The NCAA is getting tougher on crime.  College sports’ governing body is now threatening to hand out suspensions to coaches over recruiting violations that have to date been secondary violations in nature.

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo had to sit out a game in December over a person that was hired to work at an MSU basketball camp.  Now Houston Nutt has been served with a warning.

Last September, Ole Miss sent written scholarship offers to seven high school juniors.  That’s a no-no.  The Rebel athletic department discovered and reported the matter to the NCAA.  The NCAA accepted UM’s self-imposed penalties.

But as Kyle Veazey of The Jackson Clarion-Ledger points out, the NCAA sent a warning to the school as well.


“… please note that future similar violations may result in more significant penalties, including suspension of coaching-related activities for one or more contests.”


Nutt doesn’t sound worried as he told The JCL that the violation was inadvertent.  “I think the NCAA knows where our heart was and where our mind was on this thing, and I feel good about what was said.”

“I’m on the rules committee, and I understand where we’re going with secondary violations and I agree 100 percent,” Nutt added.  “The coaches that are trying to get an advantage by doing secondary violations, they’re going to be punished.  There’s no question about it, and that’s the way it should be.”

(Click the headline for a closer look at the photo.)

Bowl records can be deceiving.  Let’s start right there.

Is it fair to say that Conference-USA is stronger than the SEC because the champion of one league inched by the 9th-slotted team from the other?  No.

Is it fair to say that the Pac-10 is better than the Big 12 simply because Washington topped Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl… when Nebraska crushed the Huskies in Seattle earlier in the season?  No.

Long layoffs have an impact.  Bowl pairings (SEC #5 vs ACC #2, for example) have an impact.  And motivation has a huge impact. 

But when two leagues go head-to-head in three New Year’s Day bowl games that are paired evenly, well, that’s a different story.

As you know by now, the SEC ran roughshod over the Leaders and Legends of the Big Ten on New Year’s Day:


Alabama 49, Michigan State 7

Mississippi State 52, Michigan 14

Florida 37, Penn State 24


Brutal.  Even Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany admits as much.

“The SEC has demonstrated over a period of time that they’re the strongest conference,” he told SI.com.  “The rest of us are looking to close the gap, but we’ve still got a little ways to go. … We got beat pretty good by Alabama, but that’s not a shock.  The one thing I knew for sure was that Alabama was not the 15th-ranked team in the country.”

Delany also admits that tomorrow’s Sugar Bowl between Ohio State and Arkansas taken on added importance.

“It’s more important now than if we were 7-0 (in bowl games).”

For the record, the Big Ten went an embarrassing 0-for-5 in New Year’s Day action.

Alabama 49 – Michigan State 7

1. Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio: “Sometimes there’s an avalanche that comes upon you.”

2. Difference in total yardage - 546 to 171.

3. A different mindset for this team vs. the 2008 team that lost to Utah.

4. Jon Solomon: “Can’t think of a more impressive defensive performance against a highly-ranked team.”

5. Bill Bryant: “Michigan State is no Auburn, just like the Big Ten is no Southeastern Conference.”

6. Michigan State’s All-American linebacker didn’t make a difference against the Tide.

7. Greg McElroy goes out a winner.

8. We seem to get this story after every Bowl game.  Tide underclassmen not ready to discuss possible jump to the NFL. But it’s probably time for Mark Ingram to head to the pros.

Mississippi State 52 – Michigan 14

9. Gator Bowl record for points.

10. 42-0 over the last three quarters.

11. Vick Ballard sets a single season TD-rushing record for the Bulldogs.

12. Missippi State fans will savor this victory for awhile.

Florida 37 – Penn State 24

13. Urban Meyer wins his fifth bowl game in six tries at Florida.

14. Gene Frenette: “A nightmarish season ended in feel-good fashion Saturday.”

15. One last gift for  Meyer.

16. Pat Dooley: “It was the perfect ending.”

17. Meyer on Ahmed Black.  ”He’s the best safety in college football.”

18. Solomon Patton plays field general for the Gators.

19. Out with the old – in with the new.  Charlie Weis and Aubrey Hill headed to Florida as assistant coaches. The view from Kansas City.

