Friday Links: Tim Tebow Talks Georgia, Lions Pleased With Matthew Stafford

Tim Tebow says that after the Bulldogs danced in Florida's endzone in 2008, the Gators spent 365 days plotting their revenge.

The Lions may not be able to talk to their franchise quarterback, Matthew Stafford, but they did like what they heard about his performance at Georgia's spring game, where he threw for charity—completing a 50-yard bomb to a fan and looking crisp in the tire drill.

After Brad Biggs wrote the story regarding Mallett, NFL analyst, Todd McShay, stated that none of the NFL teams he's spoken to are worried about what Mallett did while at Arkansas because they feel pretty certain he isn't doing it now. 

Nick Saban clarifies his statements regarding Cam Newton and Auburn—come on Nick, stick to your guns, dude.

Speaking of Saban, doesn't he know two quarterback systems rarely work?

Arkansas fans thank Bobby Petrino for making the Hogs relevant in 2010.

Steve Spurrier is already leaving the door open to bring back embattled QB, Stephen Garcia—surprise, surprise.

Related articles

• Lions say Matthew Stafford's rehab is going well (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Detroit Lions: Reports on Matthew Stafford's recovery look good (sports.espn.go.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: Well, That Didn't Take Long...

It seems to me that every off-season, Georgia fans have to endure the "Will Rodney Garner stay or go" conversation. It's happened, ad nauseum, for the last five seasons—forgive me if I've lost count—and this off-season doesn't look like it will be any different. Once again, Garner's name is cropping up for consideration at another SEC school.

According to this report, the Auburn Tigers might come calling again now that their defensive line coach—Tracy Rocker—has bolted for the NFL, and Gene Chizik's first option, Clint Hurtt of Louisville, has decided to stay with his current employer. 

In case you didn't know, Garner is an Auburn alum and the prospect of him returning to coach at his alma mater seems like a scenario worth getting concerned about...that is, if you're inclined to care any more.

Why the big stink? Well, Garner is also Georgia's current recruiting coordinator and that, as much as anything, is the reason his name continues to be floated about for coaching positions. And, if you listen to rumors, it's also the reason why coach Richt has been so adamant about Garner remaining on his staff.

When Richt cleaned defensive house at the end of the 2009 season, Garner wasn't under any real threat of receiving his walking papers—despite the fact the the defensive line (the unit Garner is responsible for coaching) was every bit as underwhelming as the rest of the defense.

Smart money says that Garner stays at Georgia for the same reason Hurtt opted to stay at Louisville—he's already got a pretty good deal going—said Hurtt about why he opted against Auburn in favor of remaining at Louisville, "...I couldn’t say that Auburn had that much more to offer than what is already in place here." 


We'll see what happens, but I simply don't see Garner going anywhere—yet.

Related articles

• Louisville assistant Hurtt not going to Auburn (sportingnews.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: Fran Tarkenton Says It's A "Disturbing Time" At Georgia

Fran Tarkenton recently had plenty to say about the direction he feels his alma mater is headed under the guidance of head coach, Mark Richt, and it's clear that he's not impressed.

During a recent radio interview, Tarkenton unleashed hell on Richt and made it very clear that he thinks a change is overdue in Athens. The entirety of the interview can be heard here, but here are just a few of the highlights—with my commentary, of course.

When asked about his overall impression of the program, Tarkenton had this to say,

"We don’t want to look at the signs.  There are always signs out there that show us that we've got impending disaster, be it the financial crisis or the Georgia crisis or the Florida crisis or what.  We knew something before the Florida crisis didn’t we?  The guy, he had a meltdown.  His mojo was down and he recognized it, they recognized it and he got out.  They bring a great coach in Will Muschamp in, they bring in the top offensive coordinator in the world, Charlie Weis, and they are in the SEC, and here we are at Georgia. 

For the last three years our program has been god-awful.  Our schedule, we play two sisters of the poor every year.  We play Kentucky and Vanderbilt that aren’t true SEC teams and then we play Georgia Tech that is not going to have the talent we have.  That is five times we play every year that we are much better than our opponents—doesn’t mean we're gonna win em' all."

While it seems unfair to dismiss the evolution of Kentucky football, Tarkenton isn't saying anything that any other SEC fan wouldn't say—teams expect to beat Vanderbilt and Kentucky every year. Those are supposed to be wins, regardless to how hard either of those teams fight on the football field. Most years, Georgia should come out on top of that match-up. Yet, we have come to view those games as potential losses—is that okay?

Tarkenton also had this to say about Richt's statement that he was now "freed up" for giving more of his attention to the game of football,

"...What has he been doing for nine years? I have never heard of any college, high school, professional coach that ever said that I was not able to spend enough time on football.  I had other issues."

I must admit, I had a similar response. Although I was more focused on what that statement meant in regards to 2010. It's a valid question to ask and Tarkenton lays it on as to why he felt it was a poor choice of words coming from Richt,

"...it sounds like a cop-out!  It sounds like I'm not going to take responsibility.  I have other things.  We hire people to be football coaches.  We pay him and others millions of dollars to be football coaches not to be administrators.  He didn’t do a very good job there...Mark and everybody is a wonderful guy and he is a wonderful guy.  He is a good Christian guy.  He wants to be a missionary.  He goes on missions.  That is a wonderful thing but do you know the religion of Nick Saban?  Or Gus Malzahn?  Or Chip Kelly playing for the national championship?  I don’t think we care what their religion.  We hire them to be football coaches.  If we are hiring religious instructors, let’s go to the Campbell School of Theology over here in Decatur and get some of their people to come and coach our football team."

