John Clay's Sidelines

(AP Photo/Jerry S. Mendoza)

SEC links for Monday:

• Paul Gattis of the Huntsville Times reports that the SEC is the class of the NFL draft, again.
• Dave Hooker of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that, by NFL draft standards, Tennessee’s talent hit a historic low.
• Hooker also profiles new Tennessee football assistant Ed Orgeron.
• Wally Hall of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette writes that Arkansas basketball fans demand improvement.
• Birmingham News columnist Kevin Scarbinsky writes that Auburn is just glad Matthew Stafford is gone.
• Seth Emerson of The State reports that South Carolina had seven players drafted, most since the draft was shortened to seven rounds in 1994.
• Tim Tucker of the AJC reports on the rest of the Georgia draft after Stafford.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Conference rules NFL draft — again’

H-L photo/Mark Cornelison

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader reports on yesterday’s Blue-White Sping Game at Commonwealth Stadium.
• Chip’s Sunday football notebook.
• My column off the Blue-White Game on the impending competition at quarterback.
• H-L slideshow and video from Blue-White game.
• Brett Dawson of the C-J writes on John Calipari and Twitter.
• Dawson’s report on UK football’s spring game.
• Tom Leach writes that quarterback will remain a hot topic.
• Jody Demling reports in the C-J that UK has shown interest in a 7-foot center from Brazil.
• Ken Howlett of A Sea of Blue on UK’s forgotten duo.
• Kentucky Sports Radio gives its spring football report.
• Straitpinkie thinks that Patrick Patterson may be back, after all.
• Jon Hale of the Kentucky Kernel writes that the spring game offered some unlikely headlines.
• Cat Scratches has notes from the Blue-White game.

Here’s audio from the Blue-White post-game press conference:

• UK head coach Rich Brooks talks about the spring game, and spring practice in general.

Be sure and check in Saturday for UK football’s spring game. Kickoff is 1:30 p.m.

Darnell Dodson

Kentucky Athletic Association just sent out a tweet confirming that junior college transfer Darnell Dodson has indeed signed a letter-of-intent to play at Kentucky next season.

The 6-7 forward, who originally signed with Pittsburgh, played the last two seasons at Miami Dade JC. He signed with Memphis, but was allowed out of his letter when John Calipari left for Kentucky.

Dodson played at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Washington, D.C. He enrolled at Pitt was taking classes when the NCAA Clearing House ruled that he would not eligible for his freshman season. Unable to go to a prep school because he was already taking classes at Pitt, Dodson decided to take the juco route. Big East rules kept Dodson from re-enrolling at Pittsburgh.

Continue reading ‘UK says Dodson has signed with Cats’

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Here’s where you can follow John Calipari on Twitter. (Follow me at Twitter via jclayiv, or this blog at Twitter via Sidelines.)
• Herald-Leader’s Jerry Tipton on reports that Darnell Dodson is following John Calipari to Kentucky.
• H-L columnist Mark Story writes on the rising draft stock of UK football players.
• On his blog, Chip Cosby writes that rosters have been announced for UK’s Blue-White Game.
• In the Courier-Journal, Brett Dawson writes on UK defensive tackle Ricky Lumpkin.
• Kyle Neddenriep of the Indianapolis Star reports that Kentucky is still in the mix for Dominique Ferguson.
• Jeff Sentell of the Birmingham News writes that Eric Bledsoe is waiting on his test score before making a decision.
• Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald says John Wall should pick Miami before turning pro.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Calipari Twitters as recruiting rages on’

SEC links for Friday:

• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun writes on Flordia football’s visit to the White House.
• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger previews this weekend’s inviting Ole Miss-Georgia baseball series.
• Tennessean columnist David Climer writes about a Tennessee quarterback put his ego before the Vols.
• Drew Edwards writes in the Knoxville News-Sentinel about B.J. Coleman’s departure from the UT program.
• Writing in the AJC, Tony Barnhart ponders the four-team playoff BCS proposal.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Gators visit the White House’

Here’s what I’ve heard from the local radio call-in shows for Thursday:

• WLAP-630: Dick Gabriel will have Mitch Barnhart in studio at 7 p.m. He’ll talk spring football from 6-7.