Pity John L. Smith.  He took over a program with dreams of beating Alabama and LSU… though said program has no defense to call its own.  He caught a bad break when his starting quarterback was lost for a game-and-a-half to a concussion.  He’s had his bankruptcy turned into a national story.  Last week, his brother died and on the same day got shredded for making a bizarre request that media members smile at a press conference.

Now he’s slipped up and called the state of “Arkansas” the state of “Alabama” in front of a Little Rock booster group and the whole world is laughing and pointing fingers again.

“Don’t give up on us,” Smith told the crowd.  “It’s our program, it’s a state of Alabama program.  It’s not one individual’s program.”

Ouch.

Making matters worse, Smith was asked if he could see Bobby Petrino coaching at Kentucky or Auburn next year and he said the following:

“Kentucky or Auburn.  I don’t know that Kentucky might be in there.  Auburn probably is a better guess if I were to guess, to be perfectly honest with you.”

Gotta wonder what Gene Chizik will think about that.

I guess I’m the only bleeding heart left in the world, but I feel sorry for Smith.  So could someone at Arkansas just cancel Smith’s future speaking engagements?  Please?

At last week’s SEC Spring Meetings, Arkansas and Texas A&M worked together to push through a new piece of legislation.  With those schools planning to take their football series back to Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas in a couple of years, they wanted the designated “home” team each year to be able to bring recruits to the game.  (Arkansas also plays game in Little Rock, as well.)  The SEC agreed to the schools’ proposal.

But this week, Florida and Georgia officials announced that they had agreed not to bring recruits to their annual neutral site tilt in Jacksonville.  That left more than a few fans of both schools bewildered and/or ticked as hell.

Yesterday, UGA AD Greg McGarity explained the decision to The Macon Telegraph:

“Here’s the thing, and it’s probably educating the general public: The only thing we could do down there (in Jacksonville) is provide (a recruit) and two friends (or) family members tickets to the game. My coaches can’t interact, support staff can’t.  Once we’re off campus, we can have no contact with those unofficial recruits.  So they are there getting a ticket from our operations staff or our compliance staff and going in the stadium.

“As opposed to an official or unofficial visit on campus, we’re able to entertain them, show them around the campus, we’re able to give them access to the field, to the locker room, all these things…

There’s just so many factors involved that it’s just not worth your bang for your buck there.”

But there is enough bang for the buck for Arkansas and Texas A&M to do it in Arlington?  That’s the question a lot of Dawg and Gator fans will be asking now.

On a sidenote, McGarity also revealed that the UGA board is expected to approve Mark Richt’s new contract extension tomorrow.

1.  Virginia officially welcomed ex-Alabama quarterback Phillip Sims into its fold yesterday.  (No word on whether he’ll try to get an NCAA hardship waiver.)

2.  Receiver Quinta Funderburk is also reportedly headed to UVA after being granted a release from Arkansas.

3.  The Razorback players who passed on early NFL entry say they have no regrets.

4.  While this year’s LSU-Arkansas game is back on the Friday after Thanksgiving, it will shift from Little Rock to Fayetteville for the first time in nearly two decades.

5.  Here’s a quickie, post-spring look at Mississippi State’s pass-catchers.

6.  Rick Ray is set to make a million bucks a year at MSU and his assistants will makes $155,000 apiece.

7.  The Texas A&M board or regents will consider simply buying out the rest of AD Bill Byrne’s contract when they meet today and tomorrow.  (We told you two weeks ago that we didn’t see anyway he’d “transition” into any new role other than that of a non-A&M employee.)

8.  Kevin Sumlin says Aggie running back Ben Malena “is one of the guys we can count on.”

9.  After a mediocre first season in Gainesville, Will Muschamp is still popular among many Florida fans.  (It says something about our microwave insta-culture that this fact actually needs to be made.)

10.  One of most powerful, most outspoken, and most influential presidents in the NCAA — Georgia’s Michael Adams — has announced that he will retire next June after 16 years on the job…

11.  But what will athletics legacy be for the man who forced out Jim Donnan and Vince Dooley, who hired Mark Richt and Jim Harrick, and who long ago for a college football playoff system?  Adams has been a controversial figure to say the least.

