Ex-'Bama QB Star Jackson might get shot at his old team

According to Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register, Jackson's former high school coach has confirmed his former player will indeed be transferring to Georgia State, which is coached by former Tide head coach Bill Curry.
"He got his release from Alabama and everything," Errick Lowe told the paper.
As Georgia State is not a Div. 1-A school, Jackson would be eligible to play immediately in 2010. That also means that Jackson could conceivably face his former team; the Tide takes on the Panthers Nov. 20 in Tuscaloosa.
It's no guarantee that Jackson will be under center on that day, but Lowe says the opportunity will be there if Jackson wants it.
"Nothing is going to be handed to him," Lowe said. "He's going to have to go in there and work his butt off. But if he works hard, he'll get a chance to play right away."
Jackson will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Star QBs from the SEC and more flocking to Manning Passing Academy

The 2010 Manning Passing Academy again features high school coaches, college coaches and assistants from various schools. "We have probably about 120 on staff this year. We always have a good time with the college guys who come in. The NCAA will let us have one player from each college," Archie said.
This year's featured college quarterbacks is a star-studded group which has Archie very excited. "This is the best collection of college quarterbacks we've ever had. We have Ryan Mallett (Arkansas), Andrew Luck (Stanford), Christian Ponder (Florida State), Jordan Jefferson (LSU), Greg McElroy (Alabama), Kellen Moore (Boise State), Andy Dalton (TCU) and Jerrod Johnson (Texas A&M). "Moore may break Colt McCoy's win record of 45 wins at a school before he is done," said Manning.
"All in all, we probably have 25 to 30 college players. We have some outstanding receivers as well. It's a very good group. I'm excited as well that my good friend Kenny Anderson is coming down this year. Kenny was a great NFL quarterback with the Cincinnati Bengals, leading them to a Super Bowl. He just retired from NFL coaching," added Archie.
Every camper receives a J5V football upon arrival in Thibodaux. They take home a free DVD of the 2010 camp when they depart. The popular "Air It Out" passing exhibition by the top quarterback instructors attending is set for Saturday, July 10 at 11 a.m. There are many good speakers from the college and professional ranks scheduled.
Having the camp in July guarantees that it is going to be hot, very hot! "We wait until we know it's good and hot," laughed Archie. "That's Louisiana. That's how we like it. That is home."

Top cats drawn to second installment of Auburn Big Cat Weekend

The second installment of Big Cat Weekend produced one verbal commitment and at least a handful of players who were nearly convinced to do the same. Quarterback Kiehl Frazier of Springdale, Ark., was the weekend's big catch. Other prospects said Auburn's pitch during the summer recruiting event helped boost the Tigers' standing:
Running back Mike Blakely of Bradenton, Fla., said Auburn remains his top choice. "They were No. 1 coming into the weekend and they didn't go down any, they actually went up some," he told AuburnUndercover.com.
Offensive lineman Mitch Smothers, also of Springdale, said he would pick between Auburn, Arkansas and Alabama later this summer.
Defensive end Ray Drew of Thomasville, Ga., told the Web site he didn't want to get "caught up in the moment" during his visit and plans a "late commitment."
Thibodaux, La., offensive lineman Greg Robinson said he plans to pick between LSU and Auburn. He said distance from home won't be a factor.

Ole Miss's Lockett, Powe Honored By Athlon

Ole Miss defensive linemen are piling up preseason honors, as Athlon distinguished seniors Kentrell Lockett and Jerrell Powe All-SEC in its college football preview. The magazine also chose the Rebels as the No. 3 D line unit in the SEC.
Lockett, an end from Hahnville, La., was selected preseason All-SEC first team, while Powe, a tackle from Waynesboro, Miss., was named to the second team. Both players have been consistent all-conference picks this summer, and Powe has garnered preseason All-America honors from Phil Steele, The Kickoff and NationalChamps.net.
Two former Rebels were honored on Athlon's All-Decade teams. Patrick Willis was a linebacker on the national team, and he was joined on the SEC All-Decade squad by Dexter McCluster as an all-purpose player.
The publication also ranked every program in the country based on the attractiveness of the position from a coaching perspective. Ole Miss was tabbed as the No. 32 coaching job in the nation, pointing to the amount of recruiting talent in state and the rise in fan support and facility enhancement over the last five years.
In addition, Athlon listed the Rebels' 2010 signing class 22nd in its national ranking.

In recruiting, past is Vols' biggest problem at present

The Vols were actually supposed to be pretty good when they posted losing seasons in 2005 and 2008. So just how far and why the football program slid so far?
Two coaching changes in 14 months set the table for disaster, then there's also the missed recruiting evaluations by one coach and promises made to high-profile prospects by another that could give first-year UT coach Dooley multiple migrains this fall.
The past is the present in the Vols downward spiral, recruiting or lack of is a big reason why UT's talent is lacking. In retrospect, national rankings predicted some of the downfall.
In two of former coach Fulmer's last three seasons, he couldn't manage to secure a class in the top 20, this was a given for UT's second-most successful coach of all time.
Fulmer's 2006 class, which could still be contributing now via red-shirted players, ranked 24th and 23rd by Scout.com and Rivals.com, respectively. The 2008 class, which had limited scholarships available, ranked 35th by both recruiting services.
Here is the final nail in the coffin two of Fulmer's most highly rated final classes were shaken by departures. Five players from the 2006 class left the program, didn't qualify academically or were dismissed. Four have been lost from the 2008 class. From those two classes, UT lost four offensive linemen, a glaring weakness for 2010.
UT's 2007 class was the exact opposite, it was highly ranked, but has since been one of the most disappointing signing classes in recent memory.
The 32-member class was ranked fourth and third in the nation by Scout and Rivals, respectively.
However, 17 of those signees didn't complete their eligibility. They either never made it to campus because of academic issues, were dismissed after they arrived or left the program.
Fulmer can't be blamed for all of the recruiting misfires. Former coach Lane Kiffin's recruiting approach may have cost the Vols a trio of talented prospects.
Tailback Bryce Brown is expected to leave UT after one season, disenchanted by the coaching change. The UT's football department believe he is disappointed that he didn't play even more in 2009.
Kiffin's talent-first approach may also have caused UT's former staff to overlook character issues with two highly touted players.
The Vols were forced to dismiss receiver Nu'Keese Richardson and defensive back Mike Edwards after the two were charged with attempted robbery.
Then there's the loss of players, due to, two coaching changes in little more than a year.
All that has resulted in 30 UT signees failing to complete their eligibility.

New deal close to keep UGA-UF in Jax through '16

According to a draft of the contract obtained by the Athens Banner-Herald through an open records request, the new deal calls for the game to be played in Jacksonville through the 2016 season. The city of Jacksonville would get an exclusive "right of first negotiation", a window that would open ten days after the 2014 season and close on June 15 of the following year.
Following that window, and if an extension is not agreed upon, the two schools would be permitted to negotiate with other cities, which basically means Atlanta, for the right to host the game.
Additionally, the contract stipulates that Georgia, which has further to travel than Florida, would receive an additional $300,000 in travel reimbursements in 2010 on top of the $50,000 they already receive.
The $300K would be used to charter three 50-seat passenger jets that would transport players, coaches and other members of the traveling party to the game. That $300K would then increase by ten percent each year over the life of the contract.
Also, the new agreement calls for the two schools to retain the right to sell sponsorship of the game if they so desire.
There are no plans to do that at this point in time, but they "want to have that option and the right to do that" according to UF senior associate athletic director Greg McGarity.

