Strong raids Gator staff for coordinator

When Charlie Strong was hired as Louisville's new head coach, he stated that he would not be plucking assistants from Urban Meyer's Florida staff to fill out his own.
Today, the new Cardinals coach has done the exact opposite of his initial statement.
According to Tom Dienhart of Rivals.com, Strong has hired Gators secondary coach Vance Bradford as his new defensive coordinator.
Bedford has been at UF for the past two seasons, and spent two years as Oklahoma State's defensive coordinator earlier this decade.

Miles, Paterno Hold Final Press Conference

On New Year's Eve, LSU head coach Les Miles joined Penn State head coach Joe Paterno for the final formal press conference prior to the 2010 Capital One Bowl.
Listen to the press conference archive now, and check back at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. in Baton Rouge) for The Les Miles Show - Capital One Bowl Edition, live from the Renaissance Orlando SeaWorld.
Fans in Orlando are invited to the lobby area of the team hotel to watch the show live.
LSU Head Coach Les Miles
On the week in OrlandoFirst of all, the Capital One Bowl committee has done a great job hosting our team. The practice facilities have all been first-class. Our guys have really enjoyed being here. I tell you, our practice has gone well, and as with every bowl week, we look forward to playing the game.
On his success in bowl games and the secrets to that successHaving good teams. Having teams that want to play, who understand the opportunity to play well in their last game. We think we do some good things, but I don’t know that it’s any different, I don’t know that there’s any magic.
On the trend of college football players complaining about treatment from coachesIt’s always hard for me as a coach, to sit on the perimeter of issue and try to figure out what really went on. The specifics of a number of those spots seem unusual and difficult to explain, but I don’t know and it’s hard to be overly critical. I can tell you some things that we do and don’t do in our program that sound familiar. So like I said, it’s hard for me to be overly critical.
On the importance of this game to finish out the decade of success for LSUI always hesitate to put too much on a single game, but the opportunity to finish the season specifically with ten victories, to play a great team in Penn State, to get a victory and a bowl championship, and the opportunity to win our 100th game in the decade is certainly a very special spot in college football. That has not gone beyond our team’s view and certainly it is a part of the feel of this game.
On Penn State and his background in the Big TenI was at Michigan as an assistant coach when Penn State entered the Big Ten Conference. I remembered that they chose to put them initially to play Michigan, I don’t know initially that they had Ohio State on the schedule. I wondered how we got so lucky to have Penn state and those other guys didn’t. I’ve always felt like Penn State was a tremendous team and very well coached, and certainly a favorite of those Pennsylvania boys to go to school. There’s always been great competition with Penn State and all the Big Ten schools. They’re one of the elite teams in that conference by far, and Coach Paterno has done a great job, and he’s done it over time. It’s hard to use the world legend, but he certainly is an icon in coaching.
On what keeps him up at night about Penn StateThe first thing that’s keeping me up at night is Ben Miles (Coach’s youngest son) ... Other than that, it’s a quality, quality team that we’re playing. They have a very good defense, a very strong front seven. They’re very capable on the corners and the perimeter. [They have] an offense that can run it and throw it, a quarterback who can move his feet, just solid, quality special teams. Besides Ben, that’s what’s keeping me up at night.
On the Citrus Bowl field I don’t know the specifics of the field, certainly, and I’m sure that the groundspeople there are doing everything that they can to put that field in order for this game. Certainly you want no field to be directly a cause to injury, and you want it as fast-tracked as you can be. Without knowing exactly how that field’s gonna play and what it looks like today, it’s going to be hard for me to comment. I just couldn’t imagine that the bowl committee’s not working feverishly to put that field back into repair and give us the opportunity to play on a great turf. I guess I’ll be able to speak to it more pointedly on game day.

Up Next... Auburn Tiger fans warm up to `Football in Paradise'

When Brian Godwin and his family left Huntsville and headed toward Tampa Bay on Tuesday, the temperature hovered in the 30s. By the time their toes touched the sandy white beaches of Clearwater Beach on Wednesday morning, they were soaking in the sun and enjoying the Tampa Bay area's milder temperatures as the weather warmed to the 70s for the Outback Bowl Beach Day festivities.
"We were so happy when we found out Auburn had been picked for the Outback Bowl," said Brian, who made the trip with his wife, Patricia, and son Christian, 10, who clutched an Auburn football autographed by players he'd seen at the beach event. "The weather down here and having the beach makes this the perfect vacation. It's beautiful here."
The Godwins were among several thousand Auburn and Northwestern fans enjoying the day at the beach, which featured a tug-of-war between the schools' cheerleaders-Auburn's won 2 of 3 matches-pie eating contests, the school's bands, Aubie and more.
Fans soaking up the fun at the beach must have felt as though they were in a time warp as they sunned on the beach and even played in the surf-only five days after Christmas. A vintage pirate ship even sailed by on the turquoise-colored waters and fired off cannon shots. The strains of beach music from a live band and the sounds of Auburn and Northwestern cheers added to the festive atmosphere.
Auburn cheerleader Benton Sprayberry, a junior from Auburn making her first bowl trip, said the Outback Bowl experience has been a memorable one.
"It's been an amazing atmosphere down here on the beach today," Sprayberry said. "The hospitality has just been great, not only from the City of Clearwater but also from the bowl officials. It's 37 degrees in Auburn right now, so this is a nice, nice change. It's just been great to see so many Auburn families here as well as fellow students enjoying the Outback Bowl. I think it's great to see students venturing down here to support Auburn."
The cheerleaders and band members were set to enjoy a bit of free time before another round of activities on New Year's Eve Day, including a parade and pep rally.
Wayne Bolt, Auburn's Director of Football Operations, accepted a key to the City of Clearwater and thanked Outback Bowl, Tampa Bay and Clearwater officials for their hospitality.
"It's a beautiful day, and we're excited about being here," Bolt told said. "This is a great venue for our players, our coaching staff and the Auburn Family-and we are a family. You can't get any better than the white beaches of South Florida," Bolt said.
The day at the beach was fun and games for the Auburn faithful and select players, but the team put in its final full practice on Wednesday in preparation for Friday's game against Northwestern. A walk-through was scheduled for the team for Thursday, but fans expected to have more fun with a New Year's Eve Parade and Band Blast in historic Ybor City, an entertainment hub in the heart of downtown Tampa.

Dome spells doom for Kiffin and Vols

It was all Virginia Tech early as the Hokies -raced out to a 14-0 lead against Tennessee in tonight's Chick-Fil-A Bowl, but the Vols fired back. Sr.Jonathan Crompton, who's interception early led to Va. Tech's first score, completed three big passes, one to Denarius Moore and two to Gerald Jones. That would set up a remarkable touchdown run by senior Montario Hardesty to pull the Vols within seven at 14-7. Then later with the Hokies driving, Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor is intercepted by freshman Janzen Jackson and the Vol offense is back in business. UT calls the screen pass and works the play to perfection. Hardesty takes the short pass and runs it all the way down to the one yard line. From there it was Crompton to Denarius Moore. With the extra point, the game is tied at 14. But instead of taking a knee, the Hokies go deep and Taylor hits #82, Jarrett Boykin with a 63 yard pass. It appeared time had expired in the half, in fact, the Vols headed toward the locker room, but after further review, the officials put two seconds on the clock, just enough time for a Tech field goal. The 11th ranked Hokies lead the Big Orange 17-14 at halftime of the 2009 Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
Ryan Williams and the Hokie defense took over in the second half. Williams had a record-setting game and powered Virginia Tech past Tennessee 37-14 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Thursday night.
The Hokies (10-3) took the lead with a field goal in the final seconds of the first half and outscored Tennessee 20-0 in the second half on their way to a sixth straight 10-win season.
The only team with a longer active streak is Texas with nine.
Williams, a redshirt freshman, had 117 yards rushing and two touchdowns to become Virginia Tech's single-season rushing leader with 1,655 yards. Williams also set Atlantic Coast Conference records with 21 rushing touchdowns and 22 total touchdowns this season.

