Charges made in a story by ESPN’s Roopstigo.com’s Selena Roberts accusing the Auburn football program of multiple violations are having a ripple effect throughout the SEC today.  Late this afternoon, Auburn A.D. Jay Jacobs issued a statement saying those allegations will be reviewed.

Anytime accusations are made against Auburn, we take them seriously. We have no reason to believe these allegations are either accurate or credible. However, as a matter of procedure, we are reviewing them carefully.

It is important to note that several of the sources in this story have since indicated they were either misquoted, quoted out of context or denied the allegations.

Unfortunately, the reporter who published this story did not fully represent to us what the story was about when requesting an interview. We were only told that the reporter was working on a story about the alleged armed robbery involving four former football players, which occurred over two years ago.

We were never told the story would include allegations about academic fraud or improper benefits. Had we known that, we would have responded immediately with the statement above.

Jacobs is not the only one commenting on the story. Former Auburn coach Gene Chizik also issued a statement today taking issue with the story, calling it “long on accusation and inference, but short on facts and logic. It is noteworthy that the story comes just days before a player mentioned most prominently in the article is set to go to trial for felony armed robbery.” Former Auburn safety McNeil goes on trial Monday for felony armed robbery stemming from an incident in 2011.

Chizik took aim directly at Roberts, saying: “If there is a sad truth here, it is that there are no repercussions for bloggers who blast out widespread, venomous allegations and inferences in such an irresponsible manner.”

Cam Newton declined to answer questions but did say this: “I’m going to let the right people to talk about it.  Of course I’m concerned, but I think the truth will come out.”

NCAA President Mark Emmert called it a “newspaper story,” saying that, ” We haven’t done anything with that case because we don’t know anything about it.”

Part of the story concerned current Florida coach and former Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, who was accused of giving an Auburn player nearly $400 in cash.  “Totally deny it,” Muschamp told The Gainesville Sun. “I don’t know where this is coming from.”

Coaching News

1. The tally for coaches, support staff, and administrators at Tennessee comes to $7.51 million. That covers 31 people, including head coach Butch Jones.

2. Former Tennessee assistant coach Josh Conklin is the new defensive coordinator at Florida International.

3. Expect a more aggressive Mississippi State defense under new defensive coordinator Geoff Collins. Dan Mullen: “I know he is going to be aggressive in coming after people, in blitzing people and showing some different looks and trying to confuse people.”

4. Former Auburn offensive coordinator Scott Loeffler reportedly headed to Virginia Tech for the same job.

5. Kansas State coach Bill Snyder on Bear Bryant:  ”I appreciated him so much not because of the amazing successes he had but the type of man that he was.”

SEC Football

6. What does San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s performance have to to do with Johnny Manziel?  ”Whenever he decides to turn pro, he’ll be highly sought after because he can cause defenses fits — no matter the level.”

7. Ole Miss showed improvement in 14 of 17 team statistical categories in 2012.

8. Early look at the 2013 schedule for six SEC schools.

9. The buzz back in August at the Alabama camp was about a freshman receiver – but it wasn’t Amari Cooper.

10. Tramel Terry is one of 13 early enrollees at Georgia.  “They’re looking for me to be like a Percy Harvin type of guy.”

11. With five early enrollees and  running back Quenshaun Watson not expected back, the unofficial total at Tennessee stands at 66 scholarship players.

12. Six early enrollees started class at LSU yesterday. Three at South Carolina.

13. Former Florida quarterback Doug Johnson accused in the beating of a Gainesville man.

All-Star Games

14. Departing Alabama defensive end Damion Square won’t be able to participate in Saturday’s Raycom All-Star Classic -has an undisclosed injury.

15. Teammate Quinton Dial will play in the game.  “I just want to get out here and show the scouts what I can do on Saturday and go from there.”

16. Three players will represent Auburn in the game, including linebacker Daren Bates who led the Tigers in tackles this past season. “That was the worst team stats-wise I’ve ever been on.”

17. Here are the rosters for the Raycom All-Star Classic.

18. Former Auburn tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen will attend the Senior Bowl but won’t play - recovering from hip surgery.

19. Tennessee tight end Mychal Rivera has accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl - seven Vol players will participate in postseason All-Star games.

20. Alabama center Barrett Jones won’t play in any postseason games and won’t be running at Alabama’s pro day - recovering from foot surgery.

