John Clay's Sidelines

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Schools seeking to override rule for multi-year scholarships, reports AP.
• Ex-IU commit Kiel pledges to LSU, reports Jim Kleinpeter of Times-Picayune.
• Georgia scrapes by Winthrop, reports Chris Starrs of Banner-Herald.
• State faces tough test from Baylor, reports Brad Locke of Daily Journal.
• UT saving money by missing bowl, reports Megan Boehnke of News-Sentinel.
• Rodgers road to bowl full of twists, reports Greg Sullivan of Tennessean.
• Chizik simplifies Auburn’s defense, reports Joel Erickson of Ledger-Enquirer.
• Will Auburn give Frazier a longer look in bowl? asks News’ Charles Goldberg.
• Auburn needs to end year like it began, writes Joe Medley of Anniston Star.
• Crowell under weather for first practice, reports Chip Towers of AJC.

Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray will miss six weeks with a broken thumb. (AP photo/Mark Humphrey)

SEC links for Monday:

• Poll without Florida schools for first time since 1982, reports Orlando Sentinel.
• Tennessee’s Bray breaks thumb, reports Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Mullen avoids his quarterback issue, reports C-L’s Brandon Marcello.
• Muschamp will shake up Gators, reports Arnold Feliciano of Gainesville Sun.
• Don’t close your eyes on Arkansas, says Commercial Appeal’s Ron Higgins.
• The Hogs are the clear No. 3, writes Chris Low of espn.com.
• LSU aims to clean up its miscues, says Les East of The Advocate.
• Jon Solomon of Birmingham News asks what if Russell Wilson had chosen Auburn?
• Auburn searching for answers, reports Jay Tate of Montgomery Advertiser.
• Ole Miss a speed bump for Bama, reports Don Kausler of Birmingham News.
• Richt thinks Georgia is improving, reports Seth Emerson of Ledger-Enquirer.
• Bulldogs’ top receiver out, reports Chip Towers of AJC.

SEC links for Friday:

• Brantley must beat Alabama to win fans, writes Mike Bianchi of Orlando Sentinel.
• Ex-Bama coach Perkins helped Weis, reports Tommy Deas of Tuscaloosa News.
• Kirkpatrick sparks Tide secondary, writes Michael Casagrande for Advertiser.
• Muschamp made good first impression, reports Times-Union’s Mike DiRocco.
• Auburn’s Dyer ready for bigger role, writes John Zenor of AP.
• Auburn’s Ford out for the season, reports Ledger-Enquirer’s Andy Bitter.
• South Carolina D-line moving forward, writes Brad Senkiw of Anderson Independent.
• Crowell still looking to take it to the house, reports Chip Towers of AJC.
• Petrino wants players fresh, reports Chris Bahn of Arkansas 360.
• New UT AD says SEC will expand beyond 13, reports Beth Rucker of AP.
• Mr. SEC grades potential SEC partners.
• Tennessee kicker looks ahead, reports Patrick Brown of Times Free Press.

(Ft. Worth Star-Telegram photo)

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Tennessee could find itself right back in the NCAA doghouse, reports the AP. A former football assistant is accused of paying for a recruit’s visit.
• Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne says the Aggies intend to win in the SEC, reports Hugh Kellenberger of the Clarion-Ledger. Texas A&M didn’t do a whole lot of winning in the Big 12, however.
• Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that there are some previous SEC ties to Texas A&M. One is former UT legend Robert Neyland who spent a year in College Station before going to West Point.

