Vols have a lot of catching up to do in recruiting

Prospects can watch tape of
Derek Dooley's teams at Louisiana Tech but before they see him at least direct a practice, they won't have much of a grasp on his coaching style.
UT has some ground to make up with its third coach in little more than a year. The Vols haven't yet secured a commitment for the 2011 class. UT once had three highly touted 2011 prospects, but coaching changes caused them all to de-commit.
A ranking of where the other SEC schools stand as spring begins:
1. LSU: The Tigers have nine commitments. All are from Louisiana.
You Vols fans know one well: Defensive tackle Anthony Johnson from O. Perry Walker High School in New Orleans was once a UT commitment, but changed his mind shortly after Frank Wilson left UT for LSU.
Johnson is a player to watch. He's likely the top prospect in Louisiana and one of the best in the region, if not the nation.
2. Alabama: The Crimson Tide have four commitments for 2011 thanks to two February pledges: junior college defensive end Quinton Dial and linebacker Shannon Brown.
No surprise, three of Bama's four commitments are from within its borders. What with a national championship, Bama should do well in-state.
3. Georgia: The Bulldogs are off to a strong start, with four commitments for 2011, all are from the Peach State, go Dawgs!
Offensive lineman David Andrews, linebacker Amarlo Herrera, defensive back Corey Moore and athlete Chris Sanders should give fretting Georgia fans something to feel good about.
4. Arkansas : After a disappointing close to the 2010 class, the Razorbacks are hoping to muster some momentum. Three commitments for the 2011 class helps.
Junior college defensive lineman Robert Thomas should contribute this season. Quarterback Brandon Allen and Demetrius Dean from Fayetteville (Ark.) High School provide a foundation from just down the road.
5. Mississippi State : The Bulldogs are offering scholarships early, as evident by their four commitments. At least two of those pledges seem like marginal SEC prospects.
The early highlight for State is linebacker C.J. Johnson from Philadelphia, Miss. Johnson is one of the top linebackers in the region and held scholarship offers from most every school in the SEC, including UT.
6. Auburn: The excitement around Auburn's 2010 class helped it land two 2011 prospects in the days before National Signing Day: junior college defensive back Izauea Lanier and offensive lineman Spencer Region (6-foot-6 and 330 pounds).
7. Florida : While the Gators' 2010 class seemed to rally around ailing coach Urban Meyer and his uncertain future, 2011 prospects are taking a wait-and-see approach.
Florida has only two early commitments, well below what one would expect from such a talent-rich state and championship-contending program.
8. Kentucky : The Wildcats don't seem to be suffering a setback from their coaching transition. Of course, former head coach-in-waiting Joker Phillips provides plenty of stability.
The Cats have commitments from Louisville athlete Jon Davis and Lexington offensive lineman Darrian Miller.
9. (tie) UT/Vanderbilt/Ole Miss/South Carolina : Four SEC schools don't have a public commitment.
The Rebels' futility is disappointing for a school with such a strong in-state talent base.
The same can be said for South Carolina. One has to wonder when Steve Spurrier's coaching future , or lack thereof, begins to hurt the Gamecocks' recruiting. Call it the Bobby Bowden effect.
It's not unusual for Vanderbilt to start slow. Coach Bobby Johnson is used to selling that program all year long.
It's hard to knock UT's recruiting. The Vols didn't just undergo a coaching change in January; they underwent a total philosophy change. But then again this is SEC, and it Rocks!

Shepard embracing new 'Percy' role at LSU

Russell Shepard, the most heralded recruit in LSU's 2009 recruiting class , has officially moved from quarterback to wide receiver.
Shepard played a little bit of receiver, running back and Wildcat QB last season, but he's begun the process of converting full-time to his new position without having to split time learning "the whole quarterback playbook as well as the whole receiver playbook as well as the whole running back playbook."
Thus far, and with a big assist from new position coach Billy Gonzalez, Shepard feels the transition is going well.
"I feel like I'm already a better player," Shepard said. "He brings a lot of things from those Florida teams with Percy Harvin. Percy is the dude I idolize, and I really want to get my game just like that. He (Gonzales) put pressure on me. He said, 'I see things in you that Percy had, and I feel like you can do it. It's your chance.' He challenged me to be a great player."
The NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year wasn't the only ex-Gator invoked by Shepard. The sophomore said several people, including his father, were against the switch from QB to receiver.
However, after seeing what Tim Tebow's going through -- with everyone and anyone questioning his ability to play the position at the next level -- they've come to agree with Shepard. This is likely the best move for not his getting on the field and helping his school right now, but also for his future NFL prospects.

