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SEC Notebook: South's Oldest Rivalry

Jim Henry — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina, SEC

Georgia vs. Auburn.

It doesn't get any better, or older, than this for these two schools. Known as the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, the series began in 1892 and is the seventh-most played in the country. The mutual disdain has been passed down through the generations, and the 113th meeting Saturday isn't expected to be any different.

"Everybody has their team," Georgia coach Mark Richt said.

"When I go to the Bulldog Clubs, they will say, 'Coach no matter what happens, you have to get this one.' You would think it's just one or two teams, but it's about five of them that they all feel like you've just got to have. It is a big deal and I think our fans will get jacked up for it."

Georgia (5-4) better be jacked up as well, or it may get Uga-ly in Athens, Ga.

The Tigers (7-3) rank 10th in the nation in rushing offense (230 yards per game) and are tied for 11th in scoring offense (35 points per game). Auburn is on pace to set a school record for total offense. The Tigers have had 24 scoring drives this season that have taken less than two minutes, and 21 of those ended with touchdowns.

"You have to get a good, strong plan and get the guys as many reps as you can because they are into creating chaos for you," Richt said. "That's what they want to do; they want to create confusion and bloody your nose in the meantime."

Recent history is on the Bulldogs' side.

Georgia has won three straight in the series for the first time since 1982. The last time the Bulldogs won four in a row was in 1948.Georgia is hoping to exploit the Tigers' defense, which ranks last in the SEC in scoring defense (26.6 points per game).

The Bulldogs gained some needed confidence in their 38-0 win over Tennessee Tech last Saturday. They limited Tech to just 55 yards of offense and posted their first shutout since 2006.

Senior Joe Cox connected on his first 10 passes and finished with 140 yards passing with two touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver A.J. Green leads the SEC in receptions per game (5.5) and receiving yards per game (91.5).

"He will be a huge challenge for our secondary, which should be fun for them," Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. "He is not the only one, but he is one of those receivers that are going to make you go to work all night."

BIG PLAY ALERT

It might be nit-picky, but top-ranked Florida continues to search for big plays.

In seven SEC games this season, the Gators have produced only two plays of 50 yards or longer -- a 77-yard touchdown pass from Tim Tebow to receiver Deonte Thompson against Arkansas, and a 64-yard pass from Tebow to tight end Aaron Hernandez late in the game against Vanderbilt. UF's three other 50-plus yard plays came against out-manned Charleston Southern.

Last season, the Gators had 10 plays of 50 yards or longer, five coming against SEC opponents.

UF offensive coordinator Steve Addazio defended his unit following practice earlier this week.

"We define big plays as 20 or more yards," he said.

"There are a lot of big plays happening. The same number at this point in time, we're about right where we were, there is really negligible difference, but you're feeling is like we're not having as many big plays.

"Here's what we're doing a good job of, this is what it is: We're moving the ball much more consistently than we ever did. The appearance was we had more big-play strikes a year ago. A big play is defined as 20 yards or more, that's considered explosive, we have the same amount of explosives as we did a year ago at this point in time."

Running to Daylight

Saturday's Alabama-Mississippi State game features the SEC's two most productive running backs.

Alabama's Mark Ingram, right, considered by many as the leading contender for the Heisman Trophy, leads the league in rushing at 127.6 yards per game; Mississippi State's Anthony Dixon is second at 125.1 ypg.

It might be the one chance for Dixon and the Bulldogs to grab the attention away from Ingram and the Crimson Tide (9-0, 6-0), winners of the SEC West.

"It's going to be fun," Dixon said.

"I guess this is what we dreamed about when we were kids. He's in the Heisman race and all props to him. I'm pretty sure he's been over there working hard. I've been over here working hard. Both of us are making the dream come true, and it's just going to be a showcase Saturday. We'll show again what we can do. I'm just excited, pumped up and ready to go."

Mississippi State has won two of the last three against Alabama, which is coming off an emotional home victory over LSU.

Ever-philosophical Tide coach Nick Saban isn't worried about a letdown from his players.

"I think what I talk about all the time is what you try and emphasize to the players," Saban said.

"Take care of your business and your business will take care of you. Focus on what you do and it's about what you do and prepare yourself in practice and the way you need to be the best player that you can be. Do your job for your team and that's going to give us the best chance to be successful."

Spurrier in Charge

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is moving back into the lead role again of calling plays. Just in time for top-ranked Florida, where the Ol' Ball Coach crafted his reputation as the best play caller in the business.

Business needs to get better in a hurry for the Gamecocks.

The only scoring from South Carolina (6-4) against an Arkansas defense last week that was allowing 27 points per game came on a 23-yard field goal on the first drive of the game, and a Stephen Garcia 1-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarterback and an 80-yard scoring pass from Garcia to receiver Alshon Jeffery to start the third quarter.

UF's defense, directed by former Gamecock defensive coordinator Charlie Strong, is ranked first in scoring defense at 10.1 points per game and second nationally behind Texas in total defense at 232.4 yards per game.

"I call most of the plays and I may be the principle play caller now with suggestions from the other coaches," said Spurrier, who also indicated earlier this week he intends to return to South Carolina next season.

"That's about how we've been doing it."

SEC Notebook: South's Oldest Rivalry originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recruiting: Sweet Home Alabama

Jim Henry — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Auburn, Recruiting

One announced his decision with plenty of fanfare, while the other quietly committed. Either way, college football fans in Alabama couldn't be more pleased with their weekend.

Michael Dyer, rated the No. 3 running back in the country by Rivals.com, got the party started on Friday when he publicly committed to Auburn moments after accepting an invitation to play in the Under Armour All-America game. Keenan Allen, the ninth-ranked prospect in the country, followed on Saturday when he confirmed his commitment to Alabama on the same day the Crimson Tide clinched the SEC West title.

Meanwhile, the country's No. 1 recruit in the class of 2010 -- mammoth offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson (pictured) -- is scheduled to visit USC later this month.

Dyer, from Little Rock, Ark., is the first running back and first five-star prospect (the top ranking by recruiting analysts) in Auburn's 2010 class that becomes official on National Signing Day in February.

Dyer recently became the state of Arkansas' all-time leading rusher with 7,566 yards and 74 touchdowns in his high school career. He has 1,680 yards rushing yards and 21 touchdowns this season.

"It feels pretty good to get it over with," said Dyer, a 5-foot-8, 200-pounder. "It's good to get it off my chest and announce to everybody. I was ready to get it over with and let everybody know."

The big question is how Dyer's commitment will affect the nation's other top-rated backs. Marcus Lattimore of Duncan, S.C., and Lache Seastrunk of Temple, Texas, ranked No. 1 and No. 2 by Rivals and other recruiting services, are also considering Auburn.

Seastrunk has been said to be a strong lean towards Auburn, while Lattimore, however, has long been favored to land in South Carolina.

Dyer's commitment is a big splash for head coach Gene Chizik and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. The Tigers (7-3) rushed for 282 yards with five rushing touchdowns in their 63-31 home victory over Furman last Saturday. Auburn leads the SEC in total offense (450.3 yards per game) and is second in rushing offense (230).

Allen, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound safety/receiver who is the No. 1 ranked prospect in North Carolina, attended Alabama's 24-15 victory over LSU to earn a rematch against top-ranked Florida in the SEC title game next month in Atlanta.

On Friday night, Allen helped Northern Guilford (N.C.) win its first conference championship in school history with a 48-16 win over Western Alamance. Allen returned the opening kickoff 78 yards for a score and added a 49-yard scoring reception.

Allen told Bamaonline.com that his decision to attend Alabama had been made for some time and he had communicated his decision to Tide coach Nick Saban several weeks ago.

He just felt the timing was right on Saturday to announce his decision.

Alabama and Florida have clinched their respective divisions in the SEC and will meet Dec. 5 in the league championship game. One of them is all but guaranteed a spot in the BCS title game on Jan. 7 in Pasadena, Calif., if they can get through the next month without a loss.

"Alabama has the best fans in the world, so I wanted to let them know I was going to play for them for the next four years on a special day like this one just to keep the momentum going," Allen said.

"I had been thinking for a long time how I would announce my commitment, and I really couldn't pick a better day than this."

Allen said Saban told him he would get an early opportunity at receiver, opposite of star Julio Jones. Allen selected Alabama over offers from Oregon, Penn State, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee among many others. He's the 22nd commitment in the Crimson Tide's 2010 recruiting class.

As the nation's top recruit, Henderson, of St. Paul, Minn., continues to attract attention for his every move.

Since it appears more and more -- at least in the eyes of recruiting analysts -- that Henderson's family would prefer he stay closer to home, that certainly bodes well for Notre Dame, Ohio State and possibly home-state Minnesota.

While Henderson, a 6-foot-8, 300-pounder, isn't tipping his hand, many believe that Notre Dame tops his list.

Henderson, who has already officially visited Ohio State and Notre Dame, is scheduled to visit USC on Nov. 27. He plans to select between top-ranked Florida, Oklahoma and Minnesota for his final two official trips.

(Recruits can take five official visits on schools' tabs under NCAA rules).

In case you missed it last week, Steve McNair, Jr., son of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair, announced his decision to stay close to home and attend Southern Miss.

McNair, Jr., a receiver out of Oak Grove (Hattiesburg, Miss.), selected the Golden Eagles over higher-profile schools such as Mississippi, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Minnesota and West Virginia.

"I just wanted to give my family a chance to watch my games," McNair told the Hattiesburg American.

"I wanted to stay close to home and I loved the Southern Miss campus ... I felt good about (Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora). I think he's going to do whatever it takes to win. I'm looking forward to playing for him."

McNair has been an all-around threat for Oak Grove, catching 39 passes for 372 yards and three scores, while also rushing for 293 yards and passing for 141.

McNair's announcement was positive news for a family that has suffered a tragic year.

McNair's father was the victim of a homicide on July 4, 2009, from gunshot wounds inflicted by Sahel Kazemi, his mistress, who then turned the gun on herself.

Recruiting: Sweet Home Alabama originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEC Notebook: Auburn Ignoring Critics

Jim Henry — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, SEC

Auburn's offensive struggles in October have been discussed and dissected.

The Tigers have dropped three of their last four games this month, including last Saturday's 31-10 stinker against LSU. Auburn gained a season-low 193 yards on a season-low 61 plays in that game, igniting a wave of criticism from fans who are still smarting from last season's collapse that saw the Tigers open 4-1 before losing six of their last seven.

Auburn (5-3 overall, 2-3 SEC) is determined to snap out of its funk Saturday against visiting Mississippi (5-2, 2-2), which marches into Jordan-Hare Stadium on a two-game win streak and winners of three of its last four.

A strong start has helped Auburn maintain its lofty national rankings on offense -- the Tigers are seventh in rushing offense (230.3 yards), 19th in total offense (430.9) and tied for 26th in scoring offense (31.8) -- but recent struggles are hard to ignore.

Chizik points to mistakes across the board and says he's not ready to push the panic button.

"I don't think that there is one thing that you can pinpoint," Chizik said.

"Nine guys can be doing everything right and two get beat. It's a little everywhere, a breakdown here or there that causes certain things to be exposed. And when you play teams like we're playing - the LSU's of the world - seemingly little things turn into big things. We're not panicking by any stretch of the imagination."

Quarterback Chris Todd has been the target of the fans' displeasure.

Todd threw for only 47 yards at LSU before giving way to backup Neil Caudle, who directed the Tigers to a late touchdown. Caudle completed 3-of-5 passes for 34 yards and hit tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen for a score. Todd, meanwhile, completed 8-of-14 passes with an interception. He was also sacked four times.

Chizik re-affirmed his commitment to the embattled Todd early in the week, saying his quarterback can handle the heat.

"Really and truly I just think that a quarterback has to be a tough-minded person," Chizik said.

"It all comes with the territory and they all mentally have to be prepared for it. If you're not mentally tough enough to get through those things then more than likely you shouldn't be a quarterback in this league. That's just the way it is. I mean it's no different than coaching, right? You get the good and you get the bad and it all comes with the deal."

Todd stressed -- no, he's not stressed out -- that he remains focus and confident.

"Anytime things happen, as a quarterback, you have to take that on your shoulders and take some blame when things are going bad," Todd told the Montgomery Advertiser.

"When things are good you get some credit for some stuff and when things are bad, you take that, too. I'm definitely working myself and trying to improve things that will help us move on and win some ballgames."

Chizik also doesn't believe outside criticism will affect his team.

"We can't control any of that, so it's what you choose to hear and what you choose to listen to and what you choose to watch," Chizik said.

"I hope they weren't listening to it when we were 5-0. I really do. Now we've dropped three. If they choose to listen to it, that's something I can't control, but I highly advise them to keep doing the things, keep working to win."

Welcome Home Billy

On a muggy Halloween night in 1959, LSU's Billy Cannon caught a punt and, shaking off a seemingly endless array of Ole Miss tacklers, raced 89 yards to a touchdown and into Louisiana folklore.

That run, the definitive play of the halfback's illustrious career, is the reason Cannon will make a are appearance Saturday at Tiger Stadium as LSU meets Tulane on Halloween.

Behind Cannon's run and two goal-line stands, the top-ranked Tigers won that game 7-3 against the third-ranked Rebels. LSU went on to win the national title and the play helped Cannon clinch the Heisman Trophy -- he remains the only LSU Tiger to win it.

"It's been a fun thing to live with, " Cannon, 72, told The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune. "But did I know that night it would be 50 years later and we'd be here talking about it, no I didn't."

Protection Is Key

Kentucky's experienced offensive line has picked up where it left off last year in protecting its quarterback.

The Wildcats are tied for 14th nationally and second in the SEC in the sack-allowed category. In seven games, UK has allowed just seven sacks.

Last year, the offensive line gave up only 13 quarterback sacks and ranked fourth in the nation in fewest sacks allowed per game. The UK line also helped the team rank eighth nationally in fewest tackles for loss allowed per game.

The Wildcats play Mississippi State in their Homecoming Saturday, one that will help determine Kentucky's postseason fate. Last week, UK defeated the ULM 36-13 to record its 17th consecutive non-conference victory, matching the school-record streak previously set from 1954-60.

"This is one of the biggest games of the season, if not the biggest," offensive guard Christian Johnson said. "If we win this it could put us ahead where we need to be and help us accomplish our goal of going to the best bowl game that we can."

Lighter in the Britches

If Florida and Georgia appear a tad faster in Saturday's showdown in Jacksonville, Fla, it might be because they were both able to shed nearly a pound from their uniforms.

Last season, UF athletic trainers approached McDavid Inc., the world's leading manufacturer of protective athletic apparel, about redesigning the pads players wear under their uniforms. They wanted the least amount of restriction without sacrificing protection.

The next day, McDavid presented them with the HexPro Performance Mesh Supporter with HexPad, affectionately referred to as the "Elephant Jock."

McDavid's HexPad technology protects the hips and tailbone without excess weight or fabric, while it's material holds a cup in place to protect the groin. At 3.5 ounces, the "Elephant Jock" is nearly a pound lighter than the pads many players wore last year.

Other collegiate teams that have purchased the undergarment include LSU, Arkansas, Indiana, Cincinnati, Texas, Virginia and Oklahoma.

SEC Notebook: Auburn Ignoring Critics originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEC Notebook: Polls Not Tide's Concern

Jim Henry — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, SEC

When it comes to debating rankings, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is a fuddy-duddy.

So there's no need to waste your time, even if the Crimson Tide leapfrogged SEC rival Florida into the top spot of this week's Associated Press poll. Of course, Alabama is also ranked second behind the Gators in the initial installment of the weekly BCS poll that will determine national title invites by early December.

Saban doesn't mean to be a killjoy -- or does he? -- but his game-at-a-time mantra is focused on Saturday's showdown against visiting Tennessee.

"If anybody asks me any questions about where we're ranked or what the poll is, what matters?" Saban asked. "Why does it matter? What's changed from this week to this Monday to last Monday? What's changed? We've got another game. This is the most important game of the year."

OK, agreed.

The Crimson Tide (7-0) is determined to finish October with a flourish. Off next Saturday, Alabama closes out a three-game homestand with a visit from LSU on November 7 before it positions itself for the regular-season's final stretch.

Of course, Alabama could have its hands full with the Vols (3-3) if not careful. But if the Crimson Tide is need of a hero, a shining star has risen from the Crimson Tide's backfield, and his name is Mark Ingram.

The sophomore has rushed for 905 yards and eight touchdowns for 129.29 yards per game average to rank fourth nationally and first in the SEC. Ingram's flashy -- he leads the nation with 30 rushes of 10 or more yards and also has chipped in eight receptions for 10 or more yards. And Ingram's tough -- he has gained 580 yards after first contact.

Best yet, Ingram is coming off his best performance of the season, rushing for 246 yards against South Carolina last week.

"He's a great competitor and a driven guy," Saban said.

