After tossing out the first pitch at last night’s Rangers/Angels game, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel shared his thoughts about the state of Aggie football now and in the future:

“We’re still young, still learning.  Look at us last spring.  We did some good things, but we weren’t anywhere where we were come August when it was really ready to strap it up and get on the field.  (New quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital) is getting adjusted to everybody and we’re really starting to settle in.  Come August, I have no worries.”

The reigning Heisman-winner also said that he misses baseball.  “I miss it a lot.  I would love to play.  I chose a little different path.  Football came into center stage in my life when I always through I would play baseball.”

Not to question Manziel’s baseball skills, but it sure looks like he picked the right sport:

1. Alabama right guard Anthony Steen is trying to develop into a leader for the Crimson Tide.

2. Alabama returned to practice Monday following spring break. It wasn’t a great practice.

3. Andrew Gribble and Don Kausler discuss Alabama’s return to practice following spring break.

4. Auburn’s LaDarius Owens is feeling more comfortable now that he’s playing linebacker again.

5. Justin Garrett is more comfortable, too. He’s playing the “Star” position for Auburn.

6. Those comments about Nick Saban? Arkansas coach Bret Bielema says they were only a joke.

7. Columnist Kevin Scarbinsky reminds Bielema he’s not in the Big Ten anymore.

8. Florida has plenty of competition at running back as the Gators try to replace Mike Gillislee.

9. Florida’s basketball team is losing key contributors but returning guard Scottie Wilbekin believes the Gators will be deep.

10. One key player in that depth could be center Patric Young, who hasn’t decided if he will return for his senior year.

11. The return of linebacker D.T. Shackelford has provided a big boost for the Ole Miss defense.

12. Here some notes following Ole Miss’ Monday night practice.

13. Mississippi State finalized its 2014 non-conference schedule by adding Tennessee-Martin.

14. Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel will throw out the first pitch at Sunday’s Texas Rangers game.

15. Chris Conley’s presence should help Georgia replace some departing wide receivers.

16. Center Willie Cauley-Stein will return to Kentucky. ESPN’s Chad Ford believes forward Alex Poythress should return, too.

17. Tennessee’s maturity will be tested as it returns to football practice following spring practice.

Extras

18. The Pac-12′s head of officials has been investigated for comments he made about Arizona coach Sean Miller.

19. That head of official, Ed Rush, must be fired, writes Gary Parrish.

20. Southern California has hired coach Andy Enfield away from Florida Gulf Coast.

21. Former Georgia, Kentucky and Minnesota coach Tubby Smith has been hired at Texas Tech.

1. South Carolina’s Bruce Ellington says he will again play both football and basketball next season for the third straight year.  Ellington is South Carolina’s leading returning receiver.

2. Martavius Newby was a freshman guard on the Ole Miss basketball team – he’s now working out with the football team as a linebacker.

3. Injuries along the offensive line have Ole Miss running out of bodies. Depth will increase this fall.

4. Tennessee offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James on the group’s potential: “I feel like we definitely have the talent and capability to have the best offensive line, really, in the country.”

5. Vanderbilt lost only one starter on its offensive line. Coach James Franklin’s like the group’s depth.

6. Kentucky’s Alvin “Bud” Dupree started at linebacker all 12 games last year but he’s moving to defensive end for new defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot: ”I had recruited Bud when I was at Florida State,”

7. Florida defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin on new defensive line coach Brad Lawing - who came to the Gators from South Carolina: “He brings a wealth of knowledge of the position, a wealth of knowledge and experience. He’s a great staff guy, a great guy to work with.

8. LSU coach Les Miles on Thursday’s scrimmage: ”The offense is much improved. It’s just that they’re shooting themselves in the foot. ”

9. Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix on competition in the Alabama secondary: “When there’s someone trying to outplay you, it helps you go even better, even harder, even faster, when you have someone as good as you next to you.”

