Bulldog Football Season Opener ...Oklahoma State Cowboys this Saturday

Next Saturday, the 13th-ranked Georgia football team will be in Stillwater, Oklahoma for the 2009 season opener against the 9th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys.This past Saturday, the Bulldogs went through a 90-minute “situational scrimmage” in full pads, according to head coach Mark Richt, and it was a productive workout.“Everyone is excited it, they can feel it with the countdown, that in a week’s time, they know where they will be,” said Richt. “If the juices weren’t already flowing, they are now.”Saturday’s scrimmage featured 20 plays on offense, 20 plays on defense and approximately 20 kicks and Richt said the team “got out of it what we needed.” With centers Ben Jones and Chris Davis sidelined with injuries, junior Kevin Perez worked with the first unit.“Kevin knows what to do, he got an opportunity to play today and did an admirable job,” said Richt. “It’s good to see him play and see that we can function with him in there. That is good for him too.” Jones and more than likely Davis returned to practice Monday according to Richt. While there is some mystery surrounding who will turn out to be the productive Bulldogs on offense, OSU’s attack features some of the nation’s premier players. The Cowboys welcome back 1st team All-America running back Kendall Hunter, consensus All-American receiver Dez Bryant and senior quarterback Zac Robinson who has passed for more than 6,200 career yards and has rushed for more than 1,500 career yards. In their last 19 home games, OSU has scored at least 40 points 13 times. “We know OSU can score, and they’re probably sitting there wondering who are the guys we’re going to put in there besides A.J. Green,” said Richt. “We’ve got to make sure we’ve got the right guys in there and get them the ball to make plays. A.J. and Michael Moore have done it, Tavarres King has to do it along with our freshmen.” The SEC Rocks!

Ole Miss vs Memphis Tigers...Sunday 2:30pm

The Ole Miss football team raises the curtain on the 2009 season Sunday at 2:30 pm when the Rebels travel to Memphis, Tenn., to take on the Memphis Tigers from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.
Sunday's game will be televised live on ESPN with Joe Tessitore handling the play-by-play duties, while Rod Gilmore will serve as the color analyst. All of Ole Miss' 12 regular season games will be televised in conjunction with ESPN and the SEC's landmark deal signed last August.
Ole Miss enters the 2009 campaign with lofty expectations following a 2008 season that saw the Rebels finish the year on a 6-game winning streak, which included a 47-34 victory over No. 8 Texas Tech in the AT&T Cotton Bowl. The Rebels will kickoff the season with their highest national ranking since the 1970 team began its season at No. 5. The SEC Rocks!

Gator's Urban Meyer Press Conference Quotes

“It’s a big game coming up. We’re playing a good team and are anxious to get going. It’s put a little different pep in our step. We came in at 7 a.m. this morning and had meetings. We are certainly not the finished product, but we don’t have to be yet. We have four days until Thursday’s practice. We’re going to have a tough practice today and our focus will be getting through Monday and get to Tuesday.”

On the returning offense’s style:
“We’re going to mess around with the up-tempo, which is a little bit of what we learned from Oklahoma. How much we change things is still to be determined. I’m anxious to see it work. We’ve spent a lot of time on it. I think you’ll see some of that in the game, but it is dependent on the tailbacks. If those guys run like I think they are going to run, then you might see a more traditional hand-off. We’re going to do what we have to do in the game.”
On this being the final year for Tim Tebow and the other Gator seniors:
“I thought about it more this summer when we had time to think. I haven’t had the opportunity to reflect lately. I made a couple of comments in the summer where I thought ‘I have this cat for four more months and I’m going to cherish every moment.’ There wasn’t a day that went by where I didn’t talk to him. He’s got a very light load academically and he’s going to graduate in December, so he’s spent a lot of time in this facility. Same with Brandon Spikes and a lot of guys that fall into this category, and I’m going to cherish every one of them.”
On holding off on young players:
“I’m an emotional guy. I love recruiting and I love the players. Our guys will be fine….Am I not going to act excited about a recruit when I come here? No, that’s not going to happen. The good thing is we have good, young players; so it will be easier to put them in games.”
On Florida’s 2009 schedule:
“In 2006, we had the No. 1 schedule in America. In 2008, we had the No. 2 schedule. I’m not sure how that equates in terms of schedules, but that’s not on our pyramid of success. We’re going to do what we have to do. I think our schedules are well thought out, but I’m not involved with it. Our job is to get our guys in position to be in Atlanta. It’s a really gray area. Our job is to win games.” The SEC Rocks!

Arkansas' Ramon Broadway Arrested...Play Time Uncertain

Arkansas cornerback Ramon Broadway was arrested and booked into the Washington County Detention Center at 7:51 p.m. Sunday after he reportedly failed to take care of a traffic violation in Alma. According to a spokeswoman at the jail, a warrant was issued for Broadway's arrest after he failed to appear in court to settle a ticket for no proof of insurance. Broadway, 21, who was expected to start Saturday's season opener against Missouri State, was arrested and held for another department. He was released at 9:18 p.m. Sunday after posting a $575 bond. With the uncertainty in Arkansas' secondary, coaches were counting on Broadway to provide leadership and stability at one of the starting cornerback spots. It's uncertain how his arrest will affect his status for the season opener. Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino was unavailable for comment Sunday night. Broadway is the 5th Arkansas football player to be arrested since March and the 1st since linebacker Khiry Battle was kicked off the team following his June 28 arrest on a charge of driving under the influence and other traffic violations. Ouch...The SEC Rocks!

Aaron Boyd

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky head football coach Rich Brooks confirmed Friday after practice that wide receiver Aaron Boyd (Lexington, Ky.) will redshirt this season.
Boyd, who caught five balls for 46 yards a year ago as a freshman, can practice with the team and participate in team activities, but he will not play in any games in 2009. He'll return to the field in 2010 as a redshirt sophomore.
Brooks said they reached the decision two or three days ago.
( by www.ukathletics.com)

It's Back to the Future with the Vols

Tennessee surprised the national college football community when it hired a coach in his early 30s. Such a young man to be charged with such vast responsibility.
A coach whose opener at Tennessee would be his 1st game as a college head coach.
An outsider to the UT family.
Whose challenge is to not just compete but thrive in a conference of iconic coaches with national-championship resumes.
But Doug Dickey turned out all right.
That was 1964. Flip the calendar forward 45 years and 538 football games.
Now Tennessee is trying to strike gold with another fresh start.
The Lane Kiffin Era is a clean break with the past. A storied past, to be sure, but one that in recent years hasn't been quite so glorious as everyone would like.
The similarities to 1964 are strikingly familiar. The SEC Rocks!

SEC Football Online's pick for the Thorpe Award...Vols Eric Berry

Our unanimous pick at SEC football online for the Thorpe Award, which is given to the best Defensive Back, is Vols junior Eric Berry. He has 12 interceptions with 3 for touchdowns in just 26 career games. He needs just 15 more interception yards to break a NCAA record of 501 yards, which was set by Florida States' Terrell Buckley 89-1991. The SEC Rocks!

SEC Football Online's pick for the Butkus Award... Gators' Brandon Spikes

We at secfootballonline pick for the Butkus Award, which is given to the Best Linebacker, is Florida's Senior Brandon Spikes. He is listed at 6'3" and weighs in at 249lbs. He is the heart of their defense, has earned out-right All- American honors. He is the Gator's outspoken team captain and is 1 of only 5 linebackers to return 2 interceptions for touchdowns last year. The SEC Rocks!

SEC Football Online's pick for the Outland Trophy...LSU's Ciron Black

We, at secfootballonline,made known our choice for the Heisman Trophy. Here is our pick for the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the Best Interior Linemen. It goes to; Ciron Black, Senior LSU, a 3 year starter Left Tackle which is the toughest position on the line. He is 6'5" and weighs in at 332lbs, he has started in 40 consecutive games. He is 1 of 2 players in the school's history to play more than a 1000 snaps in a season! The SEC Rocks!