SEC links for Sunday:

• Fans are seeing red, but players like Georgia’s new football uniforms
• Spurrier says South Carolina is a “bunch of overrated dudes right now”
• Joe Medley: Not disrespect, just logic that has Auburn at No. 23 in AP poll
• Dissecting the AP college football poll
• Angry Les Miles promises more discipline at LSU
• Is karma catching up to LSU?
• No compliance director can save a school from a rouge booster
• Will Muschamp backs Florida assistant coach mentioned in Miami scandal story
• Ole Miss decides to let quarterback battle continue
• Vanderbilt quarterback spot crowded with transfer
• At Alabama, Nick Saban likes his quarterbacks
• Petrino confident in team leadership at Arkansas

Continue reading ‘SEC: Fans seeing red over Georgia’s new uniforms’

SEC links for Friday:

• Trotter ready as Auburn’s starter, reports Charles Goldberg of Birmingham News.
• Trotter and Clint Moseley prayed together, reports Jay G. Tate of the Advertiser.
• Saban discusses recruiting allegations, reports Izzy Gould of the Birmingham News.
• Chavis is the wise man of LSU staff, writes Glenn Guilbeau of Shreveport Times.
• Ballard is quietly one of the SEC’s best, writes Edward Aschoff of espn.com.
• MSU fully embraces the hybrid craze, writes Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger.
• John Adams of KNS writes that Tyler Bray isn’t planning on a long run.
• Muschamp still putting in defenses, writes Rachel George of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Gators say two remain eligible, reports Mike DiRocco of the Florida Times-Union.
• Georgia’s  Williams trying to make loss less painful, reports Chip Towers of the AJC.
• Freshman tackle progressing at USC, reports Gene Sapakoff of the Charleston P-C.
• Arkansas’ tight ends ready, reports Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News.

SEC links for Monday:

• Expansion delayed, not dead, writes Cecil Hurt of Tuscaloosa News.
• A Q&A on SEC expansion, from Mr. SEC.
• SEC waiting on a Texas A&M-Big 12 divorce, says Dr. Saturday.
• Will decision deter Aggies? asks ESPN’s Ivan Maisel.
• Ellington making seamless transition, writes Andrew Miller of Post-Courier.
• Underrated feels just fine to Auburn fans, says Anniston Star’s Joe Medley.
• Rick Cleveland of C-L writes on Ole Miss’ $150 million athletics fund drive.
• Former MSU athlete dealing with broken neck, reports Brad Locke of Daily Journal.
• David Climer of Tennessean writes on Derek Dooley and Old School English.

Continue reading ‘SEC: League expansion not dead yet, just delayed’

(AP photo)

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Mark Wiedmer: Teammates say Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray progressing
• Mike Strange: Bray says he is hungry to improve
• UT’s Austin Johnson will be punished, but he will practice after arrest
• Tennessee tailback Toney Williams will transfer
• Arkansas transfer Rotnei Clarke picks Butler over Oklahoma
• LSU sets record for season football ticket sales
• Pat Dooley: Is Florida buying into Will Muschamp?
• Suspended South Carolina quarterbacks coach will be back by Wednesday
• Clowney says he’s ready for big season at South Carolina
• Auburn to start football practice with plenty of new faces

Continue reading ‘SEC: Tyler Bray’s improvement; Rotnei Clarke to Butler’

Mike Slive (AP photo/Dave Martin)

SEC links for Thursday:

• SEC commissioner Mike Slive has too much to do to retire, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• Joe Medley of the Anniston Star writes that the SEC commissioner started off the proceedings with some big talk about academic reform and NCAA rules.
• Slive shows he wants to be out in front of the debate, says my H-L column.
• Slive wants to alter the landscape, writes Mark Schlabach of espn.com.
• The commish has ideas and they’re not stupid, says Gregg Doyel of CBS Sports.
• Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel argues that Ron Zook left Urban Meyer a better program at Florida than Meyer left Will Muschamp.
• Mark Bradley of the AJC doesn’t think Muschamp is the next Zook.
• South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier has his old swagger back after winning division title, writes Mike Herndon of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Spurrier knows that repeating won’t be easy, reports Jennifer Smith of the H-L.
• With former UK associate AD Scott Stricklin at the helm, Mississippi State pulls in a record $37.6 million in private donations, reports the AP.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Slive’s big ideas, Spurrier’s swagger and Gators’ chip’

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’