Ole Miss and Nutt doing what they must to win

Nutt was down to two quarterbacks on scholarship, only one with precious little college football experience. Ole Miss pays Nutt $2.6 million a year to do one thing: win football games. You can dress that up with graduation rates and "student-athletes we can be proud of" all you want. Bottom line: He doesn't win, he gets fired. Sure, it's a calculated risk Nutt takes with Masoli. One thing to remember, Nutt wasn't going to take Masoli until Raymond Cotton left just weeks before fall practice.

Of all the quotes about this, Masoli-Ole Miss saga, this one, from Nutt, is the most relevent, "I'm always concerned about criticism that the program might receive in a situation such as this," he said. "But I'm also concerned about criticism I might receive if I don't have a quarterback to finish the year if something was to happen."

Safety Rod Woodson no longer with Alabama's team

Alabama coach Nick Saban announced at today's preseason press conference that sophomore safety Rod Woodson is no longer a part of the Crimson Tide's football program.

According to Saban, it was "mutually agreed it would be better for him to continue his career somewhere else."

Woodson, a signee from Olive Branch, Miss., played sparingly on special teams as a true freshman. It's a key loss for the Crimson Tide, since Woodson was expected to compete for a starting safety role this season along with Robert Lester.

Experienced safety Robby Green has been suspended for the 2010 season for violating NCAA policy.

Ex-UGA QB Mettenberger heading to JUCO ranks

According to the Wichita Eagle by way of the Athens Banner-Herald, quarterback Zach Mettenberger has enrolled at Butler (Kan.) Community College and will play for the Grizzlies this fall.

Mettenberger was arrested on five charges in March, dismissed by head coach Mark Richt in April and pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery in May for doing a hands-on examination of a 20-year-old female's breasts and buttocks.

Butler head coach Troy Morell said his school did their due diligence on Mettenberger and feel comfortable bringing the young QB into the fold.

"We did our research on Zach," Morrell told the Eagle. "We feel like he can be a great asset to our team, and it's widely known that he paid the price for what he's done and he's trying to move on."

With Mettenberger gone from the competition, Aaron Murray, by default, has the reins of the Bulldogs' offense and, has been impressive in leading UGA through their voluntary summer workouts.

Practice report: Saunders goes, looks good

Senior tight end Weslye Saunders looked good to go in the opening practice, shaking his off-the-field issues Tuesday night.

Saunders, who caught 32 passes last season, has been pulled into an NCAA investigation of college players attending a Miami party. Investigators are attempting to determine whether an agent paid the flight and hotel costs for players who attended a South Beach party in May.

USC coach Steve Spurrier doesn’t know where the investigation stands.

“You guys know as much as we do about all that,” he said.

But he did know that the 6-foot-5 Saunders looked sharp in practice, making one nice running grab on a long pass play.

“Yeah, Weslye’s actually in the best shape he’s ever been in,” Spurrier said. “He’s down to about 260-something. He weighed about 285 last year. So he’s doing OK.”

Stock rising

Sophomore cornerback Stephon Gilmore was one of 35 defensive backs across the country named to the 2010 Jim Thorpe Award preseason “watch list.” The 6-1, 188-pound sophomore from Rock Hill, who garnered Freshman All-America team honors last year after starting every game and piling up 56 tackles with one interception, already was named to the first-team preseason All-SEC team by the league's coaches and media

Stock falling

Ronald Byrd, a redshirt freshman defensive tackle from LaGrange, Ga., was not at the practice after leaving the program. Byrd did not play last season after being redshirted for a torn ACL suffered in August drills.

“He needs a fresh new start somewhere so we wish him the best wherever he’s going,” Spurrier said.

Injury report

Two of the team’s top players didn’t practice: Sophomore receiver Alshon Jeffery, who had wisdom teeth pulled, and senior tackle Jarriel King, who had a slight hamstring strain. Junior guard Rokevious Watkins had a stomach virus that kept him from practicing. Jeffery might be back Wednesday night. With King and Watkins out, a few new faces received some opportunity.