Kiffin sees little to exploit in Virginia Tech defense

A missing cornerback is nice.
But if Lane Kiffin had a choice, the Tennessee coach would probably take somebody else away from a talented Virginia Tech defense.
There's a play-making safety, an intelligent linebacker and a couple terrors at defensive end that might be better candidates, though Kiffin won't complain about academically ineligible Stephan Virgil's absence Thursday (TV: ESPN, 7:30 p.m.) in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. It's just difficult for the Vols to find a way to really capitalize on it.
"I think the scheme they play is not very demanding on the corners," Kiffin said. "They make it difficult to attack them. They're not a press-man team where he's going to be out there on the field all day long and they're going to leave him in man coverage.
"They run a very unique defense, a very unique coverage; and they don't ask those guys to be matched up one-on-one very much, so it's kind of hard to go after one of their corners."
Even if the Vols (7-5) aren't specifically targeting some inexperienced replacements for Virgil, they'll still be trying to test a secondary that's been among the best in the nation this season.
The Hokies (9-3) gave up just 161 yards per game through the air and ranked sixth in the country against the pass, though that wasn't with Cris Hill or Jayron Hosley in the starting rotation.
"Both have practiced well," Hokies coach Frank Beamer said of Virgil's replacements. "I think we're going to end up playing both of them and see how it goes during the game. Both of them are talented enough, but they just need to rise to the occasion, and hopefully they will.
"We haven't really talked about (starting). What we've talked about is that both of them are going to play."
It's not like they won't have help when they're out there, either.
Kam Chancellor is still in the lineup at the back of the defense at safety. Ball-hawking linebacker Cody Grimm and his 99 tackles are available in the middle, and Nekos Brown will be supplying pressure up front. The starting cornerback who did stay eligible is no slouch on the other side, and Rashad Carmichael will be looking to add to his team-high five interceptions.
The Vols have largely avoided throwing many down the stretch, but they figure to at least give the Hokies a few chances to snag one tonight - no matter who's on the field.
"As we look at it, if there's someone else that you'd rather have them lose, it wouldn't be a corner," Kiffin said. "You'd rather attack somebody else."
Full Speed Ahead: The Vols are as close to perfect health as they can get. They apparently have managed to avoid adding any self-inflicted wounds as well.
For the second consecutive day Kiffin addressed issues with focus and staying out of trouble, but indicated nobody will be missing when UT takes the field against Virginia Tech.
"I thought our players have really done a better job the last couple days of being focused," Kiffin said. "When you first get here, it's such a great bowl and such a great city with so many events, it can be easy to get distracted.
"But we're all still here and accounted for and I like what they've done."

Meyer 911 call: 'Urban, Urban talk to me please'

Just got ahold of the 911 call from Shelley Meyer from the night of Dec. 6, when her husband, coach Urban Meyer, was unconscious at 4:27 a.m. from their Gainesville home. Here is the audio of the 911 tape that reveals Meyer has chest pains while passed out on the floor. The report also states Meyer had a tingling sensation on his side before collapsing.
Shelley can be heard repeatedly saying “Urban, Urban, Urban, talk to me,” according to the recording from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.
Shelley tells the 911 operator that “my husband’s having chest pains.” Shelley, talking in a calm tone, eventually sees Meyer moving and breathing but “he’s not talking to me.”
The operator asks Shelley to try to wake him again. Shelley is on a land line while Urban was lying behind the bed.
“Urban, talk to me please,” Shelley said. “I see him breathing.”
The call was 1 minute, 49 seconds before fading into static. Paramedics arrived at Meyer’s house at around 4:40 a.m. Shelley said Meyer recently had taken the sleeping pill Ambien. Meyer’s vitals were positive despite being unresponsive.
The crew rushed Meyer to the hospital before 5 a.m.
Florida spokesman Steve McClain said on Dec. 6 that Meyer entered the hospital for dehydration. Meyer has admitted to chest pains, but has refused to comment on any specific heart issues or whether doctors recommended that he stay away from coaching.
Meyer resigned from his job on Saturday evening only to soften his tone less than 20 hours later, saying Sunday he’s taking a leave of absence.

UT prepared for tricky Virginia Tech defense

UT prepares for New Year’s Eve and a Chick-fil-A Bowl date with Virginia Tech (TV: ESPN, 7:30 p.m.), it might take a combination of everything its faced this year to deal with coordinator Bud Foster and his Hokies defense.
“The defense fits all the formations, that’s what is unique to them,” Vols offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said. “They don’t have to change their defensive personnel if you go with a grouping of three wide receivers, they have the right people on the field.
“This team is a little unique in what they do, and Bud’s been doing it for a long time with a lot of success. We’ve got to be very detailed in what we try to do, because they’ll make you look like a fool if you’re not ready to roll.”
For the most part, the Vols (7-5, 4-4 SEC) have been the team making people look silly over the second half of the season with a vastly improved passing attack and reliable running game. But the Hokies (9-3, 6-2 ACC) won’t make it easy for them to move the ball either way.
Tennessee’s Jonathan Crompton exploded down the stretch to finish with 26 touchdown passes, and Virginia Tech will counter the quarterback with a defense ranked sixth nationally against the pass. Running back Montario Hardesty piled up more than 1,300 yards without fumbling, but the Hokies rank No. 15 in the country in turnover margin and haven’t given up more than 13 points in any of their last four games.
UT has certainly faced its share of stout defenses this season, and it will likely have to lean heavily on that collective experience Thursday.
“They’re very sound and they play really hard — that’s probably their trademark and people that do that have a chance to play good,” UT defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said. “(Foster’s) not really a Cover-Two guy, they’re more of a nine-man front and their corners play back inside. They kind of have a scheme of their own, and it’s really a good scheme. I know they do a really good job.
“Every scheme is different, every coordinator is different, every coach is different, but it’s kind of about what your fundamentals are and what you believe in. Bud Foster, hopefully we’ll be able to move the ball and this and that, but he’ll be able to adjust because he knows his defense and his players know it.”
The Vols are well versed in it by now as well after spending the month practicing for it and watching it on film, and they’ve come up with any number of ways to try to attack it.
Chaney was obviously in no hurry to reveal what those might be, but the coaches on the other sideline have experience too. Foster and Co. have seen just about everything as well.
“We’ll try to do some things to create some mismatches and such, but I believe he’s seen about everything that’s going to take place,” Chaney said. “It’s going to come down to execution, because I do believe that he’ll know how to adjust to everything we’re trying to do.
“It’s going to come down to players making plays.”

It's Berry time: Decision made after talking to family, Kiffin

Lane Kiffin doesn't stop recruiting often.
But at least when it comes to players already in the program, the Tennessee coach is able to shut down his role as pitchman and play it straight for a while.
That might cost the Vols a chance to keep a few NFL-eligible players for an extra season at times, but Kiffin won't ever try to hold anybody back - starting with junior Eric Berry. Neither announced a definitive decision during a press conference Monday, but with one expected after the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Virginia Tech on Thursday (TV: ESPN, 7:30 p.m.), it seems clear where the safety is headed.
"These may be the only conversations that I don't recruit in is with these guys," Kiffin said. "It's too important for them to make the right decision. This isn't about me, it isn't about Tennessee.
"This is about Eric and Eric's family, and so I told Eric from my perspective that he's done everything that he can do. If he wants to go, this is the time to go."
In all likelihood he will, and Berry's stock could hardly be higher.
At least one projection has the versatile defender as the No. 1 player in the draft, and though Berry has repeatedly talked about his love for UT (7-5) and the coaching staff, outside factors could make it hard for him to return.
After delaying an announcement last week until after playing the Hokies (9-3), Berry again deflected most every question about his status and wouldn't address specific issues influencing his decision. But everything from family concerns to possible restructuring of the NFL pay scale seem to make this the right time for him to move on, and one way or the other he's already made up his mind.
"It's kind of made up, but right now I don't want to get into that," Berry said. "I want to focus on Virginia Tech and just deal with that right now.
"I really just wanted to make sure there was no stone unturned. I sat down with coach Kiffin and talked about it, sat down with my family, talked with some of my close teammates and friends about the whole situation. I wanted to make sure I weighed out every possible scenario and situation that could happen."

