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Saban Doesn’t Think Ingram Will Play

John — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:50:49 +0000

Beating home a point he made yesterday, Nick Saban said today that he doesn’t anticipate Mark Ingram taking the field against Penn State on Saturday.

Our view: Alabama should put Ingram on the shelf this weekend and next (against Duke) in hopes of having him ready for the SEC season which kicks off September 25th at Arkansas.

SEC Headlines – 9/8/10 Part Three

John — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:46:19 +0000

1. Kentucky’s Moncell Allen bought into the fullback role after watching the HBO show “Hard Knocks.”

2. UK’s season ticket sales in football were down 8% this season.

3. South Carolina is still waiting for NCAA word on Jarriel King and Chris Culliver.

4. Carolina linebacker Shaq Wilson might miss the entire season due to a severely pulled hamstring.

5. Tennessee’s starting center was rushed to the hospital from practice yesterday afternoon, but it’s believed he’ll play on Saturday.

6. Tennessee Practice Report, here.

7. Derek Dooley isn’t interested in changing UT’s uniforms.

8. Vandy safety Jay Fullam won’t back down after drawing two controversial penalties in the Commodores’ loss to Northwestern.

9. Kicker Ryan Fowler says he won’t miss another extra point this season.

10. Robbie Caldwell is standing behind his first-game bravado.

SEC Headlines – 9/8/10 Part Two

John — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:59:00 +0000

1. Kentrell Lockett’s return at defensive end couldn’t come at a better time for Ole Miss’ defense. (Well, maybe last week before the Jacksonville State loss… but you get the point.)

2. Safety Fon Ingram was back at practice yesterday, too.

3. Here’s some solid perspective on UM’s loss to Jacksonville State from a long-time Rebel-watcher.

4. Dan Mullen says his offensive players have a much better understanding of his offense this year… and that that’s “a huge advantage.”

5. A lot of eyes will be on Scott Field tomorrow night…

6. And at least one prediction is in: Auburn 34, MSU 31.

7. Florida’s Mike Pouncey — acting as a true leader — is taking full blame for Saturday’s bad offensive performance (though his errant snaps were only part of the problem).

8. Gator quarterback John Brantley is avoiding talk radio, papers and the internet.

9. Florida tumbled four spots in the AP Poll to #8 this week.

10. Georgia Practice Report, here.

11. This writer says the NCAA wouldn’t be taking so long on the AJ Green case if there weren’t reason to believe he violated rules.

SEC Headlines – 9/8/10 Part One

John — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:09:49 +0000

1. Alabama’s Trent Richardson isn’t giving up hope that backfield mate Mark Ingram might be back in action Saturday against Penn State.

2. But Ingram wasn’t practicing for Bama yesterday.

3. The Tide’s rebuilt defense will face a freshman quarterback for the Nittany Lions.

4. Auburn tailback Michael Dyer wants folks to call him “Mike,” not Michael.

5. Expect more blitzes from Auburn’s D as the season rolls forward.

6. Playing tomorrow night on ESPN (at Mississippi State) could be a blessing or a curse for the Tigers.

7. Arkansas’ rushing attack in Week One wasn’t good enough for Bobby Petrino’s tastes.

8. Arkansas Practice Report, here.

9. Hog special teamer and backup corner Seth Arumbrust is out for the year with a knee injury.

10. LSU’s youth movement was little bumpy Saturday night in Atlanta.

11. The Tigers might have to shuffle their offensive line… again.

12. Patrick Peterson rolled up a school record 257 return yards for LSU against North Carolina. (Where would the Tigers have been without that kind of special teams play?)

SEC Headlines – 9/7/10 Part Three

John — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:23:47 +0000

1. Due to injuries, Tennessee’s first-year receivers will need to step up big against Oregon.

2. When it comes to Oregon, UT knows the word is “speed.” (And all this time I thought “Grease” is the word, is the word, is the word…)

3. The knees of Vanderbilt tailbacks Warren Norman and Zac Stacy appear to be good-to-go for Saturday’s game with LSU.

4. Robbie Caldwell says his players “ought to be pretty sharp” as Vandy students, so he wants them to knock off the dumb penalties.

5. It looks like Chris Relf will be the running quarterback and Tyler Russell the passing quarterback at Mississippi State. (Russell was the SEC’s Freshman of the Week.)

6. Ah, but who’ll be taking the most snaps in a tight game?

7. Auburn’s Cameron Newton — who will face the Bulldogs Saturday in Starkville — had a hard time turning down MSU and old coach Dan Mullen.

8. Ole Miss is trying to regroup from Saturday’s painful loss to Jacksonville State.

9. The “definite” return of defensive end Kentrell Lockett should help this weekend against Tulane.

Saban Nips QB Controversy Talk In The Bud

John — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:01:39 +0000

Alabama’s offense roared in Saturday’s season-opener behind both starting quarterback Greg McElroy and backup AJ McCarron who got an awful lot of snaps off the bench.

But as Don Kausler of The Birmingham News points out, don’t read too much into McCarron’s playing time.

When it comes to quarterbacks, backups are almost always fan favorites. That’s because most folks think positive thoughts about the unknown. A starter is a proven commodity, all of his flaws (even if they’re few and far between) have been witnessed. With a backup, fans see potential, not flaws.

I’ve got a friend who points out every time a beautiful woman passes by, “There goes a girl who some other guy is tired of spending time with.” It’s a little like that with backup quarterbacks.

“Sure, I know McElroy led us to a national title last year and he hasn’t lost a game since middle school, but look at McCarron!”

Nick Saban wants no part of that talk.

“We don’t have a QB controversy. There were reasons for what we did last week, but that’s over and done with. The reasoning and the purpose was AJ had never played in a game. He’s a very capable guy, he’s going to be a very good player here, he’s a great sort of a guy to be in the position he’s in right now. But he needed to get game experience.”

Nothing more, nothing less. So if someone out there with a Tide box and two rolls of toilet paper is starting to like the looks of McCarron… just stop it right now.

Saban’s already nipped this controversy in the bud.

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SEC Headlines -9/7/10 Part Two

John — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:34:02 +0000

1. Auburn’s offense is a lot better heading to Starkville in 2010 than it was in 2008 (when it won 3-2 at MSU).

2. Freshman tailback Michael Dyer looked like the real deal in the Tigers’ opener.

2. Suspended AU linebacker Craig Stevens tweeted last night that he will be back “very soon.”

4. Alabama’s been dealing with some ankle injuries in practice.

5. Bobby Petrino was pleased with the effort of his defense versus Tennessee Tech.

6. Folks in the Natural State are already breaking down Heisman candidates’ performances.

7. Les Miles did a good job of dancing around questions about some controversial calls in LSU’s close win over North Carolina.

8. Running back Stevan Ridley had a good night… except for a pair of fumbles.

9. A broken ankle will force starting guard Will Blackwell to miss at least six weeks and LSU to rebuild its already rebuilt O-line.

Catching Heat Over Boise State

John — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:09:53 +0000

This morning I seem to have mowed over a yellow jackets’ nest when I made the following observations:

1. Boise State’s team is as good as any team in the country (as based on their big game success in recent years).

2. That includes this year’s SEC squads.

3. Boise State — if undefeated — deserves BCS title game consideration.

4. But because they don’t face a tough schedule week-in and week-out, they shouldn’t get a BCS title berth over a one-loss team from a major BCS conference.

Nevermind the last point, I’ve gotten feedback only on the first three points, naturally. (I learned long ago that folks see only what they want to see). Most of the emails I’ve received have consisted largely of this fact:

2005: Georgia 48, Boise State 13

True enough. And here’s another fact:

2007: Louisiana-Monroe 21, Alabama 14.

I think we can all agree, based on results, that both Boise State and Alabama have improved in the past few seasons.

The Broncos have recently knocked off Oklahoma, Oregon and Virginia Tech. How many SEC programs could accomplish that feat in a three- or four-year span? Alabama? Florida? That’s about it, folks. I don’t see the LSUs, Tennessee, or Arkansas’ of the past few seasons scoring that trifecta.

Playing off of that, I was asked on a radio show this morning if Boise State could compete in the SEC. Yes, I believe they could. This year, I think they’d be right in the mix with Alabama and Florida. That doesn’t mean they would go undefeated, but I would favor the Broncos over all but three 2010 SEC squads (Georgia being a “pick ‘em” in my mind.)

We’ll get a better gauge on Boise State versus the SEC when they face Ole Miss in Oxford for next year’s season-opener. And to all those who’ve suggested to me that the Broncos are “scared to play SEC teams,” why is it Boise has to come south to play Georgia and Mississippi? I don’t see Florida, Alabama, LSU, Auburn or Tennessee heading to the blue turf out west.

I find it interesting that any kind of tip of the cap to Boise State is viewed by many SEC fans as an insult to their beloved league.

Reality check — The SEC plays the best football in the country. The SEC doesn’t play the only football in the country.

