SEC Football

1. Based in part on input from fans, renovations at Vanderbilt Stadium could expand capacity to about 50,000. 

2. Five different quarterbacks will compete for the starting job at Auburn. “All five seem to have drawbacks.”

3. One of those quarterbacks is freshman Jeremy Johnson.  Will he also play basketball for the Tigers?

4. Kevin Scarbinsky on Phillip Ely’s decision at Alabama to transfer:  ”It’s not surprising that an Alabama quarterback would leave. Saban’s one-voice philosophy for the program carries over to the quarterback position.”

5. Saban and Florida assistant Tim Davis haven’t spoken since “the devil himself” comments, according to Florida coach Will Muschamp: Not at this point. We’ve moved forward.” Georgia Diaz: “PC Police win again.”

6. Any changes to the SEC schedule will not impact Florida – Florida State, but don’t expect to see Florida-Miami (after this year).  A.D. Jeremy Foley: “You never say never. But that’s not high on the agenda right now.”

7. Tennessee at Oregon will kickoff at 3:30 Eastern Time.  The game on ESPN will mark Butch Jones national debut as Tennessee coach and his first road game with the Vols. Breakdown of Tennessee schedule.

8. Why Georgia running back Todd Gurley is so important to the Bulldogs.  ”Gurley is a game-changer.”

9. Ole Miss list of early enrollees released. The five-stars have arrived.

10. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier honored as “Great Floridian” today.

SEC Spring Meetings

11. Are the SEC and college football doing enough about head injuries?  Steve Spurrier: “I think we’re doing a lot, just like the NFL has. We also have to be careful about not allowing blows around the knees.”

12. Missouri coach Gary Pinkel on the new rule that would allow officials to eject players who target and hit defenseless players above the shoulders. “I’m all for it…We gotta protect kids.”

13. Alabama A.D. Bill Battle on the challenges of selecting four teams for college football’s playoff.  ”The fourth team is going to be the challenge, deciding between the fourth, fifth and sixth for who should be the fourth.”

14. Who will serve on the playoff committee? Florida A.D. Jeremy Foley:  ”People who are willing to put the time in. This will be to me a very labor-intensive exercise.” Deadline to select nominees is Friday.

15. Dennis Dodd on Nick Saban: “It’s been open season on the best coach in the game this year which only reinforces … that he is the best coach in the game.”

16. The age of social media has coaches more aware of what they say – even it’s just a joke.  Georgia coach Mark Richt: ”I think it’s sad that you can’t go to your whatever clubs and just have a little fun and get everybody to get a good laugh.”

17. Did Spurrier get the memo?  “They (Georgia)  were close to winning it all and got clobbered at our place.”

SEC Network

18. Mark Bradley: “You didn’t think the SEC Network would come without a cost, did you?”

19. SEC Network programming ideas – what about late night with Les? “LSU coach Les Miles waxes rhapsodic on the news of the day, then sits down with celebrity guests to discuss their latest projects.”

20. Will the SEC try to muzzle Paul Finebaum or his callers?  Mike Slive: ”I have a whole year to think about that. I don’t have to worry about that now.” The MrSEC view.

21. How will the SEC Network cover recruiting?  ”It’s going to be big, but we have to be careful on it, too.”

SEC Basketball

22. The idea of a stronger non-conference schedule is starting to sink in among SEC coaches.  Anthony Grant: “This is really helpful, these meetings here this week… in terms of what we need to do to improve the perception and the results at the end of the day for our league.”

23. Auburn has submitted its 2013-2014 schedule to the league office to review.  A.D. Jay Jacobs: ”We submitted ours for next year, and I asked them in there today, they told me they’re going to get back to me pretty quickly.”

24. Florida hopes to find out in the next few weeks if star recruit Chris Walker will be eligible.

25. Why did Devon Walker decide to leave Florida only to change his mind a week later? Coach Billy Donovan: ”I think for him you’re having to answer to so many people, your family, your friends and am I in the right situation and you start to doubt and worry.”

