Georgia Bulldogs: OL Candidates Continue To Be A Mystery

Who will be the new offensive line coach at Georgia? That appears to be the question of the moment.

Today, Georgia fans thought they got a hint from ESPN's Mark Schlabach when he tweeted the following message:

The automatic assumption from that was Georgia had nabbed Will Friend, the current offensive line coach at UAB.

However, why would Neil Calloway (former Georgia offensive coordinator and current UAB head coach) allow one of his best assistant's to leave? It doesn't make sense—logically. It's not as if Georgia is in the habit of spending a lot of money for assistant coaches, and it's doubtful that Friend would make significantly more than former OL coach Stacey Searles.

It's not an improbable hire, but it's not one that looks promising right now.

Then there's Mac McWhorter...who retired.  Is he suddenly ready to jump back into being a coach after only a few weeks out of the college game?

If he is, Mack Brown might be surprised to hear it—especially since Texas lost one of the top OL prospects in the country as a result of McWhorter's departure.

Greg Adkins' name is being thrown around too, but, as far as he's concerned, Syracuse is where he'll be come 2012—no one from Georgia has contacted him about the OL position (as of yet). And, when Adkins was recently asked about the possibility of him heading back to the SEC, he simply stated,  "No, there's nothing to it...I don't know where that started."

And then there's Brent Key.

Here's all I will say about him, he's currently recruiting for 2012—as recently as last night. If Georgia has him on the radar, he's not chomping at the bit to get on a plane.

I don't profess to know much more than anyone else where this search is concerned, it's all speculation until we see an official announcement from UGA, but none of the above guys seem to really be in play at Georgia—at least right now.

Guess, we'll just have to wait and see what develops over the next few hours and days as coach Richt hopes to lock down this position very soon.

Georgia Bulldogs: What Would Searles' Departure Mean For Recruiting?

It is being reported tonight, by multiple news outlets, that Georgia offensive line coach, Stacey Searles has accepted the same position on Mack Brown's coaching staff at the University of Texas.

Searles has been the target of much finger-pointing over his last two seasons at Georgia due to the disappointment of his offensive line units. To be fair, however,  it is uncertain how much of their problems were due to conditioning as opposed to coaching.

Either way, he appears to be on his way to Austin to begin anew and, less than two weeks until signing day, Georgia is labored with the task of starting a new coaching search. While possible replacements have only been mildly kicked about—Hugh Nall, Mac McWhorter, and former Vanderbilt head coach, Robbie Caldwell, have all been mentioned—the real concern is what will become of Georgia's 2011 offensive line prospects?

Well, the biggest fish of the group, Watts Dantzler, has already spoken via his Twitter account and he looks to be solid:

Dantzler was close to coach Searles, and his commitment became a concern the moment news of a possible departure hit the airwaves.

Dantzler was highly recruited by a number of schools, but his decision ultimately came down to two—Auburn and Georgia. Georgia won out and any chance the Tigers might have had to swoop back into the picture was seemingly killed long ago.

Reportedly, Dantzler is "done with Auburn" after the way he was treated during the football game against Georgia. Said Dantzler, "I left with about 10 minutes left in the game...I got treated very poorly while I was there. A lot of the fans were getting on me, saying they didn’t want me there. I even wore blue and everything. It wasn’t a very good day for me over there."

For now, it appears safe to say that Dantzler will remain a Bulldog.

Dean Legge of Scout.com reportedly has the same feelings about both Hunter Long and David Andrews.  He doesn't get the feeling that either is a threat to be lost by Georgia if Searles is indeed gone—particularly not Hunter whose brother is already enrolled at Georgia.

As for DeBell, there is no word on him as of yet, but there is little reason to believe he won't remain committed to Georgia. Just as a side note, Debell is projecting out as a tight end or fullback at the next level and it's possible that Georgia has other plans for him—just putting that out there.

In the meantime, it doesn't appear that a Searles' departure would spell doom for the 2011 class.

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.

Will Muschamp To Replace Urban Meyer As Head Coach At Florida

Mack Brown won't have to worry about Will Muschamp's shadow any longer. The longtime defensive assistant is returning to the SEC.

The former Georgia Bulldog alumnus will step into the big shoes of Urban Meyer to coach at his alma mater's most hated division rival—the Florida Gators.

The hire is a great 'get' for Florida athletic director, Jeremy Foley, as Muschamp's name has been on the short list of many big jobs over the last several years and his ability to develop great defenses is well-known—particularly in the south where he worked at both Auburn and LSU.

That said, his arrival in Gainesville will come as a surprise to the many who believed that Bob Stoops was already signed, sealed, and about to be delivered. As early as this morning, Stoops was the man whom many felt was AD, Jeremy Foley's first choice—not Dan Mullen (Mississippi St) or Bobby Petrino (Arkansas).

