Ben Tate...Auburn's RB...wants to get noticed by NFL scouts this season

Ben Tate hopes to finish his Auburn career with the kind of season that makes NFL scouts take notice. He’s not modest in his goals. He would like to average 5 yards per carry, rush for 1,200 yards and score 14 touchdowns.
Only Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno accomplished all 3 of those feats in the SEC last year.

“I think that would silence all the critics that I do have,” Tate said.

The critics were justified last year. After strong freshman and sophomore campaigns, during which he ran for a total of 1,295 yards and 11 touchdowns, Tate finished with a disappointing 664 yards on the ground last year, reaching the end zone on only 3 occasions. The SEC Rocks!

Former UT Stand-out Haynesworth...Pleads no Contest

Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth has pleaded no contest to a reckless driving charge in Tennessee and will be on probation for 3 months.

Court records show that Haynesworth, a former University of Tennessee standout, entered his plea Thursday morning in Franklin and is required to perform 25 hours of community service, make a $5,000 contribution to an organization that offers counseling to emergency responders and attend driving school.

The charge against the former Tennessee Titans player stem from a Dec. 13 incident in which prosecutors say Haynesworth tried to pass another driver, who crashed into a concrete median and was badly injured.

The Tennessean reported that Circuit Court Judge Jeff Bivins told Haynesworth that he hopes this will be a wake-up call to the NFL player that no one is infallible. The Dirt...The SEC Rocks!

LSU added to front of team jerseys

"LSU" has been added to the front of the 2009 football jerseys for the Tigers, the school announced on Wednesday. The addition of "LSU" to the front of the jerseys marks the first time in modern school history that the name of the school will appear on the jersey. There are no other changes to the 2009 LSU football uniform. WOW! The SEC Rocks!

QUIZ TIME!!!!!

Are you ready for another quiz. You better be,because here come the questions.

What was the first head coach of Georgia, Charles Herty's job (before his coaching)?
click here for the answer


What are the colors of Ole Miss( hint _______ Crimson and _____blue)?
click here for the answer


How many National Championships did Florida win?
click here for the answer


How long did Paul "Bear" Bryant coach for Kentucky?
click here for the answer


Who is Mississippi state's rival?
click here for the answer


How many times does the "T" appear in the Tennessee tradition.
click here for the answer

Alabama Radio Color Analyst

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Jim Carabin, General Manager of Crimson Tide Sports Marketing, announced the hiring of Phil Savage on Monday as the new radio color analyst for the University of Alabama football games. Savage will join Eli Gold (play-by-play) and Barry Krauss (sideline) on the Crimson Tide Sports Network this fall, which reaches more than 50 stations in Alabama and around the South.
(by www.rolltide.com)

Gamecocks DB Whitlock...not yet cleared to play!

A little less than 3 weeks after being cleared of a trespassing charge, South Carolina cornerback C.C. Whitlock has been cleared by athletic director Eric Hyman to return to the Gamecocks football program.
Unfortunately for Whitlock,the defensive back has yet to be cleared by the man who ultimately holds the key to his football fate at the university. That is,Head Coach, Steve Spurrier.

"His situation resolved in the court system. So therefore, based on that, he was released to football and to academics," Hyman said. "They take whatever approach they feel necessary from this point going forward."

Spurrier suspended Whitlock indefinitely shortly after his arrest, and stated publicly the CB would miss at least one game should he be reinstated.
The fact that Whitlock missed a good portion of spring practice due to academic issues before his arrest in May will likely play a role in when Spurrier lifts the suspension. The SEC Rocks!

Joe Cox...UGA Leader of the Pack

Head coach Mark Richt,on why Joe Cox is the leader of the UGA football pack!

“Work ethic. He’s got charisma. Guys like being around him. They know he cares about them. They know he wants the team to succeed. They know he’s all about the team. They’ve seen him in practice every day know exactly what to do, hit his target day after day. They just believe in the guy.”

The final word, from Joe Cox, on why he thought the rest of the team had rallied around him so quickly.

“I think people just know that I’m a Georgia guy at heart. I stayed around for four years when I didn’t play at all, and I think people respected that from me and want this to be a successful year for not only everybody, but for me, too. I think people have really bought in to the same things that I’ve been preaching about buying into. I think everybody’s just having a good time with this whole moment, building up to a big season with people doubting us. It’s a good feeling knowing that many guys think that highly of me, but it’s really all of our seniors and everything we’ve put into place since January." The SEC Rocks!

