracked down Smith to talk about the offense, where it’s headed and how teams will try to stop it. Good stuff.
Freshman running back Eric Smith is already drawing comparisons to Rudi Johnson.
Injured offensive lineman Chaz Ramsey is still in school at Auburn, despite rumors that he’s looking to transfer.
And finally, here are The Mobile Press-Register’s game notes for the Tigers’ game with the Golden Eagles.
September 4th, 2008 1:54 pm ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
We’ll start with Mark Bradley of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution who writes that all the hand-wringing over UGA’s 45-21 win last weekend will be long forgotten by October. Ditto all the injuries that have befallen the Dogs. Mr. Bradley believes Georgia will be 5-0 when they hit their open date on October 5th, because they’re too talented to lose to anyone on the schedule before that date. You listening Arizona State and Alabama?
Drew Butler, son of former Georgia kicker Kevin Butler, has found a role as Georgia’s pooch punter. I’ve heard “pooch punter” all my life, but not until just typing it did I realize how silly it sounds.
Georgia’s defense is focused on Central Michigan’s star quarterback Dan LeFevour this week. Think of him as a small school version of Tim Tebow. He can do it all. And he probably won’t be intimidated playing in an SEC stadium.
In 2007, Georgia signed four junior college transfers — a rarity for the Bulldogs. Three of those juco transfers will start against Central Michigan.
True freshman DeAngelo Tyson is rising up the UGA depth chart. He’s now listed as second team at defensive tackle.
Alabama defensive end Lorenzo Washington believes that Mark Richt was sending text messages and even writing notes on his arm as he attended the Tide’s game with Clemson last week. Text messages, I’ll buy. Writing on his arm? I doubt that one.
Speaking of Richt, he’s going to be diving into the internet with a weekly blog on markricht.com. So now he’s competition? You’re going down, Goody-Two-Shoes. You’re going down.
September 4th, 2008 1:37 pm ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
The Mobile Press-Register provides a quickie thumbnail preview of the Crimson Tide versus the Green Wave right here.
Cornerback Marquis Johnson’s interception against Clemson provided him a moment of redemption.
Nick Saban used his Jedi mind tricks on his freshmen prior to the Clemson game. Seeing some of them drop passes in pre-game warm-ups, he said, “Look guys, you need to re-center here. What do you want to do and what do you need to do to do it? That’s the thing you should be thinking about. Not the crowd, not the environment here, not the fact that we’re playing on the road, on the turf, in Atlanta. None of it matters.”
Terry Grant led Alabama in rushing last year. Yet he barely saw the field against the Tigers. Why? Because he’s a speed back. Bama needed power backs to run up the gut on Clemson. Saban: “I told him that he needs to be ready to take advantage of the opporunity when his opportunity comes in the future, and it certainly will.”
And here’s some more on the Tide’s tailback rotation.
September 4th, 2008 11:18 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
File this under “it’s still early”: Kentucky is ranked 11th in the nation in the Sagarin computer ratings.
The return of freshman receiver Aaron Boyd should help a group that had a few issues with blocking, route-running and some dropped passes. Anything else?
Back from a month-long bout with mono, Rich Brooks isn’t sure what to make of Boyd just yet. “He’s running some routes, and he obviously has some talent. He’s smooth, a big body who can catch the ball. But he also not only missed practice, he missed a lot of meetings during that time because he was in bed trying to recover from the mono. We’ll just have to see whether he’s ready to be a factor or not.”
A knee injury might cause left tackle Garry Williams to miss Saturday’s game with Norfolk State, which would snap a streak of 26 consecutive starts. Billy Joe Murphy or James Alexander would fill his slot in the line-up if Williams is forced to miss.
Cat fans can watch the UK-Norfolk State game on pay-per-view via ESPN’s GamePlan package. When approached about simply airing the game on ESPN in primetime, ESPN responded, “Norfolk’n way.”
September 4th, 2008 10:59 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
With senior linebacker Jamar Chaney lost to injury, the middle linebacker role will be filled by redshirt freshman Jamie Jones. And defensive coordinator Charlie Harbison believes Jones and the rest of his defense will pick up the slack.
“One guy falls down, and the weight has to be distributed. I feel good about Jamie and his ability to execute the gameplan.”
The return of Derek Pegues (photo at left) should help the defense overall… and the return game.
On the offensive side of the ball, 5′10, 180-pound freshman receiver Delmon Robinson has impressed Sylvester Croom. “He made just about every play that came to him. Once he ran a bad route and slipped, he was out of balance when he came out of his break, but he still found a way to make the play. That’s something about him that he has. He is a playmaker.”
