John Clay's Sidelines

The Lane Kiffin Era is the gift that just keeps on giving in Knoxville. The brat-boy coach spent one year leading Tennessee football before bolting for Southern Cal. He left behind an NCAA investigation that ended with some self-imposed penalties.

But just when UT fans thought the worst was over, more allegations keep popping out of the orange woodwork. First came news that a former Kiffin assistant allegedly paid for a recruit’s visit. Now come allegations UT was in on the Willie Lyles recruiting service scam.

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Weis will throw kitchen sink at Tide, says Robbie Andreu of Gainesville Sun.
• Five keys for Florida vs. Bama, from Rachel George of Orlando Sentinel.
• Florida is ready to run, writes Matt Watts of the Miami Herald.
• Tennessee paid recruiting service, reports KNS’ Andrew Gribble.
• Kiffin capers won’t go away, writes Mark Weidmer of Times Free Press.
• Rivalries a thing of the past? asks Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Alabama backing up its talk, writes Don Kaulser of the Birmingham News.
• Auburn may use Frazier more, reports Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Auburn WR Reed to miss USC game, reports Andy Bitter of Ledger-Enquirer.
• Gamecocks ready to face Dyer, reports Andrew Miller of Post and Courier.
• Lattimore fine with workload, writes Edward Aschoff of espn.
• Georgia may lose another player to transfer, reports Chip Towers of AJC.
• Last year’s loss still hurts Dogs, says Seth Emerson of Macon Telegraph.

South Carolina celebrates walk-off win over Arkansas. (The State photo)

SEC links for Sunday:

• SEC assistants are some of the highest paid in college football, reports Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel.
• John Pelphrey will earn $180,000 as assistant at Florida, reports Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News.
• Rivals are united in grief over the death of Alabama lineman Aaron Douglas, writes Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Tennessee’s NCAA hearing figures to be intense, writes Andrew Gribble of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Tennessee wins SEC softball title, reports Kory Keys for the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Don’t count out Auburn football next season, writes Mike Herndon of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Cam Newton trying to mitigate effects of NFL lockout, writes Brett Martel of AP.
• Alan Faneca should have bust at Hall of Fame, writes Scott Rabalais of The Advocate.
• Recruiting OK for Tennessee, reports Patrick Brown of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Wingo’s walk-off gives South Carolina a big win over Arkansas, writes Chris Dearing of The State.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Conference boasts high-paid assistant coaches’

Five things we learned at Joker Phillips press conference today:

• 1. Derrick Locke still can’t feel his arm: Well, Locke does have feeling in his arm, just not all the feeling he should be feeling. Or something like that. So it’s looking very questionable if the senior will play on Saturday. If he can’t go, the wildcat formation may be more of a go. But Joker wasn’t keen on wildcat questions. Nor was he keen on assertions that Donald Russell had dropped to third on the depth chart. Phillips kept saying that Russell was bracketed with Raymond Sanders, but did point out that Sanders went in the game first against Auburn. But when Russell entered, he outplayed the freshman.
• 2. South Carolina leads the league in third-down conversion percentage: The Gamecocks are at 55.2 percent. This should send fear into the Big Blue Nation, especially the segment that habitually complains about the defense’s inability to get off the field on third down, especially third-and-long. But to be at 55 percent in third-down conversions, you have to be getting a lot of third-and-shorts. On third-and-short, South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore is pretty good.
• 3. Alshon Jeffery remembers Kentucky: The USC wide receiver leads the league in receptions and reception yardage. He had his breakout game last year against Kentucky, catching seven passes for 138 yards and three touchdowns. He caught seven passes for 127 yards against Alabama. He should be pumped for Saturday.
• 4. Winning the toss and taking the ball: Joker said he is not usually for that, yet has done it several times this year, including the last two Saturdays. And the offense has scored both Saturdays. Phillips said he just has faith that the offense will get things going in the right direction.
• 5. Lack of sacks: Kentucky’s offensive line has protected Mike Hartline well, and part of the credit goes to the quarterback. Phillips said that Hartline has really helped the line communicate, get in the right protection schemes, and get rid of the football. South Carolina sacked Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy seven times.

SEC links for Friday:

Phil Fulmer has found a new role on TV, writes David Climer of the Tennessean.

Alabama will play Michigan in 2012, reports Izzy Gould of the Birmingham News.

Marcell Dareus is one of many keys to Alabama defense, writes Harry King of the Arkansas News.