10. Auburn Robenson Therezie thinks he’s faster than former Tigers running back Onterio McCalebb. ”We never did (race) but I believe I could beat him probably by a foot.” The defensive back could see some time on offense. Update: Robenson should check with his coaches next time - Right now, he’s 100 percent defense.”

11. 17 Auburn players gained weight in the offseason – 12 of them are a little lighter. What’s Auburn’s first unit on defense looked like today.

12. Georgia coach Mark Richt says running back Todd Gurley looks trimmer but he’s actually gained six pounds. ”I feel like the best I’ve felt in a while.”

13. 22 wins later, assessing Georgia’s “Dream Team” class of 2011.  “The Dream Teamt has done what it came here to do.”

14. Arkansas defensive coordinator Chris Ash: “We’ve got some very talented players. We’ve got some deficiencies at some spots, too.”

15. Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin on Nate Askew’s adjustment from wide receiver to linebacker:“The great thing about it has been his attitude.”

16. The price of fame for Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel – even a trip to the grocery store is no longer simple.  “Twenty pictures later it was 11 at night.”

NFL Prospects

17. Is Mississippi State defensive back Johnthan Banks slipping in mock drafts?

18. Former Alabama running back Eddie Lacy will run for pro teams on April 11th in Tuscaloosa.

SEC Basketball

19. It’s Florida vs. Florida Gulf Coast tonight.  That enormous scoreboard at Cowboys Stadium?  It’s longer than the court.

20. Key player to watch?  Keep your eye on FGCU point guard Brett Comer.

21. Florida stayed in Texas after winning in Austin last weekend.  FGCU flew back to Fort Myers from Philadelphia. FGCU coach Andy Enfield: “It took us a day and a half to recover mentally and physically.”

22. Kevin Scarbinsky on how to reinvigorate college basketball in the state of Alabama. Could  the Auburn-Alabama game be played the night before the Iron Bowl?

23. With BJ Young moving on to the NBA, Arkansas has an available scholarship to fill.

24. Ex-Kentucky and now ex-Minnesota coach Tubby Smith could be headed to Texas Tech.

25. As Smith demonstrates, making the NCAA Tournament is sometimes not good enough for a coach.

Extra

26. Oops. Southeastern Lousiana says 137 ineligible athletes competed for the school between 2005 and 2010.

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel has made his best move this offseason — he’s pulled away from Twitter.  The Heisman-winner makes headlines when he sits in high-dollar seats at sporting events, when he shoves a GA during a spring scrimmage, when he dons a temporary tattoo of rival Texas’ logo (“Somebody dared me to do it, and we thought it would be funny”).

He’s also made waves by tweeting to his more than 300,000 followers.  No more.  Manziel has told ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach that he’s trying to cut out any external distractions, including Twitter:

“I’ve kind of just shut it all off.  With how the media has been with me for a while, I just shut everything off… It’s fun to have (a Twitter account), but it can get to be distracting at points.  I’m surprised to (see) how the attention has continued through the offseason.  I guess I thought it would die off and slow down a little bit, but it really hasn’t.”

Lesson #1 for Manziel: When you tweet, you are the media.  You’ve taken your thoughts and disseminated them electronically to — with re-tweets — potentially millions of readers.  So don’t say it’s about “how the media has been with me for a while.”  The media may read and react to your Twitter comments just as your friends and followers do, but if you’ve posted the material that generates the response… that’s on you.

We don’t believe that much good can come of college athletes posting their thoughts on Twitter 24/7.  We’ve written on a number of occasions that smart coaches would begin to limit or ban Twitter-usage and many have, especially during their particular seasons.

Johnny Football seems to be catching on to the fact that if you don’t want the world scrutinizing your every move, it’s probably best not to put out a string of 140-character press releases about your every move every day.  And that sounds like a wise move to us.

SEC Football

1. Biggest change LSU players are seeing with new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron? Tempo. Running back Jeremy Hill: “We got in a lot more plays than we do normally.”

2. With multiple players headed to the NFL, LSU needs to rebuild its defensive line.  In all, defensive coordinator John Chavis has to replace eight starters.  ”We’ve done this before.”