12.  Another day, another possible transfer into Kentucky’s transient, yet uber-succesful basketball program.

13.  Ex-Cat Anthony Davis could find himself on the US Olympic Team this summer.

14.  South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney hopes to get his off-field act together in the coming months.

15.  Vanderbilt hoops assistant Dan Muller is expected to interview for the head coaching job at Illinois State, his alma mater.  (Muller was briefly mentioned in connection with the Mississippi State job this offseason.)

16.  Missouri might need to start finding a few more pro-caliber offensive lineman as the school enters the SEC.

17.  The healing process from shoulder surgery has been “so far, so good” for Mizzou quarterback James Franklin.  (But sadly things don’t look so good for running back Henry Josey.)

18.  This writer has LSU #1 and Alabama #3 in his post-spring rankings.

The University of Arkansas is spending $40 million on a brand new football complex in Fayetteville.  The school is also planning to expand Razorback Stadium. 

People in Little Rock are paying attention.

Afraid they might lose the two games played annually by the Razorbacks at War Memorial Stadium, there’s now discussion to upgrade and expand the 63-year-old venue.  The school and the War Memorial Stadium Commission currently have a deal that runs through 2016.

Arkansas is the only school at the FBS level that plays multiple “home” games away from its campus each season.  As Bobby Petrino has improved the Razorback program, ticket demands have gone up.  And Razorback Stadium can seat about 22,000 more Hog fans than War Memorial Stadium.  For that reason, there’s already speculation that the season finale between Arkansas and LSU could be moved to Fayetteville this fall.

Obviously the folks in Little Rock can see the writing on the wall.

1.  Alabama’s Nick Saban wants BCS voters to be fair when picking the two best teams in the country.  (Sidenote: Even Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy said he’d have a hard time voting his Cowboys ahead of Bama.)

2.  Auburn went to 4-0 last night, but Tony Barbee says he’s “not enjoying coaching their group right now.”

3.  The University of Arkansas football team said their goodbyes as former teammate Garrett Uekman was laid to rest yesterday in Little Rock.

4.  Les Miles believes safety Eric Reid will be ready to play when LSU faces Georgia on Saturday.

5.  Gunter Brewer is Ole Miss’ one-man recruiting staff at the moment.

6.  Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox says he plans “on coming back” for his senior season.

7.  Florida’s Billy Donovan locked up his 400th career victory last night.

8.  Georgia’s assistants will be receiving bonuses for winning the SEC East… just weeks after an 0-2 start had folks thinking they’d be receiving pink slips instead.

9.  John Calipari says Kentucky’s #1 ranking just puts a bigger target on the Wildcats’ backs.

10.  Receiver Alshon Jeffery and guard Terrence Campbell both broke bones on Saturday, but they’re expected to be A-OK by the time South Carolina goes bowling.

11.  This writer says Tennessee has become a bottom-tier SEC football program.

12.  A Vanderbilt transfer led his new team — #11 Xavier — to an overtime win at #20 Vandy last night.

The up-and-down career of Marshawn Powell is down again thanks to a knee injury that will serve as big blow to Mike Anderson’s first Arkansas basketball team.

Powell — the Razorbacks’ leading scorer — is out for the season with torn ligaments in his knee.  The injury occurred during practice on Thursday.  The Hogs are left with just nine scholarship players on their roster, just four in the frontcourt.

“This is a big blow to Marshawn and our basketball team,” Anderson said in a press release.  “He has been working hard on and off the court this year and was in the best shape of his career.  This is definitely a setback, but I told him that sometimes you have to have setbacks in order to have a great comeback.  He is in good spirits and looking forward to helping this team in any way that he can.”

Powell had averaged 19.5 points and 6 rebounds in Arkansas’ first two games.  Without the preseason All-SEC forward, the Hogs lost in Little Rock to Houston, 87-78.

The Arkansas football family is mourning today the death of 19-year-old freshman tight end Garrett Uekman.  Uekman was found “unconscious and unresponsive” yesterday morning in his dorm room.  The cause of death is not known and the body will be sent to the Arkansas state medical examiner for autopsy.

Bobby Petrino released the following statement to the press yesterday:


“Garrett Uekman was a special member of our family, and we are all saddened by his passing.  His loss is a terrible shock, and it makes you realize how precious life is.  Garrett was a great teammate and loved being a Razorback.  My sympathies are with his entire family during this incredibly trying time, and I share in their grief.