"He works hard in practice every week. He plays fast all the time. He has a great competitive spirit and certainly will stay focused on the things that are going to help him continue to satisfy his goals."

Don't look for Alabama to change its goals, or its approach, according to the philosophical Saban.

"I'm very hopeful that we can stay on the positive side of it and be positive about our approach to what we are trying to accomplish and what we're trying to do and not get risk-aversive and start playing to keep from getting beat and a lot of negative motivation about what's going to happen if this happens and all that kind of stuff," Saban said.

"Not to avoid but to gain, is the way we'd like to approach it."

FINALLY, A STRONG FINISH?

South Carolina has been down this road before.

The Gamecocks are 5-2 and positioned nicely to make this coach Steve Spurrier's most successful season at South Carolina. The Gamecocks can continue their surge with a home victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday, a win that would give Spurrier 105 conference wins and tie him with Vince Dooley for third-most in SEC history.

Spurrier isn't one to relax, even if Vanderbilt has lost five straight conference games. Let's not forget the Commodores have beaten the Gamecocks the past two years.

"We're not a real dominant team," Spurrier said. "I think we're a real good team. We can play with almost anybody. We have to play a lot harder. We have to play with courage, effort and smarts."

That approach could help the Gamecocks avoid an unsettling trend of poor finishes. They lost their final three games last season, their final five in 2007 and, for the record, are 10-15 from the midway point of October under Spurrier.

"The pressure is on us to play the best we can every week," Spurrier said.

"We don't get too much in what happened last year or the year before. They outplayed us the last two years. They were better than we were. Give them credit. We'll try to play better this year and coach better, and see if we can come out on top against Vanderbilt."

ROAD TRIP

Save the postcards.

Florida hasn't enjoyed its past visits to Starkville, Miss.

The Gators travel to Mississippi State on Saturday seeking their first win at Davis Wade Stadium since 1985. They have dropped their last four games there, losing to the Bulldogs in 1986, 1992, 2000 and 2004. Second-ranked UF entered three of the games ranked, and two of the games are among the 12 conference defeats that Spurrier suffered as Florida's coach.

The showdown is also a reunion for Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen, a former assistant coach under UF's Urban Meyer since their days at Utah. Mullen last served as the Gators' offensive coordinator, helping quarterback Tim Tebow win the Heisman Trophy and UF a pair of national titles.

"We're coming in, planning to win the football game," Mullen said.

"You never go to play a game that you think you can't win. Our guys are focusing on winning the game this Saturday, and focusing on doing the things you have to do to win the football game. There's nothing quite like winning a football game. It isn't anything crazy we need to do to win, we just have to focus on the game plan at hand in order to come out victorious."

OFFENSIVE OUTBURST

LSU and Auburn tangle in a game where both teams need their offense to set the tone.

LSU, which was off last week, is 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the SEC. The Tigers are one of two SEC West teams -- the other is Alabama -- to control its own destiny in the division race.

They will need solid performances from quarterback Jordan Jefferson and running back Charles Scott. Jefferson has been inconsistent as a passer and Scott is in search of a breakout game. LSU figures to rely heavily on the run because Auburn is allowing 181.4 yards per game, 11th in the SEC and 99th nationally.

Auburn, meanwhile, is coming off its worst offensive performance of the season, managing just 315 yards in its 21-14 loss to Kentucky.

Auburn (5-2, 2-2), which opened the season with five consecutive wins, has scored a combined 37 points in its past two games; it scored at least 37 in each of its first four. The passing attack is struggling, too. Quarterback Chris Todd threw 11 touchdown passes in the first four games but just one in the past three.

"You can't pinpoint our struggles on one thing. I don't believe in that," Auburn coach Gene Chizik said.

"There are a lot of things that can go wrong. I still feel that we can fix some of the mistakes and get back on track. There's a lot of issues in there, and we really feel very strongly that we're going to get that rectified. But it has been off the last two weeks."

SEC Notebook: Polls Not Tide's Concern originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Feel-Good Wildcats Keep on Survivin'

Jim Henry — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn, Kentucky, LA Monroe, SEC

Kentucky has been besieged by bad breaks and injuries this season.

Of course, just when you thought it was time to toss dirt and plant daisies on the Wildcats, they responded with their biggest victory of the year. Their first win over Auburn in more than four decades last Saturday helps validate what head coach Rich Brooks has preached about his team since preseason drills.

"I have said all along that I thought that we were a good football team and we still were a good football team even though we weren't healthy and didn't have all of our parts -- and we still don't," Brooks said.

"Having said that, the fact that we can go on the road and break one of the infamous streaks in Kentucky football history speaks to the fact that this is still a good football team. How close we are to being better than that, or how close we are from being better than that I will leave to [the media] to judge."

The jury still might be out, but one can't argue over the Wildcats' performance against the Tigers.

They committed no turnovers and turned in their first game since 1991 without a penalty in the 21-14 win.

They rushed for 282 yards, the most by a Wildcats team against an SEC opponent in 14 years, including rushing touchdowns from three different Kentucky players lined up under center -- Morgan Newton, Will Fidler and Mr. Everything, Randall Cobb.

And their talented defense held Auburn to 14 points and 315 total offensive yards, both season lows.

OK, just how badly did the Wildcats need that win -- the program's first over Auburn in 43 years?

"Bad, bad, bad. Everybody on the team knew it," said linebacker Micah Johnson, who had 14 tackles and earned SEC defensive player of the week honors for his effort.

"Everybody needed it, and it was huge. It was huge to get a win down there and I was happy for Coach Brooks and this team because we've been so close after a lot of little things here and we haven't gotten many breaks. It was a game where we were close and we kept fighting and won. It was a great win and the team is very excited but we still have six more games left and we need to continue to win."

The Wildcats (3-3 overall, 1-3 SEC) are a feel-good story for a number of reasons.

No. 1, starting quarterback Mike Hartline has been sidelined by a knee injury.

No. 2, they have also played the last two weeks without All-SEC cornerback Trevard Lindley.

And, No. 3, their recent stretch against Florida, Alabama and South Carolina -- teams currently ranked No. 2, No. 1 and No. 23 in the Associated Press poll -- wasn't for the timid. In fact, Kentucky played one of its best games of the season in a 28-26 loss at South Carolina two weeks ago.

The Wildcats refused to rattle.

"Some people like to dwell on our shortcomings in the games that we have lost, but if you look over the last three and a half, four years, we have won probably more close games that we have lost," Brooks argued.

"We have come back in the fourth quarter numerous times over the last three or four years as well. There is a belief in our team and in our locker room that we can make it happen. The old attitude that is so hard to shake, that you can't get it done, no longer prevails on our football team.

"All you have to do is look historically at how difficult it has been for Kentucky to win under any circumstances with any type of team regardless if you think Auburn is a good team or an average team this year. There have been other average teams that Kentucky hasn't beaten down there. This year this team found a way to do it missing their starting quarterback and best defensive player by most estimations."

Despite the impressive win at Auburn, Kentucky players realize they can't relax -- even if their upcoming four games appear far more accommodating, starting with Saturday's home date against Louisiana-Monroe of the Sun Belt Conference. The Warhawks (4-2) are on a three-game win streak and off to their best start as a Football Bowl Subdivision School. (They started 5-1 in 1987, when they won the Division I-AA national title).

Home games against SEC foes Mississippi State and Eastern Kentucky and a road date at Vanderbilt follow for the Wildcats. They end the regular season against Georgia and Tennessee.

"Every game is a must-win game," offensive lineman Brad Durham said.

"Just because they're from the Sun Belt Conference and just because of this and that, we still have to come together. Just because they're not an SEC team doesn't mean they can't beat us. Three years ago they came in here and lost by two points (42-40). We have to come out focused and ready to play."

Johnson agreed, saying it shouldn't be difficult for players to put the Auburn victory behind them and focus on the season's second half.

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Latest College Football Photos

Notre Dame receiver Robby Paris (82) is injured on a hit by Southern California's Taylor Mays (2) and Kevin Thomas (15) late in the fourth quarter during a college football game, Saturday, October 17, 2009, in South Bend, Indiana. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/MCT)

Latest College Football Images

Iowa State quarterback Jerome Tiller dives for extra yardage during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against Baylor, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 24-10.

Charlie Neibergall, AP

Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon, top, dives into the end zone for a touchdown over Middle Tennessee State defenders, from left, Antwan Davis, Danny Carmichael and Cam Robinson, in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. Mississippi State won 27-6.

Daily News Journal / AP

Connecticut football coach Randy Edsall, center, leads his players during NCAA college football practice in Storrs, Conn., on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009. Practice was scheduled as usual despite the on campus slaying of player Jasper Howard over the weekend. (AP Photo/George Ruhe)

Camouflage design football cleats are displayed during a news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Columbia, S.C. Maryland and South Carolina will wear uniforms with camouflage designs during their NCAA college football games on Saturday, Nov. 14, to honor military veterans and promote the Wounded Warrior Project. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)

South Carolina's football coach Steve Spurrier holds up a jersey with camouflage designs during a news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Columbia, S.C. Maryland and South Carolina will wear uniforms with camouflage designs during their NCAA college football games on Saturday, Nov. 14, to honor military veterans and promote the Wounded Warrior Project. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)

South Carolina's football coach Steve Spurrier, center, flanked by Sgt. Jeremy Hale, left, and Master Sgt. Pete Lara, both from Fort Jackson, as he holds up a jersey with camouflage designs during a news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Columbia, S.C. Maryland and South Carolina will wear uniforms with camouflage designs during their NCAA college football games on Saturday, Nov. 14, to honor military veterans and promote the Wounded Warrior Project. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)

A UConn Huskies player pats a teammate on the shoulder as the team is called to "play hard in honor of Jasper" by another team member, at the start of practice on the UConn Storrs, Conn., campus on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009. Practice was scheduled as usual despite the slaying of Jasper Howard ( 6) over the weekend. (AP Photo/George Ruhe)

"Coach has been doing a great job of making us understand that we're mid-season right now and that game came at a critical point," Johnson said.

"That was our sixth game of the season, we could have been 2-4 or 3-3, and 3-3 makes it a lot easier to do what we need to do. It's not the end of the season; we have six more and other good opponents we have to go up against. We have to stay focused and take each game one at a time."

Though Kentucky's quest to reach a fourth straight bowl game suddenly looks more realistic, Brooks is determined to keep his team focused. Even so, it's neat what an important victory can for for a program.

"All last week it was gray and cold and wet, but an amazing thing happened Sunday morning," Brooks said.

"The sun was out, vibrant colors on the trees. It's amazing what a win will do for you."

Feel-Good Wildcats Keep on Survivin' originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting 11: When a Wedding Causes a Football Separation

Clay Travis — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Fans, General CFB Insanity

On Saturday, I didn't see a single snap of a single college football game. Not one. This has never happened before in my life. Instead I was an usher at my friend's wedding in Atlanta. This means that this week's ClayNation Starting 11 is going to be a primer on my day in a fall wedding.

The wedding featured a bride who had graduated from Auburn and a groom who had graduated from Kentucky. Are the alarm bells going off yet? The two teams played Saturday night. Seven of the 11 groomsmen and ushers graduated from Kentucky, all of the bridesmaids went to Auburn. The result was a near riot. But that comes in the future. First, the beginning.

9:30AM CT

Departure from Nashville. It's freezing. Seriously, freezing. It has to be the coldest Oct. 17 in the history of Tennessee. Another couple arrives to ride down to the wedding with us, my friend Kelly, and his girlfriend Erin. Kelly is also a groomsman. As we load up for the trip, my wife asks me to clear out the rear of the car so we can put the third seat down and someone can sleep on the way back.

I forget.

As we walk to the car, I realize this fact, and tell the other couple to say they asked me not to put down the third seat or clear out the trunk. We arrive at the car.

My wife immediately notices: "Clay! I told you to put down the third seat."

"They said we didn't need to do it." I nudge the other couple.

They both nod.

My wife narrows her gaze, fiery in my direction. "Did he tell you to say that?" she asks.

Kelly changes the conversation, "How come our tuxes cost $150?" he asks.

Interlude:

Has anyone ever had to pay $150 for a tux before? Here's a comparison. In 1999, oral sex cost $50 in Amsterdam. So a decade ago, you could leave the red light district with a smile on your face for $150. Now I can rent one tux to be an usher at a wedding?

Takeaway: The tuxedo rental business is insane. How are the margins this high for a 24-hour rental? Why isn't there an online tux rental place that FedExes you the tux, does away with the physical store location, and charges like $50?

Basically, why doesn't Amazon rent tuxes?

And if they do have physical stores, why are they such pussbuckets at these places? Do they really need your overarm measurement? Who am I, Tony Siragusa? How many people have ridiculous overarm measurements that change what size jacket they should be wearing?

And why are their hours so bad? The place in Nashville is only open from 10-5 every day.

10-5!

The bank is more convenient. I don't really have any reason to complain about this since I work from home, but my friend Kelly has to take off work to get measured for his tux.

Meanwhile, I tried to submit my measurements online. I'm a normal-sized guy. Give me a 34 waist, a 42 regular jacket, and I'm ready to go. Yet the measurements won't submit until I give an overarm measurement?

I entered seven feet. Or seven inches. I'm not really sure how that form worked.

10:15

I'm pulled over for speeding, going 90 in a 70. Bad news, it's a Tennessee state trooper. Worse news, my tags and registration are expired. Also, I don't have my insurance card in the car. Basically, all I have is my driver's license.

My wife fumes in the back seat. "I hope they don't arrest you," she says.

"If you did get arrested," Kelly says, "that would be pretty funny."

I attempt to make friends with the state trooper, a man with a shaved head, one working eye, and a slight stutter. My tax dollars at work.

"We're on our way ..."

He cuts me off. "Sign this, please."

In my entire life, I've only gotten away with speeding once after being pulled over. Why then? Because I had a Virgin Islands license plate on the car and the cop had no idea how to write me a ticket. I considered keeping the Virgin Islands plate for the next decade. The only time I ever wish I was a woman is every time I get pulled over for speeding.

Also, if a war happens.

Anyway, and I'm not making this up, the speeding ticket and other two violations add up to $784.48.

How is this not cruel and unusual punishment? People pay lower fines for murder.

Truly.

10:30

My wife has spent the past 15 minutes ridiculing my driving. She has been in two car accidents in the past year. But if I mention them, she gets very angry.

In one of them she totaled a car, in another "accident" she lightly bumped a car in front of her at a stop sign. There was not a scratch on their bumper, yet the entire family went to the hospital on a stretcher.

11:00

We stop for lunch. The best part of my day? The Mushroom Swiss Angus burger at McDonald's, number 14 on the value meal. I'm not exaggerating when I say it's the greatest sandwich in the history of fast food. It's like sex meets McDonald's ... aka Louisville basketball.

11:45

We plug in the GPS to check our time situation. After 10 minutes my wife says, "Uh oh." We're scheduled to arrive at 2:55.

The bus taking us to pictures departs the hotel at 3:00.

Now, we have to arrive, get changed into our tuxes, and depart in five minutes.

1:05 PM

Twenty minutes later, the time changes. We're now on the East Coast.

I hate the timezone change.

Firmly.

For my entire life as an adult, I'm only ever driving from the central time zone to the eastern time zone. I'm always losing an hour. And don't give me that crap about gaining it when you come back. I never need to rush back to something in the central time zone.

Nashville is fairly close to the time line. It gets dark early in winter, the sun goes down earlier in summer, basically the only thing worth gaining in the central time zone is an hour earlier late-night television. And now that I have a kid I'm too tired to stay up for that anyway. Plus, thanks to dawn arriving in Nashville at 4:55 every morning, he gets up as soon as the sun rises.

So, as you can see, even time is lined up against me.

1:15 PM

My iPhone is losing battery life, which means I may not have any ability to keep tabs on the scores. Two issues with the iPhone. A.) The battery life is shorter than a Wizard of Oz munchkin and B.) You can't read anything when you use the Internet browser. How do you zoom on Web pages if you don't have the app downloaded?

Yeah, it's great that there are 85,000 apps, but if you could just read a Web page by using the Internet browser you would need like 18 apps.

For instance, the only app I have that is designed to do anything other than read a Web page is paper football.

How is this not noted as a flaw?

1:15-2:50 now ET

My wife says, "Stop driving so fast." Repeatedly.

2:51

We exit near the hotel. The road to our hotel is only there because the Perimeter Mall is also there. The entire road, and this is the complete truth, is just a loop around the mall.

This is my issue with Atlanta, the entire city's road system seems to exist so you can reach a shopping center that didn't exist before.

We stop at eight consecutive lights, all bordering the mall. With this rate of speed, now I know what the immigrants felt like crossing the Atlantic.

2:57

Arrival at the hotel. I leave the car running and go digging through my bag for black socks. Unfortunately, I mistakenly brought blue socks.