3. Tennessee practices for the first time in full pads.  What did defensive coordinator John Jancek think? “I think we’re a poor tackling team right now.”

4. Tennessee wide receivers coach Zach Azzani: “I have a bunch of guys that really have no foundation.”

5. With spring practice now underway this week at Arkansas, what does new Bret Bielema have to say about his team?  “They are open to coaching. They’re hungry. They are obsessed with doing things that we’re asking them to do, even if it is taxing or exhausting.”

6. Former Arkansas running back Knile Davis on the impact of Bobby Petrino’s departure: “There was no order when Bobby left.”

7. South Carolina quarterback Dylan Thompson on coach Steve Spurrier: “He demands perfection and isn’t going to stop until he gets what he wants.”

8. Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen says he’ll have his staff completed when the Bulldogs start spring practice on March 21.

9. Biggest spring practice question at Vanderbilt? “Can redshirt freshman Patton Robinette leapfrog senior Austyn Carta-Samuels for the Vanderbilt starting quarterback job?”

10. Coach James Franklin: “We have a chance to be close to 300 pounds across the offensive line and four deep at defensive tackle. We haven’t had that before.”

11. Looks like Johnny Manziel is enjoying spring break. Is Manziel more like Manti Te’o than we may think? “Manziel revels in his newfound role as the country’s biggest troll.”

12. Texas Tech would like to renew a rivalry with the Aggies.  Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt: “We would welcome the opportunity to play Texas A&M in every sport.”

13. SEC Media Days schedule set - July 16-18.

SEC Basketball

14. LSU vs. Florida starts the ball rolling this afternoon in Nashville.  Florida won the first round 74-52 back in January but Tigers playing well lately – 10-5 in their last 15 games.

15. It’s Tennessee vs. Alabama in the rubber match this afternoon in Nashville.  Keep your eye on rebounds – Tennessee has had 15 more in each of the first two games. Does a win over Alabama make Tennessee bubble-proof?

16. Vanderbilt gets Kentucky again tonight - sixth time in two years these two teams have met. John Calipari:  ”We’ve got a challenge. This is going to be a really hard game for us.”

17. Ole Miss faces Missouri tonight.  With two sub-200 RPI losses, Rebels desperately need a win to keep any NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

18. What to do with Missouri? “Short of winning the SEC tourney, Mizzou will be a complicated team to seed.”

19. Tough call for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – stay or leave or NBA?  Projects as late first-round or second-round pick.

20. A first-year coach in Frank Martin but fourth straight losing season at South Carolina.  Where do the Gamecocks go from here?

22. Stat on SEC basketball: From 1997 to 2008, the SEC averaged 5.7 NCAA Tournament bids per season. Now, the SEC won’t have more than five bids for the fifth straight year.

23.  What to expect from this year’s NCAA Tournament?  Buckle up for a wild ride.

SEC Football

1. New LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has worked with Drew Brees, Philip Rivers and Joe Flacco.  He’s impressed with quarterback Zach Mettenberger: ”I like what I see. He’s an extremely hard worker and that’s critical to be a great QB.”

2. Coach Les Miles on the arrest of LSU signeee Rickey Jefferson, Jordan’s younger brother. “I don’t have a lot of information at this point.”

3. New Florida defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin on the challenge of replacing seven starters. “We play 20-something guys in a game on defense, and we want to continue that…This spring is going to be awesome to see guys go compete for spots.”

4. With plenty of starters gone, Florida coach Will Muschamp is worried about the middle of his defense. “There is no question we’ve got to be strong up the middle. That’s something that’s a question mark.”

5. A challenge at Alabama this spring for new line coach Mario Cristobal- replacing three starting offensive linemen.

6. Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron on seeing Johnny Manziel at the Super Bowl.  ”He was trying to get me to go hang out with him and go to all the events, but that’s just not me.”

