John Clay's Sidelines

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Jeff Schultz of the AJC on Georgia’s walking rumor, A.J. Green.
• Ron Morris of The State on the Georgia-South Carolina rivalry.
• Player status up in the air on both Georgia and South Carolina, reports Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Thursday showcase could be a blessing or a curse for Auburn, writes Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Auburn’s defense will expand its playbook, reports Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News.
• Mississippi State’s offense looks much-improved, writes David Brandt of the AP.
• It’s the Alabama defense vs. Penn State’s true freshman quarterback, writes Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Ole Miss’ Kentrell Lockett is thrilled to be back on the field, reports Rod Walker of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Bryce Brown’s father considering suing Tennessee over release, reports Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Real season starts for Tennessee against Oregon, blogs Chris Low of espn.com.

SEC links for Saturday:

• NCAA interviews Bryce Brown for two hours about Lane Kiffin’s recruiting methods, reports Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Freshman receiver Justin Hunter is held out of workouts by NCAA Eligibility Center, reports Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Arthur Jefferey ready to play again for Vols, writes Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Former Alabama basketball player Mikhail Torrance collapses after workout, reports Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News.
• John Pennington of Mr. SEC compares Les Miles to Barry Switzer, and hears about it.
• Alabama defense looks to improve in game-like scrimmage, reports Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald reports that opinions differ on mobility of Florida quarterback John Brantley.
• Connor Shaw off to a strong start at South Carolina, reports Neil White of The State.
• Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier reports that Marcus Lattimore is continuing his progress at USC.
• Zac Etheridge can’t wait to hit again at Auburn, reports Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Arkansas News does a Q&A with Razorbacks quarterback Ryan Mallett.

Bart Starr

SEC links for Sunday:

• George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel asks what has Tim Tebow done to deserve all this hate?
• Bryce Brown and Jeremiah Masoli show the system needs changing, writes Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun.
• Heisman winner Mark Ingram being pushed by Trent Richardson at Alabama, writes Michael Casagrande of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Some fall camp story lines for South Carolina, presented by Joseph Person of The State.
• Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald presents five questions for Georgia pre-season.
• Glenn Guilbeau of the Shreveport Times has five questions for LSU’s fall camp.
• Bart Starr returns to his old high school, reports Wesley Lyle of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Houston Nutt has to roll the dice with Jeremiah Masoli, writes Mike Herndon of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Quarterback situation is the big issue for Ole Miss, reports David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Dan Mullen hopes big Egg Bowl win will carry over for Mississippi State, reports Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Why all the hate for Tim Tebow?’

SEC links for Saturday:

• ESPN’s Rick Reilly tries to take up for ex-Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin.
• Tennessee says it will not release Bryce Brown from his scholarship, reports Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• No, synthetic turf is not coming back to Neyland Stadium, writes Mike Strange of the News-Sentinel.
• Cooperation is the key to solving the agent issue, writes Pat Forde of espn.com.
• Georgia opens camp with a long to-do list, writes Tim Tucker of the AJC.
• Florida basketball will play Ohio State next season, blogs Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Rick Reilly tries to defend Lane Kiffin’

SEC links for Friday:

• Young and new describe the Tennessee quarterbacks, reports Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• David Climer of the Tennessean thinks Vanderbilt needs a full-time athletic director.
• Mr. SEC updates its conference football commitment chart.
• Bryce Brown’s run-away style was not for the Vols, writes Jay Greeson of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• David Paschall of the Times Free Press writes that LSU is expecting a special defense this season.
• Texas A&M could still be a possibility for the SEC down the road, says Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun thinks you might be a college football nut if . . .

Continue reading ‘SEC: New and young describe Tennessee quarterbacks’

SEC links for Wednesday:

• No decision announced yet on whether Ole Miss will take former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, reports David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger.
• But the NE Mississippi Daily Journal reports that Ole Miss administration has given OK on Masoli transfer.
• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that Derek Dooley is doing a balancing act.
• Adams also reports that Tennessee running back Bryce Brown has left school without a release.
• Brown left Tennessee after skipping arranged meeting with Dooley, reports Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Ex-Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody fails his conditioning test with the Baltimore Ravens, reports the Montgomery Advertiser.
• South Carolina AD Eric Hyman says his plan is working, writes Joseph Person of The State.
• Randy Rosetta of The Advocate takes a look at his 2010 crystal ball.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Jeremiah Masoli may be on way to Ole Miss’

