SEC Talk

At last our long national nightmare is over.

And the corrupt coach who left Tim Tebow off his SEC first team ballot has been outed, solving TebowGate for good.

(drum roll, please)

Steve Spurrier.

That’s right, Mr. (former) Gator Great himself is the culprit. The Ole Ball Coach had passed on his balloting duties to one of his assistants (in this case, his director of operations). The guy filled out the ballot, saw he already had 10 Gators on the first team, and decided to put Jevan Snead of Ole Miss at first team to change things up. He took the ballot to Spurrier, who scanned it, signed it, and forgot about it… until the whole mess broke this week.

Spurrier called up his assistant to make sure they weren’t the ones who had messed up the perfect vote. After a long pause, the truth came out.

Spurrier takes the blame for the “miscommunication” as he calls it. After all, it is his ballot, his signature at the bottom. And it’s called the Coaches Poll, not the Director of Operations poll.

First, no one should be that shocked. I realize that everybody’s favorite potential culprit was Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin (Kiffin brought his ballot with him to prove it wasn’t him, just in case no coach admitted the dirty deed). But Spurrier is the same coach who, every year, puts Duke in the top 25…

In football.

He says he does it out of loyalty to the school that gave him his first head coaching job.

So now the big question the media is asking is, which coaches actually vote, and which pass it off to subordinates.

I can tell you from my own experience, many coaches pass the buck on this one. I worked in sports information for many years, and virtually each and every one of my coaches asked me to do their ballots for them each week. Now, they might tell me who they wanted at #1, or who they wanted in the top 5, or where they wanted me to put their own team. But then it was left up to me. And I’ll be real honest here, that wasn’t really the best thing to do. I voted my best (usually), but the poll wasn’t that big of a deal to me beyond the team I worked for, and maybe a team that was one of our top rivals and I wouldn’t mind sinking a little lower.

So here’s what I take from TebowGate:

1. Spurrier made an honest mistake (which, by the way, he corrected by calling the SEC office and changing his ballot).

2. Polls aren’t worth the paper they are often printed on, because who knows who is really voting and what the agenda is?

3. Sports information staff and others who really do the actual voting should get a cut of the head coach’s salary.

Ok, I admit that last one is way off the wall, but hey, a former SID has to look out for the peeps still in the business!

Day two of the media interrogation of SEC football coaches featured Alabama’s Nick Saban, Georgia’s Mark Richt, Ole Miss’ Houston Nutt, and Florida’s Urban Meyer.

Oh, and just to get the elephant out of the room before we start, no coach has owned up to not voting Tim Tebow first team All-SEC. And Tebow, himself, said today that he doesn’t know… and that it doesn’t matter.

ALABAMA: Nick Saban made what is to me, the best and most true statement in college sports today. He was commenting on the media getting ready to pick their pre-season rankings.  “…it’s very difficult to predict what a bunch of adolescents are going to do, and we have over a hundred of ‘em on our team.” So he focuses on things he can control…. togetherness, work ethic, and responsibility.  Saban strongly believes that those things will, in the end, help his team develop into the best they can be. Greg McElroy will be starting under center this year, and Saban is happy with his development and leadership skills, but the O line is a big concern. No good having a good QB if he doesn’t have the time to get the ball off! On a lighter note, Saban has a small part in Blind Side, the Michael Oher story, which stars Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw. He said the team has voted NOT to see the movie, since they don’t want to support any venture into the movie business!

GEORGIA: Mark Richt is entering his ninth season with the Bulldogs, the longest tenure of any current SEC coach at one school. His take on this season? Basically, this group of Dawgs better man up. Last year he felt the team relied so much on Knowshon Moreno, they expected the guy to carry the team on his shoulders. This year, no Moreno. Time to get with the program. Richt is high on his QB, Joe Cox, says he is a team leader in the eyes of his teammates, despite only starting one game in his career, and that was a couple of years ago.  Richt was evasive when asked if he would prefer that the UGA-Florida game be moved from a neutral (yeah, right) site in Jacksonville to a home and home scenario, saying he just wants to concentrate on winning the game. Richt addressed the brutal non-conference schedule the Dawgs have this year, starting with facing an Oklahoma State team predicted to be in the top 10, as the opening game in the Cowboys new stadium, saying that they may have a little bit more on their plate than they anticipated.

