SEC news and notes...

[CoachCB]

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsport...-confirmed-for-2017-chick-fil-a-kickoff-game/


One of the worst-kept secrets in college football scheduling was finally made official today. Georgia Tech and Tennessee will meet in the 2017 Chick-fil Kickoff Game in Atlanta. The game will be played on Monday, September 4, 2017. The game will bring an end to the first full weekend of college football in the 2017 season.



“This will be the renewing of a long and beloved rivalry that’s been off the board for far too long,” said Percy Vaughn, Peach Bowl, Inc. chairman in a released statement. “And it’s a great addition to the long-standing ACC vs. SEC rivalry games we have been able to put together.”



The Georgia Tech-Tennessee match-up will be the second ACC vs. SEC tilt in the ATL that opening weekend. Florida State and Alabama will square off two days earlier on Saturday, September 2, 2017.



Tennessee holds the all-time edge in the series against the Yellow Jackets with a 24-17-2 record. This will also be Tennessee’s second appearance in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. The Vols defeated North Carolina State in 2012, the first year two games were part of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game schedule. Georgia Tech has yet to play in the game.

 

[rolltide]

in today's installment of how senseless the sports media is....

[h=1]SEC Has Money, Power And Nick Saban, But Can Its Teams Win A Championship?[/h]
yes that is an actual title of an article ....

hno:

 

[CoachCB]

in today's installment of how senseless the sports media is....

SEC Has Money, Power And Nick Saban, But Can Its Teams Win A Championship?


yes that is an actual title of an article ....

hno:

Like I asked our resident village idiot, "So, if the SEC doesn't win it all EVERY year they are a failure?"

It's a joke. The SEC IS College Football...and College Football IS the SEC. It begins and ends w/ the SEC. I'm very happy to see the P12 fielding some good teams. It's good to see Ohio State and FSU good again (although I'm not a fan of either school...or their coaches). It's pathetic seeing articles like that. I guess it's just to get a rise out of SEC fans, because they are the few CFB fans who give a shit this time of year.

 

[CoachCB]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...nce-stipend-will-rank-among-highest-in-nation

More cost of attendance discussion..... Tennessee, Auburn, Bama top the SEC in "cost of attendance".

 

[Wanger]

Analyzing SEC Bye Weeks
By Sportsmemo

SEC EAST

Florida
Bye Week: October 24
Prior Game: at LSU
Upcoming Game: at Georgia
Analysis: Per usual, the Gators get a week off before the World's Largest Cocktail Party. It also breaks up a tough stretch of five straight league games, including three on the road. The bad news is Georgia also comes in off a bye.

Kentucky
Bye Week: October 10
Prior Game: vs. Eastern Kentucky
Upcoming Game: (Thu) vs. Auburn
Analysis: Cats with one of the earliest bye weeks in the SEC a team that would probably benefit more from having one in late October. And to make matters worse, because of their upcoming game vs. Auburn being on a Thursday, War Eagle also comes in off a bye.

Missouri
Bye Week: October 31
Prior Game: at Vanderbilt
Upcoming Game: (Thu) vs. Mississippi State
Analysis: Another situation where the Thursday slot has both teams coming in off of a bye.

South Carolina
Bye Week: October 24
Prior Game: vs. Vanderbilt
Upcoming Game: at Texas A&M
Analysis: Not a bad place for the Gamecocks who will have played five SEC games in six weeks. And A&M will have just played Alabama and Ole Miss.

Tennessee
Bye Week: October 17
Prior Game: vs. Georgia
Upcoming Game: at Alabama
Analysis: Vols get a bye before their toughest game of the season as they head to Tuscaloosa. It will also mark the eighth straight game for the Crimson Tide.

Georgia
Bye Week: October 24
Prior Game: vs. Missouri
Upcoming Game: vs. Florida
Analysis: Same deal as the Gators as the bye week comes prior to the World's Largest Cocktail Party.