SEC Football by the Numbers: Conference adds two to its Hall of Fame roster

The SEC has one more Hall of Fame player and one more Hall of Fame coach after the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame announced the 14 members of its 2010 Football Bowl Subdivision Class on Thursday.
Former LSU back Jerry Stovall and former Alabama coach Gene Stallings will be enshrined from the SEC. They were chosen from a national ballot of 77 candidates, which included 11 former SEC players, and a pool of hundreds of other eligible nominees. In fact, Stallings was not on the national ballot, but that didn't prevent him from becoming the fourth Alabama coach elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
The SEC will now have 76 players and 26 coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Stovall followed Billy Cannon as LSU's Golden Boy and now follows him into the Hall of Fame as the Tigers' seventh player to be enshrined. After leading LSU to the SEC title in 1961, Stovall was the conference's MVP in 1962 as a halfback, defensive back, kick returner and punter. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting to Oregon State QB Terry Baker after that season.
Although Stallings coached at Texas A&M and in the NFL before coming to Alabama, he had his greatest success after taking over the Crimson Tide in 1990. Stallings' best season came in 1992, when Alabama went 13-0 and finished as the nation's No. 1 team.
Stallings' on-the-field winning percentage of .810 in all games and .791 in conference games are both second in SEC history for any coach with at least five seasons in the conference.

Call from College Football Hall of Fame humbles former Alabama coach Gene Stallings

Gene Stallings knows hu­mility.
He was humbled when his first head coaching job in college football ended af­ter only one winning season in seven years at his alma mater.
And his reaction this week when he learned that he is headed to the College Foot­ball Hall of Fame?
"I'm humbled to be in there," Stallings said Friday, a day after the National Football Foundation an­nounced the news that he will he inducted into the shrine along with 13 others.
"I want the players to feel they had a little something to do with me being there. This honor involves every player that played for me. Otherwise I wouldn't have received it."
Stallings' career had a happy ending. He compiled a 70-16-1 record in seven seasons at Alabama, though officially his record is 62-25 because of 12 games the Crimson Tide had to forfeit in 1993 as part of NCAA sanctions.
In 1992, Alabama won the national championship when a 34-13 Sugar Bowl victory over top-ranked Mi­ami capped a 13-0 season.
"It doesn't get any better than that, when you win them all," Stallings said. "We were blessed with good players who stayed healthy."
Stallings, 75, wasn't sure if he ever would get the call from the Hall of Fame.
"It's no question to be in the Hall of Fame is the ulti­mate in the college game," he said. "A lot of it is just based on won-loss records. Some people do a great job of coaching, but they don't just win as many games. I'm flattered and very pleased that I was selected."

Athlon Sports places Four Vandy Commodores on All-SEC teams

Four Commodores were named preseason All-Southeastern Conference in Athlon Sports' 2010 Southeastern College Football Magazine. Linebacker Chris Marve, running back/returner Warren Norman, cornerback Casey Hayward and safety Sean Richardson were listed as all-conference Commodores when the magazine hit newsstands recently. Marve, a junior co-captain from Memphis, and Norman, a sophomore from Stone Mountain, Ga., were named to Athlon's first team All-SEC squad at linebacker and kick returner, respectively. Hayward, from Perry, Ga., and Richardson, of Linden, Ala., were third team recipients. With Vanderbilt coming off a disappointing 2-10 campaign, head coach Bobby Johnson said he was happy for the four honorees, and hoped other Commodores were considered. "All four of those guys are very deserving preseason candidates," Johnson said. "Warren and Chris are coming off tremendous seasons, and I thought Casey and Sean established themselves among the elite secondary players in a league full of defensive standouts. "This team also has more players that should be candidates for individual recognitions, such as tight end Brandon Barden, defensive tackle T.J. Greenstone and placekicker Ryan Fowler. Those guys and others have a chance to become great players in this conference," the coach said. Earlier in the week, Marve, Norman and Hayward were named All-SEC by Phil Steele's 2010 College Football Preview. This marks the first preseason recognition for Richardson.

Miss State Brignone Named To Rimington Watch List

Mississippi State senior offensive lineman J.C. Brignone was named to the 2010 Watch List for the Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the best center in the nation.
Brignone, a native of Pass Christian, Miss., has played in 35 of a possible 37 games during his Mississippi State career on the offensive line, starting 24 times. Last season, he started all 12 games at center for an offensive line that paved the way for the Southeastern Conference's leading rushing attack. The 227.6 yards per game average also ranked ninth nationally, and the Bulldog offense finished the season with three 300-yard rushing games in its final four contests.
The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Center in NCAA Division I-A College Football. Since its inception, the Rimington Trophy has raised over $1.8 million for its benefactor, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The eleven-year old award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and has raised over $80 million for CF Research.

Razorback Ronnie Caveness selected to Hall of Fame

Former University of Arkansas standout Ronnie Caveness was selected from the national ballot of 77 candidates and a pool of hundreds of eligible nominees for the 2010 College Football Hall of Fame Football Subdivision Class, which was announced Thursday by Archie Manning, Chairman of The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. The class includes the names of 12 First Team All-America players and two legendary coaches.
"We are extremely proud that Ronnie Caveness has been selected for enshrinement in the College Hall of Fame," Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long said. "During his Razorback career, Ronnie established himself as one of the nation's best players on offense and defense. Ronnie was an All-American and an All-Southwest Conference performer and as a senior captain he helped the Razorbacks to a perfect 11-0 record and the 1964 national championship. Ronnie Caveness is truly a Razorback football legend. We are looking forward to celebrating this tremendous honor with Ronnie and his wife Teresa in the days and months to come."

Junior college center to visit Vols

The Vols are carrying on discussions with Dallas Hendrickson, a 6-foot-1, 295-pound center that will visit UT’s campus on Thursday.
Hendrickson said he received the invite after his coach at Iowa Western Community College, Scott Strohmeier, sent tape of his play to UT’s coaches.
“The next day I heard from them,” Hendrickson said Wednesday. “They were pretty excited and wanted me to come down for a visit. I was very surprised.”
Strohmeier was aware that the Vols needed help at center and was willing to help Hendrickson, who still has a season of eligibility remaining at Iowa Western.
“Dallas is a great center,” Strohmeier told InsideTennessee.com. “He is a really smart kid and has the head for the game. He is a great center.”
"… It will be bittersweet for us (if he leaves), but I told him to do the best thing for him. It will be a little different running out in front of 108,000 Tennessee fans than it is here in Iowa.”
UT’s centers struggled throughout spring practice. Converted senior defensive tackle Victor Thomas began camp as the first-team center before yielding the position to back-up Cody Pope.
Hendrickson would be available to play this season as a member of the 2010 class. Hendrickson has one redshirt season and three years of eligibility remaining.
Hendrickson said UT has not offered him a scholarship, but said the coaches planned on making a decision about whether to extend an offer by this weekend.
"It would be hard to pass up. That’s for sure,” he said.
Hendrickson had no scholarship offers last season and no Division I offers after his senior season at St. Ansgar (Iowa) High School, which is why he decided to attend junior college.
Hendrickson said he had no academic shortcomings coming out of high school, which is often the case with junior college signees, but felt he was good enough to play Division I so he signed with Iowa Western and hoped for another chance at a higher level.
Hendrickson said his quickness off the line of scrimmage and discipline off the field are his strengths. His toughness has also been noted as a plus.
“I haven’t missed a game in probably four years of high school, then last year (in junior college),” he said. “Haven’t had to battle any injury. The small ones, I can get through it.”
Hendrickson was a four-sport standout in high school, playing football, baseball, wrestling and throwing the shot put and discus in track.

