When NCAA President Mark Emmert and the voting body of NCAA presidents passed recruiting reform measures a few months back it was hailed as a long overdue move by fans and many in the media.  Unfortunately, most athletic directors and coaches — at least those not overseeing the richest of rich football programs — felt that the NCAA and its presidents had gone too far, too fast, without consulting any of the people who actually make their living on the front lines, where these rule changes would be felt.

As a result, those pages on recruiting that were ripped from the NCAA rule book — with Emmert playing the role of Mr. Keating from “Dead Poets Society” — were taped right back into the tome just a few months later.

So now Emmert is taking a different approach.  The always-under-fire prez announced this weekend that he will form a council of 10 athletic directors who will meet with him regularly.  Rather than leaving rule book changes to the college presidents, Emmert’s new council of ADs will weigh in and advise as well.

Emmert told The Wall Street Journal:

“It’s clear right now where the association has gone, it’s pushed the pendulum too far in one direction.  And it really has cut athletic directors out of the national discussion.”

That’s probably not a good thing considering the fact that colleges and universities set up the NCAA to govern, ya know, athletics.

Obviously, there will still be checks and balances.  The NCAA won’t — and shouldn’t — allow a pack of athletic directors to undermine overall academic concerns.  Most likely, the presidents will still have the final say on issues, with the new panel of ADs providing advice.

Ah, but the big question is: Which schools’ athletic directors will take part?

The NCAA must govern over — in football — the FBS subdivision, the FCS subdivision, Division II and Division III.  Will all four classifications be represented on Emmert’s panel or will there be a separate panel for each division?

If Emmert sets out to convene people from only the FBS level, smaller-budgeted schools will likely howl in protest.  Obviously, the five richest conferences of the FBS level (ACC, Big Ten, Big XII, Pac-12 and SEC) all have their own agendas.  Representative ADs from those leagues would likely push for full-cost-of-tuition scholarships and perhaps an entirely new subdivision at the top end of the Division I, above the FCS and even the FBS.

If Emmert decides to indeed include athletic directors from every level, expect the richest conferences to complain.  “Why should someone from Mount Union have a say in how Alabama, Texas and Ohio State run their programs and spend their money?”

Those scenarios — and there are many more — show once again just how impossible NCAA reform truly is.  And before anyone shouts, “Yeah, down with the NCAA,” please remember that no one’s come up with a better alternative yet.
Conferring with the ADs of the Round Table sounds good, but so did the idea of NCAA reform and wholesale changes to the NCAA’s rule book.  Obviously, the problems lie in the execution of these ideas, not the ideas themselves.
For that reason, we at MrSEC.com will temper our expectations for Emmert’s new team of athletic directors.

Slick ride.  Nice trips.  Pricey tickets to top sporting events.

If your parents have money, it stands to reason that you might have a few more shiny toys and behind-the-red-rope opportunities than the next guy.  And as it turns out, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel comes from a family with plenty of cash to burn.

When the quarterback’s front-row seats to an NBA game became a national topic of conversation last December, Manziel tweeted that he’s bought himself “a little birthday present” with his own cash.

When it made national news that he was tooling around college station in a Mercedes-Benz back in March, “his folks have cash” was the quick response from Aggie fans.

Manziel’s parents do have cash and Manziel does like to spend it.  Nothing unusual about that.  Not every college kid has family money to blow, but they all like to spend whatever they have.  Hey, I’ve been there.

Manziel’s high-profile, celebrity lifestyle has even forced A&M’s compliance staff to work overtime to make sure their star player isn’t stepping across any NCAA boundaries.  In April, the Heisman-winner sounded altogether sick and tired of having to answer those compliance workers’ questions:

“They keep sending me questionnaires like, ‘How did I got to the Spurs game?’  Even though I’ve been going to Spurs games since I moved to Kerrville when I was in seventh grade.  A good family friend who we’ve known since before I every thought of playing college football has a suite there.  We’re going to go to the suite and we’re just gonna watch the game.  I know (Spurs’ star) Tony Parker on a personal level and if I go down to say hello, I’m not doing anything wrong.

They keep sending me questionnaires asking me who’s funding the trip?  Who’s doing this?  Every time I respond back, ‘ME, ME and ME’ in capital letters.  Hey, I don’t mean to sound rude, but this is stuff I’ve always done, and I know you’re just doing your job, but it gets to you every now and again.”