Vanderbilt
Bye Week: October 10
Prior Game: at MTSU
Upcoming Game: at South Carolina
Analysis: The Commodores scored big schedule-wise with not having to play LSU, Alabama, or Auburn. Still, like Kentucky, this team would be far better served to break up the seven-game stretch (6 vs. SEC) to close out what projects to be a trying season.

SEC West

Alabama
Bye Week: October 31
Prior Game: vs. Tennessee
Upcoming Game: at LSU
Analysis: Third straight season the Crimson Tide have a bye week before playing the Bayou Bengals.

LSU
Bye Week: October 31
Prior Game: vs. Western Kentucky
Upcoming Game: at Alabama
Analysis: This will mark the sixth straight season LSU has played Alabama off of a bye. The Tigers are 2-3 SU, 3-2 ATS in the previous five contests. Note too that LSU is sitting on a comfy home win vs. WKU the week prior.

Arkansas
Bye Week: October 17
Prior Game: at Alabama
Upcoming Game: vs. Auburn
Analysis: Not a bad spot for the Razorbacks who could use a marquee win with a four-game stretch of Ole Miss, LSU, Mississippi State, and Missouri to close out the regular season.

Ole Miss
Bye Week: November 14
Prior Game: vs. Arkansas
Upcoming Game: vs. LSU
Analysis: Latest bye week in the SEC by two weeks. Pretty good spot as LSU game could have SEC West title implications.

Mississippi State
Bye Week: October 31
Prior Game: vs. Kentucky
Upcoming Game: (Thu) at Missouri
Analysis: Another situation where the Thursday slot places both teams off of a bye.

Texas A&M
Bye Week: October 10
Prior Game: vs. Mississippi State
Upcoming Game: vs. Alabama
Analysis: Bye week helps break up six straight SEC games (five vs. SEC West).

Auburn
Bye Week: October 10
Prior Game: vs. San Jose State
Upcoming Game: (Thu) at Kentucky
Analysis: Not the most ideal of bye weeks with a Thursday game at Kentucky on deck the Cats also come in off a bye. The UK game marks the first of five straight SEC contests for the Tigers.

 

[rolltide]

ran a quick query on how SEC teams performed off a bye week in a conference game where opponent played previous week and it's not that impressive in past 7 years. ATS is dead even at 38-38

games	ATS W - L- P (marg, %win)	Avg Line	OU W - L- P (marg, %over)	Avg Total	SU W - L- P (marg, %win)	SDQL
17	9-7-1 (-0.71, 56.2%)	0.9	7-10-0 (-6.91, 41.2%)	55.3	9-8-0 (-1.65, 52.9%)	season = 2014
17	6-11-0 (0.32, 35.3%)	1.1	7-10-0 (-3.35, 41.2%)	54.4	11-6-0 (-0.82, 64.7%)	season = 2013
10	7-3-0 (-0.25, 70.0%)	-7.5	3-7-0 (-4.45, 30.0%)	48.6	7-3-0 (7.20, 70.0%)	season = 2012
6	2-4-0 (-8.33, 33.3%)	6.5	2-4-0 (-4.00, 33.3%)	47.2	3-3-0 (-14.83, 50.0%)	season = 2011
6	3-3-0 (0.83, 50.0%)	10.3	3-3-0 (-3.42, 50.0%)	50.6	2-4-0 (-9.50, 33.3%)	season = 2010
8	5-3-0 (-0.44, 62.5%)	3.3	2-4-2 (-2.69, 33.3%)	46.4	3-5-0 (-3.75, 37.5%)	season = 2009
13	6-7-0 (0.96, 46.2%)	1.7	5-7-1 (2.77, 41.7%)	42.8	7-6-0 (-0.77, 53.8%)	season = 2008
8	8-0-0 (7.00, 100.0%)	2.0	4-4-0 (2.94, 50.0%)	53.3	6-2-0 (5.00, 75.0%)	season = 2007
7	5-2-0 (3.86, 71.4%)	1.3	3-3-1 (0.36, 50.0%)	43.9	5-2-0 (2.57, 71.4%)	season = 2006
15	5-8-2 (-2.47, 38.5%)	2.0	0-0-0 (0.00, 0.0%)	-	5-10-0 (-4.47, 33.3%)	season = 2005

conference = SEC and C and....o:rest < 7 and season > 2007
SU: 42-35-0 (-2.03, 54.5%) Teaser Records ATS: 38-38-1 (-0.58, 50.0%) avg line: 1.4

 

[CoachCB]

UF DT Bostwick to Transfer

http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20150724/ARTICLES/150729805/1136/cdn-view.c3tag.com



Florida sophomore defensive lineman Jay-nard Bostwick has been granted his release and is free to transfer to another school.



