Sec notebook

[CoachCB]

Don't know Coach. I heard from a reliable source that Saban blew his top over this
incident. Lot of demands on the Alabama coaches as far as recruiting but when one
breaks rules, they will pay a price. Of course Bama suffers also. With the program
Saban has built...the coaches don't need to go beyond the rules. Davis is one hell of
a defensive line coach and I hate to see him go. But....

Joker Phillips got canned at UF (when he was the WR coach under Muschamp) for breaking some ridiculous rule (he met w/ a recruit at a restaurant during a "no contact" period). Lost his job over it. Davis made $475K!!! I'm sure part of him losing this job will prevent him from coaching in college football for several years. Unless the NFL picks him up, he'll be lucky to land a job making 20% of that. Sucks.

Saban has a lot of "analysts" on his staff. I'm curious to see who he brings in. Gator fans are worried he goes after Chris Rumph...but Rumph left his staff several years ago.

 

[cloverleaf]

Alabama Defensive Backs

CB - Marlon Humphrey (6-1,198) Soph. and Kendall Sheffield (6-0, 190) rFR.
Humphrey could be on the verge of a true breakout campaign in his second season as a starter.
Sheffield is a former 5-star recruit who has showed a lot of potential. Also, Tony Brown is facing
possible suspensions, so his status is still unknown.

CB - Minkah Fitzpatrick (6-1, 200) Soph. and Anthony Averett (6-0, 185) Jr.
Fitzpatrick surprised many with his quick rise to a starting job and this year he'll move over to replace
NFL bound Cyrus Jones as a starting corner. Averett is one of the fastest players on the team and has
shown he can provide solid depth.

SS - Ronnie Harrison (6-3, 215) Soph. and Hootie Jones (6-2, 215) Jr.
The part time starter last season, Harrison is a prototypical strong safety with the athleticism for coverage
and the size and strength to provide run support. Coaches have been waiting on Jones to make a name
for himself for the last two years.

FS - Eddie Jackson (6-0,195) Sr. and Shawn Becker (6-1, 215) Soph.
Jackson is a returning starter who slides over to free safety after finding his niche at strong safety last
season when he led the team with six interceptions. Becker is a 4-star prospect brimming with
potential in his second year.

Others - Maurice Smith (6-0, 195) Sr. and Deionte Thompson (6-2, 193) Soph.
A versatile defensive back who has seen time at both corner and safety, Smith could finally be in line to
earn significant playing time at the star position. Thompson showed his versatility by moving to receiver
last fall but is back at his more natural spot.

Good, young secondary should have plenty of opportunities with the pass rush expected from an outstanding
front seven.

 

[cloverleaf]

Joker Phillips got canned at UF (when he was the WR coach under Muschamp) for breaking some ridiculous rule (he met w/ a recruit at a restaurant during a "no contact" period). Lost his job over it. Davis made $475K!!! I'm sure part of him losing this job will prevent him from coaching in college football for several years. Unless the NFL picks him up, he'll be lucky to land a job making 20% of that. Sucks.

Saban has a lot of "analysts" on his staff. I'm curious to see who he brings in. Gator fans are worried he goes after Chris Rumph...but Rumph left his staff several years ago.

Davis is an outstanding DL coach and will land a job in the pros with little problem. He has coached in the NFL before with the Miami
Dolphins. A person familiar with the situation told a Tuscaloosa reporter the matter did concern a potential recruiting violation, which
may not even be serious in nature, but Davis was not cooperative with the school when questioned about it. It appears that lack of
cooperation led to his departure. Davis made $560,500 last season including his national championship bonus. Not like he will starve
if he has to sit out a season. I think what really pissed Saban off was that Davis was not completely up front with him.

 

[CoachCB]

2 years in a row, Tennessee has ZERO players drafted. That is amazing.

 

[cloverleaf]

Mighty Tennessee has won just 1 of their last 11 games against Alabama and
1 of their last 11 games against Florida. 2-22 against the Tide and the Gators.

Maybe Bama and Florida should substitute a non-conference game for Tennessee
to get some competition.

 

[CoachCB]

Mighty Tennessee has won just 1 of their last 11 games against Alabama and
1 of their last 11 games against Florida. 2-22 against the Tide and the Gators.

Maybe Bama and Florida should substitute a non-conference game for Tennessee
to get some competition.

Florida has an 11 game winning streak going against UT. 2004 was their last win. I'm not real confident about this year's game....unless the QB position vastly improves by the time they go to Knoxville.

I imagine they'll have at least 5 next year w/ Hurd leading the way.

 

[cloverleaf]

LSU Interesting Stat.........

.........The Tigers are 8-1 against the spread in game 3 then regress to 1-8 ATS
in game 4.

Last year they beat Auburn 45-21 to cover game 3 then failed to cover in game 4
with a 34-24 win over Syracuse.

Go figure.....................

