LSU: Tiger assistant coach Stan Hixon has accepted a job offer with the Washington Redskins as receivers coach. He was one of three members of Nick Saban’s original staff that came in 2000. The only members left of the 2000 staff left are offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher and running backs coach Derek Dooley. Hixon is the third staff member (Lance Thompson to UCF and Tim Walton to Miami) to leave after the Tigers won the national title. Former Michigan State coach Bobby Williams and Kirby Smart, a former graduate assistant at FSU have joined the LSU staff. Smart was an All-SEC safety at Georgia (Warchant.com). The annual spring game has been set for April 24. Tiger officials are mum on the future of rising senior defensive end Marquise Hill, who might have signed with an agent (TigerBait.com). An estimated crowd of 25,000 came out in wet weather to celebrate the Tiger’s national championship day last Saturday. LSU has moved a home game with Mississippi State game from Oct. 16 to Sept. 25 (TigerBait.com). The Tigers now have an open date Oct. 16. LSU officials are still looking for an opponent to open the season after the Virginia Tech game was delayed until 2007.

TIGER COMMITS: Xavier Carter (6-3, 190), a receiver from Palm Bay (Fla.) High, chose LSU over Florida (TigerBait.com). His grandmother graduated from LSU and he has relatives living in Baton Rouge. Carter also was drawn to the Tiger track program. He runs a 4.3 in the 40-yard dash. Harry Coleman (6-1, 210), a receiver/linebacker from West St. Mary in Baldwin, La., has committed to the Tigers. Patrick White (6-2, 180), a quarterback from Daphne, Ala., has committed to LSU. He has canceled visits to Mississippi State and Kentucky. He was also recruited by West Virginia. Herman Johnson (6-7, 395), an offensive lineman from Denton, Texas has committed to LSU. Oklahoma and Houston were recruiting also Herman.

FLORIDA: Mike Mangold (6-3, 245), a defensive end from Merritt Island, Fla., de-committed from Virginia Tech and committed to Florida. His uncle is former UF assistant athletic director, Jim Weaver, who is the Hokie AD. Andrew Johnson (6-0, 205), a running back from Pittsburgh (Pa.) North Hills is visiting this weekend. Before coming to Gainesville, he had a mid-week visit at Miami. His other official visit was to Pitt. He is interested in Miami, UF, Pitt and Ohio State. The Gators might have a commitment this weekend from Eric Rutledge, fullback/linebacker from P. K. Yonge. He is also being recruited by East Carolina and South Carolina.

OLE MISS: Garry Pack (6-1, 217), a linebacker considered the top player in the state of Mississippi, committed to the Rebels (RebelGrove.com). He chose Ole Miss over FSU. Lavarus Giles (6-1, 205), a running back from Benoit, Miss., also chose the Rebels. Larry Kendrick (5-11, 200), a cornerback from Pearl River CC, has verbally committed to Ole Miss. He played a year at Florida and redshirted another one before going to Pearl River. Kendrick, who chose Ole Miss over Alabama, South Carolina, UCLA, Southern California, and Texas A & M, was the NJCAA player-of-the-year this past season. Corey Mills (6-5, 265), a defensive end from Memphis Christian Brothers verbally committed to Ole Miss. He was looking at Michigan, Florida and Memphis. Tim Henderson (6-4, 321), an offensive lineman from Shreveport, La., selected the Rebels over Texas Tech. Lamar Divens (6-4, 285), a defensive tackle from Fayetteville, Tenn., de-committed from Ole Miss and chose Vanderbilt.

Rebel linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Jim Knowles has left to join the Nebraska staff. Knowles was on the Rebel staff for one year. He came from Western Michigan were he was on staff for six years. This is the second straight year that the recruiting coordinator has left before signing day. Mike MacInytre left Ole Miss last January for the Dallas Cowboys (RebelGrove.com).

AUBURN: The Tigers received a verbal commitment from Jason Bosely (6-4, 285), an offensive lineman from Huntsville Grissom. He had offers from UAB and Vanderbilt. Merrill Johnson (6-1, 195), a linebacker from Butler (Ala.) Choctaw County, chose Auburn over UAB (AuburnSports.com). Tristan Davis (5-11, 188), an athlete from Tri-Cities, Ga., has committed to Auburn. He chose the Tigers over North Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi State and Arkansas. He will probably play safety at Auburn. The Tigers are showing interest in Chris Evans (6-0, 215), a linebacker from Blount High. He has offers from Tennessee State, Jackson State and The Citadel. Leon Hart (6-4, 290), an offensive lineman from Columbia, S.C., has committed to Auburn over South Carolina (AuburnSports.com). Hart is a USA TODAY All-American.