Matt Sims’ likability and toughness have endeared him to Vols, writes Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Auburn was once hopeful for a Dyer-Lattimore backfield tandem, writes Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Phil Fulmer is now a television star’

(AP photo/Stephen M. Dowell)

SEC links for Monday:

• Ex-Bruce Pearl target gets his chance to get back at Tennessee coach, writes Marlen Garcia of USA Today.
• Florida hasn’t been Florida so far, writes John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Urban Meyer is trying to improve his quality of life, writes Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald.
• Derek Dooley doesn’t like Tennessee’s attitude, writes Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Duke gets ready to play host to No. 1 Alabama, reports Don Kausler, Jr. of the Birmingham News.
• With Dareus back, Bama defense gets an extra boost, writes Tommy Deas of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Earliest Georgia has been unranked since 2001, reports Tim Tucker of the AJC.
• Marcus Lattimore is carrying the load at South Carolina, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Stevan Ridley turned in a great game for LSU, writes Glenn Guilebeau of the Shreveport Times.
• Arkansas offense off slightly early, writes Harry King of the Arkansas News.

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.

Tim Tebow as tweeted by LenDale White.

SEC links for Sunday:

• Social networking opens up issues for SEC coaches, players, writes Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• State of Tennessee isn’t producing as much football talent, reports Maurice Patton of the Tennessean.
• Tim Tebow all the buzz at Denver Broncos’ practice, writes Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post.
• Tennessean columnist David Climer writes that Tennessee just can’t escape the Lane Kiffin quagmire.
• Tennessee basketball popularity is “off the charts,” writes Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News thinks grayshirts are a black mark against college football.
• Georgia’s Rodney Garner is a rare long-time assistant in SEC, writes Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.
• Healthy A.J. Green means business at Georgia, writes David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Ole Miss kicks Darius Barksdale off football team, reports Paul Katool of the Clarion-Ledger.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Social networking brings issues for coaches, players’

South Carolina's Marcus Lattimore. (The State photo)

SEC links for Thursday:

• Mr. SEC reports that Phil Fulmer and Johnny Majors are actually saying nice things about the other.
• South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore is comfortable as center of attention, writes Neil White of The State.
• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun offers five storylines for Florida football.
• The Gators are moving on without All-Americans, NFL draftees, writes Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Expect SEC quarterbacks to air it out, writes David Jones of Florida Today.
• More quarterbacks gives Ole Miss more options, reports Parrish Alford of the NE Mississippi Daily Journal.
• Tennessee football players apologize for fight, reports Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Rucker also reports that Derek Dooley is pushing Vols early in camp.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Carolina’s Lattimore happy for the attention’

(The State photo)

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Joe Person of The State reports on top running back Marcus Lattimore choosing South Carolina at his church.
• Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier on Lattimore’s commitment.
• David Jones of Florida Today reports that Florida expects to sign nation’s top class.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that coaches must look under that pile of blue chips.
• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger reports that Mississippi State wants more poise from Dee Bost.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News writes that Auburn’s Gene Chizik didn’t blink in face of Nick Saban’s machine.
• Ray Melick of the News writes that the party is just getting started.
• Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press on the emotions of 18-year-olds.
• AP reports that new coaches have a case of signing day worries.
• Scott Hotard of the Baton Rouge Advocate reports that LSU is expected to sign another strong class.
• AJC reports that changes may be in store for Georgia facilities.

(AP photo/Butch Dill)

SEC links for Tuesday:

In the Mobile Press-Register, Paul Finebaum writes that Nick Saban knows its lonely at the top: “After hearing this, I was surprised Saban allowed the school to even schedule a national championship celebration last Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. With this attitude, he probably would have preferred his team to runs stadium steps. Of course, the party was only for an hour, which was perhaps why the attendance read 38,000 vs. 98,000, which might have been the number if the school had allowed something fun to happen like maybe a parade and day long party vs. a scripted made-for-DVD event.”

Brad Locke of the NE Mississippi Daily Journal on Renardo Sidney: “On Friday, Mississippi State filed a response to the NCAA’s statement of facts regarding its recently completed amateurism evaluation of Sidney, the 6-foot-10 Bulldog freshman. That has given head coach Rick Stansbury reason to believe that a resolution might finally come after eight-plus months of NCAA scrutiny.”

Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News previews tonight’s Alabama-Tennessee clash: “The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team didn’t need to look any stronger than it did in its just-concluded homestand – but the Alabama Crimson Tide will be facing a bolstered version of the Volunteers (14-2, 2-0 SEC) when it hosts No. 8 UT at Coleman Coliseum tonight. The game will tip off at 6 p.m. and will be nationally televised on ESPN.”

Tim Gayle of the Montgomery Advertiser writes that Anthony Grant is looking for intensity: “Before the first-year Alaba­ma head coach can worry too much about the Vols, he has to figure out what’s going on with his team’s sporadic play. The Crimson Tide took a step backward in its game at Arkan­sas on Saturday, displaying little intensity in the paint and less effectiveness on the perime­ter in dropping a 71-59 decision to the Razorbacks.”

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Nick Saban knows it’s lonely at the top’