LSU Football Preps goes Indoors for Washington

Ninth-ranked LSU went indoors on Friday with a shells workout as the Tigers completed their 2nd day of practice dedicated to preparing for the season-opener next week against Washington.
LSU opens its 5th season under Les Miles on Sept. 5 in Seattle against the Huskies. Kickoff between the Tigers and the Huskies is set for 9:36 p.m. CT and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
“Thursday and Friday were devoted primarily to Washington and our game plans are underway,” Miles said. “There’s much more attention to detail and a little bit more speed in practice today. As long as camp gets, I think everybody is ready to play someone with a different color jersey on.”
Miles complimented the progress that freshman safety Craig Loston has made since joining the team on Monday. Loston, who was the top-rated prep safety last year at Eisenhower High School in Aldine, Texas, missed all of fall camp and wasn’t able to join the Tigers until the first day of school.
“Craig Loston is a very good player with a very good football IQ,” Miles said. “He understands concepts well and I expect he might play some at Washington. He will be a very competent safety, but we’ll predominately use him on special teams.”
Against Washington, the Tigers will face a Husky squad with a new coach in Steve Sarkisian, who spent the past 4 seasons coaching the quarterbacks and serving as the offensive coordinator at Southern Cal. The SEC Rocks!

Gamecocks vs Wolfpack...Thursday 09/03...Do You Feel It

Head coach Steve Spurrier noted that freshman wide receiver DeMario Bennett is listed as doubtful for the opener with a shoulder injury. Wide receiver Dion Lecorn will not play in the opener, as he continues to recover from a broken leg, suffered on the final play of the spring game.
"I feel we've got to coach real hard for a week to get some guys ready to play," said Coach Spurrier following the workout. "We're an unknown team. We've got a quarterback that hasn't proven he can play yet - he's got to go do that, an offensive line that has struggled, a bunch of new running backs, so we're an unknown team. We've got to do some serious coaching between now and the ballgame to hopefully give our guys a chance to win the game."
Coach Spurrier did not seem overly concerned about going into a hostile environment, but acknowledged the Wolfpack crowd would be ready. "They've got good fans. They've got excellent football fans. They love their team like all state universities. It will be loud, we know that. We don't have a lot of fancy signals or snap counts, so we should be ok as far as that goes. Blocking and tackling is what we need to concern ourselves with, and throwing and catching, things like that."
The Gamecocks enjoyed their final off day on Friday before returning to the practice fields Saturday night. The SEC Rocks! Game On!

Vols Brown, Hardesty co-No. 1s at tailback

Surprises filled the University of Tennessee football team’s final preseason camp depth chart, which UT officials confirmed Friday afternoon.
Freshman Bryce Brown was listed alongside senior Montario Hardesty at tailback, while freshman Nu’Keese Richardson was listed above junior Brandon Warren at one of the two starting wide receiver positions.
Redshirt freshman Montori Hughes was listed as a co-starter with senior Dan Williams at one defensive tackle, while freshman Mike Edwards was listed with sophomore Anthony Anderson at starting left cornerback and freshman Janzen Jackson was listed with junior Dennis Rogan at co-No. 1 free safety.
Redshirt freshman Aaron Douglas was listed as a co-starter with junior Jarrod Shaw at right offensive tackle.
First-year UT coach Lane Kiffin wasn’t available to reporters Friday, but he has consistently said since taking the job in December that age would play no part in his depth chart. The SEC Rocks! U Feel It!

Saban, Tide reach agreement on contract extension

In December of 2006, Nick Saban stated very firmly and very staunchly that "I'm not going to be the Alabama head coach."
With the developments of today, Saban will continue to not be the Alabama head coach through the 2017 season.
According to statements released by the university, Saban and Alabama have reached an agreement on a 3 year contract extension. Saban originally didn't sign an 8 year, $32 million contract upon not being hired by the Tide in 2007.
Even though Saban was not the 'Bama coach at the time, negotiations on an extension began earlier this year. There's no word yet as to what, if any, financial bumps Saban would receive from the extension in the years that still exist on his original pact.
The deal still needs to be approved by the university's trustees; in other words, the deal was finalized today.
Here are the statements from Saban and Alabama athletic director Mal Moore, with the coach's leading off:
"Terry and I are pleased and happy that the University of Alabama has offered us an extension to our original contract. Our acceptance of the extension expresses our commitment to the University of Alabama for the rest of our coaching career. Dr. Witt and the University community have been tremendous in terms of their cooperation in rebuilding the football program. The outstanding support from Mal (Moore) and the athletic department have set the table for us to be successful. We greatly appreciate the time, effort and dedication of everyone involved with our football program, as well as all of the positive energy our fans have demonstrated since we've been in Tuscaloosa."
"Coach Saban has impressively led the Alabama football program back to national prominence in a short period of time. That success has been evident in all facets - on-field results, his embrace of Alabama's athletics and academic culture, recruiting, and community service. In every way, Coach Saban has positioned our program among college football's elite. This contract extension is a clear statement of our mutual commitment to building on the foundation he has established." The SEC Rocks!

Gator freshman Debose 'could miss significant time

Thanks to what appears to be a severe hamstring injury, Florida could have to wait until later on this season to find out if the moniker of "The New Percy Harvin" is apt for one of their five-star recruits.
According to the Miami Herald, freshman wide receiver Andre Debose has what might be a torn hamstring tendon and will likely miss the season opener next weekend. At least.
"We found out there is some damage to his hamstring,'' head coach Urban Meyer said. "It doesn't happen very often. It's a tendon, and we're going to evaluate the significance of it.
"It's a real injury. We were worried it was just a tight hamstring, a hamstring pull or a hamstring strain."
The school believes Debose initially suffered the injury during the Florida state track meet earlier this year.
Meyer said he found out the seriousness of the injury last night, and will know the full extent of the injury on Monday.
Update: Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post reports that corrective surgery may be necessary to repair whatever damage there is to Debose's hamstring.

Ole Miss pep rally

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Ole Miss fans will paint Beale Steet Red and Blue on Sept. 6, as a parade and pep rally for the Rebels will begin at 11 a.m., before the team takes the field against the Memphis Tigers at 2:30 p.m. at the Liberty Bowl.The festivities will include Ole Miss' "Pride of the South" Marching Band, Cheerleaders and Rebelettes, as well as the Beale Street Flippers, who just returned from television appearances on NBC's America’s Got Talent.
( by www.olemisssports.com)

"It's Time"

The Vol Network officially kicks off "Football Time In Tennessee" this weekend with the official 2009 Tennessee Football pre-season television special called "It's Time" --- across the state of Tennessee and the Southeast.
This one-hour show will take an in-depth and inside look at the 2009 Tennessee Volunteers. In addition to entertaining interviews and features from the Vols pre-season drills, fans will also get a sneak peak at some of the renovations taking place at Neyland Stadium.
"It's Time Tennessee Football 2009" is presented by the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
( by http://www.utsports.com/)

Alabama taking steps to try to fight off flu as Virginia Tech looms

All-American nose tackle Terrence Cody has been absent from Alabama's past two practices.
As we warned yesterday, the illness affecting Terrence Cody (62) is indeed tied to the flu. Even worse, he's not alone on Alabama's team. Cornerback Kareem Jackson bumped into the 354-pound Cody on campus today and found out the troubling reason why.
"He told me he hadn't eaten in 2 days," Jackson said. "I kind of find that hard to believe."
Barely a week before the season opener against 7th-ranked Virginia Tech in Atlanta, the 5th-ranked Crimson Tide is being threatened by a strain of the flu that is rolling through the University of Alabama and much of the Southeast.
Cody is 1 of roughly 10 players in the past week who have come down with the flu or flu-like symptoms, according to Alabama coach Nick Saban.
"We're doing as much as we can to try to prevent this," Saban said. The SEC Rocks!