Boise State is darn good. They’ve shown that again and again when given the chance. They deserve the national coverage they receive.

But as I stated this morning, even an undefeated Boise State team wouldn’t deserve a BCS title bid over a once-beaten BCS conference team.

Those two thoughts aren’t mutually exclusive.

The Heat Is Already Rising For A Few SEC Coaches

John — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:47:37 +0000

Twenty-five years ago, not every college football game could be found on television. Most coaches didn’t make six-figure (or seven-figure) salaries. There was no sportstalk radio. There were no internet messageboards.

Today, all of those things have changed and that might explain why three SEC coaches (and really five) are getting dragged over the coals following Week One of the season. Week One!

Head coach — Houston Nutt at Ole Miss.

Paul Finebaum of The Mobile Press-Register writes that Saturday’s loss to Jacksonville State has turned Nutt into a joke. “Can you ever mention his name without breaking out laughing?”

Finebaum goes so far as to compare Nutt’s loss to Lloyd Carr’s defeat at the hands of Appalachian State… a loss that sped up his forced retirement. “Will the same happen to Ole Miss?” Finebaum wonders.

If Ole Miss rebounds to go 8-4, then no. If Ole Miss falls apart and finishes 4-8, also no. Nutt and the Rebels stepped in it Saturday, but Week One is a bit early to start talking about dismissals.

Defensive Coordinator — Ted Roof at Auburn

Kevin Scarbinsky of The Birmingham News is having to come to the defense of the much-maligned Roof, whose own defense allowed 26 points and 300+ yards passing to Arkansas State last weekend. That after a “disappointing” 2009 season (in which Roof had zero depth to work with).

Scarbinsky sought the opinion of former Tiger coach Pat Dye… and Dye was happy to give it in regards to Roof. “You damn sure couldn’t grade him based on last year. We lined up with two linebackers that played every snap. At the present time, I think we’re better on defense with a chance to get a lot better.”

Tell it to the fans on the messageboards, Coach.

Offensive Coordinator — Steve Addazio of Florida

Like Scarbinsky, Pat Dooley of The Gainesville Sun is trying to cool some of the hot air blowing in the direction of Addazio. Aside from talk radio and messageboards, some boob has gone and launched a firesteveaddazio.com website.

Dooley basis his argument on the fact that Gator fans have awfully short memories. “Just remember this — Steve Addazio held your program together during a crisis. He held together the best recruiting class in the nation when the head coach was too ill to be a major factor and other coaches were negative recruiting.”

He concludes: “Like I said, you owe Addazio a debt of gratitude. You at least owe him more than one game this season before you starting carving him up.”

Meanwhile, Vanderbilt’s Robbie Caldwell is being second-guessed for his decision to keep chasing a missed extra point with failed two-point conversion attempts in a close loss to Northwestern.

And in Baton Rouge, many are treating Les Miles’ victory over undermanned North Carolina is being treated like a loss.

In Miles’ case, at least the bad blood has been brewing. There’s a track record to view in his case. When it comes to Nutt, Roof, Addazio and Caldwell, there have been either:

1. Good results so far

2. No results to speak of

or 3. Results skewed by a lack of depth

In other words, a few hotheads out there might want to put down their phones and log off their websites for at least a few more weeks… before they start looking for tall trees and short ropes.

SEC Headlines – 9/7/10 Part One

John — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:14:21 +0000

1. Will Georgia have AJ Green for Saturday’s game with South Carolina? The Dawgs are still waiting for an NCAA verdict.

2. Did Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia just have a “breakthrough” game?

(Has the Joker gotten the last laugh at the expense of the Dynamic Duo?)

3. The Gamecocks’ defense has depth concerns due to injuries and NCAA issues.

4. As Kentucky prepares for a visit from Western Kentucky, Jacksonville State’s win over Ole Miss has their attention.

5. New UK play-caller Randy Sanders is getting praise for Saturday’s effort.

6. In case you were wondering… Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel says Florida has the most spoiled fanbase in the nation.

7. Mike Pouncey and John Brantley have been working overtime to fix their problem with shotgun snaps.

8. Urban Meyer is glad his team has a sense of urgency.

Dareus Will Be Out For Bama, Ingram Doubtful

John — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:33:05 +0000

As Alabama’s team prepares for its showdown with Penn State this weekend, Tide fans are preparing for another week without stars Marcell Dareus and Mark Ingram.

Nick Saban said yesterday that Alabama would not appeal the NCAA’s two-game suspension of Dareus, his starting defensive end, after all. “I said that we would appeal, but when I say things like that, we have to have precedent to appeal, precedent being some other case, some other circumstance relative to how penalties are granted, and we don’t really fell like we have a good precedent. We feel like relative to the circumstances, this was pretty fair. … So that issue is really dead.”

As it should be — Dareus was involved in two trips to Miami, not one, and his suspension had already been cut from four games to two. I think the NCAA gifthorse might have bucked had Saban looked in its mouth.

As for Ingram, the coach doesn’t believe his recently-scoped knee will be ready to go. “We just need to see him be able to be himself, be 100 percent, be able to practice enough to be confident and ready. I’m not anticipating that’s going to happen.”

Boise State Could Beat Any SEC Team On A Given Night

John — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:59:17 +0000

Boise State’s exciting come from behind victory over Top 10 Virginia Tech last night should prove to everyone once and for all that, yes, the Broncos are as good as anyone in the country.

In the past few seasons the Broncos have handled Oklahoma in a BCS bowl, an Oregon team that went to the Rose Bowl and now fellow national title contender Virginia Tech. So if you’re still one of those people who rolls his eyes when he mutters Boise State’s name, just know that anyone with an iota of football knowledge is rolling their eyes at the fact your eyes are being rolled.

When I say that Boise State has now proven itself to a be a top program, make no mistake, I very much mean that on any given night, the Broncos could indeed knock off the very best the SEC has to offer.

Before you start firing off the emails, let me make a couple of points.

Gator fans, do you really believe Florida would have beaten Chris Peterson’s team with that Keystone Kops routine they displayed on Saturday? Just be glad you were facing Miami of Ohio and not the Broncos (or anyone else with an offense).

And Bama fans, I have but two syllables for you: “U” and “tah.”

Forget the star rankings on Signing Day, the Boise States, TCUs and Utahs of the world can compete with the big boys these days. And as a result they should be in the national title picture when they go undefeated.

But…

They also should be graded down for facing a week strength of schedule. And I believe that will happen to the Broncos this year, even if they run the table. Even with a win over Virginia Tech.

In the SEC, teams like Alabama and Florida have to survive not only clashes with other Top 10 teams, but also week-in-week-out battles with good programs. Boise State has knocked off a Top 10 team and they’ll face Top 25ish Oregon State, too. After that? There’s no one on the Broncos’ schedule that should be a real concern.

For comparison, let’s take a look at Florida’s national title winner from just two years ago. The Gators proved themselves to be the best team in the country at year’s end. They knocked off all of the highly-ranked teams they faced. But they lost a game at home to Ole Miss, a team that snapped a long SEC losing streak with that surprising victory.

Now let’s talk Alabama. Last year, the Tide went undefeated in the SEC. But there wasn’t a Bama fan alive who wasn’t sweating as Tennessee (which finished 7-6) lined up for a potential game-winning field in the final seconds in Tuscaloosa… only to have the kick blocked.

The point is this: Boise State is every bit as good as the Alabamas and Floridas of the world. If they finish undefeated, they should merit title consideration because on a neutral field they might just beat one of those squads head-to-head. Ditto Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, etc.

But if the final slot in the BCS title game comes down to an undefeated Boise State squad and a once-beaten team from an SEC, Big 12, or Big Ten, the Broncos should be left on the outside looking in.

In the best of the BCS leagues, title contenders not only have to win their big games, but they have to win the “small” ones, too. And the small ones in the SEC, Big 12 and Big Ten are a lot more challenging than the small ones in the WAC.

Kudos to Boise State for their win last night. It should put to bed any thoughts that Peterson’s program isn’t 100% for real. But at the end of the day, BSU’s overall schedule still needs to be part of the equation. When that schedule is factored in, a Broncos team that might be the best in America still must be graded down.

SEC Headlines – Labor Day Edition

John — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:22:14 +0000

Hey, I know it’s Labor Day and most of you won’t be reading these notes until you’re back in the office Tuesday morning. (I’d suggest you scroll down and read our Week One News and Views, too.)

With that in mind, we’ll provide you with just a few headlines from around the league before we head out for hot dogs and burgers our own selves.

