SEC Football
1. New LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has worked with Drew Brees, Philip Rivers and Joe Flacco. He’s impressed with quarterback Zach Mettenberger: ”I like what I see. He’s an extremely hard worker and that’s critical to be a great QB.”
2. Coach Les Miles on the arrest of LSU signeee Rickey Jefferson, Jordan’s younger brother. “I don’t have a lot of information at this point.”
3. New Florida defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin on the challenge of replacing seven starters. “We play 20-something guys in a game on defense, and we want to continue that…This spring is going to be awesome to see guys go compete for spots.”
4. With plenty of starters gone, Florida coach Will Muschamp is worried about the middle of his defense. “There is no question we’ve got to be strong up the middle. That’s something that’s a question mark.”
5. A challenge at Alabama this spring for new line coach Mario Cristobal- replacing three starting offensive linemen.
6. Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron on seeing Johnny Manziel at the Super Bowl. ”He was trying to get me to go hang out with him and go to all the events, but that’s just not me.”
7. Stewart Mandel on the consequences of Manziel spending more time in the pocket this fall: “This will make it harder for him to repeat as the Heisman winner, because dazzling, improvisational runs are his trademark.”
8. Arkansas practices in pads for the first time today.
9. Vanderbilt spring practice starts Friday. James Frankin’s team returns 16 starters.
10. Spring football begins Sunday for Ole Miss. Bo Wallace’s injury means his backups will get plenty of reps this spring.
NFL Draft Prospects
11. Former Alabama defensive lineman Jesse Williams runs a 4.9 forty-yard dash at the Crimson Tide pro day. Nick Saban on the tattooed Australian “He’s going to continue to get better because he has more upside … He doesn’t have the same background of growing up as a football player like a lot of players we have in our program.”
12. Hard to believe now, but in 2008, not a single Alabama player was drafted.
13. Former Florida offensive tackle Phil Trautwein last played for the Gators in 2008. He’s giving football one last shot – showed up at Florida’s Pro Day this week.
SEC Basketball
16. One opinion on coach Tony Barbee: “While he came to Auburn as a young, hot-shot coach, he may be too old school for these Tigers.” MrSEC’s take on Barbee.
17. Georgia starts day two conference tournament play against LSU. Bulldogs coach Mark Fox: “Everyone outside of Florida is in the middle of the pack in our league — everybody.”
18. Seven of the top eight teams went 6-4 in their last 10 games - only exception was Tennessee which closed at 8-2.
19. Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin defends the league: “I think this league takes a level of criticism that it doesn’t deserve.”
20. As Arkansas meets Vanderbilt, Razorback players don’t know what it’s like to advance in conference tourney – last tournament victory was 2008.
21. Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings on Georgia’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: “He’s one of the few guys in this league that is good at everything that (happens) on a basketball court.”
22. Alabama gets the Tennessee-Mississippi State winner on Friday afternoon. Former coach Wimp Sanderson on the Crimson Tide: “They’ve got as good a chance as everybody else. They play very good defensively.”
23. Missouri’s Alex Oriakhi was on a Connecticut team that lost four of its last five regular-season games. It went on to win the national title.
24. Missouri meets Texas A&M tonight - Aggies won the regular season game by two points. A&M guard Elston Turner: “(Missouri) thinks they should have won that game,”
25. What’s the explanation for Florida’s late struggles in close games? Coach Billy Donovan: “If anything, I see maybe an overconfidence or ‘We’re going to be OK’ kind of thing,”
26. Based on these panel projections, Florida looks to be a big favorite to win the conference tournament.
