Urban Meyer joining ESPN as analyst

Former Florida coach Urban Meyer is joining ESPN as a college football analyst. Meyer, who won two BCS national championships at Florida, will make his debut Wednesday during ESPNU's coverage of national signing day. He will work weekly regular-season games during the season, as well as provide studio analysis on ESPN's "College Football Live" and "CollegeGameDay." "Football has played an extremely important role in my life for the past 25 years and ESPN has given me an incredible opportunity to join its world-class team and share my passion, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the game with fans across the country," Meyer said. Meyer resigned from Florida after the 2010 season. He served as a guest analyst for ESPN's coverage of the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.When he resigned Dec. 8, the 46-year-old Meyer said he wanted to spend more time with his family. He insisted on a conference call his new job wouldn't get in the way of that, with minimal commitment during the offseason and travel only over the weekend in-season. "It's a great opportunity to stay around the game," he said. He and his family visited ESPN's studios in Connecticut over the holidays. Meyer, who hasn't ruled out returning to coaching someday, said he hoped he would like it. "I not only liked it, I loved it," he said. "Coach Meyer brings a fresh voice and a contemporary knowledge of the game," said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president for production. "As he showed during BCS coverage, his ability to communicate the strategic aspects of the game and his incredible track record for success will serve college football fans everywhere."

Alabama’s McElroy cracks bone in throwing hand during Senior Bowl

Florida State’s Christian Ponder grabbed the headlines, and the game’s MVP award for the Senior Bowl, but Alabama’s Greg McElroy made some next-day news of his own. During the first play of the fourth quarter, McElroy hit his throwing hand on a helmet during the follow-through, cracking a bone near his thumb. McElroy finished the series, but did not return to the game. "I had no feeling the rest of the series," McElroy said after the game. "The ball was kind of sporadic. I couldn’t get a grip on the ball. I still can’t get a grip on the ball. I think it will be OK."

He is expected to miss about two weeks of throwing and should be ready for the NFL combine on Feb. 23.

Arkansas’ expectations high after loss of Mallett

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino opened with 25 seconds of reflection on Friday. After the quick look back at the 2010 football season, Petrino went straight into what's next for the Razorbacks. Petrino, in his first comments since Arkansas lost to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, hasn't spent much time looking back at last season quite yet. Rather than resting on the virtues of a 10-3 season, Petrino has been busy on the recruiting trail and is already looking ahead to spring practice and life after Ryan Mallett. "There hasn't been a lot of time for reflection," Petrino said. "There hasn’t been a whole lot of time to just sit down and think about the season." Arkansas set or matched 48 individual or team records last season on its way to a season-ending No. 12 ranking, its highest since 1988. Mallett, who declared for the NFL draft after his junior season, set school records for career passing yards (7,493) and touchdown passes (62) in just two seasons. Now it’s up to Mallett's likely successors, Tyler Wilson, Brandon Mitchell or Jacoby Walker, to step in and have immediate success if the Razorbacks are to attain Petrino’s clearly stated goal of a national championship. It's a goal Petrino believes is attainable next season at Arkansas despite Mallett's loss. Petrino finished 5-7 his first season with the Razorbacks in 2008 before improving to 8-5 and a Liberty Bowl win in 2009. The Sugar Bowl appearance was the Razorbacks' first BCS bowl game and marked the third straight year of improvement. "It's obviously our goal," Petrino said. "I'm not sure when I learned it, but I learned a long time ago, I was taught if you have a goal and can't verbalize it, then you’ll never achieve it. "So, we talk about it. We want to win a national championship. That's what our goal is, that's what drives us."

Arkansas WR Ray arrested on marijuana charge

Arkansas wide receiver Lance Ray has been arrested and charged with marijuana possession. The 19-year-old Ray was arrested late Saturday night by university police after the smell of marijuana was detected coming from his dorm room. According to a preliminary police report, Ray had a brown rolled cigarette containing a green leafy substance that tested positive for marijuana.

The misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail. Ray also was charged with minor in possession of alcohol and was transported to the Washington County Detention Center, where he was released from early Sunday morning. The redshirt freshman played in nine games last season for Arkansas, finishing with one catch for 6 yards. His primary contribution came on special teams, where he had 23 kickoff returns for a 22.5-yard average.

Sylvester Croom and Mike Groh emerge as candidates for Alabama assistant vacancy

Alabama's search to fill an assistant coaching vacancy has heated up with a pair of candidates still in play and another apparently off the table.

Tee Martin was promoted by Kentucky to passing game coordinator, the school announced Saturday afternoon.

Martin, a former star quarterback at Tennessee and Williamson High, was believed to be a target to fill a vacancy on Alabama's coaching staff left by Curt Cignetti.

Other names to surface in Alabama's search for an assistant include St. Louis Rams assistant Sylvester Croom, and Louisville assistant Mike Groh.

Croom was an offensive lineman at Alabama where he played and then later coached as an assistant. He later became the head coach at Mississippi State from 2004-08 becoming the first African-American football coach in the SEC.

Groh is the quarterbacks coach at Louisville, and had a brief stop in Tuscaloosa as a graduate assistant in 2009. Groh is a former Virginia offensive coordinator where he coached for his father, Al Groh, a friend of Alabama coach Nick Saban.

Saban said Monday he was focused on recruiting, and would use "due diligence" in selecting a new assistant.

Cignetti was the third Alabama assistant to leave the staff since Alabama's 49-7 win against Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl on New Year's Day.

Chris Rumph replaced Bo Davis as the defensive line coach after Davis took an assistant job at Texas.

Jeff Stoutland replaced Joe Pendry, who remains at Alabama in an advisory role after he retired from coaching.

Recruit’s dad not pleased with how son flipped from ‘Bama to Auburn

Linebacker/running back Brent Calloway, the No. 1 player in the state according to Rivals.com, had given his verbal to Alabama last June, but announced at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, broadcast on NBC, that he was going to Auburn. Harland 'Peaches' Winston, who along with his wife adopted Calloway when he was in ninth grade, was stunned to learn that the No. 12 player in the country announced during the telecast that he was headed to The Plains. To say the least, he was not pleased with how the situation played itself out. "I’m from the old school," Winston told the Birmingham News. "When you shake a man’s hand, look him in the eye and make a commitment, you stick to that commitment. I respect him and I’m going to root for him. But I don’t think he handled it the right way."

As for his part, Calloway said the fact that Auburn will allow him to play running back, the Tide coaching staff, along with the dad, feel Calloway’s best route to the NFL is via the defensive side of the ball, and their depth chart at that position is less crowded than their in-state rival’s played a role in his decision. Plus, it appears Calloway is simply more comfortable with the situation, including the coaching staff, at Auburn. Not only is Winston not comfortable with how his son went about making the decision, he appears far from comfortable with the "flamboyance" of the Tiger staff. "They stick to business. You don’t see their coaches high-fiving," Winston, who says he’s not a ‘Bama fan, said of Nick Saban’s Tide staff. Despite his reservations, Winston told the paper that he will not interfere with his son’s decision.

Calloway has a visit scheduled to Auburn Saturday.

Newton expected to work out in front of media

Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton is expected to hold a workout in front of the media on Feb. 10 in San Diego. Newton has been working with quarterbacks coach George Whitfield Jr. leading up to the NFL combine. Whitfield worked with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during his four-game suspension.

Newton, who is skipping his senior year to enter the draft, led Auburn to the BCS national championship during his lone season with the Tigers.

He won the Heisman and Maxwell player of the year awards, along with the Davey O’Brien and Manning awards as the top quarterback.