“Those freshman linemen hung in there, though, Ronald Patrick, A.J. Cann, Tramell Williams,” Spurrier said. “Of course, they’ve got to go. We’ve only got about 10 linemen right now. We’re down a little bit. But those guys are going to be good players, we believe.”

Extra points

Freshman Corey Simmons, the Lawrenceville, Ga., native who is listed as a tight end on the roster, got some looks at the defensive line. No wonder. He’s the son of former NFL defensive end Clyde Simmons, Jr., a two-time Pro Bowler.

… There was another football coach at Tuesday’s practice, but he wasn’t on the playing field. It was Mark Berson, who coaches the sport at USC that the rest of the world calls football. Entering his 33rd season this fall guiding the soccer program, Berson was there to show support as well as check out kicker Joey Scribner-Howard, the Irmo-area native and transfer from Carson-Newman who once played for Berson’s youth club soccer team. Berson, who noted he was pulling for eventual champion Spain in the World Cup this summer, likes his team’s chances to be competitive in Conference USA this season.

Quote of the day

“We’ve got a bunch of guys we’re going to enjoy coaching. They’re going to give a lot better effort. As our fans know, the effort in our last game didn’t look very good. Hopefully, this will be a team that they can really be proud of,” USC coach Steve Spurrier on his team’s fresh start after last season’s disappointing loss to UConn in the Papajohns.com Bowl.

Up next

The Gamecocks will practice at 7:30 Wednesday night. It will be open to the public.

Neil White

Alabama's football program waiting to hear from NCAA on Marcell Dareus

The University of Alabama's investigation into junior defensive end Marcell Dareus' suspected attendance at an agent-related party in Florida is now in the hands of the NCAA. Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said today the remaining step in Dareus' situation will be a ruling from the NCAA that has yet to be received. "We won't know anything about Marcell until the NCAA makes a decision, whether he violated rules, whether he took something from somebody, whether he needs to pay it back and whether it's going to cost him any games," Saban said. "I don't know any of that. And there will be no update. It will be a (NCAA) decision." A source close to Dareus' family said the player took the trip in May on arrangements made by friend and North Carolina defensive end Marvin Austin, but that Dareus returned after a short time, not using a hotel room. UA's compliance department launched its own investigation last month while keeping the NCAA abreast of its findings. Dareus is expected to be allowed to practice when Alabama's team opens preseason camp Thursday morning, given past NCAA precedent in ongoing cases. The investigation is not expected to be an institutional matter, though it could impact Dareus' eligibility during the 2010 season if the NCAA determines violations took place.

Dooley reinstates two of his alleged (Brawl)unteers

Dooley said he lifted the indefinite suspensions of linebacker Greg King and defensive tackle Marlon Walls and, based on the information he has at the moment, "had no qualms whatsoever bringing them back right now." Both players are projected starters heading into Dooley's first summer camp with the Volunteers.

Apparently, the fact that King and Walls have shown remorse for the incident and have maintained a good attitude since the July 9 brawl that left two people hospitalized went a long way in helping Dooley make his decision.

Dooley added that, if there "is some new information that I don't know is out there", the status of the two players "could possibly change".

Auburn players will find coaching continuity when they report for duty today

Auburn is the only team in the SEC that returns its entire coaching staff, and, in something of a rarity for AU, the Tigers return their offensive and defensive coordinators for a second straight season.
It will be just the second time in the past nine years that's happened at Auburn. Coach Gene Chizik said the return of offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and defensive coordinator Ted Roof should pay dividends, beginning with the first fall practice Wednesday.
"This is the first time the high majority of our football team has had the same coordinator twice. I think they're excited about that," Chizik said.
The only other time it's happened in the past nine years was when Al Borges and Will Muschamp worked together in 2006 and 2007. Before that, it was Noel Mazzone and John Lovett in 2000 and 2001.
Assistant coach Curtis Luper said the transition from last season's first-year coaching staff to a second season of working together will be important for the players.
"It's like a great golf course you've never played before," Luper said. "You come back the next time and you know where not to go, what shots not to hit. You know the course.
"Smart players know what to expect off the field, and that just adds to the overall comfort level. They know what the practices are going to be like this fall. They know what practices will be like during the season. They'll know how we travel. They know it all."
Auburn will be trying to improve on last season's 8-5 record. The Tigers return four members of their offensive line and key members of the defense. But they'll have a new quarterback in Cam Newton and a new starting tailback in place of Ben Tate.

