John Clay's Sidelines

SEC links for Sunday:

• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports on Florida’s win over Arkansas, the Gators’ 10th straight win.
• Nate Allen of the NW Arkansas Times writes that bad second half sinks Razorbacks in Gainesville.
• Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News writes that Alabama was no match for Auburn’s offensive surge.
• In the Birmingham News, Charles Goldberg writes that Auburn was nearly flawless.
• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger reports on Mississippi State’s win over visiting Vanderbilt.
• Clarion-Ledger columnist Rick Cleveland writes that Mississippi State has the look of a contender.
• Bryan Mullen of the Tennessean reports on Tennessee’s win over South Carolina.
• Seth Emerson of The State writes on the South Carolina loss.
• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger writes on Ole Miss’ lopsided loss to LSU.
• Gary Laney of the Baton Rouge Advocate writes on the LSU win.

College basketball on the tube for Sunday, Jan. 18:

The San Diego Union-Tribune has a report that coaches involved with Terrence Boyd, a top 50 players according to Rivals.com who has drawn interest from several high-profile schools including Kentucky, have themselves been put “on leave.”

Boyd was one of three high-profile transfers who enrolled at San Diego High, the school that boasts 6-11 junior Jeremy Tyler, considered one of the nation’s best 2010 prospects. The players were all ruled ineligible before the season started. Now San Diego head coach Kenny Roy and two assistants have been placed on leave while the investigation continues.

The San Diego team is scheduled to play on ESPN2 next Friday.

An excerpt:

(Zecheriah) Smith and Boyd – a national college prospect who has drawn recruiting interest from Kentucky, Oklahoma, USC and Oklahoma State – transferred from Oklahoma. Franklin, who has received recruiting interest from Notre Dame, Arizona and Gonzaga, transferred from Temecula.

On Wednesday, San Diego Section officials submitted evidence to Boyd’s attorney that they say shows undue influence by coaches and problems with his residency in San Diego. The evidence led Boyd’s attorney to request a continuance of his hearing that began Thursday before the CIF state appeals panel.

In court filings, the section said Boyd has been living in a downtown luxury condominium with his unemployed mother, who is paying $2,400 a month for the lease. The section says it is “informed and believes that the source of the cash payments is from an individual in New York unrelated to Terrence and his mother.” The mother said she moved to San Diego for job opportunities.

Rivals.com currently has Boyd ranked 50th. Kentucky is one of many schools that has shown interest in the 6-5 player, but it is not believed that the Cats have made an official offer.

In case you haven’t seen it:

College basketball on the tube for Saturday, Jan. 17:

Net surfing for UK info:

• At Kentucky.com, Jerry Tipton reports that Billy Gillispie is warning his team about traps.
• Also in the Herald-Leader, Jennifer Smith writes that the new approach by UK women’s coach Matthew Mitchell is working well.
• And again in the H-L, Chip Cosby writes that Rich Brooks’ good fortune raises UK football expectations.
• In the Courier-Journal, Brett Dawson writes that Darius Miller’s time may be at hand.
• Also in the C-J, Dawson writes that juniors returning deals UK football a strong hand.
• In the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Tim Tucker wonders what Jodie Meeks will do at Georgia.
• A Sea of Blue goes marching through Georgia.
• In the Cat Scratches blog, Eric Lindsey writes about UK women’s hoops guard Carly Ormerod battling back from injury.
• A little old but still a worthy link, Tom Leach has Jay Bilas talking about Jodie Meeks’ explosion and UK’s improvement.
• Kentucky Sports Radio has a nugget in which Bilas says Patrick Patterson has been overlooked.
• In the Danville Advocate-Messenger, Larry Vaught writes about how Georgia coach Dennis Felton wanted Meeks.
• Larry also writes that injured hand may be bothering Patterson.
• And at 11Alive.com, Mark Pickard writes about the hometown Norcross reaction to Meeks’ feat.
• At WKYT, Steve Moss reports that new Harlem Globetrotter Shagari Alleyne won’t be with the team when it comes to Rupp this weekend.
• StraitPinkie breaks down Georgia.

SEC links for Saturday:

• In the Birmingham News, columnist Kevin Scarbinsky writes that some Alabama basketball boosters dream of Tubby Smith.
• In the Gainesville Sun, Kevin Brockway reports that Billy Donovan and John Pelphrey are ready for their rubber match.
• In the AJC, columnist Mark Bradley examines the pro chances of ex-Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford.
• Randy Rosetta of the Baton Rouge Advocate writes that John Chavis is ready to shore up LSU’s defense.
• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Drew Edwards reports that Lane Kiffin has finished his first Tennessee staff.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Gentry Estes reports that Lance Thompson’s departure from Bama staff is just “business.”
• In the Clarion-Ledger, Kyle Veazey reports that one new football assistant has ditched Mississippi State for Tennessee.
• Also in the Clarion-Ledger, David Brandt writes on Ole Miss’ high-flying Terrico White.
• In the Birmingham News, Ian Rapoport reports that with Ronald Steele out, Mikhail Torrance figures prominently in Alabama’s hoop plans.
• In The State, Seth Emerson writes that South Carolina will need energy in its matchup with Tennessee.
• Maurice Patton of the Tennessean writes that Vandy faces a major roadblock in Mississippi State.
• Tim Tucker of the AJC gets Mark Richt’s thoughts on this and that.

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Dennis Felton

Billy Gillispie is finished with his presser and he painted the picture of a Georgia basketball team that is just waiting to break out.

Billy G. said the Bulldogs are a “team waiting for something good to happen to them.”

Dennis Felton’s club is 9-8 overall and 0-2 in the league. The Dawgs lost by nine at home to Tennessee and by 10 on the road at Vanderbilt. They did hold a 10-point lead over the Vols before being outscored 13-3 over the final 3:07. They scored just 40 points, yet were down just four with 3:06 to go. But Felton’s club failed to score after that.

The Cats beat Georgia twice in the regular season last year, but did lose to the Dogs in the SEC Tournament. That was the Saturday morning game played at Georgia Tech after the tornado the night before hit the Georgia Dome. And Kentucky did not have Patrick Patterson in that SEC game.

Billy G. also used the term “desperate” to describe the Bulldogs.

Trevard Lindley

UK football coach Rich Brooks just finished up his press conference, talking about the return of Micah Johnson, Trevard Lindley and Jeremy Jarmon to the defense for next year. All three juniors looked into the NFL draft and decided to return to the Cats for another year.

The striking thing, to me, was that Brooks seemed to be a bit surprised with Lindley’s decision. Not that he was alone. Many, including yours truly, thought the shut-down corner would take the plunge. And Books confirmed that Lindley received a projection that he would be a second-round pick. As the coach said, some players end up slipping down from that, but Brooks said he believed that Lindley would not have fallen beyond the fourth round. And with the workouts, Lindley could have moved up to the first round.

On the other hand, the coach said that all three had received counsel from former UK players in the NFL, back during bye weeks or whatever, saying that yes, it’s nice in pro ball, but there’s nothing like college football. “I think they heard from different guys how much they missed what they were doing here,” said Brooks.

When you look at a Sam Bradford returning to Oklahoma, and a Tim Tebow returning to Florida, you know that has to be a factor. For Kentucky football 2009, that is a very positive factor. Even with six seniors departing, the Kentucky defense looks much better today than it might have looked two weeks ago, when the trio were sifting through the process.