Texas A&M's View on the Game

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) -Joe Cox threw two touchdown passes, Caleb King added two rushing scores and Georgia beat mistake-prone Texas A&M 44-20 on Monday in the Independence Bowl.
Cox hit Aron White on touchdown passes of 24 and 2 yards in the second half as the Bulldogs (8-5) pulled away for their fourth straight bowl victory. It was the fourth straight postseason loss for the Aggies (6-7), who have not won a bowl since 2001.
Georgia blocked two kicks, Brandon Boykin tied the Southeastern Conference record with his third kickoff return of the season and Cox threw his first touchdown pass after the snap sailed over the Texas A&M punter's head in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs sealed the win by intercepting Jerrod Johnson twice in the third quarter.
White tied the Independence Bowl record for touchdown receptions, sharing it with four others.
Special teams led directly to 24 points for the Bulldogs, who also blocked an early field goal attempt and got a 49-yard field goal from Blair Walsh.
The game was billed as an offensive showdown, but a shootout never developed. The teams had more punts than first downs in the first 25 minutes of the game.
Texas A&M finally got moving in the waning moments of the second quarter behind Johnson. He led a nine-play, 75-yard drive that included passes of 14 and 41 yards before the quarterback was flushed from the pocket, rolled left and fired a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jamie McCoy with 2:33 left in the half.
Georgia answered immediately, however, when Boykin returned the kickoff 81 yards up the middle of the field to tie the score. It was his third kickoff return of the season for a touchdown, setting a school record and tying the Southeastern Conference mark held by Tennessee's Willie Gault.
Bulldogs defensive end Demarcus Dobbs sacked Johnson on the next drive, forcing the Aggies to punt. Bacarri Rambo blocked the kick and Vance Cuff recovered it at the 2.
King scored on a dive to make it 14-7 for Georgia despite just 99 first-half yards.
Christine Michael appeared to get the Aggies rolling on Texas A&M's first drive of the second half with a 14-yard touchdown that was set up by Johnson's 19-yard pass on third down.
Their next three drives were disastrous, however.
The first ended on the botched snap, which gave Georgia the ball at the Texas A&M 24. Three plays later Cox hit White with a touch pass down the middle of the field with a rusher in his face to make it 24-14. Johnson threw interceptions on consecutive drives after that.
Georgia was unable to score the first time, but Reshad Jones' 59-yard interception return on the second gave the Bulldogs the ball at the Aggies 28.
Five plays later Cox faked the handoff from the 2, rolled right on a naked bootleg and found the wide-open White in the right corner of the end zone.
King and Shaun Chapas tacked on rushing scores in the fourth quarter to pad Georgia's lead and gave Georgia a share of the bowl record with six touchdowns scored. The Bulldogs also set a record with 30 second-half points.
Johnson, who had a breakout game with four touchdown passes against Texas in the team's regular-season finale, completed 29 of 58 passes for 362 yards and one score. Cox was 15 of 28 for 158 yards. Georgia defensive tackle Geno Atkins was named defensive MVP and White was the offensive pick.
The Bulldogs are 7-2 in the postseason under coach Mark Richt.
( by www.aggieathletics.com)

Georgia's View on the Game

Georgia Wins Another Bowl Game With Record 44 Points: With today‚s 44-20 win, Georgia (8-5) now owns a bowl mark of 26-16-3. The 44 points was a bowl record, eclipsing the previous high of 41 in the win over Hawaii in the 2008 Sugar Bowl. They tied the bowl record with six TDs, matching the 1942 Orange Bowl champion Bulldogs, a 40-26 win over TCU.The Bulldogs made their record 13th consecutive appearance in a bowl game today and 45th overall. The Bulldogs are now 7-2 in bowl games under Mark Richt. Georgia improves to 2-0 at the Independence Bowl. They won 24-15 over Arkansas in 1991. The Aggies lead the series 3-2 but the Bulldogs have won the last two meeting, a 42-0 shutout in 1980 and tonight's 44-20 win.Georgia tight end Aron White (offense) and defensive tackle Geno Atkins (defense) earned Bowl MVP honors on offense and defense. White tied a bowl record with 2 TD catches while Atkins blocked a field goal and finished with three tackles and one sack.Bulldog Defense Looked Sharp: Georgia held Texas A&M to 20 points as the Aggie ran 92 plays for 471 yards, the most plays ever under Mark Richt, the previous high was 88 by Vanderbilt in 2001, Georgia won that game 30-14 in Nashville. The Aggies came in averaging 34 points a game, and Georgia was without three full-time coaches on defense. Bulldog graduate assistant Mitch Doolittle and Todd Hartley filled in along with asst. head coach Rodney Garner and head coach Mark Richt.At Least Eight In 13 Straight: With the win, Georgia (8-5, 4-4 SEC) leads the country with 13 consecutive seasons with eight or more wins. Texas and Virginia Tech ranks second with 12 each. Non-Conference Success Continues: Under the direction of Mark Richt, Georgia now owns a 38-4 record against teams from outside the Southeastern Conference. In bowl games under Richt, the Bulldogs are 7-2. Overall, Richt improves to 90-27 in his nine seasons.Boykin Sets School Record And Ties SEC Record With Another KOR TD: Georgia sophomore Brandon Boykin set a school record and tied the SEC record with three kickoff returns for a TD in a season. Today, Boykin had an 81-yarder to go with a pair of 100-yarders earlier this season. Boykin now shares the SEC record with Willie Gault (Tennessee, 1980). Boykin came in with a school record 881 KOR yards on 36 returns. Boykin had two for 107 yards.Offensive Bowl MVP White Snags Two TDs To Tie Bowl Mark: Senior QB Joe Cox connected with sophomore TE Aron White for a 24-yard TD that put the Bulldogs up 24-14 with 7:49 left in the third quarter. Georgia's TD-drive covered just 24 yards following a bad snap on an Aggie punt attempt. It was a three-play drive that took just 27 seconds. White tied a Georgia and Independence bowl record with his second TD-reception, a two-yarder to put the Bulldogs up 31-14 with 13:19 left. White shares the bowl mark with three other Bulldogs, most recently Fred Gibson in the 2004 Capital One Bowl. It was White's only two catches today.Blocked That Kick: Georgia senior DT Geno Atkins blocked a 50-yard field goal attempt, the first by Georgia since the Arizona State game (A.J. Green) earlier this season. It led to an Interception. Texas A&M failed to convert it into any points. Block That Punt: Redshirt freshman Bacarri Rambo blocked a punt and it was recovered by junior Vance Cuff at the Aggie 2 yard line. Sophomore Caleb King then ran in for a two-yard TD to give Georgia its first lead at 14-7 with 1:22 left in the first half. It was Georgia's first blocked punt since the Tennessee game (Zach Renner).The Bulldogs now have blocked 11 field goals in the Mark Richt era which began in 2001. They also have blocked 18 punts and 3 PATs in that time. They have scored 114 points off all the blocks.Busy Game For Butler: Sophomore All-America punter Drew Butler had a busy first half with five punts for a 41.6 average. In the Bulldogs last game, he did not have to punt once. Today, he finished with six punts for a 41.5 averageWalsh Nails Another One: Sophomore Blair Walsh nailed a 49-yarder to give the Bulldogs a 17-14 lead with 9:25 left in the third quarter. Walsh has hit 20-of-22 overall this year including 7-for-7 from a range of 40-49 yards. He tied a bowl record with five PATs and he's 92-for-92 in his career.Commings And Jones Get Interceptions: Redshirt freshman cornerback Sanders Commings notched his first career interception at the Bulldog 10. It came on a fourth down play late in the third quarter. It led to a punt. Junior safety Reshad Jones had a 59-yard INT return to the Aggie 28 with 32 seconds left in the 3rd quarter. It was a team-high fourth for Jones and 111h overall in his career It led to a TD."Russ" Gets It Done Again: For the second straight game, "Russ" earned a victory in his role as substitute mascot after Uga VII passed away on Nov. 19. He will not be next in line of permanent Uga mascots. Uga VIII will be selected some time in 2010. Russ is the five-year-old half brother of Uga VII.
( by www.georgiadogs.com)