College Football Hall of Fame inductees announced

The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame has announced its 2010 inductees for the College Football Hall of Fame.
Here's the list, in alphabetical order:
Barry Alvarez - Coach, Wisconsin (1990-2005)
Dennis Byrd - Defensive Tackle, North Carolina State (1964-1967)
Ronnie Caveness - Center, Arkansas (1962-1964)
Ray Childress - Defensive Lineman, Texas A&M (1981-1984)
Randy Cross - Guard, UCLA (1973-1975)
Sam Cunningham - Running Back, USC (1970-1972)
Mark Herrmann - Quarterback, Purdue (1977-1980)
Clarkston Hines - Wide Receiver, Duke (1986-1989)
Desmond Howard - Wide Receiver, Michigan (1989-1991)
Chet Moeller - Defensive Back, Navy (1973-1975)
Gene Stallings - Coach, Texas A&M (1965-71), Alabama (1990-96)
Jerry Stovall - Halfback, LSU (1960-1962)
Pat Tillman - Linebacker, Arizona State (1994-1997)
Alfred Williams - Linebacker, Colorado (1987-1990)
Howard is the only former Heisman Trophy winner on the list, while just three of the players (Caveness, Cunningham, and Williams) were National Championship winners.
Among the two coaches (Alvarez, Stallings) inducted, Stallings was the lone National Championship winner. Alvarez, though, won more than Stallings when it came to conference titles, winning three to Stallings' two.

Vandy's Marve, Norman, Hayward earn preseason honors in Phil Steele's College Preview

Update with Vandy, on a good note, three Commodores - linebacker Chris Marve, all-purpose runner Warren Norman and cornerback Casey Hayward - have earned preseason All-Southeastern Conference recognition in Phil Steele's College Football 2010 Preview. Marve, the SEC's top tackler back from the 2009 season, was named to the magazine's second team squad. Norman, who broke several league return records as a freshman last year, was named as second team kick returner and fourth team running back. Hayward was named as a fourth team cornerback. The preview recently hit newsstands. It offers an in-depth look at teams in every Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) conference, including Vanderbilt in the ultra-tough SEC. Marve, a junior from Memphis, is the first SEC player in a decade to post at least 100 total tackles as a freshman and sophomore. In 2009, the inside linebacker ranked as the league's second leading tackler, averaging 10.1 stops per game. The league's coaches voted the two-year starter to their second team All-SEC defense. Norman, a sophomore from Stone Mountain, Ga., was one of five players in the league named to Phil Steele's All-SEC teams at multiple positions. In 2009, Norman produced one of the most productive freshman campaigns in SEC history. He topped the conference with 1,951 all-purpose yards, breaking Herschel Walker's former freshman SEC record. He also broke an SEC single-season record with 1,050 kickoff return yards, and matched a league mark by returning three kicks for touchdowns. Norman also ranked seventh in the league with 783 rushing yards, the second highest freshman total in team history. Following the remarkable campaign, coaches rewarded Norman as the unanimous SEC Freshman of the Year, just the second Commodore to receive that honor. He also was named to numerous Freshman All-America teams. As a first-year starter in 2009, Hayward was stellar playing opposite All-SEC performer and recent NFL draft pick Myron Lewis. Hayward, from Elko, Ga., set single-season career highs with 58 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, nine defensed passes and a pair of interceptions. The Commodores, coming off a disappointing 2-10 season after going 7-6 in 2008 and capturing the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, were not represented to Phil Steele's preseason All-America squad.

Vandy suffers big blow to offensive line

James Williams started two games at right tackle for Vanderbilt in 2009 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury against LSU.
Unfortunately for the Commodores' offensive line, Williams will not be able to return in 2010. And not due to any lingering effects of the broken ankle.
According to The Tennessean, the redshirt junior will no longer be a member of the football team due to academic issues. Head coach Bobby Johnson said the loss of Williams puts a serious dent in his team's already-thin line.
"Obviously it's a very big blow," Johnson told the paper. "James was a very good player for us, even though we only had him for just a little bit of time last year.
"We're not in a situation where we could afford any kind of attrition on the offensive line, but it's happened and we have to move forward."
Johnson added that the school will help Williams, who has two years of eligibility remaining, "go somewhere else" and "help another program."

Sooners top Steele's preseason poll

Pat Forde of ESPN.com is one of those individuals and, in a message posted on his Twitter page, he reveals Steele's somewhat surprising Top-Ten list.
The biggest surprise of all comes at the very top of the list, where Steele has placed the Oklahoma Sooners as his preseason No. 1. The Sooners are coming off a season that featured the most losses since Stoops' first season in Norman, and found themselves outside the Top 25 in both the coaches and Associated Press polls.
Steele has shown in the past that he's willing to go against the mainstream grain, and tabbing the Sooners as No. 1 certainly continues that outside-the-box line of thinking.
Another surprise is TCU sitting at No. 4 ahead of No. 6 Boise State, the school that toppled the Horned Frogs in January's Fiesta Bowl and returns 21 of 22 starters from that unbeaten squad.
Alabama, with plenty of new faces on the defensive side of the ball, finds itself at No. 3, just behind No. 2 Ohio State.
Nebraska rounds out Steele's Top Five at No. 5, while Florida (No. 7), USC (No. 8), Miami (No. 9) and Oregon (No. 10) finishing off the Top Ten.

Ex-Vols Nu'Keese Richardson in news again after video surfaces

Nu'Keese Richardson might be guilty of more bad judgment. But that appears to be all the former Tennessee wide receiver could be charged with based on the video he released last week. The clip, posted on Twitter and first reported by the website SportsByBrooks.com on Friday, shows North Carolina State defensive back Jarvis Byrd and Richardson's friend Kaalum Williams in a Florida Wal-Mart joking about stealing T-shirts and using a stream of vulgarities and derogatory language. Richardson is the cameraman and posted the video himself, but he has since denied that anything was stolen and no charges have been filed - which is important since that would likely be a violation of his probation for his part in the attempted armed robbery that led to his dismissal at UT last fall. Special counsel for the Knox County District Attorney's Office John Gill was made aware of the video on Tuesday, but that by itself isn't enough to lead to any sort of punishment for Richardson. "At any rate, there is no basis for us to take any action at this point," Gill wrote in an e-mail to the News Sentinel. There might not ever be one since Richardson told the Palm Beach Post that everything was paid for after the video was shot, but either way the incident is another example of poor decision-making for the once highly touted recruit.

Former Florida Gator walk-on passes away

A member of Florida's 2008 title team has died, both the Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel are reporting.

According to the Sentinel, Lamar Abel was part of a road crew organized by his fraternity that was doing roadside cleanup Saturday. During the course of the day, Abel began to feel sick and was taken the UF Medical center where he died.

While the cause of death is not known, a post on Abel's Facebook suggested that some type of cardiac event took the defensive lineman's life.

"Lamar was a proud member of our program & our thoughts & prayers go out to his family & friends during this difficult time," Gator offensive coordinator Steve Addazio was quoted as saying on Ben Volin's Palm Beach Post Twitter page.

"It threw me for a loop,'' Anthony Campbell, a teacher at Blanche Ely High School, told the Herald. "He was so young, vibrant. I just saw him in March up in Gainesville. It's something tough to deal with. It has people questioning and thinking about a lot of things."

The 21-year-old Abel dressed for five games in both 2007 and 2008, and played in one game.