Ouch, Fran, tell us how you really feel.

Richt is both praised and persecuted for being the kind of coach who seems more passionate about spreading his beliefs than coaching his football players. How many times have you heard he's "too nice" to win a championship? Too soft? Too passive? Too...much not like Nick Saban or Urban Meyer?

It's a common refrain and the voices singing it have grown louder and louder over the last three-years.

To top it off, Tarkenton had this to say about Richt's inability to make changes in the strength program until now,

"...Every person, every scout, all of the combine people that train/workout all of these college athletes have told me for the last five or six years, the Georgia football players are not in anywhere near the condition that the rest of the players from all of the other schools, they didn’t say they ranked second or third, they say they ranked dead last.  Why couldn’t this coach recognize that before now?  Before disaster happens?"  

Again, good question. One that most attribute to loyalty and not ignorance. Either way, it's a problem that Richt has proven to have—in spades—and one that isn't likely to change in 2011.

It's probably safe to assume that we won't be seeing Tarkenton on the sidelines of a Georgia football game anytime soon, but you have to admit, his questions and statements have validity—even if they lack a bit of tact.

What say you?

Major Applewhite: "...I Love The City of Austin"

Now that the Florida Gators have, reportedly, found their man in Will Muschamp, new speculation has arisen as to who he might bring along with him.

Major Applewhite, the current University of Texas running backs coach, and former offensive coordinator of the Alabama Crimson Tide, is rumored to be tagging along to take over the OC duties at Florida.

However, the possibility of Applewhite leaving Austin seems unlikely given his ties to the program (he once played under coach Brown) and the city of Austin.

Applewhite has long been on-the record as a full-blown Texas guy. He loves the city of Austin and has stated his desire to remain there for as long as possible.

Last season, Gentry Estes of the Mobile-Press Register sat down to interview Applewhite during BCS National Championship week. He asked Applehwhite some very candid questions about his decision to vacate Nick Saban's staff after just one season, his connection to Alabama, and his hopes for the future.

Here are just a few quotes from that interview:

On leaving Alabama for Texas after just one season:

"...I understood why I wanted to go back to the University of Texas. I graduated there. My wife had graduated there. I'd spent seven years there as a student, player and grad assistant. I was familiar with every coach on the staff. I love the city of Austin. I liked my time in Tuscaloosa, but I love living in Austin, Texas. I was familiar with the administration. I knew the environment a lot more. It was a more comfortable environment. My wife and I were wanting to start a family. Look, people are going to talk. I played quarterback, and people talked back then. It really doesn't bother me. ... When I was at Syracuse, I thought about getting back to Texas. When I was at Rice, I thought about getting back to Texas. When I was at Alabama, I thought about getting back to Texas. I love the place. It's my home."

On why he didn't take the job at Houston (he was a candidate at one point but, reportedly, withdrew his name from consideration):

"Yes. I mean, I had an opportunity to go interview at Houston for a head job. It's amazing how the rumors can go a thousand different directions, but I was either going to take a job at Texas or I was going to stay at Alabama. It's that simple."

On his connection to Alabama:

"...Having been named after Major Ogilive, being an Alabama fan, you've got Coach Bryant's poster in your room, and you're wildly familiar with the expectations at Alabama. When I went to Texas from high school as a player, you notice those same things in a different part of the country. It's just a different state."

If a bet had to be made, one might place it on Applewhite staying put and taking advantage of the possibilities that a re-organizing of the staff could mean for him—possible move to QB coach? Too soon for an offensive coordinator's position?

Either way, there could be as many reasons for Applewhite to remain in the city he adores, at the school he loves, than there is for him to return to the SEC. Don't pencil him in just yet.

Georgia Bulldogs Recruting: Isaiah Crowell Now Rolling The Tides' Way

The one matter that, more than anything else, should concern a Georgia Bulldog fan who is watching a 1-4 team disintegrate before it's very eyes is, how the perception of a sinking ship will effect future boarders.

It was a mere six-months ago that the Georgia Bulldogs were rolling strong with their "Dream Team" efforts. Guys were pledging their allegiance to Georgia with little hesitation, most were chomping at the bit to not only get to Athens as soon as possible, but to get as many guys to roll with them as they possibly could.

Well, that good fortune could be going south now that there is so much uncertainty about the team, the coaches, and the program. No one wants to be made a mockery of, least of all a highly-touted prospect with more than his fair share of suitors.

Seriously, if a national champion is knocking at your door, why would you sign with a team that is, right now, just hoping to become bowl eligible?

The recent mishaps in the Georgia running game are part of the problem at Georgia and that strikes a nerve with the tried and true fan who grew up watching Herschel Walker, Rodney Hampton, and Garrison Hearst break records wearing the 'G' on their helmet.

The obvious cure for an ailing running game would be to bring in a stud in the 2011 class. A player who is a game-changer and a sure-fire star at the position. That guy for Georgia is supposed to be Isaiah Crowell of Carver High School and, up until Saturday, the Georgia Bulldogs were in a dead heat with Alabama for his services, now, the Alabama Crimson Tide are his team to beat.

