UK's Randall Cobb picked in second round of NFL Draft by Green Bay

Former University of Kentucky football great Randall Cobb was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 2011 National Football League Draft on Friday night in Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Cobb becomes Kentucky’s highest selection since 2003 when defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson was taken in the first round by the New York Jets. Cobb will join another former Wildcat, punter Tim Masthay, on the team that won the 2011 Super Bowl. Cobb, who gave up his senior season of eligibility to enter the draft, played wide receiver, quarterback, punt returner, kickoff returner and placekick holder during his three seasons with the Wildcats. He earned first-team All-America honors in 2010 from The Associated Press, ESPN.com and SportsIllustrated.com. As a junior, Cobb caught 84 passes for 1,017 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for 424 yards and five touchdowns, throwing three touchdown passes and returning a punt for a TD. He broke the Southeastern Conference single-season record for all-purpose yardage by totaling 2,396 rushing, receiving and kick return yards. Despite playing only three seasons, Cobb set the UK career touchdown record with 37, including 22 rushing, 13 receiving and two on punt returns. Cobb also exits Kentucky ranked fourth all-time in all-purpose yardage with 4,674 yards, fourth in career scoring with 226 points, fifth in career pass receptions with 144 and sixth in receiving yardage with 1,661. During his time at Kentucky, Cobb was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference performer in 2009 and 2010, while also earning SEC All-Freshman team honors in 2008.

Former Bulldog...A.J. Green to Bengals

“A.J. Green is the best offensive player in the draft,” former NFL coach and ESPN analyst John Gruden said. “He has very good body control, outstanding hands and is an outstanding route runner. He has no areas of concern. He’s a great practice player; the guy has an unbelievable future. I think this guy is just what the Bengals need.”

Green joins former Bulldog teammate Geno Atkins on the Cincinnati squad, which also features former Georgia offensive lineman Dennis Roland.

“He took some vicious hits this year in traffic, yet held onto the football,” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said during ESPN’s telecast. “With the poorly thrown ball he has no trouble going after it.”

Girlfriend of Tide football player reportedly killed in tornado

During an appearance on ESPN’s College Football Live show this afternoon, Nick Saban briefly relayed a portion of what long-snapper Carson Tinker was forced to endure during a tornado whose aftermath the Alabama head coach called “the most devastation I’ve seen in my lifetime.”

According to Saban, the junior was thrown 50 yards from his house during the massive storms. Saban added that Tinker was injured — the specific nature of the injury or injuries was not revealed — but the coach said the junior’s expected to be OK.

What Saban understandably didn’t mention was the heartbreaking, gut-wrenching aspect of Tinker’s amazing story of survival.

The FOX television affiliate in Birmingham is reporting this afternoon that 22-year-old Ashley Harrison was one of two UA students who were killed in the massive storm system that swept through Tuscaloosa yesterday. Harrison, the station reported, was the girlfriend of the Tide’s long-snapper.

Parts of Tuscaloosa ‘have been obliterated’ by massive storm

Tuscaloosa’s mayor, Walter Maddox, appeared on The Weather Channel shortly after the storm plowed through his city, and said that the “devastation is ‘catastrophic’ and parts of city ‘have been obliterated’.” Maddox added “please pray for us.”

On his Twitter feed, Aaron Suttles, Senior Recruiting Analyst for the Alabama Rivals site, TideSports.com, wrote that “I don’t mean to overstate, but it looks like bombs went off. Nothing left standing. Complete rubble. Cars upside down and caved in.”

Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News wrote on his Twitter feed simply: “Scale of destruction in Tuscaloosa is very bad.”

Based on the early reports, the loss of property will be massive. What’s uncertain at this point in time is what cost, if any, there will be in terms of lives lost, although initial reports indicate that there was one fatality caused by the storm. The photos and the video shot on the scene, though, paint a sobering picture of it taking a miracle for there not to be many, many more

Latest arrest leads to Janoris Jenkins’ dismissal from Gators

Muschamp announced Tuesday afternoon —via Twitter incidentally — that the All-SEC corner has been dismissed from the football program.

“After meeting with Janoris Jenkins today, we both felt it was in his best interest to move ahead to the next stage of his career,” Muschamp said in the first tweet, before adding in a second one that “[w]e appreciate Janoris’ contributions to the University of Florida during his time here and wish him the best of luck.”

Jenkins was arrested early in the morning this past Saturday and charged with possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. He was cited for the same offense in late January. In May of 2009, Jenkins was charged with resisting arrest without violence — after being on the receiving end of a taser.

He was named first-team All-SEC this past season as a junior, but surprised many by eschewing a shot at the NFL draft and returning to Gainesville for another season. Based on what’s happened in the past three months, we’re guessing Jenkins might be ruing that decision right about now.