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Vanderbilt hires Mike Pelton as defensive ends coach

Mike Pelton, a former assistant coach at Iowa State and Troy, has been hired by Vanderbilt as a football defensive ends coach.
Pelton, 38, replaces former linebackers coach Warren Belin, who recently left to join Georgia's staff. Bruce Fowler, the assistant head coach in charge of defense, will add the role of linebackers coach to his duties. Rick Logo remains the defensive line coach.
"I'm really pleased to join the Vanderbilt football program and get a chance to work with such a great staff of defensive coaches," said Pelton, a former linebacker and defensive lineman at Auburn in the 1990s.
"I've also heard so many great things about Coach Johnson, both as a coach and person, that I'm looking forward to growing that relationship. Having played my football in the Southeastern Conference, I'm also ecstatic about coaching in the nation's best conference."
Pelton’s most recent stint in college football, a two-year tenure as defensive line coach at Iowa State, ended in 2008 when former Iowa State Coach Gene Chizik accepted the Auburn position.
"I believe Mike is going to a fantastic addition to our defensive staff," Johnson said. "Mike has exhibited impressive knowledge during the interview process, has strong recommendations, and has worked effectively with members of our staff. He’s going to be a tremendous asset."
Pelton’s defensive lines at Iowa State were an area of strong improvement during the Chizik Era. In 2007, Pelton’s unit helped the Cyclones' rush defense jump from 12th to sixth in the Big 12 Conference.
Pelton also mentored a pair of All-Big 12 second-team selections at Iowa State: nose guard Ahtyba Rubin and defensive end Kurtis Taylor. Rubin just finished his second year as a starter at tackle for the Cleveland Browns after being selected in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL draft.

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Georgia Bulldogs get barked at from new coaches

Todd Grantham finally got a chance to get his new players onto the practice field Thursday after seeing them in off-season conditioning workouts and schooling them on the 3-4 scheme he's installing at Georgia.
On the first day of spring practice, his players certainly heard plenty from the Bulldogs new defensive coordinator, who spent 11 seasons coaching in the NFL.
"You can tell he came from the league," safety Nick Williams said. "You can tell he's used to coaching grown men, too."
Walk-on linebacker Candler Cook got an earful from Grantham in one drill early in practice.
"Where are you going?" Grantham barked as a ball-carrier zipped by. "What are you doing? You've got to chase the guy."
Even the little things got to Grantham, one of three new defensive assistants who worked their first practice.
When he didn't like the way his players broke a huddle, he made them do it again.
"They're all like that," said head coach Mark Richt, who added three new defensive coaches to the staff in the off-season. "They all get after it pretty good, but we want our coaches to be demanding and guys respond when coaches are assertive. He certainly showed he can be that."
"I got a chance to walk around the field a little bit and observe our new coaches do their job," Richt said. "I thought they were locked in and they were very decisive about what they were doing."

Ex-Vols Hardesty impresses NFL scouts with combine numbers

Among running backs, the 6-foot, 225-pound Hardesty was first in the vertical and broad jump, third in the cone run, 20-yard and 60-yard shuttle and sixth in the 40-yard dash (4.49 seconds).
“All my personal goals that I had set for myself, I pretty much surpassed them,” said Hardesty, who lamented that his 40 time wasn’t a bit faster but was pleased with his above average broad jump.
“I had some good drills, showing them that I was explosive,” he said.
Even though the 40 time rated lower than his other performances, it may be the one that proved most to NFL scouts, who were concerned about his speed. Pass-catching drills also were a plus.
“I wanted to show that I could run with the smaller backs and that I also have great hands out of the backfield,” Hardesty said.
Despite a deep draft for running backs, NFL draft analyst Michael Lombardi of The National Football Post said Hardesty stood out.
“Ultimately, he’s alerted people that he’s a really talented player,” Lombardi said. “He can put his foot in the ground. He can make moves. He can burst off of cuts.”
Lombardi said Hardesty has proven he’s a “three-play back,” that he can pass protect, catch the ball and run.

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Saban takes a jab at 'University of Auburn'

Alabama coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide football team took the court at halftime of today's basketball game to accept the Foy-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy for November's Iron Bowl victory at Auburn.
With players Mark Ingram, Javier Arenas and Marcell Dareus standing near him, Saban addressed the crowd before the Auburn SGA President took part in singing the Alabama fight song, honoring the annual tradition.
"This is a very special honor for us to receive this award today and it think this game sort of epitomized the kind of football team we had this year," Saban told the crowd, "the way we had to come back. ... What we were able to accomplish this year, we hope it's not the end but the beginning."
The Tide's coach also (intentionally or not) gave a subtle dig to the state rival, saying during his address that "We also have a tremendous amount of respect for the University of Auburn."
The school's name, of course, is Auburn University. Way to go, Nick.

