John Clay's Sidelines

(H-L photo/Ken Weaver)

Red Cup Rebellion, the Ole Miss blog on the Sports Nation network, is reporting that Houston Nutt has been fired as Ole Miss coach, according to sources. There has been no other confirmation of this, but it would certainly not be a surprise. Mississippi’s 30-13 loss to Kentucky was the Rebels’ 12th straight SEC defeat. After a game with Louisiana Tech next week, the Rebels play host to LSU. So a 13th straight appears a certainity. Then Ole Miss finishes up with the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State.

• Unlikely trio propels Kentucky to win, writes Jen Smith of H-L.
• Smith gives UK a reason to dream, writes Mark Story of H-L.
• Trevathan, Guy play for high steaks, writes Smith.
• H-L’s UK and college basketball preview section.
• Another SEC loss for Ole Miss, says Hugh Kellenberger of C-L.
• Fourth-quarter meltdown dooms Rebs, reports Journal’s Parrish Alford.

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Alabama has its own version of oversigning, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• Joe Medley of the Anniston Star on OVC coaches telling Mike Slive and reformers that it’s not that easy.
• Bruce Pearl’s attorney says Tennessee delayed information on photo in NCAA investigation, reports Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Lane Kiffin was charged with failure to monitor by Tennessee, reports Patrick Brown of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Mark Richt plans on having “a helluva year,” reports Mark Bradley of the AJC.
• It’s the last shot for a pair of Florida’s fifth-year seniors, writes Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun.
• Houston Nutt is breaking in more transfer quarterbacks at Ole Miss, reports Ivan Maisel of espn.com.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Bama’s oversigning; OVC differs with SEC on reform’

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’

SEC links for Monday:

• Tennessee donors lashed out at Tennessee administration leading up to Bruce Pearl firing, reports Megan Boehnke of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Warrants issued in Georgia locker room thefts, reports Howard Pousner of the AJC.
• After taking two of three from Vandy, South Carolina baseball may be back to No. 1, reports Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Florida beats Georgia 14-7 to take rubber game of series, reports Roger Clarkson of the Athens Banner-Herald.
• LSU salvages third game of baseball series with Auburn with 3-2 win, reports Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Mississippi State gets one win over Arkansas, reports the Clarion-Ledger.
• Arkansas can’t get the sweep over the Bulldogs, writes Bobby Swofford of the Arkansas News.
• It has been a tough spring for the followers of LSU sports, writes Scott Hotard of The Advocate.
• Alabama’s defense is back to its old ways, writes Michael Casagrande of the Anniston Star.
• Georgia’s Hutson Mason faces a sticky situation, writes Seth Emerson of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Tennessee donors lashed out at administration’

SEC links for Thursday:

• Central Florida upsets Florida 57-54, reports Iliana Limon of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Vanderbilt roles over Western Kentucky 82-62, reports Bryan Mullen of the Tennessean.
• Selective shooting key to Arkansas’ 84-74 win over Oklahoma, reports Chris Bahn for Arkansas Sports 360.
• NCAA rules that Cameron Newton did not know about scheme, reports Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News says the NCAA got it right on Cameron Newton ruling.
• Dan Mullen reportedly on Miami’s short list, reports Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger.
• South Carolina wants to get Lattimore going in rematch, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Alabama basketball knocks off South Alabama, reports Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Houston Nutt is facing some tough off-season decisions at Ole Miss, writes Parrish Alford of the NE Mississippi Daily Journal.
• The plan to fix the football Gators, according to Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun.

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Alabama fires part-time employee who played “Take the Money and Run” when Cameron Newton came onto field during Iron Bowl, reports Izzy Gould of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Bama tries to do right after songs gone wrong, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• Jeff Schultz of the AJC has video proof of the Alabama song selections.
• Fans upset that Urban Meyer blew off post-game radio interview following Florida’s loss to Florida State, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Auburn wants a complete game against South Carolina, reports Charles Bennett of the Anniston Star.
• Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that Steve Spurrier and Gene Chizik have made the grade in the SEC.
• Middle Tennessee a trap game for basketball Vols, says Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Temple coach Al Golden is on Vanderbilt’s radar, reports Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• Houston Nutt says he has no regrets about bringing in Jeremiah Masoli, reports Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger.
• No staff changes at Georgia, reports Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.