September 4th, 2008 10:49 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
The Jackson Clarion-Ledger provides a single, solitary story on Ole Miss football today, but it is a lengthy piece.
David Brandt breaks down the Rebels’ upcoming opponent Wake Forest and finds one big thing that UM must avoid: turnovers.
Houston Nutt: “Boy, their defense is outstanding. When you watch film from last year — they get turnovers. They’re just magnets to the football. They’re so disciplined and so well coached.”
Offensive coordinator Kent Austin: “First and foremost we need to protect the football. (Wake Forest) wins a lot of games by winning the turnover battle.”
Spot a theme?
September 4th, 2008 10:31 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
We’ll start with some practice notes from Brandon Marcello over at wholehogsports.com. The main note seems to be that UA is about to get some help on the defensive side of the ball. Cornerback Jerrell Norton and linebackers Walner Leandre and Wendel Davis will be back in action Saturday.
Freshman receiver Greg Childs had six catches and 88 yards last weekend versus Western Illinois. This week, he’ll get his first career start. “He’s quick, he’s very strong off the line of scrimmage and he doesn’t have a lot of fear. Just go get the ball across the middle,” said Bobby Petrino. “So he has a good package going.” (Good thing he didn’t say that about Casey Dick, or I’d make a juvenile joke about it.)
Here’s some more on Childs from junior receiver Lucas Miller. “He really matured quickly in that game. You love seeing a young guy like that take the coaching.”
Before the season started, Arkansas’ defense looked to have holes at linebacker and in the secondary. But against WIU, the defensive line didn’t stop the run very well and failed to produce a single sack. Petrino: “It was very disappointing. The first game of the season you want to start out on fire and I don’t think we did that.”
For an extremely young team, opening day jitters were to be expected. But how much better will the Razorbacks become now that they’ve experienced big time college football?
As noted above, the Hogs are getting healthier and “more seasoned” on defense.
September 4th, 2008 9:56 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
All kinds of stuff coming out of Florida for the UF-Miami game on Saturday.
Let’s start with Jeremy Fowler’s blog at orlandosentinel.com. In this post, he asks: “Can Tim Tebow can get back in the Heisman race?” The Heisman is the most over-hyped piece of metal in the United States. If you can fall out of the Heisman race in Week One of the season, that tells you all you need to know about the thing. UF fans should be worrying about the crystal football, not the guy holding out his arm.
When the Gators and Canes square off on Saturday, don’t expect high school teammates Major Wright (Florida safety) and Leonard Hankerson (Miami receiver) to take it easy on one another.
If Miami is going to win, they’re going to have to find a way to slow down a UF team that features five offensive starters who can run at least a 4.3 40-yard dash. A lot of teams are going to have to find a way to slow the Gators down.
Oh, yeah, did we mention the fact that Miami will have a first-time starter, Robert Marve, under center on Saturday? In front of 90,000? At The Swamp? Good luck with all that.
Urban Meyer makes it sound like UF will employ a running-back-by-committee approach for the long haul. And why not? The majority of his backs are speed merchants. These aren’t guys that need 20 carries to get into a rhythm. They’re guys that take the ball 80 yards on the first play of the game. Makes sense to rotate ‘em and keep their legs fresh.
Good friends Charlie Strong and Randy Shannon will be coaching against each other Saturday night.
Pat Dooley of The Gainesville Sun covers everything from former Gator Jesse Palmer’s tie to Meyer’s search for team leaders in his latest, “around college football” type column.
Did you know that Florida and Miami used to play for a trophy called the War Canoe? That sounds like a euphemism. Kind of like “shaking hands with Abraham Lincoln” or “Wind-surfing on Mount Baldy.” (Both of which come from OLD David Letterman Top Ten lists.)
September 4th, 2008 9:24 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Safety concerns led LSU officials to postpone Saturday night’s scheduled game with Troy until November 15th, when both teams had open dates.
Tiger Stadium sustained quite a bit of damage from Hurricane Gustav. The damage is broken down in this column. (Thanks to The Baton Rouge Advocate for the photo at left… click the headline to enlarge it.)
Les Miles and his team want to play on Saturday night, but the coach can’t argue with LSU’s decision. “It’s a great decision, a decision made for the benefit of all. We need a game. We’d love to play. Again we understand we’re affected as well. It’s the right decision. Our attention is now on preparation for North Texas.”
With the game shifted, LSU will no longer have an open date prior to their final two regular season games (against Ole Miss and Arkansas… sorry, I meant Ar-Kansas).
September 4th, 2008 9:05 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
The big story in Knoxville is the health of quarterback Jonathan Crompton. As this notes column reports, he sat out yesterday’s practice session with a sore ankle he injured late in the UCLA game.