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Tebow gets private sessions with Gruden

Tim Tebow decided to skip throwing at the NFL Scouting Combine, while he works on improving his throwing motion. Wait for it, aren't college coaches supposed to help you with this? Who better to help him than a guy who spent a good chunk of his career collecting quarterbacks in nearby Tampa. Tebow spent yesterday working with for Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden, going through a private workout session at Gruden's office at Carrollwood High School. Gruden has already had sessions with Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen, with Texas' Colt McCoy scheduled for a visit later this month. "I love quarterbacks and today I had a blast," Gruden said. "How can you not root for Tim Tebow? He's a courageous, competitive, play-making, undeniable force. I think he's going to be a success." Get this, an ESPN crew has been filming all the workout sessions for a special hour-long feature the network will show before the NFL draft, surprised,anyone?

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SEC and others to finally get HD in replay booths

High-definition televisions are coming to instant replay this football season in three or four conferences, including the SEC.David Parry, the national coor­dinator of football officials, said the Big Ten, Big 12 and possibly the ACC will be the others."I think it's a good move," Parry said. "Sometimes a guy at home with high definition was getting a better view of replay than the guy in the stadium at the booth."Parry estimated the cost to in­stall high-definition TVs at $40,000 to $50,000 per school. "It's quite expensive," he said.Instant replay, as usual, was heavily discussed at a national meeting last month with confer­ence officiating supervisors. Sev­eral replay rulings across the country drew criticism last sea­son, including one near the con­clusion of the Alabama-LSU game.The NCAA rulebook states a ruling may be reversed only if there is "indisputable video evi­dence," a phrase that can be in­terpreted differently depending on the person in the booth."This is a gray area, no doubt," Parry said. "Sometimes guys in the booth get very nit-picky and that usually gets us in trouble. (The review) takes a long time and you say, 'How can it be in­disputable if it takes three min­utes?' "
In other news, we can expect referees to get even more in the way of football, when they begin calling unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that will nullify touchdowns. If a player starts "high-stepping" or "prancing" into the endzone at the 15-yard-line, it'll cost his team a touchdown. "I'm sure there will be a time or two when it gets called and someone says that's technical and really splitting hairs," Parry said. "But at the same time, if it cleans up some of the acts we've seen, it's probably worth it." S..., So there it is!

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UGA QB competition commences

Spring practice No. 1 was in the books for the Georgia football team, so the question for Logan Gray at the much-watched quarterback position: Who is starting based on the first day?

Logan Gray took the first set of first-team snaps, but the reps were divided equally amongst Gray, Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger. Head coach Mark Richt seemed pleased with how his inexperienced QBs handled their first day of competition.
"We actually threw and caught the ball a little bit better than we normally do on a first day," Richt said. "It wasn't so much in one-on-one and pass skeleton, but just in routes on air. Sometimes that very first day when you get started you look rusty, but they looked like they've been getting a little work in on their own."
As redshirt freshmen, Murray , the early favorite for the job, and Mettenberger were not made available to the media. Gray was, however, and said that offensive coordinator Mike Bobo was simply looking for the position to steadily progress throughout the spring.
"He thought at Georgia that all the quarterbacks have always done a good job of going out and competing, but still finding the right medium of helping each other out, cheering each other on and realizing that everybody that's competing out here is on the team," Gray said. "The main goal is to win games."

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Snow Joins UK Football Staff

Hey we are playing, catch up for you Kentucky fans(sorry). Clifford Snow, a veteran football administrator and coach, is the new director of football operations at Kentucky, Coach Joker Phillips has announced.
Snow will assist Phillips in all football administration duties, as well as serving as the liaison to compliance, academics and other university areas. He also is responsible for team travel, coordinating clinics, preseason training camp, football budget and supervising the football support staff.
Snow comes to UK from East Carolina, where he served in the same position for the last five seasons. Prior to ECU, he spent six years as the director of football operations and special assistant to the head coach at South Carolina.
“I worked with Clifford when we were together at South Carolina (in the 2002 season) and he was director of football operations for Coach (Lou) Holtz,” Phillips said. “I really like his organizational skills. No job was too big for him and no job was too small. I'm glad he's a part of ‘Operation Win.'”
A native of Bristol, Conn., Snow played defensive back at Central Connecticut State, earning his bachelor's and master's degrees in biology. After graduation, he spent three and one-half years as a biological research technician, studying Lyme disease. At the same time, he began his coaching career as an assistant coach for four seasons at The Gilbert School in Winsted, Conn. He then moved to Windsor (Conn.) HS, spending four seasons as an assistant and before being elevated to head coach for three years.
Snow entered the collegiate ranks on Skip Holtz' staff at the University of Connecticut, where he coached the defensive line from 1995-98 and added the duties of recruiting coordinator in his last season. UConn's best season came in 1998, when the Huskies went 10-3 and made their first appearance in the Division I-AA playoffs, advancing to the second round.
Snow transitioned to administration in 1999 when he went to South Carolina, leading to his subsequent roles at East Carolina and Kentucky. At UK, he replaces Steve Hellyer, who is retiring from his post.