OLE MISS: Houston Nutt is in his second season at Mississippi with a 600 pound problem… or rather, the lack of 600 pounds with the departure of Michael Orr and Peria Jerry, both first team All-Americans. But he’s got a QB that will challenge Tebow for All-SEC honors in Jevan Snead, whom some see as the top pure QB in the conference.  Nutt also talked about the season changing win at Florida last season. Believe it or not, it had been 727 days since the Rebs had won an SEC game, and they were coming off a loss to Vandy. Yet they pulled the stunner, and the players started buying into the system that Nutt was putting in place. And don’t forget, Nutt has owned LSU the last couple of years.  It will be different this season, with Ole Miss becoming one of the hunted, not the hunter.

FLORIDA: Urban Meyer’s Gators have won two of the last three BCS titles, and have Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow back for his senior season. The depth at virtually every position is staggering. So how does he keep them all happy? By promoting competition within the ranks, along with a mentality of team first. Meyer also addressed whether Tebow will be under center more this year, with the NFL looming. His response was spot on… if it helps the team. He said bottom line, if you want Tebow to be under center, teach him and he’ll do it better than anyone. But at UF, it’s about winning the game, reaching goals as a team. That was personified by UF’s SEC title game win over Bama last year, when Florida roared back to take the game, arguably on the shoulders of Tebow. Oh, and here’s the irony. When asked where he would have played, had it not been Florida, Tebow’s reply was fast… Alabama, for (former head coach) Mike Shula.

Think about that scenario for a minute. Tebow at Bama, Shula probably still the head coach, no clue where Saban would have been.

Hmmm.

SEC Football Media Days began on Wednesday, featuring Mississippi State, Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Here are some quick notes from the press conferences:

ARKANSAS: Bobby Petrino believes that this year will be much better than last (typical coach-speak, huh?).  And, of course, it all began in the winter workouts in the weight room. (Get ready, you are going to hear this from pretty much every coach).  Petrino will be in his second season with the Hogs, meaning his system should be pretty much in place, and personnel should be much more to his liking. Petrino emphasized that QB Ryan Mallett, who transfered from Michigan and red-shirted last season, has dropped 25 pounds, is more mobile, giving the Razorbacks more options offensively. Mallett is viewed by the Arkansas faithful as the answer to the offensive struggles the team has had. Finally, Petrino laid to rest that rumor his Hogs were becoming a spread offensive team. While there will be elements of the spread, Petrino is sticking with a multiple set.

VANDERBILT: Coach Bobby Johnson started off by alluding to the Vandy schedule, which runs 12 straight weeks with no off dates… OUCH! But all is not doom and gloom for the Commodores, because there is experience at QB… none that jumps up and says, “I’m your starter, coach” but guys that all saw action, giving Johnson some options at the position. Vandy features both  veteran offensive and defensive lines, after slogging through with a lot of newbies last year. VU is coming off it’s first bowl game since 1982, a 16-14 win in the Music City Bowl. It was amazingly only the fourth bowl game in history for Vandy (2-1-1 in bowl games, 1955, 1974, 1982, 2008). I say amazingly, because there was a time when Vandy was the class of the south… granted that was 90 or so years ago and there weren’t nearly as many bowls. I just had figured there were a few more in there than that. Finally, Johnson commented that while last year was strong, it wasn’t about garnering respect nationally or even within the conference, it’s about improving the program.

MISSISSIPPI STATE: Dan Mullen, entering his first season at MSU, got a laugh by telling the room of media that he was only going to Twitter or Facebook his answers, “so I can be the cutting edge young coach up here.” He talked about the excitement around the program, and how much he is enjoying his time there. He also mentioned that the team recorded one of it’s highest grade point averages recently… not sure that is a good sign, when a coach is talking about GPA’s instead of football… Anyway, Mullen says MSU will be running what he calls a “multiple” spread offense. He said it will be a spread option, spread passing, spread running… you get the idea.  Mullen installed Florida’s spread while the OC at UF. Still no word on who will be at QB for the Bulldogs (there’s a lot of that going on in the SEC this year). Mullen says he is waiting for a leader to step forward. It’s worth remembering that Mullen served as Urban Meyer’s assistant at Bowling Green, Utah and Florida, where he was the offensive coordinator for the Gators. He actually got quite emotional when speaking about his relationship with Tim Tebow.  Circle October 24 on your calendar. That’s when Mullen will take his Bulldogs into Gainesville to face the defending champs… and Tebow.

