RB Grant's once-promising Tide career ends

Terry Grant's once-promising college football career is over.
The running back from Lumberton, Miss., has decided not to come back for a fifth year of eligibility, as has receiver Travis Sikes.
"He's been injured two years in a row," Alabama coach Nick Saban said of Grant, who had two surgeries for a sports hernia.
"He decided because of injuries, he's already graduated, that he would not come back for his fifth year. He does qualify for a medical, if we need to do that, so he can continue academically."
Sikes also has graduated, Saban said.
Grant played in three games as a true freshman in 2006, carrying two times for 22 yards against Louisiana-Monroe. He missed the final nine games with an injury and received a medical redshirt year.
As a redshirt freshman in 2007, Saban's first year at Alabama, Grant led the Crimson Tide in rushing. He carried 180 times for 891 yards and eight touchdowns. He also caught 26 passes for 176 yards and one touchdown.

ESPN to Televise Alabama's 2010 A-Day Spring Football Game on April 17

The University of Alabama’s annual A-Day Game will be televised live to a national audience by ESPN on Saturday, April 17. A-Day is the 15th and final practice of the spring with kickoff from Bryant-Denny Stadium scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (CDT). Admission will once again be free to the public.
Over the last three years, Alabama has totaled 254,388 fans at A-Day. UA set a college football record in the spring of 2007 as a capacity crowd of 92,138 watched head coach Nick Saban’s first A-Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Last year’s attendance of 84,050 again led the SEC and an average of 84,796 have been on hand for the last three A-Day scrimmages at Alabama.
ESPN reaches more than 99 million households and has televised SEC sports for 27 years. Coverage was expanded last year as the 11:30 a.m. (CDT) league match-up is now an ESPN Regional Television syndication game. On-air commentators for A-Day have not yet been determined by the network.
Alabama has made 10 national television appearances in each of the last two seasons, which does not include these last two A-Day appearances on ESPN. Only Notre Dame (also with 10 the last two years) has had as many nationally televised games. Alabama’s games against South Carolina and Mississippi State were carried by ESPN while the first and last games of the season (Virginia Tech and Texas) were televised by ABC.
Alabama started spring practice this Friday, March 12, and will then take the next week off for spring break. The second practice is scheduled for Monday, March 22.

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Florida Gators to Host Pro Scout Day

The University of Florida football program will hold its annual Pro Scout Day on Wednesday, March 17, when more than 15 Gators are scheduled to work out for NFL coaches and scouts.
Viewing for the on-field portion of this event, which will begin at approximately 10 a.m., is open to the public with free admission. Fans will be able to enter the stadium through Gate 2, which will open at 8:30 a.m.
Restrooms and concession stands will be open for the event. There are over 100 water fountains available throughout Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Smoking is prohibited on the campus of the University of Florida.
Fans are also reminded that no video cameras are allowed.

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Music City Bowl extends SEC partnership

The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl has extended its partnership with the Southeastern Conference through the 2013 season.
The bowl in Nashville matches teams from the SEC and the Atlantic Coast Conference typically between the Christmas and New Year's holidays. The bowl announced the extension on Friday.
The bowl will select sixth after the BCS selection for 2010-2013 and will continue to be broadcast on ESPN through 2014.

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Florida-Bama CBS night game

CBS has targeted the Oct. 2 game between Alabama and Florida at newly expanded Bryant-Denny Stadium as its prime-time telecast for the 2010 football season.
The Crimson Tide and Gators have not met during the regular season since 2006 but have collided the past two years in the Southeastern Conference championship game. Alabama won last year's meeting 32-13 and then defeated Texas in the BCS championship game, after Florida won the '08 encounter 31-20 before beating Oklahoma for the BCS crown.
"How do you argue with that?" CBS executive vice president Mike Aresco said Thursday. "It's developed into the rivalry du jour. It's clearly now the biggest game, and this is almost like a rubber match, although they may end up playing again in Atlanta."
Continue reading at the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Ole Miss...Grove Bowl Scheduled For 1 pm Kickoff, Live On CSS