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Tee Martin Joins UK Football Staff

We were partaking of lunch at Captain Woody's in Bluffton, SC, and I saw a guitar with the UK insignia and painted in the hue of blue. A moment pasted and I said to the staff, what's up with UK, nobody has covered! So, here it is, (better late than never) Tee Martin, former National Football League quarterback and national championship QB at Tennessee, is the new wide receivers coach at Kentucky, Coach Joker Phillips has announced.
“Tee has a great ability to relate and communicate with young people,” Phillips said. “I had a chance to watch him coach (current Wildcat) Matt Roark in high school and I was impressed with how he handled himself. I think he'll be a tremendous asset in recruiting. He is very well-known in Atlanta and other areas in the South.”
Martin comes to UK from the University of New Mexico, where he was quarterbacks coach during the 2009 season. Under Martin's guidance, Lobo QB Donovan Porterie threw for 2,411 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Prior to UNM, Martin was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at North Atlanta High School in the 2008 season. He was the QB coach and passing game coordinator at North Cobb High School (Kennesaw, Ga.) in 2007, helping the Warriors to a 10-1 record in the Class AAAAA ranks. Roark was the team's senior quarterback that year and he completed 72.1 percent of his passes for 1,552 yards and 15 touchdowns. Roark was the Cobb County Player of the Year and honorable-mention all-state by the Georgia Sportswriters Association and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Martin also has been a coach for the Elite 11 Quarterback Camps (2007-08), Nike football training camps (2007-08) and the Nike Combine Tour (2008). He has mentored and evaluated more than 1,000 quarterbacks, including more than 30 Division I signees. He also created the “Dual Threat” Quarterback Camp and Academy in Atlanta in 2008.

Gamecocks Begin Spring Practice

The 2010 edition of the University of South Carolina football squad took the field for the first time on Thursday afternoon as spring drills got underway in Columbia. The team worked out for about two hours in helmets and shorts at the Bluff Road practice fields. It was the squad's only practice before a week's hiatus for spring break.
"We thought some of the young guys like Connor Shaw, DeMario Bennett and Demario Jeffery could benefit from practice and give them something to think about over the spring break week," said head coach Steve Spurrier of getting in the one practice prior to the break. "That was the reason we did that."
Senior fullback Patrick DiMarco saw some action at tight end on Thursday, something that he may see more of as the year progresses. "He looked pretty good in there. This will give him a chance to get on the field more."
Coach Spurrier seemed to be impressed with his first look at Shaw, a true freshman quarterback. "The ball comes out of his hand pretty nicely as you guys could see today. He's got a quick throw. He got a lot of snaps and he'll continue to get a lot of snaps."
Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was absent from the first practice. "Alshon had a little academic issue. He missed a class so he had to miss a practice. He should be here the rest of them."
Brian Maddox was the strongest Gamecock, pound for pound, according to Coach Spurrier. "A lot of guys improved and really did well," said the Head Ball Coach.
Coach Spurrier was asked about his thoughts on new offensive line coach Shawn Elliott. "He's a typical O-Line coach. He gets in there with them. He's intense and is about what I expected. He's got an excellent reputation. His guys play well. So we're expecting our guys to play better."
The Gamecocks will take next week off for the University's spring break. The next scheduled practice is Tuesday, March 16 at 7 p.m.

