Earlier today we told you that Auburn’s six-person panel looking into the the school’s athletic department had generally given AD Jay Jacobs good marks, though they did find “room for substantial improvement.”  With the backing of the committee and president Jay Gogue, Jacobs now says he’s ready to start fixing an athletic department that’s recently suffered through a shocking drop in football, ongoing struggles in basketball, and a barrage of bad press off the field.

Speaking yesterday, Jacobs said Gogue’s “expectations are high” but that he intends to meet them:

“What comes next sits squarely on my shoulders…

I think that in the business we’re in, your job is always on the line.  I think I’m going to be here for a while, and I look forward to the challenge of taking this program where Dr. Gogue and I and all the Auburn fans expect it to be.  I’m up for the challenge.  I’m ready to move forward.”

He won’t be moving forward alone.

Not only did his boss put together a panel to review Jacobs’ running of the AU athletic department, it turns out he also hired JMI Sports as consultants to aid Jacobs.  That hire was made back in December.

JMI Sports says its company mission is to “increase revenue, reduce costs, recruit and retain top coaches and administrators, mitigate risk by identifying and implementing innovative solutions to the issues facing collegiate athletics today.”  In other words, JMI Sports do what an athletic director and his staff are supposed to do.

As we noted earlier today, it’s better to get a vote of confidence (even if it comes with a team of consultants to help you do your job) than it is to receive your termination papers.  But Auburn’s athletic director — as well as anyone in the state of Alabama who can read between all these lines — must know that Jacobs is treading on shaky ground heading into the 2013-14 academic year.

Twitter lit up with photos of shiny, flashy rings yesterday.  Auburn fans, you might want to look away.

The BCS championship rings presented to Alabama’s football players are now on display (you can see other angles here).  You’ll note the traditional Alabama “A” is topped off by three footballs, one for each of Crimson Tide national crown in the last four years.

Alabama’s 13-1 record is featured on the side of the ring as is the final score from the Tide’s 42-14 win over Notre Dame in January’s BCS title game.

New Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson says last year’s AU team was “a lot better than a three-win team”
LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis says that his rebuilt defense has “got to build depth”
Georgia OL Chris Burnette says the Bulldogs’ offensive line can be one of the greatest in school history
Florida G DeVon Walker has changed his mind and decided not to transfer
Auburn president Jay Gogue has written a letter to Auburn fans supporting AD Jay Jacobs
Tennessee has fired its director of the Office of Student Judicial Affairs after reports surfaced of inappropriate relationships between the director and student-athletes
Tennessee is investigating the situation
Follow SEC football, basketball and recruiting all year long at MrSEC.com

When Auburn announced that it was putting together a blue ribbon panel to look into the operations of the school’s athletic department, it didn’t appear to be good news for Tiger AD Jay Jacobs.  After all, what embattled manager would want a group of outsiders to come in and grade the way he’s running his department?

But yesterday, Auburn president Jay Gogue wrote an open letter to the “Auburn family” stating that the six-man committee was A-OK with most of what it found in Jacobs’ athletic department:

“Dear Auburn Family,

The committee I appointed to review operations of Auburn Athletics as part of the Department’s annual evaluation has provided its findings.  I’m grateful to members of the committee for their hard work, good thinking and dedication to help Auburn Athletics move forward.

We asked the committee to review the Department’s total body of work with a focus on five areas: academic and support services for student-athletes; financial management; customer service; competition, including winning, sportsmanship and compliance; and management structure.

Athletics Director Jay Jacobs and I have talked in length about their recommendations.  In general, they center on steps to improve overall operations of the Department, upgrade how we interact and communicate with fans and alumni, and enhance the game-day experience, on and off the field.  Jay will talk in more detail about what’s in store, and I’m confident he will move forward to put in place a plan to give the Auburn family what we all expect.

There’s much to celebrate about Auburn Athletics, but there’s also room for substantial improvement.  I look forward to Jay providing the leadership needed to make the necessary improvements.