Enough so that you eventually announce you’re giving up Twitter.  Only to get back on Twitter.  And tweet the following this weekend:

“Bull**** like tonight is a reason why I can’t wait to leave college station…whenever it may be”

From the outside looking in, it appears that Manziel — like all those other college kids out there — has yet to learn that there’s a price for everything.

I got my first job while I was still in school.  I made a whopping $17,000 that year.  Yet I lived rather comfortably thanks to the magic of credit cards.  Eventually, I learned that while money and credit can be thrown around for fun… there will be a price to pay at some point.  Sometimes I’d blow cash on wants and not have enough to pay for my needs.  Then I’d turn to the card, take care of the needs only to have to deal with an ever-growing bill at the first of the next month.

Everything comes with a price.  It can be a monetary price — as I and many young kids have learned — or the price could be a loss of anonymity — as Manziel is finding out.

Not many 20-somethings get invited onto the late-night talkshow circuit, hang with sports stars at ballgames, or pal around with pop icons.  Manziel gets to and, quite naturally, wants to.

But there’s a cost.

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SEC Football

1. Here’s more on the simple battery charge for Florida linebacker Antonio Morrison, a projected starter.

2. Pat Dooley has seven keys to success for Florida’s football team.

3. In case you missed it: Johnny Manziel tweeted he “can’t wait to leave College Station” during the weekend.

4. South Carolina wide receiver Damiere Byrd is among the nation’s fastest players, writes Chris Huston.

5. Former Vol Eric Berry on Tennessee coach Butch Jones: “He’s trying to do things the right way.”

6. Bruce Feldman discusses Kevin Sumlin’s future at Texas A&M as well as the recruiting surge of Kentucky and Tennessee.

SEC Basketball

7. Florida guard Michael Frazier II is a finalist for the USA 19-under basketball team.

8. So is Tennessee forward Jarnell Stokes, who is among the 16 finalists.

Extra

9. AL.com continues its series on college football hits and safety concerns.

10. Alabama and Georgia picked up quarterback commitments during the weekend.

11. Here’s a national view of the USA 19-under basketball team.

12. Athlon Sports has released its Big Ten All-Conference team.

13. The fallout continues at Penn State following the trial of former coach Jerry Sandusky.

14. The San Antonio Spurs are one win away from winning their fifth NBA title.

15. This Jay-Z commercial during the NBA finals has received a lot of attention.

SEC Football

1. What do you get when you combine NFL tactics with high school recruits?  At Tennessee, it means the green light to hire as many as 18 student workers to help with the recruiting process.

2. Reason for hope at Tennessee in 2013? The offensive line.

3. Kentucky has done better in football against Louisville since Mitch Barnhart arrived than it did before he became the A.D.

4. The investigation into the Howard’s Rock incident at Clemson has South Carolina fans wondering about the motivation. “I hope that true fans can make this a peaceful and respectful rivalry again.”

5. Kevin Sumlins’ father recalls Texas A&M’s victory over Alabama last year.  “You didn’t believe what you had just seen.”

6. Does Georgia have the toughest non-conference schedule in the SEC this year?

7. What impact will sophomore safety Quintavius Burdette have at Ole Miss this year?

College Football

8. College football quietly used a panel last season that reviewed hits to the head and recommended to conferences what punishment should be handed out. Suspension recommended for Quinton Dial hit on Aaron Murray in SEC Championship Game.

9. Proposed college football bowl in Montgomery would be the third for the state of Alabama.

SEC Basketball

10. From Rick Pitino to John Calipari, the focus at Kentucky has shifted from style of play to a players-first program.

11. If a movie about the former Tennessee coach is ever made, what about Seth Rogan in the lead role for the Bruce Pearl story?

Extras

12. Conference confusion.  Did you know Johns Hopkins was a member of the Big Ten (lacrosse only)?

13. Gift or theft? Did Russian President Vladimar Putin steal New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s Super Bowl ring?

1. 5 Years Of Penalties: How Flags Fly In Each SEC Stadium

2. 5 Years Of Penalties: Which Teams Get More Flags On The Road Than At Home?

3. Ole Miss, Mississippi State: Masters Of Cupcakery…Georgia, Vanderbilt: SEC’s Toughest Schedulers

4. SEC Commitment Comparison

5. 6 Of Top 8 Favorites To Win BCS Title Reside In SEC

6. SEC Recruiting Notebook: Academics A Focus Of Nation’s Top Recruit

SEC Football

1. Georgia freshman cornerback Reggie Wilkerson is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery Friday.  Will have a second surgery to reconstruct the ACL.