Up Next..Ut vs VT...Vols will test Hokies new cornerback

Virginia Tech doesn't know exactly how it will replace Stephan Virgil, so neither does Gerald Jones.
But it apparently doesn't make much difference which cornerback lines up against the Tennessee receiver on New Year's Eve in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
If it's not Virgil, who will miss the game due to academic ineligibility, the Vols are going to attack him.
"Well, I don't know how much his backup has played this year, if any," Jones said. "But we'll definitely take shots at him.
"He'll have to make us respect him."
The Vols surely would have had more for a senior with 24 career starts and seven interceptions, but with Virgil on the bench, a passing game that has improved throughout the season could pick on the Hokies.
Possible replacements Cris Hill and Jayron Hosley have only combined for one start and neither has an interception, and with Jones and Denarius Moore healthy and productive, Virginia Tech could have its hands full.

Clemson defeats Kentucky football 21-13 in Music City Bowl

UK had won three consecutive bowl games, but not this time around.
The Wildcats made the only turnover in the game and were denied a fourth straight bowl victory, dropping a 21-13 decision in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl before an announced crowd of 57,280 at LP Field.
The win by Clemson (9-5), which lost in the ACC championship game, avenges a 28-20 loss to Kentucky in the Music City Bowl in 2006. The loss also snaps an 18-game non-conference winning streak by UK.
UK (7-6) slowed All-American C.J. Spiller for much of the game but he scored the game-clinching touchdown and then helped ice the victory.
Playing a mistake-free game on offense, UK was trailing 14-13 when Gene McCaskill made a 6-yard reception but was stripped by linebacker Kavell Conner and the ball was recovered by Jarvis Jenkins at the UK 19.
Three plays later, Spiller - sixth in the Heisman Trophy balloting - scored in his 14th consecutive game on an 8-yard run to make it 21-13 with 10:14 left.
Kentucky had one final shot, driving the ball down the field behind a 15-yard run by Moncell Allen and a 14-yard pass from Morgan Newton to Randall Cobb.
The Wildcats even converted a fake punt with Ryan Tydlacka carrying nine yards around the right side on fourth-and-three from the 43 with 6:38 left. But Clemson then held on its next four down, with Newton throwing two incomplete passes and running for eight yards on a fourth-and-nine with 5:27 left.
Spiller then helped ice the win with three key runs, including a 6-yard gain on third-and-two from the 37 with 1:23 left in the game.
Clemson then took a knee and started to celebrate.

Urban Meyer To Take Leave of Absence, Not Step Down; Addazio Named Interim Head Coach

University of Florida head football coach Urban Meyer informed his team Sunday afternoon that he will take an indefinite leave of absence rather than step down. Meyer addressed the team shortly before the Gators boarded a plane to New Orleans for Friday evening’s Allstate Sugar Bowl.

“During the past couple of days I was offered and encouraged to take a leave of absence,” said Meyer. “I’ve accepted this offer to improve on my health.”

The news came less than 24 hours after Meyer had announced he was stepping down as head coach. Meyer will still coach the Gators in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Friday evening before beginning his leave of absence.
Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio will take over as interim head coach during Meyer’s time away from the program.
When asked among the biggest reasons for a change of heart, Meyer stated simply, “the players,” referencing the feeling of being back on the practice field Sunday morning.

Kentucky vs. Clemson in the Music City Bowl

Two teams that exceeded expectations this year will take the field for a rare Sunday night college football game, when the Kentucky Wildcats and Clemson Tigers get to get together in the Music City Bowl just a few days after Christmas.
Clemson, was just one game away from winning the ACC Championship, but because of bowl politicking now find themselves headed to Nashville. They are led by one of the most versatile and dynamic players in the sport, senior running back C.J. Spiller. Spiller literally scored a touchdown every way you can this season, rushing for 11, catching four, throwing for one, and also returning kicks and punts for scores. He is joined by freshman quarterback Kyle Parker, who really matured as the season went on. Parker, who also plays on Clemson’s baseball team, threw for 2385 yards this year as well as 19 touchdowns. Like many freshmen though, he got a little turnover happy, tossing 12 interceptions as well.
As for Kentucky, this will be the fourth straight bowl game for a team that hadn’t gone to one for decades before 2006. The Wildcats have overcome some tough injuries to get to an impressive seven wins, including victories over Georgia and Auburn, and a near miss against Tennessee as well.
On offense, the Wildcats are led by quarterback Morgan Newton, who was forced into action in replacement of the injured Mike Hartline. Newton completed just 54 percent of his passes on the year, but doesn’t make many mistakes, throwing just three interceptions in 2009. His top playmaker is Randall Cobb, a receiver who’ll lineup in the backfield and play running back as well, and even occasionally comes in as a Wildcat quarterback.

Texas A an M vs Georgia Preview

Both Texas A&M and Georgia had mediocre seasons in part due to defenses that consistently struggled, but that could make for an exciting offensive showcase as the Aggies and Bulldogs meet in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., on Dec. 28.
While Texas A&M allowed more points (32.7) and total yards (431.3) per game than any other Big 12 team, Georgia's defensive woes prompted coach Mark Richt to fire three of his assistants, including defensive coordinator Willie Martinez.
Martinez had spent nine seasons with the Bulldogs, but his defense has had problems ever since Georgia was ranked No. 1 in the 2008 preseason.
The Bulldogs allowed more than 40 points in each of their losses during a 10-3 season last year, and they have been even worse in 2009, permitting an average of 26.4 points to rank 10th in the SEC.
"It was definitely not a one-year, knee-jerk reaction to one season, I can promise you that," Richt said of the personnel decisions. "It was more a decision that was made over the course of time, more time than just one year."
Martinez, defensive ends coach Jon Fabris and linebackers coach John Jancek all declined an offer to coach Georgia (7-5) in a bowl game before their dismissal, leaving Richt and defensive line coach Rodney Garner in control of the defense.
"Obviously, it's different," Garner told Georgia's official Web site. "I know it's different for the players also, but like I told them, the only thing they can control is what happens between the lines no matter what you feel about. ... What we've got to do is to be challenged to get these guys prepared to go to Shreveport and play probably one of the most prolific offenses we've faced all year."
The Bulldogs will have a tough task in stopping Texas A&M's Jerrod Johnson, who has thrown for 3,217 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions while also rushing for 455 yards and eight scores.
The 6-foot-5 junior anchors the nation's fifth-ranked offense, which racks up 465.3 yards per game and boasts a potent ground attack led by freshman Christine Michael and sophomore Cyrus Gray.

Georgia's Richt gets defensive for bowl game

Offensive-minded Mark Richt has had to spend more time than usual on Georgia's defense.
Richt dismissed three defensive coaches, including defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, at the end of the regular season. So Richt has been overseeing the defense as the Bulldogs (7-5, 4-4 Southeastern Conference) prepare to face Texas A&M (6-6. 3-5 Big 12) on Dec. 28 at the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.
"I've enjoyed it," Rich said Wednesday of his expanded duties. "I'm not trying to reinvent anything. My role is to set the parameters and make sure everything is being covered and to make sure we have a plan schematically and a plant to implement that strategy."