Phil Steele Names Five Georgia Bulldogs to Preseason All-Americans

ATHENS, Ga. --- Five Georgia football players have been named to Phil Steele’s 2010 preseason All-American teams while 14 have been named to the publication’s All-Southeastern Conference preseason squads. Junior flanker A.J. Green (Summerville, S.C.) and junior punter Drew Butler (Duluth, Ga.) highlighted the list after being named First Team All-Americans. Junior placekicker Blair Walsh (Boca Raton, Fla.) was named to the Second Team, senior offensive tackle Clint Boling (Alpharetta, Ga.) was included on the Third Team and junior kickoff returner Brandon Boykin (Fayetteville, Ga.) was placed on the Fourth Team. The Bulldogs also had six players named to the All-SEC First Team. In addition to Green, Boling, Boykin, Walsh and Butler, junior outside linebacker Justin Houston (Statesboro, Ga.) was also named to the First Team. Junior linemen Ben Jones (center) (Centreville, Ala.) and Cordy Glenn (offensive guard) (Riverdale, Ga.) joined sophomore tailback Washaun Ealey (Stillmore, Ga.) on the Second Team. Sophomore tight end Orson Charles (Tampa, Fla.), senior offensive guard Chris Davis (Jefferson, Ga.), junior inside linebacker Marcus Dowtin (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and Boykin, this time as a cornerback, were named to the Third Team. Redshirt sophomore free safety Bacarri Rambo (Donalsonville, Ga.) was Georgia’s sole honoree on the Fourth Team. Georgia is one of five teams with at least two players named preseason First Team All-Americans. Georgia and Alabama each have two players on the First Team and are the only two SEC teams with multiple players. North Carolina and UCLA leads the way with three players each on the First Team. The Bulldogs and the Tide also lead the conference with six players on the All-SEC First Team. Georgia and Florida top the league with 14 players listed on all four preseason teams combined.

Mike Pouncey Named to 2010 Rimington Watch List

University of Florida senior football player Mike Pouncey (Lakeland, Fla.) was named to the 2010 Spring Watch List for The Rimington Trophy, announced by the committee. The trophy, named after Nebraska's two-time consensus All-America center Dave Rimington, is presented annually to college football’s most outstanding offensive center.
Pouncey will have a chance to keep the award in the family. His twin brother, Maurkice Pouncey, won the 2009 Rimington Trophy. Mike Pouncey has made 28-straight starts on the offensive line, primarily at guard, and will make the transition to center for the 2010 season. He was named AP Second-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC in 2009 after helping Florida lead the SEC with 3,105 rushing yards on the season. He also earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors following the Florida State game, in which the Gators accumulated 545 yards of total offense.

SEC's Two Million Dollar Man...Slive

SEC's, Mike Slive has drawn praise from all corners for helping to turn his conference into a national powerhouse when it comes to football and the revenues derived from the sport.
So, as should be expected, Slive was paid very handsomely for his efforts.
According to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, and based on IRS documents obtained by the paper, Slive earned $2.1 million for the fiscal year that ended Aug. 31, 2009.
Included in that total was a $1 million bonus and a base salary of just over $972,000. Kentucky president Lee Todd told the paper that the conference voted unanimously to give Slive the bonus, and that the TV contract was "probably the predominant driver" in the seven-figure payout.
A TV consultant, Chuck Gerber, who also played a part in brokering the 15-year, $3 billion deal with CBS and ESPN was paid $2 million by the league.
The paper also noted that in 2008-2009, SEC schools received shares of revenue that ranged from $12.6 million to just a shade over $14 million.

Six Tide players, three Tigers make first team on Phil Steele's preseason All-SEC

Six Alabama players and three Auburn standouts headlined Phil Steele's preseason All-SEC team, released Thursday. The teams will be included in the upcoming Phil Steele's 2010 College Football Preview magazine.
Making the first team for the Tide were reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, receiver Julio Jones, offensive guard Barrett Jones, defensive end Marcell Dareus, linebacker Dont'a Hightower and safety Mark Barron. First-teamers from Auburn were receiver Darvin Adams, offensive tackle Lee Ziemba and linebacker Craig Stevens.
Ingram and Jones were also selected as first-team preseason All-Americans by the publication, joining fellow SEC stars A.J. Green and Drew Butler of Georgia and Patrick Peterson of LSU. Barron and Hightower were second-team All-American picks, Dareus was a third-teamer and Ziemba was a fourth-team selection.
Six other Alabama players and eight other Tigers were listed on the publication's second, third and fourth All-SEC teams. Selected as second-teamers were Alabama's Greg McElroy, James Carpenter and Josh Chapman and Auburn's Mario Fannin, Josh Bynes and Neiko Thorpe.
Thrid-team choices were Auburn's Ryan Pugh and Mike Blanc, while listed on the fourth team were Tigers Cameron Newton, Mike Berry and Wes Byrum and Alabama's Trent Richardson, William Vlachos and Courtney Upshaw.
Interestingly, Newton was not the only newcomer on the list. True freshman running back Marcus Lattimore of South Carolina was a third-team selection, chosen ahead of Richardson and Vanderbilt's record-breaking all-purpose star, Warren Norman.
You can see Phil Steele's entire preseason All-SEC and All-American teams here. posted by Mike Herdon

Fifteen Gators Recognized on Phil Steele's 2010 Preseason All-America and All-SEC Lists

A number of Gator football players were recognized Thursday as preseason All-SEC and All-America candidates, released by Phil Steele’s 2010 College Football Preview. Seniors Mike Pouncey (Lakeland, Fla.) and Carl Johnson (Durham, N.C.), as well as junior Will Hill (West Orange, N.J.) highlighted the preseason All-SEC teams as first team selections, Pouncey at center, Johnson at offensive guard and Hill at safety. In addition to the first team trio, 12 other Gators garnered All-SEC status by Steele, including five second team defensive selections and five third team offensive picks.
In addition to its preseason All-SEC selections, four Florida football players were additionally on Phil Steele preseason All-America lists, including Pouncey and Johnson, who were tabbed as third team All-America players. Junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins (Pahokee, Fla.) and Gator punter Chas Henry (Dallas, Ga.) were both projected fourth team All-America selections.

Both Pouncey and Henry, rising senior leaders, have been mainstays on the 2010 college football preseason All-America lists after appearing on the Lindy’s Football Preview preseason All-America list and as NationalChamps.net preseason All-America picks.

Pouncey was tabbed an Outland Trophy Watch List candidate in 2009 and finished the season with AP Second Team All-America honors. The offensive lineman has started 28 straight games for the Orange and Blue, 31 total, and has seen action in 39 games as a Gator.

Seven Rebels Earn Preseason Honors From Phil Steele

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Jerrell Powe received preseason All-America honors and was among seven Ole Miss Rebels to earn All-SEC billing, as Phil Steele has announced his preseason awards.
Powe, a senior defensive tackle, made Steeles’ All-America third team and his All-SEC first team. Seniors Kentrell Lockett, DE, and Jonathan Cornell, LB, were honored on the all-conference second team.
Senior S Johnny Brown garnered All-SEC third team status, and the fourth team featured Rebel OT Bradley Sowell, LB Allen Walker and KR Jesse Grandy.Phil Steele's College Football Preview is one of the nation's top preseason football magazines and has always provided a preseason All-American team as well as preseason all-conference teams.

