John Clay's Sidelines

Heath Shuler

Three weeks have passed since embattled Tennessee athletics director Mike Hamilton turned in his resignation and a prominent candidate has yet to emerge for Knoxville’s most talked-about opening.

Latest name tossed into the hopper is that of former UT quarterback Heath Shuler, now a congressman from North Carolina. Shuler has no sports administrative experience, but given UT’s current state of affairs that might be a plus.

• John Adams: If you want to be Tennessee’s next athletics director, there’s a test (no cheating)
• David Climer: Phil Fulmer’s faults may take former Vols’ football coach out of race to be Hamilton’s replacement
• When mentioned as possible Tennessee AD candidate, Heath Shuler steps up fundraising efforts for his congressional campaign
• Jay Greeson: Would Shuler be a Hail Mary for Tennessee AD?

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Washaun Ealey is no longer a Georgia Bulldog, reports Seth Emerson of the Columbus Ledger-Enqurier.
• Ealey’s departure not as big as it might have been once, writes Mark Bradley of the AJC.
• Florida sets a high bar for SEC success, writes Antonya English of the Tampa Tribune.
• Charges reduced against Florida basketball players, reports Rachel George of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Phil Fulmer could get by as athletic director, writes John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Mr. SEC looks at commitment lists for SEC football.
• Justice Department shouldn’t make a federal case out of the BCS, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Ealey departs Georgia; Florida sets the bar high’

SEC links for Wednesday:

Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger: “(Nick) Bell, 20, died at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Hospital a day after undergoing emergency surgery. The redshirt sophomore was diagnosed with a form of skin cancer after a tumor was removed from his brain on Oct. 1. He had recovered enough by Oct. 23 to attend the Bulldogs’ home victory over UAB, but last week he learned the cancer had spread, said family friend Moreland Smith.”

Brad Locke of the NE Mississippi Daily Journal: “This is not a subject that you normally have to deal with on a college beat. I’m covering young men in their physical primes, their futures wide open before them. Less than two months ago, the 20-year-old Bell was a key part of MSU’s defensive line, rotating at the right end spot, making tackles and making an impact.”

Tim Tucker of the AJC: “Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, caught on camera making a choking gesture toward Florida’s kicker near the end of last Saturday’s game, expressed regret about the incident Tuesday. “As a competitor, sometimes you get caught up in the heat of the moment,” Grantham said. “I wish the situation hadn’t happened. It was a tough, hard-fought game. They won it, and I’m ready to move forward and finish out the year strong.”

Mark Bradley of the AJC: “I know, I know. In Richt’s first five seasons he took Georgia to the SEC title game three times, which Donnan didn’t manage once, and won it twice. In those five seasons Richt bought the kind of good will Donnan never could. But Georgia, which has the same president now as then, has had essentially the same record the past five years as in Donnan’s tenure, and it has had many more off-the-field embarrassments.”

Doug Segrest of the Birmingham News: “Seemingly overnight, defense has gone out the window and the SEC has become an outdoor version of the Arena Football League. Auburn scored 65 points against Arkansas and 51 at Ole Miss. Kentucky averaged nearly 33 points in a four-game span — and lost three times. Even the best-regarded defenses in the league have been chewed up and spit out. South Carolina put 35 points on the board against defending national champion Alabama. LSU did everything but raise a white flag in surrendering 440 yards on the ground to Auburn, including 217 to quarterback Cam Newton.”

Continue reading ‘SEC: A death at MSU; Grantham’s choke sign’

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’

SEC links for Wednesday:

• How many Heisman Trophy winners could come out of this Alabama-Arkansas showdown? asks Don Kausler, Jr. of the Birmingham News.
• Arkansas knows a tough test awaits in Crimson Tide, writes Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Harry King of the Arkansas News writes that Alabama has been great at stopping big plays.
• Arkansas is ready to make a stand, writes Chris Low of espn.com.
• Phil Fulmer would not be a good fit for Tennessee AD job, writes Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• South Carolina mourning the death of Kenny McKinley, reports Josh Kendall of The State.
• Gene Chizik wants tougher line play at Auburn, reports Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Arkansas ready to make a stand vs. Bama’