2. A pink uniform for Mississippi State?

3. Line from a new song by an Alabama musician: ”Nick Saban and Jesus, yeah, that’s our guys.”

4. Freshman quarterback Ryan Buchanan will have a chance to compete for the No. 2 job at Ole Miss.

5. Former Tennessee safety Eric Berry on Butch Jones:  ”I love the guy and what he stands for.”

Football Safety Issues

6. Major agenda item at the athletic directors convention this week in Orlando - head-trauma and concussion concerns

7. Pro Football Hall of Famer Lem Barney: ”I can see in the next 10 to maybe 20 years, society will alleviate football altogether.”

SEC/College News

8. T-shirt spotted at the College World Series - “Mississippi State Rebels.”

9. Auburn hires Oklahoma’s baseball coach. Sunny Golloway had 14 NCAA Regional appearances in 15 years at OU.

10. What kind of impact has changing the bats made on college baseball?  Composite batting average this year of .274 lowest since 1975.

11. State of the athletic programs at Tennessee?  Plenty of room for improvement.

12 .If the NCAA wins the Ed O’Bannon lawsuit - it may seek to recover millions of dollars in legal expenses.

13. What’s at stake in the O’Bannon case? “The current model of college sports.”

SEC Basketball

14. Jerome Seagears time at Auburn lasted a month.  He’s returning to Rutgers.

15. Kentucky commitment Karl Towns wants to play for the Dominican national team.

Extras

16. TV sideline reporters made their debut at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville back in 1974 as part of the coverage of the Tennessee-UCLA game.

17. 80-year Vince Dooley goes sky-diving with his grandson.

SEC Football

1. Possible season-ending injury for Georgia freshman cornerback Reggie Wilkerson. Reportedly undergoing ACL surgery today.

2. Two Missouri freshman players treated and released with minor injuries following a car accident in which they were passengers. Tackle Chris Freeman has left the team for personal reasons.

3. Auburn assistant Scott Fountain on H-Back Jay Prosch: “Since I’ve been in coach Malzahn’s offense for four or five years, he’s the best I’ve seen in the system.”

4. Danny Sheridan has Alabama as his favorite to win another national title but he does have a question for Nick Saban:  ”Why don’t you ever play two quarterbacks?’

5. What about the Alabama schedule? The toughest part of the season comes in November.

6. One take on Tennessee’s prospects: “Back-to-back September visits to Oregon and Florida will be an early reminder how far the Vols have fallen since their last SEC East title in 2007.”

7. David Climer on Tennessee: “More and more, we are finding that Dooley fixated on the minutia of his job while failing to grasp the big picture.”

8. John Adams: What’s next? An advertising campaign promoting UT as “The Vanderbilt of East Tennessee”?

9. What impact will  freshman wide receiver Quincy Adeboyeje and sophomore wideout Cody Core have on Ole Miss this year?

10. Meet Les Miles and his family.  ”Father’s Day is a joy at our house.”

 SEC/College News

11. First Toomer’s Oaks at Auburn and now Howard’s Rock at Clemson.  When will this college football crime spree end?

12. Alabama fraternity gave up property to the University.  Now the Alabama athletic department is helping to pay for a new fraternity house.

13. Ed O’Bannon lawsuit could be headed to a trial by next year at this time.

14. Lousville as a preseason No. 1?

15. Preseason basketball scrimmage costs an Old Dominion guard an entire season.

SEC Basketball

16. Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings blocked Sheldon Jeter from transferring to just one school - Pitt. He can still attend Pitt – but would have to pay his own way for a year.

17. Missouri coach Frank Haith meets with the NCAA Committee on Infractions – timeframe on report release could be anywhere from six weeks to four months.

18. Tennessee’s Derek Reese will play on  Puerto Rico’s national team.

19. Kentucky assistant Orlando Antigua will coach the Dominican Republic national team. John Calipari stepped down from the role last year.

20. Bring back the jump ball.  One man’s five-step plan to rescue college basketball includes eliminating the alternate possession rule.