26. This mock draft has both Nerlens Noel and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope going to Cleveland.

Extras

27. Former Tennessee volleyball player on the backlash at Rutgers over the hiring of Julie Hermann: “This reflects worse on Rutgers than it does on Julie.”

28. Rutgers paid a firm $70,00 to do the background check on Hermann.

29. Are Memphis Grizzlies fans overly tense because of the Martin Luther King assassination?

30. Hey college athlete – don’t even think about washing your car with university water.  

31. The Bill Parcells’ coaching tree includes a few SEC names.

32. The evolving media world – Chicago Sun-Times lays off entire photo staff.  Reporters will be shooting with their phones.

Vanderbilt considering expanding football stadium to about 50,000 capacity
Auburn freshman quarterback Jeremy Johnson also considering playing basketball for the Tigers
Arkansas has finalized a home-and-home series with Texas Tech starting in 2014
SEC considering league-wide substance abuse policy
Alabama coach Nick Saban and Florida assistant Tim Davis haven’t spoken since Davis referred to Saban as “the devil himself”
Deadline to select nominees for college football playoff committee is Friday
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier honored as “great Floridian” on Thursday
Follow SEC news year-round at MrSEC.com and on Twitter at Twitter.com/mrsec

SEC Football

1. Georgia A.D. Greg McGarity on the possibility of a nine-game conference schedule: “At the end of the day, the presidents will decide, like everything else in the conference.”

2.Georgia’s $93 million dollar athletic department budgets includes more than a million dollars in facilities improvement for Sanford Stadium. Projections on football ticket revenue down $2.1 million.

3. Why safety/linebacker Josh Harvey-Clemons is one of Georgia’s ten most important players this fall.

4. Kentucky coach Mark Stoops on the reception he’s received: “Could not be more happy with the fanbase.”

5. Seven of the 20 Auburn signees have already enrolled in classes.  The group  includes quarterback Jeremy Johnson.   ”Johnson will have his chances to play right away if he can beat out a big group of competition.”

6. Another Auburn freshman to keep your eye on - defensive end Carl Lawson.

7. Andy Passanastos projects as the favorite to be the Ole Miss kicker this fall.

SEC Media

8. Tommy Tomlinson on Paul Finebaum:  ”There’s one clear loser in all this, and that’s the state of Alabama.”

9. John Clay on Finebaum;  ”He has always known how to hit the buttons that prompt listeners to pick up the phone.”

10. MrSEC:  ”Do SEC officials really want to put Finebaum’s craziest callers front and center as ambassadors for their league?”

11. Paul Finebaum on the importance of college football in the South: ”First of all, in the South, it’s all we have.”

12. Updated look at SEC games on television this fall.

13. LSU senior associate athletic director Herb Vincent leaving to become a spokesman for the SEC. Mike Slive: “Herb brings a wealth of experience as well as energy and passion for the SEC.”

SEC Basketball

14. Is this the issue with Sheldon Jeter’s potential transfer from Vanderbilt to Pitt?  “According to a source with direct knowledge, he didn’t meet face-to-face with Stallings to tell him he was leaving.”

15. Vanderbilt headed to Greece and Italy for games this summer.

16. South Carolina A.D. Ray Tanner on whether coach Frank Martin’s criticism of his players this past year crossed the line. ”No. I would never criticize him, because I know him and I know where his heart is and I know how much he cares.”

Extras

17. Football coaches salaries aren’t the only ones rising in the SEC.  So are the salaries of the league’s baseball coaches.

18. Notre Dame’s buyout of Charlie Weis was costly – could end receiving almost $19 million.

19. Most marketable American athlete? RGIII.

20. Thanks to Athlon Sports for recognizing MrSEC as one of the top 50 Twitter feeds every college football fan should follow.  You can join more than 35,000 other college football fans by following us here.

SEC Football

1. The Florida-Miami series may not be renewed. Miami A.D. – “There hasn’t been any conversation and there isn’t anything on the schedule for the future.” Georgia and Florida State discuss potential 2016 matchup.

