John Clay’s Sidelines

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports on Lane Kiffin kicking Brandon Warren off the Tennessee team.
• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that Tennessee receivers are dropping like passes.
• Randy Rosetta of The Advocate writes that LSU is preparing for all Florida’s quarterback possibilities.
• ESPN’s Chris Low writes that Tim Tebow faces a daunting task.
• Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel writes that Urban Meyer gave Bobby Bowden the kiss of death.
• Rick Cleveland of the Clarion-Ledger writes that Houston Nutt and Nick Saban share respect.
• The AJC gives a photo replay of the controversial Georgia celebration penalty.
• David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes that Georgia’s last trip to Tennessee was ugly.
• Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News writes on Bobby Petrino and Gene Chizik, together again.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Paul Finebaum writes that Auburn is clearly on the right path.
• Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean reports that Vandy is getting back to basics.
• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger reports that Mississippi State is working on ball security.

SEC links for Thursday:

• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger reports that Ole Miss has been prepping for spotlight of tonight’s ESPN game with South Carolina.
• Joe Person of The State writes on Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead.
• John Davis of the Oxford Eagle writes that Snead is upbeat about the SEC opener.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun writes about SEC’s football tilted balance of power.
• Seth Emerson of The State writes that South Carolina’s basketball class is stacking nicely.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News writes that the Nick Saban-Bobby Petrino rivarly is more than hot air.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: South Carolina-Ole Miss square off tonight’

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• My column on how UK’s staff has remained constant, while at Louisville it’s ch-ch-changes.
• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader reports that Kentucky’s kick coverage is worrisome considering Louisville’s speed.
• Jennifer Smith of the Herald-Leader reports on Louisville volleyball’s win over previously unbeaten UK.
• Jerry Tipton of the H-L blogs that two top 50 hoops prospects will be on campus Saturday.
• Zagsblog reports that West Virginia made a good impression on UK hoops target Tobias Harris.
• CORRECTED: B.W. Jones of the Kentucky Kernel reports that Ridge Wilson plead not guilty to fourth-degree assault.

Continue reading ‘BBL: West Virginia makes push for Tobias Harris’

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Tennessean’s David Climer writes that Tennessee is stuck with Jonathan Crompton.
• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun writes that Tim Tebow wants to respond to Lane Kiffin.
• Andrea Adelson of the Orlando Sentinel asks, “Can Lane Kiffin coach?”
• Peter Kerasotis of Florida Today thinks Kiffin may eat crow.
• Writing for the AJC, Stephen Caldwell reports on ex-Falcons coach Bobby Petrino’s time in Arkansas.
• Mark Bradley fo the AJC gives five reasons why Georgia may have turned the corner.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Tennessee stuck with Crompton?’

SEC links for Thursday:

• David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes that Vanderbilt is back for more.
• Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun writes on the start of Urban Meyer’s fifth season at Florida.
• Joseph Person of The State investigates the mystery of who will be calling plays at South Carolina this season.
• Tom Murphy of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette writes on the Razorbacks’ timetable for success.
• ADG columnist Wally Hall warns fans to get ready for real taste of Bobby Petrino’s system.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Alabama coach Nick Saban says poor 2008 finish still grates.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Vanderbilt is back for more.’

Nimrod Tishman

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports that an Israeli point guard has been admitted at Florida.
• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun reports on Urban Meyer’s new contract.
• Ray Melick of the Birmingham News writes that Meyer is not mired in the economy.
• Bob Holt of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that Bobby Petrino took his Razorbacks staff to Branson last week.
• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger writes that Mississippi State is breathing easier about its receivers.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Florida admits Israeli point guard’

SEC links for Thursday:

• Ray Melick of the Birmingham News writes that now the opening acts are over, the SEC Media Days can really begin.
• The News gives its best and worst of the first day of Media Days.
• Jeff Schultz of the AJC writes that it’s not a fair fight, and the SEC likes it that way.
• Tennessean columnist David Climer writes that the SEC his the jackpot with Mike Slive.
• Athens Banner-Herald reports that Slive is tired of lax attitudes concerning secondary violations.
• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger reports that the gabfest was a breeze for new Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Media Days roundup No. 1′

SEC links for Tuesday:

• C.L. Brown of the Courier-Journal reports on Louisville baseball’s regional-clinching win over Vanderbilt.
• Rick Bozich of the C-J writes on how a Louisville rookie outpitched Vandy’s star.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that Vandy baseball failed at the little things.
• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger reports on Ole Miss’ ending Western Kentucky’s dream.
• Dave Hooker of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Tennessee may have to pay its strength coach $300,000 if he’s not retained.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Paul Finebaum writes that when Bobby Lowder exits the Auburn scene his presence will be missed.
• Ed Ashcroft of the Gainesville Sun reports on another Florida football player being arrested.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Louisville knocks Vandy out of NCAA baseball’

After Kentucky’s miraculous 21-20 win over Arkansas:

• Rich Brooks on the comeback: “Well, I think it’s huge. I told them in the locker room football is a reflection of life in a lot of ways. When it’s the very darkest of the very worst, you have to keep on believing because giving up is not an answer, it’s not an alternative. For them to actually make it happen and make those words real, I am very proud of them.”