Extras

21. A parking spot a block from AT&T Park in San Francisco sells for $82,000.

22. ESPN’s Bill Simmons not happy with ESPN.

23. Bonnie and Clyde at 33,000 feet. “So, what do I wear to a hijacking?”

24. The rapper from Antioch, Tennessee who loved Waffle House too much.

Between now and National Signing Day 2014 there are 33 Wednesdays on the calendar.  Between now and National Signing Day there’s a helluva lot that can change.

Still, better to have momentum at this time of year than not.  And there are plenty of SEC teams — some that might surprise you — that have some strong momentum at this point.

Below you’ll find an updated overview of how the SEC’s football programs are performing out on the recruiting trail as we hit mid-June and race toward a new football season.  As usual, we’ve used the star ratings provided by Rivals.com as our launch point.  For each star Rivals assigns, we award a point.  Except we also give 0-star recruits — those kids who haven’t even been graded yet — a point.  Hey, we’re nice guys.

We’ll once again examine the SEC’s commitment lists in three ways, grading each according to quantity, quality, and high-caliber talent.  We start with quantity…

Now we turn our attention to quality, ranking each program according to the average number of points per committed player…

Next we look at high-caliber talent, only counting those commitments worth four or five points…

Finally, we provide an overall MrSEC.com ranking for all 14 schools by assigning points to each school for its placement on the three charts above.  The fewer the points (meaning the higher the finish in a category) the better.  Also, we’ll discuss each program’s work to date at the end of this story…

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The nation’s top football recruit will consider more than just football when he makes his college decision.

That fact became clear this week when defensive end Da’Shawn Hand from Woodbridge (Va.) Senior High School announced his top three schools are Alabama, Florida and Michigan. Missing was Virginia Tech, once considered by many analysts to be the favorite to land Hand.

What took Virginia Tech and South Carolina, another school Hand was considering, out of the running? It was academics, not football.

“I eliminated Virginia Tech because they don’t offer a sports marketing program,” Hand said, according to SB Nation. “And with South Carolina, the professor just didn’t wow us. I have the utmost respect for Virginia Tech and South Carolina and their coaches and wish them the best of luck.”

It’s a strong statement by Hand, who’s ranked the nation’s No. 1 prospect by Rivals. Prospects often mention their education as an important factor in their recruitment but rarely eliminate schools so early in the process simply based on academic concern.

That’s what helped the top three schools Hand is considering.

“At Michigan, the (sports marketing) program was so impressive, I wanted to sign up right there,” he said. “During my visit to Alabama, I met the dean of their (sports marketing) program, and it’s an excellent program. He actually played football and he gets it. And I haven’t been to Florida yet, but I’ve heard their defensive coaching staff and that defensive line with coach (Brad) Lawing and coach D.J. Dunkin is amazing. And Alabama’s engineering program was working on a $25 million project when I was down there.”

As impressive as it is that Hand is focused on academics, the story will end up being the impact he can make as a football player.

Michigan is considered the favorite to land Hand, according to analysts at 247Sports. Among the analysts making their prediction, 55 percent predict Hand will pick Michigan. But not everyone has updated their predictions, with 12 percent of the votes still going to Virginia Tech.

JC Shurburtt was one analyst to switch his prediction to Alabama, citing a “source” as the reason for picking the Crimson Tide. And there’s plenty of time for things to change between now and the day Hand signs with a school. But one thing is for sure: Hand will consider more than just football.

My final grades for the year pic.twitter.com/sIJUwij8Az

— Da’shawn Hand (@TheHand54) June 12, 2013

Williams chooses Kentucky

Add Stanley Williams to the growing list of prospects who want to play for Kentucky.

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Recently, SportingNews.com asked SEC commissioner Mike Slive what type of information the selection committee for the new College Football Playoff will use to determine who gets in and who’s left out.  According to Slive:

“It will be a combination of metrics and opinion.  I think about my experience on the basketball committee, and there are two components.  The subjective eyeball test where you see teams play and form opinions about the quality of the teams, and then there’s the objective data.  One of the challenges we will have will be to create metrics; measuring devices that can supplement the eyeball test.  Trying to get computer programs and metrics and bring technology to the selection committee like we have it in the basketball committee.”

One of the metrics used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee is strength of schedule.  And as the SEC office went to great lengths to explain at this year’s SEC meetings in Destin, one school’s schedule impacts the strength of schedule rankings for all its conference brethren.  That’s because the basketball strength of schedule formula factors in not only a team’s opponents, but also its opponents’ opponents.

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