According to Chip Towers of the AJC, Crowell has become a bit disenchanted with the Georgia Bulldogs, and is liking the idea of going to Tuscaloosa and playing for Nick Saban.

Said Crowell, when asked about his change of heart, "Well, they’re (Georgia) losing a lot of games and have a lot of people getting arrested...there’s just a lot of things going wrong. I do want to play right away but I also want to be where it’s disciplined (emphasis added) and they win championships."

Wow, he said a mouthful there, didn't he? Imagine that, a prospect not wanting to go where it suddenly appears the inmates are running the asylum. Ten arrests in a season will get you a bad reputation for being a little too lenient with your guys.

Sure, Crowell is just one guy. It's possible that the team can win out and get back on track again, but the voices of dissension grow louder every day and they can be tough to ignore—especially if you are a prospect looking for a place to call home for four-years of your life.  It's easy to overlook a poor record, or a bad year, but it's not easy to overlook a drastic coaching overhaul.

Look how many guys Georgia missed out on last season when Martinez and his staff were let go. These kids are building relationships with THIS coaching staff—that's relevant. Firing Richt, Grantham, and every other clipboard holding fellow on the Georgia coaching staff could kill the 2011 class and handicap Georgia for years. 

That said, if you think things are awful now, you have no idea how bad it could really get if the fire sale that so many are calling for actually does happen. How does that "Dream Team" look minus all those great prospects?

Does it look good to you?

As of now, Crowell is waivering and there is word that Watts Dantzler is taking a look at Auburn (his No. 2 choice) again as well. Add to that list, Nathan Theus, a Dawg Night committment—who else will follow?
 
Mark Richt is in the dog house with many right now, and that's fair. However, this is about more than 2010, it's about the future of the Georgia Bulldogs football program from 2011 forward and, you have to start asking yourself this simple question: If Mark Richt is fired, like so many want, what kind of a future will the Georgia Bulldogs truly have?

Of course there are those who will argue that a losing season will bring the same result anyhow so why bother worrying about that factor one way or the other?

Well, to that end, only this question can be asked, how much of a chance are you willing to take on that actually being true? 

Think about it.
 

Boise State Can't Catch A Break: Virginia Tech Loses to I-AA Opponent James Madison

On September 6th, the match-up between the Boise State Broncos and the Virginia Tech Hokies was being billed as one of the premier games of the season.

Both teams were ranked in the Top 10, Boise at No. 3, and Virginia Tech was considered be just the quality opponent Boise needed to spruce up its BCS resume.

The game ended with Boise victorious, and the media frenzy around their legitimacy began to kick into high gear. This game was supposed to be proof to the nation that Boise State was not just some small conference school from the WAC, but a legitimate player in the BCS—it proved, once and for all, that the Broncos were "for real".

Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the BCS party, that big win over Virginia Tech in week one started to accumulate question marks. As predicted, the requisite doubts about the quality of the Virginia Tech team Boise State played began to come into question.

Was Virginia Tech they really that good? Should they honestly have been ranked in the Top 10? The Hokies made a nice comeback, but their overall play wasn't really all that impressive—was it? Wasn't this just a case of the Broncos taking advantage of a team that should have been considered in rebuild mode?

If you are a Boise State fan, all of the above probably sounded like more excuses.  Just a few more justifications for why a BCS team didn't perform, and why Boise State will never be good enough to be considered a major player.

Heck, even Nick Saban (Alabama's head coach), went on his radio show to talk about how a team should be judged by their body of work, not just a couple big games here and there—tsk, tsk, tsk.

The debate rages on about Boise's legitimacy but one question has been answered in a fairly resounding way about the opponent they faced September 6th— in Virginia Tech—and that answer is they simply aren't very good.

As a follow-up to their last second loss to Boise in week one, the Hokies went out and laid an egg against James Madison—in Blacksburg! James Madison, in case you don't know, is a I-AA team. They play in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and they ended last season with a 6-5 record.

Virginia Tech scored 16-points against them on Saturday (wrap your head around that for a moment). Tyrod Taylor and company couldn't manage more than 16-points against a Division I-AA team, at home, just one week removed from playing one of the biggest games of the season—pathetic.

People can call it a letdown for a team that was still smarting over such a disappointing loss to Boise, on such a major stage.  Fine, we can buy that for a dollar and a nice pair of BCS boxers but, in the end, it's all BS because what viewers will see is an overrated Virginia Tech team that was prematurely billed as a quality opponent.

How will this affect the Boise State BCS train? Hard to say, but it doesn't look good right now.

Here's a look at the catastrophe that was Virginia Tech in week two—does this look like a Top 10 team to you?

Related articles by Zemanta

• Virginia Tech F**ks Things Up For Boise State (yougabsports.com)
• Boise State Loses Without Playing (thequad.blogs.nytimes.com)
• James Madison shocks No. 13 Virginia Tech 21-16 (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Steve Spurrier Advised Richt To Take UNC Job—The Lady's Friday Links (9/10)

Before Mark Richt was hired as the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, he was simply a Florida State assistant with an important career-decision to make. So, what did he do, he asked a fellow Florida native for his opinion—that fellow native's name was Steve Spurrier.

Spurrier, who was coaching the Florida Gators at the time, advised Richt to take the North Carolina job. Luckily, for Bulldog fans and Mark Richt, he decided to pass on Spurriers advice.