War Eagle!

Jay Gogue”

Translation: “We hear ya, but Jay’s our guy.”

Committee member Mac Crawford — a man some have mentioned as a potential replacement for Jacobs — put out a statement supporting Auburn’s AD as well: “Our review shows that overall, the Athletics Department is in good shape, but there are some areas where improvements can be made and our committee believes Jay Jacobs knows how to make those improvements.”

The situation on the Plains is beginning to remind this writer of what went down at Ole Miss before Rebel AD Pete Boone stepped down (and new AD Ross Bjork was hired).  Repeatedly, UM chancellor Daniel Jones backed Boone against critical fans.  Eventually, however, the grassroots movement to oust Boone led to change anyway.

Ironically, Boone was a member of the six-man team appointed to look into Jacobs’ performance at Auburn.

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It was the kind of decision that typically winds up permanently affixed to a coach’s bio.  Like Tom Osborne’s decision to go for two — and the win — against Miami (FL) in the Orange Bowl in January of ’84.  Like Les Miles’ decision to eschew a field goal, risk the clock running out and throw for the end zone against Auburn in 2007.

Faced with a bang-bang decision and a clock quickly working its way down to double zeroes in last December’s SEC Championship Game, Georgia coaches elected not to spike the football to stop the clock.  Instead Aaron Murray completed a pass short of the goal line on the game’s final play and Alabama secured the SEC title and a berth in the BCS Championship Game by protecting the final five yards of Georgia Dome turf.

Five months later, UGA offensive coordinator Mike Bobo now says the Dawgs were ready with one more call had the final seconds not evaporated.  Interestingly, that play would have come from Urban Meyer’s old playbook and not Georgia’s:

“We had actually gone back to, I don’t know what it was, it was one of the Florida-Alabama games, where Alabama had given up three red zone scores to Florida (2008 SEC Championship Game).  It was a play that Florida had actually ran against Alabama.  It was an empty set, and had two primary frontside, and a double-slant backside.  It was something from ’08 or ’09 that Tebow had completed against them.  Because I remember after that game, (Alabama defensive coordinator) Kirby (Smart) was talking about how, ‘We just couldn’t stop them in the red zone.’  So we just studied that hard…

We had some plans, we just didn’t have a chance to call those plays.”

Bobo, saying his team will have to learn to live with the end of the 2012 SEC title game, admitted that “I don’t think we’re ever gonna get over that game.”

You can find highlights of that game below:

Defensive end Justin Thornton says he’s going to play for Auburn. Thornton made the announcement just moments ago.  His decision had come down to three SEC schools – Auburn, LSU and Texas A&M. The Alabama lineman, who plays at Vigor High School, is rated a four-star prospect and is considered one of the top 10 defensive ends in the country.  It’s another feather in the cap for Gus Malzahn’s program – which has made a focus of recruiting kids from the Mobile area. He’s Auburn’s sixth commitment in the class of 2014,  which includes Thornton’s teammate -Deshaun Davis.

SEC Football

1. What if the SEC and the rest of the power conferences only played each other?  ”If the big boys played only the big boys…it would send dominoes falling in every direction.”

2. Former Penn State quarterback Steven Bench will visit Mississippi State on May 20 and 21.

3. Georgia suspended offensive lineman Kolton Houston speaks publicly about steroids. NCAA should make ”a special case for me.”

4. Does new Kentucky coach Mark Stoops deserve a first-year pass?

5. What Stoops and the other new coaches in the SEC have accomplished this spring.

6. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn had to chase down Dameyune Craig twice before hiring him. Now Craig’s recruiting efforts are paying big dividends for the Tigers. (Another recruit committed Sunday morning.)

7. Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson on his linebacking corps: ”My linebacker depth chart in total is very fluid right now.”

