Arkansas has given head coach Bret Bielema a two-year contract extension through 2020, in a deal that will earn the coach at least $4m a year.

The Razorbacks will raise Bielema’s salary by $100,000 per year, and have also added incentives for athletic and academic success that could give ‘Bert’ an extra $1m a year.

ESPN.com noted that Bielema becomes the eighth SEC coach to earn at least $4m a year.

Jeff Long, Arkansas’ AD said: “Coach Bret Bielema is not only one of the best college football coaches in the nation, he is an outstanding leader. What Coach Bielema and his coaching staff have done for our young men, on and off the field, is something that has dramatically changed the course of our program and most importantly positively impacted the lives of our football student-athletes. He is building a championship program in a way that all Arkansans can be proud of. We look forward to his continued leadership of our football program and the many successes yet to come.”

After a woeful 2013, Arkansas rebounded to have a 7-6 season, ending with smashing Texas 31-7 in the Alamo Bowl. Most impressively, they beat Ole Miss and LSU, and took Alabama and Texas A&M close.

South Carolina is to have two defensive co-ordinators for the team next year, reports say.

John Hoke, who comes from the NFL and has most recently been with Chicago, will come on board to coach USC’s passing defense, and current DC Lorenzo Ward will coach the Gamecocks rushing defense.

Ward worked for Steve Spurrier at Florida between 1999-2001, the report from GoGamecocks.com says.

The decision comes as a little bit of a break for Ward, who was in charge of a USC defense that gave up 30.4 points-per-game last year, “good” for 91st in the country. A lot of people felt that Ward would be given his marching orders in the off-season.

The decision was going to be announced on Thursday, but there was a murder-suicide on campus which was obviously more important.

 

 

There were no surprises who the biggest winner was of National Signing Day – Alabama. But the two schools who made bigger noises than Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide was Auburn and Tennessee.

Auburn managed to get the nation’s top-ranked DE Byron Cowart from under Florida’s noses,  as well as four-star LB/RB Jeff Holland, who was also chased by the Gators. And while we’re at it, four-star Javarius Davis decided to sign for Auburn rather than go to Gainseville too…

– Tennessee picked up 5-star OT Drew Richmond, from Memphis TN. in the face of a strong battle from Ole Miss. The Vols also got 5-star DT Kahlil McKenzie. McKenzie’s signing was probably a lot more predictable bearing in mind Reggie McKenzie, his father, was a Vol great back in the day.

– Florida managed to lick its wounds and still pick up the commitment of in-state No.2 overall player offensive tackle Martez Ivey, which was a huge get for the Gators, bearing in mind the problems they’d had earlier in the day. He’ll help to shore up the Gators after back-to-back seasons of awful offense. But thanks to late big signings, the Gators jumped 45 places on the 24-7sports charts with 21 total recruits.

– Missouri signed DT Terry Beckner, from East St Louis, IL, which is a huge defensive get for the Tigers. Auburn, Ohio State and Florida State were all in the frame for Beckner, which probably makes Missouri’s ‘get’ the biggest of the class in terms of its unexpectedness.

– Georgia – who stunningly lost a DB commitment (Deontai Williams from FL) to Ohio University (yes, you read that right!) – managed not to lose the No.1 player in the nation in Trent Thompson, although losing WR Roquan Smith to UCLA was a big loss (although suddenly he’s saying he’s now undecided between the Bruins and Dawgs, thanks to UCLA’s DC leaving the school for the Atlanta Falcons). Georgia also signed safety Rico McGraw, but they don’t have a linebacker. Yeowch.  Terry Godwin confirmed at the end of the day that he was 100% committed to Georgia, which was fantastic for UGA fans who were worried that Auburn and Alabama might take Godwin away from them.

– As for Alabama, all was right. They got all the players they were meant to get – including five-star offensive linesman (and local guy) Lester Cotton, as well as four-star WR Daylon Charlot, who decided to take his talents to Tuscaloosa instead of LSU or Miami. The Crimson Tide pulled in five five-star recruits on Signing Day, adding to QB Blake Barnett who was already an early enrolee. Nick Saban’s had 14 four-star recruits come to Tuscaloosa in this year’s class, too.

-LSU quietly put together a fantastic class, although some critics – like Georgia’s critics – are annoyed that there are no linebackers in the 2015 class. The biggest signing was five-star WR Tyron Johnson, and four-star RB Derrick Dillon, who was taken from under Florida’s nose.

Elsewhere in a SEC land not so far, far away…..

– Ole Miss licked their wounds after their morning losses by picking up DaMarkus Lodge, who had been predicted to end up at Texas A&M. This will be another addition to Hugh Freeze’s fantastic offenses. They later added Van Jefferson, a Georgia decommit. They also added offensive guard Javon Patterson, who was the top player in the state. Their day was highlighted by the headline “Rebels get solid class but miss on big names”, but fans shouldn’t start screaming for Freeze’s head.