1. ESPN’s “College Gameday” will be in Tuscaloosa this weekend for Alabama-Penn State.

2. Nearly a quarter of Arkansas State’s plays went for eight yards or more against Auburn. Uh-oh.

3. Auburn has a short week as they prepare for an ESPN Thursday nighter at Mississippi State.

4. Bobby Petrino is just fine with the fact that Ryan Mallett is “a willing runner.”

5. LSU players are bemoaning the fact that they “didn’t finish the game” against North Carolina.

6. LSU’s offense looked inconsistent on Saturday… just like last year.

7. Jacksonville State’s Jack Crowe — congratuations to him, by the way — says he believes Ole Miss needs to stabilize its quarterback situation.

8. Saturday’s loss was the first big black eye for the Rebels under Houston Nutt (aside from the Jeremiah Masoli situation, I suppose).

9. MSU has turned its attention from Memphis to Auburn.

10. For the regular readers here, you know that there are some writers we link to more than others. In recent weeks, there’s been a whole lotta movement on the SEC front. Seth Emerson went from covering Carolina to Georgia. Joe Person and Gentry Estes have left local SEC papers. David Brandt, too. Now Kyle Veazey is moving from Ole Miss coverage to Mississippi State and Brandon Marcello is taking his place, giving up his Arkansas beat. Matt Jones is moving from one Razorback pub to another. Good luck to all these guys as they start their new beats.

11. Urban Meyer says this will be a “critical” week of practice for his Gators.

12. This writer says there are still issues at Georgia and he’s not ready to call Aaron Murray’s performance steady (as I did) either.

13. There are still NCAA issues hanging over the South Carolina-Georgia game. (Namely: Who can play and who can’t?)

14. Steve Spurrier believes the 10 players cleared right before kickoff Thursday will be cleared to play this week, too.

15. Joker Phillips and Mike Hartline silenced their doubters (for a while) in Kentucky’s opening day win.

16. Phillips will try to teach his team how to salt away a victory when it has the chance.

17. The players on Tennessee’s defense know that the bar will be raised when Oregon visits on Saturday.

18. The Vols will be without their top receiver and they might be without a staring O-lineman, too.

19. Robbie Caldwell is being second-guessed (already) for attempting two two-point conversion tries in Saturday’s loss to Northwestern. (Welcome to the SEC.)

20. A very questionable call hurt the Commodores’ chances, too. (Bad calls happen in every game to every team. No crying.)

Now get out there and enjoy your Labor Day.

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News And Views: SEC, Week One

John — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:40:46 +0000

Each Monday of the regular season we’ll provide a quick wrap of news and views following the previous weekend’s SEC action. Here’s the first edition:

The Scores

Alabama 48, San Jose State 3
Arkansas 44, Tennessee Tech 3
Auburn 52, Arkansas State 26
Florida 34, Miami (Oh) 12
Georgia 55, Louisiana-Lafayette 7
Kentucky 23, Louisville 16
LSU 30, North Carolina 24
Mississippi State 49, Memphis 7
South Carolina 41, Southern Miss 13 (Thursday)
Tennessee 50, UT-Martin 0
Jacksonville State 49, Ole Miss 48
Northwestern 23, Vanderbilt 21

The SEC Hot List

1. Alabama
2. Georgia
3. Florida
4. South Carolina
5. Arkansas
6. LSU
7. Auburn
8. Kentucky
9. Tennessee
10. Mississippi State
11. Ole Miss
12. Vanderbilt

Rising And Falling

1. Arkansas receiver Joe Adams — rising
2. Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton — rising
3. Florida’s makeshift offensive line — falling
4. LSU multi-threat weapon Russell Shepard — rising
5. Ole Miss’ defense — falling
6. Mississippi State quarterback Tyler Russell — rising

The Views

* It was expected that Alabama would be a bit more explosive on offense in 2010 while the new defense jelled. Explosive and wide open were certainly the keywords coming out of Saturday’s game with San Jose State. Bama ran a little Wildcat, a little Pistol, and Jim McElwain had Greg McElroy throwing the ball deep (with long TD passes to Marquiz Maze and Julio Jones). As we’ll say with most of these opening day opponents — it was only San Jose State. But Bama fans have reason to believe the offense really will be more dynamic in 2010.

* The big story in Fayetteville: 3 points. I don’t care about the offensive numbers at Arkansas. The Hogs will score points a plenty this year (44 versus Tennessee Tech) and Ryan Mallett proved last year that he can dissect non-conference foes (21 of 24 for 301 yards, 3 touchdowns and a pick on Saturday). So that wasn’t the story. The story was the defense. The Razorbacks’ D allowed just 187 yards of offense to TTU and that’s a massive improvement over last year. Whether they were playing Tennessee Tech or Johnson’s Barber College, Arkansas’ defense needed to show some signs of strengthening. It did.

* Cameron Newton came up big in his debut for Auburn. Try 171 yards rushing and 186 yards passing against Arkansas State big. For the first time in three years, AU fans will see an actual dual threat quarterback leading their team’s spread offense. How good was Newton? Here’s what Arkansas State’s coach said after the game: “I don’t know if I have seen an individual performance better than Cam Newton’s. He is the best player I have ever seen live.” (On the downside, Auburn’s defense gave up 323 passing yards. Not a good sign.)

* Doing radio shows in the state of Florida, I picked up over the summer a feeling in the Sunshine State that the Gators might actually be better this year without Tim Tebow. The theory seemed to go like this: “Now the Gators can be a team and not just a one-star squad.” Well I bet UF fans wish they’d had Superman on Saturday. The offensive line play (and botched snaps) should improve when three offensive line return to the lineup. But there ARE real issues in Gainesville. I’m a “believe it when I see it” kind of guy and when it comes to running backs and receivers these last two years, I haven’t seen it. One long Jeff Demps run might be enough to subdue Miami of Ohio, but it’ll likely take a little more ground production than that to win in the SEC.

* It was only Louisiana-Lafayette (told ya we’d say that a bunch), but Aaron Murray looked confident and steady as UGA’s new starting quarterback. With so little depth behind them, though, he’ll want to go easy on the rushing attempts (4 carries, 21 yards, 1 TD). Georgia fans can also be happy with the fact the Dawgs turned the ball over only once. That’s an improvement over last year. (We’ll learn a lot more about their rebuilt defense next week.)

* Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb will need to carry Kentucky this year. Their big plays led the way for the Cats to get past Louisville on Saturday. No surprise there. But if Mike Hartline can continue to play safe, smart and solid football (17 of 26, 217 yards, 0 TD and 0 interceptions), UK could jump up and bite someone they’re not supposed to in 2010.

* If Les Miles fails at LSU, he will officially be Gilligan. Both are extremely lucky. Sure Gilligan was trapped on an island, but just how many chances did he have to successfully escape? Everyone from actors to surfers to cosmonauts landed on that island. That’s luck, even if he wasted it. Well Miles lucked into a terrific gig left to him by Nick Saban, saw a number of longshot gambles pay off in 2007, and was even lucky enough to be voted into the BCS title game with two losses. On Saturday he was lucky again. Facing a make-or-break season, Miles’ Tigers got to kick off the season against a depleted North Carolina squad that was missing more bodies than the graveyards around Frankenstein’s castle. The result: a nailbiter of a 30-24 win. Anyone want to suggest Carolina would NOT have won that game had they been at full strength? Miles is lucky alright. And he’ll need to take advantage of it this year… or else he’ll have blown as many lucky breaks as Gilligan. (Sidenote — both are known for their oversized hats, too.)

* What happened to Ole Miss’ defense? Houston Nutt called the Rebels’ loss to Jacksonville State the worst of his career. No doubt. But no one in Oxford should be too surprised. Nutt is a fine coach. He puts together two or three good seasons (never great, but good) and then falls back to the five- or six-win plateau for a year or two. Then he’ll put up some more eight- or nine-win years before dropping off again. Rinse, repeat. It’s a pattern. Ole Miss fans should have known what they were getting when they hired him. You can bet Arkansas fans did. Good coach, not great, with very days sprinkled in on occasion.

* Right now, Mississippi State fans have to feel better about their program’s direction than Ole Miss fans. Dan Mullen has created excitement in Starkville. He’s cocky (perhaps a little too cocky at times) and he’s improved MSU’s recruiting. The Bulldogs whipped a better Ole Miss squad in last year’s Egg Bowl. They opened this season by taking care of business with Memphis and they appear to have found a quarterback in Tyler Russell (13 of 16, 256 yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 picks). It’s early and a lot of things can change, but it’s hard not to take the big picture view that State’s program is on the rise while Ole Miss is headed for one of Nutt’s patented dips.

* We covered South Carolina’s impressive debut on Friday. No need to rehash it here. Suffice to say we’ll be tuned in when Carolina and Georgia kick things off on Saturday. If Florida can’t get things together, the Cocks and Dawgs could be playing for a trip to Atlanta.

* Tennessee whipped up on a completely undermanned UT-Martin squad Saturday night. The 50-0 win will no doubt convince some followers that the Vols won’t be as hampered by depth issues (72 scholarship players) as folks in the media have been saying. We’ll know more this time next week after Derek Dooley’s Vols have hosted Oregon. (The Ducks rolled New Mexico 72-0 on Saturday.) While it’s way too soon to jump on UT’s bandwagon, the Vols deserve credit for the following: When a boxer schedules a bout with a tomato can, he’s supposed to knock him out. The Vols knocked out the tomato can known as UT-Martin.

