SEC football talk, news and discussion.
Mike Slive is going to be back for the 2014-5 academic year, the SEC Commissioner told reporters. He said to the Birmingham News: “I’ve got too much going on…..I’ve got the (SEC) Network to work on. I’ve got football scheduling to solve. We’ve got the NCAA restructuring. We’ve got a lot of important issues to take care of. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” The report noted that Slive made $1.2m in 2012-3.
Read moreTennessee wide receiver Alton ‘Pig’ Howard has taken a leave of absence and won’t play in the spring practice period with the team, say reports coming out of Knoxville. The News Sentinel-owned GoVolsExtra site said “Howard has been away from the team due to “personal reasons” and his long-term future with the Vols had not yet been decided.” Howard had 44 receptions and 3 TDs in 2013, which led the offense-light Volunteers. He also had 388 receiving yards. He is thought to be the Vols No.2 receiver behind Marquez North coming into the Spring. BOTTOM LINE: This isn’t going to make the Vols’ already-tough schedule any easier. Howard may well return for the Spring, but it’s looking increasingly unlikely. Over to
Read moreClemson has suspended four players before the season-opening clash against Georgia. Defensive end Corey Crawford, guard David Beasley, cornerback Garry Peters and offensive tackle Shaq Anthony were all told that they weren’t be going to Sanford Stadium to face the Bulldogs….who dismissed starting safety Josh Harvey-Clemons earlier this off-season. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said: “A huge part of our program is teaching accountability, responsibility and that there are consequences for your actions. These are four good young men, but they broke a team rule and as a result, they will each miss a game. I am hopeful that they will learn and grow from this and have a great 2014 season on and off the field.” BOTTOM LINE: Crawford’s going to
Read moreDish Network and ESPN owner Disney have finally come to a deal over DVRing, according to reports. And in a side agreement between the two sides, SEC fans will be able to watch the new SEC Network when it comes in August. The two sides had also come to an agreement which means that the Dish’s auto-hop function – which allows viewers not to have to view commercials – will be disabled for all ABC/ESPN programming. And while that may be annoying for some people DVRing SEC games or SEC Network shows, the good news is is that at least they’ll be watching them. John Skipper, President, ESPN & Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks said in a statement: “We worked with DISH to
Read moreMissouri is giving head coach Gary Pinkel a new deal, reports have said. According to PowerMizzou.com, sources have said that a deal will be in place shortly. It has to be approved by University of Missouri bureaucrats before it can be fully announced. The report said that the deal will propel Pinkel into the $3m-per-year bracket. It added:”His current contract, signed in April 2011, pays him a base salary $2.35 million annually and was set to run through the 2017 season. Pinkel earned an additional $300,000 in incentives during the 2013 season. The length of the new deal is unknown at this time.” The deal would provide stability for Pinkel and the University of Missouri. Pinkel is one of the
Read moreBelow is Q&A done with Alabama Coach Nick Saban by Al.com‘s Brandon Marcello on the controversial ‘Saban Rule’, which would force offenses to wait before snapping the football, therefore slowing down the game. ***FIRST PUBLISHED ON AL.COM*** Q: What are your thoughts on the 10-second rule proposal? Saban: “I really don’t necessarily have an opinion on the 10-second rule. I think there are three issues that need to be researched relative to pace of play, the first being player safety. When you look at plays that are run, and a team averages 88 plays, and we average 65 at Alabama, that’s 20-something plays more a game over a 12-game season, that adds up to four more games a year that guys have
Read moreThe controversial ‘Saban Rule’ which would ensure that would delay offenses and effectively blindside the quick snap tactics is to be re-considered, USA Today has reported. The rule, which would ensure that offenses had to give defenses 10 seconds between snaps (apparently because of ‘safety reasons’, according to Alabama Coach Nick Saban), is apparently going to be reconsidered by the NCAA Rule Committee next week….even before it comes before a vote. The reason for the rule in the first place is worries that more players would be injured as offenses speed up and they are unable to take breaks. Saban and Bielema had lobbied for this since June, according to a piece by Saturday Down South at the time. “I
Read moreVanderbilt has snagged Utah State’s defensive line coach Frank Maile, the Salt Lake Tribune has reported. The Tribune noted: “In the last two years alone, five of his linemen earned all conference honors: Al Lapuaho, Connor Williams, Jordan Nielsen, A.J. Patiali’i and B.J. Larsen.” The paper noted that Maile was well-known for his in-state recruiting, and especially his recruiting of Polynesian recruits. That could be some asset for new coach Derek Mason’s team if Maile continues that vein of form. Maile replaces Vavae Tata, who arrested for DUI earlier this month.
Read moreTwo Ole Miss starters have been given a medical hardship, the school has said. Defensive end CJ Johnson and guard Aaron Morris were both injured in September games. Morris – who started every game for the Rebels in 2012 – tore his ACL in the season opener against Vanderbilt…a game which Ole Miss in one of the most exciting finishes of the season (and that’s saying something!). And while we don’t know the specifics of CJ Johnson’s leg injury, we do know that Johnson was one of Ole Miss’ top pass rushers, which probably didn’t help his school’s cause when he left injured in the blow-out loss to Alabama in 2013.
Read moreLSU has hired Kentucky special teams coach Bradley Dale Peveto. Peveto had previously been on Les Miles’ staff from 2005 to 2007 before becoming co-defensive co-ordinator in 2008. He then left to be the head coach of Northwestern State, where he had a 14-30 record. Peveto then became the safeties and special teams coach at Kentucky for two years, before he moved back to Baton Rouge. Peveto – who’s return to LSU was first reported in The Advocate nine days ago– will also coach LSU’s linebackers.
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