7. Stewart Mandel on the consequences of Manziel spending more time in the pocket this fall: “This will make it harder for him to repeat as the Heisman winner, because dazzling, improvisational runs are his trademark.”

8. Arkansas practices in pads for the first time today.

9. Vanderbilt spring practice starts Friday. James Frankin’s team returns 16 starters.

10. Spring football begins Sunday for Ole Miss. Bo Wallace’s injury means his backups will get plenty of reps this spring.

NFL Draft Prospects

11. Former Alabama defensive lineman Jesse Williams runs a 4.9 forty-yard dash at the Crimson Tide pro day.  Nick Saban on the tattooed Australian “He’s going to continue to get better because he has more upside … He doesn’t have the same background of growing up as a football player like a lot of players we have in our program.”

12. Hard to believe now, but in 2008, not a single Alabama player was drafted.   

13. Former Florida offensive tackle Phil Trautwein last played for the Gators in 2008.  He’s giving football one last shot – showed up at Florida’s Pro Day this week.

SEC Basketball

16. One opinion on coach Tony Barbee: “While he came to Auburn as a young, hot-shot coach, he may be too old school for these Tigers.”  MrSEC’s take on Barbee.

17. Georgia starts day two conference tournament play against LSU. Bulldogs coach Mark Fox: “Everyone outside of Florida is in the middle of the pack in our league — everybody.”

18. Seven of the top eight teams went 6-4 in their last 10 games - only exception was Tennessee which closed at 8-2.

19. Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin defends the league: “I think this league takes a level of criticism that it doesn’t deserve.”

20. As Arkansas meets Vanderbilt, Razorback players don’t know what it’s like to advance in conference tourney – last tournament victory was 2008.

21. Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings on Georgia’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: “He’s one of the few guys in this league that is good at everything that (happens) on a basketball court.”

22. Alabama gets the Tennessee-Mississippi State winner on Friday afternoon. Former coach Wimp Sanderson on the Crimson Tide: “They’ve got as good a chance as everybody else. They play very good defensively.”

23. Missouri’s Alex Oriakhi was on a Connecticut team that lost four of its last five regular-season games.  It went on to win the national title.

24. Missouri meets Texas A&M tonight - Aggies won the regular season game by two points.  A&M guard Elston Turner: “(Missouri) thinks they should have won that game,”

25. What’s the explanation for Florida’s late struggles in close games? Coach Billy Donovan: “If anything, I see maybe an overconfidence or ‘We’re going to be OK’ kind of thing,”

26. Based on these panel projections, Florida looks to be a big favorite to win the conference tournament.

Ah, the things we worry about in this society.

Yesterday a photo of a shirtless Johnny Manziel revealed that the Texas A&M quarterback has a tattoo of the Texas Longhorns’ logo on his ribcage.

Mouths gaped.  Clocks stopped.  Twitter boomed.

Only, Manziel says the tattoo — and here’s another photo of it — is fake.  As in temporary.  Ah, that wacky kid.  A&M’s Heisman-winner actually grew up a Texas fan but if he says the tattoo is fake, we’ll take his word for it.

However.

The website that initially posted the photo — BustedCoverage.com — takes Manziel to task for the photo:

“If you don’t want to blow up blogs, go to Cabo and avoid henna (tattoos).  Otherwise, we’re splashing your ass all over the internet.

Don’t cry to newspaper writers that you can’t be a normal college student who takes classes on campus.  Don’t cry to ESPN that you can’t live a normal life because of the ‘microscope.’

Again, you put a UT Longhorn henna on your abs and it’s on.”

OK.  But isn’t the fact that a third-year college student can’t pose for photos with friends or fans without America freaking out over a joke tattoo exactly what the term “living under a microscope” describes?

Manziel isn’t camera shy and everyone with a web connection knows it.  But if a college kid can’t do the spring break thing like his teammates and fellow students without a website threatening to splash his “ass all over the internet,” that would seem to suggest that, yup, Johnny Football “can’t be a normal college student” anymore.