– Texas A&M confirmed the signing of QB Kyler Murray, the much-talked about quarterback from Allen, TX. He was also in the sights of Major League Baseball teams. They are hoping he’s got the talent of Johnny Manziel without the bad behaviour. The Aggies also got defensive linesman Daylon Mack, although it was widely expected.

– Mississippi State beat Ole Miss to the nation’s best linebacker, Leo Lewis. In-state, MSU had four out of the top five players in the state, and their best-named commit, offensive tackle Tommy Champion, is currently in Junior College.

– Arkansas landed 4-star wide receiver Dominique Reed. Someone tweeted about Reed: “The kid has NFL potential”. He picked the Razorbacks over Texas. The Razorbacks also did some home cooking, taking eight of the top 11 players in the state – including four out of the first five  – and bringing them to Fayetteville.

– South Carolina signed some strong defensive talent, which included DE Quandeski Whitlow and Rashad Fenton, who signed over Louisville and Florida. Head coach Steve Spurrier came up with zinger of the day: “Hopefully we can get more than 14 sacks this year.”

– Vanderbilt signed four-star linebacker Josh Smith, keeping him away from Oklahoma, as well as QB Kyle Shurmur, a four-star recruit.

– Kentucky added homespun four-star linebacker Eli Brown, who was rated the second-best player in the state.

 

This year there’s going to be quite a few undecided players to look out for on National Signing Day.

With the likes of Kyle Murray and other players who have made their commitments to their different teams, they aren’t undecided. If they are committed yet are tweeting about how undecided they are, then they are still committed. Otherwise we’d be here all night.

Anyway, here is our Top 10 of uncommitted players to look out for on National Signing Day.

And if a SEC team is in with a sniff of them, then they are worth looking out for!

1. Martez Ivey (Offensive Tackle, FL)

6 ft 5, 275lb monster of an offensive tackle hasn’t worked out where he’s going. 24-7Sports.com has him as the No.2 in the nation behind Trent Thompson, who’s a Georgia commit, and he’s the No.1 player in the State of Florida. Also visited LSU and unofficially visited Auburn. Had offers from Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Tennessee. Florida’s said to be the favorite to land him – mainly because one of his teammates is on the team – although it’ll be battling Auburn for Ivey’s John Hancock.

SEC Interest: Florida, Auburn, LSU

WE THINK: Florida gets him, because he’s not only close to home, but also because of the chance of him starting immediately and being a difference maker to Jim McElwain’s new offense. Don’t get us wrong – we wouldn’t be surprised if he goes to Auburn bearing in mind Gus Malzahn’s offenses over the years, either.

2. Byron Cowart (Defensive End, FL)

Scouts love almost everything about the 6-4, 250lb strong-side DE, and he was recruited hard by almost every school. Will be a difference maker upon arrival.

SEC Interest: Florida, Auburn. Visited Alabama and Maryland, and had offers from every SEC school out there. And considering Notre Dame and Penn State offered him too, he’s obviously got the smarts, too. Florida’s the big favorite.

WE THINK: Florida snaps him up, because of what they can offer on defense.

3. Iman Marshall (Cornerback, CA)

The top-rated cornerback in the country, Marshall is 6-1 and 190lbs. Scouts love his defensive instincts and his ability to change direction.

SEC Interest: LSU. He visted LSU as well as Notre Dame, Michigan, and Florida State, and he’s also visited Oregon, too. The favorite happens to be USC, but is it because Marshall goes to school at Long Beach Poly, which should be an automatic for the Trojans? Where Marshall is going to end up this year is really unpredictable.

WE THINK: Oregon. Oregon’s late charge for the player and his official visit there – plus the Ducks’ appearance in the College Football Play-Off Championship Game as well as their closeness to home should be a monster selling point for Marshall. Sorry, Les Miles.

4. CeCe Jefferson (DE, FL)

We saw an Ole Miss fantasy front cover where they put Jefferson on the front cover of a Sports Illustrated (he probably tweeted it), but no-one really knows where Jefferson’s going to go. Could it be Ole Miss? Could it be Florida? Could it be Alabama? Could it be Auburn? Jefferson visited the two Alabama schools and Ole Miss, but most recently Auburn. If that sort of thing means anything, he’s also visited LSU, Cincinnati, and had 33 offers. The scouts like Jefferson, an All-American- ranked the 4th best player in the country and 7th overall – for his athleticism, which should help him fit into ANY SEC defense.

SEC Interest: Auburn, Alabama, LSU, Florida.