Speaking of Steve Spurrier, he's got problems of his own. The NCAA (an organization that has been busy spreading its goodwill this offseason) has alerted the South Carolina football program that it's next stop will be Columbia.

Auburn managed to hold off the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Thursday night as they escaped Starkville with a 17-14 win. That said, Cameron Newton has a ton of work to do in selling the play action—he's going to fool absolutely no one this season.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are, of course, the favorites to win the game over Penn State this weekend. Joe Paterno doesn't seem intimidated by the prospect of entering Tuscaloosa, with a true freshman quarterback, and an unproven set of linebackers. I guess he knows something that Nick Saban doesn't—*shrugs*.

Florida Gator center, Mike Pouncey, is doing all he can to fix his center-to-quarterback exchange issues—including asking the good Lord for help.

According to this article, 40 percent of the ten loudest college football stadiums reside in the Big Ten—30 percent are in the SEC (Florida's Ben Hill Griffin pops in at No. 1).

Former UNC Tarheel football player, Chris Hawkins, says he's "not an agent". Somehow I doubt the fans who cheer for the Georgia Bulldogs will give a damn.

Bill King echoes the sentiment of many when discussing the A.J. Green situation: A.J. was wrong, but the NCAA is being a bit too harsh.  

Another author who is critical of preseason polls and the unfair advantage they give to the big boys—preaching to the choir, my man.


As if the Oregon Ducks didn't look good enough last week—winning 72-0—now they get back their star running back to boot. LaMichael James is done serving his suspension and will be with the team on Saturday when they square off against the Vols in Knoxville.

Videos: Interesting commentary and plays from the last week

Dan Patrick does his Lou Holtz impersonation...pretty funny:



Lou Holtz does his Lou Holtz schtick—not nearly as entertaining. Dr. Lou?...More like, Dr. Poo.



The Tim Tebow love train rolls on:

College Football Preseason: Ten Big Questions for The Top Ten Teams

Phil Steele is a well-respected college football sportswriter and analyst. His college football preseason magazine is often one of the most highly-anticipated sports publications of the year. He's nothing if not thorough and he tends to be one of the more spot-on prognosticators in the industry.

That said, when he released his Top 25 in late May, quite a few people were interested in what he had to say. He drew both praise and disdain for going out on a limb to pick Oklahoma as his No. 1, but you had to respect his logic in doing so because, well...he's Phil Steele.

However, since that time, a lot has happened in the world of college football and that Top 10 that seemed to make sense in May isn't looking nearly as air-tight in August. This article is a brief, and I do mean brief, look at the potential weakness of each team Phil Steele listed in his Top 10.

I'll leave the further discussion of said "weaknesses" to you, the reader, because I consider us all to be savvy enough to make a quick, smart, and balanced analysis. Plus, it's always nice to see a different point of view.

As always, I ask that you be respectful of each other and allow for intelligent discussion—thanks in advance for the look. Much appreciated.

10. Oregon Ducks

The obvious place to begin would be at quarterback, right? After all the Ducks lost a possible Heisman contender in Jeremiah Masoli—leaving two inexperienced guys fighting for the right to lead the Ducks back to the promised land.

However, a closer look at the Ducks QB situation and you have to feel like either Nate Costa or Darron Thomas can come in and perform—Chip Kelly knows how to find a good quarterback. The Ducks should be fine at signal-caller as long as Costa can stay healthy and Thomas can stay poised.

So, if there is one weakness that can be found, it would have to be located on the defensive line where the Ducks lost stud defensive end, Will Tukuafu. Can the team repeat the success they had as a unit in 2010 minus one of their best leaders?

Tukuafu's loss isn't a deal breaker but it's definitely something to consider, especially where line chemistry is concerned—can the Ducks keep it together, stay healthy, and remain focused enough to carry their 2009 success into 2010?

9. Miami Hurricanes

 The Hurricanes come into 2010 with a lot of expectations. However, one look at their first road trip of the season—to Columbus to play Ohio State—and you have to wonder if those expectations shouldn't be tempered just a little bit.

The Canes' are loaded with talent, both in the secondary and on the defensive line—despite what their ACC sack totals will tell you—and I don't suspect they will have much of a problem finding a capable back for Jacory Harris to hand the ball off to.

That said, the fact that the offensive line lost two major cogs in Jason Fox (OT) and A.J. Trump (C) is a concern. Harris was already on the ground way too much last season and if fans are looking for him to take the next step in his development, it would help if he weren't running for his life.

Can the Canes' find capable replacements on the offensive line in time to make those title dreams come true in Miami?

8. USC

USC has been taken through the ringer this offseason. From the departure of Pete Carroll to the quasi-erasure of Reggie Bush from their history books, the program has seen better days.

However, just because they won't be eligible for the postseason for a couple years, doesn't mean they can't offer a preview of what might be coming in the future—make no mistake, there is still plenty of talent at USC.

The only true weakness on this team is its secondary. Taylor Mays is gone and the only guy with any significant starting time in the outfield is Shareece Wright. Will the lack of experience in the secondary become a major factor for the Trojans in a pass-happy conference like the Pac-10?

7. Florida

The Gators are not without talent. Tebow may be gone, but John Brantley promises a new approach to the Gator offensive attack—one that will present more balance on the field than the SEC has seen from the Swamp since the departure of Chris Leak.