 SEC Football

1. Tennessee starts spring practice on Friday.  Here are three areas the Vols must repair or improve.

2. Arkansas starts spring practice Sunday. Spring game set for April 20th. Coach Bret Bielema says practices will be closed to the public.

3. South Carolina started spring practice this week.  Here’s the pre-spring depth chart (PDF).

4. Some changes in store for the media when it comes to spring practice at Missouri - reporters no longer able to watch all of non-scrimmage practices.

5. Texas A&M assistant coach Clarence McKinney may be new to the offensive coordinator role, but not to the Aggie’s offense.  ”This will be my sixth year of installing this offense. So I’ve seen it. I’ve done it. It’s pretty natural for me.”

6. Ole Miss makes the hiring of Jason Jones official.  He’ll coach cornerbacks and be co-defensive coordinator.

7. Former Florida International player on new Alabama offensive line coach Mario Cristobal: “Coach Cristobal is everything you need. He’s vocal, however you need him to coach, whatever coach (Nick) Saban wants him to do, he’ll be on it.”

8. Not even surgery can get Alabama off the mind of a Virginia Tech defensive back.

9. With A.J. McCarron firmly entrenched at quarterback at Alabama, this streak seems likely to stay intact.  ”A true freshman quarterback has never seen the field during Saban’s tenure at Alabama.”

10. McCarron tells Dan Patrick he had no interest in going pro early - even as a top 10 pick and he won’t be signing up for online classes: “You get some extra stares, but I love our student base and all the fans we have on campus.”

11. Johnny Manziel coming to grips with Johnny Backlash? “Once a prolific tweeter, @jmanziel2 has recently slowed to a crawl.” Autographed Manziel trading cards?

12. Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray will spend his spring break in Norman, Oklahoma working with QB guru George Whitfield.

13. More people coming around to the idea that former Florida defensive lineman Sharrif Floyd should be the first pick of the NFL draft.

SEC Basketball

14. Florida’s three seniors not the only Gator players thinking about the NBA.  Junior Patric Young has a decision to make: “ I’m going to do what’s best for me and my family and whatever makes me happy, honestly.”

15. Tennessee’s Jarnell Stokes recorded his 13th double-double of the season last night at Auburn.

16. NIT selection committee member was a no-show at the LSU-A&M game last night, but the Tigers victory last night puts them in a good spot for a bid.

17. In bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s first four out – three are from the SEC: Alabama, Kentucky and Ole Miss. Some other thoughts on Alabama’s tournament chances.

18. Kentucky will face a Georgia team tonight that plays good defense.  Bulldogs holding opponents to a 38.6 percent field goal percentage, on pace to be the best in program history (records kept back to 1959-1960).

19. Kentucky coach John Calipari: “I’d like to tell you that we’re still a pretty good road team. It’s just the last two road games, we’ve been abysmal.”

20. More than $13.6 million has been raised to replace Tad Smith Coliseum at Ole Miss.  Tad Pad opened in 1966, 11 of 13 other SEC teams have built new arenas since then.

21. Arkansas coach Mike Anderson still puzzled by the bitterness surrounding his departure at Missouri. ”I don’t know what the regrets would be about.”

Extras

22. With Georgetown’s loss last night, all four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament are up for grabs. Six ranked teams lost Wednesday night.

23. Who’s the player of the year in college basketball?  Vegas has some ideas. So does Mike DeCourcy.

24. A slimmed-down athletics board at Tennessee will cut the number of members from 41 to 18.

25. Long before the Manti Te’o incident, some colleges were giving their athletes social media training. Think before you accept that “friend” request.

26. Here’s how a recruiting text specialist might spend his day.

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel has found just how bright the spotlight on a returning Heisman Trophy-winner can be this offseason.  Everything from his ability to get sporting event tickets to his decision to take some online summer classes has come up for discussion in the national media.  His family’s lawsuit to protect his “Johnny Football” moniker was even briefly touted as the lawsuit that would bring down the NCAA (it’s not).

