For Kentucky, it was a tale of two seasons in one in 2014. The first half, the Wildcats went 5-1, with the only loss coming in triple overtime to Florida. In the second half of the season, the Big Blue Nation got the blues, losing six straight and failing to get in a bowl game. Some people thought "What a great season going 5-7 and just missing out on a bowl game! 5-7 used to be unimaginable!" and some people - who suddenly are expecting some more of the Kentucky Wildcats - thought "Well, that was a bit of a let-down." THE OFF-SEASON Mark Stoops hired Shannon Dawson, West Virginia's former Read more [...]

OK, so we might hate the idea of one-off non-conference games during the regular season, but we have to be honest, the confirmation that Auburn's going to play Oregon in 2019 at JerryWorld is INCREDIBLE. WE. CAN'T. WAIT. Of course, we would have preferred a home-and-home. And so would Oregon season ticket holders (Eugene's a 32 hour drive from Dallas). And possibly Auburn season ticket holders (10 hrs, 52 mins). But the TV companies? Definitely not. The conferences? Definitely not. This is a top echelon conference showcase between two superpowers. And the schools? It's going to be a nice Read more [...]

Georgia has hired Brian Schottenheimer from the St Louis Rams as its new offensive co-ordinator. "I'm excited to have Brian join our coaching staff," Richt said in a statement. "His NFL experience will be a perfect fit for how we like to play offensive football here at Georgia. He'll be excellent in developing our players in both the running and passing games, which will benefit them while they are at Georgia and for their future." Schottenheimer's hiring comes after long-time offensive co-ordinator Mike Bobo decided to go and take on the head coaching position at Colorado State, after CSU's Read more [...]

There is a smell around Tiger Stadium, and despite what Katy Perry says, it’s not corndogs and it’s certainly not bourbon. It feels – and smells – like a funeral. That shouldn’t be surprising, because Death Valley has prided itself on being the place where opposition teams’ – and their fans’ hopes go to die. Now, the fanbase- complete with a multi-million dollar new addition the stadium – are feeling the stench of the death upon them as a program, punch-drunk by successive monster losses, falls to its knees like a heavyweight boxer lit up by consecutive Mike Tyson punches. At Read more [...]

Tennessee 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 Read more [...]

Below 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, Read more [...]

Alabama has hired Lane Kiffin as their new offensive co-ordinator - just days after previous incumbent Doug Nussmeier went to the job at Michigan. The last time SEC fans saw Kiffin was when he walked out of Tennessee in 2010 to take the USC job, and he left a mess behind him. He was then fired mid-season by the Trojans in 2013 after they were schellacked by Arizona State. Before that they had lost to Washington State. Kiffin had been invited by Bama Coach Nick Saban to evaluate the team's offense in mid-December, a move that some saw as a sign that Nussmeier was not going to be coming back Read more [...]

Alabama offensive co-ordinator Doug Nussmeier has taken the vacant offensive co-ordinator's job at Michigan.  Michigan only announced on Wednesday that head coach Brady Hoke had fired Al Borges after three years at Michigan. Nussmeier was Alabama's OC and quarterbacks coach for the last two years, coaching an offence that included a quarterback Heisman candidate in AJ McCarron, a RB who's now starring in the NFL in Eddie Lacy (and other great running backs including TJ Yeldon and soon-to-be Heisman Candidate Derrick Henry), a host of great wide receivers including Amari Cooper, and not Read more [...]

Florida is close to firing offensive co-ordinator Brent Pease and a number of other Florida assistants, CBSSports.com has reported. Bruce Feldman wrote: "Earlier this week a source told me that Florida would be getting rid of offensive coordinator Brent Pease after this season and offensive line coach Tim Davis also would be gone. But after the Gators dismal showing in the loss to Georgia Southern on Saturday, UF's first loss to an FCS program, there's even more doubt about whether Will Muschamp also gets canned this winter despite AD Jeremy Foley's "1,000 percent" support comment last week. Read more [...]

Right, it's 'Hot Seat' time in the SEC, and by these standards, it's pretty quiet. Maybe it's because there was a bit of balance in the conference this week, or maybe it's because everyone's muttering along, quietly ____ off that things aren't going the way they wanted it. You know, apart from Alabama. Anyone, one of the SEC's biggest questions has surrounded our goddawful defenses (anyone but Alabama and maybe Florida). And while we would love to give a Top 14 list of HEAD COACHES who might get their ass booted come the end of the season, that comes later. We thank The 'Around Aggieland' Read more [...]