With tiny penguins etched on them.

2:58

Kelly beats me to the hotel desk and gets his key first. Our tuxes are waiting in our rooms.

3:01

The desk clerk takes her time checking me in. I learn that the hotel has a free breakfast, something about Wi-Fi, and am tempted to strangle the clerk with my penguin socks.

Here's the only thing I've ever wanted other than a hotel room: a toothbrush in my hotel room. If you don't have toothbrushes, I couldn't care less about the other accoutrements.

In fact, a promise, the next hotel chain that starts providing disposable toothbrushes and toothpaste, I will stay in for the rest of my life.

3:06

I'm dressed in my tuxedo and nonchalantly waiting in the lobby as if I've been here all morning. Several other groomsmen arrive to inform me that Oklahoma and Texas, while poorly played, is currently tied at 13.

3:10

We all climb into the shuttle en route to the church. Beers are opened.

The groom says there is a television in the church but it doesn't work. "It's only for videos."

Videos of what?

3:15

The groom says there will be no televisions at the reception because the bride believes they would be a "distraction."

The Kentucky grads all groan.

Question: If millions of people choose to do something, i.e. attend or watch a football game, and 125 do something else, say, attend a wedding, doesn't that make the wedding the distraction?

3:31

Drinking inside the church is forbidden. So everyone stands on the curb outside and drinks. Kerry wins the BlackBerry, iPhone shuffle and becomes the first to report that Texas has beaten Oklahoma.

3:55

Florida and Arkansas are scoreless midway through the first quarter. We're seated in a large room with two televisions. A groomsman begins to work on obtaining a signal from the television.

"Who has a flat screen," he asks, "only to watch videos?"

4:05

We confirm the church has a flat screen only to watch videos. Arkansas leads 7-0 on Florida.

4:15

Picture time!

We take eight photographs. In one of them the groom is walking 10 feet ahead of us and we're supposed to chase him. It's only the second most homoerotic shot.

In the most homoerotic shot, the groom stands in front and everyone gets in a straight line behind him and raises their arms in different directions. "I promise it looks really cool," the photographer says.

Kelly shakes his head, "I don't know about you," he says, "but I'm opting out of the teabag shot."

4:25

Most of the groomsmen relocate to the parked bus and, in a silent effort to reclaim their manliness, begin drinking beers heavily.

There is also a flat-screen television on the bus.

But, you guessed it ... no satellite signal.

It's for videos or DVDs as well.

4:59

Outside the groom's room hangs a picture of Jesus that appears to focus on His nipple. I stand looking at the painting for a few seconds.

Another man passes, "You don't really think about Jesus' nipples that much until you see a picture like that," he says.

5:30

Florida leads Arkansas 13-10. Southern Cal is up two scores on Notre Dame. Virginia Tech is down to Georgia Tech.

My iPhone battery hangs perilously on the living side of electronic life, bars vanishing at a rapid rate.

5:35

" 'Can you keep up with the game during the service? ... Here's what you do, if Arkansas scores, give me a thumbs up, if Florida scores, flick me off.' Welcome to a Southern wedding."
We line up to begin ushering guests into the church. Things begin ominously, I take a woman's arm and her mentally handicapped daughter throws a screaming fit.

She pats me on the arm. "It's okay," she says.

As I walk down the aisle, I'm expecting to be tackled from behind. My mind is racing. What's protocol? I have to take the beating without resisting, right?

If I bleed do I owe more money for the tuxedo rental?

5:51

A grown man who shall remain nameless, but who does not have a BlackBerry or an iPhone pulls me aside when he sees me checking scores. "I hate Florida" he says.

I nod.

"Can you keep up with the game during the service?"

I nod again.

"Here's what you do, if Arkansas scores, give me a thumbs up, if Florida scores, flick me off."

Welcome to a Southern wedding ladies and gentlemen.

5:55

We take our seats in the pews. I silence my phone and set it on auto-refresh.

6:02

The bride is lovely.

6:04

Hot damn, Arkansas kicks a field goal to tie the score at 13. The priest has just told a five-minute story that involves a three-word punchline, "Aisle, change, hymn."

"I'll change him," get it!

Are you rolling yet? Priest humor is gold.

Seriously though, how are these homilies so bad at weddings? Think about this, if you did a 20-minute wedding forty times a year, couldn't you have a killer homily? I mean a story that either made people stand up and rend their garments from the emotional power or one that made people roll into the pew floor laughing?

Maybe even both?

I mean, you have enough practice to know what works, right?

Yet why are they all so bad?

6:25

My phone vibrates with a text message. It says only one word, "Petrino."

Moments later the score updates on my phone, Arkansas has scored on a 75-yard touchdown pass on third-and-17. It's 20-13 Hogs.

The wedding ends, the gentleman passes me in the aisle. I give him a thumbs up. He raises his eyebrows and smiles appreciatively.

6:45

Time for the after-wedding photos. The groomsmen and ushers gather in three rows of pews. All of us are madly hitting refresh on the Arkansas-Florida game.

Everyone is rooting for Arkansas.

Play by play spools out from different locations as people get updates at different rates of gametracker speed depending on a variety of factors. Everyone tries to be the first to update the latest play, it's like competitive sports reporting; we're all John Clayton.

My iPhone is running updates slower than everyone else so I take a chance on Twitter.

Paydirt.

I break the news that Arkansas misses a 38-yard field goal before anyone else. I feel like Cronkite delivering the news that Kennedy had died. "He missed it," I slowly intone.

"No!" scream eight voices in unison.

Predictably, after the miss, Florida goes down and scores. As each play is announced to the group, our faces become more dejected.

Our actual conversation after he made the field goal is unprintable on an upstanding-ish site like this, but it involved Jesus, Urban Meyer and a sex act that, impressively enough, has its own Wikipedia page.

7:45

The photos are finished. The groomsmen and ushers have been used for 15 minutes of photographs. We've been here for four hours.

In terms of efficiency, I feel like I'm in the law firm again.

Only then I would have billed for 8.6 hours.

We enter the bus and begin to drink heavily. The Kentucky fans all pull out their phones as kickoff nears. But, wait, the bridal party advances onto the bus singing:

War Eagle, fly down the field
Ever to conquer, never to yield
War Eagle, fearless and true,
Fight on you orange and blue
Go! Go! Go!
On to vict'ry, strike up the band
Hit 'em high, hit 'em low,
Stand up and yell, Hey!
War Eagle, win for Auburn,
Power of Dixie Land!

"I did not f'ing sign up for this," says a UK grad sitting across from me.

"I'm going to throw up," says another. "I hope we beat them by 50."

"I hope Gene Chizik dies," says yet another.

8:03

We arrive at the reception.

Kentucky is lining up for a field goal as we prepare to enter the event. Kentucky fans are madly hitting refresh.

At this point, I get distracted focusing on the Bourbon drinks. But no one says anything for a long time. Finally, I ask my friend Tardio what happened.

"Auburn blocked the kick and returned it for a touchdown," he says.

Kentucky football in a sentence.

8:15

We begin to drink inside the reception.

Heavily.

At some point, I learn that it's 14-7 Auburn at the half. "Should be 10-7 Kentucky," says Tardio.

9:20

I can't find four of the groomsmen.

Then my phone buzzes, "At Mellow Mushroom watching game. Come over."

They've walked across the parking lot to a restaurant. I contemplate leaving, but then get distracted by more drinks and Young MC's 1989 opus Bust a Move coming on.

Kelly's girlfriend, Erin, is six years younger than us. She stands watching us as we dance. "You don't know Bust a Move?" I ask.

"No," she says. "I was 4 in 1989."

1989 was Ken Griffey's rookie year, the magical No. 1 card in the Upper Deck set. There are people who can drink and don't remember this?

Time grows fuzzy.

At the finale of the song, Kelly suggests I attempt the splits.

So I do.

After this I forget about my intent to leave and watch the game.

10:15

The groom takes the mic. "I love you honey, but time for a score update. The Cats have a first-and-goal with under five minutes to play and the score tied 14-14."

Half the crowd erupts. The other half hisses.

Moments later comes the cheering. Kentucky has taken the lead 21-14. There is less than two minutes remaining from the Cats' first victory over Auburn since 1966.

10:45

Several groomsmen return from across the street and begin running around the reception hall doling out high fives like they have just won the Super Bowl. I know, it's happened, Kentucky has won at Auburn.

"Our best road win in decades," exults one Cat fan.

The groom takes the mic and leads the crowd in a cheer. "C-A-T-S, CATS, CATS, CATS," he screams.

Then he gives his bride a kiss.

My wife takes my arm amid the bedlam, "I'm so proud of you for not leaving to watch the games," she says.

I give her a kiss. "Weddings are so much more important than football," I say.

Starting 11: When a Wedding Causes a Football Separation originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEC Notebook: Rolling With Tide

Jim Henry — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:25:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, South Carolina, SEC

Alabama coach Nick Saban certainly likes the Crimson Tide's offensive efficiency.

Alabama has stepped it up through the first five games this year, compared to the first give games in 2008. Alabama is averaging three points more points per game more and 86 more total yards per game above last season. The passing offense is where the major improvement has been, with the Tide throwing for 1,173 yards and nine touchdowns compared to 808 yards and six scores last season.

That's not all. For the first time since 1979, and just the third time in school history, No. 3 Alabama has opened the season with five straight games of 30 points or more. The Tide looks to extend that streak to six games on Saturday at No. 20 Mississippi.

"I think we've had good balance offensively," Saban said.

"I think we have been efficient in throwing the ball, which is important. We have been effective enough running it and I think the balance that we've created has probably been the key to our success and think it's going to be a key to future success that we continue to do that. If we can do both things equally well it will keep people off-balance and we have a multiple number of guys that are contributing to do that and making plays."

While Alabama still has an outstanding ground game, the passing game behind new quarterback Greg McElroy and a more seasoned group of receivers, tight ends and running backs has given the Tide more offensive punch. Alabama is averaging 228.2 rushing yards (10th nationally) and 234.6 passing yards (48th nationally) Overall, the Tide has completed 40 passes to receivers, 28 to backs and 19 to tight ends.

"We have good guys and that's just another opportunity to get them the ball in space," Saban said.

"I think the tight end is probably the best mismatched player on the field. I've always said that, in terms of who is covering him, where he lines up and how he gets defended. All these things are positives in my opinion. The quarterback makes good decisions and gets the ball in the right places and he's got the patience to do it and that's one of the reasons we have not turned it over a lot is we're not putting the ball where it shouldn't be going."

And, in case anyone is counting, McElroy has now won his last 21 starts at quarterback, going 16-0 as a high school senior in 2005 and 5-0 for the Tide in 2009.

Alabama also has beaten Ole' Miss five consecutive games, including the last two played in Oxford, Miss. But both of those games were decided on the final play.

"When you watch Alabama you don't see many weaknesses - offense, defense and special teams - they are playing excellent football right now," Ole' Miss coach Houston Nutt said. "They have excellent athletes and they don't make mistakes. They feed off of their opponent's mistakes. They are very physical and their guys can run."

Rise and Shine

The SEC has deals with CBS and ESPN, and every team in the league will be on television this weekend. Of course, that means some teams wills start earlier than others.

Better keep the pancakes and eggs warm for the Arkansas-Auburn showdown. It's slated for an 11AM CT kickoff.

"We'll get them off the field a little quicker on Thursday, so we try to get their legs back," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said.

"We'll get out of our meetings a little bit earlier on Friday night, get them in bed a little earlier, and then obviously they have to get up early and get going. I've always enjoyed early games and I think our players do too -- where you don't have to wait around and sit around in the hotel all day."

Auburn coach Gene Chizik admits the early kickoff alters the Tigers' routine -- at least he thinks it will.

"This is uncharted territory for us," he said.

"All of our games have been night games so far and it will be interesting. For early games we get up, eat, then play, but it shouldn't really affect us. This does create a new series of things that we will encounter, especially with such a young team."

Repeat Performance?

Last season, Arkansas beat No. 20 Auburn 25-22 in Alabama. Running back Michael Smith carried the ball 35 times for 176 yards and one touchdown.

Will Smith have another big game?

At the moment, Smith just wants to contribute.

Smith, who finished with 1,072 yards and eight touchdowns last season, has only 32 carries for 180 yards and one touchdown through the first four games this season. That's a dramatic decline from this time a year ago when, despite being suspended for the season opener, he had 54 carries for 295 yards and two touchdowns through the first four games of the season.

He's on pace to finish the regular season with 540 rushing yards.

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Latest College Football Photos

Middle Tennessee State quarterback Dwight Dasher (9) avoids the tackle of Troy's Bear Woods (48) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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Latest College Football Images

In this photo taken on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes watches from the sidelines during the final minutes of an NCAA college football game against Texas State in Fort Worth, Texas. The transformation of Jerry Hughes from prep running back to All-American defensive end was never more evident than the picture of a skinny kid somebody taped to his locker. Now nearly 50 pounds heavier and a senior for No. 11 TCU, Hughes now looks more like a potential first-round NFL draft pick. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

In this photo taken on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes runs off the field during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Texas State in Fort Worth, Texas.The transformation of Jerry Hughes from prep running back to All-American defensive end was never more evident than the picture of a skinny kid somebody taped to his locker. Now nearly 50 pounds heavier and a senior for No. 11 TCU, Hughes now looks more like a potential first-round NFL draft pick. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 06: Matt Moore, a former college football player at Texas Christian attends The 24th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner benefiting The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis (national fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis) at The Waldorf=Astoria on October 6, 2009 in New York, New York. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for The Miami Project) *** Local Caption *** Matt Moore *** Local Caption *** Matt Moore *** Local Caption *** Matt Moore

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 6: Matt Moore, a former college football player at Texas Christian University, attends The 24th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner benefiting The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis (national fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis) at The Waldorf-Astoria on October 6, 2009 in New York, New York. (Photo by Brian Bedder/Getty Images for The Miami Project) *** Local Caption *** Matt Moore

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Troy receiver Chip Reeves (8) celebrates with teammate Sergio Perez, rear, after scoring on a 52-yard pass reception in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Middle Tennessee in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Troy linebacker Boris Lee (2) breaks up a pass intended for Middle Tennessee State receiver Malcolm Beyah (4) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. At left is Troy defender Tebiarus Gill. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Troy running back Shawn Southward (20) reacts after scoring in the first quarter during an NCAA college football game against Middle Tennessee State in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. Middle Tennessee States's Emmanuel Perez (91) and Jeremy Kellem (20) walk away. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Troy receiver Chip Reeves (8) is pursued by Middle Tennessee State's Marcus Udell (3) on a 52-yard touchdown reception in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

"I need to run better," said Smith, who led the team in receptions with five for 65 yards and a touchdown in last week's victory over Texas A&M. "If I begin to run better, then the amount of touches won't matter because I'll be gaining more yards with each game."

Praising Garcia

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is slow to praise his quarterbacks, particularly Stephen Garcia. But in his first full season as a starter, Garcia is playing well. The Gamecocks are third in the SEC and 14th nationally in total defense (264.4 yards per game).

"He's doing some better things," Spurrier said.

"We certainly hope and believe that he can continue advancing and throwing the ball more accurately here and there, but he did throw some good balls in the second half last week [in the win over South Carolina State]. That was encouraging. We need to throw some perfect passes.

"Receivers are running some decent routes, but that can get better. Pass protection can get better certainly ... fortunately we have a really good defense and we don't have to score every time we touch it. We've had one turnover per game -- five turnovers. Heck we had four in the first half of a game last year so we've come a long way."

SEC Notebook: Rolling With Tide originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jonathan Crompton Era Needs to End

Clay Travis — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:36:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn, Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Saturday night at halftime, Lane Kiffin changed his clothes, ditching a black sweater in favor of an orange pullover. Presumably the wardrobe change was a superstitious response to an awful offensive half, one that saw the Vols with nine yards total passing until the final two-minute drive. If only Kiffin were less stubborn about his signal-caller. News flash, Kiffin could coach on the sideline in a burka or a Japanese sumo outfit and the result on the field would be the same -- Jonathan Crompton is going to lose the game.

Early in the season Kiffin adopted the coaching cliche, "If you've got two quarterbacks, you've got none." I'd like to advance another version of that cliche: "If your one quarterback is Jonathan Crompton, then you still ain't got one either." Right now, Kiffin's refusal to make a change at quarterback is slowly bleeding his head-coaching legitimacy among the fan base. In his first season Kiffin has struck an iceberg, and he's going down on the S.S. Crompton. So is his team. It's time for a change.

