Ex-‘Bama star Kirkpatrick arrested on drug charge

Former Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, who is leaving school early to enter the NFL draft, was arrested early Tuesday on a marijuana possession charge.

An arrest report on the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office web site said Kirkpatrick was arrested at 12:48 a.m. and charged with possessing less than 20 grams of marijuana. He was released on $120 bond.

Kirkpatrick is regarded as a potential top 10 NFL draft pick. The second-team All-American announced last week he was skipping his senior season with the national champions to enter the draft.

It isn’t clear what Kirkpatrick was doing in Bradenton, but the town is home to IMG Performance Institute, which helps athletes train for the NFL combine.

A message left with IMG wasn’t immediately returned.

A police report said Kirkpatrick was a passenger in a truck driven by another former Alabama player, Christopher Airreun Rogers, 25, of Baltimore, Md., who police stopped for driving on the wrong side of the road. A dog detected the presence of drugs, the report said, and an officer found marijuana on the floorboard of the passenger side at Kirkpatrick’s feet.

Rogers told police he purchased the marijuana at a house and was charged with a drug offense

Michael Dyer officially transfers to Arkansas State

Rumored for a couple of weeks to be headed for a reunion with his former offensive coordinator, Michael Dyer‘s move from Auburn is now official.

Arkansas State, coached by ex-Tigers OC Gus Malzahn and the subject of most of the Dyer transfer speculation prior to his AU release, announced in a press release Tuesday evening that Dyer has transferred to the school and signed a scholarship to play for the Red Wolves.

“We are excited to have one of the top running backs in college football join our program, and we welcome him to our Arkansas State family,” said Malzahn. “Michael is obviously a proven player, and he will certainly make a great addition to our team.”

As for when the 2010 title game offensive MVP will suit up for his old coordinator, that still remains up in the air. When the initials reports surfaced that Dyer would be seeking a transfer, it was rumored that he would seek a waiver in order to be eligible to play immediately in 2012. The basis for that appeal is unclear, as is his availability for the 2012 season.

“That has not been determined yet,” ASU sports information director Jerry Scott told CFT in a follow-up email regarding Dyer’s status for the upcoming season. “I am unsure exactly when we will know his status for the 2012 season due to transferring rules.”

Nussmeier expected to land Tide’s coordinator job

According to Tom Dienhart of the Big Ten Network, Doug Nussmeier will become the Tide’s new coordinator. The hiring, if it comes to fruition, comes a few days after Nussmeier interviewed for the position.

An official announcement from the school is not expected today.

Nussmeier had spent the past three season in the same capacity at Washington, although head coach Steve Sarkisian was in charge of calling plays on game day. At Alabama, Nussmeier will call the offensive shots, which likely was the deciding factor in his decision to move across the country.

As part of Sarkisian’s first coaching staff, Nussmeier has been one of the factors behind the complete transformation/reclamation of the Huskies’ offense. The year prior to the arrival of Nussmeier as part of Sarkisian‘s first coaching staff at UW, the Huskies finished the 2008 season 117th in scoring offense (13.3 ppg) and 116th in total offense (263.2 ypg); in 2011, UW finished 25th (33.4 ppg) and 38th (409.6 ypg) in those categories, respectively.

Prior to his time at UW, Nussmeier spent a year as Fresno State’s coordinator and three years as Michigan State’s quarterbacks coach, with two years as an assistant with the St. Louis Rams in between.

He will replace Jim McElwain, who agreed to become the head coach at Colorado State late last year.

Auburn QB Trotter not returning for senior season

Auburn quarterback Barrett Trotter isn’t coming back for his senior season.

The seven-game starter announced his decision Monday, but isn’t planning to transfer. Trotter lost his starting job late in the season but relieved an injured Clint Moseley in the Chick-fil-A Bowl with perhaps his best performance.

He wound up passing for 175 yards and rushing for 32 in the win over Virginia.

Trotter passed for 1,184 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior and was intercepted six times. He didn’t log any significant playing time before last season.

He graduated last August with a degree in communications and is still enrolled in graduate school.

Trotter says, “My four years at Auburn has been a great experience and I’m thankful for the opportunities that I’ve had.”

by Rivals

Vols assistant headed back home to Alabama

Following the 2008 season, Lance Thompson left his coaching job at Alabama for one at Tennessee. Thompson’s spot with the Tide was filled by Sal Sunseri.