Florida confirmed Friday that Bostwick was granted his release by new UF football coach Jim McElwain. The 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive tackle out of Centennial High in Port St. Lucie was a member of UF’s 2013 signing class.


Bostwick sat out UF’s spring season while dealing with “personal issues,” according to McElwain. He appeared in five games for the Gators in 2014, recording three tackles and no sacks.


Bostwick is the sixth player to leave the UF program since McElwain took over as coach in December, a list that includes quarterbacks Jeff Driskel and Skyler Mornhinweg, cornerback J.C. Jackson, defensive lineman Gerald Willis and tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe. Driskel transferred to Louisiana Tech, while Mornhinweg transferred to Columbia. Jackson, meanwhile, is facing felony armed robbery charges and opted to leave after being told last spring he wouldn’t remain on scholarship.

 

[CoachCB]

This is comical:

How Bama's Cost of Attendance went up 39%:

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/i...f-attendanc.html#incart_2box_sports_index.ssf


This needs to be addressed by the NCAA this off-season. Schools can't just set their cost of attendance arbitrarily. Bama raised theirs overnight by 39%!!! THIRTY-NINE PERCENT!

It needs to be a set amount and an amount smaller schools can match (i.e., no more than $4K/year).

 

[cloverleaf]

This entire "Cost of Attendance" is a can of worms.

It just invites cheating, individual booster involvement, cars, the whole bit.

Reminds me of SMU back in the day.

 

[CoachCB]

CL,

I'm not sure it goes as far as SMU - because every school can now legally "pay" players up to a certain amount. But the problem is; that "amount" is not set. It's arbitrary and schools (with the money) can set the amount to whatever they see fit.

It seems some schools are "testing the waters" to see what they can get away with. Who's to say next year Bama, Tenn or Auburn (the highest 3 in the SEC) won't come back with, "Oh, we re-assessed our COA and now it's $8,000/year." ? Then in 2017 they come back...."Oh, it's gone up....now it's $10,000/year". Meanwhile, Memphis and Southern Miss are struggling to pay out $3,500.

The NCAA needs to step in ASAP and set a flat amount. Maybe re-assess it every 5 years or so. But it seems to me, somewhere around $4K/year is what most schools are paying out. So, if the NCAA sets the amount between $3,500 to $4,500 that would be fair (but it should be the SAME for all schools).

Imagine what schools in the Miami area (UM, FIU, FAU), California schools (USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford) could pay out!

If it costs nearly $6,000 at Bama it's gotta be $20,000 at Cal or Stanford!

 

[cloverleaf]

If this 'Cost of Attendance' money in not the same in the SEC and a team/teams start getting an advantage
in recruiting because of more cash....damn well believe there will be alumni involvement.

Hell, I and many of my friends have given $100 handshakes over the years....think about it if a team is at
a disadvantage with this bullshit going on. Ain't rocket science my friend.

 

[CoachCB]

If this 'Cost of Attendance' money in not the same in the SEC and a team/teams start getting an advantage
in recruiting because of more cash....damn well believe there will be alumni involvement.

Hell, I and many of my friends have given $100 handshakes over the years....think about it if a team is at
a disadvantage with this bullshit going on. Ain't rocket science my friend.

CL, the "$100 handshake" will always be there no matter what the COA is...it was happening LOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGG before the COA was implemented.

The "COA" is new and every D1 school is legally allowed (by the NCAA) to pay it out to their athletes. So the alumni have nothing to do with the COA amounts.