Ex-Mississippi State HC might be the coaching spot for Tide

According to Chase Goodbread and Tommy Deas of the Tuscaloosa News, current St. Louis Rams running backs coach Sylvester Croom is a candidate for the vacancy opened when wide receivers coach Curt Cignetti left for the head-coaching job at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The News reports that Croom, who was born in Tuscaloosa and played for Bear Bryant in the early seventies, could interview for a job with the Tide as early as this weekend. "I will not comment on that," Croom said when contacted by the paper. In 2004, Croom became the first black head coach in SEC history when he took over the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Croom resigned in 2008 following his fifth season at the school and left with a career record of 21-38.

The 56-year-old coach has been with the Rams the past two seasons.

Ray Drew commits to Georgia over Auburn and LSU

Ray Drew, one of the nation's top recruits, has committed to Georgia. Drew is ranked by nearly every recruiting outlet as the No. 2 defensive end in the nation and one of the top-ranked overall players in the country. Drew, a 6'5'', 250-pounder, had been considering Auburn, LSU, Clemson and Miami and all told had received more than 50 scholarship offers. Drew, of course, becomes a key cog in the Bulldogs' impressive "Dream Team" recruiting class, as he is currently its top-ranked recruit. Georgia could hear even more terrific news when top-ranked running back Isaiah Crowell makes his commitment known on National Signing Day.Drew is just the latest key commitment to offer his verbal to Georgia in the last two weeks. Last week, the Bulldogs received verbals from Valdosta teammates Jay Rome (No. 1 tight end) and Malcolm Mitchell (No. 7 wide receiver). The disruptive Drew heads to the front of a defensive unit in this 2011 recruiting class that also features No. 9 athlete Damian Swann, 4-star defensive end Sterling Bailey, 4-star cornerback Devin Bowman and ninth-ranked outside linebacker Amarlo Herrera.

Georgia head coach Mark Richt has hyped up this year's recruiting class as his "Dream Team" and it seems as though he's living up to that hype.

Former Georgia AD officially pleads guilty to DUI

Former Georgia athletic director Damon Evans, as you may recall, was pulled over last June during a late night traffic stop and promptly busted for a DUI. Also, there were also the red panties bunched between Evans’ legs as he and a female 'friend', later identified as Courtney Fuhrmann, were on their way 'home'. While the "red panties incident" proved to be the more embarrassing wrongdoing, the DUI obviously upholds greater legal ramification, and last week, Evans finally pleaded guilty to the charge.

A DUI is considered a misdemeanor in Georgia, so Evans will not face any jail time. He will, however, be sentenced to 12 months of probation, 40 hours of community service and must pay a fine of $750.

After the incident, Evans was forced to resign from his position.

Auburn's Nick Fairley to participate in All-Star football challenge

Auburn's Nick Fairley will participate in the 2011 All-Star Football Challenge, which will air from 7-9 p.m. EST on Feb. 4 on ESPN2. The 13th annual program showcases 12 college football standouts competing in a live skills challenge. The ESPN broadcast team includes Bob Davie, Mark Jones, Todd McShay and Wendi Nix.

The All-Star Football Challenge is one of six properties owned and operated by Intersport, an award-winning sports television and event marketing agency. Alumni of the All-Star Football Challenge include 38 first-round NFL draft picks and three Heisman Trophy winners (Ron Dayne, Troy Smith and Jason White). Additionally, Super Bowl XLV participants Aaron Rodgers, Rashard Mendenhall and Antwaan Randle El are alumni of the 2005, 2008 and 2002 All-Star Football Challenges, respectively.

Six of the competitors are ranked in the Scouts Inc.'s Top 32 draft rankings (No. 2 Fairley, No. 9 Miller, No. 10 Kerrigan, No. 12 Jones, No. 20 Locker and No. 30 Mallett).

The individual skills challenges are: Skechers Quarterback Accuracy Competition, State Farm Wide Receiver Hands Competition, U.S. Marines Linebacker Obstacle Course and the Lineman Strength Challenge. Participants will then be divided into Offensive and Defensive Team Competitions. To conclude the program, the players will be divided into two teams for a final Full Team Competition.

Ole Miss facing lawsuit in death of Bennie Abram

Nearly a year after Bennie Abram died during the course of a winter conditioning session, the family of the Ole Miss players has notified the university it will pursue legal action. Abram, a junior college transfer, was taking part in an agility drill Feb. 19 of last year when he fell ill and, after being rushed to a local hospital, passed away a short time later. Abram’s death was due to complications from sickle cell trait with exertion and a contributing factor of cardiomegaly, an inflammation of the heart. In the 90-day notice required under Mississippi law before filing suit against state employees, attorneys representing the Abram family claim that neither the player himself nor the family were"made aware of the results or the potential ramifications of the diagnosis" of sickle cell trait. As a result of that and Ole Miss violating "NCAA recommendations by conducting an intense workout before Mr. Abram collapsed", the family intends to file a lawsuit against numerous entities, including Ole Miss, the NCAA and head coach Houston Nutt, seeking at least $10 million in damages after the 90-day notice has lapsed. "Student-athletes shouldn’t be dying because of sickle cell," says Gene Egdorf, an attorney with The Lanier Law Firm who represents the Abram family, in a statement accompanying the five-page letter. “The only reason that it turns fatal is because someone along the way made mistakes or intentionally disregarded the well-established guidelines for training, monitoring, and treating these student-athletes.

As in the release, sickle cell trait has been linked to at least nine deaths of college athletes since 2000. Egdorf and The Lanier Law Firm negotiated a landmark 2009 settlement with the NCAA following the death of Rice University football player Dale R. Lloyd II, who also had sickle cell trait.

Early Gator enrollee undergoes surgery, will miss spring practice

A UF athletic official confirmed to the St. Petersburg Times that Blakely underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder Wednesday. As a result, and as expected, the back will not be available to participate in the spring sessions that are scheduled to begin March 16.

Blakely, one of seven early enrollees at the school, was given a four-star rating by Rivals.com, and is the No. 6 running back in the country in the 2011 class according to the recruiting service.

Did Georgia's makeshift weight room contribute to its on-field flop? The new strength coach thinks so.

The clamor for a new direction after the disappointing 2009 campaign brought the ax down on defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, whose tenure was the definition of "diminishing returns." This year, the damage control was aimed at the strength and conditioning program, where Dave Van Halanger – strength coach for all 10 years of head coach Mark Richt's tenure – is out and longtime staffer Joe Tereshinski is in. Part of Tereshinski's old job was to edit game film for the coaches, and he makes no bones about the problems he sees there. "The film doesn’t lie. I'm the video coordinator, I see every play. Yeah, we were not winning the line of scrimmage," he told the Macon Telegraph, adding, "We are not Olympic training anymore. We are training for football."
From Bulldogs Blog:

Tereshinski says one factor that hasn't gotten much notice is that because of construction, the team has been moved to a different weight room, and for the previous 18 months had been largely operating out of trailers. They didn’t have much room for equipment: No dip bars, no incline presses, and some other machines.

"Last year's team was very limited, really because of the facility, of what they could get done," he said. "So we were very weak in our triceps. We were very weak in our upper chests. So what happens is now that we have our full weight room capacities we're really going to be able to develop our bodies fully. …

"That did affect this team. Because Georgia did not have anything that it was used to having. Now we have an unbelievable weight room, and we have everything we need."

So, the stage is now set...the Dawgs in 2011!

Ohio State hires Florida's Drayton as assistant

Stan Drayton, who has been an assistant at nine colleges, is Ohio State’s new wide receivers coach. Coach Jim Tressel announced the hiring on Thursday.

Drayton replaces Darrell Hazell who recently took the head coaching job at Kent State. Drayton served as Florida’s running backs coach and recruiting coordinator last season. The Ohio native also served as Florida’s running backs coach from 2005-07, and held the same position at SEC schools Tennessee (2008) and Mississippi State (2004).

He also has coached at Syracuse (2009), Bowling Green (2000), Villanova (1996-2000), Pennsylvania (1995), Eastern Michigan (1994) and his alma mater, Allegheny (1993). From 2001-03, he was an assistant special teams coach for the Green Bay Packers.