Auburn's Billings out for the First Four Games

WR Montez Billings will miss Auburn's 1st four games because of an undisclosed academic issue.The program released a statement Thursday evening, giving at least a timeframe for Billings. The senior did not practice with the team during the spring because of the situation.“This is unfortunate for Montez, but we’ve exhausted all avenues to get him on the field as soon as possible,” senior associate athletic director Rich McGlynn said. “While we don’t necessarily agree with the NCAA’s ruling, we have to respect and abide by their decision.”Billings has practiced all preseason. Billings' ineligibility, means healthy Tigers receivers have a total of 15 career receptions between them. WR Tim Hawthorne, who had 8 catches last year, isn't expected to be ready for the season opener because of a broken foot. The SEC Rocks!

2009 - 2010 Bowl Schedule for the SEC

After the posting of the Gator Bowl issue, here at SEC Football Online thought we would give the SEC Bowl picture.
Sunday 12/27/09
Gaylord Hotels Music Bowl
LP Field Nashville Tenn
SEC vs ACC 8:15pm ESPN
Monday 12/28/09
Advocare V100 Independence Bowl
Shreveport,LA
SEC vs Big12 5pm ESPN2
Thursday 12/31/09
Chick-Fil-A Bowl
Georgia Dome
SEC vs ACC 7:30pm ESPN
Friday 01/01/10
Outback Bowl
Raymond James Stadium Tampa FL
SEC vs Big10 1pm ABC
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Superdome New Orleans La
BCS/SEC vs BCS 8:30 Fox
Saturday 01/02/10
PaPa Johns.com Bowl
Legion Field Birmingham Al
SEC vs Big East 2pm ESPN
AT&T Cotton Bowl
Cowboys Stadium Arlington Tx
SEC vs Big12 2pm Fox
Autozone Liberty Bowl
Memphis Tn
SEC vs C-USA 5:30 ESPN
Thursday 01/07/2010
Citi BCS National Championship
Rose Bowl Stadium Pasadena Ca
(Here it is from SEC Football Online )
BCS(SEC) no.1 Florida vs BCS no.2 Texas 8:38 ABC

SEC making the Gator Bowl play the waiting game

After parting ways with the Big East earlier this year after a 13-year relationship, the Gator Bowl is carrying an offer from the Big Ten in one pocket and a tentative arrangement with the ACC in the other.
However, the bowl committee will not finalize anything until they hear back from the SEC.
According to the Birmingham News, the committee would really like to see a Big Ten-SEC match-up. "We're not going to move at all until we know what their parameters are because it doesn't make sense to do that," bowl president Rick Catlett said. "If you get an opportunity to do an SEC-Big Ten deal, you at least wait and see what the offer will be."
There are, however, some hurdles that need to be cleared before an arrangement is made with the SEC, as the News explains.
Catlett said the delay in finalizing bowls across the country has been frustrating for some partners, but "you don't want to make a mistake."
The Gator won't go to the SEC for its 6th pick every year. That means the Gator would have to jump existing SEC partners the Capital One, Cotton, Outback or Chick-fil-A bowls, unless the conference would rotate picks among several bowls.
If a new bowl is added to the SEC, a current partner would probably be booted. At the bottom of the current SEC pecking order are the Liberty Bowl, Independence Bowl and Birmingham's Papajohns.com Bowl. The SEC Rocks!

Tebow won't win the Heisman Trophy...Here is Why

Tim Tebow wins the Heisman Trophy! There is one small issue that we have overlooked. Like playing the damn season. We are among those on the Urban Meyer bandwagon, but when it comes to the Heisman Trophy race, we get a sense that neither of the 3 "sure bets" (Tebow, Texas QB Colt McCoy and Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford) will be hoisting the coveted award come mid-December. Our choice at SEC Football Online for the 2009 Heisman is... Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen. This is why: The Irish have 9 starters back on offense, including a receiving corps that may be the best in the nation. Clausen's numbers in the Hawaii Bowl win over Hawaii (22-26-401-5) see the light. Notre Dame's schedule has just 1 game (vs. USC on Oct. 17) in which they will be underdogs; considering the instability at QB for the Trojans at this point, the Irish could have a chance to pull off a win that would give them a clear shot at an undefeated season. Remember, NBC is the exclusive home for the Irish. Think that exposure won't hurt if Clausen's lighting up secondaries? An improved defense will give ND's offense more chances to score. ND finished 11-1 in the regular season, losing only to USC (39-25) and earning a trip to the Fiesta Bowl against Texas. Clausen's numbers (3,974 yards, 37 TD passes) were enough to beat out Tebow and Bradford for the Heisman, but not enough to outlast McCoy and the Longhorns in a 38-35 loss.

SEC Football starts...a Week Away

The start of the SEC season is next Thursday, with South Carolina leading the way. Spurrier and team travel to N.C. State on September 3 at 7 pm(game on ESPN). Then, it's off to Georgia, to face the Bulldogs on September 12 at 7 pm(game on ESPN2). If Spurrier and team split in the win/loss column or come out of the start of this with 2 in the win column, this might be the season to get past the 7-5 seasons. The SEC Rocks!

Tebow's H.S. Coach says...He'll be Ready to Go

Even as both Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow have done their best to downplay the issues surrounding the quarterback's back, it's still a hot topic in Gainesville and across the vast expanses of the Internet.
Tebow was limited during practice last week because of what was described as a sore back, but earlier this week returned to full-speed and contact during the sessions. Still, rumors are persisting that there may be more to the back issue than what is being revealed publicly.
With that in mind, the Orlando Sentinel went to Tebow's high school coach, Craig Howard, for additional information on the QB's "condition". The coach, who remains in close contact with Tebow, seems to confirm that whatever is going on with the Heisman winner is much ado about nothing.
"He'll be ready to go," Howard said. "That guy's tougher than nails."
Regardless of what is said by any and all of the parties involved, Tebow's very visible status as a face of college football will ensure this issue and these rumors will linger well into the season. The SEC Rocks!

Gator's Tebow might be the Healthiest Yet

This might be the 1st time in the last 2 years Gators fans can see how Tim Tebow can quarterback pain free. Tebow certainly played last year with more pain than he let on. You remember that right shoulder surgery in January to remove a bone spur and correct chronic inflammation? That injury stemmed from the Hawaii game, the 2008 season opener.
Tebow played 13 games on that bum shoulder. That same shoulder bothered him in 2007, meaning he's been taking painkilling injections for much of the last 2 seasons. In fact, the Hawaii game was the last time he didn't receive a shot before a game.
Now that this lower-back tightness isn't an issue and he's practicing without pain, Tebow said he's excited to see what he can do. “It’s more comfort than it was last year or the year before," Tebow said. "It's so much easier now that I can take hits and smile and not grunt now. That will be nice.”
Tebow said he would never pull himself out of a game because he loves playing too much, but sometimes he's being "hardheaded."
“I broke my hand against FSU, that hurt some," Tebow said. "In high school when I broke my leg playing on that, that hurt a lot. The shoulder, played with that all last year. Did that in the Hawaii game. Didn’t have surgery until the end of the year. That’s football.”
Coach Urban Meyer said he's simply stopped asking Tebow about injuries, and he barely remembered the shoulder problems when asked Monday. "I don’t ask him anymore because he’s not going to tell me,'' Meyer said. "Mickey (Marotti, strength and conditioning coach) is the guy he talks to so I’ll get all the inside scoop from Mickey.'' The SEC Rocks!

'LSU's The Les Miles Show' Premiers

The LSU's Les Miles Show presented by Capital One Bank, a 1 hour radio call-in show, is aired live from Walk-On's Bistreaux & Bar from 7-8 p.m. on Wednesday evenings.
Listen to all shows live on one of the LSU Sports Radio Network (affiliates), or around the world in the Geaux Zone on LSUsports.net. Can't listen live? Listen to the archive on-demand after the show.
Fans are encouraged to call-in and be a part of the show. In the Baton Rouge area, call (225) 578-4827 or toll free nationwide at (800) 315-8255. The SEC Rocks!