We think: Auburn. Will Muschamp probably recruited him at Florida, and came right back to him at Auburn, and he’s been late with his official on The Plains. Jefferson knows that if he signs he’s going to start as a freshman, which will help him towards NFL-dom quickly, and would probably do his self-promotion no harm at all.

5. Terry Beckner, Jr (Defensive Tackle, IL)

Beckner, the five-star defensive tackle who registered 99 tackles and 8 sacks on the year (and 312 and 14 over the course of 3 years), is being recruited hard by Missouri and Florida State, although Ohio State and Auburn are also in with a shout….and he’s visited all four schools’ campuses. The 6-4, 293lb DT would be an impact player for Missouri, and we’re sure the Tigers’ selling point would be the back-to-back SEC Championship Games and superb defenses they’ve put out in two years. Plus, Beckner Jr’s pretty close by, too.

SEC Interest: Missouri, Auburn, LSU

We think: Missouri. There’s a dark horse that Ohio State – coming off the back of the National Championship victory – wins Beckner’s signature, but Missouri, because of the fact that the school’s in the SEC, and fact that Columbia’s near East St Louis, will also help.

6. Daylon Mack (DT/Fullback, TX)

A lot’s been talked about Mack this off-season, thanks to the fact that Texas A&N, Texas, and TCU are all in the running for his signature. Texas was recently told it was out of the running for the 6-1, 330 two way players (defensive tackle, fullback), meaning that it’s Aggies vs Horned Frogs. A lot of people reckon that thanks to the SEC that it’s going to be an A&M slam dunk, although my feeling is is that TCU can still offer a hell of a lot thanks to just missing the College Football Play-Offs.

SEC Interest: Texas A&M

We think: Texas A&M. John Chavis will be recruiting for a defensive turnaround, so why not tell Mack he’s going to be part of something great (or at least mightily improved) in 2015?

7. Soso Jamabo (Running Back, TX)

6-2, 210lb Jamabo was a hell of a threat for Plano West High School last season, helping himself to over 2,200 yards rushing and over 280 receiving yards. Texas and UCLA might seem the favorites to get him, but Texas A&M and Arkansas have both offered.

SEC Interest: Texas A&M, Arkansas

We think: Texas. Because after Kyler Murray and Daylon Mack, it really couldn’t get any worse for the Longhorns….could it?

8. DeMarkus Lodge (Wide Receiver, TX)

6-2, 190lb Lodge had 25 TDs and over 1,200 yards receiving for Cedar Hill High School, and has been praised for his size, hands, and ball skills, which should make him very useful for the teams chasing him, which include Texas A&M, Ole Miss and LSU. The first-team All-USA member (selected by USA Today) visited all three (as well as USC out west). Lodge was also offered by Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida and Tennessee. Lodge’s signature will put an end to the soap opera he caused by committing to Kevin Sumlin & Co in June and decommitting in mid-September, although Sumlin’s persuasiveness managed to get him a meeting with Lodge on the 29th of January. Ole Miss is the favorite though, apparently.

SEC Interest: Texas A&M, Ole Miss, LSU. 

We think: Ole Miss. Lodge decommitted from A&M for a reason, and we think he’ll want the ‘new start’ in Oxford. Freeze’s offense will provide that – especially with the way he uses fast receivers.

9. Roquan Smith (Linebacker, GA)

Georgia is apparently favored for Smith’s signing, who’s ranked as the 5th-best player in the State. The Bulldogs are going to have a lot of competition from Texas A&M as well as teams out West, bearing in mind that he’s visited UCLA and USC, too. Smith’s 6-2, 205lb size hasn’t exactly got the scouts falling in love with him, but athleticism and his ability to play in space definitely has. Should be a major help to both A&M, Georgia, South Carolina or Ole Miss (he visited the latter two as unofficial trips) if he decides to play in the SEC.

SEC Interest: Georgia, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Ole Miss.

We think: Georgia. Local player goes to local school, helped by the recruiting ability of Jeremy Pruitt.

10. Drew Richmond (Offensive Tackle, TN)

Richmond, the third-ranked offensive tackle in the nation, created one of the headlines of the last few days when he decided to de-commit from Ole Miss, and many think that it was because Tennessee had been hammering so hard on the door. Butch Jones has been picking up big recruit after big recruit lately, so it’s not surprising that Richmond would want to come and play for the ‘State Team’. Tennessee’s a pretty big favorite. Scouts seem to love his run and pass blocking techniques, and he’s got a chance to start immediately should he go to Knoxville, if you remember just how awful UT’s offensive line was year. Richmond visited Tennessee and Ole Miss, but also unofficially visited Alabama (3 times), Ohio State and UCLA. Don’t be surprised if the Crimson Tide pick him up. Arkansas, Auburn, Florida and Mississippi State also offered him, but seem incredibly unlikely as to now.