(The State photo/Gerry Melendez)

SEC links for Tuesday:

• If Steve Spurrier has hit the right formula, will he stick to it? asks Tony Barnhart of the AJC.
• Ron Morris of The State says NCAA investigation has put Spurrier’s image on the line.
• With Alabama back on top, order has been restored, says Paul Finebaum of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Georgia must get ready for the Arkansas air show, reports David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Even Phil Fulmer thinks Tennessee is looking at a long-term problem, reports Bill Bryant of the Huntsville Times.
• All would be forgiven if Matt Simms could somehow beat Florida, writes Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• A. Stacy Long of the Montgomery Advertiser reports that Alabama is expecting Ingram and Dareus back on the field.
• Vanderbilt’s receivers, including Somerset’s John Cole, have all but disappeared, writes Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• Criticism mounting at Georgia after loss to South Carolina, writes Seth Emerson of the Macon Telegraph.
• Auburn’s Cameron Newton is a true run-pass threat, blogs Chris Low of espn.com.

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’

SEC links for Wednesday:

Best story of the day may be David Hooker’s piece in the Knoxville News-Sentinel on Aaron Douglas, the returning offensive line starter at Tennessee who decided to pack up and leave Knoxville. Douglas said he dealt with depression problems, saying, “”It was really tough there for four, five, six weeks,” he said. “I had no desire to really do anything. It’s hard to explain. It’s just like your self-esteem bubble has been popped. I tried to handle it the best I could.”

By the end of spring drills, new Vols coach Derek Dooley lost Douglas, running back Bryce Brown and quarterback Nick Stephens. No wonder some think Tennessee will struggle to get six wins this fall.

BTW, the Tennessee-Oregon game on Sept. 11 will kickoff at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

Also in the News-Sentinel, John Adams likes the idea of Phil Fulmer and Al Gore as commencement speakers.

Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger has a Q&A with new Mississippi State athletics director Scott Stricklin. As has been pointed out, Scott was associate athletics director for media relations at UK, but his dealings with sweethearts like me and other members of the local media did not deter him from earning the top job in Starkville.

Stricklin on his job:

“I think we’ve got to start dreaming. Twenty-five years ago we had 30,000 seats in our football stadium. This year, we averaged almost 55,000 people, 25 years later. I think we need to start coming up with a vision right now of what 75,000 football seats might look like at Davis Wade Stadium. We’re not going to get there overnight. It’s going to be a process. But once you have a long term plan, then you can start phasing it in. I think in short term, we’re going to need to add some seats there based on where the demand is right now.”

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Ex-Tennessee player admits depression’

SEC links for Monday:

• Tennessee isn’t alone with quarterback concerns, writes John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

• David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press also writes about the league’s QB issues.

• Georgia’s Aaron Murray is ready to lead, writes Steve Hummer of the AJC.

• Ron Morris of The State thinks conference shakeup should put South Carolina back in the ACC.

• Florida was among those that ruled the NFL draft, reports Andrea Adelson of the Orlando Sentinel.

• Jessica Heslam of the Boston Herald reports on a Boston radio show host who used the word Nazis in referencing Tim Tebow. (Hat tip to Orlando Sentinel.)

Continue reading ‘SEC links: The league’s quarterback issues’

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Chris Low of espn.com reports that the NCAA calls Alabama a “serial repeat violator.”
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News writes that the NCAA remembers Alabama’s past sins.
• Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News reports on the release of Alabama’s rebuttal to the NCAA.
• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that Lane Kiffin’s quarterback loyalty is a worthy selling point.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that Tennessee seems to be back on a successful path.
• Randy Rosetta of The Advocate reports that Les Miles is still looking for answers at LSU.
• Tim Tucker of the AJC hands Georgia a mid-season report card.
• David Ching of the Athens Banner-Herald writes that Georgia needs to change the culture.
• Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes that the Mark Richt era is much like the Phil Fulmer era.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: NCAA calls Alabama a “serial” violator’