8. If an NFL team was made up of only Alabama and LSU players – how good would it be?

SEC Basketball

9. With Jarnell Stokes and Jordan McRae back but Trae Golden gone, what’s the future look like at Tennessee?

10. The future at Kentucky could be altered on Tuesday.  That’s when super prospect Andrew Wiggins could reportedly make his decision.

11. Here’s one area where Kentucky and Louisville could work together for the benefit of both.

Media

12. Jon Solomon: “It’s estimated that more than half of viewers’ monthly cable TV costs are due to sports programming.”

Extras

13. Les Miles’ son throws a no-hitter. Second no-hitter of the season for Manny Miles.

14. Les can watch his son play but former Georgia coach Vince Dooley couldn’t watch son Derek play high school football back in the 1980′s- it was against NCAA rules at the time.

15. Happy Mother’s Day!  Bear Bryant: “Have You Called Your Mama Today?” (H/T Tony Barnhart)

1. South Carolina loses out on highly-rated quarterback Drew Barker - what’s next for the Gamecocks?

2. Kyle Tucker on Barker committing to Kentucky: “A ton of credit goes to offensive coordinator Neal Brown…”

3. John Clay: Of all the positive moves (coach Mark) Stoops has made so far, locking the in-state gates ranks among the most impressive.

4. Defensive end Justin Thornton will announce his decision on Sunday.  Could be Auburn’s fourth player in the 2014 class from the Mobile area.

5. JUCO safety Derrick Moncrief has committed to Auburn.  He also had offers from Kentucky and Oklahoma State. Moncrief’s teammate -  D’haquille Williams – has committed to LSU. He’s the Tiger’s 10th commitment in the class of 2014.

6. Texas A&M has offered Plaquemine (La) defensive end Davon Godchaux. “I know Florida and A&M would be in my top three. USC, Florida State and Ole Miss are schools I like, as well. Everybody wants me to go to Alabama or LSU but I have to make a decision for my own self. I’m really liking Texas A&M right now”

7. Tennessee has a verbal commitment from 2015 offensive line in-state prospect Jack Jones.

SEC Football

1. Is Auburn still shopping for a transfer quarterback? “We’ve got two guys currently, we’ve got three coming in. We feel like all of them can play.”

2. The trial of  former Auburn player Dakota Mosley - who was prominent in ESPN’s coverage of failed synthetic marijuana tests – remains tentatively scheduled for June 10.

3. Auburn assistant coach Dameyune Craig is getting attention for his work on the recruiting trail. (Also see our SEC Recruiting Notebook from earlier today).

4. Nick Saban with an endorsement of a power conference schedule.  He likes what the Big Ten is doing – moving away from playing FCS schools.  “I’m for five conferences – everybody playing everybody in those five conferences.”

5. Jeff Schultz on the Alabama coach : ”When Saban speaks, everybody listens now.” Pat Forde: “There is no longer a viable excuse for the rich not to play a nine-game conference schedule.”

6. Saban updates spring practice injuries – including running back Derrick Henry.

7. Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel and his NFL critics.

8. Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo is guarding against complacency.  ”I’m not the most popular guy with our offensive football team right now.”

9. Tennessee secondary looks thin after the departure of cornerback Daniel Gray.

10. Some marquee non-conference matchups involving SEC teams.

Bob Stoops/SEC

11. David Climer on Bob Stoops’ comments regarding the SEC.  ”The Oklahoma coach is right.”  Top six SEC teams went 30-0 against the bottom eight in 2012.

12. Matt Hayes disagrees: “Last year, the Big 12 had one team in the top 10 of the final BCS regular season poll. The SEC had six.”

13. Joe Walljasper: “Look, we don’t judge the Jacksons on the merits of Rebbie and La Toya.”

14. MrSEC’s take  -  top to bottom –the SEC dominates everyone else come bowl season.

SEC Basketball

15. Long rumored – finally happening. Georgia assistant coach Kwanza Johnson leaving for a job with TCU. Bulldogs only getting Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky on the road next year.  Coach Mark Fox:  ”Those are our biggest draws, and we don’t have that at home, so that’s concerning,”

16. I count five former SEC players on this list of those invited to NBA combine.  One of them is former Mizzou point guard Phil Pressey.