20. What was the Penn State mascot up to?

21. Just a horrible day for the Big Ten.

1.  Auburn defensive coordinator Ted Roof sees similarities between Oregon’s offense and the Tigers’ offense.  “… They score a lot of points and they go up and down the field real fast.”

2.  Defensive tackle Zach Clayton didn’t get a lot of pub… and he’s fine with that.

3.  These beatwriters believe Oregon’s offensive line gets the edge over Auburn’s defensive line.

4.  Nick Saban moved yesterday’s practice indoors due to high winds.

5.  Receiver Julio Jones is still weighing his NFL options.

6.  On Saturday he’ll test an eager Michigan State secondary in the Capital One Bowl.

7.  Alabama’s basketball team will host Pepperdine tonight.

8.  Arkansas is getting ready for its biggest bowl game since 1989.

9.  John Pelphrey says Marshawn Powell escaped a car accident on Christmas Day without injury.

10.  Meanwhile, forward Michael Sanchez is expected to return from a foot injury for the Hogs’ SEC schedule.

11.  Forward Malcolm White came off the bench (for a change) to lead the Tigers to victory.

12.  The LSU basketball team pulled away from Southern U. 62-41 last night after another slow start.

13.  Job One for Ole Miss?  Find a quarterback for 2011.

14.  The Rebels did get some good news with tailback Brandon Bolden’s decision to return for his senior season.

15.  Cool the basketball arena talk… UM AD Pete Boone tells this writer that Tad Smith Coliseum won’t be replaced for five or six years.

16.  The Rebels’ weak schedule could come back to bite them come tournament time.

17.  Dan Mullen needs to continue to improve Mississippi State’s offense.

18.  Mullen said his team looked rusty in its first Florida practice for the Gator Bowl.

19.  Surprisingly, a few tickets still remain from MSU’s original allotment.

20.  This writer says, “It appears the (Renardo) Sidney experiment — a calculated risk to begin with — has failed.”

1. Renardo Sidney and Elgin Bailey suspended indefinitely by Mississippi State.

2. Tough couple of weeks for LSU sports.

3. Alabama will get $4.6 million from the Capital One Bowl – where does it all go?

4. A sophomore walk-on is the top scorer on the Alabama football team.

5. Michigan State linebacker Greg Jones’ last challenge before an NFL career is the Alabama offense.

6. The AD saga at Georgia was this writer’s top story of the year.

7. Bruce Pearl’s challenge to his basketball team: “Do you want to act like the team that was picked fourth in the [SEC] East? Because teams that get picked fourth in the East don’t go to the NCAA tournament. They don’t.”

8. How John Calipari learned that charity begins at home.

9. With a win over St. Louis, Ole Miss finishes third in the Cancun Governor’s Cup.

10. LSU’s Patrick Peterson is the state of Louisiana’s defensive player of the year.

1.  Another Southern voter explains his decision to back Cam Newton.

2.  Former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer praises Urban Meyer for having the “courage” to walk away from coaching.  (No puns or sarcasm, just a nice comment from one of Meyer’s old victims.)

3.  The UT basketball team will need to upset #3 Pittsburgh to become Bruce Pearl’s first 7-0 squad in Knoxville.

4.  Vandy is working to hire Gus Malzahn with James Franklin waiting in the wings, but Greg Roman and Don Treadwell are still in the picture should Malzahn say no and Maryland fight to keep Franklin.

5.  Alabama and Michigan State are seeking a happy ending.  (Aren’t we all?)

6.  Nick Saban continues to say great things about his “good friend” Meyer.

7.  Anthony Grant says that JaMychal Green — fresh off a three-game suspension — will eventually have a chance to rejoin the starting lineup.

8.  Cecil Newton announced yesterday that he’ll skip the Heisman presentation.

9.  Cam — spawn of Cecil — will be in New York tomorrow.

10.  This writer says not enough folks are kissing Gene Chizik’s ring.

11.  This writer expects the Florida vacancy to be filled shortly.

12.  Pitt’s Dave Wannstedt will reportedly coach in the BBVA Compass Bowl against Kentucky… giving his team some extra motivation.  (Meanwhile, UK’s quarterback has been arrested.  Things are starting to lean toward the Panthers, no?)