SEC links for Monday:

• Eli Manning is giving a $1 million to his alma mater, Ole Miss, reports the AP.
• Ex-South Carolina star Devan Downey signs contract to play in Turkey, reports Seth Emerson of The State.
• Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News looks at Bill Curry’s brief stint as Alabama coach before Curry came to UK.
• Jeff Schultz of the AJC ranks the SEC football programs 1-12.
• Bryce Brown saga could be coming to an end, reports Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• John Adams of the News-Sentinel writes that running backs won’t be a sideshow for Derek Dooley.
• Lane Kiffin must be stopped, writes Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• ACC routs the SEC in media access, blogs Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Arkansas is ramping up its defense, writes David Paschall of the Times Free Press.
• Les Miles is preaching optimistic message to LSU faithful, writes Scott Hotard of The Advocate.

Derek Dooley at SEC Media Days. (AP photo)

SEC links for Saturday:

• Kenny Kadji asks to be released from his scholarship at Florida, reports Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.
• Derek Dooley is the anti-Lane Kiffin, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Bill Bryant of the Huntsville Times writes that Derek Dooley is looking to take Tennessee in a new direction.
• Tennessee should have kept Phil Fulmer, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Les Miles disagrees with media assessment of his program, writes Scott Hotard of The Advocate.
• Derek Dooley calmly moving from one fire to another at Tennessee, writes Jeff Schultz of the AJC.
• Gene Chizik hopes Cameron Newton can lead Tigers to success, reports Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Houston Nutt wants to prove the prognosticators wrong, writes Rick Cleveland of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Dooley received a warm welcome at the SEC Media Days, writes Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Trendy picks must still live up to the hype, says Tommy Hicks of the Mobile Press-Register.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Kadji leaving Florida; Dooley on spot at Media Days’

(The State photo/Gary Melendez)

SEC Links for Wednesday:

• South Carolina beats UCLA in 11 innings to win NCAA Baseball title, reports Neil White of The State.

• Ron Morris of The State writes that the Gamecocks’ national title is important for many different reasons.

• South Carolina bringing the title trophy back home, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.

• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that Bryce Brown saga at UT bears Lane Kiffin’s fingerprints.

• Mr. SEC has the list of summer basketball commitments/signees.

• Tennessee basketball signees are impressive in summer league, reports Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Gamecocks win national baseball title’

SEC links for Tuesday:

Rick Cleveland of the Clarion-Ledger writes that player defections are troublesome new trend: “In all the stories about all these players, one quote jumped out at me like Michael Jordan soaring up for a jump shot. It was this from Romero Osby, who played behind Kodi Augustus and Ravern Johnson at State. Said Osby: ‘It’s just a lot of stuff that was in the way of me being able to showcase what I really can do. It’s no knock on Ravern or Kodi.’”

Seth Emerson of The State on Murphy Holloway’s transfer: “Murphy Holloway was watching ESPN on Monday when he saw an item on the scroll stating he was transferring from Mississippi to Clemson. That caught the Irmo native by surprise.

Tim Tucker of the AJC reports on Georgia quarterback pleading guilty to sexual battery: “Former University of Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery stemming from a March 7 incident in a bar in Remerton, Ga., near Valdosta. Mettenberger entered the plea in Lowndes County Superior Court and was sentenced under the Georgia First Offender Act to 12 months probation and 80 hours of community service. He also was fined $2,000 and banished from Valdosta for a year.

Paul Finebaum of the Mobile Press-Register writes that Dan Mullen is the future of college football: “I met him last week in Birmingham while he was schlepping from one end of nowhere to the other, spreading the gospel for Mississippi State. While Auburn coaches were rolling in stretch limousines and luxury buses and Nick Saban was flying in helicopters and lear jets around Dixie, Mullen began the annual “Road Dogs Tour” in a motor home, taking the message to 12 different places.”

Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that Bruce Pearl carries Tennessee’s banner high: “Then a football spokesman took the microphone. He praised the direction a new coach would guide the program, but warned there might be rough waters ahead. Finally, the men’s basketball coach took the podium – to a standing ovation.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Transfers becoming a troubling trend’