UF's Urban Meyer Steps Down as Head Football Coach

Urban Meyer is stepping down as head coach of the University of Florida football team, Athletics Director Jeremy Foley announced Saturday afternoon.

“I have given my heart and soul to coaching college football and mentoring young men for the last 24-plus years and I have dedicated most of my waking moments the last five years to the Gator football program,” said Meyer. “I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family.”
“After consulting with my family, Dr. Machen, Jeremy Foley and my doctors, I believe it is in my best interest to step aside and focus on my health and family.
“I’m proud to be a part of the Gainesville community and the Gator Nation and I plan to remain in Gainesville and involved with the University of Florida.
“I’m very appreciative for the opportunity I’ve had to be a part of a tremendous institution – from Dr. Machen to Jeremy Foley and the entire administrative staff at UF. I’m also very thankful for the chance to work with some of the best assistants in college football and coach some of the best college football players and watch them grow both on and off the field as people. I will cherish the relationships with them the most.”
Meyer will coach his last game for UF in the Gators’ Sugar Bowl match-up vs. Cincinnati on January 1st in New Orleans, La.

Gamecocks head home for holiday

South Carolina practiced for a little more than an hour Wednesday morning before freeing players to leave for the holiday break.
USC coach Steve Spurrier said he has been pleased with the effort put forth during the eight Papajohns.com Bowl practices held so far. He felt the same way last year, though, before the Gamecocks lost 31-10 to Iowa in the Outback Bowl.
"We didn't practice all that poorly last year," Spurrier said. " Practices have been pretty good but we've got to maintain it. We've got to really step it up once we start the week of the game. It's been OK, but we have to take it to the ballpark."
The team is scheduled to return to Columbia on Sunday night and practice Monday and Tuesday before departing for Birmingham on Tuesday afternoon. USC is scheduled to practice at Birmingham Southern College on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before the 2 p.m. kickoff at Legion Field against Connecticut on Saturday.
Spurrier gave his team some words of advice before letting them head home for Christmas.
"Always tell the guys to be safe, don't get in the car with anybody that has been drinking, be careful on the highways," Spurrier said. "Every time you get in the car, potentially could be the last day of your life. We try to warn our guys the best we can and go from there. That's always the message before a holiday break."
Kickoff coverage. Spurrier said the Gamecocks plan to kick to Connecticut's return men even though the Huskies have returned three kickoffs for touchdowns. .
The Gamecocks' last special teams return for a touchdown was when Chavez Donnings returned a punt against Florida in 2003.
"Their coach has already mentioned they need to score on special teams to help win the game," Spurrier said. "Hopefully, some day we can have that attitude around here that we can score on special teams, because we don't do it very well. If we're ever going to be a really, really good team, we've got to do that."

Hokies' Virgil will miss bowl vs Vols

For the second straight season, Virginia Tech's football team will be missing a starter for its bowl game because of academic issues.
Senior cornerback Stephan Virgil has been ruled academically ineligible under NCAA guidelines for the Hokies' matchup against Tennessee in the Dec. 31 Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta.
It's a tough finish to a difficult season for Virgil. After playing well in Tech's 34-24 loss to Alabama in the Sept. 5 season opener in Atlanta, Virgil injured his left knee making a tackle on the game's final play. The injury was listed as a bruised knee, but it kept him out of the lineup for the Hokies' next two games against Marshall and Nebraska.
Virgil, the Hokies' most experienced cornerback, returned to start the final nine regular-season games. Following the Hokies' regular-season finale against Virginia on Nov. 28, the Rocky Mount, N.C., native had the knee "cleaned" in minor arthroscopic surgery.
"It was not a ligament tear or anything like that, which would have been bad," Virgil said last week in an interview. "I just wanted to try and get myself right for the season and my future."
Virgil, whose playing time was cut some following the knee injury, had 36 tackles in 10 games, including a secondary-leading six stops for loss. He recovered two fumbles. He had one sack and one interception.
With Virgil sidelined, the Hokies are expected to start sophomore Eddie Whitley at the field corner position against the Vols. Whitley, who is listed on Tech's bowl depth chart as the backup to free safety Kam Chancellor, made his first college start against Nebraska on Sept. 19.
Cris Hill, a redshirt sophomore who started the first game that Virgil missed (Marshall, Sept. 12), is listed as the backup at the field spot for the bowl, and should get playing time along with Whitley.

TCU's Patterson is AP Coach of the Year

Gary Patterson guided TCU to its best season in 70 years on the way to becoming the first Associated Press Coach of the Year from outside the six conferences with automatic BCS bids.
Patterson led the Horned Frogs to a perfect regular season, their first Mountain West Conference title, their first BCS appearance and even had them vying for a spot in the national championship game.
"I'm really kind of humbled by the whole thing," Patterson said in a telephone interview. "The best way I know how to deal with it is to put my nose down and keep getting ready for Boise."
No. 3 TCU plays No. 6 Boise State (13-0) in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 4.
In a close vote released Wednesday, Patterson received 21 votes from the AP college football poll panel to edge Brian Kelly. The former Cincinnati coach, now with Notre Dame, received 19 votes and Alabama's Nick Saban, who won the award last season, got 14 votes.
Chip Kelly of Oregon received three votes and Boise State's Chris Petersen and Texas' Mack Brown each got one vote.
Patterson's ninth season with the Horned Frogs has been his best, but TCU's success this season is no great surprise. The Frogs have consistently been a threat to bust the BCS under Patterson, who was promoted from defensive coordinator after Dennis Franchione left Fort Worth for Alabama in 2000.

Shop for holiday gifts for sports fans

Shop Official Budweiser Merchandise On Sale!

SEC Football Online Free Pick...Kentucky vs Clemson

Kentucky Wildcats (8-4 SU, 6-5 ATS) vs. Clemson Tigers (8-5 SU, 7-5 ATS)
Sunday, December 27: 8:30 p.m.
College Bowl Picks Betting Odds: Clemson -7 ½, Total Points 52 ½
Kentucky: 2-1 ATS in their last 3 games
Kentucky: 5-2 SU in their last 7 games
Kentucky: The total has gone OVER in 3 of their last 4 games
Clemson: 0-3 ATS in their last 3 games
Clemson: 6-2 SU in their last 8 games
Clemson: The total has gone OVER in their last 5 games
Two teams that exceeded expectations this year will take the field for a rare Sunday night college football game, when the Kentucky Wildcats and Clemson Tigers get to get together in the Music City Bowl just a few days after Christmas.
For Clemson, they were just one game away from winning the ACC Championship, but because of bowl politicking now find themselves headed to Nashville. They are led by one of the most versatile and dynamic players in the sport, senior running back C.J. Spiller. Spiller literally scored a touchdown every way you can this season, rushing for 11, catching four, throwing for one, and also returning kicks and punts for scores. He is joined by freshman quarterback Kyle Parker, who really matured as the season went on. Parker, who also plays on Clemson’s baseball team, threw for 2385 yards this year as well as 19 touchdowns. Like many freshmen though, he got a little turnover happy, tossing 12 interceptions as well.
As for Kentucky, this will be the fourth straight bowl game for a team that hadn’t gone to one for decades before 2006. The Wildcats have overcome some tough injuries to get to an impressive seven wins, including victories over Georgia and Auburn, and a near miss against Tennessee as well.
On offense, the Wildcats are led by quarterback Morgan Newton, who was forced into action in replacement of the injured Mike Hartline. Newton completed just 54 percent of his passes on the year, but doesn’t make many mistakes, throwing just three interceptions in 2009. His top playmaker is Randall Cobb, a receiver who’ll lineup in the backfield and play running back as well, and even occasionally comes in as a Wildcat quarterback.
Defensively, the Wildcats might struggle to compensate for Spiller, as they had just the 100th ranked run defense in college football, allowing 183 yards per game. However, it is important to keep in mind that the Wildcats faced many of the top runners in the sport, such as Tim Tebow at Florida, Anthony Dixon at Mississippi State and Montario Hardesty from Tennessee, not to mention Mark Ingram. Is their rushing defense that bad, or the competition they played that good?
While on paper, Clemson seems to be the safe pick, we are going to go ahead and select the Wildcats. They really were one of the more underrated teams in the sport this season, and their seven wins were impressive considering their deteriorating health all season long. Also, had they played in a different conference, it seems not only possible, but probable they would have exceeded those seven victories.
Clemson is where the public money will go, but don’t be fooled. You want the Wildcats during this bowl season’s SEC Football Online pick...Kentucky and +7.5