Vandy's Franklin's public celebration of signing class

Vanderbilt Football Head Coach James Franklin will cap a series of National Signing Day activities next Wednesday, February 2 by hosting a public celebration on-campus to introduce the Commodores' Class of 2011 football commitments.
Franklin will welcome Commodore fans at the free event in the Student Life Center located directly across 25th Avenue from Memorial Gym. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with Franklin expected to begin his remarks on the 2011 signing class at 6:30 p.m.
The public celebration of Franklin's initial recruiting class is the most significant schedule change this year as Commodore followers seek to learn the latest on Vanderbilt's newest signing class.

Update...Gardner-Webb names Ole Miss Dickerson Jr. as head coach

Ron Dickerson Jr. is the new football coach at Gardner-Webb University.
Dickerson, 39, was introduced at a news conference on campus this morning. He is the first African-American head football coach in Big South Conference history.
Most recently, Dickerson was receivers coach at Mississippi, where he worked under coach Houston Nutt. He was instrumental in developing NFL players Dexter McCluster, Mike Wallace and Shay Hodge.
"We have nowhere to go but up and it's going to be a fast ride. I'm ready for it," Dickerson said.
Dickerson replaces Steve Patton, who coached the Bulldogs for 14 seasons. Gardner-Webb went 4-7 in 2010.

Drayton is going to OSU... Gators say staff ‘remains intact at this time’

Earlier today, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Florida running backs coach Stan Drayton will be hired by Ohio State as their new wide receivers coach, with an announcement expected by the end of the week. While that may be the case, it’s not a done deal according to the school that could find itself with a hole in its coaching staff if Drayton bolts. "Coach, Will Muschamp is on the road recruiting and our coaching staff remains intact at this time," Steve McClain, Florida’s sports information director, told the Orlando Sentinel. The key phrase being 'at this time.' Based on Doug Lesmerises‘ track record, it’s highly doubtful that the Plain Dealer report is flat-out wrong. Instead, 'recruiting considerations' could be playing a role in UF’s 'denial', and the paper’s timeline for an announcement of Drayton’s hiring should go off as reported.

Drayton, a Cleveland native, was one of three assistants retained from Urban Meyer‘s staff by Muschamp.

Ole Miss’ Dickerson hired as Gardner-Webb coach

Gardner-Webb has hired Mississippi assistant Ron Dickerson Jr. to run the struggling Runnin’ Bulldogs’ football program. The 39-year-old Dickerson was introduced Wednesday to replace coach Steve Patton, who was fired last month after 14 seasons.

Dickerson has spent the past three years as receivers coach under Houston Nutt at Ole Miss, where he helped develop NFL receivers Mike Wallace, Dexter McCluster and Shay Hodge. Dickerson, who starred as a receiver at Arkansas and played briefly with the Kansas City Chiefs, becomes the first black head football coach in Big South history. His father, Ron Dickerson Sr., was the first black major college head coach at Temple in the 1990s.

Gardner-Webb went 4-7 last season and 2-4 in the conference.

Florida Gators open spring football practice March 16

The Gators’ first spring practice with Will Muschamp as their head coach opens March 16 and closes April 9 with the annual Orange and Blue Game. The spring game kicks off at 1 p.m. at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and will be streamed live on GatorVision and carried on the Gator Radio Network. Sun Sports broadcast details will be announced at a later time. The Gators will hold 15 spring practices permissible under NCAA rules. More details on practice and public-viewing policies will be announced later. The Gators are coming off an 8-5 season that ended with a 37-24 victory over Penn State in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day in former coach Urban Meyer’s final game.

The Gators open the 2011 season on Sept. 3 against Florida Atlantic.

Vols recruiting crucial for the rebuild and game day 2011

Tennessee Head Coach Derek Dooley's attention has been strictly focused on restocking the Volunteer's roster with top-notch recruits for the upcoming 2011 season and beyond. Dooley's first year with the Vol's got off to a rocky start, to say the least. Having been hired just weeks before National Signing Day (NSD) 2010, and becoming the third head coach in as many years, Dooley inherited a Tennessee roster that was razor thin. The Vol's had their share of talent, but the severe lack of depth was of major concern. Dooley once quipped, "We don't have a depth chart, we just have a chart."
The recruiting class of 2011 represents a huge step in the rebuilding efforts of the storied SEC program. As the Tennessee coaching staff prepares for the coming season, almost every area of the team has its share of needs and concerns. So far, so good for Tennessee, as Dooley's recruiting class for 2011 is coming together quite nicely with the N.S.D. only a week away on February 2nd.

Based on team rankings by Rivals Rankings, Tennessee is currently listed as 16th nationally in recruiting.

Tide, Tigers’ other NFL hopefuls at Senior Bowl

Greg McElroy once again feels like a three-star recruit itching to prove doubters wrong. The former Alabama quarterback wasn’t particularly highly rated by recruiting services out of high school, but wound up helping lead the Crimson Tide to a national title and 24 wins over the last two seasons. Now, he’s among the second tier of draft prospects from Auburn and Alabama, who have split the past two national championships, preparing for Saturday’s Senior Bowl and trying to boost their stock.

"A lot of people have criticized me for being a product of the system and just being surrounded by great talent," McElroy said. "This is an opportunity for me to go out there on an even playing field and just show people that I can play at this level, I can make all the throws. I have a lot of confidence in my game right now."

Auburn and Alabama will likely have a combined five first-round picks in the April draft but all are juniors who are leaving school early. Those include Heisman Trophy winners Cam Newton of Auburn and Mark Ingram of Alabama, along with coveted defensive linemen Nick Fairley (Auburn) and Marcell Dareus (Alabama) and Tide wide receiver Julio Jones.

Then there’s the Senior Bowl group, accomplished college players but not regarded as such seemingly can’t-miss prospects. Getting a Senior Bowl invite gives each player a shot at improving their stock either on the practice field or during numerous interviews with NFL teams. McElroy had seven meetings scheduled for Monday night alone. Playing for a national championship team, Auburn last season and Alabama the year before, can’t hurt.

The Senior Bowl group includes Auburn left tackle Lee Ziemba, projected as high as the second round, and his Alabama counterpart James Carpenter, along with Tigers safety Zac Etheridge and Tide tight end Preston Dial.

Football conferences net record take

College football conferences will get a record take of about $170 million from this year's Bowl Championship Series games, including a new high of $24.7 million for the five conferences that don't get automatic bids to the BCS bowls. The figures were obtained by The Associated Press ahead of their official release later Tuesday by the BCS. BCS officials say the higher figures were fueled by the new television contract with ESPN. In addition, the five conferences that don't get automatic bids were helped by the automatic berth earned by Texas Christian University. Those conferences got slightly more than last year's $24 million. The distribution of money has been a main point of contention for congressional critics of the BCS, who argue that it shows the system is unfair. In the last congressional session, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, pushed legislation aimed at forcing the BCS to switch to a playoff system rather than the ratings system it uses to set the games that determine the college championship. Barton did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Under the BCS system, six conferences get automatic bids to participate in top-tier bowl games while the other five don't. Those six conferences, which sent nine of the 10 teams to the BCS bowl games this year, will take in about $145 million. The Big Ten, Southeastern and Pac-10, which each had two teams in BCS bowls, will receive about $27.2 million each, while the ACC, Big East and Big 12 will each receive roughly $21.2 million. Bill Hancock, the BCS executive director, noted that the conferences that don't get automatic bids will receive a record take for the second year in a row. He said the numbers demonstrate the "strength and fairness of the current system. The fact is that all of Division I football is better off because of the BCS, financially and otherwise."

Although, Matthew Sanderson, founder of Playoff PAC, a political action committee aimed at prodding change to a playoff system, said the financial imbalance remains.