* Surprise: Vanderbilt put up 432 yards of total offense. Surprise: Quarterback Larry Smith completed 19 of 33 passes for 240 yards. Compared to last year, those are Manning/Brady/Brees-type numbers for Vandy’s quarterback and offense. But unbelievably… it didn’t matter. The kicking game killed the Commodores. VU missed an extra point, a field goal (albeit a long one) and a pair of two-point conversions (necessitated by the missed extra point). And that why is Vandy remains Vandy. Kudos to Robbie Caldwell, however, for finding some offense.

Final Thought

Don’t write off Florida just yet. The Gators do have problems (as we mentioned earlier), but they also have way too much talent on their roster to not be battling for the SEC East title when they face Georgia in Jacksonville later this fall.

SEC Headlines – 9/3/10 Part Three

John — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:40:23 +0000

1. Vandy’s Robbie Caldwell is nervous… and ready for battle.

2. Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald has nothing but praise – of course — for Vandy’s players.

3. Tennessee’s Derek Dooley knows that UT-Martin was in a dogfight with Auburn just two years ago.

4. Neyland Stadium will look like a brand new building for tomorrow night’s opener.

5. South Carolina rolled Southern Miss right out of Columbia last night. Very impressive performance.

6. Marcus Lattimore showed the promise the Gamecock fans were hoping for.

7. Here’s a bit more on the NCAA issues USC faced right up until kickoff.

8. Bobby Petrino believes nicknames matter at Arkansas.

9. Arkansas Practice Report, here.

10. This writer says the Hogs aren’t this year’s “Ole Miss,” Auburn is.

11. LSU hopes tomorrow’s “showcase” game in Atlanta will help with recruiting.

Sidenote — Former Tiger Eddie Kennison will host an interactive Q&A session with fans at the Allstate Tailgate Tour from 5 to 6pm in the Georgia World Congress Center before the game. (Wow, it’s almost like I was goaded into mentioning that fact.)

12. UNC’s Butch Davis was on LSU’s short list as coach… twice.

13. The NCAA hasn’t forgotten about LSU’s issues revolving around fired assistant DJ McCarthy and former player Akiem Hicks.

14. When it comes to big money athletic departments, Florida is aces according to The New York Times.

SEC Headlines – 9/3/10 Part Two

John — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:43:25 +0000

1. For the fourth straight year, Alabama will have at least one player suspended for NCAA rules violations.

2. Freshman linebacker CJ Mosley could have an immediate impact (as a backup) with the Tide.

3. Mark Ingram says the guys on Bama’s offense “want to be the best in school history.”

4. Auburn will use its young defensive linemen earlier and more often than its young offensive linemen.

5. Arkansas State’s offense will have some similarities to Auburn’s tomorrow.

6. Left tackle Lee Ziemba is working to create more leverage for himself when engaging defenders.

7. This writer says that Dan Mullen is facing a “must-win game” against Memphis. Year Two, Game One, Must Win? A little hyperbole never hurt anyone.

8. Making matters tough for Mullen is the fact that Memphis has a new coach… and therefore the element of surprise is in their favor.

9. Chris Relf will get the start at quarterback tomorrow but Tyler Russell could see first-half action, too.

10. The SEC will hand down bell-related monetary fines to MSU at end of the season, not on a week-to-week basis. “The bell tolls for thee, Grossbard.”

11. Whether starting defensive end Kentrell Lockett will return to Ole Miss — after heart issues last Saturday — is up in the air at this point.

12. The Rebels will need to fill the sizable void left by his absence.

13. Hosuton Nutt says Randall Mackey will get plenty of snaps at quarterback behind Nathan Stanley tomorrow.

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SEC Headlines – 9/3/10 Part One

John — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:47:05 +0000

1. Urban Meyer says his team is ready for gameday.

2. Sophomore Jon Bostic will likely start at middle linebacker for the Gators tomorrow.

3. Receiver Frankie Hammond will be suspended from UF’s game with Miami (Ohio) due to his offseason DUI charge.

4. Georgia has some absences on offense heading into its opener with Louisiana-Lafayette.

5. Jeff Schultz of The AJC believes UGA should sit AJ Green if the NCAA has any questions about his eligibility.

6. Georgia Practice Report, here.

7. Home field advantage hasn’t meant a lot in the Kentucky-Louisville football series.

8. Quarterback Mike Hartline wants to go from game manager to game changer.

9. Defensive coordinator Steve Brown thinks his unit’s struggles against spread offenses have been overblown.

10. Tony Barnhart of The AJC makes his weekend predictions here.

NCAA Sits Bama’s Dareus For Two Games

John — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:59:36 +0000

Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus will miss the Crimson Tide’s first two games (against San Jose State and Penn State) following an NCAA investigation into two trips — not just one — that might have involved contact with agents.

Dareus will also have to pay back $1,787.17. Actually, that money goes to a charity, but it’s considered a payback of the benefits he received from an agent(s).

Nick Saban said that he plans to appeal the decision in hopes that the suspension would be reduced and Dareus would be available against the Nittany Lions next week.

Saban also said on his radio show that Dareus was “shanghaied a little into this… by some other players.” Those around the Bama program and around Dareus continue to say that the player did not knowingly violate any NCAA rules.

Back To Normal Tomorrow

John — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:07:00 +0000

Just a quick note to apologize for today’s few and far between posts.

Have you ever tried to type up a story while zipping through Atlanta on MARTA? Me, neither. But I can tell you it’s not easy.

Tunnels aren’t great for my Verizon Wireless card.

Today’s been a “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” type of day… starting off with traffic delays getting out of New York.

I hope you’ll excuse our lack of updates today. All will be back to normal tomorrow morning here at MrSEC. Dozens of stories, dozens of links. All the news you’ve come to expect from MrSEC every day.

Assuming I eventually make it home.

In Case You Haven’t Heard… Defense Wins In The SEC

John — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:58:37 +0000

Everyone knows that defense wins championships in the SEC. And a quick check of recent league statistics proves it to be true. But did you know there was a pretty clear shift from offense to defense that took place about eight years ago?

Going back 15 seasons, we broke down each of the SEC champions from 1995 (Florida) right on up through last year (Alabama) in eight major statistical categories. Here’s what we found, starting with the offensive numbers:

Scoring Offense
The SEC champ led the league in scoring offense 6 times in the last 15 years. (Florida in 2008, 2000, 1996 and 1995, Auburn in 2004 and Georgia in 2002)

Rushing Offense
Only 2 of the past 15 SEC champions actually led the league in rushing. That’s a surprisingly low number. (Florida 2008 and Tennessee 1998)

Passing Offense
Again, only 2 SEC champs since 1995 have topped the league in this category. And you have to go back a long way to find the last champ to do it. (Florida in 1996 and 1995)

Total Offense
Only 3 teams in 15 years have led the league in total offense and lifted that round SEC sign in Atlanta. (Florida in 2008, 1996 and 1995)

Scoring Defense
The SEC’s champion has led the league in points allowed 5 times in the past 15 years. But all five teams have done so in the last 8 years. (Alabama 2009, Florida 2008, Auburn 2004, LSU 2003, and Georgia 2002)

Rushing Defense
In the last 15 years, just 3 SEC champs have led the league in this category… but all have occurred in the last 7 years. (Alabama 2009, Florida 2006, and LSU 2003)

Passing Defense
Want an interesting fact? Try this one: No SEC champion since 1995 has led the conference in this category. Got a so-so secondary? You can win big anyway.

Total Defense
Of the last 15 champs, 3 have led the league in total yards allowed. Again, all three instances have taken place in the last 7 years. (Alabama 2009, LSU 2007 and 2003)

Conclusions

* You don’t have to a league-leading offense or defense to win the SEC. Georgia (2005), LSU (2001), Alabama (1999) and Tennessee (1997) didn’t lead the SEC in any of the 8 main team categories.

* There was a shift from offense to defense right around 2002. Since that time, only 5 champions have led the league in an offensive category. However, 11 SEC champs have led the league in a defensive category in that same 8-year span.

* That’s a switch from the 1990s. Not once between 1995 and 2001 did an SEC champion lead the league in one of the four major defensive categories.

* It’s not breaking news, of course, but even when you do a little simple math with the SEC Media Guide you find that defensive success is more important than offensive success in today’s SEC.

MrSEC.com’s Official “Don’t Put Money On These” 2010 Predictions

John — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:14:15 +0000

Predictions are fun. And usually useless.

There’s no telling who’ll be hit with injuries at the worst possible time. There’s no way to predict which games will be impacted by bad weather. And it’s impossible to guess which game might change entirely based on an opening-kickoff fumble.