Lane Kiffin has been brash, confident, and quotable. What he hasn't been is a winner. Anywhere. In 25 games as a head coach, Kiffin is now 7-18 (5-15 with the NFL's Oakland Raiders and 2-3 with the Vols). With Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina in the next three games, it's altogether possible that Kiffin and the Vols are going to be sitting at 2-6 by the time November arrives. Another season of 5-7 or worse looms. And here's the kicker, next year Tennessee is going to be worse. In this day and age if your second season isn't a good one, you're not going to truly succeed as a coach. Pete Carroll, Nick Saban, Bob Stoops, Urban Meyer, Mark Richt -- every single one of those coaches had great second seasons. That's when their teams made a seismic jump.

Kiffin's situation is unique because his team, due to the graduating seniors on the offensive line and at tailback, and the presumed early departure of Eric Berry, is going to be worse next year. He needed to win this year, needed to beat inferior teams at home like UCLA and needed to beat teams of similar talent like Auburn. But he hasn't. And in the process Jonathan Crompton has become the albatross dragging down Kiffin, Version 1.0.

"(Kiffin) needed to win this year, needed to beat inferior teams at home like UCLA and needed to beat teams of similar talent like Auburn. But he hasn't. And in the process Jonathan Crompton has become the albatross dragging down Kiffin, Version 1.0." At this point in the season, standing at 2-3, what does Jonathan Crompton, a senior who has managed to win one SEC game in which he completed a pass in his career -- Kentucky last year -- actually give you if he plays great? The chance to finish 6-6? And then be gone from football forever?

Meanwhile, you have a redshirt junior in Nick Stephens standing on the sideline. Worst case scenario, Stephens comes in and only wins two games as your starting quarterback. But at least you give him a chance to prove that he can be your guy for a year in 2010.

My point is, I've finally come around to this argument: Stephens can't be worse. He just can't. And now it's time for a change.

Here are other observations:

1. Gene Chizik and Auburn, particularly Gus Malzahn, have blown Tennessee's highest paid coaching staff in the country out of the water this season in terms of performance.

Kiffin defenders scream, "Talent, talent, talent."

That's all well and good, but does anyone really think Auburn has more talent than Tennessee? Last year's Tennessee-Auburn game ended 14-12 and set back offensive football five decades. Now compare the two teams this year. Which looks different, which looks improved?

That's almost entirely a product of coaching, right?

In fact, this game was almost a perfect laboratory for coaching analysis. Compare the products on the field last night. Kiffin, who was supposedly an offensive guru at USC, has not improved Tennessee's offense. Chizik, under the direction of Gus Malzahn, has completely remade Auburn. They're now 5-0, loving football, and have completely bought in to what the coaching staff is selling.

Meanwhile, Kiffin and Tennessee are regressing offensively and defensively.

You can argue talent differential in games against Florida and Georgia, maybe, but you can't argue talent differential in games like Auburn and UCLA. What you can argue is inferior preparation. Again, I'll say what I did after the UCLA game: if Phillip Fulmer is standing on the sideline and makes every play call that Kiffin did, fans are outraged.

That first half of football was unwatchable.

Kiffin bears the blame.

Taking it further, there were two primary rationales to replace Fulmer: a. the team needed to be coached better and, b. the recruiting had suffered.

So far Kiffin's offense and defense look no different than Fulmer's did. So now the rationale for the coaching change boils down completely to recruiting.

Kiffin is recruiting well, but Tennessee has always recruited well. Fulmer had better players than every other team in the SEC during his tenure (using the NFL Draft as the barometer). What have we seen on the field thus far that offers clear evidence that Tennessee is being coached better?

2. Crompton's receivers didn't help him by making catches, but that's partially because they don't believe in him at quarterback.

Offense is about optimism, the psychology of upcoming success. You can't line up and have any doubts about your ability to make plays. Watch Tennessee's receivers. Do you really think they expect Crompton to put the ball where they can catch it and make a play?

Of course not.

They're so worried about trying to make a spectacular play for the offense, that they can't make a simple play.

Why?

Because they don't trust Crompton to make plays. Even if they're not saying it out loud, their body language tells the story. Watch how long the receivers take to get up after another failed pass attempt. The downcast head. They're beaten before the ball is snapped.

3. It's time to toss practice out the window when it comes to evaluating quarterbacks.

I said it earlier, but it bears repeating, Jonathan Crompton has won a single SEC game when he completes a pass -- Kentucky. (He also "beat" Vanderbilt as the starter last year, but his only pass, the first of the game, was intercepted.) In fact, Kentucky is the only team from a major conference that Crompton has beaten in his career.

My point, there's enough game experience film to evaluate at this point to make a decision on what the game play is going to be like. Using practice as a proxy for games doesn't make sense anymore. For whatever reason, if the coaching staff is to be believed, Crompton's talents don't translate to Saturday.

So be it.

Nick Stephens deserves his shot to see what he does in games. By all accounts, he tends to do better in games than practice. Give him a chance.

4. This team is divided already. Changing quarterbacks won't make it any worse.

For the first time in two years, the defense buckled in a game. It happened at the end of the first half as Auburn was in the process of running up 49 offensive snaps in the first half.

Forty-nine!

Tennessee had to take two timeouts to rest its defense.

Let me repeat that, Tennessee had to take two timeouts to rest the defense.

I can't imagine any more glaring indictment of the offensive performance than this. It's downright shameful how wasted the Tennessee defense is. And if you don't think those guys on defense are looking out at the offense, watching Crompton give up a field goal to the other team by dropping the ball on the center exchange, for example, you're fooling yourself.

This team is already divided along offense and defense lines. And it's only going to get worse as long as Crompton is in there. At least if a change is made, there's a tangible sign that the offense is willing to try anything to get better.

5. Why the lack of offensive ingenuity?

I want one person to explain to me why Nu'Keese Richardson carries the ball for 40 yards on the first play of the game and we never see him again.

Kiffin went to war for Richardson, brought on the wrath of an entire nation, turned Nu'Keese into a modern day Helen of Troy -- with an apostrophe -- and he can't even use him for more than one direct snap after the first one is hugely successful? That makes zero sense.

If your offense is awful, isn't it the coaching staff's responsibility to find ways to get players chances to make plays?

Putting this into context, the majorettes twirled flaming batons at halftime of the game. It was the most explosive offensive performance on the part of anyone from Tennessee.

6. Late in the third quarter, Lane Kiffin went for it on 4th-and-1 at his own 29.

This play speaks volumes -- Kiffin is even more frustrated than the biggest fan. I get that. But it's also making him choose risky options that offer limited payoffs. Down just 16-6, Kiffin put the game on the line with this decision.

What was the payoff for this ill-advised gamble? Tennessee punted three plays later from its 34. Yep, they risked the entire game for five yards of field position.

The risk-reward ratio when it comes to the Tennessee offense is completely broken. And it's leading the coach to make poor decisions that have limited tactical benefit -- what were the odds that Tennessee was going to score a touchdown on that drive with a first down at its own 30? To me that's clear evidence that a change needs to be made at the quarterback position. Even the head coach is pressing in his play calling due to the offensive woes.

7. It's time someone calls Kiffin on playing Crompton to help recruiting, and I'm going to do it.

Kiffin defenders consider his refusal to bench Crompton to be a strength. I think that's misguided. In fact, I actually think it's unfair to Crompton.

Why?

Because part of the reason Kiffin is leaving Crompton in at quarterback to bear the brunt of the criticism is because he wants to bring in at least one and potentially two stud quarterbacks in this year's recruiting class. That might make sense in the long-term, but it makes Kiffin's defense of Crompton ring hollow in the meantime.

It also makes Crompton a de facto shield for Kiffin. Instead of blaming the coaches, fans blame Crompton. I want the Crompton shield removed.

8. Two plays from last night that sum up the Crompton era.

a. Late in the third quarter, Crompton drops back and completes a pass to Gerald Jones, running a drag route across the field with three defenders in close proximity to him.

Hooray, a completed pass.

Only, the wide receiver on that same side of the field, I believe it was Denarius Moore, was left all alone running down the sideline. The receiver waved his arm, leaped, and the entire crowd in my section screamed for Crompton to uncork his massive arm and heave a pass down the field that would potentially unlock the offensive miasma.

But Crompton never saw his open receiver. He was locked on his primary read.

That's despite Tennessee rolling Crompton out to one side or the other throughout the game so he'd only have to survey one-third of the field.

Yep, even when receivers are wide-open in the one-third of the field that Crompton is facing, he doesn't see them.

b. The trip and fall play to begin the second half.

Coming out of the locker room, the Tennessee defense holds the Auburn offense to a three-and-out. Tennessee takes possession coming off a touchdown drive. Crompton takes the snap, steps back, is tripped by his own man, and falls down in the backfield for a loss of four.

This play might not be Crompton's fault, but no one on the offense and no one in the crowd was surprised that it happened to Crompton. I don't bear him any ill-will, I don't think he's a bad guy, I hope he's a success in something other than football, but it's time for his football career at Tennessee to come to a close.

Kiffin has given him five games. Crompton has proven that's he not up to the task.

******

Saturday night as I left the stadium a black man in a suit played a mournful dirge on his saxophone. Standing in Phillip Fulmer Way with an open case in front of him, his music soared into the clear night sky as downcast Vol fans passed him.

One fan, an older man in a Vol parka, reached into his wallet and pulled out a dollar bill. "You're the best player I've seen all night," the man said.

The saxophone player nodded as he continued to play. It was October 3rd and already fall seemed like it stretched forward into eternity.

"That damn Crompton," the man said, shaking his head, "that damn Crompton."

...
Clay Travis is the author of three books. His latest, "On Rocky Top: A Front Row Seat to The End of an Era" chronicles the 2008 Tennessee football season and is on sale now.

Jonathan Crompton Era Needs to End originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auburn Falls for Gus Malzahn

Clay Travis — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:10:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn

Several months ago, I said one of the big questions of the 2009 SEC season was which of the new high-priced coordinators would make the biggest splash in the conference: John Chavis at LSU, Monte Kiffin at Tennessee or Gus Malzahn at Auburn.

Four weeks into the season, I think we can call this contest: It's Malzahn by a landslide.

While Kiffin has kept Tennessee in the top 10 on defense -- truthfully he didn't really have anywhere to take them -- Chavis has been serviceable at best for LSU. Arriving at Auburn, a team that averaged just 17.3 points per game in 2008, Malzahn revolutionized an offense that is now ranked No. 3 in the nation. So far this season, Auburn is averaging seven yards per play and 525 yards per game (nearly 200 more per game than last year, albeit not yet with the gauntlet of SEC defenses), and has scored 23 touchdowns.

As if that weren't enough the team is now averaging 45.25 points a game. By the fifth game this season, at Tennessee, Malzahn and Auburn stand a decent chance of putting up more points in 2009 than they did in the entire 2008 season.

With statistics like these, I think there's only one solution: Name Gus Malzhan the coach in waiting.

At least that was the suggestion of a recent reader, make him the coach-in-waiting behind first-year coach Gene Chizik. Given that Chizik is both a first-year coach and only 47, I think he was joking. But with Malzahn's success and Auburn's love affair with the coach, you can't ever be sure. Yep, Malzahn, a 43 year old who didn't even begin coaching in college until 2006, has taken the SEC by storm. Already, Auburn coeds swoon when he passes on the Tiger Walk, grown men's hearts go pitter-pat, and Chizik sits around doodling until he turns his career record as a head coach, 5-19, into 17-19, a perfect 12-0 start to the season.

And why not, he's a third of the way there already and the way Auburn is scoring points, it looks like they can't lose.

In fact, looking at Auburn's schedule, this game on the road at Tennessee looms large.

Win and there's a much better-than-average chance that Auburn is 7-0 headed to LSU. Even if the Tigers lose that game, they return home for three of their final four games. Basically, beat Tennessee this weekend and Auburn locks up a Jan. 1 bowl game or better. They'll win at least nine games.

Meanwhile, for Tennessee, this game is even more important. With Auburn, followed by Georgia, at Alabama, and returning home against South Carolina, there's some possibility the Vols could lose all four, fall to 2-6 and bury Lane Kiffin in his first season. Beat Auburn and things can turn in a hurry for the Vols. Suddenly 5-3 looks very possible through the first eight games. The final four games of the season offer three traditional victories. Win those three and Tennessee would be 8-4.

This is a swing game of epic proportions.

Now the question becomes, how will Gus Malzahn's offense match up against Monte Kiffin's defense? Auburn fans already think they know the answer: Malzahn will win. That's how convinced they are by his rapid turnaround of their offensive failures. The same fans who used to sit on the sideline and chew on the ends of their orange and blue pompom fronds while Tommy Tuberville's defense tried to choke out an opponent via yet another 17-14 victory, are now convinced their offensive coordinator could hang 45 on Pittsburgh's Steel Curtain.

But with all this early success comes trepidation, already there's fear that Malzahn will bolt for a better opportunity, pull a Will Muschamp and leave the Tigers holding onto their hearts while the love of their assistant coaching lives rides off into the sunset, leaving behind the loveliest village on the Plains. After all, the course of true love never runs straight, and Auburn fans are willing to do anything to keep Malzahn.

In fact, here are 10 signs that Auburn fans don't won't to lose Gus Malzahn:

1. Student petition to rename Aubie the Tiger, Gus the Tiger is rapidly nearing.

After all, even Auburn fans think Aubie is an awful name.

2. Malzahn's wife is named Kristi and his two daughters are named Kylie and Kenzie. How do we know this? They've all been elevated to the Auburn Board of Trustees.

3. While they can't offer him the head-coaching position in football (yet), given his fast-break football offense, they have offered him the reins to the Auburn basketball program.

Jeff Lebo won't find out until after the first of the year. Consider this our secret.

4. Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs is currently drafting a lifetime tenure contract that will pay Malzahn $4 billion no matter what he does for a living at Auburn.

5. Fans no longer cover their faces when Chris Todd drops back to pass.

Remember early in the season when I wrote that no one had a clue who the third or fourth best quarterback in the league would be? Now it looks like we didn't know the second best either. Because right now, Todd has been the second-best quarterback in the SEC this season. And if you ever doubted Malzahn's value, the elevation of Chris Todd should erase all doubts.

Last season, Todd passed for 903 yards, five touchdowns, six interceptions, and was sacked 12 times.

This season? Todd has already thrown for 1,012 yards, 11 touchdowns, just one interception, and has only been sacked once.

Now, Todd also had surgery on his shoulder and returned with a stronger arm, but most of the credit for his performance has to go to Malzahn.

6. Bumper stickers are already being printed: "Honk if you scored a touchdown on Alabama."

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Washington State running back Dwight Tardy, runs past Southern California safety T.J. McDonald during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. USC won 27-6. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops answers a question during a news conference in Norman, Okla., Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009. Oklahoma takes on No. 17 Miami in an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 3 in Miami. (AP Photo)

Penn State coach Joe Paterno listens to a question during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State takes on at Illinois in an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 3, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

Penn State coach Joe Paterno jokes with reporters prior to his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State takes on at Illinois in an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 3, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

In this Sept. 12, 2009, photo, Southern California running back Stafon Johnson runs for a touchdown against Ohio State during an NCAA college football game in Columbus, Ohio. Johnson had emergency throat surgery Monday, Sept. 28, after a weightlifting accident. The senior who scored the No. 7 Trojans' go-ahead touchdown against Ohio State was bench-pressing when the bar slipped from his right hand and fell onto his throat. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

In this Oct. 18, 2008, photo, UCLA quarterback Kevin Craft looks to pass as Stanford defensive end Pannel Egboh puts on pressure during an NCAA college football game in Pasadena, Calif. The Bruins won the game on a last-minute touchdown pass by Craft, who's back in the starting lineup as UCLA prepares to face Stanford on Saturday, Oct. 3. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

In this Oct. 25, 2008, photo, Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford drops back to pass during an NCAA college football game against Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops doesn't know whether Bradford will be ready for Saturday night's game at No. 17 Miami on Oct. 3, but said it won't be a game-time decision. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Baylor sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin is examined after sustaining a torn ACL in his right knee during an NCAA college football game against Northwestern State on Saturday Sept. 26, 2009 in Waco Texas. Griffin is out for the year. (AP Photo/Waco Tribune Herald, Rod Aydelotte)

In this photo taken Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, Penn State tight end Andrew Quarless is tackled by Iowa's Pat Angerer, upper right, and Tyler Sash, bottom, during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in State College, Pa. Iowa's defense handed the Nittany Lions their first loss for the second-straight season. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

In this photo taken Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark (17) throws the ball away and was charges with intentional grounding as Iowa defenders Christian Ballard (46) and Jeremiha Hunter move in and clear Penn State offensive lineman Nerraw McCormack (72) out of the way during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in State College, Pa. Iowa's defense handed the Nittany Lions their first loss for the second-straight season. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

7. Students are suggesting that Malzahn replace War Eagle VII and fly into the stadium on a hang-glider.

8. Toomer's Corner has been deeded to Gus Malzahn provided he agrees to build a mansion there and does not complain when toilet paper rolls break his window 7 times a year.