"That imbalance is unconscionable, given that it has no basis in post-season performance on the field and in the marketplace," he said. "Only the BCS would try to pitch anti-competitive behavior as benevolence."

Florida’s Janoris Jenkins hit with pot charge

According to the Palm Beach Post, the Gators cornerback was cited very early Saturday morning and charged with possession of cannabis under 20 grams. The charge is a misdemeanor. Jenkins was at a downtown Gainesville nightclub when he was observed by police officers on routine patrol of the establishment rolling a joint in a bathroom. While the police report did not specify, we’re hoping he had washed his hands before he commenced the rolling of the weed. After observing Jenkins and finding a clear bag that allegedly contained marijuana, the defensive back was issued a citation and a notice to appear in court. His court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 17. This is the senior’s second arrest since coming to Gainesville; in May of 2009, Jenkins was arrested, after being tased, for resisting arrest without violence. He ultimately received deferred prosecution in that case. Jenkins has started 36 games during his time at UF but did not play in the Gators’ bowl win at the end of the 2010 season, which he missed due to a torn labrum that he’d been dealing with all year.

Former Auburn great Ed Dyas passes away at 71

Unfortunately, there is sad news coming out of The Plains that is sure to temper the enthusiasm on winning the National Championship.

Former Auburn All-American Ed Dyas passed away on Sunday after a long battle with cancer. The multi-talented, scholar-athlete was 71. "We are deeply saddened by the death of Dr. Ed Dyas," Athletics Director Jay Jacobs said in a statement released by the university. "He was a fighter who embodied the values of the Auburn Creed that we all hold dear. Dr. Dyas was one of Auburn’s all-time greats, but he was much more than a great athlete. He was a scholar, a gentleman, a successful surgeon, a civic leader and a trusted friend. We extend our deepest condolences to the Dyas family and will keep them in our thoughts and prayers." Dyas was one of Auburn’s most successful and versatile players as a kicker, linebacker and fullback. He set an NCAA record by making 13 field goals in 1960 and finished his career as AU’s sixth leading rusher.

But Dyas’ greatest contributions were seen away from the field. The Mobile, Alabama, native was a three-time academic All-American studying pre-med. After college, he attended medical school and became a successful orthopedic surgeon in Mobile.

He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

Kentucky switching to 3-4 defense under Minter

Kentucky defensive coordinator Rick Minter plans to switch the Wildcats to a 3-4 defense with one player swinging between linebacker and defensive end. Minter said that such a scheme would allow Kentucky’s defense to be more versatile and flexible. The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that the new defense will start going into place during spring practice. Minter acknowledged that Kentucky’s personnel isn’t perfectly suited for the scheme right now, but the staff has already started recruiting to fit the system for its 2012 class. Minter, who arrived in Lexington in December, didn’t say who would fill the hybrid spot in 2011.

Minter had just a month to prepare for the BBVA Compass Bowl in which the Wildcats were defeated by Pittsburgh.

Kentucky's Minter has special perspective in AFC Championship Game

Kentucky co-defensive coordinator Rick Minter will have an interesting perspective when he watches the American Football Conference championship game on Sunday, as head coaches Rex Ryan of the New York Jets and Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers are Minter protégés.

Minter hired Ryan and Tomlin during his term as head coach at the University of Cincinnati. Minter spent 10 seasons at Cincinnati (1994-2003), winning more games than any coach in UC history, leading the Bearcats to four bowl games and one conference championship. In addition to Ryan and Tomlin, Minter hired additional notable coaches at UC, including current Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips, current Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and current Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher.

Minter tabbed Ryan as defensive coordinator in 1996-97. Previously, Ryan had been a coordinator at New Mexico Highlands (1989) and Morehead State (1990-93) but this was his first coordinator post at the Division I-A level. In Ryan’s two seasons at UC, the Bearcats notched a pair of winning records and won the 1997 Humanitarian Bowl, the school’s first postseason appearance in 47 seasons.

Minter and Ryan had not worked together before. So, what prompted Minter to make the hire?

"When Rex inquired (about the job) in 1996, the name ‘Ryan’ rang a bell," Minter said, as Rex is the son of Buddy Ryan, former head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, and twin brother of Rob Ryan, defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. "I had always been intrigued by the ‘46’ defense and I had the willingness to delegate the defense to become something different, which I felt we needed to do. He still uses a lot of the eight-man fronts (with New York), ‘Bear’ looks (alignment) and multiple coverages that we used at Cincinnati."

Also on the Cincinnati staff during that era was Joker Phillips, who coached the wide receivers in 1997 and the defensive backs in ’98. Ironically, Tomlin replaced Phillips at UC and guided the Bearcat defensive backs the next two seasons, which were highlighted by a trip to the 2000 Motor City Bowl. And, like Ryan, Minter did not know Tomlin before the hire.

"I was looking for a young defensive backs coach and Mike was only about 26 when he came here," Minter said. "When he came in the room, he had that look in his eye and you just knew he was a star in the making. He was bright, a brilliant coach, hard-working, charismatic. He had good rapport with the players and was a great teacher."

"Mike had the opportunity to leave after the first year for a job at Syracuse, which was a move up at that time because Syracuse was in the Big East (Conference) and Cincinnati was in Conference USA. I told Mike that if he would bypass that job and stay here (at Cincinnati), that an even better opportunity would come."

"A year later, Monte Kiffin (defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) called and said he had heard about Mike. I told him, ‘All you have to do is bring him in and you’ll hire him,’ and they did."

Nearly 80,000 fans show for Auburn's national championship celebration

Almost 80,000 fans packed into Jordan-Hare Stadium, for what you’d think was Auburn getting ready for another Saturday of SEC football. As it were, they were celebrating the victory of one game, the BCS National Championship. Cam Newton, Nick Fairley, coach Gene Chizik and Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley were among those who spoke to the crowd. "You never stopped believing in me," Newton said. "People have asked me over and over, how did I handle the distractions. The simple answer is, God, family and you, my Auburn family. You never lost faith in me and that means more to me than words can ever say. You will be in my heart forever."

The biggest applause came when Auburn introduced Fairley and Newton. Both took turns at the podium, along with Gov. Robert Bentley, who is from Tuscaloosa, and others. Coach Gene Chizik related a story that he said demonstrated what kind of teammates Newton and Fairley were. "Thirty minutes before the national championship game, and I didn't know whether they were going to come back or not," he said. "I called them in and said, 'I want you guys to be team captains.'

"I didn't know if they were ever going to get a chance to walk out on that field again. They looked at me simultaneously and said, 'Coach we can't do that. You've got to pick two more seniors.'"

Former players presented Newton with the Heisman Trophy and Fairley with the Lombardi Award on the stage. The Southeastern Conference and various national title trophies also were presented, before fans gathered for a reverse Tiger Walk back to the football complex.

The scoreboard clock had 20:10 remaining. And the board read 22-19, the final score of the title game against Oregon.

Auburn topped rival Alabama in one category. The Crimson Tide's similar event last year drew an estimated 38,000, but those fans hadn't waited nearly as long.

Cignetti leaves Tide for IUP head coaching job

Nick Saban has officially lost an assistant.

Div. II Indiana University of Pennsylvania announced Friday that Curt Cignetti has been named as the school’s new head coach. Cignetti has spent the past four seasons as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Alabama. "We are very pleased and excited to have someone of Curt’s caliber leading our football program," athletic director Frank Condino said in a statement. "He is not only an exceptional coach but an outstanding recruiter. I believe Curt has the ability to restore the competitiveness of our football program on the regional and national level." Cignetti is the son of Frank Cignetti, who spent 20 years as IUP’s head coach before retiring in 2005.

In addition to the Tide, Cignetti has also spent time on staffs at, among others, Pittsburgh and North Carolina State.

