Arkansas State picks up former Vols RB

New Arkansas State head coach Gus Malzahn already landed one highly touted transfer in former Auburn running back Michael Dyer. Now, he’s getting another.

Malzahn announced today that former Tennessee running back David Oku would also be joining ASU’s roster. Tennessee announced Oku’s decision to transfer in January of last year.

Oku signed with Tennessee in 2009 as the No. 1 All Purpose Back according to Rivals.com. However, he finished his two-year career at Tennessee with just 268 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Suspended Arkansas trio plead not guilty to burglary charges

Arkansas’ eventful and woeful offseason was highlighted in part by the arrest of three offensive contributors — wide receivers Marquel Wade and Maudrecus Humphrey and tight end Andrew Peterson – back in May for their alleged involvement with a residential burglary.

Wednesday, the three players, who have been suspended, pleaded not guilty to felony burglary charges in the Washington County Circuit Court.

However, the three players are still not part of the football team, per a release from Arkansas coach John L. Smith. Wade, Humphrey and Peterson are the fourth, fifth and sixth UA football players arrested since the middle of March.

Mizzou’s Franklin should start throwing a football next month

Three months removed from surgery, it appears Missouri’s starting quarterback is on the verge of a full recovery ahead of the Tigers’ first summer camp as a member of the SEC.

Speaking to the Joplin Globe while in the midst of a rebuilding project in that tornado-ravaged city, James Franklin sounded decidedly optimistic about his recovery from surgery on his right (throwing) shoulder.

“I only got to practice twice,” said Franklin over the weekend, referring to the timing of the injury during spring practice. “I’ve been throwing a Nerf ball, then toward the middle to the end of July I’ll be throwing a football. …

“We start two-a-days on the first of August. I’m ready for it to come.”

Although the injury and subsequent surgery forced Franklin to miss most of the spring, the program was relatively optimistic that the QB would not miss any games once the regular season started.
by J.Taylor

Change Has Come...Presidents approve four-team playoff

College football will finally have a playoff. Come 2014, the BCS is dead.

A committee of university presidents on Tuesday approved a plan for a four-team playoff put forward by commissioners of the major football conferences.

The new system doesn't go too far, Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger said.

"It goes just the right amount," he said.

The move completes a six-month process for the commissioners, who have been working on a new way to determine a major college football champion after years of griping from fans.

"There were differences of views," Steger said. "I think it would be a serious mistake to assume it was a rubber stamp."

Instead of simply matching the nation's No. 1 and No. 2 teams in a championship game after the regular season, the way the Bowl Championship Series has done since 1998, the new format will create a pair of national semifinals.

College football fans have been clamoring for a playoff for years, and the BCS has been a constant target for criticism. Lawmakers have railed against it. A political action committee was formed, dedicated to its destruction. The Justice Department looked into whether it broke antitrust laws. Even President Obama said he wanted a playoff.

Now it's a reality.

No. 1 will play No. 4, and No. 2 will play No. 3 on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The sites of those games will rotate among the four current BCS bowls - Rose, Orange, Fiesta and Sugar - and two more to be determined.

The winners will advance to the championship on the first Monday in January that is six or more days after the last semifinal. The first championship Monday is set for Jan. 12, 2015.

The site of the title game will move around the way the Super Bowl does, with cities bidding for the right to host.

The teams will be selected by a committee, similar to the way the NCAA basketball tournament field is set. The men's tournament has 68 teams, and 37 at-large bids.

The football committee will have a much tougher task, trying to whittle the field down to four. Among the factors the committee will consider is won-loss record, strength of schedule, head-to-head results and whether a team is a conference champion.

The commissioners want to lock in this format for 12 years with a television partner. The current BCS deal with ESPN runs through the 2013 season. The new format will be presented to potential TV partners in the fall, starting with ESPN.

There are still some details to work out - such as who will be on the committee and what new bowls will be involved in the semifinal rotation - but all the decision-makers are on board.

Former South Carolina OL arrested for alleged criminal sexual conduct

Former South Carolina reserve lineman Kenny Davis, who has been arrested for third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The alleged female victim in the case claims Davis forced her into non-consensual sexual activity at his apartment back in late May. The two were returning from a bar that night. Davis turned himself in on Thursday.