17. The question that will be asked all year – Kentucky or Louisville?

18. Referees could be getting some leeway on players elbowing an opponent above the shoulders. Also some changes coming to the block/charge call.

Extras

19. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany will be deposed in Ed O’Bannon lawsuit against NCAA.

20. . Concern over a toe was apparently the reason why former Alabama running back Eddie Lacy fell to late in the second round of the NFL draft.

21. Jeff Pearlman: “ Were it not for (Donald) Trump, (Tim) Tebow may very well have a job right now.” (If you’ve ever watched the ESPN documentary-  ”Small Potatoes: Who Killed The USFL?” – you’ll know why Pearlman’s comments make sense.)

Auburn needed to land a commitment from someone like Tre Williams.

The nation’s No. 2 outside linebacker according to Rivals announced his commitment to the Tigers on Wednesday. He chose Auburn over Alabama, Florida and Ole Miss.

Auburn has been looking for a player like Williams to help breathe some life into the Tigers’ 2014 class. He’s the first high-profile pledge in the class, which currently has five commitments.

He also gives Auburn a nice win in Mobile, Ala., a city that is critical in recruiting for both Auburn and rival Alabama. Credit for landing Williams goes to Auburn co-offensive coordinator Dameyune Craig, a Mobile native who played quarterback at Auburn from 1994-97.

“My family knows Coach Craig well, I’ve known since day one I’d be playing for him,” Williams told Rivals. “He tells me everything, he tells it how it is from bad to good. The good outweighed the bad and he’s real. Ever since I told my family I was going to commit, they are thrilled with Auburn.”

And Auburn’s coaches will be thrilled to sell Williams’ commitment to other recruits.

The SEC has reached a level of competition in recruiting we’ve never seen before. Eleven of the top 26 classes in the country for 2014 are in the SEC. Auburn is ranked No. 22, which is good for eighth best in the conference.

The Tigers will need to land more players like Williams if it wants to stay competitive in the SEC. There’s reason for Auburn fans to hope that will happen.

Auburn landed several highly-touted prospects late in the 2013 recruiting class, including defensive tackles Montravius Adams and Ben Bradley and defensive end Elijah Daniel.

But Auburn will have to focus on keeping the commitment of Williams, who will continue to hear from other schools, including Alabama.

Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News recently compared Williams to a highly-touted 2012 prospect from Mobile, running back T.J. Yeldon.

Yeldon, who was ranked the nation’s No. 2 running back by Rivals, committed to Auburn early in the recruiting process. As Mr. Scarbinsky writes, there was plenty of excitement in Auburn when the Tigers landed Yeldon’s commitment.

“Williams might be the biggest name from the Mobile area to commit to Auburn since Yeldon. How did that turn out?

Yeldon was every bit as good as advertised, running for 1,108 yards as a true freshman. The trouble for Auburn was, he did it for Alabama after switching his commitment late in the fall of 2011 and then starting classes there in January of 2012.”

Auburn will work to make sure Williams doesn’t make the same switch. And he will surely hear from people telling him Alabama is a better choice than Auburn, especially if Alabama has another successful season in 2013.

Linebacker Reuben Foster and defensive end Dee Liner heard the same thing during last year’s recruiting season. They both switched their commitments from Auburn and signed with Alabama.

This doesn’t mean Williams will do the same. Craig’s presence will help, and the fact Williams has two friends – offensive lineman Joshua Casher and linebacker Deshaun Davis – already committed to Auburn should be an advantage for the Tigers.

Auburn will do everything it has to do to make sure Williams stays committed and signs with the Tigers. He’s that important.

Wiggins Watch continues

The nation’s top basketball prospect is still undecided.

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