Michigan's loss is Bama's gain

According to the Tuscaloosa News, Dee Hart is one of nine high schoolers who enrolled for the spring term last week. All of the early enrollees will be available for spring practice in a couple of months. Once a "hard" commitment to the Wolverines, the Orlando high school back de-committed from Michigan due to the uncertainty swirling around the football program. A particular concern was the uncertain fate of head coach Rich Rodriguez. Orlando Dr. Phillips High running back Dee Hart has enrolled for the spring term at the University of Alabama, a UA official confirmed Friday. Hart is considered among the top recruits in the South at his position, and has joined eight others who enrolled last week for the spring term and will be eligible for spring practice. The last day all students could register for spring classes was Wednesday.

Hart is currently rated as the No. 1 all-purpose back in the country by Rivals.com, and the No. 17 player at any position.

Offensive line recruit changes allegiance from Texas to Auburn

Brown and his new staff have done a remarkable job of keeping their top-five recruiting class intact, including holding on to the nation’s No. 1 running back Malcolm Brown. So, as with any coaching turnover, a program is bound to lose a recruit, and the departure of former offensive line coach Mac McWhorter has cost the Longhorns the No. 3 offensive lineman in the country, Christian Westerman.

The four-star lineman from Chandler, Arizona, switched his commitment to Auburn today. Westerman cited his close relationship to Tigers o-line coach Jeff Grimes, as well as McWhorter’s recent departure, as the reasons for his decision. Remember, Texas tried unsuccessfully to lure Grimes away from The Plains earlier this week. Brown ultimately hired Georgia offensive line coach, Stacy Searels.

There’s not much of a chance that Westerman will rescind on his new commitment, but his decision is for now a verbal, non-binding one. National Signing Day is in less than two weeks away, on Feb. 2.

Texas announces the hiring of Georgia's Bulldogs Searels

Stacy Searels, the former offensive line coach at Georgia and LSU, and an All-America offensive lineman as a player at Auburn, has been named offensive line coach at Texas, head coach Mack Brown announced Thursday. "When you’re in this profession, you want to coach at the highest level," Searels said. "From afar, I had always been interested in The University of Texas because I thought it was one of the premier jobs in the country. You can win a championship, you have great leadership, great players, a great pool of talent to recruit from, and I think there’s no reason you can’t win and win big at Texas, and I want to be a part of that." Searels joins the Longhorns after coaching the offensive line at Georgia for four seasons beginning in 2007. He added the duties of running game coordinator in 2009. During his time in Athens, the Bulldogs have ranked in the Top 25 in the nation in fewest sacks allowed three times, including ranking sixth and leading the SEC in 2009 with just 12.
"We all know what a tremendous player Stacy was at Auburn, and since then, I have admired his work as a coach for many years," Brown said. "He has a great deal of respect around the country, and at Appalachian State, LSU and Georgia, he has developed some of the best offensive lines in the nation. Will Muschamp, Arthur Johnson and Bo Davis have all worked with Stacy, and their recommendations, and those of many other coaches I talked to, could not have been any stronger. I am really excited about Stacy joining our staff."

Cam Newton hires agent Bus Cook

Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton has hired representation as he prepares for the NFL draft. The former Auburn quarterback, who is skipping his senior season, signed with co-representatives agent Bus Cook and Washington, D.C.-based Perennial Sports and Entertainment. Perennial CEO Lamell McMorris confirmed the hiring Friday through a spokeswoman. Cook's clients include former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. In a separate development, Auburn's athletic director, Jay Jacobs, told the Birmingham News that Newton's father, Cecil, did not violate an agreement he had with the school regarding his attendance at the BCS Championship Game. Cam Newton led the Tigers to a national title against Oregon, and reaped the Heisman, Maxwell, Davey O'Brien and Manning awards this past season. He also was a source of controversy since November 2010, after revelations surfaced that Cecil Newton shopped his son's services during Mississippi State's recruitment of the then-junior college quarterback. Subsequently, Auburn restricted the father to "limited access" to the program.

LSU's Les Miles names Kragthorpe offensive coordinator

Steve Kragthorpe, who spent seven years as the head coach at Tulsa and Louisville, has been named offensive coordinator at LSU, head coach Les Miles announced on Thursday.

"Steve brings to our staff the type of experience necessary to develop quarterbacks," Miles said. "He's an experienced play-caller who will bring a great deal of enthusiasm and energy to the staff. Steve will come in and build on what we've been able to accomplish on offense in the past. We think he's a great addition, and we're excited about bringing Steve and his family to Baton Rouge."

Known as a top offensive mind with experience in developing quarterbacks, Kragthorpe will oversee the LSU offense while also serving as the Tigers' quarterbacks coach.

"I'm very excited to join the staff at LSU and to work with Coach Miles," Kragthorpe said on Thursday. "I have had great respect for Coach Miles since my days at Tulsa when I was preparing to play his Oklahoma State team. Since then, I've watched his career and I've been extremely impressed with what he's done at LSU.

"This is a great opportunity to join the coaching staff for one of the top programs in college football and to compete in a league as strong and competitive as the SEC."

Jay Rome makes his choice and will become a Georgia Bulldog

Georgia’s recruiting class has definitely taken a turn for the better, as one of the nation’s top tight ends, Jay Rome, announced that he will be staying in-state and playing for the Georgia Bulldogs for his college career, choosing them over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Rome has been blessed with great physical talents that include a 6’6”, 240-pound frame (according to Scout.com), and good speed. Most scouts think that he needs to work on his upper body strength and blocking, but there is little doubt among most that he will be a great player at the college level.

LSU's Barksdale, Toliver to play in East-West Shrine Game

A pair of LSU players will take part in the East-West Shrine Game on Saturday in Orlando as offensive tackle Joseph Barksdale and wide receiver Terrence Toliver will both participate in the all-star game. Kickoff for the 86th annual East-West Shrine Game is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on Saturday from the Florida Citrus Bowl. The game, which is the longest running college football all-star game, will be televised by the NFL Network. Barksdale, a 3-year starter at offensive tackle for the Tigers, will wear No. 77 and play for the West squad, while Tolliver will wear No. 80 and will suit up for the East team.

In four years with the Tigers, Barksdale played in 53 games, starting 39 times. He closed out his career with a streak of 39 straight starts - 26 at right tackle and 13 at left tackle. Barksdale earned second team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior in 2010. Toliver, who played in 53 games with 29 starts, played perhaps the best game of his career in his final contest as a Tiger. Toliver was named the Cotton Bowl's Offensive Most Outstanding Player in the 41-24 win over Texas A&M after catching five passes for 112 yards and a career-best three touchdowns.

Toliver finished his career at LSU with 126 receptions for 1,820 yards and 12 touchdowns. As a senior in 2010, Toliver led the Tigers with 41 catches for 579 yards and five touchdowns.

Vols Denarius Moore to play in Texas vs. Nation All-Star game

Denarius Moore received one more shot Wednesday to impress NFL scouts in a live a.inline_topic:hover { background-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); } football setting. The graduating Tennessee wide receiver will play in the NFL Players Association’s Texas Vs. The Nation All-Star game in San Antonio, the game announced on its Twitter account Wednesday. Moore, whom CBSSports.com projects as the 24th-best wide receiver and a likely late-round selection in the April NFL draft, broke out in a big way during the second half of his senior season. He racked up more than 200 receiving yards in two separate games and finished with 981 yards and nine touchdowns, totals that easily led the Vols in both categories.

Moore finished his UT career with 112 receptions for 2,004 yards and 18 touchdowns.

The Texas Vs. The Nation game is set for Feb. 5 at the Alamodome.

Auburn's Cam Newton wins yet another award...the Manning

Cam Newton, the Heisman Trophy winner from the national champion Auburn Tigers, has been selected as the winner of the 2010-11 Manning Award, presented by the Allstate Sugar Bowl to the top quarterback in the nation. The Manning Award, now in its seventh year, was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl to honor the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that takes into consideration the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting. The award is voted on by a panel of local and national media, as well as each of the Mannings.