SEC Weekly Debuts On ESPNU Thursday

On Thursday, Aug. 27, ESPNU will debut its new studio show, SEC Weekly. The one-hour program will air Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. throughout the academic year and will cover SEC sports, including sport-by-sport previews, reviews, specials and features on student-athletes. The show will be hosted by Cara Capuano, who will anchor, and new analyst Matt Stinchcomb, a former University of Georgia All-American and NFL player.
The 1st edition of SEC Weekly will preview the SEC Eastern Division and showcase the defending national champion Florida Gators and their senior quarterback Tim Tebow. The inaugural show will also take a look at 1st-year coach Lane Kiffin and his Tennessee Volunteers, and the Georgia Bulldogs’ 5th-year senior quarterback Joe Cox. The show will also feature a profile on Georgia football legend Herschel Walker and women’s soccer player Carrie Patterson.
SEC Weekly is a product of ESPN’s landmark 15-year agreement with the Southeastern Conference. ESPNU will complement the show with SEC game telecasts, including football, basketball, Olympic sports and select conference championships. The SEC Rocks!

Vols, Bearcats schedule a one-and-done for 2011

Tennessee filled a hole in their 2011 schedule by reaching an agreement on a game against Cincinnati, the schools announced today.
That void for the Vols was created when Southern Miss asked to push their scheduled game into the future.
Here's the press release from UT announcing the game:
Tennessee and Cincinnati have agreed contractually to a 1 game football matchup in the 2011 season, it was announced Wednesday.
The Vols and Bearcats are set to play Sept. 10, 2011, in Knoxville.
UT previously was scheduled to host Southern Mississippi on that date, but the Golden Eagles asked to move the game to a future season. Tennessee now plays Southern Miss in Knoxville on Sept. 2, 2017.
"We were contacted about the possibility of Southern Miss moving its game to a future year," UT athletics director Mike Hamilton said. "For us, that was contingent on finding a suitable replacement, as Southern Miss is obviously a quality opponent.
"We worked with our partners at ESPN and were able to schedule the University of Cincinnati, the defending Big East Conference champions. We're very pleased with how things turned out and excited about welcoming coach Brian Kelly and the Bearcats to Knoxville for that game."
UT and Cincinnati have met five times, all in Knoxville, with the most recent outcome a 40-0 Vols win in 1992. The other four meetings occurred between 1904 and 1942, and Tennessee leads the overall series 4-1.
Cincinnati (11-3) captured the Big East championship last year and played in the FedEx Orange Bowl. Kelly is entering his third season as head coach of the Bearcats.
"Our philosophy is to play the best possible out-of-conference schedule," Kelly said. "The University of Tennessee's football tradition and geographic location make it a great matchup for us." The SEC Rocks!

UT's Brown cleared by NCAA; no penalties for freshman tailback

Tennessee’s football team needed a lift. Then the NCAA stepped in.
“The best news of the day is Bryce Brown has been cleared,” head coach Lane Kiffin said, recounting his announcement to his team before the final period of Wednesday’s practice.
Kiffin received the news midway through practice from athletic director Mike Hamilton, who made his way to Haslam Field to share the NCAA’s final ruling on UT’s freshman tailback.
Brown, who was rated the No. 1 tailback prospect in the country and has been a standout in preseason camp, drew the NCAA’s attention for trips he took to college campuses during his sophomore season at Wichita (Kan.) East High School. Brown took the trip along with other eventual Division I-A signees but he was singled out for punishment. The investigation, which began in February and concluded last month, had nothing to do with UT’s or any other school’s recruitment of Brown.
Kiffin said the original penalty that UT appealed was a 4 game suspension and a significant financial penalty to repay the travel costs.
“His penalties were waived,” Kiffin said. “He’ll miss no games and owes no money. So I think that’s a heckuva deal by the NCAA to get it done right and get it done with a sense of urgency. We’re very grateful for that.” The SEC Rocks!

Gators Tebow's Back is Fine

When Florida's Urban Meyer announced Saturday that Tebow had been held out of a scrimmage to rest a sore lower back, it quickly became national news.
On Monday, after being full-go at practice, Tebow said he didn’t understand why his back became such a big deal.
“The first thing from mom and dad, ‘Is everything OK?’ ‘Mom, I’m fine,’ “ Tebow said. “Everything is good. I think it’s funny. I think more than anything it makes people worry, friends of the family say, ‘Is he OK?’ He’s OK.”
Tebow said he likely would have been held out of contact work on Saturday regardless.
“If I was dying, I don’t think I would have been doing any more than I did,” Tebow said. “Coach Meyer generally doesn’t like me going in all situations, just like he doesn’t like Brandon Spikes doing it. I wouldn’t have gone any way.”
Tebow said his back is fine, even though he does continue to get treatment.
When asked how he aggravated it last week, Tebow said, “Probably overwork, like I do everything. It’s that time when you have to ease up and get ready for the season.”
Tebow said he was running around and head-butting teammates at practice Monday, so his back is fine. The SEC Rocks!

Geathers, injured in brawl, will miss USC opener

USC defensive end Clifton Geathers will remain suspended while coaches gather more information about a weekend incident at a Vista nightclub that left Geathers with a cracked orbital bone and three criminal charges.
Geathers, 21, a junior is charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness after fighting with a bouncer at Club Ice and struggling with Columbia police officers who tried to detain him.
USC coach Steve Spurrier said he was disappointed in Geathers' actions, but would not rush to judgment.
"He got himself in a bad situation," Spurrier said Monday. "I don't know all the facts, how it occurred. Certainly, he was wrong and we'll see what the legal system says and we'll go from there.
Regardless of his legal situation, Geathers will miss next week's N.C. State game with an eye injury, according to assistant head coach for defense Ellis Johnson.
"The big thing about it right now is he's got a crack on his orbitals and they've gotta check that out, see if there's anything (damaged in) the muscles or nerves or something like that," Johnson said. "So he's out for at least 2 weeks regardless." The SEC Rocks!

Injury Hits Gators Safety Dorian Munroe Again

Injury has happened to Dorian Munroe again.
The redshirt senior safety will miss 5 to 6 weeks because of a damaged meniscus in his right knee, the same knee that caused him to miss the 2008 season. Munroe was injured in practice during the weekend and had arthroscopic surgery Monday.
``That hurts us, it hurts him, and we love him,'' coach Urban Meyer said. ``We were hoping we wouldn't have to do it, but they told us over the weekend that he has to, so we had it done [Monday].''
The injury comes at a terrible time for Munroe, who was slotted for regular playing time in the Gators rotation. While Munroe is sidelined, freshmen Dee Finley and Josh Evans will fill his role.
Munroe was expected to be a starter last season before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the summer, paving the way for Ahmad Black to take the field and ring up 7 interceptions, tying for the nation's most.
To make his way back onto the field, Munroe must recover fully and beat out his replacements, and the time off will make closing the gap on Black, Major Wright and Will Hill a more difficult task. The SEC Rocks!

Status of Vols center up in the air

For the last 35 games, Josh McNeil has been a steady and consistent presence along Tennessee's offensive line.
This offseason, that string of consecutive starts was put in doubt due to a battle for the starting job with fellow senior Cody Sullins. Now, his college career could be in jeopardy as the lineman is scheduled to undergo exploratory surgery on his knee.
Citing a source close to the situation, the Knoxville News Sentinel is reporting that McNeil will undergo the procedure as early as Wednesday to determine the extent of the damage to his knee.
What type and the extent of the damage found will determine whether McNeil can play again this season.
Head coach Lane Kiffin thinks McNeil was injured roughly a week and a half ago. The coach added that McNeil missed yesterday's practice because he was visiting a specialist.
"I want to say 8 or 9 days ago, McNeil came down weird on it and kept playing through it," Kiffin said yesterday. "It was really an issue for him Saturday.
"We sent him for some more tests. You can't just send him for an MRI because he's had so much damage (in the past) you can't really tell anything.
"We'll see what the results say when they come back and hopefully we'll have good news and he'll be able to play for us."
McNeil has already used his redshirt season, meaning his college career would be over if he's medically unable to play in '09 and either he doesn't petition the NCAA for a 6th year of eligibility, or the petition is denied.