Kickoff has been set at 1 p.m. CT on April 17 for the 2010 Grove Bowl, which marks the culmination of Ole Miss' spring football drills, and the game will be televised live on CSS.
Red-Blue Weekend will also be highlighted by the Chucky Mullins Courage Award Banquet, which will be held Thursday, April 15 at the Indoor Practice Facility. Other events surrounding the weekend will be announced in the weeks to come.
The Rebel football team is set to open its third spring practice under Nutt on March 27. Ole Miss is coming off its second straight nine-win season for the first time since 1961-62, and notched a 21-7 Cotton Bowl victory over No. 18 Oklahoma State.
CSS, the regional sports channel focused on college sports throughout the south, will air seven NCAA spring football games in March and April, including Ole Miss, Georgia and Clemson that will air live. CSS will also re-air multiple games during the spring and place them on Comcast and Charter's Video On Demand where they will also have enhanced features, including behind-the-scenes player and coach interviews and team stories.

'Bama looking to fill secondary holes

The University of Alabama football team opens spring practice tomorrow, and with preparation for a new season often comes a few experimental position changes.
Apparently, Kendall Kelly will be among those to get a chance at a new position.
The redshirt freshman from Gadsden City High is expected to open spring drills at safety after spending his first season on campus working with wide receivers. One of his former high school coaches, Gadsden City defensive coordinator Ali Smith, said he was surprised when Kelly told him of the move.
“I was surprised, but at the same time, I know he's the kind of athlete who can do something like that,” Smith told The Tuscaloosa News. “He's upbeat about it. He knows it's an opportunity for him to compete for a position, and he also knows he may be back at receiver at some point.”
The move would help spur competition in a UA secondary that enters spring drills limited both in terms of game experience and numbers. Four of the five defensive backs used in the Crimson Tide's nickel defense in 2009 do not return. Returning experience at receiver, by contrast, is significantly deeper, and Kelly (6-3, 216 pounds) may not be the only receiver to get a similar opportunity to join the competition in the secondary. The Crimson Tide's leading receivers from last season – Julio Jones, Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks – all return. That trio combined for 91 receptions and 1,291 yards in 2009, while several reserves return as well.
Asked if Kelly, who redshirted last season, got experience playing defensive back in high school, Smith said very little.
“Sparingly, very sparingly,” Smith said. “People forget how much he was hurt the last couple of years. It would have been a lot to ask.”

Gamecocks backup QB arrested, suspended indefinitely

According to the State newspaper, USC backup quarterback Aramis Hillary and his brother, Cicory "CoCo" Hillary, were arrested early Thursday morning in Lexington County on alcohol-related charges, according to documents provided by the West Columbia Police Department.
Aramis Hillary was charged with underage drinking and drunkeness. CoCo Hillary was charged with driving under the influence and violation of the ABC Act. Both men were released on personal recognizance bonds after 10 a.m. today.
Aramis Hillary, a redshirt freshman from Edgefield, is among a number of quarterbacks competing for the No. 2 job this spring.
Athletics Department spokesman Steve Fink said he did not know if head football coach Steve Spurrier has spoken with Aramis Hillary today, but said it is university policy that any student athlete who is arrested is suspended indefinitely.

Vols' Head Coach, Dooley puts high value on character

Dooley has repeated every time he's been in public since taking over in January, that's only half the battle for him. The off-the-field pieces aren't all in place yet based on job listings on the UT Web site for a director of football operations, an on-campus recruiting expert and a coordinator for his character development program.
Most certain, the first two likely will have a visible impact when the Vols step on the field, the last one might actually be the one Dooley wants the most.
"Character education , this is very important to me," Dooley said last month. "So many of these young men come from different backgrounds, they come from different value sets, they come from different socioeconomic places, and they all have different views of what's right and wrong. Let's face it, when you're 18 to 22, no matter where you came from, you have a big hole in your head. I know I did. I did some of the dumbest things that I can't even believe I did.
"I think it's our responsibility as coaches to help educate them as people. That's not an easy task, so we put in a character education program at Louisiana Tech. It was very successful, it's a rough culture there, and over the course of two years we changed the culture. We started defining what's right and what's wrong and helping them make choices."
Dooley will have a similar program for the Vols, though it might not be completely ready at the moment.
The UT job listing describes the vacant position as a sort of guidance counselor for the team.

