John Clay’s Sidelines

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Ron Morris of The State doesn’t think that Steve Spurrier is washed up.
• Mr. College Football, Tony Barnhart, thinks it will be Alabama and Texas in the BCS title game.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports on Florida basketball winning its season tune-up.
• Don Kausler of the Birmingham News reports that Nick Saban thinks we should give the refs a break.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that criticizing refs is an easy call for some.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the News writes on Bama quarterback Greg McElroy.
• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger writes on Ed Orgeron’s return to Oxford.
• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that Ole Miss is a tough Nutt to crack.
• Randy Rosetta of The Advocate reports that LSU looks to regroup after loss to Alabama.
• Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald writes on Georgia running back Washaun Ealey.

SEC links for Thursday:

• Dave Hooker of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Tennessee football has gone Lil Wayne.
• Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes about Tennessee and Lil Wayne.
• Mike Griffith of the News-Sentinel reports that Vols’ basketball player Josh Tabb has withdrawn from school.
• Ray Melick of the Birmingham News writes that Mike Slive needs to step up control of the SEC family.
• Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register reports on the Gus Malzahn-Houston Nutt reunion.
• Joe Person of The State revisits David Reaves’ switch from South Carolina to Tennessee.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Tennessee goes Lil Wayne’

(AP Photo/Wade Payne)

SEC links for Monday:

• Mark Bradley of the AJC writes that maybe Mark Richt should follow Paul Johnson’s example.
• Roger Clarkson of the Athens Banner-Herald asks how low can these Dogs go?
• Don Klauser of the Birmingham News writes that it’s the intense internal competition that has made Alabama unbeatable.
• John Patton of the Gainesville Sun reports that Urban Meyer relied on advice before playing Tim Tebow.
• David Jones of Florida Today reports that Tebow confessed to being worried before the LSU game.
• Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel writes that Florida’s defense is nearing its goal of greatness.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Is Mark Richt on the hot seat at Georgia?’

SEC links for Monday:

• Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun writes that playing Florida means more than money to Charleston Southern.
• David Jones of Florida Today writes on Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes.
• Chris Low of ESPN talks to Auburn starting quarterback, and Elizabethtown native, Chris Todd.
• Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean writes that Vanderbilt is pinning its hopes on its defense.
• Jeff Schultz of the AJC writes that if the ACC wants to get noticed, it better step up against the SEC.
• Doug Segrest of the Birmingham News writes that Phil Fulmer could be a coach in waiting.
• Charles Goldberg of the News writes that since Gus Malzahn has been given leeway to succeed, Auburn could have a better offense.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the News writes on Nick Saban’s new contract at Alabama.
• Joe Person of The State writes on the South Carolina running game.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Charleston Southern sees more than a payday’

SEC links for Monday:

• Randy Rosetta of The Advocate writes on LSU coordinators Gary Crowton and John Chavis, once foes, now on the same side.
• Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News reports that Gene Chizik decided to wait a day to put Auburn in full pads.
• Ray Melick of the News writes that we should not expect Alabama to confirm expectations.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that Lane Kiffin is looking for his freshmen to turn Vols around.
• Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that UT’s coaching staff as an NFL flavor.
• Joe Biddle of the Tennessean reports that ex-basketball coach Eddie Fogler is following his son on the golf tour.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: LSU coordinators now on same side’

SEC links for Monday:

• Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun offers five things he learned at SEC Media Days.
• Ray Melick of the Birmingham News writes that coaches know how to pass the vote in football.
• Paul Gattis of the Huntsville Times reports that Houston Nutt and Steve Spurrier top an SEC players’ poll.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: What was learned at Media Days’

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Ian Rapoport of the Birmingham News reports on Nick Saban’s visit to Southern Cal.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun has compiled the Florida football arrest list.
• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger writes that Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt can live with new football signee rule.
• Maurice Patton of the Tennessean reports on Vandy pitcher Mike Minor going to Atlanta in first round of MLB draft.
• Scott Hotard of The Advocate writes on LSU second baseman L.J. LeMahieu.
• Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register writes that Gene Chizik claims there are no problems between coaching staff and Auburn administration.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Saban visits USC; Nutt can live with rule’

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Chloe White of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Tennessee’s president is having to defend Phil Fulmer’s appointment as assistant to the president at the same time the school is under a hiring freeze.

• Brittney Whitley of the Opelika News reports on marchers at Auburn protesting the treatment of ex-coach Tommy Tuberville.

• Tom Murphy of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that Bobby Petrino’s actual contract is different than the letter of agreement he reached with Arkansas before becoming head coach.

• Gainesville Sun’s poll says Heisman race is too close to call between Tebow and Bradford.

• Chip Towers of the AJC reports on Georgia basketball’s win over Virginia Tech.

• Mobile Press-Register columnist Paul Finebaum writes that Auburn must find the right man.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: A freeze at UT, except for Fulmer’

SEC links for Monday:

• Drew Edwards of the Knoxville News-Sentinel tracks down reports that Monte Kiffin will join his son at Tennessee as defensive coordinator.

• Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes about Tennessee’s loss to Gonzaga in finals of Old Spice Classic in Orlando.

• In the AJC, Tim Tucker reports that Georgia coach Mark Richt will not fire embattled defensive coordinator Willie Martinez.

• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun writes that Florida hopes a hobbled Percy Harvin can play in SEC title game.

• Tennessean columnist David Climer writes that Tennessee may be home to a Kiffin family reunion.

• News-Sentinel columnist John Adams writes that plenty of kid coaches, like Kiffin, have experienced success.

• In our own Herald-Leader, Jerry Tipton writes about UK forward Josh Harrellson.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Kiffins to reunite at Tennessee’

Houston Nutt at Arkansas.

SEC links for Tuesday:

• In The State, Joe Person writes about the aggressive official who put a shoulder to Carolina’s Stephen Garcia. Story features nice photos of the incident.

• In The Advocate, Randy Rosetta tackles the same official from LSU’s perspective.

• Rick Cleveland writes in the Clarion-Ledger about the emotions likely to be stirred by Houston Nutt’s return to Arkansas.

• In the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Bob Holt writes that Nutt is whistling Dixie.

• In the Gainesville Sun, Robbie Andreu writes about Florida’s home-run threats.

• In the AJC, Chip Towers writes that Georgia will face several two-headed monsters in LSU.

• John Adams writes in the Knoxville News-Sentinel that even without Mt. Cody, Alabama is a huge test for Tennessee.

• The News-Sentinel also reports that Tennessee is picked to win the SEC in basketball.

• In the Gainesville Sun, Kevin Brockway writes about Billy Donovan’s fresh hoops options with the Gators.

• In the Birmingham News, Charles Goldberg writes that Tommy Tuberville finally goes on offense — about health rumors, program problems, etc.

• Maurice Patton writes in the Tennessean that Vandy hopes that Duke presents opportunity for sixth win.

• Birmingham News columnist Ray Melick writes that the regular season in college football is never regular.