John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats yesterday became just the third SEC squad since 1956 to go through their league schedule unbeaten.  His team is currently #1 in the nation and he has done a masterful job of not only bringing in ridiculously talented players, but of getting them to put team ahead of self.  Also, is there anyone else in the country who does a better job of convincing freshmen to stress defense first?

For those reasons, expect the media to award Calipari with the SEC’s Coach of the Year trophy.

Cuonzo Martin’s Tennessee Vols have defied preseason projections of an 11th place finish and earned not only a bye in the SEC Tournament, but a #2 seed.  Taking over a program in the middle of an NCAA scandal, he led his team back from a 3-6 start to the season — including a home loss to Austin Peay — and engineered an SEC finish that included eight wins in UT’s last nine games.  The Vols have allowed 70 points in a game just once since December 20th.

For those reasons, expect the SEC’s coaches to award Martin at least a share of the SEC’s Coach of the Year vote.

The media tend to vote for the guy with the best record.  That’s Calipari.  The coaches’ vote is based a bit more on popularity and “good stories.”  There’s no better story than Martin’s.  And he’s a lot more popular in the coaching ranks than Calipari.

At this point, we would be surprised if the SEC doesn’t have two Coaches of the Year for 2011-12.  And while the two coaches’ fans might bicker that their guy deserves the accolades outright, the truth is both Calipari and Martin have done remarkable work this past season.

Remarkable work.

After a hard fought win over Tennessee on Saturday, Kentucky’s John Calipari said the Vols are an NCAA Tournament-caliber team.  With his team’s defense improving and the recent addition of freshman hotshot Jarnell Stokes, Cuonzo Martin doesn’t disagree:


“Like I told our guys from Florida (an upset win) up until now, you say (we’re) one of the 65 or 68 teams, I would say, yes.  But you have to put a lot of work to cover some ground.  I would definitely say from teh time we started league play up until now, when you pick 65 or 33, 35 (at-large) teams, I would say, yes.”


Unfortunately, Martin’s team took some time to gel and to start believing in the coach’s defense-first mantra.  The Vols are just 8-9 overall with some pretty bad losses on the ol’ resume (Austin Peay at home, for example).

To reach the NCAA tourney, UT would likely need to upset Connecticut this week and then grab 11 SEC wins to reach the 20-win plateau.  Good defense or not, that seems like too much ground for Martin’s squad to make up.

1.  After dropping back-to-back games, Alabama got back in the win column with a 63-54 victory over Detroit yesterday.

2.  With Mike Dyer suspended, Auburn has but only two scholarship backs with carries this season.

3.  Bobby Petrino has restocked the coaching cupboard at Arkansas.

4.  LSU is exploring an expansion of Tiger Stadium (and the plans look mighty slick).

5.  It’s looking more and more like Duke O-line coach Matt Luke will join the staff at Ole Miss.

6.  MSU is using the early part of bowl practice to work with the Bulldogs’ younger players.

7.  Florida, meanwhile, its using bowl practices to get tougher… by holding another training camp in December.

8.  The Georgia football has handed out its awards for 2011.

9.  Kentucky is 8-1 and the one loss came on a buzzer-beating shot by undefeated Indiana on Saturday… but the Cats “problems” are fixable.  (Oh, what team wouldn’t trade for UK’s problems?)

10.  South Carolina assistants Steve Spurrier Jr. and Shawn Elliott are rumored to be head coaching candidates at Coastal Carolina.

11.  Cuonzo Martin is planning to use Tennessee’s loss to Austin Peay as a painful lesson to his team.

12.  Bob Shoop turned down overtures regarding Richmond’s head coaching job to remain in Nashville as Vanderbilt’s defensive coordinator.

13.  The SEC has named its Players of the Week in basketball.

14.  Kentucky falls to #3 in the latest polls, which include four other SEC teams in the Top 25… six if you count soon-to-be-members Missouri and Texas A&M.

15.  The Sports Business Journal has listed Mike Slive as the 35th most influential person in sports.

Update:  Michael Dyer reportedly suspended. Multiple sources confirm.

1. For the first time in three years, the Heisman Trophy will reside outside the state of Alabama.

2. Alabama’s Trent Richardson finishes third in the Heisman balloting.  ”If not for LSU, Richardson would’ve been the best player on the best team in the country.”

3. LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu finishes fifth. Sophomore faced long odds – only three of them have won the award in 75 years.

4. Twelfth time the SEC has had two of the top five.

5. The voting totals.

6. Heisman winner Robert Griffin III on the comparisons to Tim Tebow: ”One kid asked me to Tebow with him a couple of weeks ago,” Griffin said.

7. Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain pulls out of consideration for the Fresno State job.

8. What does new Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze talk about in his pre-game chats? “He’ll tell a lot of Old Testament stories out of the Bible.”

9. Mississippi State quarterback Dylan Favre is transferring.

10. Mark Richt: “I’ve said many times Georgia is the place I want to be as long as Georgia will have me.”

11. Georgia AD Greg McGarity on the SEC 2012 football schedule:  ”Well, we meet in Birmingham (this) week.” On going to a 9-game conference schedule:  ”That has not even been discussed, and I don’t think it will even be brought back up.”

12. New assistants at Florida won’t be hired until after the bowl game.

13. Kentucky seniors stand behind Joker Phillips.

14. Ten SEC players on the Football Writers All-American team.

15. 3,500 attend memorial service for Larry Munson.

16. Austin Peay 74 – Tennessee 70. The Governors rally late to beat the Vols in Knoxville – hit last seven shots. Tennessee turns the ball over 18 times.

17. Mike Strange: “I imagine coach Cuonzo Martin’s honeymoon is over among a fair portion of Tennessee fans.”

18. Oklahoma 78 – Arkansas 63.  Razorbacks miss first 14 of 15 shots. Mike Anderson: “We kind of get rattled pretty easy.”

19. Ole Miss 80 – Mississippi Valley State 56.  Freshman LaDarius White makes his debut – scores 16.

20. Mississippi State 106 – Troy 68. Bulldogs tie a school record for 3-pointers. Make 16-of-31 on the night.

21. LSU 64 – Boise 45.  Once again, the Tigers win by holding an opponent to less than 60 points.

22. Indiana 73 – Kentucky 72. 3-point buzzer beater for the Hoosiers sends the Wildcats home with their first loss of the season.

23. Career lows in shots, points and rebounds for Terrance Jones.  ”He absolutely gave us a zero today,” said John Calipari.

24. With Detroit coming to town, Alabama’s JaMychel Green gets to see a Team USA teammate. Tide look to break two-game losing streak.

Extra

25. Kevin Sumlin and Texas A&M make it official.

26. Refs cut short Xavier-Cincinnati basketball game after bench-clearing brawl.