Stoops would later deny the story as rumor, and it wasn't long before Muschamp's name was replacing Stoops' as the newest possibility.

The one sticking point appeared to be his desire to leave the Texas Longhorns. Many felt he was the heir apparent to Mack Brown's position—whenever the popular coach decided to hang up his headset—if he were patient. Muschamp was named head-coach-in-waiting in 2008 and was being paid handsomely for his defensive services ($900,000/year).

However, after the Longhorns finished the 2010 season with a 5-7 and without a bowl bid, being in Austin might have become a lot more heated than in recent years—especially given the heavy backslide the defense took this year.

Whatever the reason for Muschamp's decision to leave, if you're a Florida fan, you have to feel very good about the success he's had in the SEC—particularly in molding defenses.

Urban Meyer pulled in the top ranked defensive unit in the country last season and now Muschamp will have the opportunity to mold those players into the top-tier talent they are destined to become. He's a guy who will be fierce on the recruiting trail, phenomenal on the sidelines, and has just enough SEC experience to make something happen almost as soon as he touches ground.

That said, what's Texas to do next? They've lost both their defensive coordinator and their, assumed, next head coach. Is Muschamp's exit the beginning of some major changes in Austin or is this just a great assistant making his move sooner, rather than later?

In either case, it will be interesting to see what happens next in Austin. As for Florida, it's simply business as usual.

Related articles

• AP Source: Muschamp to Be Head Coach at Florida (nytimes.com)
• Florida Gators hires Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp (sports.espn.go.com)

College Football: The Texas Longhorns Get Swept Away by The Cyclones

Someone forgot to tell the Texas Longhorns that the season didn't end with their victory over Nebraska, because they apparently didn't realize that.

The Iowa State Cyclones, led by a determined Austen Arnaud and a defense with a major chip on its shoulder, marched into Austin, TX with a seven-game losing streak to Mack Brown and his Longhorns.

However, by the end of the day, they were floating out of Texas Memorial Stadium with a helmet full of pride, and a solid 'w' to give to the supporters waiting for them in Ames, IA.

It was clear early that Garrett Gilbert and the rest of his teammates left their pride, their game, and their execution in Nebraska, because the team that showed up to play football today looked unprepared and unimpressed.

At the half, the Longhorns had three-points to show for their mediocre efforts.

By contrast, Iowa State came to play. On their second possession of the game, Arnaud led the team 80-yards downfield for a touchdown.

Two possessions later, the Cyclones added another six via the ground game—in-between the touchdowns, the Cyclones' defense kept the Longhorns off-balance, frustrated, and confused as they bullied, pushed, and punked for three quarters—including several denials in the redzone.

Before Texas finally figured out what was happening, the was game over.

It was a good win for Austen Arnaud and the Cyclones. The talented quarterback has played with a lot of heart over the years, but he's seen his fair share of losses.

For the Texas Longhorns, and Garrett Gilbert, it's just another bad loss on a season that, after last week, seemed to be turning a corner—just another Saturday in college football.

Sunday Clickables: A Few Links To Make You Think

Congressman Barton says that the recent expansion madness is all about the money. Oh yeah? Well, in other news, water is wet and the sand in Saudi is hot. Barton has long since been a proponent of a playoff and thinks that the Big XII's demise is due to the lack of one. Actually, Congressman, the Big XII's demise has a lot to do with the conference dropping the ball on sharing the wealth.

This article points out the exact reasons the Big XII has fallen like a house of cards.

I read this section and had to pick myself off the floor: "Another party that this is inherently unfair to is the current coaching staff at USC.  Yes, the current head coach Lane Kiffin was on the coaching staff during those Reggie Bush teams, but to say he had a hand in any of this would be a huge stretch. "--is that supposed to be a joke. Kiffin was involved with the offense almost as intimately as Carroll. You think that slimeball didn't know something?...Please. 


In keeping with a post I read early last week from T Kyle King of DawgSports.com the Texas A&M Aggies are looking into a move to the SEC. 

Boise State will be an official member of the Mountain West Conference (MWC) this time next year. That's great for the MWC exposure but not so much for its members as Boise has routinely beat up on them too—go figure. 


USC running back, Dillon Baxter, has stated that both Alabama and Florida contacted him about transferring to their school in light of the sanctions. Baxter reached out to an ESPN reporter to send the following message: leave me alone. I guess, despite the presence of both Mack Brown and Jeff Demps, the Gators are still in need of a good tailback—shrugs. 


No offense to the Auburn team of 2004, but, do you really want a trophy that everyone will still consider USC's at the end of the day? Just sayin'.


The Baylor Athletic Director thinks the Big XII is still viable with 10 schools. It could be, if four of those schools weren't Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, and Baylor.