Jack Mitchell Dies

Former University of Arkansas football coach Jack Mitchell died in Sun City, Ariz., this week. He was 85.
Mitchell coached at Arkansas from 1955-57, leading the Razorbacks to a 17-12-1 record during his tenure. Mitchell’s Razorbacks played to three consecutive winning seasons and boast wins over Texas in 1955 and 1956 and consecutive wins over unbeaten Ole Miss in 1956 and 1957. Mitchell was 8-9 in Southwest Conference play and led the team to a pair of fourth place showings in 1955 and 1956.
Prior to his stint with the Razorbacks, Mitchell served as the head football coach at Wichita State from 1953-54 with a 13-5-1 record. He left Arkansas moving on to the University of Kansas coaching for the Jayhawks for nine seasons, from 1958-66. During that time, Mitchell amassed a 44-42-5 record, ranking him fourth at KU in total wins.
A native of Arkansas City, Kan., Mitchell was a 3 sport athlete in high school. He attended the University of Texas and Arkansas City Junior College before enlisting in the military during World War II. After the war ended, Mitchell played quarterback at Oklahoma graduating in 1949. We'll miss you.
(by www.arkansasrazorbacks.com)

Georgia's Troupe to step up game and Git-R-Dun

Israel Troupe arrived at Georgia with an impressive resume, ranked as the top wide receiver recruit in the state. Although,there has always been someone ahead of him in the depth chart. He hauled in just 4 catches in 2years.
That should change this year. At least that’s what coaches Mike Bobo and Tony Ball have told Troupe.
“After talking with them, they told me, they’re going to be depending on me a lot to step up and get the job done,” Troupe said. “The main thing is to go in with a positive attitude and just try to contribute as much as I can.”
Troupe isn’t alone. When it comes to the receiving corps for Georgia this year, a lot will be riding on a talented group of players who have yet to prove much at the college level.
With the departure of 3 seniors from last year’s squad, a season-ending injury to senior Kris Durham and the dismissal of junior Tony Wilson, the Bulldogs are left with just 6 scholarship receivers, and only 2 with more career catches than Troupe’s 4.
“Everybody’s going to have to step up this year,” said quarterback Joe Cox, who takes over the reins of the offense without star running back Knowshon Moreno or leading pass-catcher Mohamed Massaquoi. “With six guys, you never know what can happen, and you’ve got to have everybody ready to play.”
A.J. Green returns from a stellar rookie season to lead the group, while Michael Moore serves as the senior leader among the receivers. Beyond that, however, nothing is certain other than the knowledge that everyone will get his chance to play. The SEC Rocks!

One Heartbeat

OXFORD, Miss. - “One Heartbeat,” a chronicle of the Ole Miss Rebels’ run to the 2009 AT&T Cotton Bowl Championship, was recently honored with a Telly Award for its outstanding production.
A film by Ole Miss Sports Productions, "One Heartbeat" provides a game-by-game look at the Rebels' improbable turnaround from being winless in the SEC to rising among the nation's top teams. The DVD contains exclusive bonus features, interviews with some of the stars of the Rebels'aign 2008 camp and a glance back at Grove Bowl 2008.
The film was produced by Ole Miss Sports Productions, and J. Stern as served Executive Producer and Writer. Raphael Henry was the Principle Videographer, while Shane Sanford edited and produced the film. Lance Stewart served as the Co-Writer.
Founded in 1978, the Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions. The Telly Awards is a widely known and highly respected national and international competition and receives over 13,000 entries annually from all 50 states and many foreign countries.
Other winners include productions from: ESPN, General Motors, Golf Channel, NASA, NBA Entertainment, Outdoor Channel, PBS, PGA Tour Productions, Sports Illustrated, The Weather Channel, Time Life & Warner Bros.
(by http://www.olemisssports.com/)

Neil Caudle up for QB spot at Auburn

Neil Caudle, who finds himself the attention of the media now that he is really and truly competing for the starting quarterback job at Auburn.
Caudle, who'll be a fourth-year junior, is liking the summer workouts.
``In summer's past, I had little hope of playing going into two-a-days. It's definitely real uplifting to have a chance,'' he said.
He and Kodi Burns have the best chance, but there are a lot of contenders , seven quarterbacks roaming the practice fields in seven-on-seven drills and the players' own version of a mini-camp.