But through it all, Manziel insists he hasn’t changed.  In an interview with ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit, the Aggies’ star said this weekend that he still sees himself “as the person I was before” the Heisman and the headlines:

“If somebody wants to come up to me and freak out, I don’t get it.  I don’t understand it.  We did a lot of great things.  I’ve been blessed to have done the things I did individually.  For me, I don’t see it hat way.  I still see myself as young, the same guy I was before I ever won the Heisman.  Hopefully my friends still feel I’m the say way.  I just want people to know I’m still the same person I’ve always been.”

Manziel also said that he’s enjoying his time in College Station but if the NFL comes calling next offseason (after his redshirt sophomore season), “just like anybody else, the decision will have to be made.”

A&M’s coaching staff has made no secret about the fact that the Aggies need to be prepared for their all-everything QB to take his act to the next level.  But that shouldn’t prevent Texas A&M fans from enjoying at least one more season of Manziel’s exploits.  Forget the off-field stuff.  So long as Johnny Football hasn’t changed his game on the field, Aggie fans will be happy.

SEC Coaching News

1. What’s the tab at Tennessee for firing Derek Dooley and staff?  About $7.5 million.

2. The timing was strange and the money is reportedly not much better.  So why did Tim Brewster leave Mississippi State for Florida State?

3. New Florida defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin is getting a $150,000 raise and a contract extension. Durkin, who coached linebackers at special teams for the Gators, replaced Dan Quinn who left for the Seattle Seahawks.

4. Joker Phillips will make $265,000 annually over the next two years as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida while Brad Lawing’s deal with the Gators is worth $1.3 million over the next three years.

5. Alabama made it official on Friday.  Billy Napier will replace Mike Groh as Alabama’s receivers coach.

6. Former Auburn assistant Jay Boulware has landed at Oklahoma.  He was the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator under Gene Chizik.

SEC Football

7. Backup defensive tackle Devaunte Siglar is no longer an Auburn Tiger. Coach Gus Malzahn dismissed Siglar from the team for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

8. New Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson has the Tigers focused on better tackling:  ”When they overrun or they take a lazy angle or something, that’s when they get in trouble.”

9. As Texas A&M begins spring drills today, coach Kevin Sumlin says Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel has room to improve his game. “He can help his footwork, his mechanics, his thought process and overall knowledge of the offense.”

10. Aggies switching linebacker Nate Askew to receiver for his senior season. Sumlin: “It’s an experiment, and we’re looking to get our best athletes on the field.”

11. Spring practice starting at Georgia.  For the first spring since 1997, Rodney Garner won’t be coaching defensive linemen.

12. Florida will open two spring practices to the public later this month. Gators begin spring practice on March 13.

SEC Basketball

13. X-factors today in the Alabama-Florida showdown? Will Yeguete and Andrew Steele.

14. Florida has more Final Four berths (four) than outright SEC titles (three).

15. Kentucky’s Archie Goodwin returns home to Arkansas today. Coach John Calipari: “It’s going to be a hard deal for him, but I think he’ll be fine.”

16. Arkansas is currently 7-0 in SEC play at home.  Razorbacks haven’t had a perfect SEC slate since 1997-1998.

17. South Carolina coach Frank Martin: “Good teams talk. They never shut up.”

18. Is Missouri guard Keion Bell an All-SEC candidate?

19. Tennessee guard Trae Golden is avering 18.7 points per game during the team’s six-game winning streak.

20. Coming off a career-high 26 points, LSU guard Charles Carmouche is playing some of the best basketball of his career. Johnny Jones: “When he’s at his best or doing the things that he can do best, we have a much better chance of succeeding as well.”

Extras

21. The New York Times profiles former Tennessee assistant coach Steve Forbes – 57-4 in two seasons at Northwest Florida State. Bruce Pearl: “ Steve put us in a position to land some of the country’s best players.”

22. The president of Football Bowl Subdivision faculty athletics representatives supports the idea of college players profiting from their name and likeness: “I think it’s worth looking at seriously instead of worrying the house will fall down.”