9. Gus Malzahn's face replaced Bo Jackson's on the outside of Jordan-Hare Stadium and no one noticed that Jackson disappeared.

The male Auburn fans just sighed, lifted their whiskey and cokes in salute and said, "By God, I'd kiss Gus if that didn't get us 10 years to life in Mobile."

10. They've retired the Needham Hex when Auburn has the football because they no longer need "the voodoo magic man."

11. Every morning Chizik begins his day by checking to make sure Malzahn hasn't moved into his office.

Of course, if he was there, Chizik wouldn't ask him to leave. And if he did ask him to leave, Auburn fans would riot.

Because right now, Auburn is the east, and Chizik is the sun.

Auburn Falls for Gus Malzahn originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEC Notebook: Joe Cox's Many Maladies

Jim Henry — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, SEC

Week 1 was the flu. Week 2 was shoulder soreness. OK, what's going on in Week 3?

The health of Georgia quarterback Joe Cox has been discussed, dissected and debated so much this young season that he could be a regular on General Hospital. Despite a jammed finger on his left non-throwing hand this week, Cox is in one piece -- and in good spirits. The rumors were so rampant last week that some believed Cox wouldn't start against South Carolina.

"It's definitely been interesting to see how crazy it can get just based off of what somebody says, but it hasn't been something that has been a distraction," said Cox, who injured his finger on an attempted tackle following an interception in the Bulldogs' win over South Carolina last Saturday.

"It's honestly something that we've all kind of laughed about."

While Georgia coach Mark Richt joked that Cox needed to wear an eye patch to meet with the media on Tuesday -- let's start another rumor -- Cox and the Bulldogs have been all business in their preparation for Saturday's SEC game at Arkansas. The Bulldogs have won the last five meetings against the Razorbacks, including all three in Fayetteville, Ark., and are on a five-game road SEC winning streak.

After losing its season-opener to Oklahoma State, Georgia rebounded with a dramatic 41-37 win at home over the Gamecocks. Arkansas was idle last week.

"It's like that old song," Richt said.

"You have to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative and don't mess with mister in between. That's what we are trying to do. We are trying to really look at the positive things and build off of them, eliminate the negative things and we'll be OK. We'll keep getting better if that happens."

One positive has been Georgia's production in the red zone. The Bulldogs are a perfect 6-for-6 inside their opponent's 20-yard line, scoring four touchdowns (one rushing, three passing) and connecting on a pair of field goals. Another has been the play from junior linebacker Rennie Curran, who leads the SEC with 23 tackles in two games.

And let's not forget Cox, who was slowed by a flu virus in the opening week -- he lost 10 pounds -- and last week Georgia revealed that nerve damage in Cox's right shoulder prevents him from throwing one day each week in practice. While the throwing schedule gives backup Logan Gray valuable time with the first-team offense, Cox finished with a career-high 201 yards passing and two touchdowns in the win over South Carolina.

"Everybody kind of understands that's the way it is," Richt said of Cox's throwing schedule.

"Nobody really gets too bent out of shape. It's always nice to get your second team guy a lot of work. A lot of coaches won't do that, but we've always done a pretty good job of letting our second team and our third team getting a little work, but it's even more so this year because of that situation. It's definitely helping Logan (Gray)."

Bluegrass Fever

Kentucky has held the upper hand in the state, beating rival Louisville the past two years for the Governor's Cup and winning three consecutive bowl games. Kentucky looks to make it three straight over the Cardinals on Saturday.

The Wildcats enter the home game on a streak of 15 consecutive non-conference wins. It's the second-longest non-conference win streak in the nation and the longest for UK since a 17-game non-conference win stretch from 1954-60. Since mid-season 2006, the Wildcats have won 21 of their last 33 games overall.

Kentucky coach Rich Brooks is well aware how a victory over Louisville makes life so much easier.

"Well, you have to live in a vacuum to not hear about it all year long in this state," Brooks said.

"Any football fan, you hear it on the talk radio, you see it on the message boards, just everywhere and you hear it when you're out in public. You get constantly reminded of what side of that equation you're on but like the last two years we've been fortunate enough to win the game - that really doesn't count - what counts is what happens this year. This Saturday is what is really going to count."

A Familiar Face

Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy will face off against his old high school Saturday in North Texas' Tom Dodge, who coached McElroy at Southlake Carroll High just outside Dallas.North Texas starting quarterback Riley Dodge -- the son of coach Tom Dodge and McElroy's backup in high school -- will miss the game with a separated shoulder, however. Dodge was injured in the third quarter of Saturday's double-overtime loss to Ohio.

"That is disappointing," McElroy said.

"Riley has had a little run of bad luck. I wish I could be playing against him, but they've got to do what's best for them and their season. If holding them out against us will allow them to be more successful down the road this year, then I totally understand why they're doing it."

A Popular Dude

Branden Smith, a freshman cornerback at Georgia, played every position while at Washington-Atlanta and committed to Georgia to play cornerback. Smith also ran the fifth-fastest 100 meters (10.64 seconds) in Georgia high school history. Naturally, his speed and athleticism made Smith an easy candidate to see time on offense.

The first time Smith touched the ball against South Carolina, on a kickoff return in the first quarter, Smith fumbled. The second time, he was gone -- untouched for a touchdown on a 61-yard reverse on offense. Smith was stunned to discover he was an instant hero on campus.

"It has been hard walking around campus and people asking for autographs and everything," Smith said. "But right now I am just trying to stay focused on schoolwork. It has been a little weird that no one before asked me for my autographs, but I had a good game Saturday and now they ask me for autographs. It felt a little good."

Quick Impressions

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen wasn't a happy camper following his team's 49-24 defeat to Auburn. The Bulldogs allowed 598 yards of total offense, including 390 on the ground. Mississippi State travels to Vanderbilt on Saturday.

"Not winning is not acceptable. I don't like using the 'L-word,'" Mullen said. "That is not acceptable for us and, when you don't come out on top, that is extremely disappointing."

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Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno answers a question during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State plays Temple at home on Saturday. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno gestures as he answers a question during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State plays Temple at home on Saturday. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy speaks during a news conference in Stillwater, Okla., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Wisconsin head football coach Bret Bielema screams during the second half of an NCAA football game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, in Madison, Wis. It took two overtimes for a flu-ravaged Wisconsin team to defeat Fresno State. As the Badgers look toward Wofford this week, Bielema gives an update on how his team is handling the flu outbreak that affected 40 players last week. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

In this Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, photo, Northwestern's Stefan Demos celebrates after kicking the game-winning 49-yard field goal against Eastern Michigan in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Evanston, Ill. Northwestern won 27-24. (AP Photo/David Banks)

In this Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, photo Penn State linebacker Sean Lee, left, walks away after sacking Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus, right, during the second half of their NCAA college football game in State College, Pa. Lee was so active against Syracuse, it seemed like the Penn State linebacker spent all day leveling opponents behind the line of scrimmage. Any lingering doubts about the health of his surgically-repaired right knee were erased in a dominating performance against the Orange. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

In this Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, photo, Penn State linebacker Sean Lee (45) stands with assistant coach Tom Bradley on the sideline during the second half of their college football game against Syracuse in State College, Pa. Lee was so active against Syracuse, it seemed like the Penn State linebacker spent all day leveling opponents behind the line of scrimmage. Any lingering doubts about the health of his surgically-repaired right knee were erased in a dominating performance against the Orange. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers rushes for a key fourth quarter gain on the wiining drive of the Beavers 23-21 win over UNLV in an NCAA college football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2009 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Daniel Gluskoter)

COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 12: Running back Stafon Johnson #13 of the USC Trojans celebrates in the end zone with teammate Jarvis Jones #10 after scoring a two yard touchdown in the fourth quarter over the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on September 12, 2009 in Columbus, Ohio. USC won the game 18-15. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Stafon Johnson; Jarvis Jones

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COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 12: Running back Stafon Johnson #13 of the USC Trojans celebrates in the end zone after scoring a two yard touchdown in the fourth quarter over the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on September 12, 2009 in Columbus, Ohio. USC won the game 18-15. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Stafon Johnson

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Improvement must come quickly. Mississippi State is in the middle of a tough stretch. After Saturday's game in Nashville, the Bulldogs come home to host LSU, Georgia Tech and Houston, which just knocked off Oklahoma State.

"Last week, I was disappointed in our coaching staff as far as not putting our players in better positions to make plays," Mullen said. "There were a couple times we did do a good job and we made some plays and missed some plays, but we still have to be in better position to make plays when it comes to game time. We have a lot of things to still improve on."

Ol' Bully

Steve Spurrier, the Ol' Ball Coach, hasn't been able to elevate South Carolina's program to where he wants it -- yet. The Gamecocks lost an SEC heart-breaker at Georgia last Saturday, and they will be looking to rebound in their home-opener on Saturday against Florida Atlantic.

It shouldn't be a problem.

Spurrier is 36-0 against teams outside the six major BCS conferences. The Owls visited Columbia, S.C., in 2006, losing 45-6. The 39-point margin is the second biggest win for the Gamecocks under Spurrier.

Spurrier, the gracious host, pointed out that the Owls have been to bowl games the past two years, beating Memphis in 2007 and Central Michigan in 2008. But he didn't mention that Florida Atlantic opened its season with a 49-3 loss to Nebraska. And, case if you are wondering, Spurrier wasn't in the mood to talk about the Georgia game either.

"That game is history," he said.

"A lot of guys played well; a lot did not play very well. We're trying to get it behind us, that's all we can do now. We lost as a team. We were a play short. Wherever it was, it didn't work out. We're trying to correct a lot of mistakes we had in that game. We had a lot of mistakes in the first game. I still believe we have a pretty good team here. We're trying to put it all together."

By the Numbers ... Trent Richardson ran for 118 yards and two scores, leading the Crimson Tide to an easy 40-14 win over Florida International last Saturday. McElroy threw for 241 yards and a touchdown on 18-of-24 completions. ...Tim Tebow threw for 237 yards and tied a career high with four touchdown passes against Troy. The Gators also tied a school record with its 12th straight win. ... Georgia's kickoff return team set a record with 252 return yards. Brandon Boykin had four returns for 187 yards and a score. ... LSU outgained Vandy, 326-210, in total offense in its victory ... Anthony Dixon paced Mississippi State with 92 rushing yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, but he wasn't able to keep pace with the Auburn backs in defeat. ... Stephen Garcia went 31-for-53 with 313 yards, two scores and an interception and added 42 yards on 10 carries in South Carolina's defeat against Georgia.. ... Vanderbilt scored on a safety for the first time since 2004 in its game against LSU.

SEC Notebook: Joe Cox's Many Maladies originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Offense Finally Roaring for Tigers

Jim Henry — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:41:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn, SEC

The Auburn Tigers are suddenly fun to watch again.

A bottom-feeder on offense a year ago, the undefeated Tigers are ranked among the nation's leaders in a number of categories after two weeks. Drum roll, please.

Auburn currently ranks second in the nation in rushing offense (345.5 yards per game) and fourth nationally in total offense (572.5). The Tigers are eighth nationally in first downs (28) and have had at least 27 downs in each of their first two games, while tying for the national lead with 162 plays run from scrimmage. Auburn is also one of just seven teams nationally that has played two games that has not allowed a sack this season, nor have the Tigers thrown an interception.

What gives?

"We are still learning our guys, they are still learning us," said Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, who is credited with resuscitating a Tigers offense that ranked 110th in scoring last season. "We don't have everything completely down. We are happy to be 2-0, we're happy to be able to run the football like we have these first two games. But we just have to keep trying to get better."

Better will be impressive to see, at least from a number's standpoint, especially after Malzahn's offense rolled up 589 total yards during Auburn's 49-24 home victory over Mississippi State last Saturday, including 390 on the ground. The 589 yards was the most ever by an Auburn team in an SEC opener and tied for 11th most in any game in school history.

The Tigers, however, are expected to tested by West Virginia Saturday.

The Mountaineers (2-0) limited Liberty and East Carolina to a combined 198 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns. Saturday's second half shutout of East Carolina was on par with what coordinator Jeff Casteel's defense has done in its last 15 games, dating back to 2008. During that span of games, 181 of the 261 points West Virginia's defense has allowed has come in the first half.

History is also on West Virginia's side, that is if you believe in trends. The last time a Big East team went to the Plains, South Florida won. And, of course, the Mountaineers beat the Tigers last year in Morgantown, W. Va.

Of course, there's a new sheriff on the Plains this season in head coach Gene Chizik. But he's also reminding fans that the Tigers are a work in progress.

"Those were some tough wins for us," Chizik said of opening victories over Louisiana Tech and Mississippi State. "We're not playing perfect, and there's a lot of times that we're not playing very well at all."

OK, but ...

Auburn went over 500 yards of total offense and 300 yards rushing for the second straight game last Saturday, marking Auburn's first back-to-back 500-yard games since 1970 and the first back-to-back 300-yard rushing games since 1985.

The Tigers also had two 100-yard rushers and a 100-yard receiver in one game for the first time in school history, as Ben Tate and Onterio McCalebb rushed for 157 and 114 yards, respectively, and Darvin Adamshad 116 yards receiving. Tate and McCalebb both rushed for more than 100 yards for the second straight game, marking the first time in Auburn history that the Tigers had two 100-yard rushers in back-to-back games.

The Tigers are the only team in the nation to have two running backs averaging more than 100 yards rushing as Tate ranks seventh nationally (137) and McCalebb ranks ninth (131).

The numbers are dizzying, but Chizik has both feet on the ground. He is the first to say that Auburn's schedule gets tougher, starting against West Virginia in the third of four consecutive home games, and an October stretch that includes three SEC road games -- Tennessee, Arkansas, LSU. Another issue Chizik needs to fix is Auburn's third-down defense, which currently ranks 64th in the nation with opponents converting 35.7 percent of the time.

"I don't want anybody to get ahead of this whole thing," Chizik said.

"It ain't as good as it seems and it ain't as bad as it seems. We're just trying to be realistic and that's really how I feel. To beat West Virginia this week, we're going to have to be better than we were the first two."

Auburn's offense has been under the poised direction of senior quarterback Chris Todd, who is off to a solid start. Todd has completed 27 of his 49 pass attempts for 441 yards, averaging 16.3 yards per completion. He threw for a career high 255 yards and two scores in the season opener against Louisiana Tech, surpassing his previous career high of 250 yards against LSU last season.

It's also easy to overlook an Auburn defense that has excelled despite a rash of injuries.

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Utah players celebrate a 24-14 win over San Jose State in an NCAA college football game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy speaks during a news conference in Stillwater, Okla., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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Purdue head coach Danny Hope, left, confers with referees on a call that kept the Boilermakers from tying the game with just seconds left during the second half of their NCAA college football game against Oregon in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009. Oregon beat Purdue 38-36.(AP Photo/Don Ryan)

Utah players celebrate a 24-14 win over San Jose State in an NCAA college football game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

The Tigers have held each of their first two opponents under 300 yards of total offense, and senior Antonio Coleman was named the SEC's Defensive Lineman of the Week on Monday. Coleman collected his first career interception in the first quarter against the Bulldogs, returning it 20 yards for a touchdown to give Auburn a 14-0 lead. He also had three tackles and a quarterback hurry in the game.

While the Tigers are suddenly fun to watch again, Chizik's naturally pleased with that reaction but he says Auburn's opening victories weren't as easy as they appeared.

"I don't think it's been easy at all," Chizik said following Saturday's game.. "I beg to differ. We've played two very good football teams, and there were times in both games where things were back and forth. I don't know what it looks like on the outside, but that's what it looks like on the inside."

Offense Finally Roaring for Tigers originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spread Attack: Tony Franklin Explains Why Auburn Flopped

Clay Travis — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn, Middle Tennessee State, Troy, Coaching

Tuesday, we coined the term trophy coordinators, applied to college football's answers to trophy wives, hotshot coordinators hired to be paraded around on the arm of a head coach in need of a boost.

So what does a trophy coordinator think about the term? How hard is it to come into a new team with the expectation of turning around a program? We caught up with former Auburn coordinator and current Middle Tennessee State offensive coordinator Tony Franklin to find out.
Franklin started the 2008 season as Auburn's new offensive coordinator, bringing with him the spread system he launched at Troy that won two consecutive Sun Belt titles. He lasted six games at Auburn and became a cautionary tale for both college football fans and hopeful coordinators.

So, what's the most important detail when it comes to installing a new offense after arriving as a heralded coordinator?

"I think it depends on whether your head coach is really committed to the system," Franklin told FanHouse. "I've had two experiences with head coaches now, Larry Blakeney [at Troy] was committed to it all the way. Tommy Tuberville (at Auburn) wasn't. On the one hand, a coach was patient, didn't meddle, and was willing to eat crow until it worked. On the other hand, the coach wasn't willing to give it time."

Asked to assess Tommy Tuberville's offensive options at Auburn, Franklin said there were two.