Following the 2011 season, Sunseri left Alabama for the defensive coordinator job with the Vols. His replacement back at ‘Bama? Thompson, of course.

According to multiple media outlets, Thompson has left Derek Dooley‘s coaching staff and is now once again an assistant under Nick Saban at Alabama. Thompson was the Vols’ defensive line coach, while Sunseri carried the title of assistant head coach/linebackers.

Neither school has confirmed the departure/hiring.

Draft-eligible Bulldogs to stay for another SEC East run

Tight end Orson Charles announced on Wednesday that he would be leaving Georgia early for the NFL.

At a press conference Friday, Mark Richt and several draft-eligible underclassmen – safety Bacarri Rambo, cornerbacks Branden Smith and Sanders Commings, running back Carlton Thomas and linebacker Cornelius Washington among them — announced that the players will be returning for another season in Athens. Suffice to say, Richt was very pleased with the development.

“Today is great day for Georgia,” Richt said. “We have a lot of good news today. Quite a few guys submitted papers for the draft to see if it was time to make the decision to fulfill their dream of playing in the NFL. These men decided to stay at Georgia. This group of players has tremendous leadership and talent and has played some tremendous football in the Southeastern Conference. I am thrilled that they have made this decision.”

This means 10 of the 11 defensive starters listed on UGA’s pre-SEC championship game depth chart will return, as will second-team All-SEC quarterback Aaron Murray and leading rusher Isaiah Crowell.

Russell Shepard to return to LSU

On Wednesday, LSU wide receiver Russell Shepard posted a tweet to his Twitter account that heavily intimated he was either headed for the NFL or transferring away from the Tigers:

“Thanks for your support Tiger Nation…but I have to do what’s best for my family and myself…Geaux Tigers.”

In an update posted to the same Twitter account, Shepard stated that, after meeting with head coach Les Miles, he will be staying in Baton Rouge for his final year of college ball.

“I would like to tell everyone that I had a great talk with my family and Coach Miles and I will be attending LSU for my senior season,” the tweet read.

Despite the lack of production this season, Shepard’s return is actually good news for the Tigers, if for nothing more than fellow receiver Rueben Randle is reportedly leaving for the NFL. Thursday, the school also confirmed that cornerback Morris Claiborne and defensive tackle Michael Brockers will make themselves available for the draft.

Traffic cop impression helps land Gamecocks DT pair of charges

According to FITSNews.com, South Carolina defensive tackle Byron Jerideau was arrested early Friday morning and hit with a charge of disorderly conduct. The Charleston Post & Courier subsequently reported that Jerideau is also facing an additional charge of traffic/pedestrian on a controlled access highway.

The incident that led to the arrest took place in the Five Points bar district in downtown Columbia. Here are some the details of the arrest, courtesy of WLTX-TV in Columbia:

An incident report says that an officer saw Jerideau and a group of people leave Grandma’s Bar in the 700 block of Harden Street in Columbia’s Five Points. The document goes on to say that Jerideau used profanity “in a loud manner” at oncoming traffic while attempting to cross midblock at Harden Street.

The report notes that crosswalks were available at nearby intersections, but they were not used. The officer reported that Jerideau used his hands instructing oncoming traffic to stop. When the officers approached Jerideau, the report states the player “in a loud boisterous manner” said “what, f—ing jaywalking?”

The officer said he smelled alcohol, and attempted to put Jerideau in custody. When he did, the report states Jerideau said “I’m not going to f—ing jail” in a “loud manner.” Jerideau was then arrested and taken to the Richland County Detention Center.

The Post & Courier notes, Jerideau is automatically suspended by the team. The school is aware of the situation, and will likely handle any type of punishment internally.

In 2011, the redshirt junior played in all 13 games for the Gamecocks.

Tyler Wilson to remain at Arkansas for another year

In a statement released through the school, Wilson announced that he has decided to forego an opportunity to enter the April draft and will instead return to the Razorbacks for one more season. Wilson had received a high grade from the NFL’s draft advisory committee, which he admitted made the decision to return more of a struggle than some would’ve thought.

“I have decided to stay at Arkansas for the 2012 season because I am extremely excited for what this team has the opportunity to accomplish and to finish earning my degree,” Wilson said in a statement. “After the feedback I received, the decision was difficult to make.