SEC links for Monday:

• Auburn takes No. 1 BCS rankings spot from Oregon, reports Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Regsiter.
• Two SEC division winners were not the picks at the beginning, writes Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
• Auburn hopes playing South Carolina again will turn out twice as nice, writes Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• South Carolina playing some of its best football going into title game, reports Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Florida knocks off Florida State in basketball, reports Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.
• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that bowl trips can sometimes go bad.
• Urban Meyer says Florida’s rebuilding project begins now, writes Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun.
• Houston Nutt denies reports linking him to Colorado job, reports the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
• Mark Richt says he has no interest in Miami opening, reports Tim Tucker of the AJC.
• For every Iron Bowl winner there is a loser, writes Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

SEC links for Tuesday:

Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun: “If Florida’s frontline is the heavyweight heading into today’s showdown at the O’Connell Center, then Ohio State is the super heavyweight. Led by 255-pound senior forward Dallas Lauderdale and 6-foot-9, 280-pound freshman Jared Sullinger, Ohio State out-rebounded North Carolina A&T 60-22 in its season-opening 102-61 win. The Buckeyes grabbed 30 offensive rebounds. Lauderdale had all of Ohio State’s eight blocked shots.”

Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel: “The 24th-ranked Vols will need to win them against hungry, quality mid-major programs, beginning with Belmont tonight (TV: ESPNU, 9:30 p.m.). It’s the second game of a doubleheader at Thompson-Boling Arena. Arkansas State (0-1) and Missouri State (1-0) play in the opener at 7. The winners and losers of tonight’s games will meet Wednesday at 7 p.m. and 9:30. UT (1-0) will play in the 7 p.m. game regardless of tonight’s outcome.”

Clay Travis of AOL FanHouse: “Let’s get this out of the way early: Cam Newton is going to be ruled ineligible to play college football at some point. That ruling will mean that every game he participated would not count as an Auburn victory. This isn’t a question of if, it’s a question of when. It might take 10 days, it might take two years, but the ineligibility ruling is coming. No reasonable person can believe that Cecil Newton Sr. didn’t solicit funds from Mississippi State for his son to play football there.”

Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: “Not anymore. Now when I think of Urban Meyer, I see a coach who is uncertain, shaky, wishy-washy. I see a man who cannot make up his mind about who he is, where he is headed and what his program is all about. His indecisiveness started last December when he resigned suddenly and reneged the very next day. Remember? He told everyone he was quitting because he wanted to spend more time with his family and then he made the decision to come back without consulting with his family.”

Continue reading ‘SEC: Florida ready for Ohio State in hoops’

Quotes from Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt:

Every time our defense got turnovers, we capitalized on it. If we don’t do that, it could cause problems. That’s what turnovers and working together do. Our punt returns were a back breaker for them. We planned on throwing the ball a little more, but as the game went on we played a little conservative. Brandon Bolden had a huge first down at the end. . . .

Those turnovers are the most precious thing you have. When you get turnovers and capitalize on them, that’s huge. That really won the game for us. When you take those turnovers and have 21 points, you can win the game.

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Top 2011 basketball recruit Adonis Thomas will visit Tennessee this weekend, reports Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Georgia and Georgia Tech fighting over top Georgia basketball recruit, reports Michael Carvell of the AJC.
• Houston Nutt is a joke, writes Paul Finebaum of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Some are screaming for the defensive coordinator’s head at Auburn, says Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• Alabama doesn’t know when Mark Ingram might return, reports Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Did a ref’s bad call beat Vandy, or did Vandy beat Vandy? asks David Climer of the Tennessean.
• After just one game, Derek Dooley looks even better at Tennessee, writes Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Florida trying to get a grip on its snapping problem, reports Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald.
• Georgia gets some of its missing back this week, reports Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.
• LSU loses starting offensive guard for six weeks, reports Glenn Guilbeau of the Shreveport Times.