Gator's Head Coach Urban,and Illinois Head Coach Zook have the proverbial kiss-and-make up session

August 21, Urban Meyer took some shots at the locker room culture he inherited from Ron Zook, shots that the Florida head coach claims weren't aimed (August 22)at the current Illinois coach personally.
You don't win many games, but you feed off freshman and shaved eyebrows... Unbelievable... It's called a team, not some silly nonsense. That was five years ago, let's go beat up freshmen. Let's get our brains kicked in against our rival, but let's go beat up a freshman.
Zook then fired off a couple of blasts of his own aimed at Meyer.
I was surprised to see that, once again, five years later, we're blamed for something else at Florida. But by now I guess I shouldn't be. This one was most disappointing because it implies we didn't look out for our players. From someone who wasn't there at the time.
Now, apparently, all is just peachy keen between the two.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Meyer and Zook spoke on the phone over the weekend and ironed out their "differences". Meyer apologized for the insinuation that he was blaming Zook for the eyebrow-shaving culture that seemed to have permeated the Gators' locker room.
So, there you have it. The SEC Rocks!

1 Wildcat Down for Most of the Season

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Wide receiver E.J. Fields will have surgery to repair a foot injury and is expected to miss most of the season, Coach Rich Brooks announced following Monday's practice.

Fields has a torn ligament in mid-foot and is slated to have surgery on Thursday. Fields (Frankfort, Ky.) redshirted last year and is looking for his first collegiate game action in 2009.

Brooks noted that the status of John Conner is uncertain after the senior fullback incurred a sprained ankle in Saturday's scrimmage. The extent of the injury will become more apparent in the next few days, although Conner appeared to be improved on Monday.

The coach also said that offensive guard Jake Lanefski began running on Monday. The sophomore from Mobile, Ala., has been sidelined because of a knee cartilage repair but could return to practice later in the week.
( by www.ukathletics.com)

Spurrier issues statement on arrested Gamecock

South Carolina starting defensive end Clifton Geathers was arrested early Sunday morning on 3 misdemeanor charges, and has officially been suspended by the school.
"We are disappointed in the actions of Clifton Geathers the other night. He has been suspended indefinitely from the team until all the facts come in," head coach Steve Spurrier said in a statement released by the school.
Geathers was arrested following an incident at an area nightclub involving one of the club's bouncers. The junior was charged with resisting arrest, public drunkenness and disorderly orderly conduct. Ouch...The SEC Rocks!

Vols' top returning WR lost for up to a month and a half

With 30 receptions for 323 yards,Vols Gerald Jones was by far the most productive returning pass catcher for Tennessee this season.
That experience will be on the sidelines for the 1st part of the season, however, due to the dreaded high ankle sprain.
According to the Associated Press, Jones will be out 3-6 weeks because of the injury suffered during Saturday's scrimmage.
Jones was already somewhat limited during summer camp as he continues to recover from surgery on his wrist.

VOLS pick Crompton as Starting QB

Tennessee named Jonathan Crompton the starting quarterback on Monday and revealed 2 of his key offensive teammates are hurting.
Receiver Gerald Jones, UT’s leading returning receiver, will miss 3 to 6 weeks due to an ankle sprain suffered in Saturday’s scrimmage.
Senior center Josh McNeil was not at practice. Coach Lane Kiffin said McNeil went to a specialist to have his injured knee evaluated.
McNeil, who has started 35 consecutive games, has been practicing on a painful knee that he hurt a little more than a week ago, Kiffin said.
Kiffin did not speculate on whether McNeil would be available for the Sept. 5 season-opener or might possibly be facing surgery.
Crompton, meanwhile, got the nod from Kiffin over junior Nick Stephens.
Crompton said nothing changes, that the quarterbacks will remain in competition day by day as they have before.
As for his leading target, Jones could get back for the Sept. 12 UCLA game if Kiffin’s best-case scenario of three weeks comes to bear.
Quintin Hancock and Brandon Warren become the most veteran receivers on the team and worked with the No. 1 offense Monday.
Freshmen Marsalis Teague, Nu’Keese Richardson and Zach Rogers are getting plenty of work. Todd Campbell is also in the rotation.
Rod Wilks, who signed as a receiver in 2008 then moved to safety while redshirting, put on an orange shirt Monday and went back to offense.
Cornerback Marsalous Johnson was present but did not practice.
Freshman Montori Hughes again worked ahead of senior Dan Williams on the No. 1 defensive line. The SEC Rocks!

Former Gamecock opts for Div. 1-AA after giving USF a look

Exactly a week after being moved from wide receiver to defensive back, Joe Hills has decided to continue his collegiate career at Tennessee State, the St. Petersburg Times is reporting.
Hills was very close to becoming a member of the South Florida Bulls -- telling the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that he wants "to go to USF. It's a better fit for me." -- but couldn't get enrolled in time for the start of classes at USF. After the coaching staff suggested he attend a community college then enroll at USF in January, Hills instead opted for the smaller school.
Hills was a starter at the time of his move from receiver to South Carolina's defensive backfield, and, after talking it over with his family, decided to take the transfer route.
Even as he described the departure as amicable, he seemed to take a shot at head coach Steve Spurrier as he headed out the door.
"Coach Spurrier told me it was best that I play defensive back. I told him I didn't think it was good a move and wanted to talk with my family," Hills told the Herald-Tribune. "My family didn't like it and I decided on Thursday night to leave. Coach Spurrier didn't tell me why he was doing this. He gave me an excuse, but it wasn't one that I felt was legitimate." The SEC Rocks!

Carolina's QB Garcia performance so-so to Spurrier...QB Coach Mangus can live with it...for Now

USC's Stephen Garcia did not break off any dazzling runs or complete a pass longer than 29 yards Saturday in South Carolina's 4th preseason scrimmage, prompting Steve Spurrier to call Garcia's performance "so-so."
But if so-so means no turnovers and just a couple of sacks, G.A. Mangus can live with it.
"We don't need him to go out there and win the game for us right now. I think that's an awfully lofty expectation for a sophomore," said Mangus, the Gamecocks' 1st-year quarterbacks coach. "At the same time, you look at the turnovers and the sacks last year, and if we can eliminate those, that gives us a chance to win."
Last season was a transition year for Garcia, whose athleticism and improvisational skills made him a blue-chip recruit at Jefferson High in Tampa, Fla. But often when Garcia tried to leave the pocket and freelance in his 1st SEC season, he was chided by his coach for not letting the play develop or, worse, saw his passes end up in the arms of a defensive back.
Garcia had more interceptions 8 than touchdown passes 6 in 2008, and was picked off an average of once every 15 throws. Ouch! The SEC Rocks!

Kentucky's Micah Johnson named to the Dick Butkus Award

UK's Senior linebacker Micah Johnson has been named to the watch list for the Dick Butkus Award, signifying the best linebacker in college football. The honor is bestowed by The Dick Butkus Foundation.
Johnson earned 1st-team All-Southeastern Conference honors in 2008 as chosen by league coaches. His accomplishments included:
93 tackles last season and would have been well over 100 stops had he not missed 2 and 1-half games because of injury.
13 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, leading the team in that category.
He ranked 3rd in the SEC in tackles per game.
He led the team in tackles in 8 of the 11 games in which he played.
He had 4 double-digit tackling efforts, including a career-high 15 stops in the win over Arkansas.
Johnson is now on 3 preseason watch lists for national awards, in addition to the Rotary Lombardi Award (best lineman/linebacker) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player). The SEC Rocks!