Gamecocks Dot Phil Steele's Preseason All-SEC Team

The University of South Carolina is well-represented on Phil Steele's 2010 Preseason All-SEC football team, announced today. The Gamecocks had nine players earn spots on Steele's four teams, including a pair of first-team selections.
Senior defensive end Cliff Matthews and sophomore cornerback Stephon Gilmore earned preseason first-team recognition by the national publication. Matthews, a 6-4, 260-pounder from Cheraw, S.C. was a postseason second-team all-league selection a year ago. He has started more games (33) than any other returning Gamecock. Gilmore, a 6-1, 188-pounder from Rock Hill, S.C. who was a Freshman All-American last season, was also named to Steele's fourth-team All-America squad. In addition, Gilmore was the lone Gamecock on Steele's second-team All-SEC, as he was tabbed as the No. 2 punt returner in the league.
Four Gamecocks earned third team All-SEC recognition, according to Steele. A pair of seniors - defensive tackle Ladi Ajiboye and cornerback Chris Culliver - are mentioned on the defensive side of the ball, while sophomore wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and incoming freshman tailback Marcus Lattimore garnered mention on the third-team offense.
Three Gamecocks earned fourth-team accolades, one in each facet of the game. Senior tight end Weslye Saunders represents the offense, junior linebacker Shaq Wilson is listed on defense and senior punter Spencer Lanning, who represents special teams, all were tabbed by Steele in his preseason picks.

Alabama Running Back...Ingram to be honored by hometown of Flint

Alabama running back Mark Ingram will be feted by his hometown Saturday.
A rally will be held in Flint, Mich., this afternoon to honor their native son and will feature bands, and cheerleaders from local high schools. The Associated Press reports that some Alabama coaches are expected to be in attendance for the celebration.
Flint Mayor Dayne Walling called Ingram a "role model on and off the field".
It was reported back in April that a stretch of highway running through Flint could possibly be named after the junior All-American, but it's unclear if that will be a part of this particular ceremony.

Razorback's Mallett on not leaving early: 'I didn't feel it was fair to people'

When, Ryan Mallett announced that he was returning for another season, the whole of Razorback nation breathed a huge sigh of relief. As did the coaching staff and pretty much anyone associated with the football program.
According to Mallett, though, there never really was any doubt as to which path his immediate football future would take.
"No, I really wasn't[thinking about leaving early," Mallett said in a FOX Sports Radio interview as relayed by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "I told my mom I was going to graduate before I left, so I promised her that. That was one main reason I came back but also knowing who we had coming back and how great the team has a chance to be.
"Another reason was I felt like just playing one year and leaving the team, it wasn't fair to the team, to the fans and to the state. We've got the greatest fans in the NCAA I feel like. To just play one year and leave, I didn't feel like it was fair to a lot of people."

SEC meets with CBS regarding expansion

A broadcast from MrSEC.com, Jimmy Hyams of WNML-AM 990 reports that, per a source close to CBS, commissioner Mike Slive has met with network officials regarding the SEC's potential plans for expansion. Reportedly, Slive told the executives that their goal is to match the Big Ten team for team if they move to 16.
In such a case, Hyams reports, Texas, Texas A&M, Florida State and Clemson would be their targets. If the first two could not be had, the two Texas schools would be replaced by Georgia Tech and Miami.
The SEC has denied that such a meeting took place.
"There was never any meeting nor have their been any discussions between CBS and SEC Commissioner Mike Slive about expansion," the conference stated in an email response to the radio report.
Whether or not the report is true is debatable , very debatable given the conference's response, but there should be little doubt that Slive & Company are not just sitting on their hands awaiting the Big Ten's move.

Vols Dooley says no recent talks with Bryce Brown

Derek Dooley offered no news Thursday concerning two Tennessee football players who are expected to transfer.
The UT first-year coach said at the Big Orange Caravan that there have been no recent conversations with tailback Bryce Brown or quarterback Nick Lamaison.
Brown did not participate in spring practice. Dooley said he is neither optimistic nor has closed the door on an unlikely return by the sophomore-to-be.
Lamaison, who did not play in 2009 after one season at a junior college in California, could also transfer after not being at all involved in the quarterback competition during spring practice.
Lamaison, a sophomore, has not returned multiple text and phone messages from the News Sentinel.
Dooley also said he is unaware of any academic casualties from the spring semester, which ended this month.

Auburn gives the heave-ho to Aycock

According to multiple reports, Aycock has been dismissed by head coach Gene Chizik forviolating an unspecified team rule.
Aycock, a four-star member of the Tigers' 2009 recruiting class, was a redshirt last season but, as noted by the Birmingham News, was slated to be a part of Auburn's rotation at the running back position.
With the unexpected departure, Michael Dyer, the No. 2 running back in the country in the 2010 class according to Rivals.com, would seem to be in line for in even bigger role during his freshman season as one of the top options behind starter Mario Fannin.

Auburn confirms, QB Tyrik Rollison is leaving program,

Months after Tyrik Rollison told his Facebook followers that his time at Auburn was done, the university confirmed his transfer Wednesday.
Rollison has said he plans to transfer to Sam Houston State, a Championship Subdivision program where he will be eligible to play immediately.
Rollison did not participate in spring practice, was not listed on the team's roster and talked openly of leaving, but head coach Gene Chizik refused to completely close the door on his return.
Here's what I wrote about Rollison way back in February:
AUBURN -- Redshirt freshman quarterback Tyrik Rollison, a prized recruit who many envisioned as a future star, is apparently leaving Auburn for a lower-division school.
Rollison stunned fans by announcing his departure on his Facebook page Wednesday morning; his father subsequently confirmed to ESPN.com that his son planned to transfer from Auburn to Sam Houston State, closer to his home in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
Auburn officials did not immediately confirm his departure from the football team.
While Rollison's decision isn't entirely shocking -- he was coming off a suspension and faced an uphill battle to win a starting job in 2010 -- the timing of his announcement was unusual.
Auburn begins spring practice March 24, and Rollison was one of five quarterbacks vying for a starting job. Junior college transfer Cameron Newton is the front-runner for the job, although senior Neil Caudle, sophomore Barrett Trotter and redshirt freshman Clint Moseley are also in the mix.
Newton's arrival, coupled with Rollison's suspension for the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl for an undisclosed violation of team rules, led to speculation that Rollison might opt to transfer elsewhere.

Vols' Dooley: No 'doom and gloom here'

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Duane Sharpe didn't get very far into his question.
"Since the offense is already going to be struggling," the Columbia resident began only to have a smiling Derek Dooley cut in.
"I didn't say that," the first-year Tennessee coach said with a chuckle and tone of mock protest while emphasizing the word that. "I don't want to be spreading doom and gloom here."
Dooley's reaction drew a laugh from the approximately 180 alumni and fans on hand at Seawell's Caterers, the site of the latest stop of the Big Orange Caravan on Tuesday night. But the exchange set the tone for evening's question-and-answer session: a light-hearted thrust-and-parry session in which Dooley delivered straight talk laced with plenty of humor.
Questions ranged from his offense, scheduling and recruiting philosophies to the in-the-news issues of former player access to practices and the length of time it took to hire a defensive coordinator.
"I like the man," Sharpe said after the event. "He's very straightforward, honest. He doesn't beat around the bush. He knows we have some weaknesses, and he's working to fix them."
The questions are hardly new to Dooley, who is about three weeks into his first caravan as coach of Tennessee.
"Because I haven't been out and we've had so much to do in the last four months there is some curiosity about 'who is this guy,' " Dooley said before the event. "But I think most of the fans just want to feel like the program is in good shape. There has been a little bit of 'we've been knocked on our heels' mentality."
"I hope they come away from this with the sense that we're going to be OK - that we've hit a little bump along the road in the great history of a program that has really defined winning and stability probably better than any other SEC program, but that we're in good shape. "

Coach Nick Saban doesn't expect relief from lineup of open-date opponents

Nick Saban is a powerful man in Alabama and the SEC, but he sounded resigned to his fate Tuesday concerning a 2010 schedule filled with opponents who will meet the Tide coming off open dates.
"I don't see any changes right now that are going to affect it in any way," Saban said during a stop in Mobile with UA's Crimson Caravan. "It is what it is."
Six of Alabama's SEC opponents will have two weeks to prepare for the Tide in 2010, although Alabama also has an open date before one of those games, LSU. Saban said it's uncertain what effect such a schedule will have on his team's attempt to repeat as SEC and national champions.
"Nobody knows for sure if a bye week helps your team or not," he said. "Sometimes when you're playing well, you'd rather not have a bye week. Sometimes when your team's a little tired and beat up, a bye week's advantageous.
"We would definitely like to have a full week to prepare against every team that we play. Right now we have one team that we play on a short week, Auburn, and we'd like to get our schedule fixed around so that's not an issue for us."
Tuesday night's invitation-only dinner at the Battle House Hotel was the last of nine stops around the South for the Crimson Caravan, which also included events in Dallas, Atlanta, New Orleans and Nashville.
Saban also appeared in Daphne on Tuesday to accept the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award from the United States Sports Academy, recognizing him as the coach of the year.