KENTUCKY: The last coach to appear on Wednesday was Kentucky’s Rich Brooks, who is riding a pretty popular tide of excitement in the Bluegrass State. Granted, no one will mistake him for John Calipari, but lots of Wildcat fans who have managed to avoid Commonwealth Stadium for years are now vying for tickets. I mean, face it. The Cats have won three bowl games in a row!  Brooks also opened on a lighter note, saying, “I’ll bet you’re glad this day is over. I’ll be last. That’s where we get picked every year, so kind of appropriate, I guess.”  While the Cats have lost a ton on defense, Brooks commented that the team’s recent successes have meant success in the recruiting wars, which has increased depth at every position. Randall Cobb will continue to keep defenses guessing by lining up at QB now and then, in what UK refers to as the “Wildcat” package (original, huh?). In the biggest surprise to me, turns out Brooks is quite the Twitterer. He says he loves it, uses it a lot, and his kids love it because they can keep track of him. Hmmm…

ONE FINAL NOTE: The hunt is on for the one coach in the SEC who did not vote for Tim Tebow as first team All-SEC. Each coach is being asked the same question, in the eternal search for the one who didn’t.

Wonder if all the coaches will be honest?

I hate summer.

I mean, the weather is nice and all, but for someone who loves college sports, summer is an eternity.

And when you write about college sports, summer is eternity x infinity.

I’ve been waiting to start my football outlook because injuries and grades are going to weed out a few key players here and there. Plus, two a days are just around the corner, and several teams just have too many questions for me to go out on a limb now with what would turn into an uninformed guess.

And don’t forget, Wednesday the SEC Media Days for football get underway in Hoover, Alabama. The drama may be unbearable:

Will Lane Kiffin and Urban Meyer kiss and make up?

Will Houston Nutt drop to his knees and thank the heavens that he is out of Arkansas?

Will Bobby Petrino stay in Arkansas, or quit mid-season?

Will Steve Spurrier announce he is retiring at the end of the season to join the PGA Seniors Tour?

Will Auburn OC Trooper Taylor chest bump anyone?

With fall practice just a couple of weeks away, and fans already chomping at the bit, the dog days of summer take on a new meaning. Every day several SEC coaches send out notes on Twitter, with a countdown in days, hours and minutes until kickoff.

(for the record, I am the most well-informed blogger on weather at SEC schools, as each coach also seems to feel the need to post a local weather report.)

Starting tomorrow, I’ll have updates on SEC Media Days, including quotes from select players and coaches. Next week we’ll start our team by team preview, ending with my predictions. Feel free to chime in with your own thoughts and opinions… after all, this is SEC Sports TALK, not SEC Sport LISTEN!

The coaches pre-season All SEC team was announced on Thursday. Florida led the way with 16 players selected, including a whopping eight on the first team. LSU followed with 10, and Bama and Georgia had nine players each selected to the team.

Three players were unanimous selections: Eric Berry (DB - Tennessee), Ciron Black (OL - LSU), and Julio Jones (WR - Bama). Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players, therefore a unanimous selection is actually 11 of 12 votes.

Nine schools had players earn first team honors.

The All-SEC team as selected by members of the media will be announced next week during SEC Media Days in Hoover, Alabama.

Pos. Name, School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown

First-Team Offense
TE Richard Dickson, LSU 6-3 246 Sr. Ocean Springs, Miss.
*OL Ciron Black, LSU 6-5 325 Sr. Tyler, Texas
OL Mike Johnson, Alabama 6-6 305 Sr. Pensacola, Fla.
OL Mike Pouncey, Florida 6-5 312 Jr. Lakeland, Fla.
OL John Jerry, Ole Miss 6-5 350 Sr. Batesville, Miss.
C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida 6-5 312 Jr. Lakeland, Fla.
*WR Julio Jones, Alabama 6-4 210 So. Foley, Ala.
WR A.J. Green, Georgia 6-4 207 So. Summerville, S.C.
QB Tim Tebow, Florida 6-3 240 Sr. Jacksonville, Fla.
RB Michael Smith, Arkansas 5-7 176 Sr. Tallahassee, Fla.
RB Charles Scott, LSU 5-11 233 Sr. Saline, La.

Second-Team Offense
TE D.J. Williams, Arkansas 6-2 251 Jr. Little Rock, Ark.
OL Lee Ziemba, Auburn 6-8 285 Jr. Rogers, Ark.
OL Clint Boling, Georgia 6-5 297 Jr. Alpharetta, Ga.
#OL Chris Scott, Tennessee 6-5 346 Sr. Riverdale, Ga.
#OL Carl Johnson, Florida 6-6 330 Jr. Durham, N.C.
#OL Cordy Glenn, Georgia 6-5 331 So. Riverdale, Ga.
C Josh McNeil, Tennessee 6-4 280 Sr. Collins, Miss.
WR Brandon LaFell, LSU 6-3 209 Sr. Houston, Texas
WR Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss 5-8 165 Sr. Largo, Fla.
QB Jevan Snead, Ole Miss 6-3 215 Jr. Stephenville, Texas
RB Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State 6-1 235 Sr. Jackson, Miss.
RB Jeff Demps, Florida 5-8 176 So. Winter Garden, Fla.