VOL's recruiting buzz? Georgia, offensive linemen

"Georgia" and "offensive linemen" figure to be frequent buzz words for Tennessee's 2011 recruiting class.
"Georgia" because the state is key to any rebuilding project for the Vols. It also should be well covered by new UT coach
Derek Dooley and assistant Lance Thompson, who have strong ties throughout the state.
Credit Thompson with bridging the gap between former coach
Lane Kiffin and Dooley. Of the 25 prospects UT signed in 2010, Thompson was involved in the recruitment of at least 10 of them.
"Offensive linemen" is the other term that will be heard quite frequently between now and signing day in February. The reason is obvious: UT needs offensive linemen.
UT signed four offensive linemen in 2010, but there's still a need for more.
The two terms will be used together throughout this recruiting season. As usual, Georgia has some of the top offensive line prospects in the region, led by Watts Dantzler.
The massive 6-foot-7, 310-pound offensive tackle from Dalton High School recently set the recruiting world on it's ear when he named his top five schools: Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
"A lot of people just kept asking me what my top five was," Dantzler said. "I was tired of answering that so I put those out."
Those five are far from permanent. Dantzler still plans to visit North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest in April with his family. He said any of those schools could raid his top grouping.
Those five schools have certainly put themselves in fine position. They have already hosted Dantzler for on-campus visits. He was in Knoxville for the 2008 Alabama game and last season's Western Kentucky game.
"It's a pretty campus," Dantzler said. "The fan support is great. The stadium was really loud. The facilities were great. The indoor facility was great. It was one of the best I've seen."
Certainly, the Vols will have to battle the Bulldogs to land Dantzler, whose father, Danny Dantzler, played offensive guard for Georgia. Dantzler's mother also attended Georgia.
If Georgia can be overcome, then UT, led by Dooley and Thompson, may be the team to do it. Dantzler didn't seem fazed by UT's recent coaching volatility.
"I guess with any team, it could have a bad year and changes could be made," said Dantzler, who plans to announce his college decision on Nov. 16, his birthday. "That's something you just have to adapt with whatever team you play for."
As for the other schools topping his list, Dantzler said he's fond of Auburn coach Gene Chizik, thinks Alabama has one of the loudest stadiums he's ever seen and a proven coach with Nick Saban and appreciates the future that a Vanderbilt education can provide.
With 18 offers, Dantzler has plenty of options. Although, Dantzler isn't the only highly thought of offensive lineman in Georgia. Alan Posey from Clarke Central High in Athens is also considering UT, along with Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Clemson and Maryland.
However, Posey isn't talking about recruiting after a local newspaper allegedly "twisted his words".
"But I will say one thing," the 6-6, 305-pounder said, "I'm high on Tennessee."

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UGA looking for 'quick' change from 4-3 to 3-4

Spring practice officially gets underway today in Athens(Gamecocks also made the jump), although the first practice will also be the only one until March 16. Georgia’s coaches have plenty they want to accomplish during what will no doubt be one of the most intriguing springs of the Mark Richt era. What with an open battle at quarterback, new coaches on defense and a 8-5 past season.
There are five major story lines to follow before Georgia wraps up its spring work at G-Day on April 10.
The quarterback battle. The coaching staff insists it’s a wide-open competition to replace departed senior Joe Cox, while most fans and pundits seem to think redshirt freshman Aaron Murray has the clear upper hand over fellow redshirt freshman Zach Mettenberger and rising junior Logan Gray. Regardless, the Bulldogs will go to battle with a first-year starter at QB for the second year in a row, and with 10 other offensive starters returning from last year’s unit, the pressure will be on whoever wins the job to produce immediately.
“The way we’re viewing it going into the spring is it’s wide open,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “There is not a clear-cut No. 1 going into the spring. Logan Gray will take the first reps with the No. 1 offense, but we’re planning on rotating all three, and giving all three equal amount of looks with the first group.”
Moving to the 3-4. With three new coaches on the defensive side of the ball, change was inevitable. But new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham also brings a new scheme — the 3-4 set, which employs three defensive linemen and four linebackers rather than the other way around. That has meant a number of position changes for players, with ends moving to outside linebacker and tackles moving to end, plus plenty of new responsibilities for each player to learn. Several of the Bulldogs’ veterans think the transition shouldn’t be too drastic though, and linebacker Marcus Dowtin promises a quick adjustment.
“You’ll see, it’s going to be quick,” Dowtin said. “The defense is not that hard. We’re getting our plays in a section at a time, and we’re going over it in detail. Guys are working together to relate it back to some of the terms and coverages we used to run. Any similarity we find or that Coach Grantham identifies, we try to spread it around to all the other guys and make sure everybody understands.”
Stay healthy. A year ago, Georgia entered spring practice battered and bruised following a season that included nearly two-dozen season-ending injuries. This spring, things are looking a bit better, with only a handful of reserves scheduled to miss action and no recent surgeries for trainers to keep their eyes on. Still, Richt said he hasn’t yet determined just how cautious he’ll be when it comes to contact during the spring.
“We want to stay healthy and that will be addressed as far as how we get after each other in the spring,” Richt said. “We’re trying to find the right mix because you want to be great at tackling, great at cut blocking, but you also want to stay as healthy as you possibly can.”
Changes in the secondary. Three-fourths of Georgia’s defensive backfield will be new in 2010, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Bulldogs will take a big step back. Georgia finished 11th in the SEC in pass-efficiency defense last year (and 73rd nationally), so there’s room for improvement. Still, those improvement will have to come from a few unproven players. Rising sophomore Branden Smith got some action as a reserve last year and is the favorite to step in for Prince Miller at corner. Junior college transfer Jakar Hamilton has already created some buzz at safety, and could serve as a replacement for the departed Reshad Jones. Bacarri Rambo looks like the front runner to step in for Bryan Evans at the other safety position, but if Quintin Banks can stay healthy this spring, he could push for some reps, too.
“I believe that we’re going to get more interceptions this year,” Smith said. “Last year, we didn’t get that many picks, and I believe it was the scheme we were in. The scheme we’re in now, it seems like something everybody’s looking forward to.”
The Big next step. Georgia got plenty of production from freshmen and redshirt freshmen on both sides of the ball, but bigger things will be expected across the board in 2010. Washaun Ealey led the Bulldogs in rushing with 717 yards despite sitting out the first four games of the year. He’ll get a full year to toil in the backfield this time. Orson Charles showed immense promise at tight end, finishing third on the team in receptions and yards, but he needs to show he can handle a bit more of the burden in the blocking game. Abry Jones saw some snaps at defensive tackle a year ago, but he’ll likely be one of Georgia’s starting ends in the new 3-4 scheme, and players like Smith and Rambo will almost certainly see a lot more playing time in the secondary in 2010.