Gamecocks release post-spring depth chart

"South Carolina on Monday released its post-spring football depth chart.
Among the things worth noting:
- Stephen Garcia is listed as the starting quarterback, with an asterik noting that he's suspended.
- After Garcia, the QBs are listed as Connor Shaw, Andrew Clifford and Dylan Thompson. Seth Strickland is only listed as the team's holder.
- DeAngelo Smith is second at wide receiver behind Alshon Jeffery, passing Lamar Scruggs after a strong spring. Smith and Nick Jones are listed as co-backups to D.L. Moore.
- Jason Barnes remains a starter at wide receiver, with Ace Sanders listed as his backup.
- Kyle Nunn (LT), A.J. Cann (LG), T.J. Johnson (C), Terrence Campbell (RG) and Rokevious Watkins (RT) are listed as the team's starting offensive line.
- Shaq Wilson and Rodney Paulk are listed as the starting linebackers.
- Jimmy Legree is listed as the starting free safety ahead of Brison Williams.
- Jay Wooten is listed as the first-team field goal kicker."

Another day, another Gator weed drama

"Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post, two other current members of the Florida Gators football program have been cited for pot since Will Muschamp was officially hired as UF’s new head coach. Specifically, Lieser writes the following:
Red-shirt freshman Chris Martin and red-shirt sophomore Kedric Johnson were charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana under 20 grams in separate incidents earlier this year.
The Gainesville Police Department arrested Martin, who is expected to compete for a starting job at defensive end or linebacker this summer, on Jan. 29 after officers detected the scent of the drug coming from a vehicle. Martin was in the car and revealed approximately two grams of cannabis when the police confronted him, the report said.
Johnson, a back-up linebacker, was arrested on Jan. 9 after an officer pulled him over for speeding and smelled marijuana. He produced two grams of it from his glove compartment, the police report said."

Beano Cook: ‘Urban Meyer will be the coach at Ohio State in 2012′

Here’s a partial transcript of Beano’s mini-diatribe, courtesy of Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch:

“I think Ohio State has major problems and I think Jim Tressel has major problems. I’ve said on my Podcast. . . (that) Urban Meyer will be the coach at Ohio State in 2012. That was my prediction and I stick by that prediction. Urban Meyer will be ready to coach somewhere. He said when he was coaching Florida that there were only three schools he would ever coach at – Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame. I think Brian Kelly is going to do the job at Notre Dame and Michigan just hired a new coach, and I think this will be Jim Tressel’s last year. I’m not saying it should be. . . . This is a mess, it isn’t over yet and I think this is his last year coaching at Ohio State.”

“I just think that now that it’s come out that he talked about this problem with an alumnus from Jeannette, Pa., (Terrelle) Pryor’s hometown about selling these jerseys and other things and he did not tell the president or athletic director. I think Ohio State will get hit by the NCAA because they were misled. The worst thing you can do with the NCAA is not tell them the truth right away and that’s what happened. I think Ohio State is going to get hit.

“I just think it’s a mess. … I just think he will resign. That’s my opinion. That’s all. It’s just a prediction and that’s what we do in this business. Predict.”

Florida's Janoris Jenkins in trouble again for marijuna possession

Florida senior cornerback Janoris Jenkins has been cited for possession of marijuana for the second time in three months. Gainesville Police Department spokesman Cpl. Tscharna Senn said Jenkins was given a notice to appear in court on Saturday for possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana after police allegedly found a cigar with cannabis in a vehicle Jenkins was riding in. According to a GPD release, officers observed Jenkins, 22, smoking a cigar in a vehicle in a parking lot in downtown Gainesville about 12:35 a.m. Saturday. When he saw the police officers, Jenkins allegedly exited the vehicle and began to walk away. An investigation revealed a burnt cannabis cigar in the center console, according to police. Jenkins was arrested in January on the same charge after police said he was caught with a small, clear bag of cannabis and trying to roll a cigarette at the Status Night Club in downtown Gainesville. At the time, Florida coach Will Muschamp said the matter would be handled internally. Jenkins did not participate in spring drills because he was recovering from surgery.

Declining the opportunity to leave early for the NFL draft this past January and instead returned to the Gators for another season. Whether or not he actually gets to see the field in a UF uniform for “another season” is certainly up for debate.

Les Miles' sister killed in car wreck

LSU Head Football Coach Les Miles' sister was killed in a car accident Friday afternoon. Ann Hope Browne, 54, turned into traffic and was hit. She was killed instantly. The crash happened on Hwy. 1 at Sugar Plantation Parkway. Four other people were hurt. "This intersection is incredibly dangerous and I refuse to leave the neighborhood after 5pm because," wrote a WBRZ viewer after news about the accident broke. In the email, she writes there have been discussions about a stop light at the intersection but it never materialized. "Something has to be done before there are more fatalities."