Vols QB and Other Positions in the Mix

The evidence was presented with a thud and a pop Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium.
Now coach Lane Kiffin has retired the jury to study the tape and render a verdict on Tennessee's depth chart.
"People had to come out here and prove themselves and I think a lot of people did,'' defensive end Chris Walker said after the Vols' third preseason scrimmage.
Two weeks before the season-opener against Western Kentucky, Kiffin ran the squad through a game-like weekend, beginning with Friday's walk-through. There was even a Vol Walk walk-through Saturday morning.
He billed Saturday as the most important 3 hours of preseason camp as far as determining the depth chart.
So who won starting jobs?
"Everything is in the coaches' hands,'' said quarterback Jonathan Crompton. "We'll go from there.''
If Crompton got out of bed Saturday with an edge over Nick Stephens - as many perceive - it didn't appear from the stands that Stephens did enough to hurdle him.
Crompton was 17-of-31 passing for 265 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was intercepted once, by Art Evans.
Stephens was 9-of-17 for 90 yards and didn't direct a drive to the end zone. He emerged interception-free, although there was one close call. A couple of his incompletions were throw-aways.
"I thought they did well,'' Kiffin said. "Jonathan ended up with more plays, just because of how it worked out. It wasn't done on purpose.''
Kiffin is likely to name his season-opening starter by mid-week at the latest. He said it wouldn't be fair to the team to go into game week without a leader.
"I think I had a pretty good day,'' said Stephens. "And I had a pretty good week.
"It's their decision and whatever they choose, everybody has faith in them. Obviously, I want to be the guy.''
Crompton and center Cody Sullins worked with the No. 1 offensive line in the first half. Stephens and Josh McNeil did likewise in the second half.
"Before the (Friday) meetings, they told me I would start with the ones,'' Sullins said. "They didn't tell me why.''
It took until the fifth offensive possession before the defense allowed a touchdown. Crompton and Quintin Hancock connected on a 20-yard strike against the No. 2 defense.
Hancock did most of the work, taking the short pass, evading cornerback C.J. Fleming and dashing down the sideline.
It wasn't long before Crompton found fullback Kevin Cooper for a 45-yard completion. Three plays later freshman Bryce Brown scored on a 5-yard run, bouncing outside when he found the middle clogged.
Early in the second half, Crompton led a 65-yard drive. Brandon Warren got 34 of them on a catch-and-run, then got open for a 5-yard TD pass.
The defense won on the scoreboard, 37-30, scoring points for stopping drives and getting turnovers.
Daniel Lincoln chipped in nine offensive points, hitting all three field-goal tries, from 23, 40 and 47 yards.
As for other position battles, Montori Hughes started ahead of Dan Williams at noseguard with the No. 1 defense.
"We thought Montori had a good week and wanted to see him go against the ones,'' said line coach Ed Orgeron. "And I thought he had a pretty good day.
"The competition is tight right now.''
Tauren Poole opened at tailback but that was attributed to Montario Hardesty oversleeping and reporting late Saturday morning. Hardesty, however, did lose a fumble.
Dennis Rogan opened at cornerback with the No. 1 defense but soon reverted to safety, where he has spent most of camp.
"I really like him at safety,'' said defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. "I think he's got a lot of potential at safety.''
The Vols will hold another game simulation on Saturday, but without contact.
And while the depth chart might take shape this week, it won't be chiseled in granite. That even goes for the quarterbacks, said offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.
"In Lane's program, what we try to do is develop that competitive spirit all the way to the end,'' Chaney said.
"The hay is never in the barn in this program. We want to let those guys compete for the starting spot every day and that's what is going on.'' The SEC Rocks!

Gators Maurkice Pouncey named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List

Junior offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey was named to the 2009 Rimington Trophy Watch List. The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Center in NCAA Division I-A College Football.
In all, there are 43 players on the Watch List. The SEC checks in with the most candidates, with 6 players being named. The ACC, Big-12, Big Ten and WAC are represented by 5 players each on the Watch List.
Pouncey has appeared in 27 games with 26 starts and was Florida’s starting center in all 14 games during the 2008 season, including the Gators’ 2008 SEC and FedEx BCS National Championship Game victories. He garnered SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week Oct. 6 for his performance against Arkansas and was 1 of 5 UF Offensive Players of the Week after the offensive line’s success against LSU. The SEC Rocks!

Auburn Back Gets Arrested makes a Historic Event

Auburn University tailback Eric Smith will surrender to Auburn police Monday in the wake of additional charges filed by the victim of an alleged, 3rd-degree assault early Friday morning, the Opelika-Auburn News has learned.
A warrant for the arrest of Smith was issued Friday, the victim’s mother, Sandra Jenkins, and assistant Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson said. Smith’s attorney contacted the court and has made arrangements for Smith to turn himself in Monday, Dawson said.
Smith’s court date is tentatively set for Nov. 5, Dawson said.
According to Alabama code, assault in the 3rd degree is a Class A misdemeanor. The punishment for a Class A misdemeanor is not more than a $6,000 fine and one year in jail.
Smith, 19, was arrested outside the Lexington Hotel, which is located on College Street a few miles South of Toomer’s Corner, and transported to the Lee County Detention Center. Smith was sober and did not resist arrest, according to a redacted report obtained by the Opelika-Auburn News.
Auburn Police Capt. Tom Stofer said APD was called to the scene because of a fight. While on the scene, APD arrested Smith and another Auburn student. The student was arrested for public drunkenness.
According to a victim report, a 22-year-old male Auburn student was treated for injuries in the parking lot of the hotel at the same time of Smith’s arrest.
The victim was treated at East Alabama Medical Center for a wide laceration over his left eyebrow, Jenkins said. The victim did not know his attacker, according to a victim report obtained by The Opelika-Auburn News.
According to the report, the victim was assaulted in the third degree by “hands, fists, voice, etc.”
Smith was booked at the detention center at 2:32 a.m. Friday and was released on $300 bond at 3 a.m., Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said.
When police officers witness a fight, disorderly conduct – a Class C misdemeanor—is typically the original charge, Dawson said. The victim then has the option to sign an assault warrant.
“That’s how we got where we are now,” Dawson said.
Auburn head coach Gene Chizik could not be reached for comment. When addressing the issue Friday, Chizik said Smith’s situation was a matter “between Eric, myself and our football team,” and would neither confirm or deny that Smith was still on the team.
Smith did not participate in Friday’s practice and Chizik refused to offer any timeline for a potential return.
Smith, a bulky tailback, saw playing time in all 12 games last season as a freshman, but ran for just 83 yards. A Tampa native, Smith was poised to see a significant increase in playing time, as he’s been battling Onterio McCalebb, Mario Fannin and Dontae Aycock for the 2nd running back slot behind starter Ben Tate.
Smith is the 1st Auburn football player to be arrested since August 2007, when offensive lineman King Dunlap was detained for failure to pay a speeding ticket. The SEC Rocks!
(Photo credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office)

Alabama's Jones and Richardson Injured in Scrimmage

University of Alabama coach Nick Saban was pleased with the performance of the 1st-team offense and defense, but not so much with the 2nd teams during Saturday’s final fall scrimmage.
“There was a tremendous amount of improvement from last week’s scrimmage to this week’s scrimmage,” Saban said.
Sophomore wide receiver Julio Jones gave both fans and boosters who were invited to attend the closed scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium a scare when he twisted his ankle on a long pass. He did not leave the scrimmage.
True freshman running back Trent Richardson sustained a sprained shoulder. Neither injury is considered serious.
“I think he’ll be ok,” Saban said.
Senior defensive back Marquis Johnson had what Saban called a “head sting. He’ll be fine.” The SEC Rocks!

Gators Top AP Poll in a Historic Fashion

As expected, Florida has laid claim to the top spot in the just-released Associated Press media poll.
How they did it, however, is one for the record books.
58 of the 60 voters put the Gators No. 1 on their ballot. That 96.7 percent of the vote trumps the tally of the 2007 Southern Cal Trojans, which received 95.4 percent of the 65 votes placed.
Other than that, though, there is very little difference between the AP poll and the USA Today coaches' poll released earlier this month.
The top 7 schools are the same in both polls : Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, USC, Alabama, Ohio State and Virginia Tech.
Oklahoma State and LSU swapped spots in the AP compared to the USA Today, with the Cowboys tied with Penn State at No. 9 and the Tigers at No. 11.
Boise State is the top-ranked non-BCS team at No. 14; they were No. 16 according to USA Today.
Kansas broke into the top 25 at No. 25 after finishing atop the "Others Receiving Votes" category in USA Today. Oregon State, USA Today's No. 25, didn't make the cut according to the AP.
Both the SEC and Big 12 placed 5 teams apiece in the rankings, tops in the country. All 5 of the SEC's teams, incidentally, are in the top 13. The SEC Rocks!