Gators' success doesn't Quite relate to NFL Impact

Most likely as a response to the grief Texas players take for under-performing in the NFL, the Houston Chronicle's Lance Zierlein took a look at all the Florida Gators drafted by NFL teams since 2001. The results are pretty surprising. To a man, nearly every pick (save maybe Alex Brown of the Bears) since 2001 out of Gainesville has been disappointing, up until Percy Harvin stopped the bleeding this season. The list of first and second round picks that amounted to nothing has been pretty staggering. He decided to go back and look at Florida players drafted within the first four rounds (typical rounds of impact) since 2001 and here is what he found. Yikes! (chop pix added for effect)
2001 Gerard Warren, DT - Browns (1st)Kenyatta Walker, OT - Bucs (1st)Jesse Palmer, QB - Giants (4th)Z-Report says: Warren wasn't a total bust but was a big disappointment as the 3rd pick of the draft for the Browns who passed on Richard Seymour for "Big Money" Warren. Warren only lasted four seasons with the Browns and was a bit of a problem in the locker room during his stay in Cleveland. Walker was unable to play left tackle, which is what he was drafted to play, so the Bucs switched him to right tackle. They ended up getting about 4th round value from Walker at best before he was cut in 2007. Buc fans would argue they got even less than that. Jesse Palmer is famous for dating a bunching of women on a reality show.
2002 Lito Sheppard, CB - Eagles (1st)Jabar Gaffney, WR - Texans (2nd)Mike Pearson, OT - Jaguars (2nd)Reche Caldwell, WR - Chargers (2nd)Jeff Chandler, PK - Niners (4th)Alex Brown, DE - Bears (4th)Z-Report says: Some scouts might argue that Sheppard has performed to a 2nd round value, but I would say that this was a pretty solid selection for the Eagles (even though he's not there anymore). Sheppard had two Pro Bowl appearances, but I will tell you in advance that Pro Bowl appearances mean much less to me than being named to an All Pro team. Gaffney was a major disappointment for the Texans who passed on Clinton Portis with the first pick of the 2nd round. Gaffney found some notoriety while Tom Brady was throwing to him, but overall, he's been just a guy. Pearson started for a couple of seasons with the Jaguars and then got hurt and never really made it back. He's currently playing in Canada. Reche Caldwell's best season came when Brady threw him 61 passes for 760 yards, but other than that, he's never had more than 28 catches or 352 yards receiving. You simply can't have 2nd rounders turn out like Caldwell and Pearson. Alex Brown, on the other hand, was a terrific value selection in the 4th round for the Bears as they focused less on his lack of size and more on his speed. He has had at least 6 sacks in five of his eight seasons all of which have come with the team who drafted him.
2003 Rex Grossman, QB - Bears (1st)Taylor Jacobs, WR - Redskins (2nd)Todd Johnson, CB - Bears (4th)Ian Scott, DT - Bears (4th)Z-Report says: I think we can all agree that Rex Grossman was a bust. Other than one season where he helped them get to the Super Bowl (and that is a pretty big deal, don't get me wrong), he had 10 TDs and 15 INTs in the other five years combined and he played in only 20 games during those five years thanks in large part to injuries. That's not exactly what I call first round money well spent. Because of the miss on Grossman, it has led to a chain reaction that eventually lead Chicago to make an expensive trade for Jay Cutler which got off to a rocky start last year. Jacobs only lasted three seasons with the Redskins and over his six year career had only 37 total catches with two TDs. That was a terrible miss by the Redskins. Johnson has been a serviceable pro during his stretch in the league and Scott was part of the defensive line rotation for the Bears during a stretch from 2003-2006. Both players were decent 4th round selections.