• Bobby Petrino: “That’s a hard one for us. We had a lot of chances to win the football game, starting in the first quarter when we had the ball down in there and didn’t get any points, and fumbled on the one and threw an interception on the one. All those things add up and end up hurting you. We had chances in the end to run the clock out and fumbled it back. Obviously, we feel like our defense has to come up with the stop at that time and we couldn’t do it. Give credit to Kentucky, they hung in there and made the plays at the end of the game and we didn’t.”

• Petrino is right. The play of the game may have happened with 1:12 left in the first quarter when, on third-and-goal from the one-yard line, Arkansas running back Michael Smith was hit by UK safety Calvin Harrison, causing a fumble. Kentucky’s Corey Peters recovered. Had Smith scored, the Razorbacks would have led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

• Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick, “This one hurts. We thought we had the game in control, and the bottom line is that we have to find a way to play good at the end and make plays. No matter what we are doing, we have to move the ball and play well.”

• Petrino said that Michael Smith, who rushed for 192 yards on 35 carries, may have suffered a concussion right before Arkansas kicked the field goal for a 20-7 lead with 10 minutes remaining. “He probably has a concussion which is scary because we don’t know how long he’ll be out with that,” said Petrino. “It’s a shame because he was playing his heart out, doing a great job running the ball, catching the ball.”

• UK running back Derrick Locke has at least a sprained knee. UK fears that there may be a ligament tear, but won’t know until an MRI is done on Monday.

• Mike Hartline ended up completing 17 of 32 passes for 239 yards and a career-high three touchdowns with two interceptions. His quarterback rating was 134.3, his highest this season.

• Brooks on Hartline: “Mike is a very confident guy and his confidence has been shaken recently. It was probably shaken early in this game. I don’t think there has ever been a young quarterback that has been able to come ack and do this at Kentucky in a long time. In game where the only way we can win is to throw it and he makes the plays necessary to win the game. I hope this does a lot for his confidence and other’s confidence in him.”

• Hartline on Hartline: “It’s really surreal. I don’t know whether to be really excited to just realize what just happened. Everything went so fast. I’m really proud of our offense the way they just didn’t quit. All the coaches believed in us throughout the game. We weren’t going to quit even though we didn’t have much success in the first half. There is no quitting in the offense.”

• Alfonso Smith caught five passes for 108 yards and one touchdown.

• Randall Cobb caught five passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns.

• Casey Dick completed 11 of 29 passes for 94 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. His passing rating was 62.2.

• UK linebacker Micah Johnson: “This game is huge. It would have been a difficult situation to go to Florida 0-3 in the SEC. Getting this win lightens things up and if we can keep this heart and fight, with little mistakes, we can beat anyone.”

• Cobb: “It’s all about heart and seeing how deep you can dig to get the job done.”

• UK is saying this ties UK’s best fourth-quarter comeback. The Cats trailed Vanderbilt 13-0 in the fourth quarter before winning 14-13 in 2004. That was Brooks’ second season.

• This was just Kentucky’s second one-point win in the past 20 years. The Vandy win in ‘04 was the other. Before that, you have to go back to 1988 when UK beat Vanderbilt.

• UK forced four turnovers, and leads the SEC with 20 forced turnovers.

SEC links for Saturday:

• In the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Tom Murphy writes that the Razorbacks want to apply Petrino’s law at Kentucky tonight.

• In The Advocate, George Morris writes that for LSU, Steve Spurrier is still a name to fear.

• In the Birmingham News, Ian Rapoport writes that Alabama is working on stopping Ole Miss’ Wild Rebel formation.

• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger writes that Ole Miss wants to recapture the magic of its 1988 Bama trip.

• In the Tennessean, Bryan Mullen writes that Tennessee sees a fast start as crucial in its game with Mississippi State.

• Tennessean columnist Joe Biddle says Phil Fulmer should fear Mississippi State.

• In the Clarion-Ledger, Kyle Veazey writes that rocky times on Rocky Top could bode well for State.

• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Drew Edwards writes that Tennessee would love a feel-good story.

• Despite loss to Mississippi State, Vandy’s stock is rising, writes Maurice Patton in the Tennessean.

• Tommy Stinson of the AJC writes that Vandy doesn’t see itself as an underdog against Georgia.

• In the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, Ron Higgins writes that the SEC is making the odds-makers weep.