Tuesday's Birmingham News, Mobile Press-Register and Huntsville Times.

Masoli move latest proof that Ole Miss HC Houston Nutt is a certifiably dirty coach

As expected, Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt is taking some heat for adding quarterback Jeremiah Masoli to the team.

First, Knoxville columnist John Adams says SEC commish Mike Slive should have stepped in and stopped the transfer.

And then, SI.com’s Stewart Mandel breaks out the driver, saying Nutt is a dirty coach for adding Masoli.

Vandy drops 'interim' from HC Robbie Caldwell's title

According to The Tennessean, Vanderbilt quietly dropped the "interim" tag from Caldwell's title a couple of weeks ago. The decision came after school officials spent a few days in the wake of Bobby Johnson's resignation gathering information regarding Caldwell. “I think what it says is we see Robbie as our head football coach” Williams said. “I don’t want to start any speculation one way or the other, but we see him as our head football coach. We’re 100% behind him and his staff.” After Bobby Johnson announced his retirement three weeks ago and when Caldwell was named interim head coach, Williams spent a few days gathering information in preparation to remove the ‘interim’ title. During the following week, he spoke with Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos and to the university’s board of trust about lifting the interim tag. “They were all very, very supportive,” Williams said. “We just hadn’t said anything to anybody that it was lifted. That was always the plan to get to that point.” The lifting of the tag does not serve as a guarantee that Caldwell will be at Vanderbilt following this season, however. “We evaluate every year,” Williams said. “Even if you have a 20-year contract, we’re going to evaluate. We’ll evaluate all of our programs with the sport and what the goals were and the growth. I don’t think anything changes in that whether you’re interim or not interim, or whether you’re Robbie of Bobby.”

LSU's Peterson on Thorpe Award Watch List

The preseason honors continue to roll in for LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson as the junior was named to the watch list for the 2010 Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented to college football's best defensive back, it was announced on Monday. Peterson, a native of Pompano Beach, Fla., is one of six Southeastern Conference players on the list, joining Florida's Janoris Jenkins and Will Hill, Mark Barron of Alabama, Stephon Gilmore of South Carolina and Georgia's Brandon Boykin. Peterson, a preseason first-team All-SEC recipient, is also on the watch lists for the Lott Trophy and Nagurski Trophy. He is a unanimous selection to every preseason publication's All-America team. Peterson led all SEC cornerbacks with 13 passes defended last season while recording 52 tackles, including 43 solo stops. He also scored two touchdowns.

Florida's Will Hill and Janoris Jenkins Named to 2010 Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List

Florida football juniors Will Hill and Janoris Jenkins were among 35 of the nation’s best defensive backs named to the 2010 Jim Thorpe preseason watch list, announced by the Jim Thorpe Association Monday. The Jim Thorpe Award is one of college football’s most sought after and prestigious awards, named after history’s greatest all-around athlete, a man who excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on offense, but also was an outstanding defensive back. Recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame simply as “The Legend,” Thorpe also played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon. Hill and Jenkins played key roles on the Gator defense in 2009. As a team, Florida held four opponents to under 100 yards in passing offense and six opponents to under 50 percent of passing attempts in 2009. The Gator defense recorded the highest number of interceptions in the SEC (94) and third-highest number in the nation since 2005. This marked the longest streak in the SEC since 1996 with a 17-game streak with an interception in each game from Sept. 20, 2008 through Oct. 10, 2009Hill appeared in all 14 games and made five starts at safety. He totaled 42 tackles, including 31 solo and led the team for the second-consecutive year in special teams’ tackles, finishing with 13 tackles in kickoff and punt coverage.Jenkins started all 13 games in which he appeared and totaled 38 tackles, including 33 solo in 2009. He had three tackles-for-loss, two interceptions and six pass breakups on the season.