 

[cloverleaf]

South Carolina

It's no secret that South Carolina is thin and inexperienced at wide receiver. All you need to
know about Gamecocks' concerns is that the post-spring depth chart didn't even list a player
behind Jamari Smith and he recently moved from running back. Among the candidates to
contribute are Deebo Samuel, who caught just 12 passes last season and Bryan Edwards and
Matrick Belton, the only returning receiver who caught more than five passes last season.
There's also walk-on Devin Dingle, who had two catches in the spring game. Five true freshman
recruits will have an opportunity to start. Not good for first year coach Will Muschamp.

 

[CoachCB]

South Carolina wins no more than 4 games this year.

 

[NoCoke]

South Carolina

It's no secret that South Carolina is thin and inexperienced at wide receiver. All you need to
know about Gamecocks' concerns is that the post-spring depth chart didn't even list a player
behind Jamari Smith and he recently moved from running back. Among the candidates to
contribute are Deebo Samuel, who caught just 12 passes last season and Bryan Edwards and
Matrick Belton, the only returning receiver who caught more than five passes last season.
There's also walk-on Devin Dingle, who had two catches in the spring game. Five true freshman
recruits will have an opportunity to start. Not good for first year coach Will Muschamp.

There's actually a bit of optimisim with the receivers around these parts. Edwards is going to be a good one. Smith turned some heads during the spring and there's high hopes for Deebo as well. I think this group might surprise people.

Not a whole lot of talent on the roster for Muschamp to work with, but the schedule is a favorable one. Having Vandy, State, and UK as 3 of the 4 road conference games makes things a bit easier. But hey, 4 wins is an improvement from last year..

 

[cloverleaf]

There's actually a bit of optimisim with the receivers around these parts. Edwards is going to be a good one. Smith turned some heads during the spring and there's high hopes for Deebo as well. I think this group might surprise people.

Not a whole lot of talent on the roster for Muschamp to work with, but the schedule is a favorable one. Having Vandy, State, and UK as 3 of the 4 road conference games makes things a bit easier. But hey, 4 wins is an improvement from last year..

Love your attitude No Coke.....I'm guessing it will be a long year for the Gamecocks.

 

[cloverleaf]

Les Miles - LSU

I used to think Les Miles was a looneytune but after watching him last year and how he handled
himself when LSU was trying to run him off change my opinion of the man. I kind of admire
the guy. Anyway, here's an interesting stat on the grass muncher.

Miles is 1-9-1 against the spread in SEC home openers since becoming LSU's head coach. He's
9-2 straight up in those same games but a money burner if you are a Tiger betting man.

2015 Auburn 45-21 (Lost ATS)
2014 Miss St. 29-34 (L)
2013 Auburn 35-21 (L)
2012 S. Car 23-21 (L)
2011 Kentucky 35-7 (L)
2010 Miss St. 29-7 (W)
2009 Vandy 23-9 (T)
2008 Miss St. 34-24 (L)
2007 S. Car 28-16 (L)
2006 Miss St. 48-17 (L)
2005 Tenn 27-30 (L)

First conference home game this season is September 17 against Mississippi State.

 

[cloverleaf]

Auburn

Four Auburn football players were arrested over the weekend on misdemeanor drug charges.
Carlton Davis, Ryan Davis, Byron Cowart and Jeremiah Dinson were charged with possession
of marijuana, a Class A misdemeanor. A Class A misdemeanor carries a sentence of not more
than one year in jail and up to a $6,000 fine. Carlton Davis is expected to be a starter at CB
after starting nine games as a freshman last year. Byron Cowart arrived at Auburn last season
as one of the nation's top overall recruits in the 2015 signing class. He played in 12 games
last season. Ryan Davis is expected to compete for playing time at WR and in the return game
after the former 4-star recruit redshirted last season. Dinson is expected to sit out the 2016
season with a serious knee injury. It will be interesting to see how Malzahn handles this with
Clemson being the first game.

 

[cloverleaf]

Alabama

It is being reported that Nick Saban is about to hire longtime NFL defensive line coach Karl Dunbar
to replace Bo Davis who resigned last week over recruiting violations. Dunbar previously worked
for the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets under coach Rex Ryan and conditioning coach at LSU under
Saban from 2000-2001. Davis is accused of visiting multiple out of state recruits during a period
when coaches aren't allowed any contact with recruits. Davis alleged violations are being compared
to those committed by former Florida wide receiver coach Joker Phillips in 2014. Phillips resigned
and the Gators received no further penalties from the NCAA.
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Bama Free Agents

Seven Alabama players were selected during the NFL draft, but several other key players went
undrafted. Here's a list of where these free agents signed.

WR - Richard Mullaney - Houston
LB - Dillon Lee - New Orleans
SS - Geno Smith - Washington
DL - D.J. Pettway - New Orleans
OL - Dominick Jackson - Washington
QB - Jake Coker - Arizona
DL - Darren Lake - San Francisco
FB - Mike Nysewander - Kansas City

I look forward to seeing how many of these players make the team.