You could arbitrarily pick a spot and say it could pose a problem for the Gators, but then you'd remember they still have a ton of talent bringing up the rear.

For instance, they lost Brandon Spikes at linebacker, right? Well,big deal, they have plenty more horses in that stable. Joe Haden will be a tough act to follow, but if there is one thing the Gators can find, it's a speedy defensive back to patrol the outfield. Brandon James will be missed on special teams, but I'm pretty sure someone can both catch the ball and run it really fast when the time comes.

So, in honesty, the one weakness, if you are hard-pressed to find one, has to be at wide receiver, where the only significant experience that returns comes with Deonte Thompson—both Aaron Hernandez (TE) and Riley Cooper (WR) are gone.

Will Brantley have enough targets to compliment his talented arm in 2010?

6. Boise State

The Broncos have everything on their side right now, schedule (although that match-up with Virginia Tech could make or break their season), experience (they return 20 starters), coaching (there are few better than Chris Petersen), and expectation (they finally have the respect and the ear of the BCS).

However, what they don't have is an experienced starter returning at the left tackle position. The position that, arguably, is the most important guy on the offensive line. Last season, Nate Potter performed the job very well but he has moved to guard to make way for redshirt freshman, Charles Leno.

Leno may be all that the coaches want him to be, but he hasn't started a game yet, and he will be expected to protect the blindside of the teams most treasured commodity—can he do it?

5.  Nebraska

The Big Red Machine came within an eyelash of winning the Big XII outright last season. Now, with Texas nearly in their rear view, they will look to leave said conference with a bang, not a whimper—hopefully at the Longhorns expense.

In order to do so, they will first need to address their offensive inconsistency. That task will start with the quarterback position where the Cornhuskers seemed to find both joy and pain with Lee at the helm last season.

Nebraska will be fine without Suh, despite what many think, and they have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball to make another appearance at the Big 12 Championship game in 2010. But, if they want to go further, they will need to bring their offense up to the same level as their defense.

Can Lee or Green take the next step and make Nebraska's final season in the Big XII a triumphant one?

4. TCU

The Horned Frogs have long been an under-appreciated, fiercely talented, and consistently steady performer in the Mountain West. All they do is win football games and produce some of the best NFL prospects in the nation—two last season alone in both Darryl Washington and Jerry Hughes.

However, their loss to Boise State in last year's Fiesta Bowl left a bad taste in the mouths of the TCU faithful who figured their program was finally going to get its moment in the sun. Well, that was then.

It's a new year and, even with some key personnel losses on defense, the team still looks poised to make another run at BCS glory if they can address the holes created in the secondary when both Rafael Priest and Nick Sanders departed.

Will the loss of veteran leadership in the secondary be a sore spot for the Frogs this season?


3. Alabama

What can you say about the Crimson Tide? They have one of the best offensive lines in the conference, one of the best running back tandems in the country, and one of the best coaches—in the nation. Nuff said.

They are worthy of all the accolades and the camera-clicks they are getting at the moment and Nick Saban's crew can expect more of the same until their first loss of the season is a reality—pimpin' ain't easy, right?

Well, for all the talent and experience offered by the offense and the defense, there is at least one glaring weakness to speak of—special teams. The Tide lost Leigh Tiffin (K), P.J. Fitzgerald (P), and uber return man, Javier Arenas.

It doesn't matter what your stance is on the importance of the special teams unit, I can say without question, a game can be won or lost in the SEC with one swing of the leg or one badly returned ball.

Can the Tide reload there as well or will the lack of experience on special teams come back to haunt them in a tight game this season?


2. Ohio State

Big things are expected from the Buckeyes this year. Few would place a bet against Jim Tressel's crew in the Big Ten—except maybe Iowa, but that's another story.

However, if the Buckeyes expect to return to another National Title berth, they will need to address the inconsistency of their offensive line. There is just too much experience in that unit for them to play as poorly in 2010 as they did last season.

If they can't do better than that, it won't matter how nifty Terrelle Pryor is, things could get ugly for the Buckeyes in a hurry. 

Can the offensive line grow into the behemoth that many expect it should be already?


1. Oklahoma

Steele rattled a few cages when he chose to exalt Oklahoma to No. 1 over defending champion Alabama and, the heavily loaded, Ohio State. Heck, he rattled cages simply by choosing not to place the Texas longhorns anywhere near his Top 10—the horror.

However, the logic was sound enough that most could at least understand how he might have come to his conclusion.

The Sooners are pretty solid in most areas but the lack of experience at the corner spot could cause some hiccups along the way. Stoops lost two high-quality playmakers in both Domonique Franks and Brian Jackson. He'll need to insert two new able-bodied players at that spot in order to keep the heat off his talented safeties.

Will the Sooners be able to tighten their secondary up in time to be ready for the air attack of the Big 12?

(This article appears courtesy of The Lady Sportswriter)

The Lady's Bulldog/Sports Links for Friday (7/23)

The Alabama Crimson Tide are the overwhelming favorites to win another SEC Championship and repeat as National Champions.

The Georgia Bulldogs recruiting strategy: quality over quantity.

Another "hot seat" article on coach Richt. Again, I say, Richt is not on the hot seat and the continued talk of it by outside media sources is annoying and ridiculous.

Georgia Bulldog WR, A.J. Green reiterates the point that he was not in Miami over Memorial Day Weekend. The junior receiver stated, "I've never been to Miami"—I believe him.