"You either sit tight with your offense, stay on board with what you're doing and fight like hell or you go get something that's shiny and new and hope like hell it works. But you can't do both."

Unlike Tuberville, who fired Franklin after six games, head coach Larry Blakeney at Troy took the second path and remained committed to the spread offense. Even when it didn't run smoothly at first.
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"Early on with the offense, we lost to Nebraska 56-0 and then we lost to UAB 21-3. The offense was awful. After the UAB loss we went into the locker room and the defense had played well. And if the defensive staff had been bitching, moaning, griping, or complaining it could trickle down to the players. Then the players start to do it and you can start to have an issue. Coach Blakeney stood up in the locker room and he was really direct and he said, 'We're going to do this and it's going to work.' "

"Then, Elbert Mack, who's now a corner for the Tampa Bay Bucs, stood up and said he believed in what we were doing on offense. That did it. From there we won seven of our next eight. We got better each week."

In the game at Nebraska, the Troy offense put up just 140 yards on 51 offensive plays and scored no points. By the final game of the season, a bowl win against Rice, the Trojan offense was a well-oiled machine, cranking out 376 yards and 41 total points.

In 2007, Troy played three SEC teams on the road, scoring 26 against Arkansas, 31 against Florida, and 34 against Georgia. They also scored 41 points to beat Oklahoma State by 18.

Tuberville took note of this success against SEC defenses -- Troy's offense outperformed Auburn's against similar opponents -- and brought Franklin to Auburn.

From there, disaster ensued.

"I don't blame anybody for jumping ship," says Franklin, "that's human nature and self-preservation is the rule of the game. But if Larry [Blakeney] had been at Auburn it would have worked."

At his new location, Middle Tennessee State , Franklin is optimistic success will come quickly.

"It's going to be easier and faster here," he says. "We have a lot of quality receivers. They've been recruiting for it here. At Auburn we had a lot of tight ends and fullbacks on scholarship and you can't really use those guys in the offense unless they're good receivers as well, like Tommy Trott at Auburn. Not unless you have a really great quarterback. If you've got a really great quarterback anything can happen overnight."

Asked to assess the pressure that comes if a head coach installs a new offense like Auburn and Tennessee did last year, Franklin acknowledges that the SEC doesn't allow as much time for things to get working.

"They feel pressure to win every game. Even if it means that you aren't as good down the road as you could be. Both of those coaches [Tuberville and Fulmer] are good at what they do and have had a lot of success, but they didn't have time to let a new offense work. The best way one of these new offenses can work at a big school is if the head coach is installing it himself, like Rich Rodriguez at Michigan. Otherwise there's probably going to be griping."

Franklin explains that arriving as an offensive savior comes with pressure, even if he's not sure the trophy wife and trophy coordinator correlation works completely.

"I don't know if it's like a [trophy] wife. These guys are trying to save their jobs. Human nature is about saving your job. If you need a trophy to do it, I guess you'll do it."

Spread Attack: Tony Franklin Explains Why Auburn Flopped originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trophy Wives? Meet Trophy Coordinators

Clay Travis — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn, Tennessee

As 2008 dawned south of the Mason-Dixon line, Phillip Fulmer of Tennessee and Tommy Tuberville of Auburn were the two longest tenured coaches in the SEC. Between the two, they had a combined 25 seasons at their current schools, 227 wins, two undefeated seasons, and three SEC titles. They also had something else in common, shiny new offensive coordinators who brought shiny new offensive systems to towns that had long played the same brand of football.

Dave Clawson, a boyish 42-year-old former head coach from Richmond, and Tony Franklin, a wonkish offensive coordinator from Troy University, whose spread offense helped lead the Trojans to back-to-back Sun Belt titles. Both men arrived amid much acclaim. And why wouldn't they? After all, they were the newest toys in a college football coach's toy chest.

They were trophy coordinators, college football's answer to trophy wives.
The term "trophy wife" has long been a fixture in American parlance; the term refers to the second or third wife of a successful man, typically much younger than her spouse, attractive, and a fixture on the arm of her husband at social events. But the husband has to be wary, trophy wives can turn disastrous. Expensive divorces are always lurking just around the corner.

Now the phenomenon has come to college football. And college head coaches have to be just as wary.

So what exactly defines a trophy coordinator? Here's my best attempt. A trophy coordinator is a younger offensive or defensive coach who has attained great success with a new system of football teaching. He has gaudy statistics, a reputation as a coaching genius, eccentric habits, and his hiring is met with universal acclaim by the fan base. From the head coach down to the youngest fan, everyone believes that the trophy coordinator offers the immediate jolt of life that will cure an ailing program. Most importantly, so does the coach who hires the trophy coordinator as a way to ward off critics. Typically, although not always, trophy coordinators will be offensive coaches (Will Muschamp, for instance, is a defensive coordinator at Texas but bears all the hallmarks of a trophy coordinator.).

What attracts seasoned college football coaches to these coordinators is the same thing that attracts a successful man to his trophy wife. They offer something unique and new that promises to make their life better, easier, and more exciting than it presently is. Trophy wives promise better sex, trophy coordinators promise something even more invaluable to the head coaches who hire them, a better way to move or stop the football.

It's hard to deduce exactly when the trophy coordinator first caught the eye of a head coach in a state of peril, but we can safely narrow down the date. Why? Because it's safe to assume that the launch of the Internet has allowed trophy coordinators to enter the mainstream conversation. The Internet guarantees the casual fan will know much more about assistant coaches than we did 15 years ago. Fifteen years ago, hardly any fans could name the offensive and defense coordinator of a rival program. Many couldn't name their own team's coordinators. Now, virtually any fan can rattle of the coordinator's name, stats, and has an opinion about their relative merit.

So it took the Internet to create and popularize the trophy coordinator phenomenon. Before then assistant coaches toiled in relative anonymity.

Next question, who was the first trophy coordinator? I'll give you a name: Mike Leach.

In 1999 Leach arrived at Oklahoma as the offensive coordinator of first-time head coach Bob Stoops, a hot but unproven name in coaching circles, with bona fides only as a defensive coordinator. Leach brought his offensive system from Kentucky (where later trophy coordinator Tony Franklin would succeed him). Leach made the hiring of Stoops even more palatable to Oklahoma fans, who were nervous about Stoops' offensive ability, not to mention pinning the historic program's legacy on a first-time head coach. (There's even an argument to be made that Stoops' was the first trophy coordinator, having been hired by Steve Spurrier at Florida in 1996 and given complete control of the defense. But Spurrier was hardly under pressure to prove himself and, before the overwhelming surge of the Internet, Stoops' hire wasn't the national story it would be 13 years later.)

The trophy coordinator Leach was at Oklahoma just one year before he bolted to Texas Tech to accept his own head job. But the guru talk was already beginning. The Sooners would win the national title in 2000. Leach was gone, but the trophy coordinator was about to take college football by storm.

Men like Al Borges, David Cutcliffe, Will Muschamp, Gus Malzahn, and Charlie Strong strutted across the trophy coordinator stage, plying their trade for wowed fan bases across the country. As you can see, sometimes these trophy coordinators go on to establish themselves as great coaches in their own right, other times, they take their head coaches down with them.

Such was the cautionary 2008 tale of Fulmer and Tuberville. In 2007, Tuberville's Auburn Tigers went 9-4, but their offense, under former trophy coordinator Borges plummeted to 101st in the nation. Meanwhile, Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide roared back to life and Tuberville sought a new weapon for the Iron Bowl battle and the year-long war between the fanbases. Tuberville picked Franklin and to say Auburn fans were pleased with the hire is an understatement. They bid up Franklin's out-of-print book, Fourth Down and Life To Go, to over $200 a copy.

In Knoxville, Fulmer faced a different dilemma, his former trophy coordinator, David Cutcliffe, whose 2005 return brought back to life the moribund offense of the Tennessee Volunteers, accepted the head coaching job at Duke. Fulmer spent months searching for the right hire, eventually settling on Richmond's Dave Clawson. Upon arrival, Clawson announced that he intended to install a hybrid offensive system, not the west-coast offense, not the spread, and not Tennessee's pro-style attack. This system -- termed the "Clawfense" by delirious Vol fans -- utilized all the right buzzwords to make fans salivate. The Vols would take advantage of match-ups, exploit advantages, create space, get the playmakers the ball, score more points than any fan could imagine in his or her wildest dream.

Only it didn't quite work out like that.

At either place.

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In this photograph taken on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009, Nebraska's Marcus Mendoza catches a pass during their NCAA college football practice in Lincoln, Neb. Mendoza will move from wide receiver to running back after the departure of Quentin Castille last week .(AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

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In this photograph taken on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, Notre Dame halfback Cierre Wood runs through the line during NCAA college football practice in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond)

In this photograph taken on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, Notre Dame running back Theo Riddick runs through a drill during NCAA college football practice in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond)

Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel times a play during an NCAA college football practice Monday, Aug. 24, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

Ohio State lineman Dexter Larimore (72) looks to block Andrew Sweat (42) during an NCAA college football practice Monday, Aug. 24, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State quarterback Joe Bauserman is in background left. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel yells out instructions to his players during an NCAA college football practice Monday, Aug. 24, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

Ohio State quarterback coach Nick Siciliano, left, gives instructions to quarterback Terrelle Pryor during an NCAA college football practice Monday, Aug. 24, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel yells out instructions to his players during an NCAA college football practice Monday, Aug. 24, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

Ohio State running back Dan Herron (1) watches a play from the sideline during an NCAA college football practice Monday, Aug. 24, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

The offensive futility of both teams crystallized in an Oct. 3 slugfest at Auburn. The game set offensive football back two or three generations (Well, outside the Big Ten). Both teams should have played in leather helmets and actual sweater jerseys. It wasn't so much that the defenses dominated as it was the offenses were utterly incompetent. On play after play, after play. Tennessee rolled up 191 yards of offense to Auburn's 226. Auburn ran 67 offensive plays, averaging 3.37 yards per play.

It got worse as the game went on.

On their final 12 offensive plays of the game, Tennessee gained 12 yards. On the three series that immediately preceded the final one, Auburn gained, wait for it, negative-2 total yards. It was football as execution day, like watching Bambi's mom get shot on each snap. In the end, Tennessee ran 57 plays, averaging 3.35 yards per play.

Auburn eventually won 14-12, but both teams and both head coaches lost on this day. You could see it in their eyes.

Two weeks later, Tuberville fired its trophy coordinator, Tony Franklin. The Tigers, then 4-2, would finish 1-5 and Tuberville would be gone by the end of the season. Meanwhile, Tennessee stuck with Clawson's offense. At the end of Week 9, Phil Fulmer and his entire staff were fired.

Both trophy coordinators, geniuses just three months before, were without jobs.

The ascent of these two trophy coordinators had, in the process, ended the careers of the two deans of SEC coaching.

And birthed a new bit of college football lexicon.

Check back Wednesday for interviews with Franklin and Clawson and get their take on trophy coordinators.

Trophy Wives? Meet Trophy Coordinators originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEC Predictions 2009: Florida's Dance of The Inevitable, Ole Miss' Stumble

Brian Grummell — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, SEC

We don't need to tell you what's coming, you saw it plenty with USC in 2005. Worse, we're not here to necessarily tell you to complain about it. Florida's awesome, deal with it. Enjoy it, even, at least as a college football fan. Everyone seemingly gets revved up for the David's of the sporting world but few things should leave us in more awe than a Goliath at peak brilliance.

Whether Florida can repeat the roll it went on to end last season is debatable, but our early guess is their performance in 2009 will be nearly insurmountable. As for the rest of the SEC, they're not too shabby, either, although we've got some brontosaurus femur sized bones to pick with some elements of the early consensus around programs like Ole Miss.

Our standings preview and records predictions after the jump.

SEC East

1) Florida (13-0 overall, 9-0 in the SEC) The Gators are obviously the most championship-ready team since the 2005 USC train that went undefeated through the regular season before falling to Texas in the Rose Bowl. Little else needs to be said. The schedule is manageable and the Gators can probably count on another trip to the SEC Championship Game and a victory over ... well, look below to see who rises atop the SEC West.

2) Georgia (9-3 overall, 5-3) We've got the Bulldogs losing to powerhouses LSU and Florida, but also a surprise road stumble at pesky Arkansas. With Matt Stafford and Knowshow Moreno the pressure's off and Georgia just seems to perform better in these scenarios. Every other word out of players' and coaches' mouths this year has been "team." We should be able to count on 2009 being a more focused, below-the-radar effort.

3) Kentucky (7-5 overall, 3-5) Somebody had to come out on top of the messy lower half of the SEC East and the Wildcats are it. They'll have the obvious losses to Florida, Alabama, Auburn and Georgia, plus drop one to South Carolina but get rescued by a surprise final-game victory at home against Tennessee.

4)Tennessee (7-5 overall, 3-5) Yeah, that loss to Kentucky will cost the Vols a solid third place SEC East showing for first-year coach Lane Kiffin. It should be an up and down season full of inconsistency and sometimes brilliance for a still-powerful program taking a new direction. The upshot is we have them beating UCLA in a national-interest game as well as upsetting preseason darling Mississippi. The receiver situation is scary and quarterback Jonathan Crompton has failed to impress in his four years but the lines will play fierce and there's that Eric Berry, the finest offensive player on defense in college football.

5) South Carolina (5-7 overall, 2-6) Well, at least they beat Kentucky and Vanderbilt. We like Stephen Garcia. A lot. But the last time he played he looked about as bad as a Steve Spurrier quarterback has played in wilting before Iowa in the Outback Bowl. He's had a long offseason to simmer about that performance and should return a new man but the rest of the offense is in shambles and the defense steps down a notch from solid units the last few years. Do the math.

6) Vanderbilt (4-8 overall, 1-7) In his seven seasons in Nashville coach Bobby Johnson has gone 0-8, 1-7, 1-7, 3-5, 1-7, 2-6 and 4-4 in conference play. This year is going to be another of those 1-7 efforts with a new quarterback taking over last year's 7-6 team. They should hustle for four wins in the first half of the season beating Western Carolina, Mississippi State, Rice and Army, but that final six is ugly with Georgia, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee all lining up for battle.

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Louisville's Lincoln Carr, front, puts down a board to get ammo across without touching the yellow parts of the course during an Army leadership development exercise Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009, at Fort Knox, Ky. (AP Photo/Patti Longmire)

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Louisville's Lincoln Carr, front, puts down a board to get ammo across without touching the yellow parts of the course during an Army leadership development exercise for the Louisville football team Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009, at Fort Knox, Ky. (AP Photo/Patti Longmire)

Louisville football players Victor Anderson, back, and Anthony Conner try to get the dummy across the obstacle during a leadership development course at Fort Knox, Ky., Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Patti Longmire)

Louisville football players Daniel Brown, front, and Andrew Robinson try to get a dummy across an obstacle course called "Cate's Culvert" during a leadership development course Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009, at Fort Knox, Ky. (AP Photo/Patti Longmire)

Staff Sgt. Dennis Kovalchick, center, gives instructions to the Louisville football team before a relay race course Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009, at Fort Knox army base in Kentucky. Members of the Louisville football team took part in an Army leadership development course. (AP Photo/Patti Longmire)

Staff Sgt. Dennis Kovalchick, center, gives instructions to the Louisville football team before a relay race course Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009, at Ft. Knox Army Base in Kentucky. Members of the Louisville football team took part in an Army leadership development course. (AP Photo/Patti Longmire)

Staff Sgt. Dennis Kovalchick, center, gives instructions to the Louisville football team before a relay race course Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009, at Ft. Knox Army Base in Kentucky. (AP Photo/Patti Longmire)

Boston College quarterback David Shinskie, center, takes part in practice during NCAA college football media day, Friday, Aug. 14, 2009, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

In this Oct. 25, 2008 photo provided by the University of Miami, Miami Hurricanes football player Chris Hayes (49) hugs his mother Kathie after Miami's win over Wake Forest. Hayes, a walk-on college football player gets word that his father, without warning, has taken his own life. He leaves the team to be at his mother's side for the funeral, is summoned back for game day so he can suit up for the first time, gets lost on the way to the stadium, is sent onto the field for the final play and is carried off atop his teammates' shoulders. (AP Photo/University of Miami, JC Ridley)

Photo provided by University of Miami, shows Miami football player Chris Hayes (49) is carried off the field after the Hurricanes defeated Wake Forest Oct. 25, 2008 in Coral Gables, Fla. The low point in Hayes' life came on the previous Monday, when he got the phone call that his dad had committed suicide. The high point of this Miami walk-on's life came five days later when his team carried off the field. (AP Photo/University of Miami, JC Ridley)

SEC West

1) LSU (11-2 overall, 7-2 conference) The Tigers are back! They won't be as fierce as recent outfits as the defensive line takes it down a notch, but the Tigers will win more behind steady Jordan Jefferson. Two major fixes came about this offseason, with Mr. Pick Six Jarrett Lee losing out to Jefferson in the quarterback battle and coach Les Miles replacing the idiotic two-headed defensive coordinator setup of 2008 with the proven John Chavis who has run excellent SEC defenses at Tennessee for years. That won't be enough to beat Florida in the regular season or in the SEC championship game rematch, but its enough to fend off Alabama and other division foes.