 

[cloverleaf]

Florida

The Gators picked up their fifth commitment to the 2017 recruiting class with the addition
of Blount High (Mobile, AL) dual threat quarterback KADRIUS TONEY. He was rated a 3-star
athlete who last season put up some big numbers. He passed for 3,604 yards and 37 touch-
downs. He also rushed for 896 yards and 16 scores. Even though listed as an "athlete" he
was promised a shot at playing quarterback at Florida. Alabama nor Auburn offered Toney
a scholarship. He's a really good athlete with lots of upside. My guess he winds up at wide
receiver after a go at quarterback.

 

[cloverleaf]

Satellite Camps

SEC coaches are gearing up for a hectic offseason because of satellite camps. Georgia's Kirby
Smart said these camps are popping up left and right and he is trying to be selective when and
where to go. Kentucky's Mark Stoops said his staff would take part in several camps located in
Florida, Ohio and Georgia. Missouri's Barry Odom said his staff would be in Kansas City and
St. Louis as well as Texas, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida. South Carolina's Will Muschamp said
his staff would be in Georgia, North Carolina and Florida. Some coaches emphasized the need to
have recruits visit their schools and get to know the campus. One coach said he believed the
Satellite camps are more helpful to programs out side the major conferences. I agree.

Sidenote: One SEC coach should be in good shape for all the satellite camps popping up. Miss
State's Dan Mullen ran the Boston Marathon and finished the 26.2 miles in 4 hours, 28 minutes,
35 seconds. Mullen (43 years old) averaged 10:14 minutes per mile in his first ever marathon.

 

[cloverleaf]

continuing Satellite Camps

During a teleconference yesterday, Nick Saban said he isn't changing his preference in the
constantly evolving issue of satellite camps, ban or no ban. Saban said he prefers recruits
to make the trip to Tuscaloosa for one of the team-sponsored camps, rather than dive
headfirst into the muddy waters of satellite camps. He did say Alabama's coaching staff
would be involved "on a limited basis" as guest coaches at off-campus camps, though he
reiterated his long standing belief that prospective student athletes should experience Bama's
on-campus summer camps. Saban would not say what satellite camps his coaches might
attend.

Auburn announced the Tigers would participate in a satellite camp at Gulf Coast Community
college located in Mississippi on June 3. The camp will also have coaches from LSU, Ole Miss,
Missouri, Troy, South Alabama among others. It's the second satellite camp Auburn has said
it will take part in...the other being the two day Minority Coaches Association of Georgia camp.
The MCA camp will be at Woodland High School in Stockbridge, Georgia on June 9-10. Along
with Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Mississippi
State among others will attend.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say this recruiting fad will burn out in two or three years. Major
schools will discard the waste of time and money like a dirty shirt. As one of the best recruiters
CFB has ever seen said "these camps probably benefit the smaller schools."

 

[cloverleaf]

Opening Week

The 2016 season gets underway on Thursday night, September 1, when South Carolina
travels to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt. Opening weekend features six big non-conf
games. Take a look:

GEORGIA vs. North Carolina (Atlanta, Ga)
MISSOURI at West Virginia
ALABAMA vs. Southern Cal (Arlington, Tx)
Clemson at AUBURN
LSU vs. Wisconsin (Green Bay, Wi)
OLE MISS vs. Florida State (Orlando, Fl)
UCLA at TEXAS A&M

Good test for the SEC to start the season.

Sidenote: South Carolina is 15-1 straight up in Game 1 of the season. Missouri is
14-0 SU in their openers. Alabama is 7-1 against the spread last eight openers.

 

[cloverleaf]

Mississippi State

There is no shortage of quarterback candidates to replace Dak Prescott on the Bulldogs
roster. Damian Williams (6-1, 230) served as the team's starter in the 2013 Egg Bowl,
but isn't built like a prototype quarterback. Nick Fitzgerald (6-5, 232), the redshirt
freshman who was the first off the bench for Prescott last season, and Elijah Staley (6-6,
250) are two young prospects who could earn the starting role. Freshman Nick Tiano
(6-1, 230) spent last season on the scout team as a redshirt, but figures to be heavily
in the mix as well. Although Dan Mullen would like to see one of the competing QB's
earn the job through the work put in over summer, he said he did not want to put a time
table on any decision. That timetable could even extend into the regular season. The
offense has either six or seven starters returning.

Sidenote. Mississippi State has appeared in six straight bowl games for the first time in
116 years of Bulldog football.

 

[MackDonald]

It seems like talented QB's are coming up out of the woodwork all over the place with only so much playing time available. I remember when Chris Collingsworth was recruited out of Astronaut H.S. (Titusville, Florida) back in the late 70"s as a QB by the Gators who ended-up as a wide receiver (lots of speed with athleticism). He played in 2 Super Bowls as a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals .....I think we will see more of this in the years ahead, QB's being used in
skill positions.