Third-Team Offense
TE Aaron Hernandez, Florida 6-3 255 Jr. Bristol, Conn.
OL Jacques McClendon, Tennessee 6-3 324 Sr. Cleveland, Tenn.
OL Zipp Duncan, Kentucky 6-5 291 Sr. Magnolia, Ky.
OL Mitch Petrus, Arkansas 6-4 315 Sr. Carlisle, Ark.
OL Trinton Sturdivant, Georgia 6-5 306 So. Wadesboro, N.C.
C Jorge Gonzalez, Kentucky 6-3 300 Sr. Tampa, Fla.
WR Shay Hodge, Ole Miss 6-1 207 Sr. Morton, Miss.
#WR Terrance Tolliver, LSU 6-5 194 Jr. Hempstead, Texas
#WR Gerald Jones, Tennessee 6-0 199 Jr. Oklahoma City, Okla.
#QB Stephen Garcia, South Carolina 6-2 219 So. Lutz, Fla.
#QB Mike Hartline, Kentucky 6-6 206 Jr. Canton, Ohio
RB Mark Ingram, Alabama 5-10 215 So. Flint, Mich.
RB Ben Tate, Auburn 5-11 216 Sr. Newark, Md.

First-Team Defense
DL Terrence Cody, Alabama 6-5 365 Sr. Fort Myers, Fla.
DL Greg Hardy, Ole Miss 6-4 265 Sr. Millington, Tenn.
DL Carlos Dunlap, Florida 6-6 290 Jr. North Charleston, S.C.
LB Rolando McClain, Alabama 6-4 249 Jr. Decatur, Ala.
LB Brandon Spikes, Florida 6-3 245 Sr. Shelby, N.C.
LB Rennie Curran, Georgia 5-11 222 Jr. Snellville, Ga.
LB Eric Norwood, South Carolina 6-1 252 Sr. Acworth, Ga.
*DB Eric Berry, Tennessee 5-11 203 Jr. Fairburn, Ga.
DB Javier Arenas, Alabama 5-9 198 Sr. Tampa, Fla.
DB Trevard Lindley, Kentucky 6-0 179 Sr. Hiram, Ga.
DB Joe Haden, Florida 5-11 185 Jr. Ft. Washington, Md.

Second-Team Defense
DL Charles Alexander, LSU 6-3 310 Sr. Breaux Bridge, La.
DL Antonio Coleman, Auburn 6-3 250 Sr. Mobile, Ala.
#DL Geno Atkins, Georgia 6-1 290 Sr. Pembroke Pines, Fla.
#DL Dan Williams, Tennessee 6-3 327 Sr. Memphis, Tenn.
#DL Malcolm Sheppard, Arkansas 6-2 280 Sr. Bainbridge, Ga.
LB Micah Johnson, Kentucky 6-2 258 Sr. Ft. Campbell, Ky.
LB Patrick Benoist, Vanderbilt 6-0 224 Sr. Southlake, Texas
LB Rico McCoy, Tennessee 6-1 220 Sr. Washington, D.C.
LB Dont’a Hightower, Alabama 6-4 250 So. Lewisburg, Tenn.
DB Ahmad Black, Florida 5-9 190 Jr. Lakeland, Fla.
DB Chad Jones, LSU 6-3 214 Jr. New Orleans, La.
DB Prince Miller, Georgia 5-8 198 Sr. Duncan, S.C.
DB Myron Lewis, Vanderbilt 6-2 205 Sr. Pompano Beach, Fla.

Third-Team Defense
DL Jeff Owens, Georgia 6-3 300 Sr. Sunrise, Fla.
DL Marcus Tillman, Ole Miss 6-4 260 Sr. McCall Creek, Miss.
#DL Rahim Alem, LSU 6-3 254 Sr. New Orleans, La.
#DL Corey Peters, Kentucky 6-3 295 Sr. Louisville, Ky.
LB Chris Marve, Vanderbilt 6-0 228 So. Memphis, Tenn.
LB Jamar Chaney, Mississippi State 6-1 245 Sr. Fort Pierce, Fla.
LB Ryan Stamper, Florida 6-2 232 Sr. Jacksonville, Fla.
LB Perry Riley, LSU 6-1 240 Sr. Ellenwood, Ga.
DB Major Wright, Florida 6-0 200 Jr. Miramar, Fla.
DB Janoris Jenkins, Florida 5-10 185 So. Pahokee, Fla.
#DB Ryan Hamilton, Vanderbilt 6-2 210 Sr. Wycombe, Penn.
#DB Chris Culliver, South Carolina 6-0 190 Jr. Garner, N.C.
#DB Reshad Jones, Georgia 6-2 214 Jr. Atlanta, Ga.