2. Is Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel a top-five SEC quarterback?  MrSEC’s Josh Ward thinks so.

3. Athlon’s preseason rankings have the Gators coming in at No. 13. Florida’s game against Tennessee already sold out.

4. Toughest matchups for LSU this fall? Games at Alabama and Georgia. Suspension at TCU huge break for the Tigers?

5. Best red zone defense last three years?  If you guessed Alabama, you weren’t wrong.

6. Nick Saban gets asked for reaction to Charlie Weis’ comments about the SEC. ”I just think our league is fantastic.”

7. Saban’s daughter, a sorority fight and a lawsuit.

8. Several Auburn freshman, including quarterback Jeremy Johnson,  arrived on campus Tuesday – just ahead of summer classes.

9. Former Georgia linebacker Christian Robinson re-joining program as graduate assistant.

10. At Arkansas, one Mitchell leaves while another emerges (not related to the author nor connected to the Joe Don Baker movie)

11. Do people “love to hate Bret Bielema”?

12. Three reasons why Kentucky shouldn’t drop Louisville in football.

13.  Three of Stewart Mandel’s top five nonconference games for the first month of the 2013 season feature SEC teams.

14. Andy Staples plays the “what-if” game – looks at what could have happened with a four-team playoff in college football the last 10 years.

SEC/College News

15. Jon Solomon: “47 percent of the Division I public universities listed in a recent USA Today Sports revenue database increased coaches and staff pay at a higher rate than their athletic scholarship costs” Breakdown by school.

16. A Florida State recruit now wants to play at Georgia or Miami – but FSU won’t grant a release.

17. Kevin Scarbinsky on troubles at Auburn.  ”It’s been a long, strange year for the Tigers in so many ways.”

18. Kentucky athletes post the highest cumulative GPA during Mitch Barnhart’s time as athletics director.

SEC Basketball

19. Auburn A.D. Jay Jacobs on coach Tony Barbee: “Now he’s got to produce. We’ve got to look for results.”

20. Alabama A.D. Bill Battle on coach Anthony Grant: “I think he’s the right guy for our job.”

21. Andrew Wiggins chooses Kansas - may have not been a fit at Kentucky anyway “The Cats have almost too many good players scheduled to arrive on campus.”

22. Big loss for LSU recruiting.  Assistant coach Robert Kirby reportedly leaving for Memphis. (Before LSU, he was at Georgetown, where he recruited projected top five NBA pick Otto Porter, Jr.)

23. Point guard Kasey Hill compared to John Wall and Rajon Rondo –  expected to make a big impact at Florida.

24. Tennessee players Armani Moore and Josh Richardson headed to the Dominican Republic this summer.

25. Men’s basketball makes the biggest jump  of any program at Georgia according  to the latest NCAA Academic Progress Rate report.

Extras

26. Schools with the highest-paid NBA alums – LSU, Kentucky and Florida make the list.

27. New sport approved at LSU - sand volleyball for women.

28. Original report – Michigan State recruit giving up football to pursue rap career. Revised report – School pulled scholarship after profanity-laced video showed up on YouTube.

29. Hawaii getting the “Rainbow” back.

30. Memphis puts the punter on the cover of the media guide.

31. ESPN reporter Jeannine Edwards and Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer getting married.

SEC Football

1. SEC athletic directors are meeting Jacksonville.  Reports indicate no discussion of nine-game conference schedule for 2014.

2. LSU running back Jeremy Hill faces new probation restrictions - including a curfew.

3. Jeff Duncan: “Miles needs to make a statement here and a strong one.”  The MrSEC take from last week.

4. Georgia led the country with 10 early enrollees coming from high school this spring.  Counting JUCO and prep schools, Bulldogs had 13 early enrollees.

5. Recent history shows it tough for wide receivers to make an impact as freshman at Florida.

6. Auburn freshman quarterbacks Jeremy Johnson and Jason Smith are expected on campus next week.  Status of arrival date for JUCO transfer Nick Marshall still uncertain.