But wait, there’s more. Crompton also suffered a concussion midway through the fourth quarter of that game. (I’ll resist the urge to point out that he passed better after the concussion than before. Oops.) But here’s the bigger question that no one seems to be asking. If he suffered a concussion, which supposedly everyone is taking more seriously these days, why was he allowed to re-enter the game? Playing on a sore ankle is one thing… allowing someone to risk a further brain injury? Not good.
Speaking of Crompton, you know who was to blame for the Vols’ belly-up loss to UCLA? Duke head coach David Cutcliffe and New York Jets quarterback Erik Ainge. According to this agenda-driven piece by Mike Griffith of The Knoxville News Sentinel, those two conspired to allow Crompton to “rust” on the bench the past two years.
I like Mike Griffith. He’s a former president of the College Football Writers Association. But this is the silliest thing I’ve ever seen in print and I find it rather sad how far some agendas get taken.
In Knoxville, there has been a serious push the past two years, from a few reporters and many fans, to get Crompton onto the field. Those reporters never liked Ainge.
Now that UT is 0-3 in games in which Crompton has taken the majority of snaps and his career completion rate is 47%, well, they can’t admit that he hasn’t looked real good yet. They have to blame people who are long gone.
Crompton may someday become an All-American at Tennessee. He was certainly a star in high school. But he didn’t look good the other night. Heck, no one on Tennessee’s team did. So why can’t a few reporters just admit that? Rust? Rust?
Ainge had his mind-melting moments for sure, but now that he’s in the NFL, isn’t it time to stop blaming the guy for Tennessee’s losses? I’m amazed by this piece.
Fulmer sure didn’t like what he saw when he watched tape of the game with the Bruins. “I’ve had nothing but that film that I’ve sulked over for two days. I’m … really, really mad — I told them — really, really mad over some of the things that happened.”
Fulmer continued, “I told them today I’m not ready to give them any answers. I’m just as frustrated and disappointed as they are. The one thing I told them was it’s not all right. Everything is not all right. Somebody can say that, but it’s not. … And for crap like that to happen to us? It’s angering.”
September 4th, 2008 8:35 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Alright, let’s look at the USC-Vandy game from a Gamecock perspective.
Here’s a column listing three key match-ups to watch tonight, including what might be a bit of a feud between receiver Kenny McKinley and Commodore corner DJ Moore.
Here’s a great breakdown of the game, news and notes-style, from The State. The keys for USC? Keep Chris Smelley upright, don’t false start (lest the offending lineman be yanked from the game), and don’t let Chris Nickson break contain.
Joe Person, also of The State, believes that Carolina’s offensive line will repond well tonight… after playing poorly against Vandy last year. His prediction: 30-13, Cocks.
Speaking of last year’s game, the Gamecocks are still haunted by the home loss that led to a tailspin. “It still bothers me,” said Captain Munnerlyn. “I think we were kind of relaxed last year like they were going to lay down for us. It’s still kind of in my head like, ‘We lost to Vanderbilt?’”
Gene Sapakoff of The Charleston Post and Courier makes a strong case that Carolina is closer in SEC rank to Vanderbilt than to the Big Three in the East.
Finally, the biggest story for Carolina, in my opinion, is the fact that Smelley is back in the saddle at quarterback. He looked much better than Tommy Beecher last Thursday, but can he move the Gamecocks consistently?
September 4th, 2008 8:16 am ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║
Tonight at 7:30 it’s South Carolina at Vanderbilt. Or as we at MrSEC see it, it’s Erin Andrews at South Carolina at Vanderbilt.
Who’s got the edge? The Tennesseans breaks down the game in thumbnail fashion right here. Their tip: keep an eye on running back Jared Hawkins who’ll be filling in for Jeff Jennings.
The goal for Vandy is to get pressure on Cock quarterback Chris Smelley. “We’ve got our defensive scheme and we stick to it,” Bobby Johnson said. “We’re playing faster now, we’re playing more aggressively, we’re putting on more pressure, and we think it’s paying off for us.”
If Vandy starts pressuring Smelley, it might have an effect on his offensive line, too. “Our line can’t wait for the snap,” Steve Spurrier said. “That’s embarrassing, very embarrassing. As the head coach and offensive coach, I can’t teach ‘em to wait on a snap.” And don’t forget, Vandy’s D put it to Carolina in a 17-6 upset win in Columbia last season.
Finally, Maurice Patton of The Tennessean looks at how Vandy stacks up against other SEC teams, position-by-position.
See you on TV, Erin. And why the heck does the dude from “America’s Funniest Home Videos” get to clutch America’s favorite sideline reporter like that?
For stats, standings, tv schedules and more, please visit
secsports.com