Newton, who declared for the NFL Draft last week, becomes the third Southeastern Conference quarterback to collect the honor, joining LSU's JaMarcus Russell (2006-07) and Florida's Tim Tebow (2008-09).

"I'm not sure if we've ever seen a player put up numbers like Cam Newton did this year," said Archie Manning. "It's amazing for a guy to account for over 50 touchdowns in a career, let alone one season, and to also lead his team to the SEC Championship and the BCS Championship, it's no surprise that our voting panel selected Cam as this year's winner.

"I want to give credit to all 10 of our finalists; it's been a great year for quarterbacks and we're very excited that six of them are scheduled to return next year."

Chizik takes home Bear Bryant honor

Auburn coach Gene Chizik won the Paul "Bear" Bryant College Coach of the Year Award on Tuesday night. Chizik, whose Tigers won the national championship, beat out six other finalists for the honor. He said he hasn't had time to reflect on his team's perfect 14-0 season and the school's first national title since 1957 because he's been so busy with recruiting. "You work so hard and you're so demanding on yourself, it's really hard to grasp everything until there's a month or two that passes," he said. "You really don't have time to sit back. A month or two later when it really slows down and you get a chance to back off is when you really realize it." He said recruiting has also kept him too busy to think about next season. "I'm not there yet," he said. "We'll get there. We've moved on to the next phase and that's really finishing up this recruiting year really strong. Next year will get here quick enough. We're trying to finish up and wrap up this year and I'm sure we'll get to that pretty soon."
Chizik was one of eight finalists for the award, including Nevada’s Chris Ault, Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema, Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio, Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh, Oregon’s Chip Kelly, Arkansas’ Bobby Petrino and Texas A&M’s Mike Sherman.

Chizik was honored to win an award bearing Bryant's name.

Alabama's offensive line coach Joe Pendry retires

The school announced Friday the retirement of offensive line coach Joe Pendry and the hiring of University of Miami assistant Jeff Stoutland to replace him. Pendry, whose coaching career began in 1971 at West Virginia, spent the past four seasons with the Tide. He became the second Alabama assistant to resign since the Jan. 1 Capital One Bowl win over Michigan State. He and defensive line coach Bo Davis, now an assistant at Texas, have changed jobs, though he isn’t leaving Tuscaloosa. Pendry will remain with the UA athletics department “in a development capacity,” that includes correspondence with former players and advising with NFL matters, according to a news release. Pendry spent 19 seasons as an NFL assistant, including terms as an offensive coordinator with Houston, Carolina, Buffalo and Kansas City. "I just felt like this was the right time to retire, and I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family, especially the grandkids," he said in a news release. His replacement comes to Tuscaloosa after spending four seasons with the Hurricanes. Stoutland held the interim head coaching job after Randy Shannon was fired in December and before Al Golden was hired as the replacement.

DB Barron confirms he’s returning to the Tide

At a press conference attended by head coach Nick Saban, Barron announced that he will play his senior season with the Tide instead of jumping early to the NFL. Barron also confirmed that a torn labrum suffered in the Iron Bowl loss to Auburn played a fairly significant role in his decision to return for another season. "It played an important role in a big decision," said Barron. "That made it even more frustrating. It was frustrating but I feel I made the right decision in doing what I’m doing." Saban said that, with Barron’s announcement, all of his draft-eligible underclassmen have made their decisions on their football future. In the end, the Tide will lose three starters to the NFL, running back Mark Ingram, wide receiver Julio Jones and defensive lineman Marcell Dareus.

Alabama DB heads south in transfer

Another member of Nick Saban‘s highly-regarded 2008 recruiting class is taking off in another direction. More specifically, fellow defensive back B.J. Scott has decided to follow through on his intentions and transfer to the University of South Alabama. Per NCAA rules, Scott will not have to sit out a year and will be able to contribute immediately to the Jaguars’ defense. Scott, a redshirt sophomore, only appeared in 15 games in his 3 years with the Tide. He recorded six tackles and an interception as a DB after beginning college as a wide receiver.

Auburn WR Adams skipping senior season

Auburn receiver Darvin Adams is skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft. The school announced the latest departure Monday, following similar decisions by quarterback Cam Newton and defensive tackle Nick Fairley. The deadline for entry was Saturday.

Adams led the BCS national champions in receiving the past two seasons, catching 52 passes for 963 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior. He set a Southeastern Conference championship game record with 217 yards receiving. Adams ranks in the top 10 in several Auburn career receiving categories, including a tie for third with 17 touchdowns. He is also sixth in yards (1,978) and catches (115). Adams’ 60 catches as a sophomore was a school single-season record.

Vols starting LB undergoes shoulder surgery

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Lathers underwent surgery last week to repair an injured right shoulder. The paper reports that Lathers is expected to be very limited during spring practice, but should be back to full health in time for summer workouts and camp.

Lathers has started 17 games the past two seasons, 12 in 2010, and his 75 tackles last year was good for second on the team.

Ron McKeefery Named FB Head S&C Coach

The University of Tennessee football program announced Monday that Ron McKeefery has been named football head strength and conditioning coach. The 2008 Under Armour Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, McKeefery recently spent 11 seasons at the University of South Florida from 2000-10, where he served as assistant athletic director for strength and conditioning and the head strength and conditioning coach.

McKeefery's most recent role was as the human performance coordinator for the United States Army Special Forces, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, in Fort Campbell, Ky.

"Our program improved significantly today with the addition of Ron McKeefery as our football head strength and conditioning coach," said Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley. "Ron has a track record of proven success in the South over a sustained period of time and is a man of high character and integrity who views Tennessee as a program with unlimited potential.

"We are excited to add a strength and conditioning coach of Ron's caliber and background to our football program, and we believe his efforts and intensity will play a critical role in our program's return to a perennial championship contender."

A key member of the South Florida coaching staff, McKeefery's tenure with the Bulls coincided with that program's rise from Division I-AA to perennial Big East Conference contender. In addition to six consecutive bowl games and 16 NFL draft picks, the success of his strength and conditioning program is best exemplified by the fact that South Florida was 10-0 in overtime during his tenure and also outscored opponents by a three-to-one margin in the fourth quarter during his 11 seasons.

I am very excited to be at the University of Tennessee and to work with some of the best student-athletes in America," said McKeefery. "Coach Dooley, the staff, and administration have the utmost character and integrity, and I am eager to begin working with the student-athletes and to contribute to the positive impact that the University is having in their lives." "

The Missouri native owns a bachelor of arts in biology from Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kan., and a master of arts in adult education from South Florida. McKeefery earned all-conference honors in both football and track at Ottawa and was also a two-time Academic All-American.

After spending one season as a coach with Ottawa, McKeefery worked as an intern with the Kansas City Royals in Major League Baseball. In the two years before coming to South Florida, he worked with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 1999 season, a year in which the Bucs played in the NFC Championship Game. McKeefery also spent the 2000 season as the head strength and conditioning coach with the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe.

He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist w/Distinction (CSCS*D) and Coach Practitioner under the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as well as a Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) under the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA). He also served as the state NSCA Director for Florida (North) and is certified by both the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA).

Ron is married to the former Angela Hamilton and the couple has three children: Tyler, Ava, and Maya.

Auburn OL coach decides against move to Texas

Grimes had interviewed for the OL coach vacancy on Mack Brown's UT staff this past week, but the lure to move back to his state wasn’t sufficient to pry him away from the Tigers."The University of Texas has a great football program and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mack Brown," Grimes said in a statement. "As a Texas native, the position was very enticing, however, I have decided to remain at Auburn. My family and I love being a part of the Auburn family, the Auburn community and this football program. It is a very special place to us, and I’m excited to help Coach Chizik continue to build upon the success that we’ve already achieved in our first two seasons." "Jeff is a tremendous coach and has played an important role in our record-setting offensive the last two seasons," head coach Gene Chizik said. "He is a very good teacher and role model for our young men, and Auburn is a very special place to Jeff and his family. We’re pleased to move forward with a coaching staff that will remain intact for a third straight year. Our staff retention was a huge factor in our National Championship run and will be important as we prepare for 2011 season."