“Ultimately, the chance to complete my academics and play one more season as a Razorback were compelling reasons for me to remain in Fayetteville. This past year was great for us with 11 wins and a top-five finish and we want to build on that. The group of players we have returning has high expectations and wants to work hard to compete for championships.

“Although my goal is to play in the NFL, I believe I can benefit greatly from another year of working with Coach Bobby Petrino and Coach Paul Petrino. I am excited to be able to spend one more season at a university where the leadership shows a tremendous amount of support and the passion of the fans is the best in the country.”

Georgia’s All-American safety set to return to Athens

Georgia confirmed that junior free safety Bacarri Rambo has decided to return to Athens for his senior season. Rambo’s high school coach also told Seth Emerson of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer that Rambo would be returning.

Rambo finished the 2011 season with a SEC-leading eight interceptions and had 55 tackles. The AP First Team All-American started all 13 games for the Bulldogs.

Tino Thomas back on campus with six other new Vols

The defensive back from Memphis Melrose High School is officially back on campus again at Tennessee, and this time there promises to be some practices in store for him.

The freshman was initially all set to begin his career with the Vols last fall until a torn labrum suffered while lifting weights changed those plans, forcing him to grayshirt, delaying his arrival and ultimately making him a part of a different signing class. But Thomas is at UT now, and he was joined by six other members of that 2012 signing group on Wednesday as the early enrollees began their first semester with the program.

"I'm just so excited to get back," Thomas told the News Sentinel last month. "I'm just excited to get back with my teammates and everything."

Thomas and the Vols already on the roster met a few of those new teammates as they reported for school and the start of preparations for the third season under coach Derek Dooley.

UT also welcomed athlete Cody Blanc of Central, running back Alden Hill of Alliance, Ohio, quarterback Nathan Peterman of Fruit Cove, Fla., tight end Justin Meredith of Anderson, S.C., junior college transfer Darrington Sentimore of Gulf Coast (Miss.) Community College and defensive lineman Trent Taylor of Lakeland, Fla., to the mix as classes resumed.

Illinois lands new OC from one of LSU’s assistants

LSU announced today that LSU wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Billy Gonzales will head to the Illini to lead the offense. Shea Dixon of TigersSportsDigest and Tigerbait.com also reported the move earlier today.

It’ll be the first time in Gonzales’ collegiate coaching career that he will take on a coordinator title.

Gonzales has been at LSU for two seasons and previously coached at Kent State, Bowling Green, Utah and Florida, serving under Urban Meyer for the latter three.

“This is a great promotion for Billy,” coach Les Miles said in a statement. “Billy will do a great job as an offensive coordinator. This is a tremendous opportunity for him and his family. We wish Billy, his wife Julie and their two children nothing but the best.”

Arkansas RB Davis to return next season

The Razorbacks’ running back announced Tuesday that he will return to school next season, deciding against entering the NFL draft after missing every game last year as he recovered from a fractured left ankle.

The junior led all Southeastern Conference running backs with 1,322 yards rushing as a sophomore last season, but he went down Aug. 11 when a defensive lineman fell on his ankle during a scrimmage. It was the third time he had broken an ankle, dating to high school, though the other two were the right one.

The fifth-ranked Razorbacks finished the season 11-2 and won the Cotton Bowl without Davis. The 11 wins tied a school record, and the top-five finish was the school’s first since 1977. Its only two losses were to No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 LSU, and the chance at returning and competing for SEC and national titles were too much for Davis to pass up.

“I have made the decision to return to the University of Arkansas for the 2012 season as I am determined to help this program accomplish the goals we have set in place,” Davis said in a statement. “My injury was unfortunate, but I feel I have worked extremely hard for the opportunity to lead the Razorbacks on the field.”

Les Miles taking heat after shutout title loss

Alabama’s defense, of course, was stellar and deserves every bit of credit for taking away all possible schemes LSU might have come up with and rattling Jordan Jefferson. The short story is that Bama’s D had an answer for everything and stopped plays before they developed. LSU was noticeably flat last night too. Even the Tigers’ sideline wasn’t into the game. There were no risks, no fake punts, no trick plays, nothing. It was very uncharacteristic of a Miles-coached team.

The often-unpredictable Miles was unbelievably run-of-the-mill last night and those who did tune in noticed. Former LSU receiver Terrence Toliver took to his Twitter account to express his frustration over what he was seeing.