LSU Tigers Scrimmage Before Break, Trip to Orlando

LSU put the finishing touches on its first nine days of practice for the Capital One Bowl with a two-hour scrimmage here Tuesday at the Charles McClendon Practice Facility.
The Tigers will now break for the next three days before heading to Orlando, Fla., on the morning of Dec. 26 to start their on-site preparation for the New Year’s Day contest against Penn State. LSU will have five practices and one walk-through in Orlando leading up to the contest against the Nittany Lions.
LSU and Penn State will meet at noon CST on Jan. 1 in the Capital One Bowl in what will be just the second meeting between the two programs. The game will be televised nationally by ABC.
“I like what we have accomplished during our nine days of practice,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “We have practiced hard and improved all phases of our team. We really did some things we needed to do to get better. I thought it was a productive nine days of practice.”
Tuesday’s scrimmage had Miles and the coaching staff putting the first and second units through 40 snaps each. The scrimmage was situational in nature as it had the Tigers focusing on different aspects of the game such as third-down, goalline, redzone and special teams.
“We got a lot accomplished,” Miles said of the scrimmage. “I’ll be the first one to tell you we aren’t ready to play a game today. I can tell you that we needed this (scrimmage), this simulation if you will, so that our coaching staff could take this film to Orlando and go right through it to look at the game plan, what we need to fix and what we need to square away.
“It will be a great piece for us and a great film to teach from.”

Save Big on Last Minute Airfare Sale at CheapOair. Book Now, Limited Period Offer!

Get best weekend car rentals deal as low as $14 a day!

StubHub.com - The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online

Vols focused on tale of the tape

Monte Kiffin has had a couple weeks to prepare, and he still has one more.
The Tennessee defensive coordinator will take all of the time he can get.
A full season's worth of game film has given Kiffin plenty to work with as he breaks down Virginia Tech for the Chick-fil-A Bowl on New Year's Eve in Atlanta (TV: ESPN, 7:30 p.m.). But all it has really done is give him more to worry about. The Vols already knew they'd have their hands full with the versatile Hokies.
"Well, I'll tell you what I'd like," Kiffin said. "I'd like to have another three weeks. We'd be ready then, you know what I mean? That'd be great.
"We can't do that, so we'd better get ready."
The Vols (7-5, 4-4 SEC) did plenty of that over four physical practices leading into Christmas break, and they've been doing even more of it in the film room since the match-up was set earlier this month.
They've seen the offense line of the Hokies (9-3, 6-2 ACC) grow together and build more confidence. Every yard running back Ryan Williams gained during his breakout freshman season has been viewed at least once, and UT has seen all the issues multi-purpose quarterback Tyrod Taylor can pose.
At this point, the biggest problem for Kiffin might just be trying to get the loop of Hokies video to stop playing in his head as the Vols buckle down for one last week of practice starting Saturday.
"If I put on the tape which our players have seen, you would be amazed if you put up all 12 games," Kiffin said. "And see the problem is, when you play somebody the third game or the fourth game or the fifth, then you've only got four or five games; then, of course, you go back and look at last year. When you play somebody after 12 games, you have a four-game scouting report then you go back and you see them all.
"So when you prepare for a bowl game, it's kind of like the home opener. There's a lot of tape to look at, and the more tape you look at, I just see No. 5 (Taylor) making plays and making plays and making plays, I've seen too many plays. I've seen too much tape. I've got to quit watching so much tape."


Shop for holiday gifts for sports fans
Football Internet Specials

StubHub.com - The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online

Tim Tebow is undecided on playing in Senior Bowl

Tebow has not decided whether he will participate in the Senior Bowl, the annual showcase for the country’s top senior college football players. The game will be played Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala.
“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to anybody about it,” Tebow said. “If the people I talk to that are wise think that I should play in it, I’ll go play in it. If they don’t, I won’t. I don’t know.
“I’ll do whatever I need to do [to impress NFL scouts and GMs] — throw out here a million times, I don’t care.”
UF coach Urban Meyer said he and Tebow have spoken briefly about the game but said he won’t advise Tebow until he speaks to several NFL people that he trusts.
There’s no hurry, though. Senior Bowl spokesman Kevin McDermond said there is no deadline for players to commit to the game and it’s not uncommon for players to be added to just days before the game.
“We’ve brought in guys Thursday during game week,” McDermond said. “That’s typically because injury. There really isn’t a cutoff.”
McDermond said he has received a commitment from one Florida player but said the bowl would announce it at a later date.
The bowl on Monday announced that Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon, the SEC’s second-leading rusher, had committed to play in the game and last Friday announced that five Alabama players — safety Javier Arenas, defensive tackle Terrence Cody, kicker Leigh Kiffin, offensive lineman Mike Johnson, and former Bolles School standout Colin Peek — accepted invitations.
More than 800 NFL coaches, general managers, scouts and agents travel to Mobile to watch the squads practice the week before the game. The squads are coached by NFL teams’ coaching staff. The Jaguars coached the South to a 35-18 victory over the North last January.The staffs will be announced following the end of the NFL regular season.
The game will be televised on NFL Network.

StubHub.com - The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online

Alabama Kareem Jackson submits paperwork to be evaluated for NFL draft

After starring at cornerback for three years for Alabama, it’s only natural that junior cornerback Kareem Jackson would take a look ahead.
Jackson said on Sunday he submitted paperwork to the NFL asking for an evaluation of his draft stock.
“Yeah, I did it,” he said. “I guess I’ll wait til it comes back in and see what it says. I’m not really putting a whole lot of emphasis on it right now. I’m just focused on getting ready for this game and that’s about it.”
Several pre-draft Web sites project the 5-foot-11, 192-pounder to go in the second round.
“I had a couple conversations with coach Saban, but other than that, I hadn’t really got any other feedback from anyone else,” Jackson said. “It’s not really where my mind is right now. It will come. If it happens, it happens, but if it doesn’t, so be it.”
Alabama coach Nick Saban will typically tell a player to return for his senior season unless they’re projected as a first-round draft choice.
Jackson is sixth on the team in tackles with 46, including three for loss. He has 13 passes defended, 12 breakups and one interception that he returned 79 yards.
The Macon, Ga., native spent a year at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy, then stepped into a starting role his freshman season at Alabama.
“Once I get the feedback, I’ll just go from there,” Jackson said. “I’m just focusing on the things I’ve got to do to make this team better to play my part and get ready for this national championship.”

StubHub.com - The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online

Surgery forces Gators' James out of Sugar Bowl

Florida will be without starting wide receiver and star kick returner Brandon James for the Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl.UF coach Urban Meyer said Monday that James recently underwent foot surgery and will not play in the game.
Meyer said James' role in the offense will be filled by tailback Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey. Demps and Rainey also will return kicks and punts, along with cornerback Joe Haden possibly returning punts.
"(James) is a heck of a player, especially in the return game," Meyer said. "The good thing is Demps and Rainey are also capable guys. I'm kind of excited to watch them go get it."
James is the only injured player to come out of UF's four pre-bowl practices over the weekend. The Gators broke for Christmas after Monday morning's practice and will report back to campus on Saturday for the trip to New Orleans.

