John Clay’s Sidelines

SEC links for Friday:

• Ron Morris writes in The State that Steve Spurrier is a fading star in the Florida sky.

• Robbie Andreu writes in the Gainesville Sun that Florida’s 2006 win over South Carolina in The Swamp, when the Gators blocked a late Gamecocks kick, was the building block (get it) to the national title.

• Maurice Patton of the Tennessean writes that November has not been kind to Vanderbilt football.

• Bryan Mullen of the Tennessean writes that the youthful Tennessee basketball team wants to play past last year’s Sweet 16 finish.

• Birmingham News columnist Ray Melick talks to embattled Mississippi State offensive coordinator Woody McCorvey, who says he’s not going anywhere. Of course, some State fans would say the same about his offense.

• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger writes that Mississippi State is trying to fix its kicking problems.

• Tim Tucker writes in the AJC that while the Georgia-Auburn rivalry is friendlier than Dogs-Jackets, or Dogs-Gators, there is passion involved.

• Tennessean columnist Joe Biddle writes that the next Tennessee coach has to shut down the borders.

• Knoxville News-Sentinel columnist John Adams writes that Cincinnati football coach Brian Kelly might be another Bruce Pearl for UT.

• In The Advocate, Drew Champlin writes that Troy is looking forward to its game with LSU.

Closing down the Tennessee coaching poll, where this blog’s readers, anyway, think Tennessee should go after ex-UK assistant Mike Leach, now coach of the pass-happy, game-winning Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Who should be Tennessee’s next football coach? The results:

• Mike Leach 49
• None of the above 25
• Lane Kiffin 16
• Butch Davis 16
• Brian Kelly 10
• Jim Grobe 7
• Chris Peterson 6
• Garry Patterson 2

There’s a new poll question up: What chance does UK have of beating Georgia on Saturday?

Join in.