Georgia Bulldog's Boykin Named To Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List

Georgia junior cornerback Brandon Boykin has been named to the Jim Thorpe Preseason Watch List, according to an announcement by the Jim Thorpe Association members on Monday.
Boykin is one of 35 collegiate players on the list, including five others from the Southeastern Conference, who are in contention to be named the nation's best defensive back. The Fayetteville native has already been named to the Lott Trophy Watch List.
Boykin has played in all 26 games during his two years with the Bulldogs, including starting 12 of 13 in 2009. He was second on the team with three interceptions last season and fourth on the squad with 54 tackles.
Boykin also made a significant impact on special teams last year. He set the school record for kickoff return yardage in a single season with 988 yards on 38 returns. Boykin became the first player in SEC history with two 100-yard kickoff returns for touchdowns in the same season. In addition, he set a school record with three kickoff returns for touchdowns in a season and is one of only two Bulldogs with three return touchdowns in a single season (Jimmy Campagna is the other with two punts and one kickoff return in 1952).
The Thorpe Award is named after a man who excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on offense, but also was a standout defensive back. Recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame simply as "The Legend", Thorpe also played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon.

Scouting report on Auburn commitment Jonathan Rose: `Great speed, and he's tough'

This story, some of which was reported Sunday night, appears in Monday's Birmingham News, Mobile Press-Register and Huntsville Times.

Leeds High School defensive back Jonathan Rose took recruiting trips to Alabama, Tennessee and Florida State, but, in the end, he always found his way back to familiar surroundings.
The son of former Auburn defensive back Charles Rose committed to the Tigers on Sunday night ending the chase for one of the highest-rated players in the state.
"I grew up around Auburn, and there was always something in the back of my mind that said I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps,'' Rose said.
The 6-foot-2, 170-pounder is No. 5 on the Mobile Press-Register's preseason Elite 18, and will be ranked in the Top 5 on The Birmingham News' Super Seniors when it is released. He is rated as high as the third best cornerback in the country, by Rivals.
He had five interceptions and 48 tackles, and four touchdown catches in limited duty as a receiver last season.
He had offers from Alabama, Tennessee, FSU, Georgia and Mississippi State, among others, according to Rivals.
Leeds coach Keith Etheridge has plenty to say about his defensive back -- and Charles Rose, too.
Etheridge played high school ball with the older Rose at Leeds, and Etheridge figures that gives him the right to needle him about his son.
"I tell Charles all the time, `He's way better than you were,'" Etheridge said. "Charles was a great player, but Jonathan has better ball skills. We laugh about it. But Charles just says, `You're not going to get under my skin. You are talking about my son.'"

Back-to-back for Bama?

If Alabama successfully defends its 2009 SEC championship this season, it will become the conference's first team to post back-to-back titles since Tennessee won two in a row in 1997 and 1998. Since the Volunteers' championship in 1998, every other conference in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision has had at least two instances where a team has won consecutive championships. The SEC titles in the intervening seasons have been won by Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and LSU. And while Florida and LSU have three championships apiece and Alabama and Georgia two each during that time, no team was able to double up in the SEC. Meanwhile, starting with the 1999 season, Florida State has won the ACC title five times, Oklahoma has won the Big 12 title six times, Ohio State has won three Big Ten titles and shared three more, and Southern Cal has won four Pac-10 titles and shared two

Alabama Football's Fan Day Set for Sunday, August 8th

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama football team’s annual Fan Day is set for Sunday, August 8. The team will hold an open practice in Bryant-Denny Stadium from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Players and coaches will be available for autographs immediately after the practice on the field.

Fans may enter the stadium beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the northwest spiral (gate 5) and occupy the lower bowl (sections A-N). The open practice, which is slated to start at 2:30 p.m., is scheduled to last approximately two hours.