2) Alabama (10-2 overall, 6-2 conference) The Crimson Tide will take a tiny step back this year as they break in a new quarterback. In time, he'll be more effective than the departed John Parker Wilson but the offense will grind until a rebuilt offensive line gets together and the 'Tide figure out who replaces Glen Coffee. The defense will be fierce, but so will Florida's, LSU's and Georgia's. We have Alabama losing to LSU and then dropping to rival Auburn in a final week shocker.

3) Auburn (8-4 overall, 5-3 conference) Where . Is . Ole . Miss ? Well, we'll get to them in a moment, or two. We're talking Auburn right now, patience please. Its not that we necessarily like the Gene Chizik hire but it came with a great offensive coordinator and a schedule in which the Tigers are constantly in a position to ruin others' seasons, something they're adept at. They'll be involved in a pair of SEC shockers this year, losing to woeful Mississippi State in week two but also felling powerful rival Alabama in the final week of the regular season. Oh they'll lose to West Virginia, LSU and Georgia as expected but the rest of the SEC slate is winnable including games against Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and upstart Ole Miss.

4) Arkansas (8-4 overall, 4-4 conference) OK now we've gone and done it. Again, no Ole Miss. Hey don't blame us, blame the scheduling Gods. Like Auburn, the Razorbacks will play tremendous spoilers all year in the second effort with coach Bobby Petrino and dangerous, dangerous offense loaded with great backs and man-mountain quarterback Ryan Mallett. There won't be much defense here but the schedule sets up nicely. They'll drop the obvious games to Alabama, Auburn, Florida and LSU, but also pick off mighty Georgia at home in week two as well as Ole Miss in late October.

5) Ole Miss (7-5 overall, 3-5 conference) Here's how it will go down: The Rebels will open up 4-0 against the doughy soft slate of Memphis, Southeast Louisiana, South Carolina and Vanderbilt, but then cold hard reality will give way to disappointment. They'll lose at home to Alabama, rebound against UAB at homecoming the next week then stumble at home against sneaky-good Arkansas. That will have effectively ended their season given all the hype and they'll drop the Halloween road game to Auburn. They'll beat up on Northern Arizona the next week and then still crying in their Hotty Toddy's flop against surging Tennessee and powerhouse LSU before a get well road win against hapless Mississippi State. College football is such a psychological game and those two losses to Alabama and Arkansas will be more than enough to engineer a tailspin at a program not used to such great expectations.

6) Mississippi State (3-9 overall, 1-7 conference) Hey, they'll have beaten Auburn on the road so that's good right? Right?

SEC Predictions 2009: Florida's Dance of The Inevitable, Ole Miss' Stumble originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auburn Hopes for Quick Answers After Long Season of Chaos

Jim Henry — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn, SEC

It's not like Auburn will be in a super hurry to name a starting quarterback when preseason practice opens Wednesday night. However, first-year head coach Gene Chizik certainly wouldn't mind if one of his five contenders emerged quickly.

The quarterback slot is far from the only lingering question, but it has been the most talked about on the Alabama Plains the past few months.

"Our quarterback situation is unique," Chizik said. "There's a unique dynamic there. There's some older guys with experience. Then all of a sudden, you have some young guys coming in on campus. We would like to get that situation resolved.

"How long that will take, we don't know."

When it comes to time, this much is certain at Auburn. Everyone associated with the program wants to erase the misery from last year's 5-7 season that can be best described as bizarre. The Tigers switched their offense to the spread, they abruptly fired their offensive coordinator six games into the season and dropped six of their last seven to finish with their first losing season since 1999.

A new era is only a few hours away from starting under Chizik and an almost entirely new coaching staff.

If Chizik is nervous about the expectations placed on him to succeed immediately, he's not showing it. Chizik has been a model citizen since he was hired to replace Tommy Tuberville in December. While not overly chatty with the media and termed as boring in group settings -- and let's not forget he may not have been the popular choice for head coach -- Chizik has embraced all challenges.

"When you get into this profession, there's pressure everywhere," said Chizik, a former defensive coordinator who once helped the Tigers forge a perfect season but won just five games the past two seasons as head coach at Iowa State.

"There's pressure from the fans. There's pressure from the media. I don't think there's any more pressure put on Auburn football than what I put on our kids and myself. We don't really pay a whole lot of attention to all of the external issues out there. We put enough pressure on ourselves to be great."

Chizik succeeds Tuberville, who resigned following 10 seasons with an 85-40 record. The 47-year-old Chizik was 5-19 in two seasons at Iowa State after successful stints running the defenses at Auburn and Texas. He coached the nation's top scoring defense on a 2004 Auburn team that went 13-0 in his third and final season with the Tigers before taking the same job at Texas.

Nice, but that's old news to Auburn fans, who have watched state rival Alabama emerge from the shadows and become a national power again under Nick Saban. But the Tigers, who also know a thing or two about titles, believe they can make some noise, too, and contend in the SEC West.

"You know, our plan is to contend for a championship in everything that we do," Chizik said. "We don't think that's out of the realm of possibility. We talk to it about our players, winning championships. That's what matters.

"Again, we're going to start the season out. That's going to be the goal, to win the SEC West. I think that in this league, again, anything can happen. So it's not like the SEC West championships are a stranger to Auburn. So we'll work hard in that direction. I think our players feel very confident that we can be a very good football team. We'll just have to let it all play out on the field."

Chizik has scheduled most of Auburn's preseason practices at night to escape the heat and keep his team fresh. Depth is also a concern for the Tigers, who open their season with four consecutive home games starting Sept. 5 against Louisiana Tech. Auburn plays 11 consecutive games before it gets a bye on Nov. 11.

Of course, all eyes will be on the offense and quarterback with the start of practice. The Tigers tried the spread attack last year under Tony Franklin with disastrous results. New coordinator Gus Malzahn takes over with his hurry-up/no-huddle system that focuses on being multi-dimensional and physical in the running game.

"Last year was a crazy year," tight end Tommy Trott said. "As an offense, we never really found our identity. Hopefully with Coach Malzahn, we can establish an identity and figure out what we want to do as an offense. This offense gives us the ability to be physical because to be successful, we're going to have to run the football.

"Last year, you saw more horizontal running, more sideline to sideline. With this offense, the quarterback can turn around and give it to the back so there's hopefully more downhill running and an opportunity to move the line forward."

And who will be directing the show? Good question.

Junior Kodi Burns and senior Chris Todd split the majority of snaps last season, though junior Neil Caudle also saw time. Todd underwent shoulder surgery in December and missed spring drills. Freshman Tyrik Rollison and Clint Moseley also joins the mix. The Tigers will open camp with 11 straight days of practice before they come up for air - and hopefully with a starting quarterback in place.

"We would love to have the thing ironed out quick," Chizik said.

"It'll be really interesting to see who's retained what. I think they've all worked hard over the summer. I don't think there's any question of that."

Auburn Hopes for Quick Answers After Long Season of Chaos originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Is Tim Tebow a Virgin?' and Other Burning Questions for SEC Media Days

Clay Travis — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee, SEC, Fans, General CFB Insanity

Wednesday, the annual circus known as the SEC Media Days kicks off in Birmingham, Ala. As college football has become a year-round sport, the three media days down in Birmingham have become the official launch date for SEC football fans, a time when our region's football obsession officially begins anew. Even if, you know, it never actually dies. Last season then-Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer arrived and was immediately served with a subpoena in a lawsuit brought by my favorite people on Earth: disassociated Alabama boosters. Getting disassociated from the Alabama football program is like being the only guy in a prison who no one will share a table with.

This season, 25 radio stations will be broadcasting live from inside the event, and over 800 members of the media have been credentialed. It's like Woodstock for people who use the word, goll-durn. And we'll be there for the ride. Goll-durn.
What will I be doing? Liveblogging away with y'all. You can minimize your screens at work and come hang out with us. Because, trust me, I know you don't really care about work when media days arrive. You're just pretending. No one will know. Your secret is safe with us. So is the fact that you don't really care about work when media days aren't going on either. That's why you've already spent 45 minutes this morning searching, "Erin Andrews video."

You pervert.

Here's a list of the 24 players that will be appearing to field questions along with the times that the teams will be appearing over the next three days. Note that Lane Kiffin was given the last time-slot on Friday. Is this to keep his comments from overshadowing everyone else's and in hopes that whatever he says floats into the weekend oblivion? I think so.

Below are 10 burning ClayNation questions that need to be asked in advance of media days. By the way, we need a phrase that's better than "burning questions." That sounds like something your doctor asks after a long weekend in Bangkok. So shoot me your ideas.

Here goes:

1. Is Tim Tebow a virgin?

I think everyone is afraid to ask, but wouldn't this be the ultimate testament to his religious faith? Even if you accept that your average Florida girl is carrying six-to-eight extra pounds of fat on her arms, how many women would Tebow have turned down carnal relations with over the past three years of college? Fortunately, I know.

3,468,946,253.

Yep, Tebow turned down your Mom!

And my mom.

And if he wasn't a virgin wouldn't this at least prove that Tim Tebow has violated a Bible verse? Something that, to be honest, there is no evidence of thus far. Put it this way, if Tebow got shot and we all thought he was dead, and then he came back to life, wouldn't you be convinced that Revelations was unspooling before your eyes? (And, if so, would you expect the disciples to be wearing jorts?)

2. Will Les Miles prove he's a bona fide long-term fit at LSU, or will this be the season when he demonstrates that a temperament consisting of equal parts insanity and supreme self-confidence doesn't work in the SEC?

Miles went 19-5 in the SEC his first three years with an SEC and national title. But then he went 3-5 last season, equaling the SEC losses that he put up in his first three seasons combined. As if that weren't enough, the LSU defense imploded, allowing over 50 points to Georgia and Florida and going 3-5 in the final eight games of the regular season.

The Tigers rebounded to smoke Georgia Tech in the bowl game, but was that indicative of what's to come or was the preceding eight weeks more representative of what LSU has become? We'll know soon.

Secondary question, how much less fearsome would Les Miles be if he went by his given name, Leslie? Is he even a head coach right now? I mean that honestly. Do you think someone gave him advice on this years ago? The name Leslie standing alone probably disqualifies him from coaching everywhere in the SEC except Vanderbilt.

3. Is the SEC still Southern?

I'm going to write on this later this week, but in an era when non-Southerners like Urban Meyer, Bobby Petrino, Lane Kiffin, Dan Mullen, and Nick Saban (although my editor says West Virginia is like Mississippi in the mountains) are five of the most recent seven hires in the SEC, what percentage of coaches would use the word fixin' or y'all and not sound like they were doing it to fit in? Like politicians who develop accents as soon as they leave Washington.

Everyone but Spurrier is my call.

In the ultimate kick in the groin to Southern regionalism, have we outsourced our coaching to the rest of the country?

4. Does Dan Mullen ever watch Mississippi State practice and think to himself, "Dear Lord, what have I done?"

I know that getting an offer to become a head coach is tough to pass up, but why would you leave Florida before this year? You have the potential to be associated with a three-time national championship winning team, lock down another SEC title, and further burnish your credentials as offensive coordinator by coaching Tebow for another year of offensive explosions.

Or you can take over the only SEC football team with an all-time losing record. And, oh by the way, the last SEC title the team has won? 1941.

Isn't this an easy decision? Or does Mullen worry that he's never going to get a head job because everyone will believe that Tebow's success carried Mullen's offense.

Regardless, I guess it could be worse, Mullen could have been ridiculously successful as a coordinator for 10 years and not gotten a head job because he was black and married a white woman. (See, Strong, Charlie)

5. Of John Chavis at LSU, Gus Malzahn at Auburn, and Monte Kiffin at Tennessee, which highly paid, highly touted coordinator hire will have the most early success?

There will be a ton of focus on Auburn's Gene Chizik, Tennessee's Lane Kiffin, and Mississippi State's Mullen, but arguably the three men hired as big-money and big-name coordinators will have more impact on the first-year results of their teams than the head coaches will. Now, down the road the head coaches have more influence, but in a one-year context I think a real argument can be made that coordinators have more impact. Put it this way, if Tommy Tuberville and Phil Fulmer don't hire Tony Franklin and Dave Clawson as offensive coordinators, are they both still coaching at their schools?

I think so.

Given that premise, who will be the most successful? Here's a vote for Chavis. While LSU loses three of their starters on their defensive line, they return the guys in the secondary who were so awful and the linebackers as well. They'll be improved. More importantly, Chavis will instill an attitude that doesn't allow consistent failure. I still think Auburn will be awful on offense even under Malzahn and I still think Tennessee will be good on defense. But LSU will go from awful to solid in the first year under Chavis.

6. How badly could Florida play and still win the league?

I said this last week, and I firmly believe it. Florida is better than the rest of the SEC by a greater margin than any team in the SEC in my lifetime. Florida, in 1996, the year they won the national championship, was dominant, but the second-tier teams were better. This year? Even if you buy Ole Miss as a top-10 team (which I don't), there isn't anyone else within hailing distance.

There hasn't been much attention paid to this issue, but it might be better for the SEC's league image if someone hangs a loss on Florida. Maybe. As it now stands, write this in: the Gators are going to be double-digit favorites in every game they play this season. Including the SEC championship game and Oct. 10 at LSU.

In fact, look at the Gators schedule, and tell me where the upset is coming.

Has any SEC school ever been favored for an entire season by double digits? I doubt it. In fact, there have only been two teams in the past decade to march through the SEC without a loss, Tennessee in 1998 and Auburn in 2004. Both of these teams came out of nowhere to go undefeated. This year, not so much.

Florida may lose a game in the league, but if they do, it will be a bad loss.

7. Who will be the third and fourth best quarterbacks in the SEC?

As noted last week, Kentucky's Mike Hartline and South Carolina's Stephen Garcia tied as the coach's picks for third-team quarterback. I think neither of these guys will actually end up being the third best quarterback in the league. Who are my picks instead?

First, Ryan Mallett at Arkansas. Why? Because Bobby Petrino managed to get Casey Dick to throw for almost 2,600 yards last season. (If you've ever seen Casey Dick throw, this will make more sense to you. Picture your four-year old daughter. Then imagine you just made her carry a block of granite for 10 city blocks. Then ask her to throw. Bingo: Casey Dick's arm strength.) Mallet will go for over 3,000 in a much-improved offense. Book it.

Second, Jonathan Crompton at Tennessee. Don't laugh. The Vols' new Tecmo Super Bowl offense -- four pass plays, four run plays -- may not be complicated, but it will be efficient. Crompton bore the brunt of the criticism for Tennessee's collapse last year, but in reality the entire offense stunk. Every player, no matter their position, was awful. Even with the putrid stench that was Tennessee's offense 2008, Crompton threw for 889 yards and four touchdowns in six starts. Those were better stats than Garcia. And Crompton will have more weapons on offense and a better returning offensive line than Garcia or Hartline.

8. According to the Golden Nugget casino, Florida is currently favored by 27 points over Tennessee for their game Sept. 19 in Gainesville. How much of this line is directly attributable to Lane Kiffin's comments?

Further, have a head coach's comments ever swung a line this much? And by this question, I mean comments that are entirely based on off-field issues and not a press conference where a head coach announces that he's suspending a star player, that someone is injured or that someone just molested a fowl (We haven't forgotten about you, South Carolina).

I don't think so.

Putting this line into context, it's the biggest underdog that Tennessee has been in over three decades. Maybe ever. Nice work, Lane.

9. Is Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez the worst defensive coordinator in the league? And will Mark Richt be forced to make a change there after this season?

Last year Georgia's defense gave up 40 touchdowns. You might not have noticed if you live outside the state of Georgia because most of the attention was gobbled up by Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno on offense. Georgia scored an awful lot of points last season. But as good as their offense was, their defense was just as bad.

How bad?

Kentucky hung 38 on Georgia. Alabama put up 41. LSU nailed down 38. Florida snatched 49, and in the final hobnailed boot to the groin, Georgia Tech came into Sanford Stadium and scored 45 points. The latter was particularly painful, because it came after a bye week when the defense should have been able to prepare for Georgia Tech's offense.

Bulldog fans will hate me for saying it, but Georgia right now has an awful lot of similarities with Tennessee before the wheels came off in 2005. They've been winning close games under Richt for a long time. But what if they get a few bad bounces this coming year? The offense isn't there to rescue them. Change one play in the Kentucky, South Carolina, and Auburn games and the Bulldogs slide from 9-3 in the regular season to 6-6. That's with last year's offense.