In other words, I wouldn’t go putting any money on the predictions you’re about to read. But as we’re set to start the 2010 season tonight, here’s the current view from MrSEC.com:

Teams Most Likely To Reach Atlanta

1. Alabama — The Tide won’t go undefeated this year, but it’s hard to imagine anyone in the West slipping past them in the standings. The gap closes a little this year, but the Tide is still way out in front.

2. Florida — The Gators will have new players on the field and new coaches on the sidelines. They’ve also had a few issues with a particularly cocky and mouthy freshman class. But the big question is can they replace Tim Tebow — meaning Tebow the team leader and Tebow the automatic-third-down-converter. Odds are they’ve got the talent to win the division, but…

3. Georgia — The Bulldogs have talent on offense. They can insulate new quarterback Aaron Murray by putting veterans at every position around him. On defense, it doesn’t seem possible that the Dawgs could be any worse than last season. For those reasons, UGA is our current sleeper to reach Atlanta.

Rising / Falling

As we just noted, Georgia has a lot of pieces in place to compete in the East. Florida is still the favorite and they’ll get the biggest dose of media scrutiny. The Dawgs might thrive with lower expectations and an underdog mentality. UGA is on the rise.

South Carolina looks to be the team set up for disaster. What should be a good quarterback situation appears murky at the moment. The Weslye Saunders/Whitney Hotel situation has been a distraction. Mix in the fact that many people are raising expectations for the Cocks and this could be the perfect storm.

All that said, if Carolina tops Georgia in Week Two, you can officially flush these last-minute preseason gut feelings.

Best Record For A New Coach

Joker Phillips beats out Derek Dooley and then Robbie Caldwell in this one. Just look at the Wildcats’ schedule for the reason why. Louisville, Akron, Western Kentucky and Charleston Southern make up the non-conference part of the slate. Inside the SEC, UK will go to Ole Miss and Mississippi State and host Auburn.

Dooley’s Vols will face Oregon outside the conference and their SEC West games consist of visits from Alabama and Ole Miss and a road game at LSU. Advantage Wildcats.

As for Caldwell, if Vandy wins 3 games, he’ll have done a solid job. The roster is young. The schedule is tough. Things don’t look good for the ‘Dores.

Player of the Year on Offense

Ryan Mallett’s stats should be spectacular at year’s end. As we’ve broken down previously, he’ll need to improve his performance in league games (specifically on the road), but coupling his arm with Bobby Petrino’s system is sure to produce more fireworks.

Player of the Year on Defense

Everyone seems to be going with Alabama’s Dont’a Hightower in this slot, but the edge here goes to LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson. Both are tremendous players, but Peterson is likely to star in a league filled with great receivers. He wins on degree of difficulty.

Who’s The Real #2 in the West

We like Georgia as the only real sleeper in the league behind Alabama and Florida. Period. But if someone said, “Pick someone from the West or else,” we’d study the teams’ non-division opponents and their matchups with each other:

Arkansas — at Georgia, at South Carolina, Vanderbilt, LSU, at Auburn

LSU — at Vanderbilt, at Florida, Tennessee, at Arkansas, at Auburn

Auburn — South Carolina, at Kentucky, Georgia, LSU and Arkansas

Scratch LSU from the list immediately. That leaves a head-to-head race between dark horse darlings Auburn and Arkansas. Auburn has the schedule advantage, but they also have more questions to answer — Is Malzahn’s offense for real? Will the defense be better?

We have to wonder about Arkansas’ defense, too, but we can be pretty sure that their offense will thrive. For those reasons, we like the Hogs to finish #2 in the West.

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Nike Wrap-Up From NYC

John — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:38:37 +0000

Wanted to drop you a few final thoughts from New York following today’s unveiling of Nike’s 2010 Pro Combat uniforms:

1. There’s no telling what Nike’s promotional budget is. Dozens of bloggers and media types were flown to New York and put up at the Trump Soho. Snazzy media packets were provided. A rooftop lunch followed the event. Bob Huggins, Michael Irvin and Chris Fowler provided the “big name” presence. Obviously, Nike threw some serious cash toward promoting the Pro Combat unis which, in turn, they hope promotes the overall sales of Pro Combat gear to individual athletes of all ages.

2. As I sat on a Manhattan rooftop eating a very nice lunch (billboard above said lunch shown at left), I couldn’t help but wonder what Bob Huggins was thinking. I’m sure the money Nike puts in his pocket is pretty nice coin, but did he really want to be sitting in 90+ degree heat listening to a guy describe how Nike’s latest shoes were designed?

3. The media world has changed and it’s not going back. I’m not sure where it’s going, but it sure as heck ain’t going back. The days of the mainstream media being the fastest way to spread a message are over. Of the media Nike brought in, the vast majority were bloggers and internet peeps. Buzz is no longer created in the mainstream press. Buzz is created by the independents. On the web.

4. But just how independent are we when most in attendance had accepted a trip to New York on Nike’s dime? This isn’t a real question of journalistic ethics, I don’t believe, because we’re covering football uniforms on sports sites. We aren’t reporters taking kickbacks from political parties. I came to give a non-expert’s opinion on new uniforms (final verdicts further down, by the way). Also, I noticed that most of the bloggers in attendance were wearing the gear and team colors of the schools that their sites cover. (In case you’re wondering, I wore a black shirt and a CSS visor.) In the future, it seems that everyone will be able to go and get their news from sources who filter information specifically for the user. Auburn fans will go get pro-Auburn news. Kentucky fans will go get pro-Kentucky news. We already have this in our political coverage, of course. But to someone who runs a site dedicated to praising (or ripping) all 12 SEC schools equally, it’s a frightening scenario — Will people in the future want objective coverage? Or will they simply seek out those who will tell them what they want to hear?

5. Nike provided a fine trip for me. And I had nothing against Nike coming into this, either, I might add. I’ve worn their shoes since I was a boy. Wore a pair to NYC, in fact. But…

6. I’m still not wild about this year’s Pro Combat unis. As an SEC writer, I’m pleased to say that Alabama and Florida received perhaps the best looking new duds unveiled today. On the other end of the spectrum was Virginia Tech. The Hokies — by far — got the raw end of the stick with a uniform that features about 10 different shades of colors and an electronic motherboard design in its uniform numerals. Really. An electronic motherboard. It’s awful. Sorry, Nike.

7. But thanks for the trip. And thanks for not turning Alabama and Florida into Oregon.

Oh, and I hope this coverage of your event is just what you wanted. After all, you paid for it.

The Alabama Accessories

John — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:30:44 +0000

Here are the accessories — gloves, shoes, etc — that Alabama will wear in their game against Mississippi State.

Click the headline for a bigger picture.

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A Large Photo Of Alabama’s Pro Combat Uni

John — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:03:32 +0000

Click the headline for a bigger view… and yes, that’s Bama legend Marty Lyons beside the photo.

Lyons Talks Bama Uniforms

John — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:18:46 +0000

Former Tide great Marty Lyons:

“Tradition is no small thing at Alabama.”

The Tide will wear the Pro Combat uni on November 13th versus Mississippi State.

The white numbers on Bama’s uniforms will feature a light houndstooth pattern. Ditto the white stripe on the helmet (really the only change to the helmet). Bama’s unis will also feature an American flag on the jersey because the jersey will be worn two days after Veterans’ Day.

Two stripes down the pant legs… but not the traditional stripes that Bama fans are used to.

Early verdict — Not bad. Like Texas last year, Bama’s Pro Combat unis aren’t too far from the norm. If Bama had to jazz up their unis for a week, this isn’t a bad way to do it.

Photos coming soon.

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Notes Part Three From NYC

John — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:11:17 +0000

* Chris Fowler of ESPN is emceeing the event for Nike.

* “This is where college football and fashion converge.”

* Early look at unis:

Alabama’s is traditional. Large stripe on pants. Very recognizable.

Florida’s is better than last year’s version. Except for a Gator-scale pattern on the orange helmet. Oy, vey.

* Photos coming soon…

* Nike explaining that Pro Combat unis are more lightweight and more durable. “At every position it’s about speed.” Believe it or not, the new Nike uniforms were developed to increase speed.

Nike Event Set To Kickoff In NYC

John — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:59:38 +0000

A small studio seating maybe a hundred or so. Bloggers from across the country. Upbeat music on the sound system. And breathless anticipation.

Okay, I made up the last part.

Still, the unveiling of Nike’s new Pro Combat uniforms has drawn plenty of interest. Many of the media/bloggers on hand are snapping photos (like the one in this post) of the under gear that’s already on display.

Marty Lyons will be on hand to represent Alabama today. Errict Rhett — not Jack Youngblood — will carry the banner for Florida. Both will speak later.