StubHub.com - The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online

Two Auburn fullbacks were arrested for Driving under the Influence

Two Auburn fullbacks were arrested for driving under the influence in separate incidents this month.
Auburn police Capt. Tom Stofer told the Press-Register that John Douglas was arrested for DUI on Dec. 5, and Jason King was arrested for the same offense on Saturday.
Douglas is a scholarship sophomore from Augusta, Ga., while King is a walk-on junior from Newnan, Ga.
Douglas was arrested on West Longleaf Drive on the south side of the city at 12:57 a.m., Stofer said.
King was arrested at South Gay Street and East Thach Avenue near downtown and the Auburn campus at 1:38 a.m., according to Stofer.
Auburn coach Gene Chizik said both players were suspended and would not make the trip to the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl.


StubHub.com - The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online

Rainey returning to Gators in 2010

Gators running back Chris Rainey told the Sentinel he’s staying in school for “at leat another year” after rumors of the redshirt sophomore entering the NFL draft.
Bruce Black, safety Ahmad Black’s father, told the Gainesville Sun two weeks ago that Rainey, a former Lakeland High School star along with Black, wanted to leave school early for the pros.
Rainey rushed for 548 yards on 85 carries and four touchdowns this season on 6.4 yards per carry in 2009. Last season, Rainey rushed for 652 yards on one less carry.
It appears Florida will keep intact its trio of running backs — Rainey, sophomore Jeff Demps and reedshirt junior Emmanuel Moody.

StubHub.com - The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online

Dunlap to play in Sugar Bowl

Less than three weeks after his DUI arrest, star Florida defensive end Carlos Dunlap was reinstated to the team Friday and will play in the Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl.The announcement came from UF coach Urban Meyer after Friday's practice. Meyer said the decision was reached by the school's administration after he had discussions with athletic director Jeremy Foley and UF president Bernie Machen on Friday.
"He's going to play if he takes care (of some things)," Meyer said. "(I talked) with the administration, with the president and also the athletic director. What was involved was it was (Dunlap's) first mistake. It was a real serious one, but he paid a serious price as well. It was a real serious mistake. But since he's been here he's been a good student, a good person and represented (UF) well. It devastated him."
Meyer said Machen and Foley recommended Dunlap be reinstated.
"There were a lot of discussions," Meyer said. "(There was no) previous track record. It's case by case. If there was another issue, it would be an issue, and there hasn't been. That's basically what the administration let me know. They actually let me know."

Crimson Tide players voted to travel as a team to bowl site in California

The late date of the BCS national championship game presents several logistical challenges for a team fortunate enough to reach it.
For instance, Alabama's Jan. 7 game against Texas falls after the university was set to begin spring classes. That means all players -- included those who've already graduated -- must enroll for another semester, even if they plan to withdraw at a later date.
Perhaps the most interesting decision for the Crimson Tide in recent days was whether the team would travel individually or separately to California.
NCAA rules specify that players can receive a set dollar amount for individual travel to bowl sites, and players then can pocket the remaining cash. Nearly all teams do this, as Alabama did for the Independence Bowl in 2007 and the Sugar Bowl last season.
But the late date of this year's game presented a problem in that most teams break for the holidays and then meet at the bowl site. Alabama could not do that unless it arrived very early for the BCS title game.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban left the decision on travel this time to his captains, linebacker Rolando McClain, left guard Mike Johnson and cornerback Javier Arenas, and the entire team. Encouraged by those captains, a UA official said, the Crimson Tide unanimously voted to forego the stipend and travel as a team Jan. 1 to the Los Angeles area.
The decision made things earlier on the team in many ways, since practices can continue in Tuscaloosa after Christmas break and the Crimson Tide can also avoid the type of delays that can come with traveling individually across the country.

Uk's Brooks Named SEC Coach of the Year

Kentucky's Rich Brooks has been named the 2009 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year as chosen by CollegeFootballNews.com.
Despite numerous obstacles, Brooks' squad fought its way to a 7-5 record and will advance to a school-record fourth-consecutive bowl game when the Wildcats play Clemson on Dec. 27 in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl.
Accomplishments during the 2009 season include:
At least seven wins for the fourth-consecutive season, the first time that has been done at Kentucky in nearly a century, since 1909-12.
Kentucky broke the school record for consecutive non-conference wins with 18 straight. It's the nation's second-longest current streak.
Kentucky went 3-5 in the Southeastern Conference, tying for fourth place in the Eastern Division.
It's interesting to note that Kentucky exceeded the expectation of every preseason prediction of the national magazines and Web sites we saw. UK finished tied for fourth in league play, but was projected fifth or sixth by all national predictors. (It's also interesting to note that those predictions were made in the spring, before Jeremy Jarmon had been ruled ineligible by the NCAA.)
Kentucky notched three SEC road wins – at Auburn, at Vanderbilt and at Georgia – for the first time in 32 years, since 1977.
Kentucky defeated Auburn for the first time in 43 years, since 1966.
Kentucky won at Georgia for the first time in 32 years, since 1977.
Kentucky's 42-0 win over Miami (Ohio) was the Wildcats' first shutout in 13 years.
Kentucky's win over Louisville was the third year in a row against the in-state rival.
Three come-from-behind wins in the fourth quarter (Louisville, Auburn, Georgia), giving the Wildcats 12 such wins over the last four seasons.
Among the obstacles Brooks and the team had to overcome were:
UK had a total of only 10 returning offensive and defensive starters from the 2008 season – the fewest number of returning starters of any team in the SEC.
All-SEC defensive end Jeremy Jarmon was unexpectedly lost for the season after being declared ineligible by the NCAA.
All-America cornerback Trevard Lindley was fully healthy for only three and one-half games, incurring a severe high-ankle sprain against Alabama on Oct. 3. Lindley missed the next four games and has played courageously at less than top speed since returning in November.
Starting cornerback Paul Warford missed two games with an injury, forcing UK to play at South Carolina without either of its regular starting cornerbacks.
Starting quarterback Mike Hartline sustained a knee injury at South Carolina on Oct. 10. Originally headed for a redshirt season, true freshman QB Morgan Newton came off the bench and started the last seven games. With the coaches juggling Newton, junior reserve Will Fidler and wide receiver Randall Cobb as a “Wildcat” formation quarterback, the Wildcats managed to post a 5-2 record in those seven games, including road wins against Auburn, Vanderbilt and Georgia.
Cobb and tailback Derrick Locke, the top yardage producers for the UK offense and kick returns, each missed one game entirely and were limited in others because of various injuries.
Brooks also was recognized by CollegeFootballNews.com earlier this month when Pete Fiutak wrote, “Kentucky's Rich Brooks deserves to be in the discussion of national coach of the year. His team was ravaged by injuries, he pieced together an offense around a No. 3 quarterback, and Kentucky still survived in the SEC East and is in the mix for a nice bowl game.”

Arkansas sells out of bowl allotment

The University of Arkansas Athletic Department announced Saturday that the school has sold out of its total allotment of more than 25,500 tickets to the 2010 AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Jan. 2 at 4:30 p.m. CT. Response from the Razorback fans has been overwhelming as the school has sold more than double its original allotment of 12,000 tickets to the game. A limited amount of tickets to the game remain available to fans through the bowl web site. "In uncertain economic times, the response shows the incredible passion of the Razorback fans and this is what will boost our profile for future bowl invitations," said UA Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long. "We are looking forward to a tremendous week in Memphis and appreciate the support of our fans." Arkansas will play Conference USA Champion East Carolina for the first time in school history in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The Razorbacks will be making their 37th bowl appearance and first under head coach Bobby Petrino. The Razorbacks will be making their fourth appearance in the Liberty Bowl (1971, 1984 and 1987). The bowl will be the ninth in the last 12 years Arkansas.