Saban confirms QB Jackson leaving 'Bama

Head coach Nick Saban, by way of Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register, has confirmed that Star Jackson has decided to transfer from the university.
The coach also seemingly confirmed that the fact Jackson was buried behind two players, starter Greg McElroy and backup A.J. McCarron, on the depth chart led to the QB requesting a release from his scholarship.
"Star Jackson has done a fantastic job in our program, made a tremendous amount of improvement," Saban said at a Crimson Caravan stop in Mobile. "We hate to see any player leave the program, but quarterback's kind of a unique position where one guy can play, and we have a lot of competition there right now. Greg's the starter coming back, AJ has done a fantastic job of improving, Phillip Sims came in at mid-semester and showed a lot of promise this spring.
"Star has made a tremendous amount of improvement and done a very, very good job. But I think sometimes when quarterbacks can't see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of when they might be able to play, they get a little antsy and might want to go someplace else. Star and I have discussed it, and we're going to help him do what he feels is going to make him and his family the best decision for his future."
Jackson's high school coach seems to think his former player will wind up at Georgia State, as multiple reports have stated.

Rebel receiver close to having suspension lifted

Monday afternoon, Nutt told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger that Patterson could rejoin the team at some point in the next two weeks, provided "he does everything he's supposed to do."
Last season, Patterson accounted for 12 receptions, 180 yards and a touchdown while also landing a one-game suspension for the same "thing" that got him suspended this spring, the ubiquitous "unspecified violation of team rules".
Like Patterson, defensive back Tig Barksdale was suspended for most of spring practice. Unlike Patterson, apparently, Barksdale isn't progressing as well as his teammate as Nutt told the Clarion-Ledger that the DB has "a long way to go" before he would be allowed to rejoin the team. Looking at his checkered past in Oxford; a DUI last summer, then leaving school under mysterious medical circumstances, the paper writes that his return should be considered a longshot.

Gator assistants truly believe the Recession is over in 2010

The Gainesville Sun has obtained the 2010 salaries for Urban Meyer's coaching staff, and, needless to say, there aren't food stamps or government cheese in their near future.
According to the paper, the nine UF assistants will earn a total of around $2.7 million for the upcoming season. As noted by the Tampa Tribune, however, that total could reach $3 million when bonuses for on-field performance are factored in.
That would, however, still pale in comparison to their SEC counterparts at Tennessee, who will reportedly make a combined $5 million this year.
New defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is the Gators' highest paid assistant at $440,000, followed by offensive coordinator/interim head coach Steve Addazio at $375,000. Addazio's total will likely increase soon as he will be compensated for "additional duties" when he took over for Meyer during the head coach's "sabbatical".
A UF spokesman told the Sun that the details have yet to be finalized on Addazio's amended contract.
The lowest paid coaches on the staff , there are five of them, including quarterback coach Scott Loeffler , will make $240,000.

QB Star Jackson looking to transfer from Tide

University of Alabama reserve quarterback Star Jackson is exploring his options for a transfer and is considering Georgia State, which has one of his former high school coaches on staff, the Tuscaloosa News has learned.
Jackson's future at Alabama has been the subject of speculation since midseason last fall, when true freshman A.J. McCarron earned the No. 2 quarterback position behind starter Greg McElroy.
“Star is still in the process of getting his release from Alabama, but Georgia State is definitely a possibility for him, definitely one of his options,” said Jackson's former high school coach, Errick Lowe of Lake Worth (Fla.) High.
As UA players are not made available to the media during the off season, Jackson was unavailable for comment. It remains unclear when Jackson might enroll at the Decatur, Ga., school, but according to the GSU web site, the deadline for transfer applications for the fall term is June 1.
Jackson's attraction to Georgia State is the presence of secondary coach Anthony Midget on head coach Bill Curry's staff.
Midget, who played at Virginia Tech and in the NFL, was an assistant coach at Lake Worth for most of Jackson's prep career there.

Ex-Vol's Lane Kiffin move... 'part of the business'

"I never once told any of those players I would be there forever," the former Tennessee football coach told HBO's Real Sports in an interview that will air on Tuesday. "I never made the statement 'I was coming here; this is my dream job.' " Kiffin left UT in January to take his self-described "dream job". He offered little solace to the players he recruited to UT.
"It's part of the business," Kiffin said. "As they get older, they understand. That's why they put buyouts in contracts."
Kiffin also was asked about fans' response to his departure. Many congregated in front of UT's athletic complex to voice their displeasure.
Mattresses and T-shirts bearing Kiffin's name were burned shortly after he announced he had accepted the head coaching position at Southern California.
"I think that you're dealing with very passionate people," Kiffin said, referring to UT fans. "You become one of theirs. So when you leave, it's like you're truly leaving them."

Another Gator leaving Gainesville

First there was Adrian Bushell, who was a prime candidate to replace Joe Haden as the starting corner opposite Janoris Jenkins before being released from his scholarship late last week.
Now comes word from Scout.com by way of the Orlando Sentinel that linebacker Brendan Beal has decided to transfer from the Gators. Beal spent two seasons in Gainesville, but never saw the field because of a torn ACL in 2008 and a neck stinger in 2009.
"I was told tonight (Sunday) by Coach Steve Addazio that I will be given my official release from the University of Florida sometime tomorrow," Beal said. "I spent two years at Florida under several different coaches in which I had the opportunity to learn a lot about football and had some good experiences there. I appreciate the time the coaches gave me during my tenure with the Gators and wish them the best of luck with their program."
Beal was a U.S. Army All-American and rated as the No. 3 inside linebacker in the nation by Rivals.com coming out of high school in Bethlehem, Pa.

Sickle cell trait caused Ole Miss player's death

Ole Miss player Bennie Abram collapsed during a workout and passed away several hours later, the cause of his death has finally been released.
According to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, an autopsy report released Monday afternoon revealed that Abram died from complications due to sickle cell trait.
"The autopsy report was that the cause of death was related to complications from sickle cell trait and exertion," Dr. Jeff Dennis said. " For us, the Bennie Abram case was not a straightforward presentation or a classic presentation for sickle cell trait in a sudden death event."
Abram was a non-scholarship player who joined the team in January after trying out and "showing his film to coach Houston Nutt." The school's medical staff was aware of Abrams having the sickle cell trait, and UM's head of sports medicine Shannon Singletary said that all procedures were properly followed.
Abram's father seemed to agree with that assessment.
"Yes," Abram Jr. said, "I think everything was done right. Done correctly. I didn't see anything that was wrong."
Abram Jr. also stated that he "didn't really know something this serious could happen because of" the sickle cell trait.
According to a report on the American Football Coaches Association's website, 20 players have lost their lives to non-traumatic football deaths the past ten years; eight of those deaths were caused by exertional sickling, which means complications related to having the sickle cell trait.
Testing for the sickle cell trait has been ongoing at Ole Miss since 1989, although the NCAA has not made it a mandatory test as of yet.