Davis, a fifth-year senior, is not on scholarship with the Gamecocks after coaches told him his one-year, merit-based award would not be renewed for the 2012 season. Davis was not participating in offseason workouts when the alleged incident occurred.

Davis played in 11 games during his career at South Carolina and was listed as a backup offensive lineman.

Auburn quarterback Zeke Pike arrested for public intoxication

Auburn freshman quarterback Zeke Pike was arrested for public intoxication Saturday night and later released on a $300 bond.

The arrest on the misdemeanor charge took place in Lee County.

Pike, 19, arrived in Auburn in January and participated in spring practice, battling for time at quarterback with Kiehl Frazier and Clint Moseley. He completed 4-of-8 passes for 42 yards in the spring A-Day Game.

He was a high-profile signee after hitting 145 of his 267 passes for 1,964 yards and rushing 728 yards and 16 more scores. As a junior, he completed 136-of-235 passes for 2,218 yards and 18 touchdowns, and rushed for 1,072 yards and 17 touchdowns.

He was suspended his final game at Dixie Heights High School in Edgewood, Ky., for an undisclosed reason.

Auburn QB busted for public intoxication

Freshman quarterback Zeke Pike had been in the running for Auburn’s starting quarterback job as recently as this spring. Given the following slip-up, however, those chances may — or, may not — have taken a hit.

Multiple media outlets report that Pike, a freshman who enrolled at Auburn in January, was arrested this weekend and charged with public intoxication. He was released on $300 bond.

So far, Auburn has yet to have anything to say regarding the matter. In the Tigers’ spring game in April, Pike completed 5-of-11 passes for 48 yards.

Transfer fullback Jay Prosch cleared to play this season for Auburn

Fullback Jay Prosch will be allowed to play at Auburn this season after transferring from Illinois, where he played last year.

The NCAA said Prosch won't have to sit out for a season, as most transfers do, because he changed schools to be closer to his ailing mother, who is battling cancer in Mobile.

He enrolled in January and participated in spring practice.

"I'm extremely blessed and very thankful to have my waiver cleared by the NCAA," Prosch said. "I'm excited and can't wait for my mother and family to be able to see me play this fall."

A two-year player at Illinois, Prosch played in 25 games while starting in 12 with the Illini. He was named a first-team All-American by Pro Football Weekly as a sophomore and was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

"We're happy for Jay that his waiver was granted by the NCAA and are appreciative for their understanding of his desire to attend school and play closer to home so that he could spend more time with his family," Auburn head coach Gene Chizik said in a statement.

The 6-0, 253-pound Mobile native attended UMS-Wright High School where he was a two-time All-State selection. UMS-Wright won the Alabama 4A AHSAA state championship his junior year.

Arkansas lineman sentenced to 10 days in jail

According to the Associated Press, Jason Peacock pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor theft but was still sentenced to 10 days in jail. Prosecutors stated that Peacock is to report to the jail within 30 days.

In addition to the jail time, Peacock will also be under supervised probation for a year.

Peacock had originally been charged with felony theft following a March incident. It was alleged that the lineman stole a debit card out of the purse of a female UA student and used it to purchase $35 worth of gas.

Peacock, who started the final nine games of the 2011 season, was suspended shortly after the arrest but was reinstated less than a month later. He was listed as a starter on the spring depth chart.

Safety returning to Kentucky after sitting out 2011 season

Dakotah Tyler sat out the 2011-2012 school year for what Kentucky described as undisclosed “personal reasons.”

This season, however, the defensive back will be back with the Wildcats.

In a press release, head coach Joker Phillips announced that Tyler has returned to the UK football team. The release went on to explain that, upon the completion of summer-school courses, Tyler will be able to play in the 2012 season.

He will be a junior eligibility-wise.

After redshirting as a true freshman in 2009 — and moving from running back to the secondary — Tyler played 11 games at safety for the Wildcats. He was credited with 13 tackles that season, and is expected to compete for time in the defensive back rotation beginning in summer camp.