Coach Miles was out of town, but has been notified of the accident.

Browne has two children: an 18 year old and a 22 year old.

Ex-Gator Dunkley reportedly doing a lean toward USF

Speaking to Greg Auman of the St. Petersburg Times, Dunkley’s high school coach said that, while several schools are interested in the wide receiver’s talents, it appears that USF is the leader heading to the clubhouse. Blaze Thompson, Dunkley’s coach at Pahokee (Fla.) High School in 2009, told the Tampa Tribune that there are five schools in the mix, but the former report makes it appear that Dunkley is doing a heavy lean toward the Bulls.

“I think USF is the top one on his list,” Thompson told the Times. “A lot of schools have expressed interest in him, but USF is the only one he has actually visited. They’re interested in him, and he had asked me to look into them as well.”

Dunkley redshirted in 2010, and was suspended for portions of spring practice earlier this year due to academic issues. Thompson told the Times that Dunkley should finish the spring semester at UF strong academically and that will not be an issue in his transfer.

Gamecocks' Spurrier says Garcia’s future to be decided over the summer

Garcia was suspended earlier this month by head coach Steve Spurrier on an indefinte basis for what the university later referred to as “unacceptable behavior”. The latest boot, of course, came a mere few weeks after Garcia served an initial suspension for the opening of spring practice for a certain incident that occurred in Atlanta in the days leading up the Chic-Fil-A Bowl. The two suspensions within that short amount of time were Garcia’s fourth and fifth of his so-called “career” in Columbus. Yet, somehow, some way, Garcia might still have a chance to find his way back on the field this fall. According to an Associate Press article, Spurrier said he spoke with the troubled quarterback recently and mentioned he, along with athletic director Eric Hyman and university President Harris Pastides, will discuss Garcia’s future over the summer. Spurrier left open the notion that Garcia could return, but if he were to be permanently booted (Garcia does graduate this semester), freshman Conner Shaw would take over as the starting QB for the Gamecocks.

Plea deal in Auburn tree case rejected

An attorney for an Alabama fan suspected of poisoning landmark trees at Auburn Toomer’s Corner said Wednesday that prosecutors had rejected a plea deal that would have spared the man jail time. Defense attorney Glennon Threatt Jr. didn’t detail what he called a “low-ball” offer to the district attorney’s office on behalf of Harvey Updyke Jr., who wore a crimson-colored tie to a preliminary hearing. Updyke, who spent a night in jail after his arrest, is free on bond. He is charged with first-degree criminal mischief in the poisoning of the trees, where Auburn fans celebrate victories by heaving toilet paper into the branches of the 130-year-old oaks. If convicted, he could face one to 10 years in prison. “Emotionally, he’s distraught a little bit,” Threatt said. “Nobody wants to be facing jail time. He wants this to be over and know that he’s safe and know that his freedom and liberty will be protected. That’s what I’m trying to do for him.” The tree poisoning has angered Auburn fans, prompting thousands of people to attend a “Toomer’s Tree Hug” just over a week after the football team won its first national championship in more than a half-century. Threatt said people have said things that have caused concern for the defendant’s safety, and Updyke’s tires were slashed at a Walmart parking lot. A move to Louisiana would relieve some worries, Threatt said. “He has a lot of family that loves him,” Threatt said. “They’re very concerned about him, and they want to have him in a loving and nurturing environment. We believe that it was easier to create that environment for him outside the state of Alabama.” The plight of the trees has shined a harsh light on a rivalry that engulfs a state with no major professional sports teams. Updyke admitted to poisoning the trees on the radio show, finishing his call with “Roll Damn Tide.” He has children named Crimson Tyde and Bear, after iconic coach Bear Bryant. Some Alabama fans have defended the oaks, with one group collecting $50,000 for a fund dedicated to the trees. One of the poisoned trees is not doing well. Many branches don’t have leaves or have much smaller ones. The other tree is not showing any signs of poisoning right now, said Auburn horticulture professor Gary Keever. The professor said there was no danger to people. Auburn fans have used Toomer’s Corner as a meeting place since the school was established in 1856. Former Auburn athletic director David Housel said it morphed into what it is today in 1972, when Tigers star Terry Henley said “we’re going to go beat the No. 2 out of Alabama.”

Auburn fans then started the toilet paper tradition after a 17-16 victory.

UK's Larry Warford could be one of nation's best linemen

Kentucky right guard Larry Warford has been a step ahead of the learning curve for offensive linemen since the day he arrived in Lexington. While most freshmen O-linemen need a redshirt year to get acclimated to big-time college football, the right guard was thrown into the fire as a rookie, earning Southeastern Conference-All Freshman honors while playing 10 games as a backup. Then, as a sophomore, when the average lineman is just beginning to get used to the job, Warford started all 13 games and was named second-team All-SEC. Now, in his third year on campus, Warford could be on the verge of becoming one of the country's best. "Larry doesn't have a bigger fan in the country than me," UK offensive line coach Mike Summers said. "I'm so impressed by what he does. I don't ever tell him that, but there's no doubt that he is one of the elite linemen in the country. But he still has a lot of things he has to do with that talent to perform at that level consistently."