Gator's Urban Meyer wasn't taking shots at Ex- coach Zook

Yesterday, Urban Meyer leveled some fairly harsh criticisms against the locker room culture he inherited when he took over as Florida's head coach.
Today, Meyer is doing a two-step backtrack from the blasts.
In a statement released by the university, Meyer claims his barbs weren't meant as a direct shot at his predecessor.
"I was asked about fights in locker rooms," Meyer said. "I made a comment about the previous locker room arrangement and how that can lead to issues such as separating freshmen. There was no intent to criticize the previous staff or coach Zook. Obviously the locker room arrangement was that way for a while." The SEC Rocks!

Crompton Edges Ahead for UT's QB Position

Tennessee held their third scrimmage of the summer this afternoon, and they may have found themselves with a leader for the starting quarterback job.
Jonathan Crompton and Nick Stephens have been neck and neck throughout camp, but the former may have pulled slightly ahead of the latter.
Crompton completed 17 of 31 passes for 265 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Stephens was 9 of 17 for 90 yards and no touchdowns.
All 3 of Crompton's drives ended in touchdowns.
Given the disparity in the statistics, and especially given the very wide disparity in the number of plays each player was involved in, it would seem as though Crompton has indeed placed himself in the lead. Head coach Lane Kiffin, however, wasn't ready to jump to that conclusion.
"Jonathan ended up with more plays," Kiffin said. "That's just how it worked out. It wasn't on purpose."
Kiffin and his staff will now study tapes of the scrimmage, and could very well make a decision on a starter as soon as early this week. Or not. The SEC Rocks!

Auburns' Coach Gene Chizik Statement about Eric Smith

"I want to start out and address a situation that probably most of you are aware of with one of our players, Eric Smith. I've spent a lot of the day fact-finding and doing a lot of research on the incident. I'm not going to go into any details or the specifics of the matter. In my opinion, it's a family matter between Eric, myself and our football team. But I can assure you it has been addressed. I've met with the young man, I've met with the football team. We have certain expectations of an Auburn man, and quite frankly he didn't live up to that. So, we've addressed it. If you see him in an Auburn uniform again, I can guarantee you that he's paid a price to be an Auburn man. And he'll be a lot better one at that point than he is now. So I don't want to belabor the point and I don't want to get into specifics or details of the situation. But, again, I can assure you we've addressed it."
And now, the Unsuccessful Follow-up Questions...
(Was he out there today?)Uh, no he was not.
(Will he be back out at practice?)Again, we're not going to go into details on any of that.
(What did you tell the team?)Again, I'm not going into any of the details. Again, that's a family matter.
(Will there be any game suspension?)Again, I'm not going into the details of any of the specifics at all in the matter.
(Did the incident involve any other players?)I'm not going into any of the specifics or details of the matter. If y'all want to talk about football, that'd be a great idea.
(Do you have a curfew for your players?)We have a policy in place. The details of that policy right now I'm not going to get into.
(Just so we're 100 percent clear, is Eric Smith currently a member of the football team?)I'm not going into any more details. The SEC Rocks!

Gators' Coach Urban Meyer changed the Culture of the Violence in the Locker Room

After Miami's "horsing around" incident that resulted in player injury, Urban Meyer was asked how he treats team fighting on the field and in the locker room.
Meyer's answer transcended team policies or judgment calls on the subject. He sounded truly disheartened by the team culture he inherited from former Gators coach Ron Zook.
Meyer remembers arriving to campus only to find separate locker rooms for freshmen who weren't allowed to walk into the veteran's locker room.
"This is a big-time college football program, and we had fights and stuff because they’d treat the freshmen like they were non people, ‘Don’t walk through here, we’ll kick your tail, we’ll shave your eyebrows,'" Meyer said. "It took us awhile to break this great culture we had here. That was tremendous."
The sarcasm was noted, but then Meyer expressed his true distaste.
"You don’t win many games, but you feed off freshman and shaved eyebrows…Unbelievable," Meyer said. "Now I have a freshman who’s really going through some hard times, and he says – stood up in front of the team, tears falling down his eyes, he said I really want to thank the older guys for taking care of me.
"It’s called a team, not some silly nonsense. That was five years ago, let’s go beat up freshmen. Let’s get our brains kicked in against our rival, but let’s go beat up a freshman.”
Ouch. Sounds like a pretty direct shot at Zook. It's hard to complain that Meyer's welcoming ways for all his players works better. The SEC Rocks!

Alabama's Courtney Upshaw Sees Practice...No Suspension

University of Alabama sophomore linebacker Courtney Upshaw participated in Thursday’s practice. He was arrested on charges of 3rd-degree domestic violence late Wednesday night and was released from jail Thursday morning. Not any suspension was given to the player.
Senior running back Roy Upchurch was not at Thursday’s practice for unknown reasons. Freshman wide receiver Kenny Bell was also absent from practice. Saban said Tuesday that Bell was suffering from bad shin splints.
Freshman cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick was in a no-contact black jersey for the second straight day for undetermined reasons.
For the entire week, Barrett Jones has been running drills at right guard alongside Drew Davis, a trend that continued Thursday. The SEC Rocks!

Fulmer Planning on Return to the Side-Lines Big Time

By next season, Fulmer the former Tennessee coach expects to be back on the sideline and back in the spotlight.
"I have a great picture in mind," he said of what he's hoping for in his next coaching job. "Somebody that's committed to winning championships and being the best that they can be, with a chance to compete in a conference that's nationally recognized. I'm not going to go walk into a door somewhere that you have no chance to be successful.
"I want to be on the big stage and recruit against the best that's out there."
In 17 seasons at Tennessee, proved he could compete with the best in the business. The Vols went 152-52, won 2 Southeastern Conference championships and a national championship in 1998.
But Tennessee finished with a losing record in 2 of his last 4 seasons, including last season's 5-7 mark. He was forced out before the season ended.
"It wasn't the way I wanted to go out," he said. The SEC Rocks!

Arkansas' Miller Out 4-6 weeks with Broken Collarbone

Arkansas wide receiver Lucas Miller is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks after breaking his collarbone while diving to catch a pass in Thursday's practice. Miller will have surgery today to repair the collarbone, Arkansas confirmed Thursday night in a news release. The injury is a severe blow for the senior, who had shown signs over the past 3 weeks that he had recovered from the serious knee injury that ended his 2008 season. Miller broke his collarbone when he dove for a pass during a team drill early in Thursday's morning practice inside Arkansas' indoor facility. He hit the ground hard and writhed in pain as 2 athletic trainers and Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino checked on him. Miller is the 3rd Arkansas player to suffer a serious injury since the Razorbacks opened preseason camp on Aug. 6. Tight end Chris Gragg (dislocated ankle) and cornerback Isaac Madison (torn ACL) will each miss the entire season. Miller was expected to play a role in Arkansas' offense after showing that he had recovered from the torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered toward the end of last season. Aside from having to occasionally sit out a practice to rest his surgically repaired knee, Miller appeared to be running at full speed and making plays with the offense. He led all of Arkansas' wide receivers last season with 490 yards to go along with his 30 catches and 2 touchdowns. The SEC Rocks!

Joe Hills off Gamecocks Team

A day after moving from receiver to defensive back, USC junior Joe Hills moved on entirely.
As he walked on to the practice field Friday afternoon, Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier told a group of reporters that Hills was no longer on the team. He did not say whether Hills quit or had been asked to leave.
Hills entered the preseason as a 2nd-team receiver and had been getting work with the 1st-team offense. But after he dropped 2 passes during Wednesday’s scrimmage, Hills was switched to safety. Then, off the team, Ouch! The SEC Rocks!