At the conclusion of practice, those wishing to participate in Fan Day will enter the field through gate 46 and exit via gate 5. Fans who do not wish to view practice and would like to start lining up early can do so beginning at 1:30 p.m. Those fans can enter through gate 46.

Following practice, the Crimson Tide football team, coaching staff and head coach Nick Saban will be available for autographs on the field. The gate to the field will be open once the autograph session has been set up. Due to meeting commitments for the team and the coaching staff, the session is limited to 45 minutes. In an effort to facilitate as many autographs in the time allowed, fans will be limited to one item per person for autographs, and no posed photographs will be permitted.

Soft drinks, water and several food items will be available for a special Fan Day price of 50% off the regular gameday prices. Vendors will be walking through the stadium with concessions available and the stands on the west side (field and mezzanine levels) will be open. Alabama merchandise will also be sold on Sunday.

Those attending Fan Day will possibly find campus very congested with traffic and pedestrians, especially areas east of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Students will be back on campus from summer vacation as they move into their respective dormitories. Many will have accompanying family members as well. There will be more parking available at the perimeter campus lots (Softball, Tennis, Rec Center, etc.). Other locations may include the ten Hoor Decks, ten Hoor Surface Lots, Soccer Lot and Moody Music Lot. No special accommodations will be made for recreational vehicles (RVs) on campus. All RVs should park at the Northington Lot near University Mall. Fans should log on to www.rolltide.com for updates and other pertinent information.

In the event of inclement weather, the autograph session would be moved to the indoor practice facility and fans would enter through the double gate next to the Mal Moore Athletic Facility.

by www.rolltide.com

Masoli situation bad for SEC image

Ole Miss football coach Houston Nutt and his administration embarrassed themselves and the conference in their successful, shameful pursuit of former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. Slive didn't need to call a news conference or issue a statement. He should have called Ole Miss chancellor Dr. Daniel Jones and said: "Let it go." What reflects worse on college football's most high-profile conference, Meyer criticizing the officials or the Rebels' frantic search for a graduate-level curriculum to accommodate a three-star offender who will be eligible this fall. The counterpoint to Masoli's criminal activity is popular reading these days. There's an extensive account on SI.com, which focuses on the extenuating circumstances surrounding each of Masoli's three incidents. He spent three months in a juvenile facility for his role in a robbery five years ago. He pleaded guilty this March to burglarizing an Oregon frat house. He was cited two months ago for driving with marijuana in his car. The last two incidents resulted in Masoli being kicked off the Oregon team, which was expected to contend for a national championship. Ole Miss wouldn't win a championship this season with a young Archie Manning at quarterback. It's picked sixth in the West. Suppose Masoli boosts it all the way to fifth. Is that worth the damage it will do to the program's image? The SEC's image has already taken enough hits this summer.

Ole Miss' Nutt to Masoli: 'I got eyes on me for taking a thug'

According to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, Rebels head coach Houston Nutt said he warned his soon-to-be new quarterback of the public repercussions that would come with enrolling at the school and taking the field with his off-field baggage not too far out of view.

"I got eyes on me for taking a thug -- that's what people are saying," Nutt told Masoli according to the Clarion-Ledger. "You've got to be able to handle it and be a positive kid."

"The rules are going to be different for him," he said. "I told him I have zero tolerance. I have a hairtrigger. I know he knows I will pull the trigger so fast."

Masoli 'excited... grateful and thankful' for Ole Miss shot

SI.com's Andy Staples is reporting that Masoli has consummated his flirtation with Ole Miss and will play football for the Rebels in 2010.

"I'm excited to get another chance," Masoli told the website. "I'm so grateful and thankful."

Masoli will not be on scholarship when he plays for the Rebels this season. Instead, the former Oregon quarterback will enter the program as a walk-on. Masoli seems to think the fact that he won't be burning a scholarship will help defuse the debate that will certainly come when head coach Houston Nutt officially adds him and his off-field baggage to the roster.

"Either way, scholarship or not, they're going to get some criticism for taking me," Masoli said. "Without the scholarship, I think it deflects some of that criticism."