SEC Basketball

21. With Tennessee at Kentucky tonight, John Calipari is reminding everyone of a quote from Jarnell Stokes last February. ”I want to win at Rupp Arena. I plan on winning, before I leave, at Rupp Arena. I’m saying that on the record right now.”

22. Calipari on Saturday’s 40-point performance from Texas A&M’s Elston Turner: ”What he did was off the charts.”

23. Pat Forde on last year’s Kentucky team - “May turn out to be more of an anomaly than a trend-starter.”

24. Seth Davis calls Kentucky’s loss to Texas A&M Saturday the worst loss of the week, calls Ole Miss the flavor of the week.

25. Ole Miss is at Vanderbilt tonight with the Rebels seeking to go 3-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2005-2006 season.

26. Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings wouldn’t reveal Kedron Johnson’s practice status Monday.  The Commodores leading scorer has a partial dislocation of his right shoulder.

27. Vanderbilt one of the worst free-throw shooting teams in the country.

28. Mike Strange on the value of  experience: “Florida and Ole Miss are two of the most experienced teams and, at the moment, are the two getting the most impressive results.”

29. Florida will be without forward Casey Prather this week – but he’s not the only Gator dealing with injuries.

30. Florida will get a look at the SEC’s new teams this week - Texas A&M and Missouri.  Billy Donovan: “Both of these programs, at least from a basketball perspective, add value to our league.”

31. After getting beat Saturday night at Ole Miss, Missouri didn’t get back to Columbia until 6:00 a.m. Sunday morning.  Bad weather forced the team to bus back home.

32. Bryan Burwell on Missouri: “Are they contenders or pretenders? Who really knows?”

33. Arkansas guard Mardracus Wade was benched Saturday - didn’t play at all in the second half against Vanderbilt. Coach Mike Anderson: “Bring some better practices that can take him into the game.”

34. Auburn has the second longest NCAA Tournament drought in the SEC but their 2-0 start to conference play is the team’s best in 10 years.

35. LSU forward Johnny O’Bryant still battling a high ankle sprain: ”I wake up some days and it feels better than others; I wake up some days and it’s really killing me.”

36. Mississippi State the best case study of SEC woes?

37. The twelve D-1 programs in the state of South Carolina are a combined 26 games under .500.

38. The top three seeds at last year’s SEC Tournament – Kentucky, Tennessee and Vanderbilt – are a combined 1-5 in league play this year.

Extras

39. High school coach upset at Lane Kiffin after a scholarship offer to a player was pulled: “His true color: SHADY!”

40. With Kevin O’Neill fired at USC, some names to consider for the Trojans basketball coach.

41. Charles Barkley on Sacramento Kings center and former Kentucky player DeMarcus Cousins: “Talent is not his problem,” Barkley said. “You can’t continually do stupid stuff. At some point you have to grow up.”

42. It’s open season on pythons in the Everglades.  More than 1,000 people from 30 states have signed up for the “Python Challenge”.

1.  Alabama spent $3.9 million on its trip to January’s BCS Championship Game in New Orleans.  (Of course, they’ll more than make that up in merchandise sales and the like.)

2.  Former Auburn running back Mike Dyer says he “made some mistakes” while on the Plains.

3.  UAB coach Garrick McGee ran his team through spring drills yesterday… and did not address the rumors tying him to Arkansas’ opening. 

4.  More and more are now saying what we’ve been saying: The Razorbacks should just go with an interim coach in 2012…

5.  And not rush into a long-term hire right now.

6.  LSU’s Les Miles will be part of the NFL Network’s coverage of the NFL Draft later this month.

7.  Quarterback Tyler Russell is beginning to master Mississippi State’s offense.

8.  Ole Miss will be one of nine SEC schools to have its spring game carried online by ESPN.

9.  This writer says Texas A&M is a “big winner” thanks to Bobby Petrino’s downfall.

10.  Florida forward Walter Pitchford — who only played in 13 games last season — will transfer to be closer to his ailing grandfather in Michigan.

11.  Georgia’s offensive line is working hard to forge a bond.

12.  Kentucky hopes Demarco Robinson can breathe life into the Cats’ return game.

13.  South Carolina has released its spring game plans.

14.  Tennessee’s tight ends give its offense plenty of options.

15.  A pair of Vanderbilt footballers “are no long with the team.”

16.  Mitch Morse has emerged as an anchor at the center of Missouri’s offensive line.