Vandy's defense is ready for fall

Eight sacks and two interceptions highlighted a Black & Gold game primarily dictated by the defenses and sprinkled with trick plays Sunday night. About 3,000 fans watched the Vanderbilt intrasquad scrimmage that new Coach James Franklin reinstituted after a 14-year absence. No more than a few hundred came to watch the final spring practice in recent years. The Black squad, led by quarterback Larry Smith and much of the projected first-team offense, beat the Gold 19-7. The only points of the second half came on a 10-yard halfback pass from Zac Stacy to Smith on the game's final play. Stacy missed the chance to hit an open Smith on the same play in the first half.

"Actually, we don't call them trick plays. We call them money plays," said Smith, who completed 16 of 26 passes for 233 yards with one touchdown and one interception. "They're part of our regular offense, so we don't look at them as being trick plays. Coach isn't afraid to take shots."

Auburn's Chizik doesn’t see No. 1 QB named until two-a-days

The Tigers had a wrap-up practice Monday, their 15th and final workout of the spring, where they corrected things after reviewing film of A-Day. “We’ve got a whole summer in front of us which our expectation is that our whole team is working extremely hard to build on what we’ve started to accomplish these 15 days,” Chizik said. “So a lot is going to depend on what they do voluntarily.” Chizik sees no decision forthcoming in the quarterback battle between Barrett Trotter and Clint Moseley, expecting it to last into August. “Unless something drastic happens, I don’t anticipate us being able to make a decision before sometime in two-a-days,” he said. “You never say never, but again, I’d have to see a clear cut definitive change and that would be hard for us to do because we’re not going to be out there.” While most of the attention this spring has been on the quarterback battle, Chizik said the coaches will sit down with every player on the roster for “exit interviews,” just to give them a sense of where they are in the pecking order. “We’re very candid about where everybody stands in relationship to other players competing for jobs,” Chizik said. “Guys become good at football in parts. They don’t just become good at everything all at once. You’ve got to give them a good idea where they’re at.”

Top recruit one of three charged in UGA locker room theft

Three high school students, including a top in-state football prospect, have been arrested and charged as a result of the alleged April 7 locker room thefts with UGA's football team, according to the university's police department. Arrest warrants were issued Friday for Deion Bonner and Marquise Hawkins as well as a third suspect who is a juvenile. Names were released Monday morning. Carver Columbus coach Dell McGee told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that player Marquise Hawkins is the twin brother of Marqui Hawkins, a 2013 wide receiver prospect. Seven UGA football players reported merchandise totalling more than $1,300 was stolen out of lockers during an open house event at the Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. UGA police chief Jimmy Williamson said Friday that a sweep of homes in Columbus, Ga., turned up the missing iPods though iPhones had not been recovered. Williamson also confirmed Friday that the suspects were on campus as part of a football recruiting visit. Bonner, 18, and Marquise Hawkins, 17, were booked into the Athens-Clarke County Jail on Monday morning, according to the jail log. Bonner has one count of Theft by Taking, while Hawkins has two and the unnamed third person has three. Each charge carried a bond of $1,500. Bonner and Hawkins can be charged as adults since they are 17 years or older. A defensive back, Bonner had been one of the top targets on UGA's 2012 board. He is rated by 247Sports as the 10th-best prospect in the state of Georgia and No. 153 overall nationally. Bonner visited Tuscaloosa on Saturday for Alabama's spring game, according to BamaOnline.com.

UGA coach Mark Richt has declined comment through a spokesman.

Favre’s nephew making his own name for himself

After a freshman season Favre described as “the most miserable year of my life”, the sophomore quarterback is beginning to carve out his own niche on the football field. In MSU’s spring game last weekend, Favre hit on 17-of-26 passes for 199 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while also adding 41 yards on the ground. He also led his Maroon team on what turned out to be the game-winning drive with just over a minute left. “To have the ball and a chance to drive the team down and take the lead was awesome,” Favre said according to the Biloxi Sun Herald. “You could not ask for more. It was a great opportunity for me. It was live, and I had a maroon jersey on and we had 36,000 in the stands.

“Overall, I think spring went well. I definitely improved from the first practice to the final practice. I would say I have to learn how to manage the game better and become more of a quarterback. I don’t have to score a touchdown every time I touch the ball.”

While incumbent Chris Relf is back as a fifth-year senior, head coach Dan Mullen said the competition between Relf, Favre and Tyler Russell is “wide open” and too close to call right now, and may not be decided until the days leading up to the opener.