John Clay's Sidelines

Florida's Erik Murphy. (AP photo)

SEC links for Monday:

• Freshman guard Bradley Beal starting to feel comfortable at Florida, reports Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.
• Erik Murphy is adding a spark to Florida’s inside game, writes David Jones of Florida Today.
• LSU basketball prepares for visit from No. 11 Marquette, reports Luke Johnson for the Times-Picayune.
• Alabama starts practice for its BCS rematch with LSU, reports Izzy Gould of the Birmingham News.
• LSU kicker Drew Alleman ready for his return to the Superdome, reports Scott Hotard of The Advocate.
• Bobby Petrino wants the Texas-Texas A&M series to be played in Arlington, reports Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News.
• Auburn freshman quarterback Kiehl Frazier wants to take a step forward with bowl game, reports Joel Erickson of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.

SEC links for Friday:

• Kragthorpe taking smaller role at LSU, reports Les East of The Advocate.
• LSU’s new leader knows passing game, writes Glenn Guilbeau of Times.
• Video of Les Miles’ announcement, from Times-Picayune.
• Georgia starts new era under clouds, writes Seth Emerson of Telegraph.
• Georgia submits report on Jarvis Jones, reports Emerson.
• Gators’ corner was facing marijuana charge, reports Sentinel’s Rachel George.
• Richt sees similarities between 2011 and 2002, reports Chip Towers of AJC.
• Bulldogs know they have depth issues, says Marc Weiszer of ABH.
• Jeffery back at practice for South Carolina, reports Travis Haney of P-C.
• Florida’s tower has safety in mind, reports Kevin Brockway of Gainesville Sun.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Kragthorpe will still have role with LSU offense’

Alshon Jeffery (AP photo/Mary Ann Chastain)

SEC links for Sunday:

• Documents lay out how it was Bruce Pearl’s lie that dunked the Tennessee coaching staff, reports Andrew Gribble of the Knoxville News-Sentinel. One of Pearl’s lies came when the former head coach said he could not identify a picture of the wife of one of his assistant coaches.
• When it comes to Alabama-Auburn, not all hate is created equally, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News. SEC rivalries are one thing, Tide-Tigers is quite another.
• Joe Medley of the Anniston Star writes that Mike Slive has a leg up on SEC coaches. The commissioner proved that in the spring meetings when he coaxed the presidents into voting down the coaches’ proposal to keep oversigning.
• SEC Media Days may be over, but the discussion is not, says Seth Emerson of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. Then again, college football is a 365-day season in the south.
• Alshon Jeffery might be the SEC’s best player, writes Jordan Conn of SI.com. The success especially sweet considering Jeffery is playing for his home-state school in South Carolina.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Pearl’s lies doomed Tennessee; Slive tops coaches’

(AP photo)

SEC links for Friday:

• Jeremiah Masoli-Cameron Newton showdown looming, writes Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Auburn’s offensive line clearing the way for big numbers, reports Charles Bennett of the Anniston Star.
• It has been awhile since Bo Jackson was this excited, writes Chris Low of espn.com.
• Chris Rainey will play for Florida against Georgia, reports Tyler Jett of Florida Today.
• Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun says Florida offense won’t drastically change this week.
• What if Mark Richt doesn’t beat Florida? asks Mark Bradley of the AJC.
• Florida-Georgia will still have big affect on East, reports Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.
• Alshon Jeffery now among best receivers in nation, writes Travis Haney of Charleston Post and Courier.
• LSU’s defense is looking to get better, writes Scott Rabalais of The Advocate.
• Alabama basketball trying to get its Swedish-born freshman adjusted, writes Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News.

(The State photo/Gerry Melendez)

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery a big challenge for Cats, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Turkish GM crosses over into overkill, says my Thursday column.
• Tony Barnhart writes for CBS Sports that Stephen Garcia has made a difference for Carolina.
• Kentucky is now home for Terrence Jones, writes Jason King of Yahoo Sports.
• Kentucky awaiting word on Derrick Locke, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that Brandon Knight’s mom is proud of her son’s academics.
• Another chance to stop a streak for the football Cats, writes Aarron Smith of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Kentucky defense looking to force more turnovers, reports Guy Ramsey for Cat Scratches.
• Randall Cobb is tired of some fans knocking Mike Hartline, writes Darrell Bird of the Cats Pause.
• Hartline remembers what happened last year against South Carolina, reports Mary Jo Perino of Channel 18.
• Bleed Blue Kentucky breaks down the Cats and the Gamecocks for Saturday.
• Jeff Zell of South Carolina Now says South Carolina should believe in good football, not fate.
• UK cornerback Martavius Neloms talks about covering Jeffery:

(The State photo/Gerry Melendez)

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Chris Low of espn.com does video talk about South Carolina receiver Alshon Jeffery.
• Kentucky’s cornerbacks hope to avoid a repeat of last year with Jeffery, reports B.W. Jones of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Steve Brown is hearing some mumblings and rumblings, says my column.
• Raymond Sanders and Donald Russell will get their chances against South Carolina, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Calipari says UK will lose some games early, blogs Jerry Tipton of the H-L.
• Calipari talks athletics and academics at UK forum, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia finds redemption, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Ramon Harris is still pursuing a professional career, reports Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Volleyball trying to keep NCAA Tournament streak alive, writes Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches.
• Jake Lanefski plays role in latest UK football commitment, reports Mike Herndon of the Mobile Press-Register.

Five things we learned at Joker Phillips press conference today:

• 1. Derrick Locke still can’t feel his arm: Well, Locke does have feeling in his arm, just not all the feeling he should be feeling. Or something like that. So it’s looking very questionable if the senior will play on Saturday. If he can’t go, the wildcat formation may be more of a go. But Joker wasn’t keen on wildcat questions. Nor was he keen on assertions that Donald Russell had dropped to third on the depth chart. Phillips kept saying that Russell was bracketed with Raymond Sanders, but did point out that Sanders went in the game first against Auburn. But when Russell entered, he outplayed the freshman.
• 2. South Carolina leads the league in third-down conversion percentage: The Gamecocks are at 55.2 percent. This should send fear into the Big Blue Nation, especially the segment that habitually complains about the defense’s inability to get off the field on third down, especially third-and-long. But to be at 55 percent in third-down conversions, you have to be getting a lot of third-and-shorts. On third-and-short, South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore is pretty good.
• 3. Alshon Jeffery remembers Kentucky: The USC wide receiver leads the league in receptions and reception yardage. He had his breakout game last year against Kentucky, catching seven passes for 138 yards and three touchdowns. He caught seven passes for 127 yards against Alabama. He should be pumped for Saturday.
• 4. Winning the toss and taking the ball: Joker said he is not usually for that, yet has done it several times this year, including the last two Saturdays. And the offense has scored both Saturdays. Phillips said he just has faith that the offense will get things going in the right direction.
• 5. Lack of sacks: Kentucky’s offensive line has protected Mike Hartline well, and part of the credit goes to the quarterback. Phillips said that Hartline has really helped the line communicate, get in the right protection schemes, and get rid of the football. South Carolina sacked Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy seven times.

SEC links for Thursday:

• Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Bruce Pearl thinks Tennessee’s seniors have the talent for a great ending.
• Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes that Tyler Smith has Vols excited.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports that Billy Donovan is looking forward to Florida’s season.
• Joe Person of The State writes on South Carolina’s now-star receiver Alshon Jeffery.
• Mark Bradley of the AJC writes that change will be tough for Mark Richt, but not for Paul Johnson.
• Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald reports that some Bulldogs are in off-the-field trouble.
• David Jones of Florida Today reports on a Florida gymnast arrested for storing nine guns.
• David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that Georgia’s Richard Samuel is having trouble meeting expectations.
• Ray Melick of the Birmingham News thinks the NCAA should leave its trash talk on the field.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Tennessee, Florida excited for hoops start’

(H-L photo/Charles Bertram)

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• WHAS quotes a “source close to the University of Kentucky football team” as saying that Mike Hartline is out for the season. (FYI: Rich Brooks has his usual Sunday teleconference at 4:15 today. We should know something official then.)
• The Herald-Leader’s Chip Cosby gives details of UK’s tough 28-26 loss at South Carolina.
• Cosby on tough day for UK’s young cornerbacks, and other notes.
• My column on Mike Hartline’s “significant” injury.
• Jerry Tipton’s Sunday UK basketball notebook leads with John Calipari and expectations.
• Mark Story of the H-L lists top 10 UK players who did not play in the Final Four.
• Joe Person of The State writes that South Carolina jump-started way over Cats.
• Ron Morris of The State writes on USC receiver Alshon Jeffery’s huge game.
• The State has video of Steve Spurrier’s post-game comments.
• Travis Haney of the Charleston Post-Courier writes that South Carolina scratched out a win.

Continue reading ‘BBL: One report says Hartline out for season’