When you see that Matt Jones of KentuckySportsRadio.com has reported that Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops has been hired by Kentucky, well, you probably think that’s about as official as you can get.

But KentuckySportsRadio.com isn’t actually connected to the University of Kentucky and it’s not the school’s official radio network.  It’s a pro-Wildcat website run by UK backers.  (It’s also a very entertaining site, if you ask me.)

That said, WLEX-TV in Lexington is also reporting that Stoops has been tabbed as the man to lead the Cats.  But the station is sourcing KentuckySportsRadio.com’s report.

This doesn’t mean that the KSR report is incorrect.  But just be clear that it’s a report, not an official announcement from the University of Kentucky.

Not yet anyway.

UPDATE — The Orlando Sentinel reports that “Stoops is on Florida State’s campus and is expected to attend practice that beings around 3:15″ this afternoon.  Stay tuned.

LATEST UPDATE — CBSSports.com’s Bruce Feldman has confirmed through a source that Stoops will indeed be hired by UK.  (Kudos to KSR and fellow Middlesboro-native, Matt Jones.)

Official release from UK.

1. Surgery went well for Florida running back commit Matt Jones.

2. Alabama and Auburn are in the final six for defensive back T.J. Davis.

3. The nation’s top running back has scheduled an official visit to Georgia.

4. Will Georgia’s 2013 commit commit Derrick Henry still consider Florida?

5. ESPN’s Jamie Newberg looks at unofficial visits and how they affect recruiting.

6. Mr. Newberg takes a look at recruiting in the SEC West for 2012.

7. One of the top prospects in Florida is ineligible to play football this fall.

8. The Knoxville News Sentinel’s John Adams looks at how expansion could affect SEC recruiting.

Quick, who is the SEC’s leading returning rusher from a year ago?  It’s not Marcus Lattimore.  It’s not Mike Dyer.  It’s Knile Davis of Arkansas.

And unfortunately he went down with a leg injury during a scrimmage yesterday.

Davis — a major weapon in Bobby Petrino’s arsenal — was injured during the first series of the Razorbacks first preseason scrimmage.  Matt Jones of The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette writes:


“Davis, a junior captain, appeared to injure his ankle or leg on the play and remained on the field for several minutes while being tended to by team trainers.  He was eventually helped off the field and carted into the Broyles Center, where the team’s locker and training rooms are located.”


Coaches would not answer questions about the injury last night.  While coaches refused to provide details, Robbie Neiswanger of The Arkansas News Bureau writes this morning that “the sound of Davis’ scream and some reaction from teammates (on Twitter) has made it pretty clear the SEC’s leading returning rusher isn’t going to be around to help after suffering what appeared to be another severe ankle injury.”

Davis has broken his right ankle twice — once in high school and once as a freshman.  This injury was to his left ankle.

Dennis Johnson and/or Ronnie Wingo will now be expected to pick up the slack with Davis likely gone for most or all of the season.  That could be especially tricky when it comes to new quarterback Tyler Wilson.  Breaking in a new starting signal-caller, Petrino was probably going to lean quite heavily on Davis early in the season.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that he’ll be able to do so now.


UPDATE — KFSM-TV in Fayetteville is reporting that Davis will miss the entire 2011 season.  From what we’re hearing, the runner might have suffered a compound fracture of his left ankle.

1. Florida landed five-star prospect D.J. Humphries on Friday. The Gators are going after more of them.

2. Florida’s top running back prospect in 2013: the son of a former NFL pro bowler.

3. Tight end Kent Taylor visited three SEC schools last week.

4. Bryan Fischer of CBS Sports ranks the SEC classes as they stand today.

5. Mr. Fischer provides some details on where the SEC stands less than six months to go until signing day.

6. The SEC has eight schools ranked in ESPN’s top 25 for 2012.

7. Athlete Mike Hilton from Tyrone, Ga., chose Ole Miss over offers from other SEC schools.

8. Florida RB commit Matt Jones is recovering from a knee injury.

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.

It’s a rarity in this day and age for a football program’s entire coaching staff to remain together for more than a season or two.  But Arkansas is one of the lucky ones that avoided turnover this offseason.  And Bobby Petrino’s very happy about it.

“I think it was critical to be able to keep our coaching staff intact this year,” the Hogs’ head coach told Matt Jones of The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.  “We had a lot of changes last year and with the loss of some of the seniors and their experience, to have some of the continuity of the techniques that we teach and the language we talk, we’ll be a step ahead of where we were last year when we started spring football.”

Not surprisingly, the Razorback Athletic Department forked over pay raises to all of Petrino’s assistants in order to keep them in Fayetteville.