First-Team Specialists
PK Leigh Tiffin, Alabama 6-1 199 Sr. Muscle Shoals, Ala.
P Chas Henry, Florida 6-4 215 Jr. Dallas, Ga.
RS Brandon James, Florida 5-7 186 Sr. St. Augustine, Fla.

Second-Team Specialists
PK Jonathan Phillips, Florida 5-10 210 Sr. Wellington, Fla.
P Brett Upson, Vanderbilt 5-11 185 Sr. Griffin, Ga.
RS Javier Arenas, Alabama 5-9 198 Sr. Tampa, Fla.

Third-Team Specialists
PK Joshua Shene, Ole Miss 5-8 170 Sr. Oklahoma City, Okla.
P Spencer Lanning, South Carolina 5-11 188 Jr. Rock Hill, S.C.
RS Trindon Holliday, LSU 5-5 165 Sr. Zachary, La.

* - Unanimous Selections

# - Ties

It was an odd time to make such a statement, but Urban Meyer had had enough. Almost as soon as he stepped off the plane from a family vacation in the Bahamas, he was hit with “the” question.

Seems Paul Finebaum, that annoying stellar reporter out of Alabama, had said that Meyer was leaving after this season for Notre Dame. Done deal.

The Florida Gators head coach was at the 15th annual Bob Dooley Invitational, which benefits STOP! Children’s Cancer. He was there to kick off the event, and midway through his opening remarks he turned to Bob Dooley, asked to make a statement, then said:

“Here’s a quote for you — I’m not going to Notre Dame.”

Later, he reiterated his position:

“I’m not going to Notre Dame. Ever. I’m going to be the coach at Florida for a long time, as long as they want me.”

He turned to several reporters in attendance, and told them to print it.

Good for him. And I hope he is true to his word… and something tells me he will be.

Sure, a few months back Meyer referred to Notre Dame as his dream job. He was an assistant coach there, and has long been the object of affection for backers of the Irish. Notre Dame likes to bill itself as the Nation’s University. The football program plays as an independent, yet benefits from its own television contract with NBC and its own side deal with the BCS (as long as the Irish finish in the top eight in BCS rankings, the school gets a bid to a BCS bowl).

But it’s doubtful Meyer could replicate the success he is having at Florida in South Bend. Much tougher academic standards, along with no free passes for athletes to gain admission to the University, are a brutal mix. Speaking of brutal, the winters in South Bend aren’t going to lure many recruits. Florida is fertile recruiting ground, and Meyer has sunk his teeth into it. He’s won two of the last three national championships.

Oh, sure. I remember Nick “I’m not going to Alabama” Saban. But there wasn’t a soul alive who didn’t think that Saban’s ego would take him where the money was. Meyer, on the other hand, seems to be a perfect fit for Florida, and vice versa.

And remember, in 2004 Meyer turned down the Irish flat to take the Florida job.

So I have a feeling that Gator fans can relax… and the rest of the SEC is in for a long season.

Tennessee has gotten a double whammy over the past few days.  First, senior Austin Rogers tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during voluntary summer workouts and is lost for the year. Now it appears junior Denarius Moore may miss most, if not all, of hte upcoming season. Moore, the Vols best at going deep, has a broken bone in his left foot and will be out eight to 12 weeks.

The case for Rogers is the toughest pill to swallow. Since he has already used a redshirt year, the knee injury could effectively end his collegiate career. He will most likely petition the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility, but those are few and far between.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Raycom’s award winning series Football Saturdays in the South returns to television this Saturday. The series features six one-hour episodes and is hosted by Tim Brando. The first episode will feature UT’s blue tick coon hound mascot Smokey. Episode two will highlight the voice of Georgia football, Larry Munson, along with Auburn’s eagle. Episode four will profile Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin, and episode five will feature Tim Tebow and Jevan Snead among other players.

Two Ole Miss football players avoided serious injury in a car accident over the weekend. Defensive end Greg Hardy and running back Dexter McCluster hit a car that pulled out in front of them. Hardy reinjured his right foot and is in a walking boot for 5-7 days. The car the players were in caught fire, but both escaped what could have been a much worse situation.

I’m back from vacation and into the countdown until kickoff… I can’t believe we are under two months!

Sports Illustrated ran an article by Sen. Orrin Hatch, entitled Leveling the Playing Field, that made me take a different look at the whole topic.