TENNESSEE: The Vols have a commitment from Cameron Mayo (6-4, 258), an offensive lineman from Dalton, Ga. Rivals.com rates him the No. 6 best center prospect. David Holbert (6-2, 235), a fullback from Brentwood Academy has committed to Tennessee. Florida, Auburn and Tennessee were battling for his services. The Vols also received a commitment from Arian Foster (6-1, 210), tailback from San Diego. He chose Tennessee over Oregon, North Carolina, Oregon State and West Virginia. The Vols were also in on Nader Abdallah (6-5, 290), a defensive tackle from Metairie, La., who committed to Ohio State. The Vols are still waiting on several prospects such as Brent Shaeffer (6-3, 190), a quarterback from Deerfield (Fla.) Beach (Tennessee or N. C. State), Fred Bledsoe, (6-4, 280) from Little Rock (Ark.) Central (UT or Arkansas), Tony Carter (5-8, 185), a defensive back from Mandarin (Fla.) High in Jacksonville (UT or FSU) and Robert Ayers (6-4, 227), a linebacker from Bennettsville, S.C. (UT or UF). Recruiting information from Volquest.com

GEORGIA: Bulldog coaches are concentrating on speed in this year’s recruits. Both defensive back Michael Grant from Stephenson (Ga.) High and receiver Demiko Goodman from Newman (Ga.) High are two of the Bulldog’s commitments and a couple of the nation’s top sprinters according to the AJC.com. Josh Johnson (6-0, 225), a linebacker from Stephenson High in Stone Mountain, Ga., has committed to Georgia over Florida and Miami (UGASports.com). Brandon Braxton (6-6, 300), an offensive tackle from Youngstown, Ohio, is deciding between Georgia and Oklahoma. Bulldog defensive lineman Darrius Swain was arrested Monday night for driving with a suspended license after police pulled him over for running a red light. Swain, a sophomore, had 33 tackles in 12 games.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Antonio Lamar (6-0, 245), a fullback from Snellville, Ga., has committed to the Gamecocks. He was looking at Maryland and Mississippi State. Matt Raysor (6-4, 290), a defensive tackle from Bamberg-Ehrhardt (S.C.) High, also committed. Another commitment was Alonzo Middleton (6-1, 245), a linebacker from Orangeburg-Wilkinson (S.C.) High. USC self-reported to the SEC office a situation where coach Lou Holtz and assistant Paul Lounsberry allowed a newspaper reporter to sit in on a meeting with Raysor. Later a reporter met with Lounsberry and Middleton. NCAA rules prohibit schools from allowing media to attend meetings with recruits (The State). The violation is secondary in nature. Defensive tackle Brandon Schweitzer might move back to his original position of fullback. Stoney Woodson (5-11, 175), a cornerback from Tampa (Fl.) Middleton, has committed to USC. Evan Spanogians (6-5, 303), an offensive lineman from West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West High, has de-committed from Cincinnati and committed to USC (GamecockCentral.com).

ARKANSAS: One of the reasons that Houston Nutt turned down the Nebraska job was because the school’s buyout was so low. Nebraska could have fired him after two years and owed him only $400,000 for the remaining five years (CBSSportsline.com). Ernest Mitchell, Jr. (6-1, 285), a defensive tackle from Newnan, Ga., has committed to Arkansas over FSU (HawgSports.com).

ALABAMA: Keith Brown (6-3, 190), a receiver from Pensacola (Fla.) High, verbally committed to the Tide (BamaOnline.com). He chose Alabama over FSU, Florida and Mississippi State. He was selected as an offensive MVP of the Florida team in the Cali-Florida game. Lorenzo Washington (6-4, 270), a defensive tackle from Grayson (Ga.) High, has chosen Alabama over Georgia. D. J. Hall (6-3, 187), a receiver from Fort Walton Beach, Fla., chose Alabama over LSU (BOL.com). Hall also considered FSU and Florida. Attorney Tommy Gallion, who is representing former Alabama assistant coaches Ronnie Cottrell and Ivy Williams in a $60 million lawsuit against the NCAA, is seeking a congressional investigation into the involvement of the federal government in relation to a probe of the Tide football program. The NCAA denied Gallion’s claim that it ignored violations by Tennessee in return for cooperation in a probe of Alabama (BOL.com).

GEORGIA TECH: Nate McManus (6-4, 295), an offensive lineman from Mountain Brook, Ala., has committed to Tech (Rivals.com). Auburn, Middle Tennessee State and Tech are recruiting him. Djay Jones (6-2, 185), a safety from Camden County (Ga.) Kingsland, has committed to Tech. He was also looking at Duke and Wake Forest.