As we wait for the stragglers to filter in, let me just make a couple of other notes:

* I’ve been to NYC on several occasions. In the late ’90s I was in to do some promo work with Matt Lauer and Katie Couric. In the early 2000s, I was in to do some promo stuff with Dan Rather. (Could someone help me pick up those names I just dropped?) But this is my first trip into the city post-9/11. Driving in last night, the skyline — minus the Trade Centers — just wasn’t the same. Great city, but there will always be a hole in that skyline.

* The Trump Soho is 8 parts decadence and 2 parts Star Trek. I’ve stayed in some nice hotels… it’s the nicest. NYC has issues with bed bugs at the moment, but if the Trump had them — and I’m sure they don’t — they’d probably be the kind you’d LIKE to get. “More champagne?” queried the bed bug.

* Tip to Nike. If you tell someone who’s arriving after midnight that you’ll have a car/driver for him at the airport — Just do it.

More as the uniforms are unveiled…

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Ingram to miss Alabama’s opener

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:03:22 +0000

Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram will miss Alabama’s opener this Saturday against San Jose State after undergoing surgery on Tuesday morning to repair knee damage.
(more)

An Interesting Week at MrSEC.com

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:42:01 +0000

Back on August 19th, I began a post with the following sentence:

“To hell with tradition.”

I wrote that because, as I put it then, Alabama “is allowing Nike to Nik-ify their uniforms for one game this season.”

Nike, you see, is producing another set of Pro Combat uniforms for a select number of schools in 2010. They unveiled the first batch of futuristic unis last season with Florida (white helmets, spirograph stripes on the shoulders) and LSU (old gold rather than new gold) taking part in the one-game project.

Florida will be back for a second year and Alabama is jumping onboard this season, too.

Nick Saban has since said that the changes to Bama’s unis will be small and in keeping with the school’s tradition. In relaying that news, I pointed out just what type of hideous designs — in my opinion — Nike has rolled out for Oregon and Virginia Tech in past years.

Well, five days later, I received a very friendly invitation from Nike to attend the official unveiling of the new Pro Combat uniforms in New York City.

“Hi John, I know you picked up the news that Alabama and Florida will be wearing new uniforms from Nike this season — would you be interested in joining us in New York when we reveal the uniforms on September 1? University personnel, former players and Nike designers will be on hand to discuss the design and performance benefit elements.

“Nike can provide travel accomodations for you to New York — we can cover the cost of your flight and hotel if you are interested. The event begins at 10am on Wednesday so we suggest you arrive in NYC by Tuesday evening. You are welcome to stay through Wednesday evening or you can fly out immediately after the event.”

My first thought was as follows: What about journalistic integrity?

My second thought was: Are you kidding me, we’re talking about uniforms and this is a free trip to New York on Nike’s dime just to publicize their new uni designs… only an idiot would turn this down so hush up the integrity talk and get your butt on a plane.

My third thought: Wow, our site is really growing these days.

Thoughts Two and Three stuck. Thought One was flushed from my mind. This isn’t a coach taking me to dinner so I’ll write nice things about his program. This is just me covering a uniform unveiling in New York. How much credibility do I have as a fashionista in the first place?

So I’ll be bringing you a live blog from the proceedings in New York tomorrow. Former Gator Jack Youngblood will be representing Florida and Marty Lyons will be on hand for Alabama.

I told Nike that it’s doubtful that I’ll be won over by their new designs simply because I am a traditionalist. They said that was understood and that they’re not counting on some quid pro quo.

You can find out tomorrow morning what I really think about the uniforms right here on MrSEC.com. And whether I like the unis or not, I’m guessing you’ll read some kind words about Nike… the company.

While I’m out, Mike Mitchell will banging out the daily headlines and Josh Ward will keep on keeping on at our Recruiting page. We’ll also have some new, exclusive content (predictions and such) popping up on the site over the next two days.

But for now, I’m off to Atlanta — you can catch us previewing the SEC season with the guys from “SportsNite” on CSS tonight at 6pm ET — and then on to New York.

Gotta go work on my plans.

To do…

1. Get key to house-sitter.

2. Pack my laptop.

3. Pack my favorite pair of Nike shoes…

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SEC Headlines – 8/31/10 Part Three

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:52:11 +0000

1. Freshmen dot the Florida depth chart.

2. Jeff Demps believes his Olympic-class speed will be a good thing on kick returns.

3. Mike Pouncey says UF’s freshman class responded “like men” to his critical rant last week.

4. Here’s an update on Urban Meyer’s health.

5. Carolina receiver Tori Gurley is poised to have a big season in Columbia.

6. An outgoing USC beatwriter believes the Gamecocks will start their season 3-0 (with a win over Georgia to boot).

7. A former Carolina player says he and his teammates found a loophole to help get around the NCAA’s extra benefits rules.

8. Gerald Williams move from defensive end to defensive tackle was a depth chart surprise at Tennessee. (Gerald, not Dan, he mutters to himself after correcting his mistake.)

9. Derek Dooley isn’t taking UT-Martin lightly.

10. UT’s upperclassmen have learned to roll with the changes. Not unlike REO Speedwagon (one of my least favorite bands ever, I might add).

11. Vol basketballer Kenny Hall isn’t letting a sore foot slow him down.

12. Vandy’s Warren Norman had minimal swelling around his knee on Monday… meaning that he might play Saturday (just about 10 days after arthroscopic surgery).

13. Robbie Caldwell says he’ll have to try to stay calm “because I got pretty emotional before a game as a position coach.”

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SEC Headlines – 8/31/10 Part Two

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:09:49 +0000

1. Ole Miss is still waiting for an NCAA waiver for Jeremiah Masoli. Houston Nutt believes he’ll learn something today or tomorrow “at the latest.”

2. If he’s cleared, this writer believes Masoli will be the Rebels’ starter.

3. But his snaps have been dwindling in practice.

4. Is Chris Relf definitely MSU’s starting quarterback? Is he hurt? Is he healthy? Inquiring minds want to know.

5. This writer thinks Relf will play Saturday against Memphis.

6. Dan Mullen may hand out some suspensions before Saturday’s game.

7. Georgia’s depth chart is still in flux.

8. UGA has sold out its opener… which means the school’s sell-out streak is entering its 10th season.

9. New AD Greg McGarity is already at work in Athens.

10. Kentucky will be starting a walk-on at defensive tackle on Saturday.

11. UK players want the trophy from the Kentucky-Louisville game to remain in Lexington.

12. There are no jitters for Joker Phillips. Yet.

13. The one that got away: John Calipari couldn’t lure DeAndre Daniels into joining Kentucky this year. He’ll instead start college next year.

14. CBS analyst Gary Danielson doesn’t believe an SEC team will go undefeated in 2010. (I believe he’s right.)

Texas’ McCoy Believes He Could Have Beaten Bama

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:43:32 +0000

When Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was injured early in last year’s BCS title game, the complexion of the game changed. Naturally, as a competitive athlete, McCoy believes the outcome changed, too.

In this month’s issue of a magazine called Texas Monthly, the following appears: “What most angers Colt … is that he knows he had them. The Crimson Tide were lining up in the beatable formations he’d studied for weeks. Colt knows, with an athlete’s self-assuredness, how his arm and his brain would have carved them up.”

Okay, now that’s the writer’s words, not — as far as we know — McCoy’s.

But here’s the issue: Football is a tough game. The toughest teams survive. Have a starter hurt? It can cost you a game. Get a bad luck injury to a key player? It can cost you a game.

McCoy got hurt. He’ll have to deal with that. But the loss will remain the loss.

I’m a Patriots fan — as any reader of this site knows — and I watched Tom Brady hobble around against the New York Giants a couple of years ago after wearing an ankle boot for two weeks. Boo-hoo. The Giants have a Super Bowl trophy, the Pats have the best 1-loss season in NFL history.

Injuries are part of the game. McCoy got hurt. Texas lost. In the parlance of our times: Sucks to be them. (I’ve gotta go watch “The Big Lebowski” again.)

But Bama still has the crystal football.

SEC Headlines – 8/31/10 Part One

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:34:53 +0000

1. Nick Saban says his team is taking San Jose State seriously.

2. Speaking of Saban, Paul Finebaum says the coach deserves his statue in Tuscaloosa.

3. Outside linebacker Chavis Williams will be a surprise starter for Bama on Saturday.

4. The Tide is still waiting for an NCAA verdict on Marcell Dareus.

5. Auburn defensive coordinator will have a lot more players at his disposal this season.

6. The Tigers are full of optimism this fall.

7. Bobby Petrino hasn’t decided on a starter at running back yet.

8. Arkansas’ coach says he wants his defense to be “dominant” in the Hogs’ first two games.

9. Jordan Jefferson will be LSU’s starting quarterback, but Jarrett Lee might see action, too.

10. There’s some youth dotting the Tigers’ 2010 depth chart.

11. Offensive coordinator Gary Crowton will remain in the coaches’ booth this fall.

The Big Ten Needs To Take Notes From The SEC

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:06:32 +0000

There are a lot of rumblings coming from the north that the grandest rivalry in college sports is about to undergo a serious change. But before the Big Ten moves the Ohio State-Michigan football game from the third Saturday in November to the middle of the season, commissioner Jim Delany should put in a call to Mike Slive.