UGA's Richt wants Murray to make great decisions

“There’s a lot of merit to being a steady, solid, great decision-maker.”
If there’s one lesson Richt hopes to convey to his new quarterback this offseason, that’s it.
Like Greene, Aaron Murray likely will be taking over Georgia’s offense as a redshirt freshman. Unlike Greene, however, Murray has the benefit of an extra year in Richt’s system and 10 returning starters on offense to ensure there is no shortage of weapons at his disposal.
It’s how willing Murray is to rely on that knowledge and those weapons that matters most to Richt.
“He needs to understand that you don’t have to do anything spectacular,” Richt said. “You don’t have to put the team on your shoulders. You’re not required to carry this football team. You’re required to do your job, and part of your job is to try not to be a hero.”
It’s not that Murray can’t be a hero. In fact, while Richt has worked to drive home the lesson of playing it safe to his young quarterback, he’s been busy touting Murray’s merits to nervous fans wondering whether Georgia has the right man for the job.
“Do a little search on Aaron Murray,” Richt told the crowd in Macon. “Watch his high school tape. I think you’ll be just as excited as you were the day he committed and signed at Georgia.”
Richt has yet to name Murray the starter, but last week he softened a bit, admitting it was unlikely anyone else could win the job.

Top Running Back Prospect Visited the Gamecocks Saturday

We are coming to you from the fabulous new restaurant and lounge of Daniels', located in Hilton Head Island, SC at the Beach Market. By the way try the turkey with fresh made pesto, and say Hey, to Marty, she is great. Getting back to why we're here, highly recruited RB Savon Huggins (6-0 190) of Jersey City, NJ made an unofficial visit to USC Saturday with his father.
Huggins has offers from all over the country and has visited several schools. He's been to Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Miami, Rutgers, Penn State and Pittsburgh.
He has not narrowed his list but plans to have a top ten later in the summer. USC recruiter GA Mangus was by his school earlier this week. His teammate, OL Keith Lumpkin, visited USC earlier in the spring.
Last season Huggins rushed for 1544 yards and 22 touchdowns.

MTSU player DeMario Williams transferring to Vols

DeMario Williams is heading back to the football field. Williams, who has played basketball at Middle Tennessee State University for the past two seasons, is transferring to the University of Tennessee in an attempt to revitalize his football career. “It means a lot to me,” Williams said of the chance to go to UT. “Football has been a sport that I loved but I never really gave it a chance. This is a huge opportunity.”
The decision for Williams to return to football was simple.“I just missed football,” Williams said. “So I decided to make the switch.”
Williams is planning on enrolling at Tennessee in either June or July and he will then begin immediately working out with the team in hopes of landing a scholarship. Per NCAA rules, he will have three years of eligibility remaining. “They said they want me so I’m hoping something will work out,” Williams said. “I’m ready to get on down there and start working out with the team.” Williams was a highly touted two-sport star as a basketball player at Culleoka as well as a football star at Columbia Central via the TSSAA’s co-op program. For the Lions, Williams had 105 receptions for 1,372 yards with 17 touchdowns. He was heavily recruited to play football with Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt all expressing interest.
Williams hopes the transition back to football will be smooth.“Football was kind of a sport that came naturally to me,” Williams said. “But getting back into it is going to take a lot of hard work, especially going to the highest level possible.”

Alabama's Nike deal comes with immediate $2 million bonus

Alabama receives an immediate $2 million signing bonus from Nike. There was no signing bonus when the contract was last amended in 2006. The bonus gets divided equally between the Crim­son Tide Foundation and the uni­versity.
Michigan received a $6.5 million signing bonus when it left Nike for Adidas in 2007.
Nike will pay Alabama $750,000 each year, up from $500,000. Ala­bama's annual supply limit in­creases from $1.9 million this year to initially $2.3 million in 2010-11. The limit increases $100,000 annu­ally and reaches $3 million by 2017-18, marking a 58-percent in­crease from 2010-11. Nike will also fund two paid summer intern­ships, valued at $10,000 annually, for Alabama students.
Nike will continue to pay bonuses if Alabama wins football's BCS championship game ($100,000), wins the NCAA men's basketball tournament ($100,000), plays in a BCS bowl game ($50,000), reaches the men's basketball Final Four ($50,000), wins the SEC football championship game ($10,000), or wins the SEC regular-season men's basketball title ($10,000).
Three new bonuses were added, all for women's basketball: winning the national championship ($15,000), reaching the Final Four ($10,000), and winning the SEC regular-season title ($5,000).
In addition to exclusivity with players and coaches, upper-level university administrators must now wear Nike whenever appro­priate for all public activities. Ex­ceptions are allowed when an ad­ministrator can't wear Nike shoes due to medical conditions or chooses to wear non-athletic ap­parel.
Last month, the University of Wisconsin canceled its licensing agreement with Nike, becoming the first university to do so over concerns about the company's treatment of workers in Honduras. Wisconsin said Nike had not done enough to help workers collect severance payments that they are owed from two factories that abruptly closed last year.
Nike told The Oregonian in Jan­uary that it was "disappointed and concerned" the factory owners failed to pay their employees. But Nike said the factories were owned by subcontractors who are re­sponsible for paying their employ­ees, not Nike.
At least four universities who have licensing deals with Nike de­manded answers from the com­pany last winter about Honduras. One toughly worded letter came from new NCAA President Mark Emmert, who was the University of Washington's president at the time.
"The failure of NIKE to properly respond to those current issues will inevitably jeopardize our busi­ness relationship," Emmert wrote to Nike.
In a statement Friday, Alabama said it had affirmed a commitment with Nike to fair labor practices. "Nike will continue to produce li­censed product and provide prod­uct to the University made in fac­tories that provide fair working conditions and operate consistent with the labor standards in the University's license agreements and Nike's Code of Conduct," Alabama's statement said.

Alabama extends Nike contract through 2018, agreement valued at $30 million

Alabama has extended its agreement with Nike to be the school's exclusive supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and accessory products through 2018.
The contract originally was signed in 2002. The extension is valued at $30 million in cash and product, according to the school.
"This agreement strengthens our athletic department and enhances our relationship with Nike," Alabama athletics director Mal Moore said in a news release. "Together we sought an agreement that reflected our stature as a leader in collegiate athletics on and off the field. I feel this agreement reflects that stature."
In addition to outfitting Crimson Tide athletes and coaches, Nike will fund paid internships for two Alabama students each summer at the company's world headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.
Nike will continue to have licensing rights granted by Alabama and will pay the university a minimum of 12 percent on the sale of Alabama-logoed merchandise.