Auburn's RB Eric Smith Arrested for Disorderly Conduct

Auburn's sophomore running back Eric Smith was arrested for disorderly conduct early this morning after an incident at an Auburn hotel.
Smith, 19, was arrested at 1:42 a.m. and transported to the Lee County Detention Center, according to Auburn police Capt. Tom Stofer. The incident occurred at the Lexington Hotel, which is a few miles south of downtown Auburn on South College Street. Stofer said no other details of the arrest were immediately available. A redacted copy of the arrest report provided to the Press-Register said Smith was sober and did not resist arrest.
A native of Seffner, Fla., Smith is expected to get significant playing time behind Ben Tate in Auburn's backfield. He played in 12 games and rushed for 83 yards as a true freshman in 2008. The SEC Rocks!

LSU Practice Update

BATON ROUGE -- Rain chased LSU indoors again on Thursday as the Tigers went through a 2 ½ workout in shells (shoulder pads and helmets) here at the Charles McClendon Practice Facility.
The Tigers will held a practice this morning before conducting a thud (no tackling to the ground) scrimmage on Saturday in Tiger Stadium. LSU’s final scrimmage will come next Tuesday. The Tigers open their fifth season under Les Mileson Sept. 5 in Seattle against Washington.
( by www.lsusports.net)

Tennessee Appeals NCAA Decision in Brown's Case

According to a report in the Knoxville News Sentinel, Tennessee has appealed the initial verdict on prized recruit Bryce Brown's eligibility.
The only problem is, the school is not saying what that verdict is and what type of punishment, if any, could come from it.
At issue is the running back's amateur status as the NCAA investigated possible illegal benefits gained by Brown while he was in high school.
UT's recruitment of Brown was not a part of the NCAA probe. And for those who missed or skipped over that last sentence, let me repeat myself: UT's recruitment of Brown was not a part of the NCAA probe.
While the paper did not specify what the verdict was, they did lay out the potential punishment parameters that could be slapped on Brown for whatever issues the organization dug up.
UT officials wouldn't comment on the specifics of the ruling, however, a repayment of any extra benefits Brown may have received when he was in high school and a one- or two-game suspension at UT are possible, but that is considered a worst-case scenario. The SEC Rocks!

'Bama's Courtney Shaw arrested for Harassment...Receives Help from Girl's Father

Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw did not initiate the altercation that landed him in jail today on a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence/harassment, the father of the female involved told the Press-Register.
Kendall Grzyb, a 19-year-old UA student from Madison, Ala., was arrested on the same charge as Upshaw. According to her father, the two "had been dating on-again and off-again" and were arguing around 10 p.m. Wednesday near the Student Recreation Center on campus.
Dave Grzyb called it "a simple lovers' quarrel altercation."
"The cops just happened to be there and see it and they took them both in," he said, "I hate to see this guy get in too much trouble because I honestly think it was probably initiated by my daughter. I don't think he laid a hand on her. He just tried to restrain her to keep from getting hit again."
The arrests were made by University of Alabama Police. The SEC Rocks!

Gator's Dustin Doe to Return to Team

Gator's LB Dustin Doe, currently serving a suspension for a July arrest, said on his twitter account that he will be back on the team on Friday.
"Finally!!!!...Be back on the field Friday," Doe said. "Can't wait."
Team spokesman Steve McClain said the decision for Doe to return has not yet been made.
Defensive coordinator Charlie Strong said earlier this week that Doe would return to the team after clearing up his legal issues. Doe was arrested in late July for knowingly driving with a suspended license. Doe has court dates for Aug. 24 and Oct. 1 stemming from separate driving charges, according to Alachua County clerk records.
The senior must have gotten bored while not playing football, so he started this blog called reallydoereally.blogspot.com. The SEC Rocks!

Bulldogs Starting Center Out due to Injury

Georgia's starting sophomore center Ben Jones sustained a sprained left ankle in Wednesday's practice, sports information director Claude Felton said. X-rays were negative.
"He's day-to-day, depending on how he responds to treatment," Felton said Wednesday night.
Jones played in all 13 games last season, starting 10.
The Brent, Ala., native was named SEC offensive lineman of the week following the Kentucky game last season.

Ole Miss' Greg Hardy on the Nagurski Award Watch List

Ole Miss' Greg Hardy is among 62 players selected to the 2009 Bronko Nagurski Watch List, announced by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is awarded annually to the nation's best defensive player by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club. The trophy has been presented since 1993 and is awarded in memory of the legendary Nagurski, an All-America lineman at Minnesota in 1927-29 and a star for professional football's Chicago Bears in the 1930s.
A 2-time All-American from Millington, Tenn., Hardy also made the watch lists for the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award and Chuck Bednarik Defensive Player of the Year Award. The senior boasts 32.5 career TFLs and 21.5 sacks, including an SEC-best 10.0 in 2007. The SEC Rocks!

Vandy on the Roll...Still a Rough Road Ahead

It will be tough for Vanderbilt to crack the upper tier in the SEC. The point is, they just don't have the talent that Florida and Georgia have. That's why the recruiting numbers are so mesmerizing. It's an undisputed fact that Vandy is pulling in better athletes now than ever before.
Couple that with some big wins a few years in a row and the new national media exposure the SEC will get with the new ESPN deal, and that recruiting trend could continue. Who knows, it might not be long before Johnson starts regularly hauling in some 4 star atheletes.
College football is all about momentum, in every phase of the sport, from the actual games, to the season, to recruiting. If they can keep the ball rolling, who knows just where it will stop. The SEC Rocks!

Vandy Starter Steven Stone Out with Injury for 6 Weeks

Vanderbilt starting defensive end Steven Stone will be out at least 6 weeks with a broken right foot, Coach Bobby Johnson said Tuesday.
Stone took a bad step on a routine play in practice Monday and was wearing a protective boot while on crutches Tuesday.
It was the 1st significant career injury for Stone, a 6-5 senior who started every game the last 2 seasons. He had 42 tackles and was tied for the team lead with 5 sacks in 2008.
The Commordores are not planning on having Stone for the 1st 4 games. He could to return the week of the Ole Miss game on Oct. 3. The SEC Rocks!

Coach Johnson states...Vandy not just a Flash in the Pan

The Vanderbilt football team made no bones about it at the SEC Media Days: The Commodores are here to stay.
Head coach Bobby Johnson emphatically reinforced that he expects his team to eventually compete at a championship level in the SEC, and he insists that the Commodores were not just a flash in the pan during the 2008 season.
"I think the sky's the limit for Vanderbilt," Johnson said. "We expect to compete for championships. We can continue to make those kind of leaps and bounds." The SEC Rocks!

2009 Capital One All-American Mascot Challenge.

ATHENS, Ga. --- Hairy Dawg, the University of Georgia’s mascot, has been selected to participate in the 2009 Capital One All-American Mascot Challenge.
Honoring the “unsung heroes of college football,” Capital One is recognizing 12 mascots nationwide.
On Aug. 31, “the season” will begin when voting opens to fans. Each week, the mascots will pair off in a voting challenge, and the mascot with the most votes gets the win. After 11 weeks, the eight mascots with the best record will advance to the playoffs on Nov. 16.
The winner will be announced during halftime of the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1, 2010, and the mascot will receive a scholarship for its school.
( by www.georgiadogs.com)

NCAA Investigates Brown's Eligibility

Tennessee tailback Bryce Brown is facing an eligibility issue as the NCAA investigates his amateur status as a high school player, head coach Lane Kiffin said after practice Tuesday.
At question is money raised for Brown and other players to attend football camps while in high school. Kiffin said Brown is currently eligible, but is uncertain if Brown will be eligible for the season-opener Sept. 5 against Western Kentucky.
Tennessee’s recruitment of Brown is not thought to be part of the investigation.
Brown was back in full pads at practice Tuesday but did not participate after leaving Monday’s practice with a hip injury. Kiffin said an MRI was negative. The SEC Rocks!