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Vols set 2 p.m. kickoff for Orange and White Game

The start of spring practice is a little more than a week away.
Tennessee has now nailed down exactly when it will end.
The Vols will wrap up Derek Dooley's first spring with the Orange and White Game on April 17, and the school announced today that it will be a 2 p.m. kickoff. UT will open with the first of 14 practices on March 18, officially going through Dooley's first workout with the team at 4 p.m.

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Joker feels the need for more UK defensive speed

The 'need for speed'(coin a phrase from Top Gun), on the defensive side of the ball, Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips has decided to move junior Matt Lentz from the secondary to linebacker.
Lentz has played 25 games at free safety and strong safety the last two seasons, including six starting assignments. He has totaled 46 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups.
"We need to get faster on defense and this move will make us faster," Phillips said in quotes sent out by the school. "Anytime you move a player closer to the ball, such as safety to linebacker or a linebacker to the defensive line, it helps you get faster.
"Matt gives us a guy at linebacker who will be strong and physical. He flies around and hits people. He reminds me of Jeff Snedegar (UK linebacker from 1996-99 who was known for his toughness), same type of attitude (as Snedegar)."
Last season, Kentucky was 43rd in the nation (5th in the SEC) in scoring defense at 22.7 points per game, but was horrible on run defense 100th (out of 120 schools) at nearly 183 yards per game.

Florida coach Urban Meyer's vacation nears its end

Sure, he's taken a trip to visit his daughter and went on vacation with his wife in Hawaii, but Meyer hasn't completely removed himself from the football operations.
Assisted coach Dan McCarney, speaking to the Orlando Sentinel, "busted" Meyer for his dipping into the football offices on occasion during the leave of absence.
"It's not like he's been here at 6 a.m., but he's sat in on a couple of meetings," McCarney said. "His text messages to us are still going strong. But clearly he's tried to get away by removing himself from the daily operations, and I'm sure Shelley Meyer has had a lot to do with that."
That being said, Meyer has obviously pulled the reins back on what is normally a hectic, non-stop offseason for the coach. No glad-handing at booster functions, no trips to visit recruits ahead of Signing Day. Instead, it's been golf and "relaxing", relatively speaking.
So, whatever you may think about Meyer, and his flip-flopping back in late December, his health is the most important issue. Regardless of what it took to get him to realize that he needed to change his ways.
Oh, and by the way, a rejuvenated Meyer will be on the field when the Gators commence spring practice on March 17.

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Florida Gators safety Dorian Munroe appeals NCAA for sixth year of eligibility

Florida safety Dorian Munroe isn't accepting the NCAA's "final" decision.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Munroe has appealed the NCAA's decision to deny him another season of college ball.
Munroe told the paper that he's uncertain of the status of his appeal, but is "hoping for the best." Should his appeal sway the NCAA, Munroe might be able to see the field now that Wright is off to the NFL. Munroe was a talented player in 2007, but he redshirted in 2008 with a torn ACL and missed most of 2009 with a torn meniscus and other knee-related injuries.
Munroe is the only remaining Gator from the 2005 class.
It's unclear when a final decision by the NCAA will be made on Munroe's appeal.

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Samuel adjusting to new UGA role...as Linebacker

Richard Samuel was tapped as Georgia's starting running back.
Nearly seven months later, Samuel, who ended up as UGA's third-leading rusher behind Washaun Ealey and Caleb King, is in the running for significant playing time yet again. This time on the other side of the ball.
Samuel has been moved from RB to linebacker, a position he hasn't played in three years. Head coach Mark Richt said UGA's switch from a 4-3 to 3-4 defense has leveled the playing field of sorts for Samuel as he attempts to adjust to the new position.
"I think he's about like the rest of the guys , they're all kind of lost because they're all learning it brand new," Richt said according to the Macon Telegraph. "But that's one thing that will help Richard. If all these guys had experience at it, he might be farther behind. But he's about as lost as the rest of them."
According to the Telegraph, there are a few options for Samuel and how he will be utilized in Todd Grantham's new defense, pass-rushing specialist, run stopper inside or, if he struggles in adjusting to the position, redshirting the 2010 season altogether.
Samuel said he had no clue how long it would take to make a successful transition.
"I'm not too sure how quick I'm going to pick it up," Samuel said. "You know, it's been two years since I've played the position so it might take some time to pick it up."