Miles turned down more money to stay at LSU

LSU’s head coach and Michigan were serious enough that money was discussed. And that Miles turned down a significant raise to remain in Baton Rouge. "He was offered more than 4 million to become the Michigan coach," LSU Board of Supervisors member Stanley Jacobs told the Shreveport Times. "When he said no, they came back and offered him more. And he said no again.

"He never leveraged his offer from Michigan for more money from LSU. This guy is the real deal. He really is. He was offered more money. I was told in the $4.25 million range and turned it down. Then they came back and offered more, and he turned it down again."

Miles currently makes $3.75 million, and the two sides are currently working on a new contract that, unbelievably, will not include a bump in pay.

Georgia Bulldogs LB going pro

Justin Houston has decided at which level he will play in 2011. Unfortunately for the Georgia coaching staff and their fans, the expected happened. The All-SEC linebacker announced just a short while ago that he has decided to forego his remaining collegiate eligibility and enter the April draft.

"I want to thank the University of Georgia and the coaches for giving me the chance to come to UGA," said Houston in a statement. "Without Coach Mark Richt, I would not be where I am today. He has helped me grow from a boy to a grown man during my four years. It was a very hard decision to make but in the end, I had to do what’s best for my family and me. Thanks to all of the fans who were behind us the whole time I was in Athens."

"Justin is a great person and great player and we’ll miss him," said UGA head coach Mark Richt. "He’s been an integral part of our team the past three years. We wish him nothing but the best as he moves into this next phase of his football career and I’m certain he’ll be successful."

Georgia junior LB Justin Houston enters NFL draft

Georgia outside linebacker Justin Houston, who ranked second in the Southeastern Conference with 10 sacks this season, is skipping his senior year to enter the NFL draft. Houston, who announced his decision Saturday, joins receiver A.J. Green as Georgia juniors in the draft. Green is projected as the top receiver in the draft; Houston is projected as a possible first-round pick.

Houston was third on the team with 67 tackles. He had 20 sacks for his career, seventh-best in school history. Saturday was the deadline for underclassmen to enter the draft. Houston says his decision was "very hard" and he "had to do what’s best for me and my family."

DB Barron confirms he’s returning to the Tide

At a press conference attended by head coach Nick Saban, Barron announced that he will play his senior season with the Tide instead of jumping early to the NFL. Barron also confirmed that a torn labrum suffered in the Iron Bowl loss to Auburn played a fairly significant role in his decision to return for another season. "It played an important role in a big decision," said Barron. "That made it even more frustrating. It was frustrating but I feel I made the right decision in doing what I’m doing." Saban said that, with Barron’s announcement, all of his draft-eligible underclassmen have made their decisions on their football future. In the end, the Tide will lose three starters to the NFL, running back Mark Ingram, wide receiver Julio Jones and defensive lineman Marcell Dareus.

UK’s top two tacklers snub NFL, return to Wildcats

Kentucky’s offense took a hit yesterday when all-purpose maestro Randall Cobb announced he was leaving early for the NFL. Fortunately for the Wildcats, they avoided a very significant twin hit on the other side of the ball. All-American linebacker Danny Trevathan and All-SEC safety Winston Guy announced Friday afternoon that they weren’t taking the path plowed by their teammate and will instead return to Lexington for another season.

"My evaluation, from the NFL came back good but the easy way is not always the best way," Trevathan said in a statement. "I waited this long for the NFL, it can wait another year. I want to enhance my game. I’m 228 pounds, I want to work toward 235 or 240. I’m definitely going to finish school and that opens more windows in my life."

"I have unfinished business, said Guy, a native of Lexington. "This is my time to step up and be a leader for this team. I’m going to try to be more vocal and lead the team by how I work. I love that I’m going to get to play with Danny another year. I want to do everything I can to be the best player and student I can be. I talked to my parents, Winston Sr. and Renessa. My mom said the NFL will always be there. She wants me to graduate."

QB Brantley decides to remain a Gator

Speaking to Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post, Brantley’s father confirmed that his son will be a member of the Gators football program in 2011. The younger Brantley is currently enrolled in classes, and is apparently excited about the opportunity to play in new coordinator Charlie Weis’ pro-style offense.

"This is what we would have sought out if we had looked to move on, but it came to us," John Brantley III, a former UF player, told the paper. “Johnny’s looking forward to the challenge.

"Once they said there was going to be a pro-style, transferring wasn’t even a question."

Actually, there was indeed a question even after Weis was hired. Brantley’s father told the Orlando Sentinel in early January, following Weis’ hire, that the family had not made a decision, and wouldn’t make one until after they’d spoken to the new coordinator.

Alabama assistant Sunseri in contention for Broncos position

On the heels of news that former Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt possibly moving on to the NFL, it appears Alabama outside linebackers coach Sal Sunseri is flirting with the idea as well. Yesterday, the Denver Broncos announced that former Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox would be taking over at Mile High in the same role. As Fox begins the process of building his staff, one name that has popped up on the hiring radar is Sunseri, who spent nearly a decade with Fox both in Carolina and the University of Pittsburgh. Today, the TideSports.com is reporting that Fox has, indeed, reached out to Sunseri. However, no response has been issued by the outside linebackers coach and it’s unclear as to what role Sunseri would be taking with the Broncos if he accepts. Sunseri was previously shunned by Pittsburgh for their head coaching vacancy. The job ultimately went to Todd Graham. If Sunseri does decide to leave, it will be the second coach to depart from Alabama. D-line coach Bo Davis left for Texas and a slew of other assistants have been in coaching mixes as well.
Posted by Ben Kercheval

Auburn’s Nick Fairley entering NFL draft

Nick Fairley, Auburn’s other big-name star, also is heading to the NFL after winning the Lombardi Award and helping Cam Newton lead the Tigers to a national title. The potential No. 1 overall pick announced his decision Friday at his old high school, saying he didn’t make up his mind until that morning after long talks with his coaches and his parents and a solitary drive around his hometown. The deciding factor? "I was thinking, What more could I accomplish my senior year?" Fairley said. His decision means Auburn’s two most dominant stars won’t be back next season. Newton, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, said Thursday night that he was entering the draft. The two junior college transfers led the Tigers to a 14-0 season and their first national title since 1957. Fairley was the defensive MVP in the BCS title game against Oregon when he had a sack, three tackles for losses and forced a fumble. The 6-foot-5, 298-pound All-American defensive tackle also led the Southeastern Conference with 24 tackles for a loss and had a school-record 11.5 sacks.

Fairley said he met with Auburn coach Gene Chizik and defensive line coach Tracy Rocker in Auburn, then came home Thursday and talked it over with his parents. After that, "I went on a long ride by myself. I think I came out with the best decision to benefit me, my family and all the folks around me."

Kentucky’s Cobb heading to the NFL

Kentucky's all-purpose star Randall Cobb is heading to the NFL. The junior first-team All-American announced Thursday he will bypass his senior season and enter the NFL draft.

The 5-foot-11, 186-pound Cobb led Kentucky with 955 yards receiving, 401 yards rushing and 12 total touchdowns. He also threw for three scores and returned a punt for a touchdown. "I felt that it was my time to go and pursue my dream to play in the NFL," Cobb said. "I’ve had this dream since I was a child. I can remember when I was four years old and I was laying in bed. That was the only thing I wanted, to play football in the NFL." He was selected an All-American as an all-purpose player by The Associated Press last month. Cobb said he considered the NFL’s ongoing labor dispute while making his decision. "It could hurt me," Cobb said. "That’s just me stepping out on my faith and hoping things go right." Cobb finished his career by accounting for 204 total yards in a 27-10 loss to Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl last Saturday as Kentucky finished 6-7. Cobb said he’s enjoyed "every last second" of his career at Kentucky but had to make the best decision for his future.