Freshman Mike Edwards likes the Competition at UT

Mike Edwards is ready to prove he belongs at the University of Tennessee.
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound cornerback from Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio, will begin summer classes and workouts at UT today.
Edwards said his high school success won’t mean anything when he begins his UT career.
“I haven’t done anything yet,” he said. “I feel like me coming down there, I’m just another person that’s trying to succeed in football. I have to work harder than I’ve ever worked in my life.”
Edwards knows he’ll have to work hard to earn playing time in UT’s crowded defensive backfield.
He is one of five defensive backs signed in 2009, joining Eric Gordon, Janzen Jackson, Darren Myles and Nyshier Oliver.
Marsalis Teague, another 2009 signee, could see time at defensive back if UT’s staff decides he’s better suited to play defense than offense.
Edwards said the competition among the incoming defensive backs should make everyone better.
The SEC Rocks!

McNair Dies

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair, who led the famous Tennessee Titans' drive that came a yard short of forcing overtime in the 2000 Super Bowl, was found dead Saturday with multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the head. Police said a pistol was discovered near the body of a woman also shot dead in a downtown condominium.
Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron identified the woman as Sahel Kazemi, whom he called a "friend" of McNair's. She had a single gunshot wound to the head.
Police said the 36-year-old McNair was found on the sofa in the living room, and Kazemi was very close to him on the floor. Aaron said the gun was not "readily apparent" when police first arrived.
Autopsies were planned for Sunday.
You were a great player McNair.
(by sports.espn.go.com)

PEYBACK in Knoxville

Peyton Manning and his PeyBack Foundation recently raised $40,000 in Knoxville. The money raised will stay in the Knoxville/East Tennessee area through the Foundation's annual grant program and various holiday programs for youth based organizations.

The PeyBack Foundation, a public non-profit corporation, was established by Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning in 1999 to promote the future success of disadvantaged youth by assisting programs that provide leadership, growth and opportunities for children at risk in Tennessee, Indiana and Louisiana. The Foundation has donated more than $3 million since its inception.Happy 4Th of July and The SEC ROCKS!!!

To learn more about the PeyBack Foundation and its programs, please visit www.peytonmanning.com.

(by www.utsports.com)

Interview with Prince Miller

Making 10 starts last year as a junior, Prince Miller is looking to leave his mark on the UGA football program. Coming in at sixth in the Southeastern Conference for total defense last year, Miller feels that they have something to prove. This is the second installment of a series of “Catching up” with current Bulldogs.


Q: What have been some areas in your game that you have been working to improve this summer?

Miller: We’ve all been working really hard this offseason. It has been the toughest summer since I have been here. Everyone is focused and has the same goals and we are working hard to attain those goals.

Q: Is any certain teammate stepping up in a leadership role? Or is it more of a team-wide responsibility?

Miller: Obviously Joe Cox is our leader, but on the offensive side you also have Shaun Chapas who has really stepped up. Then on defense, you have Rennie Curran and Akeem Dent that have stepped up into leadership roles.



Q: Yourself and Bryan Evans are the only returning seniors in the defensive secondary. What are you seeing out of the second-year guys (Brandon Boykin, Sanders Commings, Bacarri Rambo, Makiri Pugh etc.)?



Miller: Well, Reshad (Jones) has been here for a while; he might as well be a senior. But those younger guys are coming along really well and doing a good job. We expect those guys to play and do a good job for us.



Q: What are your impressions of Branden Smith and Jordan Love?



Miller: Both are very skilled but just need some work and to get fully into the system. Branden and Jordan are both great athletes and are doing a great job right now.

Q: Last summer there was the pressure of being ranked preseason No. 1. This year’s team comes in slightly lower ranked. What kind of difference does it make not having that added pressure?



Miller: Having the sense of being the underdog is pushing guys to work that much harder. People are saying that we are flying under the radar; we want to take that and run with it. It just makes us want to push each other that much harder.

Q: So do you think the underdog role is the main reason everyone is working harder?

Miller: That is a reason, but I think guys are starting to realize that a 10-win season isn’t good enough anymore. We all want to win SEC and national championships.

Q: How has going up against a top-notch wide receiver like A.J. Green in practice helped you?