Our team will honor and show our respect to Garrett.”


He also spoke of Uekman while fighting back tears to read another short statement:


“Garrett was a special member of our family.  The team and I were shocked today when we learned of his tragic passing.  The entire football program is grieving his loss. 

Last night he was very proud of the win in Little Rock, which came on the same field that he played his high school football on.  He truly loved being a Razorback and was loved by his teammates.

I am proud of the way he represented our program.  He did everything right and had one of our high GPAs on the football team.  There was nothing Garrett loved more than competing.”



Arkansas AD Jeff Long released this statement:


“Garrett’s loss is a terrible shock for the University of Arkansas and the Rezorback program.  Our sincere condolences got out to his family and to all of those who knew him.  He will be missed by many friends, teammates and others throughout campus.  The well-being of our student-athletes is at the very core of our mission and when a tragedy like this happens it is a tremendous loss to the entire campus community.  We will work with various campus services to provide support for the Uekman family, our student-athletes, coaches and staff during this difficult time.”


Uekman played in nine games for Arkansas this season.  He played on Saturday against Mississippi State in his hometown of Little Rock.

The UA team was told of their teammate’s death in a team meeting yesterday afternoon.

From a football perspective — which is admittedly much less important than a player’s life — the Razorbacks will have to regroup quickly for Friday’s showdown with LSU.  Uekman’s death came on the same day that Arkansas learned it had moved to #3 in the BCS standings. 
 
Along with Mississippi State’s Nick Bell and Alabama’s Aaron Douglas, Uekman is the third SEC football player to pass away since last fall.  (If we’ve missed someone else, we apologize in advance.)

Center Willie Cauley from Olathe (Kan.) Northwest High School has committed to Kentucky, according to Rivals.com.

Cauley have his commitment to Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari on Sunday night, according to Eric Bossi of Rivals.

Cauley, who’s ranked the No. 6 center in the nation by Rivals, is the second player to commit to Kentucky for the class of 2012. Cauley joins Little Rock, Ark., guard Archie Goodwin, who’s considered the nation’s No. 2 shooting guard by Rivals.

At least one person believes highly-touted basketball prospect Alex Poythress will attend Kentucky.

The forward from Northeast High School in Clarksville, Tenn., is considering Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt and Memphis.

And Keith Easterwood, who John Clay of the Lexington Herald-Leader writes is a “noted AAU insider,” believes Poythress will choose the Wildcats. That’s what Easterwood told Gary Parrish on his radio show in Memphis.

“He’s going to Kentucky,” Easterwood told Parrish.

Poythress would be a big get for Kentucky. Rivals.com ranks him the nation’s eighth-best power forward and No. 19 prospect overall for the class of 2012.

He’s expected to attend Kentucky’s Big Blue Madness on Oct. 14, according to the Herald-Leader.

“Kentucky is a good school,” Poythress told FiveStarBasketball.com this week. “Coach Cal (John Calipari) is a good coach. He’s a pretty good guy. He knows what he’s talking about. He’s been around basketball a long time.”

Kentucky has one commitment for 2012 – guard Archie Goodwin, who’s a five-star prospect from Little Rock, Ark.

John Pelphrey put it together.  New coach Mike Anderson held it together.  But now Arkansas’ top 10 signing class might take a hit due to academics. 

It seems signee Aaron Ross — a top 100 prospect from Little Rock – was not able to take a specialized ACT last weekend.  Ross has a learning disability and was hoping to take an untimed, verbal exam, according to Matt Jones of The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.  But paperwork which would allow him to take that test was not turned in on time.

As a result, Ross will probably have to head to the juco or prep school route if he eventually wants to suit up for the Razorbacks.

Ah, but there’s another side to this story.  Ross says that taking the untimed test “wasn’t the plan.”  Even so, according to The Arkansas News Bureau, “Ross did confirm he took another timed ACT last Saturday and was waiting for results.”

“I’m not worried about that,” Ross stated.  “I will be there as soon as I get all of this situated.”

Uh, yeah.

If Ross isn’t cleared, UA will have only 11 scholarship players on its roster next season.  If that’s the case, expect Arkansas to take its recently handed-down APR penalty next season, as well.