The Orlando Sentinel writers, once again, are taking their best shot at bashing the Georgia Bulldogs and Mark Richt. Bill King of The Junkyard Blawg takes them to task for saying that the Georgia Bulldogs are "the most overrated program in history".

How long will the NFL labor negotiations last, hopefully, not long at all.

Baltimore safety, Ed Reed, could miss significant time this season if he's not fully recovered from hip surgery. How much time will he miss...not even Ed knows the answer to that question.

Surprisingly (I say that with a huge amount of sarcasm), The Palm Beach Post thinks the media's pick of Alabama over Florida for the SEC title is wrong.

Georgia's offensive line ranks third overall in the SEC according to Chris Low of ESPN.

A lot of questions still hanging over the Tarheel football program after "agentgate"—who will and won't be playing this season as a result?

Mark Kriegel of FoxSports wonders where Nick Saban gets off calling any body a "pimp".

Mike Florio of The Sporting News, offers solutions on how college football can fix the agent crisis.

...And finally, one of my favorite Mark Richt responses from Thursday's media day Q & A session:

Friday's Blue Plate Special, Have It Your Way

Vince Dooley shares his thoughts on the Damon Evans resignation and Mark Richt assures us all that he's not worried about who will take Evans place.

The speculation over who will become the next AD at Georgia appears to be centered around division rivals. Florida's Greg McGarity has already come up in multiple publications and now comes the name of South Carolina's Eric Hyman.

I found a trillion other things to do while this was going on, including washing my hair, reading, and eating a bowl of grapes, but for those who really cared and didn't know, LeBron James signed with Miami on last night.

USC has been banned from the USA Today Preseason Poll—oh no!

In a tragic news item, former Kentucky center, Mel Turpin committed suicide. He was 49-years old.

Georgia's Jakar Hamilton is named as a player most likely to make a big impact in his first season.

Alabama decided to make their first game a holiday—the student body has been given the day off for their Thursday NIGHT game...okaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy.

The New York Times compares the Miami Heat to the New York Yankees.

The Georgia Bulldogs are leading after day one of the College Bass National Championship—I didn't know the Dawgs had a Bass fishing team.

That Nick Saban sure likes to see his name in lights, doesn't he?

USC RB Dillon Baxter Should Not Escape Punishment For His Statements

Dillon Baxter (pictured far left), the highly-touted running back out of San Diego, has remained free of any of the negativity surrounding the circus that he is partly responsible for starting.

Just shy of a month ago, the five-star product who was heavily courted by the likes of Florida, Michigan, UCLA, and Oregon stated that he was contacted illegally by some heavy-hitters in the BCS. Those heavy-hitters turned out to, allegedly, be Florida, Fresno State, Alabama, Washington, and Oregon.

The accusation set off a frenzy as many called into question why those schools would have acted so carelessly in going after a kid who was already signed elsewhere. After all, the sanctions that hit USC weren't going to effect their incoming talent, just the juniors and seniors on their roster—by all accounts—Baxter was untouchable.

Of course, the accusations were followed by denials across the board by most every one of the accused schools—all firmly stating that Baxter had not been contacted by anyone inside their program. 

That said, it was already difficult to believe that Nick Saban, Chip Kelly, or Urban Meyer would  blatantly dismiss such a clear violation of the NCAA regulations.

It seemed fishy to me at the time.

True to form, the plot thickened a day or two later when Baxter told ESPN reporter, Joe Schad, that he  lost his cell phone and could not produce any visual proof of contact.

Really? You have a chance to embarrass several big name schools, stick it to a couple of your current school's rivals, and make your head coach look like a choir boy—for a change—and you conveniently lose the one piece of evidence that would have done it?...Okay...sure, I'll buy that.

Not! If I'm Lane Kiffin or Mike Garrett, Baxter's story ends right then and there because there is little hope of a positive ending for USC.

Even still, AD Mike Garrett, took Baxter at his word and wagged a disapproving finger at the five schools that, allegedly, made contact.

Fast forward to the here and now and, again, the Trojans look like the back side of a horse's patoot—sending apologies to those same schools for making false accusations. The immediate consequence has been more calls for AD Mike Garrett to step down or be fired. He was already in hot water after the sanctions but this latest guffaw makes him look incompetent.

Clearly, he should have done more homework before lofting grenades at other programs. He never seemed to even consider the possibility that Baxter was lying. After all, Baxter never met a microphone or a camera he didn't like. He's a flashy young man and could very well have just been doing a bit of posturing for the cameras—unaware of the power of his words at this level.

In any case, Garrett should have known better and the calls for his head are valid.

However, what becomes of Dillon Baxter? Clearly, there needs to be further investigation into his actions as well. Was he outright lying at the time of his statements or was there actually contact? At least one publication, GatorCountry.com, is stating that Baxter was the one who made contact with Florida—not the other way around. If that's true, doesn't that mean that Baxter is in for a little wrist-slapping from the NCAA as well?

Dez Bryant was suspended last season for lying to the NCAA about his relationship with former NFL pro, Deion Sanders—that lie cost him, essentially, his entire year.

Granted, Baxter's actions are different but, a lie is a lie, right?