1. The SEC has announced its all-freshman team.

2.  Ticket sales are brisk for the Capital One Bowl between Alabama and Michigan State.

3.  JaMychal Green has been reinstated to Bama’s basketball team.

4.  Auburn’s Nick Fairley has won the Lombardi Award.  (Reportedly he gave the presenter a late hit as he picked it up.)

5.  Cam Newton has gone from off-the-beaten-path juco player to superstar.

6.  Wanna bet on who replaces Urban Meyer?  Dan Mullen’s the favorite.

7.  Don’t expect Meyer to stay out of the game forever.

8.  Will Bobby Petrino be around when Arkansas builds its new football operations center (worth $25 to $34 million)?

9.  The Razorbacks moved to 6-1 with a 71-62 win over Seton Hall last night.

More to come…

Kemba Walker scored 29 points and Connecticut beat a Top 10 team for the second straight day, knocking off No. 8 Kentucky with an 84-67 rout to win the Maui Tournament on Wednesday night. Connecticut (5-0), the 2005 Maui champions, wore down second-ranked Michigan State in the semifinals and steamrolled the Wildcats with a massive run to close the first half. Alex Oriakhi had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and the Huskies shot 57 percent against one of the nation’s best teams to leave paradise with a big trophy and bigger expectations.
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Content provided by John Clay’s Sidelines.

(AP photo/Eugene Tanner)

Connecticut’s Kemba Walker has taken the Maui Invitational by storm, scoring a combined 61 points in wins over Wichita State and then No. 2 Michigan State.

Walker’s Huskies meet Kentucky in the Maui finals tonight at 10 on ESPN.

In the two games, Walker has made 18 of 35 shots from the floor, including five of 15 three-pointers. He has made 20 of 22 from the foul line. He scored 31 against Wichita, and 30 against the Spartans.

Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant:

Then Walker answered with his fadeaway and UConn had the lead for good. ”We had Kemba Walker,” Calhoun said. “And Tom didn’t.” And Walker had help. Giffey grabbed the rebound of Walker’s missed free throw seconds before Walker hit his decisive shot. Napier hit the three at the end of the half, was disruptive defensively and handled the ball, which freed Walker.

Chad Ford of espn.com writes:

After scoring 29 in the second half against a good Wichita State team on Monday, Walker has now scored 59 points in the past three halves. Remarkable. Walker scored from everywhere in this one. He hit four 3-pointers, drove to the basket at will and was relentless in pushing the ball on the break. Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo threw a number of different defenders at Walker. No one, but Walker himself, could slow him down.

Jason King of Yahoo Sports:

Connecticut guard Kemba Walker played the first two years of his college basketball career with a constant smirk. He demanded the ball, taunted his opponents and talked trash whether he was making shots or missing them. Finally, as a junior, Walker is backing it up. The 2010-11 season is only two weeks old, yet after only four games, Walker has become a national story.

Andy Katz of espn.com:

Kemba Walker wasn’t ready to assume the role a year ago. He didn’t want the job of leader. And he wasn’t asked to take it, either. But Connecticut could have used his personality on a team that never seemed to find its footing. The Huskies were erratic throughout the season, knocking off Texas, West Virginia and Villanova and yet stumbling to subpar teams like Michigan and Providence and never grasping the urgency of the moment. UConn’s season ended in the second round of the NIT.

Terrence Jones had 16 points and 17 rebounds, and Brandon Knight scored 24 points to help No. 8 Kentucky hold off No. 13 Washington 74-67 in the Maui Invitational semifinals Tuesday night. A 4.7 earthquake centered on the Big Island shook courtside tables and chairs with about 6 minutes left, but play continued and few people in the gym seemed to notice. They were too busy watching the back-and-forth action. Kentucky (4-0) had an abysmal night from 3-point range – 3-for-17 – but smothered Washington on the perimeter defensively and came up with all the big plays down the stretch. The Wildcats move on to the championship game against Connecticut, which knocked off No. 2 Michigan State in a rough-and-tumble first semifinal.
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