“Don’t deserve a share of the championship with this piss poor performance #coaches”

“Why are we running the ball wit 9 min left in the game?”

“I feel bad for [Jarrett] Lee.”

To be fair, Miles isn’t a bad coach, but Saban clearly out-coached him last night.

Miles had to answer to that, as he should, after the game. Broadcaster and father of LSU O-lineman T-Bob Hebert, Bobby Hebert, began grilling Miles in his post game press conference as soon as the floor was open to questions. From the New York Times:

Hebert started, according to the transcript: ”Coach, did you ever consider bringing in Jarrett Lee, considering that you weren’t taking any chances on the field? Now, I know Alabama’s defense is dominant. But, come on, that’s ridiculous, five first downs. I mean, so it’s almost an approach, I’ll tell you from the fans’ standpoint, that how can you not maybe push the ball down the field and bring in Jarrett Lee?”

…

He continued with his “question,” later, again according to the transcript, adding, “I know the pass rush of Alabama, but there’s no reason why in five first downs … you have a great defense, L.S.U. is a great defense, but that’s ridiculous.”

At that point, the moderator interrupted, asking, “Do you have a question?”

Hebert responded: “That’s the question. Do you think you should have pushed the football more down field?”

Miles answered: “I think if you watch our calls that we did throw the football down the field. We didn’t necessarily get the football down the field.”

The questions surrounding Miles’ game plan won’t be swept away with the confetti littering the Superdome turf, either. This is a team that cruised through tough environments all season with relative ease; last night, LSU couldn’t even cross midfield until the game was already decided.

BCS championship game lowest rated title in BCS era

The rematch of the “Game of the Century” drew a 13.8 overnight rating on ESPN, the lowest rating for a BCS championship game since Miami-Nebraska pulled a 14.3 at the 2002 Rose Bowl.

Some apparently boycotted last night’s game by not watching it. Some just turned it off when it became clear that 1) Alabama was going to kick their way to a victory and/or 2) the game itself wasn’t exciting.

In all, BCS games saw a 10 percent drop in ratings from a year ago.

SEC Football Online sportbook preview LSU vs Alabama

The Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers will both be trying to pick up a win on January 9 when they battle at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in the BCS National Championship Game.Oddsmakers currently have the Crimson Tide listed as 2½-point favorites versus the Tigers, while the game's total is sitting at 41½.Alabama was a 42-14 winner in their most recent outing on the road against Auburn. They covered the 21.5-point spread as favorites, while the total score (56) made winners of OVER bettors.LSU was a 42-10 winner in its last match at home against Georgia. They covered the 12-point spread as favorites, while the total score of 52 sent OVER bettors to the payout window.

Auburn dips into the NFL for new defensive coordinator

At a press conference Monday afternoon, Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith announced that his defensive coordinator, Brian VanGorder, has accepted the same job at Auburn. The school subsequently confirmed the hiring.

“I’m very excited to have a coach like Brian VanGorder join our staff at Auburn. From the beginning of this process, I had one person in mind, and that was Brian,” head coach Gene Chizik said in a statement. “He has achieved success at every level, both professionally and collegiately, which is a testament to his ability as a coach. He has been one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL, has won a Broyles Award at the college level, and understands what it takes to succeed in the Southeastern Conference. We’re pleased to welcome Brian and his family to Auburn.”

VanGorder has spent the past four seasons with the Falcons, but the vast majority of his coaching experience has come at the collegiate level. From 2001-04, VanGorder was the coordinator at Georgia, leading a defense that was one of the best in not only the SEC but the country.

He’s also been the coordinator at UCF, Central Michigan and Western Illinois. In 2007, he was the head coach at Georgia Southern.

VanGorder will replace Ted Roof, who left last month to become the coordinator at UCF.

Georgia CB to transfer

Multiple media outlets have confirmed that cornerback Jordan Love has decided to take his leave of the Bulldogs and play his college football elsewhere. The reports and confirmations stem from a “missive” Love posted on his Twitter account Saturday night.

“It’s been real Athens … imma miss all my (friends) all my brothers … but all good things come to an end,” Love’s tweet read.

As a redshirt sophomore in 2011, Love played in eight games and started one of those contests. And, as noted by the Macon Telegraph, Love might not be the only defensive back UGA loses prematurely — safeties Bacarri Rambo and Shawn Williams are considering early entry into the April draft, as is cornerback Branden Smith.