Before reading the article, I had mixed emotions about the whole Bowl Championship Series. Most of my ire was directed at Notre Dame, because I feel like it gets a pass. If ND is in the top eight of the BCS standings, the Irish get an automatic bid. No other team gets that honor.

But when it comes to a true championship, I go back and forth. I like the bowls, that there is some pride on the line. But since the inception of the BCS system, the secondary bowls have a much shabbier feel to them. Nothing to play for anymore.

And the gap between the last regular season game (or conference championship) is an eternity, meaning that there could be 35-40 days between games for the top two teams. And that’s when I start thinking a playoff would work. Heck, the players are out of school at that point, what’s another 3-4 weeks?

Then I read Sen. Hatch’s op-ed piece, and got a whole different take on the situation.

Sen. Hatch sites the Sherman Antitrust Act (don’t glaze over yet!), which prohibits contracts that exclude others from competition. And while the Act was written with business in mind, few would argue that college football has morphed into big business.

But the most compelling argument in my mind was when Sen. Hatch talked about the difference in payouts between the “elite” BCS conferences and the other conferences.  In particular, he notes that every team from a BCS conference gets a huge payout… whether they win a game or not. Teams from other conferences get a much lower payout.  He notes that:

“under the BCS formula the Mountain West received $9.8 million—roughly half of what the three bigger conferences got. And despite having the nation’s only other undefeated team, Boise State, the Western Athletic Conference received just $3.2 million in BCS revenue.”

This has ramifications well beyond the football field. We aren’t talking the difference between I-A and I-AA (I know, I know… Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision… I hate that). We are talking teams in the same subdivision not getting equal payouts, which guarantees unequal budgets for recruiting, facilities and coaching salaries. In other words, it keeps the playing field horrifically uneven.

And it goes deeper. Football budgets often help pay for other sports. So the disparity in payouts keeps the smaller conferences from being able to keep up with the Jones’… or the Florida’s.

To read the full article from Sports Illustrated, click HERE, or go to http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1157360/index.htm

First of all, if you are reading this on the Fourth of July… well, you need to get outside and grill some burgers!

Now, in the meantime:

Every day my inbox is flooded with announcements of this or that Southeastern Conference school landing a huge recruit for the 2010 football class.  And I continue to be amazed by the amount of media coverage. I mean, its front page stuff, but I don’t get it.

I could understand a few lines, but headlines?

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again… these commitments aren’t worth the paper they aren’t signed on yet! Signing day for the 2010 class is FEBRUARY 3, 2010!

These kids all end up taking more visits, and often end up changing their minds… and that’s ok.

I understand coaches want the early commit from players, but when they bank on those commits too much, the coaches and universities end up getting screwed.

Way back in 1999, quarterback Chris Simms, son of Hall of Famer Phil Simms, announced he was attending the University of Tennessee. So Head Coach Phillip Fulmer backed off recruiting other quarterbacks and focused on other positions. Then, days before signing day, he de-committed and signed with Texas.

Many experts think that was the beginning of the end for Tennessee and Phillip Fulmer, as the program ended up with no strong QB for years.

So what’s a coach to do? Well, there’s an old saying in sports — run through the tape and play through the whistle. Be glad you got the commitment, but keep pressing the pedal to the floor.

My retinas are bleeding.

Seriously.

I am spending hour after hour studying everything I can on SEC football. And there is a lot out there.

A lot.

I made a trip to our local bookstore to pick up a magazine or two. There were about 25 there just focusing on the SEC. Now, since I can’t afford to buy that many sports mags (I’m a blogger, not a miracle worker), I sat there and read…

And read…

And read some more.

I picked two out to take on my vacation next week, but felt the need to digest the others, since I’ve decided to do my own little pre-season SEC ranking here in a couple of weeks. Man, there’s a lot to learn!

I’ve been an SEC fan my whole life. I can appreciate other conferences, even enjoy watching their games…. as long as the Southeastern Conference isn’t on. But there are so many unknowns coming into this season that I feel like I’m starting from scratch.

So I’m studying. In fact, if they gave an SAT on the SEC, I’m pretty sure I’d score through the roof. But there is still a lot more to read.

It used to be easier. In the SEC East, you read up on Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. Maybe you read a bit on South Carolina. You skimmed Vandy and Kentucky and were done. Now? Florida may still rule the roost, but Vandy and UK have upped the ante, so you can’t just slide past them.

In the West, not much work needed to be done on Mississippi State. Now that Dan Mullen is running the show, who knows what is going to come out of Stark-Vegas this season? And Houston Nutt is getting it done at Ole Miss. Yeah, Bama is gonna be the lead dog in that division, but nothing is a given.

So it’s time to study up and get ready. Football previews start in a couple of weeks!

