John Clay's Sidelines

(AP photo)

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Tubby Smith was back in the Bluegrass on Monday night, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader, and received a warm welcome at a Georgetown College forum.
• I’m the Kentucky football beat writer this week, and in that appointed role reported that Kentucky did upset a No. 1-ranked LSU back in 2007. So if it happened once . . .
• UK defensive tackle Mark Crawford has officially been freed from Joker Phillips’ doghouse, reports my UK notes. Crawford missed the first four games while serving an unspecified four-game suspension.

(The State photo)

SEC links for Monday:

• South Carolina wants to take the next step, reports Joe Person of The State.
• Connor Shaw has the “it” to play right away as a Gamecock, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Jeremiah Masoli shows flashes of confusion and brilliance in first workout at Ole Miss, reports David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun writes that Florida men’s basketball could be ranked in top 10 to start season.
• Kirby Smart happy with decision to stay at Alabama, reports Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Coordinators prove stability for the Crimson Tide, writes A. Stacy Long of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Emmitt Smith is sorry for snubbing Gator Nation, blogs Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Tennessean columnist David Climer thinks Vanderbilt and Robbie Caldwell can’t afford to play it safe.
• Tommy Hicks of the Mobile Press-Register asks if the pre-season polls mean something?
• An Alabama-Michigan football game in Dallas is possible, but not imminent, reports Gentry Estes of the Press-Register.

Continue reading ‘SEC: South Carolina wants to take the next step’

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean writes that Vanderbilt wants to stay hot at Florida.
• It’s another season-defining game for Florida, reports Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.
• No shock, but no Renardo Sidney for Mississippi State, reports Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger.
• In Mobile Press-Register, Mike Herndon goes inside SEC basketball.
• Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Tennessee is preparing for Arkansas.
• Senior moments can last forever, writes Mike Strange of the News-Sentinel.
• Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes that Tennessee is wary of Arkansas.
• But Seth Emerson of The State writes that it will be a tough Senior Night for South Carolina’s injured Dominique Archie.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Paul Finebaum writes that Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart’s huge payday is a sign of the future.
• Russell Shepard is happy with his move from quarterback to receiver, reports Randy Rosetta in The Advocate.

SEC links for Thursday:

• Rick Cleveland of the Clarion-Ledger writes about Chucky Mullins and the hit that happened 20 years ago.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun examines the issue of leaving your starters in a blowout game.
• David Jones of Florida Today reports that SEC coaches stand by Urban Meyer’s decision to leave Tim Tebow in game.
• Mark Bradley of the AJC is worried about Mississippi State.
• Bradley also blog that while LSU changed defensive bosses, Georgia stuck with Willie Martinez.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Twenty years after Chucky Mullins’