Miller: It brings the best out of you every time you step on the field. You have to be prepared and if you’re not, he is going to make you look like a fool. It definitely helps your confidence when you know you go up against one of the best in the country everyday.



Q: What are your thoughts on traveling to Stillwater, Okla., to play a preseason

top-10 Oklahoma State team in the season opener?


Miller: We will definitely be prepared for a dogfight. Obviously they are a good team and will be ranked pretty high. They have at least three great players on the offensive side of the ball. We will be prepared and will give it our best shot.

Q: What do you feel will be some of the strong points on this team?

Miller: That’s exactly it; it’s a team. We don’t have that star factor this year. We know it is going to take a full team effort every game to go out there and get the job done.


Q: Returning everyone from last year’s defense, and getting Jeff Owens back from injury, Georgia has a lot of experience. What can everyone expect from the defense this year?


Miller: The defense is getting back to that Georgia style of defense, especially with getting Jeff (Owens) back. Having guys like Jeff, Geno Atkins and Kade Weston up the middle is great for us, especially our defensive ends. Getting everyone back is huge, we need to focus on getting pressure on the quarterback.

Q: Many fans are wondering about the defensive end situation. What are you seeing out of the guys at that position?

Miller: There is a lot of potential. They have gotten more experience and are healthier now than they have been in a while.

Q: Being one of the punt returners last season, you provided the team and fans with excitement, knowing that you could take it all the way at any moment. What do you think makes one a successful punt returner?

Miller: Well, Coach Jon Fabris always says you got to have ice water in your veins. You take the risk of taking one the distance or getting your head taken off because you were so risky and just wanted to make a play.


Q: Is there anything in closing that you would like to say to the Bulldog Nation?



Miller: We were obviously disappointed with the way the season went last year. We are working hard to correct those things and we are looking forward to a great season.
Courtesy: Tyler Duffey
(by www.georgiadogs.com)

GATORS to Spend $5.5 million on new Scoreboards

Soon, watching Tim Tebow barrel through defenders will be crystal clear.
After two years of discussion, the University Athletic Association has finally jumped on board with some of the elite football programs around the country by installing new video boards at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium that will feature high-definition-like quality.
Florida Associate Athletics Director of External Affairs Mike Hill said the two new Daktronics HD-16 scoreboards will technically not be HD because the screens will be too small to support the correct resolution, but assures the picture will be similar.

"Anybody who sees the boards will be convinced that it's HD because the resolution is absolutely spectacular," Hill said.

"Fans will notice that right off the bat when they attend their first game. It was tested here and I think everyone who saw it was absolutely blown away by the quality of the boards."

Hill said the idea to replace The Swamp's scoreboards was originally discussed after the South End Zone scoreboard started to falter after 11 years.
Hill, who spearheaded the project, traveled around the country to test and view some of the most high-tech and up-to-date scoreboards. Hill said he came away most impressed with Oklahoma and Auburn's video boards and made the decision to go with the HD-16 model. The SEC Rocks!

Shake-up at Auburn

The dismissal of three defensive players has led to a secondary shakeup at Auburn.
That meant a return move from receiver to cornerback,for Harry Adams.

“I knew it was going to happen, what the situation was,” the sophomore said. “If they needed me over there, I’m going to go over there and help the team – no if’s, and’s or but’s about it.”

Adams admitted that he preferred offense to defense. Once Aairon Savage sustained an Achilles injury that will likely keep him sidelined all season, Adams said he knew the move was coming.
The move became more imminent once safety Christian Thompson was kicked off the team last week. As a result, cornerback T’Sharvan Bell moved to safety.
At that point, defensive coordinator Ted Roof called Adams in for a meeting. The SEC Rocks!

Michael Bowman has been approved by the NCAA

BamaOnline.com is reporting today that Alabama wide receiver signee Michael Bowman has academically qualified and been approved by the NCAA Clearinghouse in time to enroll for second summer session classes at UA.
Bowman will reportedly join Gadsden cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick as a late summer enrollee. Kirkpatrick, like Bowman, was held up by late academic hurdles.
That leaves Louisiana signees Eddie Lacy (running back) and Darrington Sentimore (defensive lineman) as the Crimson Tide's known remaining academic question marks. Clay-Chalkville lineman Quinton
Dial has already said he will attend junior college in the fall. The SEC Rocks!