Tennessee got a big time commit the other day.

Evan Berry, brother of All-American DB Eric Berry, took the Vols up on a scholarship offer and has said he will join the UT program… in 2013.

You see, Evan is 13… hasn’t even played high school football yet.

Now there is a lot of family history there. James Berry, dad to the Berry boys, played football at Tennessee in the 1980’s. And, of course, you have Eric tearing it up in the defensive backfield for the Vols these days.

So Evan figured, sure, I’ll go to Tennessee. And daddy James says that both Evan and his twin brother, Elliott, are ahead of the pace of Eric at the same age.

Woo hoo!

However… don’t get too excited Vol fans. The quotes from young Evan don’t exactly make you feel like he is set in stone:

“It’s the only college I know right now and it seems the best for me,” Evan told Rivals.com. “My dad went there and my brother is there now. I know I can do the same things there. I have a real friendly relationship with the coaches there. I don’t know them too well, but I know I will have plenty of time to get to know them.”

Ok…

He goes on to say that he can’t wait to play for Monte Kiffin. Now, I don’t want to throw more water on the situation here, but Monte is 69. A young 69, but still 69. So he would be 73 at the earliest when the Berry boys hit UT. That seems more like an age moving into retirement rather than coaching and recruiting…

unless, of course, you’re Joe Paterno.

This all kind of reminds me of another Vol commit. Jimmy Clausen announced his intentions to follow brothers Casey and Rick to Tennessee when he was about the same age. Only he never made it there, opting for Notre Dame.

Anyway, there is joy in Volville tonight. Just hope the fans aren’t counting the days till Evan gets there.

STELLAR YEAR FOR THE SEC

Following LSU’s dramatic title win in the College World Series, the Southeastern Conference is closing one of its most successful seasons. The SEC posted five national champions and five runner’s up during the 2008-2009 academic year.

National Championships came in football (Florida), men’s swimming and diving (Auburn), women’s indoor track & field (Tennessee), gymnastics (Georgia) and LSU (baseball). Runner’s up came from men’s golf (Arkansas), gymnastics (Alabama), softball (Florida), women’s swimming and diving (Georgia) and men’s indoor track & field (Florida).

The SEC has 179 team national championships in its 76 years of existence, including 63 since 2000. The only sports that haven’t won titles this decade are women’s cross country, volleyball, soccer and softball.

Not too shabby, huh?

NBA DRAFT

No SEC player was selected in the first round of Thursday’s NBA draft… no surprise there. A trio of guards went in the second round, led by Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks (41st pick, Milwaukee Bucks), LSU’s Marcus Thornton (43rd pick, Miami Heat - traded to New Orleans Hornets), and Florida’s Nick Calathes (45th pick, Minnesota Timberwolves).

HITTING THE BOOKS

The SEC didn’t only score wins on the field this year, but led all conferences in student-athletes recognized as ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans. Fifteen earned 1st team honors, 14 were named 2nd team, while 12 earned 3rd team recognition.

SEC Student-Athletes Earning CoSIDA Academic All-America Team Recognition
[NOTE: Listed in alphabetical order by last name
* - Sport does not have its own team, listed as At-Large Team by CoSIDA]

Listed in alphabetical order by last name
* indicates sport at-large selection, as sport does not have its own team

1st Team (15)
Mallory Blackwelder, Kentucky, *Women’s Golf, Versailles, Ky.
Sarah Bowman, Tennessee, Women’s Track & Field, Warrenton, Va.
Lisa Caprioglio, Georgia, *Women’s Swimming & Diving, Highlands Ranch, Col.
Kevin Greer, Alabama, *Men’s Swimming & Diving, Sylacauga, Ala.
Lillian Hammond, Tennessee, Softball, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Kristina Hilberth, Florida, Softball, Dunedin, Fla.
Tim Masthay, Kentucky, Football, Murray, Ky.
Courtney Kupets, Georgia, *Gymnastics, Athens, Ga.
Blakely Mattern, South Carolina, Women’s Soccer, Simpsonville, S.C.
Charlotte Morgan, Alabama, Softball, Moreno Valley, Calif.
Stacey Nelson, Florida, Softball, Los Alamitos, Calif.
Kassi Price, Alabama, *Gymnastics, Plantation, Fla.
Katie Stripling, Arkansas, Women’s Track & Field, Jonesboro, Ark.
Tim Tebow, Florida, Football, Jacksonville, Fla.
Phoebe Wright, Tennessee , Women’s Track & Field, Signal Mountain, Tenn.