“It’s certainly a credit to (AD) Jeff Long and our chancellor in showing their commitment to our football team to keep our assistant coaches intact, but also to our assistant coaches, who love living in Northwest Arkansas.  They understand the uniqueness of the fans, and the passion of the fans.”

True.  But winning games and pocketing more money didn’t hurt either.

Before Ryan Mallett hit the field at Arkansas’ Pro Day yesterday, his coach opened up about his former quarterback with NFL scouts.

“I brought them in and talked to them all,” Bobby Petrino said.  “I told them, ‘Here’s Ryan Mallett, one of the hardest working players I’ve ever coached.  He’s more dedicated and spends more time in the meeting rooms, studying film on his own and completely understanding our playbook and understanding what the other side of the ball is going to do.’

“I addressed the rumor out there that this guy points fingers and isn’t a great leader.  The first thing I told them was, ‘Points fingers?  We moved the the ball up and down the field, and got in the end zone all the time.  There weren’t a lot of fingers to be pointed.’  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Ryan is one of the greatest encouragers and leaders I’ve ever been around.

“Rumors are just part of football.  You can’t stop them.  Blame it on Al Gore.  He created the internet, right?”

Matt Jones of The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has more on Petrino’s talk here. 

Running back Matt Jones from Seffner (Fla.) Armwood High School has committed to Florida.

“I grew up a Georgia fan and they were the top, but Florida just took over,” Jones said, according to the Orlando Sentinel. “I just like Coach (Will) Muschamp. He’s a great guy and so is Charlie Weis. They walked me through everything, me and my mom, and it was all great.”

Jones said he was also told he’s Florida No. 1 target at running for 2012. Jones, who stands 6-feet-2 and 200 pounds, said the Gators are also looking for a speedy runner who can also line up in the slot receiver position.

Jones made his commitment to Florida after visiting Gainesville last weekend.

“I was real happy, just so excited,” he said. “I knew I was going to commit when I got there. They were all jacked up … after I told them.”

Jones is Florida’s third commitment for the class of 2012.

If you read this site with regularity, you know that we believe fans have the ultimate control over coaches’ fates.  If fans by tickets for a losing program, a coach with a bad record can survive.  If fans stop supporting a winning program, a coach with a good record can get the boot.  Just ask ACC Coach of the Year Ralph Friedgen who was shown the door at Maryland this year.

Well the fans are weighing in on John Pelphrey’s situation at Arkansas and the results aren’t good for the Razorbacks’ coach.  Fans aren’t buying tickets to games.  Fans aren’t coming to games.  The once raucus Bud Walton Arena is now running at about 60% capacity and that’s the “tickets sold” count. 

Matt Jones of The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette believes the Razorbacks will lose as much as $2 million this season due to unsold seats.  Now toss in the losses brought on by unsold luxury suites, concessions, memorabilia, and even parking spots.

Those are the kinds of numbers that can make an AD who is supportive of his coach… fire his coach.  In the end, Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long is running a business.  As much as he wants Pelphrey to get the chance to coach his incoming, highly-ranked recruiting class, he might still be forced to make a move on UA’s basketball coach for financial reasons.

In the end, the fans always control the show with their wallets.  For that reason, Pelphrey had better end the Hogs’ current three-game losing streak and close out the season on a good note.

Time and money are running out.

Content provided by The Slophouse.

SPRINGDALE – Fayetteville quarterback and Arkansas commit Brandon Allen won the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club Player of the Year award on Wednesday.

Allen beat out fellow finalists Shiloh Christian quarterback Kiehl Frazier and Springdale Har-Ber offensive tackle Brey Cook. It was the inaugural player of the year award given by the club, which is also in its first year.

“It’s just an honor,” Allen said. “To be in the running with guys like Kiehl Frazier and Brey Cook – those are some big names right there with a lot of scholarship offers. Those are probably the two biggest names in our class, so it’s a huge honor to be here with them.”

The trio headlined the state’s talented senior class all season and have more than 40 combined scholarship offers. Allen and Cook are verbally committed to Arkansas, while Frazier committed to Auburn earlier this year. Cook, a Scout.com 5-star prospect, will begin classes at the UA in January.

Allen became the first player from the state’s largest classification to pass for more than 10,000 yards in a career. The senior quarterbacked the Bulldogs to a Class 7A runner-up finish by passing for 3,419 yards and 38 touchdowns, and no interceptions in the regular season.

“That was our goal all year was to get to the state game,” Allen said. “To get there and come up short was heart-breaking, but we accomplished a lot this year.”

Allen was a unanimous selection for the award, which was presented by ARpreps.com.

Former Arkansas coach Danny Ford was the keynote speaker at the club’s final meet this year. For more on what Ford had to say, read Clay Henry’s State of the Hogs: Ford Unchanged.

For more visit WholeHogSports.com. You can follow Matt Jones on Twitter @NWAMatt.