2004 Ben Troupe, TE - Titans (2nd)Keiwan Ratliff, S - Bengals (2nd)Max Starks, OT - Steelers (3rd)Guss Scott, S - Patriots (3rd)Z-Report says: Ben Troupe had his best years over the first two seasons in the league and then nothing after that. He is out of the league now at the ripe, old age of 27. Keiwan Ratliff was an early 2nd round selection and he was an average contributor for the Bengals over his first three seasons but since that time has turned into a journeyman. Ratliff played up to a 4th or 5th round grade during his time in the league in terms of his overall value. Max Starks has lost his job in the past and he's bounced from the right side to the left side but he got a chance to resurrect his career when Marvel Smith went out for the Steelers with an injury and Starks stepped in and did a decent job at LT. While Starks' play has been very average, he has two Super Bowl rings and has rang up two strong paydays in a row over the last two years. All in all, you can't really call this pick a miss. Gus Scott played two seasons in the league and that was it. That is disappointing for a 3rd round pick.
2005 Channing Crowder, LB - Dolphins (3rd)Ciatrick Faison, RB - Vikings (4th)Z-Report says: Crowder slipped to the 3rd round over concerns regarding his character, but overall, he's been a pretty solid player for the Dolphins. Faison had only 50 carries over his two year run in the NFL and averaged just 3.2 yards per carry. He is out of the league.
2006 Chad Jackson, WR - Patriots (2nd)Z-Report Says: The Patriots liked Jackson so much that they traded their 2nd (52nd overall) and a 3rd rounder to move up to the Packers No. 36 spot to take him. Jackson was hampered with a bad hamstring throughout his rookie season with the Patriots and tore his ACL in the 2006 AFC championship game. Since 2006, Jackson has played in six games and has one catch. Jackson was out of football in 2009.
2007 Jarvis Moss, DE - Broncos (1st)Reggie Nelson, FS - Jaguars (1st)Ray McDonald, DE - Niners (3rd)Marcus Thomas, DT - Broncos (4th)Joe Cohen, DT - Niners (4th)Z-Report says: The Broncos traded up to the 17th pick of the draft in order to take Moss. Despite concerns about Moss' weakness against the run, the Broncos were hoping to get a great pass rusher in Moss. Instead, Moss has a total of 3.5 sacks over his three years in the NFL and he doesn't appear to be a very good fit in Denver's new 3-4 scheme. Reggie Nelson was a guy who I really liked in the 2007 draft, but boy was I wrong. Oh yeah, the Jaguars were wrong too. The first rounder has steadily regressed since his rookie season and his poor tackling has become a major issue. There is a good chance that Nelson will be cut by the Jaguars this season. Ray McDonald has been a rotation player for the 49'ers and while he hasn't had the impact or become the starter that the team had hoped for, I wouldn't call him a bust. Marcus Thomas was basically another Gerard Warren only he slipped in the draft due to several issues he had during his time at Florida. Thomas has played every game for the Broncos and is a backup NT. While he has disappointed relative to his talent, he isn't a disappointment relative to the round where he was drafted. Cohen failed to latch on with the 49er's, Dolphins or Raiders but played in seven games last year and notched his first NFL sack. It's safe to say he was a 4th round miss, but he was the 135th pick of the draft so that isn't that big a deal.
2008 Derrick Harvey, DE - Jaguars (1st)Andre Caldwell, WR - Bengals (3rd)Z-Report says: Jaguars GM, Gene Smith, calls this year a "defining year" for Harvey which means he hasn't done crap so far. Harvey was drafted with the 8th pick of the draft in order to shore up the pass rushing issues the Jaguars have had, but he managed only 4 sacks his rookie season and just 2 this year. It is too early to pass judgment on Harvey, but it is safe to say he is off to a slow start at best. Caldwell was a late 3rd rounder by the Bengals, but he had a solid second season last year logging 51 catches for 432 yards and three TDs.
2009 Percy Harvin, WR - Vikings (1st)Louis Murphy, WR - Raiders (4th)Z-Report says: Unless Harvin's "character concerns" creep up on him, he should be a very good NFL player. There is nothing on the field that leads me to believe that he will regress from what we saw this year. As for Murphy, he had a very good rookie season as a 4th rounder. Murphy averaged 15.3 yards per catch and had four TDs. So, The SEC still Rocks...Right?