If alumni want to cheat the system and give "$100 handshakes" so be it. But to allow School A to pay $4,000 COA and School B to pay $5,800 is simply not fair. You can't have a nearly 50% difference ($1,800 more is 45% more than $4,000).

An 18 year old HS kid is very, very, very likely to make his final decision based off of that $1,800 difference. It's bullshit and it needs to be addressed ASAP by the NCAA.

 

[CoachCB]

Here's what's happening w/ the COA in the Mountain West:

Mountain West: Boise State has the league’s highest full-cost-of-attendance stipend, at $5,100, while Colorado State is the lowest at $2,400, according to the Idaho Statesman. New Mexico, Nevada and UNLV aren’t fully funding cost of attendance this year.

----

This is ridiculous!

Three schools aren't even funding the full amount of the COA!

Boise is paying more than TWICE what Colorado State is paying!

It's a total recruiting advantage.

 

[CoachCB]

Alabama and Louisville to open 2018 in Orlando:

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsport...abama-and-louisville-opening-2018-in-orlando/

 

[CoachCB]

Bama QB Battle; David Cornwell legitimate candidate to win starting spot:

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/i...avid_cornwell_is_a_legiti.html#incart_m-rpt-2


David Cornwell's rise was progressive during the spring.


Fourth out of Alabama's five quarterbacks in drills to begin spring practice, the redshirt freshman from Oklahoma could be as high as No. 2 on the quarterback depth chart when the Tide's preseason camp begins this week.


While senior Jake Coker remains the favorite to replace Blake Sims as Alabama's starting quarterback, Cornwell emerged as a legitimate contender for the job with his play during the spring and is likely the top challenger behind Coker in a competition that remains unsettled and wide-open.


"All of them have improved," coach Nick Saban said of the Tide's five quarterbacks at SEC Media Days in July. "David Cornwell played well in the spring. He's shown a lot of maturity. Very bright guy. He has a good understanding of what we want to do and how we want to do it, and a talented passer."


Ranked by Rivals as a four-star recruit and the third-best pro-style quarterback in last year's recruiting class, Cornwell threw for 2,742 yards and 27 touchdowns with just eight interceptions as a junior at Jones High School in 2012. He also ran for 755 yards and six scores while leading the team to an 11-3 record.


Cornwell suffered a knee ligament as a senior at Norman North High School, an injury that forced him to miss the second half of the season and one he continued to work back from after arriving at Alabama as an early enrollee last January.


Now nearly two years removed from sustaining that injury and down around 20 pounds from last spring, the 6-foot-5, 221-pound Cornwell is displaying characteristics that have put him in contention for the Tide's starting quarterback job.


"I think one of the things that makes David special is that he is — he's very talented and has incredible arm strength and is very gifted — but he's an extremely hard worker," ex-Norman North coach Wade Standley said during a phone interview. "He is constantly working and honing his craft, and he's a guy that he's never resting. He's always moving forward and always trying to get better. And when you've got a guy with his ability and his intelligence as well, I think that he's only going to continue to get better and better."


After Cornwell's reps were limited during spring practice last year due to the knee injury, Standley said he knows Cornwell "is feeling good now."


While Cornwell was just 12 of 24 with two interceptions during the Tide's spring game in April, he threw a late 9-yard touchdown to wide receiver Parker Barrineau.


Saban also emphasized after the scrimmage that — unlike Coker and redshirt junior Alec Morris — Cornwell, redshirt sophomore Cooper Bateman and freshman Blake Barnett did not have the benefit of working with Alabama's first-team offense.


The Tide's first practice of fall camp is Thursday, the beginning of a multi-week session during which Cornwell and Alabama's other four quarterbacks will each be given a chance to rise to the top of the Tide's quarterback depth chart.


A potential advantage for Cornwell is his youth. If Coker starts, the Tide will enter next season replacing their starting quarterback for a third straight year. Cornwell, Bateman or Barnett could provide a long-term answer at the position.


If the competition is close between Coker and Cornwell, that could give the redshirt freshman an edge.


"I can't wait to see what David does," Standley said. "I know he's going to do a great job, and I'm excited to go see him compete. He's a gamer, and he's a guy that makes plays, so it's going to be exciting and fun to watch for sure."