First things first, I’m a southern guy. I work for a site called “MrSEC” for gosh sakes. But I can tell you this without hesitation: The single greatest college football rivalry in America is Ohio State versus Michigan. We’re talking pure hate, people. And before I get notes from Iron Bowlers, just remember, OSU and Michigan have similar resumes. Auburn fans might not like to hear it, but the Tigers are looked down upon by Alabama fans because they simply don’t have as much national clout or history as the Crimson Tide. (That doesn’t mean they can’t earn that kind of clout in the future… blah, blah, blah.)

OSU-Michigan is a battle of equals. The Iron Bowl can be viewed as Auburn’s battle FOR equality and respect.

North Carolina-Duke deserves consideration as a great rivalry, too, but let’s face it, that’s basketball. Those teams could play three times in one season (more if the NCAA tournament bracket fell just right). That doesn’t compare to a one-time, winner-take-all battle for bragging rights.

In addition, Michigan-OSU has a longer history. With major media centers nearby, it’s had more than 100 years to cultivate a national following.

I lived in Columbus, Ohio for three years and seeing an OSU-Michigan game (in the spitting snow, no less) won me over. The show outside the stadium was as rich as the one inside. From the dotting of the “i” in The Horseshoe to the Mardi Gras-esque show outside (beads and all), nothing compares.

So for the Big Ten to even consider moving the sports’ grand game is ludicrous. For tradition’s sake alone it should be left at season’s end. But there’s another obvious reason not to move it: The chance of Michigan and OSU meeting in back to back weeks is ridiculously slim.

Instead of The Third Saturday in November, let’s consider The Third Saturday in October. Traditionally speaking, Alabama and Tennessee are the SEC’s two winningest programs. They have battled one another in the middle of the SEC regular season for decades. Yet after nearly 20 years of SEC Championship Games the Tide and Vols have never met in Atlanta. Not once.

And what of the south’s oldest rivalry? Georgia and Auburn have both been to the SEC title game on multiple occasions. But they’ve never faced off against each other.

What about two of the SEC’s three most-recent national titlists? LSU and Florida meet every regular season, but despite their dominance in recent years, they’ve never held a rematch in Atlanta.

The idea of moving the Ohio State-Michigan game is a bad one. The idea of moving that game in order to prevent the two schools from meeting twice (once in the regular season finale and then in a Big Ten Championship Game) is worse. Moving the game shows no grasp of history and tradition. Moving it to avoid a possible rematch shows no knowledge of what’s already played out in the very league that the Big Ten is hoping to copy.

Look to the SEC, Big Ten. Call Mike Slive, Jim Delany. Don’t toss away a yearly spectacle in an attempt to protect yourself against a rematch that will most likely rarely (if ever) come.

You can be sure the SEC would never do something so shortsighted.

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Bama Prepping To Do What Osborne Did: The Near-Impossible

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:11:55 +0000

Alabama will begin the season as the #1 team in the land in just about every poll. The Crimson Tide is favored to win back-to-back national titles, something that Florida failed to pull off last year (thanks to the Tide).

But Florida isn’t the only team in to fail in its quest for two consensus titles in a row. Only one team has managed the trick… in 54 years.

Jon Solomon of The Birmingham News has done the research and when it comes to hoisting back-to-back titles by the coaches’ (now BCS) and AP polls, only the 1994-1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers have accomplished the feat since the mid-50s.

All the other schools who’ve claimed back-to-backers in that time period have had at least one split-poll win (including Bama back in 1978-1979). That means there was room for debate and no consensus title.

So why is winning titles in two consecutive years so rare? Tom Osborne, the man who coached those Nebraska teams, told Solomon that there are more distractions in the follow-up year. “More public appearances, living in the past, heightened media scrutiny, and division among players who believe they aren’t receiving enough credit for the team’s success,” summarized Solomon.

“Seeking a second championship is difficult, yet very doable,” Osborne said in an email. “The difficulty lies in that when a team is highly successful and wins a title, they at times can spend too much time thinking about past success and lose their focus, commitment and discipline. In short, they lose track of how they got to the top.”

That’s the same kind of gospel that Nick Saban has been preaching throughout the offseason. Soon we’ll find out if his players received the message.

And what of the Crimson Tide’s fans? Are they willing to accept the lessons of the past? Do they really understand that winning back-to-back titles is nearly impossible?

12 SEC Beatwriters Sound Off On 2010 Season

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:56:37 +0000

My hat’s off to Brandon Marcello of The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. (And no, that’s not because it was a Florida hat.)

Marcello’s work appears regularly on the site via his “Slophouse” blog and that’s despite the fact that most of his paper’s writings are hidden away from the public as part of his employer’s pay-to-read plan. (The State in Columbia, South Carolina is going in that direction, too… so don’t expect a lot links to them in the future, either.)

At any rate, Marcello contacted 12 SEC football beatwriters and polled them for their views on the 2010 season. You can read the hows and whys at his site by clicking here… but here are some of the more interesting predictions and viewpoints:

East Champ: Florida

West Champ: Alabama

Overall Champ: Alabama

Best Offense: Arkansas (followed distantly by Alabama and Auburn)

Best Defense: Alabama (followed closely by Florida)

Best Defensive Player: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

Best Offensive Player: Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas

Best Overall Player: Ryan Mallett, QB Arkansas

Best Coach: Nick Saban in an 11-1 runaway over Urban Meyer

Best Coaching Staff: Alabama in a 10-2 runaway vote over… Auburn?

Non-BCS Folks Really Do View SEC Players As Big Boys

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:38:46 +0000

Reading through a preview of Thursday’s Southern Miss-South Carolina game, I spotted a quote that I thought SEC fans might find interesting.

Asked about the Gamecocks’ defense, Southern Miss offensive coordinator Blake Anderson had this to say: “I’ve played in a lot of early SEC games at some of the other places I’ve been. There’s guys look like they did. Their corners are built like safeties, safeties are built like linebackers and their defensive linemen are just enormous.”

Granted, this is a coach who is talking up his opponent, but still, it’s an interesting non-BCS view of the size of SEC athletes.

SEC Headlines – 8/30/10 Part Three

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:14:14 +0000

1. With everyone expecting big things from Arkansas this fall, here’s a quick look at how the Hogs did statistically in 2009.

2. Bobby Petrino wants to see growth from his team when it comes to “football instincts and intelligence.”

3. Ole Miss will face one of the best offenses in the nation in its opener. Okay, it’s an FCS offense, but still, it was good at that level last year.

4. The Rebels will have to replace five key players from 2009 to have success in 2010.

5. MSU released its depth chart this morning.

6. AD Scott Stricklin is drawing up a long-term plan for improving (and expanding?) Scott Field.

7. Position battles are drawing to a close in Tuscaloosa.

8. This writer believes Alabama will lose a game in 2010… but win another national championship.

9. The secondary and special teams units are concerns for this year’s Tide.

10. Gene Chizik has a couple of reasons to be optimistic at Auburn.

11. Expectations are up on the Plains, but the Tigers have a good opportunity this fall.

SEC Headlines – 8/30/10 Part Two

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:58:09 +0000

1. There are high hopes in Gainesville despite so many questions.

2. With Tim Tebow gone, Florida will need to take its running attack seriously.

3. Derek Dooley says his new coaching staff will have to learn how to work together and communicate on gameday.

4. The Vols unveiled their depth chart today. (With 70+ scholarship players, should it instead be called a shallow chart?)

5. It turns out that downhome Vandy coach Robbie Caldwell has a serious side.

6. You might want to start following Caldwell on Twitter.

7. LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis has been more demanding as he enters his second year in Baton Rouge.

8. North Carolina is a different kind of opener for LSU — partly because the Tigers will get a $2.1 million check just for showing up.

SEC Headlines – 8/30/10 Part One

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:24:31 +0000

1. Kentucky versus Louisville is THE game in the Bluegrass State… even in football season.

2. Joker Phillips’ Wildcats are banged up heading into Saturday’s game.

3. Steve Spurrier had praise yesterday for Marcus Lattimore AND Stephen Garcia…

4. But he wouldn’t give an NCAA or a Wesley Saunders update.

5. New defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is getting ready for his first game as a Bulldog.

More Picks, Prognostications And Predictions

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:44:06 +0000

Just a few more “here’s what’s gonna happen” links from across this here internet to start your game week:

Andy Staples of SI.com lists the 10 freshman “most likely to make an immediate impact.” Included are Auburn running back Michael Dyer, Florida safety Matt Elam, and South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore.

Staples also wrote last week that the potential hot seat status of Les Miles and Mark Richt reveals the blessing and the curse of the SEC.