Is Martinez the Randy Sanders of Georgia football? Richt's first fall guy?

We'll see.

10. Finally, we want your questions. We'll feature the best. Or at least I'm told by my fearless editor that this is possible. I have no idea how it will work. But it should be fun. Submit them in the comments section.

'Is Tim Tebow a Virgin?' and Other Burning Questions for SEC Media Days originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tailgating for Godot: A 1-Act Tribute to Alabama's Bear Bryant Play

Clay Travis — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Auburn, SEC, Fans, General CFB Insanity

It's come to this, Alabama fans are tailgating outside of a new play based on Bear Bryant's life. Which is an improvement over what they would have been doing if Mike Shula was still coach, lighting themselves on fire with their red and white pom-pons in the parking lot. The play, entitled Bear Country, will be playing at Birmingham's Shakespeare Festival from August 6-20. It's already debuted to rave reviews and sellouts in Montgomery, Ala. In honor of the Bear, I decided that nothing would make more sense than a play about four fans tailgating before Bear's play begins. So here goes.

Characters:

Dale -- A 45-year old owner of an auto-body repair shop who fixes cars while wearing a houndstooth cap. His first child was named Bear, his second was named Bryant. He is now divorced.

Bryant -- The 21-year-old son of Dale. Enrolled at Alabama for one semester but left to focus on wakeboarding and selling pot.

Chris -- A 42-year-old Alabama fan who operates a wrecker at Dale's repair shop. Never married. Secretly keeps a shirtless photo of Nick Saban in his bedroom.

Raj --- Indian immigrant from Mumbai who owns a gas station next door to Dale. He has lived in Alabama for 28 years and currently roots for Auburn although he "likes Alabama too."

Scene:

All four men are sitting in crimson folding chairs outside of Dale's crimson red F-150 with vanity plates that read "Bamaboyz." Each man is holding a beer as the final hour before the play nears.

Dale: This play's gonna be so awesome. Awesome, man! I almost went to a play once but it was called "Jesus Christ Superstar" it was anti-religion.

Raj: What about the play was anti-religion?

Chris: Raj, you wouldn't get why it was so offensive. See, Jesus is not a Superstar, he's Jesus. Which is so much more than being a superstar. Like, would you go see a play that was called Hindu Is a Superstar?

Raj: What?

Chris: Hell, you don't even eat steak, what am I trying to make points to you for? Roll Tide, roll.

Dale: That's alright Raj, you're just a dumb ole 'Barner. You can take us to go see Gene Chizik's play someday.

Bryant: Dad, we say RTR now. (His cell phone buzzes. A text message arrives.) Nick Saban just sent me a tweet.

Raj: What does it say?

Bryant: I'm Nick Saban and I tweet. RTR!

Dale: Nick Saban is a goll-durned genius. Do y'all remember when we hired him and I said that? I did, I said that right there. I said, Nick Saban is a goll-durned genius. Am I right?

Chris: No, no, you're right. You said it. (High fives). Can you imagine how many recruits we're going to get today? Right now recruits all over America just got a tweeter from Nick Saban. And they probably all got all tight in the britches just like I did. Hell, even Raj did and he's a durn 'Barner. Raj, why'd you come anyway? If Bryant's girlfriend could travel across state lines, she'd be here right now instead.

Dale: She's a hot piece of tail. Looks like David Palmer mixed with Leigh Tiffin. With lady lumps.

Chris: Christ, that's hot.

Bryant: Her probation is up in a few months. Then she'll be able to come back to God's Country. Right now she's stuck in Louisiana. When she gets back, we're gonna head back up to Tuscaloosa and sell more pot. Lots of pot. I'm gonna get rich and go to the LSU game ... lower level. Sometimes, I think I shouldn't have run when we got pulled over.

Dale: Hindsight is 30-30 Bryant. Hell, Bear Bryant ran the wishbone one season too long. And he's sitting by Jesus' right arm right now drawing up plays for the angels to run during practice. Little angel football players scoring touchdowns. It'll work out.

Raj: I came because you gave me the tickets! You said, I don't have any friends, do you want to go? So I'm here. Bears are mystical creatures where I come from. When I came to Alabama, Bear Bryant had just died. I wondered why this giant of a man who was always drunk and spoke in mumbles was such a hero to a state. Now I know. He is like a plaid Jesus.

Dale: Goll durn, that's eloquent for a 'Barner. Gene Chizik is like a Pontius Pilate that can't recruit. He-haw. I'm just funnin' with you Raj. I'm sure Pat Dye will get a play. (Giggles).

Raj: You're very funny.

Chris: I just hope they let Bear talk about all of his 63 national championships. It's really amazing, he doesn't get the credit he deserves. Man coaches for 38 years and wins 63 national championships. The math don't even add up.

Dale: Bear Bryant won one more bowl game than he lost too. You know how hard that is to do? Play in 29 bowls and win 15 of them? I've been saying for a long time that we need to build a Tower of Babel of Coach Bryant. Right there beside the stadium. Biggest statue ever built. So you could see it all the way from Huntsville.

Chris: That's a great idea.

Dale: You could ride to the top of the statue and walk out on the houndstooth cap and you'd be able to see all the way to the moon. Kids would see what's important in life. Football.

Bryant: We could call it the Taj Ma-Bear. Right, Raj?

Dale: Damn, that's smart. That's how you can tell he went to Bama for a semester. (Rubs son's head.)

Raj: The Taj Ma-Bear is a great idea.

Chris: I heard Paul Finebaum came to see this play and peed off the second deck right on the Bear. Urine dribbling off the Bear's hat. It was awful.

Dale: I'd sooner burn the United States flag than pee on the Bear's hat. And you can tell every 'Barner you know about that. (Points to Raj, then his own houndstooth hat.) This hat don't run.

Bryant: (Phone buzzes as a text arrives).

Chris: Did Nick Saban Tweeter again? I bet he just said, I can pee across the Black Warrior River without breaking stream. EIther that or, Julio Jones ate Kodi Burns for lunch.

Dale: Ain't Julio a fun word to say? I swear to God, I never get tired of it. Put Julio in front of anything it sounds better. See, like, I love you, three words, kind of plain. But, Julio, I love you. Now that's better. Whoo-lee--O, say it with me.

Chris: Whoo-lee-O. Damn, you're right. Raj, you too, say it. Whoo-lee-O.

Raj: (Softly) Whoo-lee-O.

Dale: Don't it feel good way down in your chest? Like hearing Jesus tell you not to vote Democrat. Or the time Bear Bryant shoved me on his way into the bar. What's the tweeter say?

Bryant: It was just a text from someone else. "I need we*d." Nothing major. I tell them not to spell out weed. Throws the police off the scent.

Chris: You got a smart boy, Dale. All this beer is making me have to pee. You think there will be a line inside?

Raj: Very smart. With an IQ that would keep the courts from ever executing him.

Bryant: (Blushes) I'm gonna draw up the plans for a Taj Ma-Bear one day. Go back to Bama and major in architecture. I bet Nick Saban could do a 1080 on a wakeboard.

Chris: All I know is Nick Saban would look great in a wetsuit. Got washboard abs, nice clean line of legs.

Dale: (Raises his eyebrows in Chris's direction, changes subject). We should build a theater between the Bear's legs. The Taj Ma-Bear Theater. It would be beautiful. A real tribute to the state.

Raj: Beautiful. Like the effluvium on the River Ganges at dusk.

Chris: That's beautiful, Raj, beautiful.

Dale: I just want to propose a toast, y'all stand with me now. All of you. Even you Raj, you ole 'Barner. Lift up your Buds.

All four men stand in the fading afternoon sunlight and hold their beer cans high into the air.

Dale: To Alabama culture. Now let's drink. Roll Tide roll.

Tailgating for Godot: A 1-Act Tribute to Alabama's Bear Bryant Play originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tony Franklin Unloads on Auburn, SEC

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn, Middle Tennessee State, Sun Belt, SEC, Coaching

In all honesty, this story shouldn't be viewed as one of sadness, anger, bitterness, or back-stabbing.

Instead, it should serve as a cautionary tale. After all, the pressures and rigors involved with big-time college football aren't for anyone. As offensive coordinator Tony Franklin learned last year at Auburn, it certainly isn't for him.

Franklin, you may remember, didn't even spend a full season as Auburn's offensive coordinator. After a terrible start to the season for his spread offense, head coach Tommy Tuberville fired Franklin after six games. Of course, Tuberville famously followed Franklin out the door upon season's end.

Now the offensive coordinator for Middle Tennessee, Franklin pulled no punches in an interview with the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser. It's clear that Auburn wasn't a good place for him, and he admits that.

"It was the most unusual place I've ever been," Franklin said of the Auburn program. "No one liked anybody else. There was this deep distrust of everybody. The coaches didn't trust the administration, the administration didn't trust each other or the coaches. It was very strange and very unnerving. You would walk down the halls and there would be tension you could just feel.

"No one would speak to you or even look at you. The coaches were all paranoid and didn't trust anyone in the administration. They all felt like the administration was out to get them and they stressed out over everything that happened. "

From the sound of it, one would think there was never really a chance for Franklin to be successful. For that matter, Franklin saw the writing on the wall when Tuberville let him go at midseason.

During his final meeting with Tuberville, Franklin said Tuberville told him that "it just wasn't working," but never gave a reason for changing his mind.

Also, during that meeting, Franklin said he told Tuberville that the Auburn administration was going to fire Tuberville at the end of the year.

Part of the reason for that prediction -- in addition to the rift within the athletic department -- was a general feeling among the staff and others around the AU program that football within the state was changing with the hiring of Nick Saban at Alabama.

Franklin made it clear in the interview that he's happy with his career path, even though it took him back to a "lesser" conference (the Sun Belt).

"I've been here a few months now and I don't think I've been recognized once," said Franklin, who was hired as the Blue Raiders' offensive coordinator in February. "I can go out and have a beer somewhere and not worry about winding up on the Internet the next day.

"I don't have to worry about all the crap you face in the SEC with its ridiculous, nit-picky rules and regulations on everything you do. I'm a guy who likes to walk down the street and not have to worry all the time about people watching me, waiting on me to screw up. I have that here."

This should absolutely be a story young coaches around the country read. Just because someone has big-time coaching aspirations doesn't mean they have to work in an environment like the SEC. There are knives flying at people's backs all over the place, and nobody knows that better than Tuberville himself after the legendary attempt by Auburn's administration to hire Bobby Petrino in 2003.

Some coaches can thrive in this high-pressure workplace. Others flame out and are never the same again.

For Tony Franklin, his firing may have been the best thing that could have happened. He got off the ship before it took on too much water. You might not think he's better off, but it's obvious he does.

Tony Franklin Unloads on Auburn, SEC originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cyclones Coach Campaigns in Iowa

Terrance Harris — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:03:00 EST

Filed under: Auburn, Iowa State, Big 12, Coaching

First-year Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads is definitely trying to drum up support for his program anyway he can.

Rhoads has joined a recent trend of football coaches across the country, jumping aboard a tour bus and coming face-to-face with the Cyclones faithful in Iowa. In scenes reminiscent of our nation's latest presidential campaign, Rhoads is shaking hands, kissing babies and making big promises during his city-to-city Tailgate Tour.

It's probably necessary considering the mis-steps of the Cyclones program in recent years. Little has gone right since the school sent longtime head coach Dan McCarney packing a couple years ago. Iowa State's second mistake, and biggest to date, was bringing aboard Gene Chizik, who after two disastrous season left the Cyclones holding a bucket full of broken promises as he left for Auburn.

So Iowa State returned to the McCarney days, sort of, by bringing back one of his former assistants and a Iowa native in Rhoads. So far Rhoads hasn't disappointed, managing to say all the right things to help ease the hangover from Chizik fiasco and last season's 2-10, 0-8 Big 12 campaign.

But as one fan said, Rhoads popularity remains high because he hasn't played a game yet. It will be interesting to see how long Rhoads can keep the honeymoon going taking over a program stocked with seasoned young talent.

Cyclones Coach Campaigns in Iowa originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Imagining Gene Chizik's Opening Speech

Clay Travis — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Auburn, Iowa State, Big 12, SEC, Coaching, General CFB Insanity

Auburn's new coach Gene Chizik has remained under the radar thus far. Fortunately here at the ClayNation column we became aware that each new coach has to stand up and introduce himself to the other SEC coaches at the annual coaches meeting.

Fortunately we were able to capture the entirety of this fabricated introduction. And now we can fabricate it for your enjoyment today. Meet Gene Chizik. Already his introductory speech is being called the Gettysburg Address of Auburn football.

"Hey, y'all my name's Gene Chizik and I'm the new coach at Auburn. Some of y'all remember me, some of y'all won't. I'm just a regular ole guy who likes fishing and eating Twinkies with the wrappers still on. I'm from Florida, and Auburn's always been my dream job. Except for Florida, I've always liked Florida better than Auburn since I went to college there, but they already had a coach. Really, I'm gonna be honest, I didn't care where the hell I ended up so long as it wasn't in Ames, Iowa. Ames, Iowa is about the worst place in the world. The sun never shines and it snows in July. I guess y'all know how successful I was there. Pretty big-time. I won five games."

Chizik extends a finger as he counts, "One, two, three, four, five. Five big ones."

Some people down at Auburn say, well, 'Five ain't that impressive, Gene, didn't you lose 19?' And I say to them, 'I say, hey ole boy, I ain't here to talk about the past. This here is about the future.'" For instance, I say to them, 'You want big numbers? How 'bout 60, 62, and 76, them's big numbers.' That's where Rivals ranked my recruiting classes at Iowa State.

"Then I say, 'Do you know how hard you have to work to come up with the 60th best recruiting class in America? Real hard. It ain't easy.' That's exactly average. Right smack dab in the middle. The most average collection of players you could possibly assemble. If somebody who didn't watch college football said, 'What does the most average football player on Earth look like?' I know the answer. I could say, send 'em to Ames. We know how to do it. We put the white in white boys.

"Y'all know what I'm talking about. That's why we went rolling around in the white limousine. Raise your hand if you'd still be a virgin without a white limousine to show off to the ladies."

Surveys the room and nods.

"That's what I thought. While we're sitting in the comfortable white limo fabric, that's real white leather, straight from a white cow in El Dorado, not no pleather, I put my arm around those boys and I say, 'Do you know who had the number 111 total defense in 2008? Me.' Let me tell you, numbers tell the whole story. Not the half story or the quarter story, or the thing that comes after the quarter, half of the quarter, the whole story."

"Hell, we all know players matter. That's why I need you real bad.

"If there was ever a poster boy to illustrate the phrase, 'Talent makes coaches look better than they actually are,' I'm him. I had Michael Huff and Aaron Ross and Michael Griffin and Carlos Rogers in the secondary at Texas and Auburn. Hell, you could have coached those guys from Moscow. That's in Russia where they wear furry hats and drink vodka. By the way, anybody remember Yakov Smirnoff? Now that guy was funny. I wanted him to ride in the limo. We tried to hire him. Every time we hit a red light he was going to say, 'Auburn: What a country!' but it didn't happen."

Sighs.

"Anyway, here's what I'd tell Rogers and Griffin and Ross when it got time to break down my defensive philosophy, 'I'd say, line up 10 yards off the ball and when you see a guy running to try to catch the ball, you catch it instead. Hell, it ain't rocket science!'

Dagnabbit.

"But some people want to focus on the past. Like Charles Barkley, that old fat guy who gets arrested going to meet prostitutes in Arizona and didn't think I was qualified for the job. They want to talk about why 36 Auburn fans killed themselves at midfield on Jordan-Hare, the day I was introduced. That's finished. Done for. I heard they were trying to toast celebratory Jell-O shots and accidentally somebody made them out of arsenic instead. That stuff happens. It's college, what can you do? Somebody told me that arsenic and grape Jell-O look the same. I don't know about that. I've never really liked grape jello.

What I do like is passion and limos. And the combination of the two. That's what I tell the recruits when we all climb in together and open the sun roof. I say, 'Son, if you can come to Auburn, I'll promise you two words: passionate limos.'

"The other day I got up at a boosters lunch and somebody said, 'How long's it going to take to beat Alabama?' And I said, 'I'll say it just like Pat Dye said it, 'Sixty years.' Nobody said a word, turns out Pat Dye said 60 minutes.

"I think our fans are going to buy in, I really do. Already Auburn had to pay $750,000 to hire me away from Iowa State. My agent tells me that means Iowa State gets an extra $150,000 for each of my wins. That's a return! A big return. Anyway, I appreciate y'all letting me talk to you. I also wanted to let you know that the rumor you heard about Auburn fans putting fresh meat inside my headset so the war eagle attacks me when he takes off for the first game of the season Sept. 5 against West Virginia, that's just not true.

War Eagle!"

Imagining Gene Chizik's Opening Speech originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 28 May 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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