NCAA Bylaw 10.1 addresses "unethical conduct" and specifically regards ""Knowingly furnishing the NCAA or the individual's institution false or misleading information concerning the individual's involvement in or knowledge of matters relevant to a possible violation of an NCAA regulation." as "unethical". Such an infraction warrants a suspension of said player by the NCAA.

With that in mind, will we see the spotlight turn towards Baxter's statements next?

Somehow, it just doesn't seem like this is the end of the story and that means more scrutiny for the Trojans.

Thursday Evening Links: A Best of The Web Nightcap

LenDale White did a radio interview in which he says he finds it "unbelievable" that Pete Carroll and AD, Mike Garrett had no idea that Bush was doing dirty deeds while at USC—so do I.

T Kyle King of DawgSports.com predicts a South Carolina win over Georgia this season. I don't see it that way, of course, but I can understand the argument.

Lawrence Taylor is in a lot of trouble after being indicted on charges that he raped a 16-year old girl—tragic.

Ben Roethlisberger is trying to recoup his tarnished image but Hines Ward thinks he needs to start by explaining his actions to the guys he leads onto the field first.

I expect big things for Georgia OLB, Justin Houston, too this season under Todd Grantham.

The 3-4 defense is gaining steam in college football as 14 Division I schools will use the scheme in 2010.

The Sporting News has published the full Nick Saban interview in which he discusses his plans for the future and whether or not he thinks Alabama can go undefeated in the SEC again in 2010.

Barbara Dooley, mom of new Vol coach Derek Dooley, is making her way around the Orange Nation with pride and lots to say—much to her son's dismay.

The SEC offered both Texas A&M and Oklahoma at the height of the expansion madness.

The Atlanta Falcons Michael Turner was too big for his britches last season. He admits he was a step slower and the weight, although not a factor, didn't help much in his struggles to get to 1,000 yards last season. 

I don't know if it's a good idea for the Oregon Ducks to bring in players who have a nose for trouble but I guess Chip Kelly is okay with having the D.A. on speed dial just in case he needs to get another guy out of jail.

The NCAA has invited 20 coaches to it's 2010 Expert Academy. The program is meant to assist coaches in career advancement through mentoring, networking, and exposure opportunities. Some of this year's invitees include Duke associate head coach, Ronald Middleton and Miami (OH) assistant football coach, Kijuan Ware.

2010 Trojan commit, Seantrel Henderson, is back to his drama queen ways again. Seriously, why does anyone want this kid anymore? He's becoming more of a head case by the day and his father is obviously enjoying all the attention too.

I don't know that Joe Pa will ever retire from his post as Penn State head coach. He's 83 and doesn't seem to be in any hurry to ride off into the sunset.

The AMC network is in talks with The Blind Side director to develop a new television series that revolves around a college football coach who's trying to turn a flailing program into a winner.

The Lingerie Football League is reason numero uno why women can't get any respect from football players as professional journalists. I cannot begin to tell you how offended I am by the venture—please.

Tuesday Morning Coffee: Some Links to Click While You Sip (6/22)

Jadeveon Clowney's father tells him to stick to football, 'don't do what I did'.  I'm pretty sure that if Jadeveon's college career becomes anything close to what is expected, his father will never have to worry about that happening.

Nick Saban gives a "revealing" interview to The Sporting News in which he talks about the public perception of him being a "liar"—especially given the way he ditched Miami like a two-dollar street John to flee to Alabama.

This writer thinks that Texas was cowardly for sticking with the Big XII instead of moving on to the more competitive Pac-10.

The Football Outsiders have released their preseason Top 25 and some very surprising teams show up in the bottom-half of their rankings. All I can say is, Ole Miss at 25?....Seriously?!?

I don't think that eliminating Arkansas for Georgia Tech or South Carolina for Florida State, would "perfect the SEC", but, to each their own.

The "have-nots" were smart to give up their money so that Texas and Oklahoma remained in the Big 12? Uh-huh....sounds like a load of bull to me. Bend over Baylor, Kansas, and Kansas State and make sure that you say "thank you sir, can I have another" with each beating you get from the chosen ones. 

It seems that Trojan fans aren't the only ones looking to strip Reggie Bush of something valuable.

What would football be like without the Big XII?....Hmmmm, I'd say it would be just fine considering that more than 60 percent of the teams in that conference are awful.

I fail to see the good in E$PN controlling all the BCS Bowls for the next four seasons. That network would sell it's anchors for a good billboard location. They are charging an absurd amount of money to have these bowls sponsored and one must wonder how good the crack is in Bristol because everyone there is clearly smoking it.

The UFL plans to start another franchise, this time in Virginia.

Rivals released it "All-Losers" Team today—those poor, defenseless, Vanderbilt players.

Pete Carroll Is Lying and Everybody Knows It—Shame On Him!

In the wake of the sanctions placed on the USC Trojans football program, former head musketeer, Pete Carroll released a video statement to the Trojan family. In the video, he states that he is "absolutely shocked and disappointed" and goes on to say that he "knew nothing" and this was just another case of outside forces tampering with a student-athlete.

Yeah, and see, it's that kind of bologna that will make him a prime candidate to run for political office someday—or at least give it some heavy consideration—because clearly his name is mud in college football if the NFL doesn't work out for him.

For those of you who didn't know, Pete Carroll is lying through his whitened teeth. That's right, I'm saying it: He's lying!