WAKE FOREST: The Demon Deacons have a commitment from Demir Bolden (6-1, 208), a linebacker from Pahokee. Bolden is the younger brother of former FSU star Anquan Bolden.

FSU Xavier Lee, a quarterback from Daytona Beach Seabreeze High, committed to the Noles at his football banquet this past Sunday. His brother, Anthony Kelly, is planning on enrolling next January. He was looking at Auburn and Texas. Lee said he plans on redshirting next season. Rivals.com rated him as the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback. Kenny “Special K” O’Neal (6-0, 195), a receiver from Oakland (Calif.) Skyline has committed. He chose FSU over Georgia. He is the No. 20 overall receiver prospect according to Rivals.com. Dumaka Atkins (6-4, 280), an offensive lineman from Sarasota Booker and Geoff Berniard (6-8, 330), an offensive lineman from Lafayette, La., verbally committed to the Noles. Aaron Jones (6-3, 270), a defensive tackle and Kenny Ingram (6-5, 190), a safety, both from Orlando Edgewater High, have committed to FSU over Miami. Jones is the top rated defensive tackle in the state. The Chris Weinke and Chris Rix feud has been chronicled this week in Florida Today. Weinke said he did not appreciate Rix’s immaturity. Rix gave Warchant.com defended himself by saying he has matured and tried to develop a relationship with Weinke. The Noles have a good shot at signing Emmanuel Dunbar (6-5, 260), a defensive lineman from Deerfield Beach, Fl. He is being recruited by Oklahoma, N. C. State and FSU. Lawrence Timmons, a linebacker from S.C., has committed to FSU.

CLEMSON: The Tigers have added a two-for-one series with Temple replacing Auburn according to The State. Temple comes to Clemson in 2005 and 2007 and the Tigers travel to Philadelphia in 2006. The schedule change reflects the decision of Clemson officials to play weaker non-conference opponents because of the ACC expansion. Next season Clemson plays at Texas A & M, and has home games against Utah State and South Carolina. The Tigers play at Miami next season, but do not play Virginia Tech. Xavier Littleberry (6-6, 235), a tight end/defensive end from Camden Military Academy, has committed to the Tigers (TigerIllustrated.com).

VIRGINIA: Nate Lyles (6-0, 195), a cornerback from Chicago, Illinois has committed to Virginia over Notre Dame. Rivals rates him as the No. 23 cornerback in the nation.

MIAMI: Antonio Dixon (6-4, 318), a defensive tackle from Miami Booker T. Washington High, has committed to the Canes according to Canesport.com. Dwayne Hendricks 6-4, 246), a defensive tackle from Millville, N. J., has committed to the Canes. He is the No. 11 rated defensive tackle according to Rivals.com. Virginia and Iowa were battling Miami for his services (Canesport.com). Chris Zellner (6-2, 225), a defensive end/tight end from Sarasota Booker, has verbally committed to the Canes.

TCU: The Horned Frogs are set to accept an invitation to join the Mountain West conference this week. They would begin play during the 2005-06 school year. The school would make more money in the Mountain West than C-USA. TCU would join Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State UNLV, Utah and Wyoming. The Mountain West would be TCU’s fourth conference in 10 years since the Southwestern Conference dissolved in 1995. TCU would be the eight member of C-USA to leave. Cincinnati, DePaul, Marquette, South Florida and Louisville are going to the Big East and Saint Louis and Charlotte are joining the Atlantic 10.

LOUISVILLE: The Cardinals have seven commitments from Florida players. Two of the latest have been running back George Stripling (6-1, 185), a running back from Jackson High in Jacksonville and Gary Barnidge (6-6, 220), a tight end from Middleburg (Fla.) High.

TEXAS: Hardee McCray, the defensive ends and recruiting coordinator, has resigned after six years on Mack Brown’s staff. Brown replaced McCray and defensive coordinator Carl Reese with former Kansas City defensive coordinator Greg Robinson (linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator) and former Arizona head coach Dick Tomey (defensive ends and assistant head-coach).

OKLAHOMA: Quarterback Jason White has a cast on his right hand and left foot. He injured his hand in the Big 12 title game loss to Kansas State and he broke a bone in the big toe of his left foot during the Sugar Bowl.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA has a verbal commitment from Fred Davis (6-4, 210), a receiver from Rogers (Ohio) High in Toledo. He had offers from Florida, Miami, Ohio State and Oklahoma.