Two more backup LSU DBs decide to transfer

According to the Baton Rouge Advocate, sophomore Sam Gibson and redshirt freshman David Jenkins have decided to leave the Tigers football program. While a school official confirmed the departures, there’s no word on where the pair of defensive backs may ultimately land.

Gibson, a three-star member of LSU’s 2010 recruiting class out of Prattville, Ala., played in five games last season.

As a four-star recruit in LSU’s 2011 class, Jenkins was rated as the No. 21 cornerback in the country coming out of high school in Carrollton, Tex. He redshirted as a true freshman last season.

Late last month, it was reported that CB Ronnie Vinson, a four-star member of the same class as Gibson, had decided to transfer from LSU to Southeastern Louisiana. He ultimately wound up at Tennessee State after an abrupt change of heart.

Florida LB officially cleared to return to team activities

Florida linebacker Neiron Ball announced via his Facebook page that he was cleared to play football following a one-year absence brought on by burst blood vessel in his brain that required surgery.

“Got GREAT news today!!! I am CLEARED TO PLAY FOOTBALL AGAIN!” Ball wrote. “This is one of many God’s blessings… I am so thankful and excited. PRAISE GOD!”

At the time, the school had yet to officially concur with Ball’s statement. Three months later, however, they’ve done just that. The school released a statement today with the news.

“Neiron Ball has passed his final medical checkup and has been fully cleared to participate in football activities,” it read. Ball was diagnosed in Feb. 2011 with a hereditary congenital vascular condition, a non-football related medical issue.

Ball, a four-star member of UF’s 2010 recruiting class, played in 13 games as a true freshman before being sidelines all of last season.

Auburn OL wounded, two ex-players killed in shooting

The Auburn Police Department confirmed that former AU players Ed Christian and Ladarious Phillips died as a result of wounds they incurred in a late-night shooting Saturday. Christian was pronounced dead at the scene, Phillips after being transported to a local hospital. Both were 20 years old, as was the third male who died as a result of the gunshot wounds.

The APD also confirmed that current Tigers offensive lineman Eric Mack was shot but suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Mack remains hospitalized but the prognosis for a full recovery is good.

Two other individuals were wounded in the shooting, with one of them “fighting for his life.”

“This is a sad, sad day for everyone associated with the entire Auburn family,” AU head coach Gene Chizik said in a statement. “I am devastated by the passing of three young men, including two that I personally knew in Ed Christian and Ladarious Phillips and my heart goes out to their families. My thoughts and prayers are with their families and all of the victims involved in this tragic incident. Nobody should ever have to endure such unimaginable grief, and we will love and support the victims’ families during this terribly difficult time. We have a lot of people on our football team that are hurting right now and we’re going to do everything we can to help them get through this.

“We are relieved that Eric Mack, who was also a victim in this incident, is expected to make a full recovery. This is a very trying time for everyone involved, and I would just ask that you lift up the victims and their families in your prayers.”

Ex-LSU corner switches transfer destination

According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Vinson has enrolled at Tennessee State and will begin attending classes at the school this summer.

Vinson had originally intended to transfer to Southeastern Louisiana, with his former high school coach stating on or around May 22 that “the paperwork is in the formalized process.” However, within 48 hours of Tennessee State contacting him, Vinson had flipped his commitment.

The fact that Vinson’s brother played for the school last decade apparently played a role in the decision.

“We really didn’t know about his decision to transfer until about a week-and-a-half ago,” Vinson’s new coach, Rod Reed, told the paper. “His brother was roommates with one of our coaches when he was here. Charles made contact with one of our coaches when Ronnie decided to transfer. Once we expressed interested and gathered that he was interested as well, we talked with him and his parents. … It happened pretty quickly.”

Vinson, who will be eligible to play immediately this season, played in seven games for the Tigers in 2011 after redshirting as a true freshman. He was a four-star recruit in LSU’s 2010 class, and Rivals.com rated him as the No. 4 player at any position in the state of Louisiana.

Vols DB ruled ineligible for 2012 season

Tennessee coach Derek Dooley is facing bad news once again.

The school announced Thursday that defensive back Izauea Lanier will not be eligible to participate in the 2012 season. No reason was given for the announcement.