Former Rebel Norman Hand Passes Away

Norman Hand, 37, of Walterboro, S.C., who earned two letters while playing for the Ole Miss football team, passed away Friday at Colleton Medical Center, and funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.
"Norman Hand, 37, collapsed at his residence around 11 this morning," said Colleton County, S.C., Coroner Richard Harvey. "He was taken to the Colleton Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 12:39 p.m. ET. The cause of death is pending an autopsy. There is no foul play suspected, and the family has asked me to make the following statement:
'Our beloved Norman was brought to the hospital earlier today. He was unresponsive and resuscitation efforts were not successful. He passed away earlier this afternoon surrounded by his family. Respect for our privacy will be greatly appreciated as we mourn this incomprehensible loss. We ask that you focus on Norman's life and the contributions he made rather than his untimely death.'"
Hand played defensive tackle for the Rebels from 1993-94 after transferring from Itawamba Community College, where he was an All-State pick as a sophomore. During his two years in Oxford, he played in all 22 games with 20 starts and tallied 100 tackles and 12 QB pressures.
As a senior, Hand earned Mississippi Sportswriters All-State first team distinction after ranking fifth among SEC defensive linemen with 61 stops. The preseason All-SEC second team honoree was also credited with nine pressures, 3.5 sacks and an interception.
Following his time in the Red and Blue, Hand was a fifth-round pick of Miami in the 1995 National Football League Draft and played 10 seasons in the NFL. He suited up for five teams, including the Dolphins (1995-96), San Diego Chargers (1997-99), New Orleans Saints (2000-02), Seattle Seahawks (2003) and New York Giants (2004).
Hand started 41 of 44 games for New Orleans and helped the Saints register an NFL-best 66 sacks in 2000 and an NFC-high 53 in 2001. He was honored as the Saints' Man of the Year in 2002 for his work in the community, notably his devotion to the Starbright Foundation program at Children's Hospital-New Orleans.
A prep standout in football and baseball, Hand earned Honorable Mention All-America accolades from Parade and USA Today as a tight end for Walterboro High School. He was also named the state's Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1990.

Vols DB Oliver undergoes successful ACL surgery

Tennessee defensive back Naz Oliver, who was listed on the roster last season as Nyshier, underwent successful surgery to reconstruct a torn anterior cruciate ligament and was released Thursday from UT Medical Center.
Oliver, a redshirt freshman, injured his right knee during the Orange and White Game last month.
UT director of sports medicine Jason McVeigh said Oliver will miss training camp in August. McVeigh, however, does expect Oliver to participate at some point during the 2010 season.
Oliver was not expected to contribute to UT's secondary. A typical return from ACL surgery is six months.

Bulldogs Land Three On Lindy's Preseason All-America Teams

Georgia juniors A.J. Green, Drew Butler and Blair Walsh have all been named to Lindy’s preseason All-American teams.Green, a flanker from Summerville, S.C., is on the All-America Offensive First Team while Butler, a punter from Duluth, is on the All-America Defensive First Team. Walsh, a placekicker from Boca Raton, Fla., is listed on the All-America Offensive Second Team.There are a total of 11 players from the Southeastern Conference on Lindy’s All-America teams. While Georgia has a trio of players, Alabama leads the league with four.Lindy’s also has the Bulldogs at 21st in the preseason poll. Five teams from the SEC are listed in the publication’s top-25 poll.Green was a semifinalist for last year’s Biletnikoff after earning All-SEC First Team honors. In just 10 games in 2009, Green hauled in a team-leading 53 catches for 808 yards and six touchdowns. He ranked second in the league in both receptions per game (5.3) and receiving yards per game (80.8). Green also blocked a field goal against Arizona State last season to help clinch the Bulldogs’ win.Butler won the 2009 Ray Guy Award for being the nation’s top punter. The consensus First Team All-American posted a national-best 48.1 yards per punt average, becoming only the third Bulldog in school history to lead the NCAA in punting. In just his first season as a starter, Butler had 24 punts of 50 yards or more, including a career-long 75 yarder versus #9 Oklahoma State.Walsh finished as one of three finalists for last year’s Lou Groza Award, which is given to the nation’s top placekicker. Highlighted by a 37-yard game winner against Arizona State, Walsh drilled 20 of 22 field goal attempts (90.9 percent, No. 2 in school history for field goal accuracy in a single season) in 2009. He connected on 11 of 12 kicks from 40 yards or longer and had a career-long field goal of 53 yards versus #9 Oklahoma State. Walsh is also 92-for-92 in PATs for his career.Georgia opens the 2010 season in Athens versus Louisiana-Lafayette on September 4.

Vols' Ex-coach Fulmer Commencement Speaker for graduates

Fulmer, who was the commencement speaker for the College of Communication and Information spring commencement, garnered several strong rounds of applause.
"I've had an opportunity to coach in most of the greatest venues in college football with millions of people watching," Fulmer said. "I am honored and humbled and, truthfully, more nervous as I share this graduation day with you. It is an important day."
Fulmer, who was coach at UT from 1992-2008, still has plenty of connections to UT. Namely, two of his daughters, who were involved in Wednesday's commencement.
"This day is also really special for my wife, Vickie, and I because we share it with two of our daughters," Fulmer said.
Allison Fulmer received her undergraduate degree in public relations. Brittany Fulmer received a graduate degree in communications.
Fulmer's oldest daughter, Courtney, previously graduated from the college of communications.
"You could certainly say we are a very proud Tennessee family," Fulmer said.
Fulmer also directly addressed the handful of UT football players he coached that received degrees on Wednesday.
"There are also some wonderful young men here who I brought to Tennessee and had the pleasure to coach," Fulmer said. "Congratulations to my guys. You'll always be my guys. Loyalty means so much to me and thank you for your loyalty."

CB Bushell to transfer from Gators

According to GatorBait.net by way of the Orlando Sentinel, Bushell has decided to transfer from the Gators. According to a tweet from Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post, the school has confirmed the transfer and that Bushell has been released from his scholarship with no restrictions.
With Bushell now out of the picture, Haden's replacement opposite Janoris Jenkins will come down to a quartet of contenders: senior Moses Jenkins, redshirt sophomore Jeremy Brown and freshmen Jaylen Watkins and Josh Shaw.

Boise St. agrees to open '11 season vs. Ole Miss

According to a press release issued by BSU, the Broncos will open the 2011 season against the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford's Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. There is no return trip to Boise and Ole Miss is paying Boise State a game guarantee of $900,000.
"This will be a great game to start the 2011 season," Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier stated. "Playing a team coached by Houston Nutt will add to the fun and excitement."
This will mark the first time Boise State and Ole Miss have met on the football field, and it will also be a reunion of sorts for Nutt as the current Rebels coach was the Broncos' head coach in 1997 before taking the head coaching position at Arkansas the following season.
"Diane and I had a wonderful experience there, and we're glad they're coming to Oxford," Coach Nutt said. "Boise State is one of the top programs now, and we have an awesome respect for them. It really takes our schedule to another level."
"We're excited for the match-up against Ole Miss," BSU head coach Chris Petersen said. "It will be great for Bronco Nation and the Boise State program to open the 2011 season against an opponent of that caliber."

QB Gray to stay at UGA

According to a release issued by the school, Gray has decided to remain at the school as a member of the football program.
"I have decided to stay at the University of Georgia because I truly do love being a Georgia Bulldog," said Gray in a statement. "I want to be a part of this team getting back to the SEC Championship game and winning it. I'm also looking forward to getting some work at receiver and am going to work hard to make the best out of my opportunity at this position as well. I appreciate Coach Mark Richt's patience while I made this decision and his helpful advice. Now, I want to put all of this behind me and focus on getting to work on preparations for next season at UGA."
"I'm extremely pleased that Logan has decided to remain a Bulldog," said head coach Mark Richt. "He is an outstanding player and a great person as well. We're fortunate to have him and he'll be an important part of our team over the next two years."
Gray will enter summer camp second on the depth chart behind Aaron Murray.

'Vanderbilt will stay in SEC'

A report on ESPN.com which stated that Vanderbilt along with Maryland and Georgia Tech were possibilities for an expanded Big Ten.
Needless to say, the Commodores were quick to react to the rumors and shoot them down. "To my knowledge, and I think it's solid, we have not received any inquiries from the Big Ten," David Williams, Vanderbilt's vice chancellor for university affairs and athletics, told The Tennessean.
"If anybody thinks we're in negotiations, rest assured we are not. I would be very, very surprised if the Big Ten came to us, and I would be very, very surprised if we'd leave the SEC. We are a founding member of the SEC and that's where most of our folks think that we belong."