7. Coming out of spring practice, how does Auburn look at defensive tackle? With other SEC schools expanding stadiums, Jordan-Hare isn’t shrinking – it just feels that way.

8. Tennessee coach Butch Jones estimates he does three times the speaking engagements he did at Cincinnati.

9. Based on the early odds, South Carolina and Georgia look to be the favorites in the SEC East, Alabama the favorite in the West. Crimson Tide and Ohio State in BCS National Championship Game?

10. Andy Staples of SI has his post-spring Top 25.  Six of the top 13 teams are in the SEC, seven of the top 25.   Alabama No. 1, Texas A&M No. 2.

11. Alabama today or Nebraska of the 1990′s?  Former Cornhusker Tommy Frazier weighs in.

12.  The SEC Network doesn’t change the recruiting philosophy at Alabama.  Nick Saban: “We have a standard for what type of player we are looking for.”

13. New documentary film focuses on former Arkansas quarterback Mitch Mustain.

SEC Basketball

14. Trae Golden’s departure from Tennessee wasn’t his decision. He was reportedly forced to leave school over “repeated plagiarism.”

15. Cuonzo Martin on whether the Vols will add a point guard to their signing class. “We have some pretty good leads and we’ll see.”

16. NCAA meeting on possible rule changes to basketball.  Don’t expect a shorter shot clock.

17. Former Ole Miss star Murphy Holloway waived by the Baltimore Ravens.  ”Back to the hardwood…” Could be headed to Europe to play basketball.

Extras

18. In addition to Mississippi State and South Florida, former Penn State quarterback Steven Bench also considering North Carolina State.

19. “NCAA rules aren’t going to stop money from changing hands when there is this much value being discussed.”

20. Does a Sugar Bowl win over Florida make Louisville overrated?

1. Time to go out West, Tennessee?  That’s the argument made by columnist John Adams, saying that “everywhere Tennessee turns in the Southeast, it’s running into flourishing programs: Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, even Ole Miss now. California is a different ballgame. There, you’re competing with Pac-10 schools. There, you would stand out.”

2. Jeremy Johnson is headed to Auburn after being named Mr. Football in the state of Alabama.  The Carver-Montgomery product is also a candidate for the state’s Mr. Basketball Award, a twin-feat that no one has ever accomplished. Johnson’s high school football coach Billy Gresham: ”He’s incredibly competitive, he’s a great passer, he sees the whole court very well, which I think is something he gets from being a quarterback.”

3. High expectations for Florida’s class this fall.  ESPN’s Edward Aschoff says “the pressure is on five freshmen receivers who signed this year.” by Will Muschamp and staff. ”If none of them set themselves apart, the Gators could be in real trouble this fall.”

4. Vanderbilt basketball’s loss could be Tennessee’s gain.  Darius Thompson committed to Vandy last month but now he’s decided to re-open the process.  The first team to visit the 6-foot-4 point guard?  A member of the Tennessee staff was at Thompson’s school in Murfreesboro, TN on Wednesday.  Thompsons’ father tells the Nashville Tennessean:  ”It’s wide open right now,” saying he expects his son to sign with an SEC or ACC school.

5. How SEC dominance has changed the recruiting dynamic in the state of Texas.

1. Defensive end Carl Lawson will decide before signing day, according to his father.

2. Georgia defensive line coach Chris Wilson has met with two top prospects.

3. Auburn commit Jeremy Johnson plans to compete for the quarterback job immediately.

4. Linebacker Zach Cunningham liked his Auburn visit but will “give everybody a chance.”

5. LSU needs to replace a lot of talent. Safety Tahaan Goodman could help.

6. Former Texas A&M commit Cameron Echols-Luper has committed to TCU.

7. Wide receiver Chris Thompson will spend the offseason preparing to help right away.

8. Will David Kamara and Robert Nkemdiche attend the same school? Too early to know for sure.

9. Kentucky hopes it found some offensive help from the junior college ranks.

10. RB Derrick Green and WR LaQuon Treadwell are both preparing for their announcements.

Here’s a look at Treadwell, who’s considering Ole Miss and plans to announce on Thursday.