I don't believe for one minute that he had no idea what was going on with Reggie Bush—his star player. No, Hollywood Pete not only knew what was going on, he turned a blind eye to it because he wouldn't dare jeopardize the greatness that was USC football from 2004-2005—he figured, no harm, no foul as long as everything remained status quo.

Don't ask. Don't tell.

The first clue to his knowledge was his decision to leave Southern California for Seattle—no offense to the great northwest, but who does that? Seattle may be beautiful and bountiful but Pete had it made at Southern Cal. He was a rock star and the team was his band—they always played to a full house and everyone bought the record.

Furthermore, of all the NFL teams in the league, Seattle is in need of the most repair. Building an NFL team is nothing like the college ranks. It's going to take a lot more than a smile and a shuck and jive for him to sell big time free agents on his dream.

He's going to be sleepless in Seattle for sure and the reality of his mistake will hit him much sooner than many think. However, I digress.

The NFL will offer nothing close to the lifestyle or the environment that he built for himself at USC. He may feel like a hot commodity right now, but, just ask Steve Spurrier and Nick Saban how long that lasts with an NFL fan once their team starts losing.

He'll be looking for a new job in about four years, if that long, and he will find the pickings much slimmer after this debacle.

Secondly, the lackadaisical atmosphere he introduced to the sideline of USC was tailor made for slime. No one was outlawed—heck, I could have gotten in there if I wanted to—the more the merrier. He liked the spotlight and so did his players.

That said, how on earth would he expect anyone to believe that he "knew nothing"? He knows an agent when he sees one and he has been around long enough to know when they are lurking and trying to make a deal.

If Reggie Bush was doing deals, you can be sure that people knew about it—the players, coaches, and even the administration had some idea and Pete Carroll was likely in on that memo.

"Knew nothing?", give me a break, he can barely look into the web cam and say that with a straight face.

Pete Carroll should change his name to Pinocchio, but, then again that would give the impression that he's just about ready to become something that he hasn't proven to be so far in this situation: a real man.

Honestly, Pinocchio deserves better company.

Stay Classy, Pete.

See the full Associated Press (AP) video statement below and judge for yourself:

The Lady's Friday Morning Breakfast Links—Get Em' While They're Hot!

Chris Low of ESPN, says that Aaron Murray, not A.J. Green, is Georgia's most irreplaceable player. I have to say, he makes a good point. Georgia lost A.J. for two games last season but was no worse for the wear. If Murray goes down this season, it could spell trouble for Georgia.

As expected, Braxton Miller has shunned all of his other offers in favor of playing for his home state. Miller, a quarterback prospect out of Ohio will spend his playing days as a Buckeye. 

The latest rumor mill has the Pac-10 going to a Pac-16 by including six additional teams—all from the Big 12. Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State are among the schools that would, alledgedly be asked to join.

David Hale of Bulldogs Blog wonders if size will really be a factor for QB Murray. Most are saying that his diminutive stature will prove to be his undoing but, honestly, there have been QB's with less height than Murray—Drew Brees, D.J. Shockley, Pat White, Charlie Ward, and Chase Daniel—all managed to lead their teams to victory.

The results of the NCAA's investigation into shady dealings with USC's football and basketball program STILL have not been released—jeez, what's the holdup guys—Congress doesn't take this long.

Thanks to Nick Saban, indirectly of course, the Georgia State Panthers have secured the services of Star Jackson. Even more, Bill Curry may have a couple of offensive lineman to help protect his blindside—he'll have the Georgia Tech program to thank for that good fortune.

UCLA coaching legend, John Wooden, may not walk among us much longer. Pete Carroll has reportedly said the coaching great is nearing his final moments.

The Huffington Post discusses the mind-blowing gap in the media coverage of male-dominated versus female-dominated sporting events. 

ESPN has released it's television lineup for the upcoming college football season.

News and Notes from The SEC Spring Meeting in Sandestin

Urban Meyer brought the college football world to a screeching halt in late December 2009 when he announced that he was stepping down from his post as the University of Florida's football coach. At the time, no one knew or understood the exact reason why he was leaving but today we found out. Meyer disclosed that his heart is fine and the chest pains he experienced were due to espophageal spasms—a treatable condition. He has the situation under control for the time being and doesn't expect it to cause any problems going forward.

Coach Mark Richt addressed the 'hot seat' talk. He joked that he had no idea his name was even being mentioned as a candidate for the list. Somehow I'm pretty sure he knew all about it, but his focus is on making this team better. Said Richt: "My mindset has always been, let’s do what I think we need to do to succeed and try not to be influenced by anything other than the people who are closest to the program." Richt also reiterated the point that Aaron Murray was always going to be the starter for 2010—Mettenberger was, at best, going to be the No. 2 guy at quarterback. Furthermore. Logan Gray will remain the No. 2 QB until Hutson Mason proves himself.

All the "Nick Saban will jump ship again soon" talk can be halted for the time being since the coach has pledged his eternal allegiance to the Crimson Tide, saying "I am where I am. If they get a football team at Lake Burton, I might go there. Otherwise, I am where I am."

Commissioner Mike Slive continues to sidestep any talk of SEC expansion. His goal is to help the SEC maintain the dominance it has over the last four-years—he's not concerned with pulling out the ruler and standing next to the Big Ten. Said Slive, "Our goal is to maintain our position as one of the most successful conferences in the country. People have been drawing inferences from that and continue to draw inferences from that, but really that’s about all we’re going to say about it this week."