 

[cloverleaf]

Coker has the physical ability (arm) to be Alabama's QB. The kid can make all the throws. What separates Alabama quarterbacks who have done well as far as winning championships is from the neck up. No doubt Coker has a better arm than young Cornwell...what (may) wind up separating the two is the mental part of the game that Saban demands. Coker had better take control of this team early or he will be watching like last year.

 

[CoachCB]

Athlon asks current coaches to talk anonymously about their opponents, and it’s always interesting to get opposing coaches’ impressions off the record, especially when it’s not bland ‘coach speak.’


Alabama Crimson Tide

“The quarterback question is interesting. With (Jake) Coker, throwing the ball isn’t the issue. They tried like crazy to make him the guy last year, but (Blake) Sims just outplayed him. Does (Coker) have the moxie? That’s the intangible you need to go out and win games in this league.”


“Nobody in the league was real sad when T.J. Yeldon and Amari Cooper declared for the draft, but the way they’ve recruited you know they’ll have playmakers on the perimeter.”


“They’ve got the best talent top to bottom in our league again.”



Arkansas Razorbacks

“The thing that comes to mind with them is just how big they are. They’re freaking huge, and they’re physical. Yeah, they do a lot of shifts and motions offensively, but the big thing is they’re going to establish the run game, pound you and try to wear you down.”


“Robb Smith did as good a job as anybody in the country last year with that defense. His scheme is very sound, very solid and he doesn’t ask those guys to do too much, but he puts them in position to make plays. He’s really good scheming up his opponent and taking away what they do best. I was really impressed with the way he had those guys playing by the end of the year.”


“I don’t think they have elite guys on the back end, but they don’t play a lot of man. They’re a zone team and his scheme allows those guys to play well with what they do.”
​

Auburn Tigers

“They’re really, really fast. They had a dynamic quarterback for what they did in Nick Marshall, but the times you saw Jeremy Johnson come in, he’s got legitimate arm talent. He’s proven in games what he can do.”


“They’re surprisingly physical. The spread gets a misnomer that it’s not a physical attack, but their base play is power, and their second play is a buck sweep.”


“On defense, a healthy Carl Lawson will be huge. He can impact the game in a big way. Auburn’s defensive line will be about as good as anybody in the league, but will there be the depth there they need?”
​

 

[CoachCB]

Florida Gators

“In the short term, I think they’re probably going to be about the same as they were last year.”


“Who’s going to be the quarterback will have a lot to say about how their season goes. Treon Harris was effective at times, but I’m not sure that’s the answer long term. The old staff thought Will Grier was their most talented guy, but we’ll see.”

“Who are their playmakers? The Demarcus Robinson kid has a chance to be pretty special at wideout, but who else? There’s a reason they struggled to score points.”
​

Georgia Bulldogs

“They’re the most talented, best team in the East without question.”


“Nick Chubb is phenomenal, and he’s a great young man, by the way. Brian Schottenheimer will come in and build it around him. I don’t expect they’ll change much philosophically.”


“I think Jeremy Pruitt does a great job with their defense. They were a little bit inconsistent, but they were significantly better than the year before. You could see his DNA starting to impact the way they played.”
​

Kentucky Wildcats

“This is Year 3 for Mark Stoops, so I think the system is in place with what they want to do. And being a defensive guy, he’s going to make sure they’re good on that side of the ball.”


“I really like Patrick Towles. He’s big and he’s more athletic than you think. He doesn’t get a lot of publicity because he’s at Kentucky, but I think he’s one of the better quarterbacks in the league.”


“They have some nice-looking skill guys and do a good job spreading the ball around, but you still have to get it done up front in this league to win big.”
​

LSU Tigers

“I’m mystified why they haven’t been good offensively. They have dynamic receivers. Their offensive line is big, and (Leonard) Fournette is phenomenal. They have talent on the perimeter. Really, they have everything they need. If they can get better quarterback play, they’ll be one of the better offenses in our league.”


