SEC Headlines 3/7/2013

 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.