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Nix's Ole Miss loyalty earns DC big pay bump

The Clarion-Ledger obtained the salaries of the Ole Miss assistant football coaching staff, and we find that defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix has earned a big pay bump.
After receiving interest from other schools, foremost, Florida, Nix’s contract was extended through 2012 and is now worth $500,000 per year. That makes him the highest paid assistant coach in the state of Mississippi. He’s easily the highest paid coach on the Ole Miss staff, other than head coach Houston Nutt, who will make about $2.6 million in 2010.
Also of note, we find that offensive coordinator Dave Rader signed a two-year contract worth $275,000 per year. That’s slightly less than what former OC Kent Austin was making. Here’s the contracts for the other assistants.
OL/AHC Mike Markuson, 3 years, $320,000 per year
DL Terry Price, 2 years, $230,000 per year
ST/TE James Shibest, 1 year, $185,000
RB Derrick Nix, 1 year, $175,000
DB Kim Dameron, 1 year, $160,000
DB/Recruting Coordinator Chris Vaughn, 1 year, $160,000
WR Ron Dickerson, 1 year, $100,000
In total, the Ole Miss assistant coaching staff will cost more than $2.1 million in 2010. The school has committed about $4.2 million to the staff through 2012. Just as, Ole Miss athletic director Pete Boone loves to say, the “price of poker” continues to rise. Indeed it does. The SEC Rocks!

Steve Spurrier still trying to build South Carolina into SEC champion

When Steve Spurrier took over at South Carolina, the big question was; When would he turn the Gamecocks into SEC champions? Five years in, and we are still waiting. So will he? "I knew the South Carolina job was not going to be an easy one to get to the top," Spurrier said recently at ESPN The Weekend. "We're sort of middle of the pack, maybe a little above middle of the pack-type team. We've had winning records, and we've qualified for a bowl game but we've not really competed for the SEC championship game yet."But we've got hopes. We've get some new players coming in, got a few different coaches and we need to coach a little bit better and some guys need to play a lot better than we've played. we've got hopes it's going to get better." He has some renewed reason for optimism going into 2010. The Gamecocks landed one of the best players in the country when five-star running back Marcus Lattimore decided to stay home and play for South Carolina. Spurrier listed him as a player who had an opportunity to compete immediately. The biggest question still is the quarterback position and Stephen Garcia. The junior came in with plenty of fanfare out of Tampa, with hopes pinned on him to be the man to turn around the Gamecocks. But he has not really been THE MAN. Garcia has been in and out of legal trouble, and was suspended for the last two spring practices last year. He was the only quarterback on the roster last season, so Spurrier had no choice but to stick with him. Garcia threw for 2,862 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions but had a bad game in the papajohns.com Bowl against Connecticut, throwing for 129 yards and an interception in the loss. Spurrier talked about how Garcia needs to play with consistency, but then brought up two incoming freshmen, Connor Shaw, and Dylan Thompson, "Stephen should be able to hold his starting position, but I think last year was the only year I've ever coached where I had one quarterback and no matter what he did he stayed in the game," Spurrier said. "I still believe if a guy goes bad, you'd like to have someone else to put in." Remember, Spring practice starts this Thursday...take heed Steve!

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Gamecocks begin spring practice this week

South Carolina kicks off its spring practice on Thursday, about two weeks earlier than originally scheduled.
The Gamecocks' first practice is 3:30 p.m. Thursday. The team's 14 other sessions resume Tuesday, March 16, after the university's spring break.
All 15 of the spring practice sessions are open to the public.
Most practices take place at the Bluff Road practice fields, with scrimmages at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Spring practice concludes with the annual Garnet & Black Spring Game at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 10 at Williams-Brice Stadium. Admission is free.
People with cameras can shoot the first 15 minutes of each practice. After that, no still or video photography will be allowed.
Here are the practice dates and times currently scheduled (all dates and times subject to change):
--- Practice No. 1: Thursday, March 4, 3:30 p.m.
--- Practice No. 2: Tuesday, March 16, 7 p.m.
--- Practice No. 3: Friday, March 19, 4 p.m.
--- Practice No. 4: Saturday, March 20, 10 a.m. (Scrimmage)
--- Practice No. 5: Tuesday, March 23, 7 p.m.
--- Practice No. 6: Thursday, March 25, 7 p.m.
--- Practice No. 7: Friday, March 26, 4 p.m.
--- Practice No. 8: Saturday, March 27, 10 a.m. (Scrimmage)
--- Practice No. 9: Tuesday, March 30, 7 p.m.
--- Practice No. 10: Thursday, April 1, 7 p.m.
--- Practice No. 11: Friday, April 2, 4 p.m.
--- Practice No. 12: Tuesday, April 6, 7 p.m.
--- Practice No. 13: Wednesday, April 7, 7 p.m.
--- Practice No. 14: Friday, April 9, 4 p.m.
--- Practice No. 15: Saturday, April 10 (Garnet & Black Spring Game); 4 p.m.

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