“They don’t have the defensive ends they’ve had in the past. Maybe (Kevin) Steele will have a different scheme that allows the guys they do have to be what they need, but they don’t have those typical LSU guys you’re scared you can’t block.”


“Brandon Harris is as gifted as any player as you can find throwing the football. Can he win the job or can they make him fit into their system? If it works itself out, he’s very talented. If he’s not the guy they’ll be very similar to last year, really conservative.”
​

 

[CoachCB]

Mississippi State Bulldogs

“If you have a quarterback you have a chance, and they’ve got one of the best leaders in the country.”


“I think Geoff Collins did a great job there, but Manny Diaz plays a different style completely. Geoff had more of a ‘bend, but don’t break’ type defense. You could get yards, but he didn’t give up many points. Manny’s style is really good at forcing turnovers. He’s probably a little more aggressive and creates a little more havoc.”

“De’Runnya Wilson is one of the most underrated receivers in the league. He’s a little bit raw, but if he takes another step forward he’s going to be a big-time player.”
​

Missouri Tigers

“They’ve never been a team that’s going to wow you with who’s on their depth chart, but they play hard, they play sound, they don’t beat themselves and they just win. There’s something to be said for that.”

“You can say the East has been down, but you don’t think Georgia or Florida would’ve liked to go to Atlanta the last two years? Hell, South Carolina has only gotten there one time ever since they’ve been in the league. It’s pretty amazing what they’ve done there over the last decade.”

“Maty Mauk is definitely not the most accurate passer in the league, but they know what he is, he knows what he is and he’s won games for them. That counts for a lot.”
​

Ole Miss Rebels

“Do they have a big-time SEC running back? If not, your quarterback better be special. As good as Bo Wallace was, everybody knew he’d beat himself a little bit, too.”


“If the (Chad) Kelly kid can become a player they’ll have a chance to contend because their defense is going to be good enough. I just don’t know if their depth on the offensive line is that great.”

“They’re just as athletic as anybody in our league. They may have the most athletic front, and (Robert) Nkemdiche can really move for a big guy.”
​

South Carolina Gamecocks

“You hear a lot of talk about (Steve) Spurrier’s window closing, but I’m not buying it.”

“They lost some guys, but they have playmakers at receiver. The variety of ways they use Pharoh Cooper will make them hard to gameplan for. They can line him up in the slot, out wide or under center and get first downs when they need to.”

“If they do have a quarterback, you have to like their chances in the East.”
​

Tennessee Volunteers

“Even though Mike Bajakian left (for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) right when they were starting to figure things out offensively, I know they feel really good about Josh Dobbs and the direction they’re going to go. Stylistically, I think they’ll probably be a lot like Auburn with Nick Marshall, a guy who can put pressure on the defense with the way he runs it.”


“Jalen Hurd, that dude is going to be a stud. They have a ton of skill coming back.”


“They’ve upgraded their talent level overall, but I just don’t know if they have a bunch of difference-makers on defense.”
​

 

[CoachCB]

Texas A&M Aggies

“You could see Kyle Allen progress as the season went on. I’m not sure why he didn’t start from Day 1. Everyone was talking about Kenny Hill after that first game, but Allen was the more talented player all along. It was only a matter of time before they made the switch.”

“I really like how they used Speedy Noil. He’s a dynamic guy you can move around, do different things with. I’d try to get him as many touches as possible and I’m sure that’s what they’re planning to do, but with smaller guys like that you have to be careful not to wear them down.”

“They’ll be better on defense with John Chavis, no question. You know what you’re going to get with him. He’s been so good for so long. He’s just going to do what he does.”
​

Vanderbilt Commodores

“Obviously, what happened last year showed what a good job James Franklin did to go to three straight bowl games. They were young, but I expected them to be much more competitive.”



“It was a complete trainwreck offensively last year. They couldn’t settle on a quarterback, and I think moving them around so much hurt their whole team. It didn’t seem like they knew what they were offensively or what they wanted to be. Once they establish who their quarterback is going to be, they’ll get better in Year 2. But who is that guy? I have no idea.”
​