2nd Team (14)
Amanda Alexander, Tennessee, Women’s Track & Field, Nashville, Tenn.
Sam Arthur, South Carolina, Men’s Soccer, Roswell, Ga.
Kelsey Bowers, Florida, Volleyball, Gainesville, Fla.
Chelsea Bramlett, Mississippi State , Softball, Cordova, Tenn.
Tara Diebold, Arkansas, Women’s Track & Field, Branson, Mo.
Chad Hagerty, Kentucky, Men’s Soccer, Louisville, Ky.
Tiffany Huff, Tennessee, Softball, Saugus, Calif.
Jenn Johnson, Auburn, Women’s Soccer, Loganville, Ga.
Ben Jones, Auburn, Baseball, Decatur, Ala.
Dan Mazzaferro, Auburn, * Men’s Swimming & Diving, Cheshire, Conn.
Blake Strode, Arkansas, *Men’s Tennis, St. Louis, Mo.
Grace Taylor, Georgia, *Gymnastics, Aiken, S.C.
Bram Ten Berge, Ole Miss, *Men’s Tennis, Maarssen, Netherlands
Dorian Ulrey, Arkansas, Men’s Track & Field, Port Byron, Ill.

3rd Team (12)
Sammie Jo Bailey, Mississippi State, Softball, Lithonia, Ga.
Denise Bargiachi, Arkansas, Women’s Track & Field, Memphis, Tenn.
Stephanie Brombacher, Florida, Softball, Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Clark Burckle, Florida, *Men’s Swimming & Diving, Louisville, Ky.
Rabun Fox, LSU, Track & Field, Houma, La.
Ali Gardiner, Florida, Softball, Waccabuc, N.Y.
Elliott Haynie, South Carolina, Men’s Track & Field, Atlanta, Ga.
Jen Lapicki, Tennessee, Softball, Oldwick, N.J.
Curt McGill, South Carolina, Men’s Track & Field, Spartanburg, S.C.
Lee Ellis Moore, Ole Miss, Men’s Track & Field, Cordova, Tenn.
Ashton Payne, South Carolina, Softball, Richmond, Va.
Christina Wirth, Vanderbilt, Women’s Basketball, Mesa, Ariz.

The LSU Tigers won their sixth NCAA baseball title tonight in Omaha, and left no doubt who the number one team in the nation is.

LSU defeated Texas, 11-4, taking the best of three series 2-1 in earning a sixth College World Series title.

The Tigers took off fast, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on a Jared Mitchell homer. After adding a fourth run in the second inning, the Longhorns whittled away at the Tigers lead with two runs in the third and two in the fifth, knotting the game at 4-4.

But LSU broke the game open in the sixth, with five runs to take a 9-4 lead. The big hit in that inning was Mikie Mahtook’s tie-breaking double. The Tigers added one run in both the eighth and ninth innings to take the title.

Mitchell was named the CWS Most Outstanding Player. In winning the CWS, Mitchell added to his national championship hardware. Mitchell was a wide received on the LSU football team that won the BCS championship in 2007.

While the Tigers were top-ranked in virtually ever poll, they were not afforded a top seed in the tournament, instead playing at the #3 seed. But they will end the season right where they wanted to be… atop the polls and holding the trophy.

This story is even more amazing when you consider that the Tigers didn’t even qualify for the SEC tournament two years ago. Head Coach Paul Mainieri has done a fantastic job with the program in a short period of time.

The 2009 title will be added to the Tigers five others (1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 2000), all under former head coach Skip Bertman.

LSU took game one of the College World Series Championship, 7-6, in a classic batte in Omaha.

With two on and two out in the top of the 11th, freshman Mikie Mahtook hit a short fly to center, scoring D. J. D.J. Lemahieu from third and giving LSU a 7-6 lead.

Earlier, Mahtook had to get an IV in the locker room after he cramped up during the game. Obviously, he responded well to treatment!

In the bottom of the inning, LSU pitcher Matty Ott (nicknamed Matty Ice) worked his third inning of relief.   Shortstop Brandon Loy was up first, and Ott got him to chase an outside (way outside) slider, strking him out. Left fielder Tim Maitland was up next, and Ott went right after him.

Ott was on fire, striking Maitland out with a wicked comeback sinker that rode in on the hitter.

The last hope for the Horns was centerfielder Conner Rowe.  After running the count full, Rowe hit a grounder to second for the third and final out.

LSU kept fighting all night in what has got to be one of the classic College World Series games of all time.

Ott got his fourth win in a save appearance, going with his 16 saves this season, an LSU record.

If LSU beats Texas Tuesday night, it will win its sixth College World Series title in school history. LSU will have two tries to win the title in the best of three series.

Gametime Tuesday night is 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.