SEC Interest: Tennessee, Ole Miss, Alabama, LSU

 

On Wednesday, it’s over. National Signing Day 2015 will be on us, and we can look for the next stars. Some of the predictions of freshmen excellence were right last year (Nick Chubb), and some were right about JuCo excellent (D’haquille Williams), but some are still projects. And that’s OK.

This year’s National Signing Day is actually going to be pretty exciting, with three out the top five and four out of the top 10 still trying to work out where they are going to end up. So watch out for Martez Ivy (between Florida and Auburn), Byron Cowart (Florida, Auburn, or FSU), Iman Marshall (USC or Florida State), and CeCe Jefferson (Florida or Ole Miss). Florida could bag three Top 10 players in this year’s Draft National Signing Day…but none of them play offense.

The SEC’s going to rule National Signing Day, we think, because our conference is the most competitive and keeps on sending players to the NFL, which is better than those schools up north. And if you’re as good as Odell Beckham, then why not prove it in the happy confines of The Swamp or The Hedges instead of the grim cold tundra that’s Ohio or Wisconsin or anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon Line this time of year?

And the great thing about National Signing Day is that SEC fans can take the tiniest of breaks. Look, we know that we’ve got a conference that’s the best at football, but also the best at passion and the best at tailgating. If you don’t believe me, non-SEC readers, watch the ground shake at Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night and have a cocktail on The Grove or with the Vol Navy outside Neyland.

But our fans need to stop lobbying high school athletes. It needs to stop. It’s weird. Especially when the messages get a little darker and more threatening, because the player you feel is the next Amari Cooper might go to your biggest rival.

The high school athletes themselves know the game, and play it to their advantage. They will play the social media audiences. My buddy, who writes about recruiting for a B1G school, was at the High School All-American Game (or whatever you call it) and he said this: “The kids from the Northern places are generally really respectful, while the kids from the South are pretty rude and arrogant.) And a lot of this arrogance and rudeness comes from fanbases making these kids out to be the gods that they aren’t. And there’s nothing more funny than a kid who’s made himself into a media god, signed for a big team, and then done nothing but ride the bench for 2-3 years. Which, if you think about it, makes you and your buddies who spent all year tweeting him begging him to come to the Big School Down South a little stupid.

The biggest situation of over-the-topness Kyler Murray, who looks like he’s staying at Texas A&M.

Murray, the nation’s top-ranked quarterback out of Allen, TX and who’s Dad is an Aggie alum, played the media with his Texas shirts and gave Texas A&M fans a freakin’ heart attack, but it came down to Kevin Sumlin meeting with the family, and assuring him that the 5-10 QB really has a future with the Aggies, and won’t be the next Kenny Hill (For the record, Kevin Sumlin’s going 2-0 on career-destroying Star QBs, what with Kenny Hill’s conversion from God to The Worst QB Ever To Transfer in a matter of months, and Johnny Manziel going from Heisman to rehab yesterday. Just thought you should know that, future). Murray played the media. He knew about his RTs, his favourites, and the commotion he’d cause in that part of the world, and did it anyway. Was he REALLY thinking about going to Texas? Probably not. But he generated enough traffic about himself to make Tom Brady & Gisele Bundchen (or is it Gisele and Tom?) feel jealous.

But seriously SEC fans, stop trying to interact with the kids. They really don’t care about you. Waste your tweets on tweeting @SECblog, where we can assure you that if it’s not racist or abusive, we’ll reply to you and be happy to talk football.

The other big question coming out of National Signing Day is going to be: Are we seeing an end to every player wanting to play for Nick Saban?

 

talents to somewhere else other Tuscaloosa. Maybe they’ve realised that with the depth of talent the Crimson Tide puts together every year, it wouldn’t be within their interest to come play for Alabama. Sure, Alabama fans would see that a sign of weakness, but personally, I’d see that as a sign that a player wants to play, get some limelight, and maybe make some money playing in the NFL. You won’t get a lot of money at NFL-level if you’ve had little or no chance to play for Nick Saban. Frankly, we’re surprised more kids don’t transfer from Tuscaloosa.

But let’s be honest, Alabama’s still the top school when it comes to recruiting, and there’s no-one who can really compare. Sure, Ohio State can get any player it wants from the North, but every year, Alabama loads up on the best recruits in the land, and will do for the forseeable future. And his assistants are great at bringing in the talent (when they aren’t leaving) Kirby Smart’s probably not that great a defensive co-ordinator (or wasn’t in 2014!!), but he’s one hell of a recruiter, and Lane Kiffin should really know when to give the ball to a star running back (see CFB Play-Off Semi-Final), but he’s also one hell of a recruiter!!