Cory McCartney of SI.com believes Alabama and Florida have huge voids to fill.

Stewart Mandel, also of SI.com, posted his predictions for the nation’s new coaches last week. He believes new Tennessee coach Derek Dooley is looking at a 4-8 season.

Meanwhile, Pete Fiutak of FoxSports.com makes his SEC predictions… and he says Alabama will disappoint.

And Dave Curtis of The Sporting News believes South Carolina is in danger of starting the season with a disheartening loss.

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SEC Predictions Rolling In From ESPN

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:14:40 +0000

It’s game week in the college football world and that naturally means it’s time for every media source in existence to start making its college football picks.

That includes ESPN.com. SEC blogger Chris Low has posted his prognostications for Fall 2010 right here. You can click the link to read his reasoning, but below are his picks:

SEC East champ: Florida

SEC West champ: Alabama

SEC overall champ: Alabama

Offensive MVP: Ryan Mallett, Arkansas

Defensive MVP: Dont’a Hightower, Alabama

Surprise team: Georgia

Team most likely to disappoint: South Carolina

Surprise player: Deonte Thompson, Florida

Freshman of the Year: Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina

Newcomer of the Year: Cameron Newton, Auburn

Coach of the Year: Mark Richt, Georgia

Can’t miss game: Florida at Alabama, October 2nd.

Here at MrSEC.com, we’ll post our own predictions towards the middle of the week. We have to. It’s the law. Anyone in sports media MUST make predictions.

Ranking the Top 25: Picking Alabama to repeat as national champ just makes sense

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:39:23 +0000

It makes no sense that all that can happen again. No team has won back-to-back BCS titles. There is too much parity. Too many good teams. Except that it makes no sense to pick anyone else.
(more)

Scarbinsky: One more national title, and Saban’s halfway to Bryant

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:37:23 +0000

Alabama’s current coach may be the true heir to the Bear.
(more)

Encore? Crimson Tide will lose once, but expect another national championship

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:34:35 +0000

Undefeated 2009 season a very tough act to follow, but after stumbling at midseason, Alabama again will finish on top.
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A number of big names – including Tim Tebow – won’t be around this fall

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:33:09 +0000

HUNTSVILLE, AL. — Southeastern Conference football fans with a keen eye might have noticed the occasional tiny mention that the University of Florida’s former quarterback, Tim Tebow, is no longer with that program. Associated PressFormer Florida great Tim Tebow “We…
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Repeat after me: Winning back-to-back national titles isn’t easy

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:29:37 +0000

Eight of 11 BCS champions didn’t even win league title the next year
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After long wait as a backup, Jordan ready for bigger role

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:48:11 +0000

Chris Jordan has waited a three-year turn to finally bump special teams and backup duty off the top of his playing resume. That wait ends beginning next Saturday when the Tide plays host to San Jose State in the season opener.
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Alabama football: Depth chart coming into focus for Crimson Tide

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:46:56 +0000

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — All the evasive depth-chart talk is coming to an end for Alabama coach Nick Saban.
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No Surprise: SEC Schools Make A Lot Cash Off Of Football And Basketball

John — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:04:12 +0000

Much of the sporting world has been focused this week on revenues and expenses. An annual NCAA report released this week showed that only 14 of the 120 major FBS programs in the country turned a profit in the past year. Of those 14 moneymakers, at least three were SEC schools (Alabama, Florida and Tennessee).

But the NCAA has not released the raw data for fiscal year 2009-2010. Neither has the US Department of Education. However, the numbers for 2008-2009 are available through the Office of Postsecondary Education of the DOE. And that’s where we’ve been hanging out the past few days (on its website, actually).

Many of you have asked which SEC programs turn profits and which ones don’t. “Do schools make money only in football?” “Which SEC schools spend the most on athletics… and make the most?”

Below are the answers according to those July 1st, 2008 to June 30th, 2009 numbers provided by the Department of Education. We’ve listed them out in one table and then we’ve broken things down further in category by category rankings.

Keep in mind that these numbers represent the 2008 football season and the 2008-2009 basketball season. They also reflect programs that were just starting to feel the effect of a struggling economy. As you’ll see, two years ago 10 of the SEC’s 12 athletic programs turned a profit. Considering the fact that only 14 schools — across the entire nation — turned a profit last year, you can imagine the decline in revenues that fans’ belt-tightening has caused.

School	F’ball Expenses	F’ball Revenues	F’ball Profit	B’ball Expenses	B’ball Revenues	B’ball Profit	Total AD Profit
Alabama	-26,443,955	64,606,392	38,162,437	-4,989,815	8,766,826	3,777,011	22,153,601
Arkansas	-18,309,256	38,630,265	20,321,009	-6,636,416	14,391,769	7,755,353	1,118,328
Auburn	-28,801,868	58,618,819	29,816,951	-4,518,963	7,187,457	2,668,494	1,521,081
Florida	-22,860,425	66,150,063	43,289,638	-8,107,121	10,016,431	1,909,310	6,816,282
Georgia	-19,836,966	65,218,406	45,381,440	-6,294,434	7,266,018	971,584	4,964,268
Kentucky	-13,247,477	26,143,126	12,895,649	-8,615,726	14,773,034	6,157,308	6,173,117
LSU	-22,743,208	61,868,953	39,125,745	-4,769,370	6,034,178	1,264,808	6,112,003
MSU	-12,858,662	18,732,248	5,873,586	-3,724,691	6,197,698	2,473,007	68,620
Ole Miss	-9,514,556	18,688,648	9,174,092	-2,502,594	4,725,911	2,223,317	0
S. Carolina	-19,885,700	57,118,519	37,232,819	-5,137,854	8,101,086	2,963,232	656,674
Tennessee	-22,962,809	42,805,360	19,842,551	-5,464,911	12,576,715	7,111,804	0
Vanderbilt	-14,181,678	18,564,940	4,383,262	-7,000,487	8,021,361	1,020,874	1,470,374

Looking at those 2008-2009 numbers by category we find…

Schools with the highest football expenses

1. Auburn ($28.8m)
2. Alabama ($26.4m)
3. Tennessee ($22.9m)
4. Florida ($22.8m)
5. LSU ($22.7m)
6. S. Carolina ($19.88m)
7. Georgia ($19.83m)
8. Arkansas ($18.3m)
9. Vanderbilt ($14.1m) — So much for the idea that Vandy doesn’t keep up cash-wise.
10. Kentucky ($13.2m)
11. Miss. State ($12.8m)
12. Ole Miss ($9.5m)

Schools with the highest football profits (revenues minus expenses)

1. Georgia ($45.3m)
2. Florida ($43.2m)
3. LSU ($39.1m)
4. Alabama ($38.1m)
5. S. Carolina ($37.2m)
6. Auburn ($29.8m)
7. Arkansas ($20.3m)
8. Tennessee ($19.8m) — Profit drop could have aided Phillip Fulmer’s demise.
9. Kentucky ($12.8m)
10. Ole Miss ($9.1m)
11. Miss. State ($5.8m)
12. Vanderbilt ($4.3m) — Every SEC school profited from football in 2008 (prior to the new CBS/ESPN television deals).

Schools with the highest basketball expenses

1. Kentucky ($8.6m)
2. Florida ($8.1m)
3. Vanderbilt ($7.0m) — Again Vandy’s not a cellar-dweller in spending.
4. Arkansas ($6.6m)
5. Georgia ($6.2m)
6. Tennessee ($5.4m)
7. S. Carolina ($5.1m)
8. Alabama ($4.9m)
9. LSU ($4.7m)
10. Auburn ($4.5m)
11. Miss. State ($3.7m)
12. Ole Miss ($2.5m) — Starting to see a pattern with the Magnolia State schools?

Schools with the highest basketball profits (revenues minus expenses)

1. Arkansas ($7.7m) — Surprised, aren’t you?
2. Tennessee ($7.1m)
3. Kentucky ($6.1m) — Surprised again, aren’t you?
4. Alabama ($3.7m)
5. S. Carolina ($2.9m)
6. Auburn ($2.6m)
7. Miss. State ($2.4m)
8. Ole Miss ($2.2m)
9. Florida ($1.9m)
10. LSU ($1.2m)
11. Vanderbilt ($1.0m)
12. Georgia ($.9m) — Every SEC basketball program turned a profit in 2008-2009 (even before the new television deals kicked in).

Schools with the highest total AD profit (men’s and women’s revenues minus expenses, all sports)

1. Alabama ($22.1m)
2. Florida ($6.8m)
3. Kentucky ($6.17m)
4. LSU ($6.11m)
5. Georgia ($4.9m)
6. Auburn ($1.5m)
7. Vanderbilt ($1.4m)
8. Arkansas ($1.1m)
9. S. Carolina ($0.6m)
10. Miss. State ($0.06m)
11t. Ole Miss ($0)
11t. Tennessee ($0)

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