Gator's Justin Trattou to play in 86th East-West Shrine game

Florida defensive end Justin Trattou (Ramsey, N.J.) has accepted an invitation to play in the 86^th East-West Shrine Game. The Game will be held Jan. 22, 2011 at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., kicking off at 4 p.m. EST. Trattou joins an elite list of football greats, such as John Elway, Tom Brady, Brett Favre, and 62 NFL Hall of Famers, who have played in the East-West Shrine Game, America’s longest-running college all-star football game. “The East-West Shrine Game has always fielded players among college football’s best,” said East-West Shrine Game Executive Director Harold Richardson. “With all 32 NFL teams represented by GMs, coaches and scouts during game week, our players have the terrific opportunity to showcase their talents and get their first glimpse of life in the NFL … ‘Just Like on Sunday.’ Trattou had a stellar senior season for the Gators, being named team captain and recording 57 tackles, including 35 solo, and led the Gators in 2010 with 12 tackles for loss. He returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown against USF this fall. Overall, the Ramsey, N.J. native recorded 121 tackles for his career. Trattou becomes just the eighth Gator under Urban Meyer to accept an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game.

Auburn's Wes Byrum to play in 86th East-West Shrine game

Auburn senior kicker Wes Byrum has accepted an invitation to play in the 86th East-West Shrine Game, which will be held Jan. 22 at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. CT and will be televised by the NFL Network. Byrum kicked the winning field goal from 19 yards as time expired Monday night in the BCS National Championship Game, giving Auburn a 22-19 victory. He finished his career with a school record 363 points, which ranks fifth in SEC history, and also has the top two individual scoring seasons by a kicker in Auburn history, including a record 123 points this season. Byrum is the first Auburn player to play in the East-West Shrine Game since Jonathan Wilhite in 2008. He joins an elite list of football greats, such as John Elway, Tom Brady, Brett Favre, and 62 NFL Hall of Famers, who have played in the East-West Shrine Game, America's longest-running college all-star football game. "The East-West Shrine Game has always fielded players among college football's best," said East-West Shrine Game Executive Director Harold Richardson. "With all 32 NFL teams represented by GMs, coaches and scouts during game week, our players have the terrific opportunity to showcase their talents and get their first glimpse of life in the NFL ... "Just Like on Sunday."

Ex-WVU QB Brunetti moving on to Ole Miss

The ex-Mountaineers backup quarterback revealed on the social media site Tuesday that he will be taking his dual-threat talents to Ole Miss. Brunetti said he will enroll at the school for the spring semester, which begins Jan. 23.

Brunetti told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger that he informed head coach Houston Nutt of his decision Monday night. Due to his mother’s poor health — she was injured in a car accident several years ago and Brunetti said her condition has worsened — Brunetti, a Memphis native, will seek a waiver from the NCAA that would allow him to play immediately instead of sitting out the requisite transfer year. If Brunetti is granted the waiver, the soon-to-be sophomore would begin competing with presumptive starter Nathan Stanley and Randall Mackey for the starting job beginning in spring practice.

Miles gets a contract extension, but no bump in salary

Following conversations with Michigan regarding their vacancy, Miles opted to remain at LSU. For that, Miles and the school have reached agreement on a new contract that will run through the 2017 season. His old deal was set to run through 2014. The kicker, though, is that Miles did not receive a pay raise as part of the new/extended deal. It’s not like Miles will be applying for food stamps at any point in the near future, however, as he’s still scheduled to make $3.751 million. That number made him the sixth-highest paid head coach in college football in 2010. Although it doesn’t include a pay raise, the new deal will include, the Baton Rouge Advocate writes, ”enhanced opportunities” for additional compensation based on championships and postseason accomplishments. Posted by John Taylor

Three LSU Tigers invited to Senior Bowl

Three members off of LSU's Cotton Bowl champion team will suit up for the South squad later this month in the 2011 Under Armour Senior Bowl as linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, defensive tackle Drake Nevis and kicker Josh Jasper have all be invited to take part in the all-star game in Mobile. Kickoff for the 62nd Senior Bowl is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on Jan. 29 from Mobile's Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The game will be televised by NFL Network. "LSU is known for always being strong defensively and Drake and Kelvin certainly were two big factors for that this season," Senior Bowl President and CEO Steve Hale said. "They've both had outstanding careers and are two of the best players at their respective positions in this year's senior class." Sheppard was a first team All-SEC selection by both the Associated Press and league coaches this season. The three-year starter at middle linebacker led the Tigers with 116 total tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and four sacks in 2010. He posted double-digit tackles in six of the Tigers' 13 games this year and was the unquestioned leader of the SEC's second ranked total defense.

Auburn National Championship Celebration Set for Jan. 22

Auburn University will celebrate the Tigers' 2010 National Football Championship Saturday, January 22 at 1 p.m. in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The celebration will last approximately one hour and admission is free. Tickets are not required to enter the stadium, and all seating is general admission and will be first-come, first-served.

Fans can access the stadium via gates 2, 4, 5 and 7 on the east side of the stadium and gates 12, 14, 15, and 17 on the west side. All gates will open at 11 a.m., two hours prior to the event.

Auburn, TCU finish 1-2 in final AP poll

The Tigers finished No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 following a 22-19 victory against Oregon in the BCS championship Monday night. Auburn won its only other AP title in 1957, and the Tigers started 2010 further back than any champion since the poll expanded to 25 teams in 1989.

"We’re the best football team in the United State of America," Auburn coach Gene Chizik proclaimed after Wes Byrum’s 19-yard field goal as time expired gave the Tigers a thrilling win.

Auburn (14-0) began the season at No. 22. The previous lowest preseason ranking for a national champion in the Top 25 era was Oklahoma, which went from No. 19 to No. 1 in 2000. The Tigers received 56 of 59 first-place votes Monday night. One voter did not submit a ballot.

TCU (13-0) had to settle for No. 2 after beating Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. The Horned Frogs received the other three first-place votes and had their best finish in the AP poll since winning the 1938 national title.

Oregon finished third, a spot ahead of Pac-10 rival Stanford. Ohio State was fifth.

Auburn’s title makes it five straight for the Southeastern Conference, joining Florida (with two), LSU and Alabama. The Tigers had three other SEC West rivals ranked ahead of them at the start of the season—preseason No. 1 Alabama, Arkansas and LSU, but nobody realized what a difference their new quarterback would make.

Miles decides to remain with LSU

Les Miles has decided to try to build on the success he’s having at LSU rather than rebuild Michigan, the team for which he once played. "The want and need to stand by my commitment to the team that I coach and the school that I represent really overshadowed any other consideration," Miles said Tuesday. "The business that we’re doing is affecting people’s lives, playing for championships, encouraging a degree, setting people on a path that will benefit them. I think that happened for me at Michigan and hopefully it’s happening for others at LSU."

Miles told LSU athletic director Joe Alleva of his decision on Tuesday morning before he traveled to Dallas for a previously scheduled speaking engagement at an American Football Coaches Association gathering. During his opening remarks, Miles lightheartedly told his audience, "The reports of my departure are greatly exaggerated."

A day earlier, Miles had spent several hours meeting with Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon, who flew to Baton Rouge on Monday to talk to discuss the Wolverines’ open head coaching job. Although Alleva did not object to Miles meeting with his alma mater, he said LSU also had been working to persuade Miles to stay put. "Les has led this program to many great successes on the field and his players represent LSU well off the field,” Alleva said after announcing Miles’ plans to remain. “We look forward to many great years of LSU football under his leadership."