Rivals.com Names Gators Stan Drayton as a Top Position Coach Hire

Rivals.com put out their list of the top position coach hires in the 2010 offseason and Stan Drayton was named the top running back position coach hire by the website’s writers on Tuesday.
Rivals.com college football senior writer Tom Dienhart described Drayton as a student of the game and as one of the top recruiters in the Southeast. This is Drayton’s second stint at Florida and he re-joins the UF staff after coaching the running backs at Syracuse University in 2009. He has also worked in the National Football League with the Green Bay Packers. Known for being an elite recruiter, Drayton was named one of the nation's top-25 recruiters in 2007 following his involvement with Florida's No. 1-rated recruiting class. He mentored the Gator running backs from 2005 through 2007. Drayton has also coached at Tennessee (2008), Mississippi State (2004) and Villanova (1996-2000). At Florida, the Gator rushing offense ranked third in the SEC and 23rd nationally under Drayton's direction in 2007, averaging 200.2 yards per game. Drayton has spent a combined 13 years coaching running backs on the collegiate level, in addition to three seasons in the NFL. He helped Green Bay to three-straight NFC playoff appearances during his 2001-03 stint with the Packers as offensive quality control and assistant special teams coach.

LSU Football Team Wraps Up First Week of Practice

LSU wrapped up its first week of spring practice on Saturday with a full pads workout that saw head coach Les Miles put the Tigers through an abbreviated scrimmage consisting of nearly 80 live snaps.
Saturday's practice was the fifth of 15 for the Tigers this spring. LSU will take Sunday and Monday off before starting week two of the spring workouts on Tuesday. LSU will practice three times next week - Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday - with Saturday's session scheduled for a scrimmage in Tiger Stadium.
"Today was the first day of spring in reality," Miles said after the practice. "We were in pads and we scrimmaged. We went 40 minutes and had a lot of fun. Some young players really showed and some guys that were veterans looked like veterans. It was still a little too sloppy for my liking so we need to improve. We may go slower in football just to make sure we have it all right."
Another new wrinkle for the Tigers this spring has been the introduction of the "Big Cat" drill, which is a one-on-one full contact drill between and offensive player and a defensive player.
"We started this practice out with a "Big Cat" drill and that is something we will do every day in pads," Miles said. "It's a one-on-one man-on-man aggressive drill.
"This drill gives our players the competitive view of physical interaction. To me, it is basically to make us a dominant and physical football team. If they can step in that drill and do well then they can be a dominant physical football team."

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'Fistic encounter' lands LSU WR on wrong end of taser

LSU football player Terrance Toliver was cited for “disturbing the peace by fistic encounter; disturbing the peace by public intoxication and resisting an officer” in a scuffle at 2 a.m. outside Fred’s Bar, 1176 Bob Pettit Drive, police spokeswoman Lt. Melissa Salamoni said. Dennis Harris, a redshirt freshman on the LSU men’s basketball team, was cited for “interfering with a police officer” and “entering or remaining after being forbidden” while the incident was under investigation, Salamoni said in a news release. Toliver, 21, of Hempstead, Texas, and Timothy Moran, also 21, were observed fighting in the parking lot outside Fred’s, the news release said. Toliver “refused to comply with officers’ commands and was tased,” the release said. The men were issued summonses and released. LSU coaches and university officials plan to meet with Toliver and Harris today.

“We are in the process of gathering information on this incident,” Tigers football coach Les Miles said in a statement from the university. “We are going to investigate it thoroughly to find out the facts and then act accordingly.”

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UGA QB hit with five charges, facing game suspension

One of the trio of combatants battling for Georgia's starting quarterback job was arrested over the weekend on a bevy of charges, the Macon Telegraph is reporting.

The Telegraph reports that redshirt freshman Zach Mettenberger was charged with five offenses early Sunday morning, including underage consumption, disorderly conduct and possession of a fake ID.

The incident that led to Mettenberger's arrest occurred just after 1:30 a.m. ET outside of a joint called "Flip Flops". And, like my dad always warned me growing up, nothing good ever happens after midnight, especially outside of establishments named for footwear.

Mettenberger is competing with Logan Gray and Aaron Murray for the starting job, but, per UGA regulations, any athlete convicted of an alcohol-related offense would be subject to a one-game suspension.

If suspended, it would keep Mettenberger out of the season opener Sept. 4, and would seem to put a big dent in any shot he had at starting under center. At least early on in the season.