As some have already opined, the loss is a rather significant one.

In 12 games last seasons, and with nine starts, Lanier was sixth on the team with 40 tackles. Additionally, he had four pass breakups. He was expected to compete for a starting job this season, but obviously will have to wait until 2013 to make an impact.

Did UGA hire coach to get No. 1 prospect...Robert Nkemdiche

UGA recently hired Daryl Jones as its Director of On-Campus Recruiting, which is the most critical behind-the-scenes job in the recruiting department.

Jones was an assistant in charge of defensive backs, at Grayson High School for 2009 season, when a talented freshman named “Big Rob” split time between the freshmen team and varsity roster. Soon after, Jones took another job running Under Armour camps before he was hired by UGA.

Nkemdiche and Jones are friends. So now the popular question for Internet message boards – Did UGA hire Nkemdiche’s former coach to get an advantage?

Grayson coach Mickey Conn chuckled when he was asked about it. “I don’t think Georgia hiring Daryl Jones has anything to do with Robert.”

“Robert’s decision is going to be what Robert wants to do.”

Jones is well-connected and well-respected within the Georgia high school ranks after serving as a coach or athletics director in the state for 17 years. He will be making a $110,000 salary at UGA, according to FOI requests.

“Georgia is getting a great guy … a great coach and a great PR guy,” Conn said. “He’s real positive and a high-energy guy. He’s very organized. I think he’s going to do a fantastic job.”

Nkemdiche is considering Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU, UGA, Clemson, Texas, Mississippi State and Florida, among others.

No raise in Georgia's Head Coach Richt’s new deal

At a meeting of UGA’s athletic board Thursday, details of the proposed new contract for Richt were presented to the group, with athletic director Greg McGarity confirming the long-time football coach will continue to make in the neighborhood of $2.9 million a year. The new deal will include, however, incentives that are nearly double what he had previously been eligible to earn.

In essence, Richt will likely be eligible for upwards of $800,000 in bonuses in the future. From the Macon Telegraph:

Under Richt’s current deal, the most he can receive for performance bonuses is $350,000. He receives $25,000 for winning the SEC East and $50,000 more for winning the conference title. He also receives $25,000 for making a bowl, and $50,000 more if it is a BCS bowl. He receives $50,000 for finishing in the final top five of the AP or coaches’ poll. And he receives $150,000 for winning the BCS title.

Richt also receives $50,000 for finishing in the top one-third of the SEC in both the APR and Graduation Success Rate.

For a coach who was considered to be sitting squarely on the proverbial hot seat just a year ago, however, the new contract is more about job “security” and less about the guaranteed compensation. Richt’s old deal was scheduled to run through the 2013 season; the new one will run through the 2016 season.

by J. Taylor

Vols TE Clear dismissed following felony arrest

Cameron Clear has seen his time as a Tennessee Volunteer football player come to an abrupt but not unexpected end.

UT head coach Derek Dooley announced late Friday morning that the tight end has been dismissed from the football team, effective immediately.

“It hurts anytime a player is dismissed from the program, but there comes a time when a player’s actions dictate that his privilege of being a part of this team should be removed,” said Dooley in a statement. “We will continue to support Cam and his family to help him learn from his actions and become the person and player I believe he has the potential to be.”

Clear was arrested by campus police Tuesday afternoon and charged with felony theft of more than $1,000 and less than $10,000. He’s alleged to have stolen a MacBook Pro from the dorm room of a Vols baseball player May 19.

The sophomore was arrested after UT police became aware that he had logged onto the university’s network using the stolen laptop, and caught the alleged thief with the MacBook sitting in his lap at an on-campus establishment.

As a true freshman in 2011, Clear started two of the 12 games in which he played. The 6-6, 283-pounder had just one reception for four yards. He was listed as the No. 2 TE on the Vols’ post-spring depth chart and was in line to compete for the starting job entering summer camp.

Coming out of Memphis as a four-star member of UT’s 2011 recruiting class, Clear was the No. 2 player at any position in the state of Tennessee and the No. 18 offensive tackle in the country according to Rivals.com.

by J. Taylor