Every year it’s like clockwork.  The BCS Championship Game is played.  A week later, the arrests begin.  Ex-Alabama star Dre Kirkpatrick was the first to be popped for possession of marijuana.  Now it’s a Florida Gator.

Sophomore defensive tackle Leon Orr faces misdemeanor marijuana possession charge after less than 20 grams were found in his on-campus dorm room by UF police.  He’s also being charged with possession of drug paraphernalia thanks to a pipe and rolling papers that were also found in the room.

For those thinking that Will Muschamp would be able to clean up the Gators’ marijuana culture, that’s a no-go.  Orr is the eighth Florida player arrested under Muschamp and six of those arrests have been pot-related.

Smoking marijuana in college isn’t as rare as it used to be and from the 60′s on it hasn’t been that rare to begin with.  But if Florida were to strengthen its drug policy, it might lead one or two Gators to occasionally put down their pipes.

Eight days ago, Dre Kirkpatrick was celebrating a BCS championship with his Alabama teammates.  Five days ago, Kirkpatrick announced that he would leave school early for the NFL.

Way to start that draft push.

Kirkpatrick was arrested and booked around 1am ET this morning for misdemeanor possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.  The arrest took place in Manatee County, Florida.

Kirkpatrick is expected to be a first-round draft choice in April’s NFL draft.

According to TideSports.com, three Alabama stars will announce shortly that they’re heading to the NFL early.

Lineback Dont’s Hightower, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick and tailback Trent Richardson are all expected to leave Bama early according to an Alabama source. 

1.  Nick Saban has no qualms with the NCAA’s new tougher, meaner APR policy.  (Here’s more on the new plan.)

2.  Linebacker Dont’a Hightower has a fracture in his left hand, but it’s not considered to be too serious.

3.  The development of Dre Kirkpatrick is good news for Bama’s secondary.

4.  Here’s a UA practice report.

5.  Practice conditions at Auburn are better now under Gene Chizik than they were under Tommy Tuberville.

6.  Onterio McCalebb’s 8.53 yards-per-carry average last season was the best in Tiger history.

7.  AU’s running backs feel they can fill the void left by Cam Newton.

8.  Arkansas has announced that Knile Davis is indeed expected to miss the 2011 season with “an injury to his left ankle.”  (That’s too bad for Davis, too bad for Arkansas, and too bad for the SEC.  Best wishes to Davis in his recovery.)

9.  Davis has had a long history of unfortunate injuries.

10.  In other news, Tyler Wilson looked sharp in last night’s scrimmage.  (I’m reminded of the old joke: “Aside from that, how did you enjoy the play, Ms. Lincoln?”)

11.  Want stupid?  Country music star Brad Paisley actually had to apologize for burning a Razorback rug as part of a simple tour prank.  (Some folks just have no sense of humor.  Or sense, for that matter.)

12.  Two of LSU highest-ranked — and biggest — recruits are squaring off daily in practice.

13.  Redshirt freshman center Cameron Fordham has left the Tiger team.