Georgia Continues Work On Game Plan For Texas AandM

The University of Georgia football team continued to fine tune its game plan for facing Texas A&M in the AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl by conducting a two hour practice Saturday morning at the Woodruff Practice Fields.
Saturday's workout marked the fifth of eight bowl practice days in Athens. The Bulldogs will practice each of the next three days in the Classic City before holding a travel day on Dec. 23 and reconvening in Shreveport, La., on Dec. 24.
"Much better weather today," Georgia head coach Mark Richt said of the Bulldogs' practice with temperatures in the mid to upper 40's compared to colder and rainy weather on Friday. "I know the guys enjoyed some sunshine. It was still a little breezy out there."
Georgia's original practiced schedule featured two practices for Saturday, but a decision was made earlier in the week to combined the two into one.
"Today was a day that we were going to go two-a-days," Richt stated. "We were going to spend the first practice on special teams and the second practice on offensive-defensive but decided to combine the two into one longer practice to get on the road the last day that coaches get on the road before a quiet period tomorrow. The dead period starts Monday. They had to grind it out a little bit, but they did a good job."
Richt also noted that the scout team has showed improved play and tempo and is being lined up by student assistants Jonathan DeLay and Stephen Crowson. Richt went on to discuss Texas A&M's offense compared to that of Auburn's.
"We hear that the tempo is even faster than what Auburn is doing,"

'Great first day' of practice for Vols Kippy Brown

Brown, 54, hit the ground running to start working on it, seemingly getting out of the car after 13 hours and heading straight to meetings and the practice field.
The 13-year NFL coaching veteran and former UT assistant (1983-89, 1993-94) didn't have the terminology down, he's still learning the playbook and is probably as familiar with the personnel as they are of him. But Brown jumped right into the mix as the Vols (7-5) prepared for a New Year's Eve matchup (TV: ESPN, 7:30 p.m.) with Virginia Tech (9-3) that's beginning to creep up.
"I'm a liability right now, to be honest with you," said Brown, who most recently worked as assistant head coach and passing game coordinator with the Detroit Lions in 2008. "I haven't been here, I don't know the offense. They know a lot better than I do, so they're telling me and I'm asking questions - I'm asking more questions than them. 'You know what your split is? What's your depth here?' They're telling me, and that's good and healthy.
"(The transition) won't happen before the bowl game, I promise you. But it won't take long. Plays are plays and everybody does a lot of the same stuff. Right now I'm struggling with the terminology. You know, once I see the play I know what it is, I know what we called it at Houston, I know what we called it at Detroit, and I know what we've called it at other places. But I've got to put it into Tennessee's terms. Once I learn the terminology and the little nuances, then I'll be fine."
Brown had plenty of help with that from his new receivers, who received a packet of information detailing the finer points of his resume and highlighting the players he's worked with during his career.
Not that Brown needed it, but that bought him instant credibility with the Vols, and they lined up to help him start soaking up the offense.

Tim Tebow Named a 2010 NCAA Top VIII Winner

University of Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow and Duke golfer Amanda Blumenherst are among the 2010 NCAA Top VIII Award winners who will be recognized at the NCAA Convention in Atlanta, Ga., next month. The Today’s Top VIII award recognizes current student-athletes, who have completed their athletic eligibility, for their success on the fields and courts, in the classroom and in the community. Recipients will be honored January 15 at the NCAA Honors and Delegates Celebration.

Joining Tebow and Blumenherst as Top VIII honors, including two other SEC winners, are:
Courtney Kupets, Georgia, gymnastics
Venessa Lee, Pittsburg State, cross country and indoor and outdoor track
Jeff Lerg, Michigan State, men’s ice hockey
Kent Raymond, Wheaton (Illinois), basketball
Brittany Rogers, Alabama, softball
Sarah Stevens, Arizona State, indoor and outdoor track

The Top VIII honorees are selected by the NCAA Honors Committee, which is composed of eight athletics administrators at member institutions, and nationally distinguished citizens who are former student-athletes.

Shop for holiday gifts for sports fans

Vols name Kippy Brown wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator

Lane Kiffin stayed tight-lipped in the afternoon.
But when the Tennessee coach officially had a deal in place to fill the first vacancy on his staff, he had plenty to talk about.
The Vols are bringing Kippy Brown back for a third tour of duty, and Kiffin could hardly be happier about bringing the former UT and NFL coaching veteran to take over the wide receivers and become passing-game coordinator.
“This is a great day for Tennessee football,” Kiffin said in a UT release Thursday evening. “When hiring assistant coaches you sometimes feel like you hit a home run. By bringing Kippy back to the Tennessee family, I feel like we hit a grand slam.
“Having known Kippy since 1990, I never imagined being able to add him to our staff, but we always start our searches at the top.”
Kiffin has made clear all along he wouldn’t be rushed into any decisions during the search, but with mutual interest from a target at the top of the list, he didn’t have to wait long to bring in a replacement for Frank Wilson.
Less than two weeks after losing Wilson to LSU, the Vols got their guy — again — and Brown will be back with them today as they resume preparation for the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Virginia Tech on New Year’s Eve (TV: ESPN, 7:30 p.m.)

Get best weekend car rentals deal as low as $14 a day!

LSU's new coaches get NCAA clearance

New LSU assistant football coaches Billy Gonzales and Frank Wilson were cleared by the NCAA on Thursday to begin coaching.
"They're on board," LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette said Thursday night. "They were not at practice this afternoon because they're out recruiting, but they are expected back on Friday."
LSU head coach Les Miles wanted to use 10 coaches, which is one over the limit, by never using more than nine at one time so he could let Larry Porter coach in the bowl practices leading up to the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1 against Penn State.
LSU asked the NCAA for approval of the unique coaching lineup, but it was denied. So Porter will not coach LSU through the bowl and focus on his new head coaching job at Memphis.
Porter has been Miles' running backs coach and one of his best recruiters since he came to LSU in 2005. He recently accepted the head coaching job at Memphis.Wilson, who was the wide receivers coach at Tennessee last season, will replace Porter as running backs coach and will also be recruiting coordinator. Gonzales, who was the receivers coach at Florida for the last several seasons, will replace D.J. McCarthy as receivers coach and will also be the passing game coordinator.

Shop for holiday gifts for sports fans

Kiffin jokes that he has trouble following rules

Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin says he is "very confident" the NCAA's inquiry into the university's student ambassador program will reveal no rules violations by his staff.
Kiffin and Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer visited Atlanta on Thursday to preview the Dec. 31 Chick-fil-A Bowl.
A smiling Kiffin drew a laugh when asked by a fan what has been the biggest challenge of his first year as the Vols' coach, he said, "Following all the rules."
Female members of the school's Orange Pride ambassador group traveled nearly 200 miles to a high school football game where three players are being recruited by Kiffin's staff.
Kiffin says the NCAA has interviewed Tennessee recruits but has not contacted him. The SEC Rocks!

Shop for holiday gifts for sports fans

Honors continue for Vandy's Warren Norman

Postseason accolades continue to roll in for Vanderbilt standout Warren Norman.
The first-year Commodore tailback/return specialist was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year by the Sporting News, the highly regarded sports publication and website announced Wednesday.
Norman, a product of Chamblee High School in Stone Mountain, Ga., has swept the SEC's top freshman honors. The Sporting News recognition comes on the heels of Norman earning Freshman of the Year honors last week from SEC coaches and Associated Press beat writers.
Norman was joined on the Sporting News' SEC All-Freshman Team by fellow Commodore Ryan Fowler, who matched a Vanderbilt record with 16 field goals.
The Sporting News also named Norman to its Freshman All-America squad on Wednesday. He was named as a kickoff returner on the team after tying a league mark with three kickoff returns for touchdowns.
Norman was named to Sporting News' SEC All-Freshman team as the kickoff returner and tailback. He was splendid in both roles this season, rushing for 783 yards and amassing 1,050 yards on returns. He also became the SEC's all-time freshman leader with 1,951 all-purpose yards, breaking a 29-year-old record established by former Georgia legend Herschel Walker. The SEC Rocks!