GEORGIA: The Dawgs look promising at linebacker despite having only one returning starter in Danny Verdun-Wheeler. Middle linebacker Tony Taylor is back after missing last year with a torn ACL. Taylor is being pushed by redshirt freshman Josh Johnson. The other outside linebacker spot is a battle between senior Derrick White and sophomore Brandon Miller. Defensive end signee Corey Moon is very close to qualifying, if he keeps his current grade point average. Moon also averaged 15 points/10 rebounds playing basketball and won the only tennis tournament that he entered. Senior defensive lineman Darrius Swain will be internally disciplined according to Coach Mark Richt. Swain has been ordered to serve 45 days in confinement and 40 hours of community service as a result of repeated driver’s license violations. He is not expected to be suspended for any games. Five incoming signees: receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, quarterback Joe Cox, cornerback Bryan Evans, tight end Trip Chandler and safety C. J. Byrd have enrolled and are listed as students in the campus directory. Massaquoi, Evans and Byrd are expected to get playing time. (UGASports.com and AJC.com)

SOUTH CAROLINA: Coach Steve Spurrier told a group of Sumter County boosters last week that he will be the winningest coach in USC history before he leaves. Rex Enright has the record with 65 wins over two stints during his career from 1938-42, 1946-55. Receiver signee O. J. Murdock won the 100- and 200- meters at the Florida high school track championships. His times are among the fastest in the nation. In the 100-meters, he ran a 10.66. Spurrier said receiver Noah Whiteside who broke his ankle in the spring game is progressing well and should be ready for the season opener. Spurrier said he wants to nickname the offense “Cock ‘n Fire”. Former Gamecock running back Demetris Summers, who was dismissed in March for failing a second drug test, does not have the grades to transfer to another school. In order to transfer, a player must be academically eligible at the school he is leaving. Spurrier described signee Kenny McKinley of Mableton, Ga., as a “right-handed Michael Vick”. (GamecockCentral.com and The State)

OLE MISS: LaDerrick Vaughn (6-2, 205), an athlete from Memphis Manassas (Tenn.) High, has committed to Ole Miss. Alabama, Vanderbilt and Memphis have been recruiting him. (RebelGrove.com)

LSU: Quarterback signee Ryan Perrilloux’s 32-year-old brother, Dale, was killed in a trucking accident last week in Maryland. Perrilloux had a solid high school baseball season hitting .414 for East St. John High School. Al Woods (6-4, 327), a defensive tackle from Elton (La.) High, has committed to the Tigers. Georgia, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Miami and Southern California are recruiting him. He squats 500 pounds, benches 415 and runs a 5.0 in the 40-yard dash. He is also a two-year starter in basketball. (Tigerbait.com)

ALABAMA: Tailback Ken Darby is making progress after sports hernia surgery. Darby said his rehab is going well and he should be ready for the start of the season. Former Alabama coach Mike DuBose has caused some attention after his comments to radio talk show host/columnist Paul Finebaum. DuBose said the problem with the Alabama football program is that there are 10-15 people who are trying to run the program from the athletic department. He added that former coach Gene Stallings was pushed out before he was ready to leave. DuBose recently accepted a job with Millsaps College as the defensive coordinator. Charlie Higgenbotham (6-1, 223), a linebacker from Mountain Brook, has committed to Alabama. Before deciding on Alabama, he went on nine unofficial visits. He is the Tide’s fourth verbal commitment. (Bamaonline.com and Al.com)

FLORIDA: Gator players are not allowed to wear any school gear during voluntary workouts. This means no traditional Florida T-shirts and shorts on the field or in the weight room. However, the players have issued no complaints. (Gainesville Sun and GatorBait.net)

FLORIDA STATE: Receiver Lorne Sam plans on sitting out the 2005 season due to multiple surgeries on his foot. He underwent one surgery last week and will have another one in six to eight weeks. Sam has applied to the NCAA for a medical redshirt. His older brother, P. K. Sam, is with the New England Patriots. The Noles are close to signing a contract to play Navy in Jacksonville in 2008. (Warchant.com)

CLEMSON: Coach Tommy Bowden said he would evaluate the status of running back Duane Coleman over the summer before reinstating him. Coleman was suspended because of an argument with the coaching staff in spring practice. ABC is considering televising Clemson’s home games vs. Miami (Sept. 17) and FSU (Nov. 12) at 3:30 P.M. ESPN would probably pick up one or both games, if ABC passes. (TigerIllustrated.com and The State)

GEORGIA TECH: Coach Chan Gailey is now 20 pounds lighter after cutting down on his favorite food-ice cream. Defensive lineman Travis Parker has been declared academically ineligible. What was once a deep defensive line has now become much thinner after defensive tackle Mansfield Wrotto shifted to the offensive line and defensive tackle Darryl Richard sustained a knee injury. (AJC.com)

MIAMI: Cornerback Devin Hester, who has a 37.5- inch vertical leap, had the only sub-4.3 in the 40-yard dash (4.29) on the team. Hester, who weighs 190 pounds, has 6.8% body fat and can back squat 410 pounds. Linebacker Tavares Gooden was eighth with a time of 4.47. Another linebacker, Willie Williams, who had a 38- inch vertical leap, ran a 4.55-second time just barely missing the top ten. Defensive tackle Baraka Atkins ran a 4.72 in the forty, squatted 405 pounds, benched 325 and had a 34-inch vertical leap. Defensive lineman Eric Moncur had a 425- pound bench press and offensive lineman Andrew Bain had a 585 back squat. Bain, who came in as a freshman at 362 pounds, has dropped from 330 last spring to 317 this spring. (Canesport.com)

ACC: The league is trying to add two more bowl games to its current starting five in 2006. Logic behind the move is to protect the runner-up team in the ACC title game. If the Gator Bowl keeps the ACC’s No. 2 pick, then the Peach Bowl could be the logical place for the loser of the title game. The league has also decided to televise the title game at 8 p.m. on Dec. 3 from Jacksonville. The ACC has committed to playing nine football games with Big East teams starting in 2008. That was part of the settlement with the Big East. Eight of the games will be a home-and-home series between FSU-West Virginia, UConn-Virgina, North Carolina-Rutgers and N. C. State-Pitt. The ninth game will be between Miami and Pitt. There is a six-year window to complete the games. Jacksonville has already sold 42,000 tickets to the ACC title game. College football ratings are out. ABC’s ratings are down 11%. Network officials blame it on a poor non-conference schedule in September and the impact of the hurricane season. ESPN ratings were up 2%. (The State, and AJC.com)

UCF: The Golden Knights are going to practice in the morning this season at 9 AM. UCF coach George O’Leary believes the team practices better in the morning. The school’s academic advisors were pleased because study hall schedules can remain the same. (Orlando Sentinel)

ATHLON: The magazine is unveiling its top 25 one day at a time: 25. Georgia Tech, 24. UTEP, 23. Pitt, 22. Virginia, 21. Texas Tech, 20. Auburn, 19. Arizona State, 18. Boise State, 17. Boston College and 16. Alabama. (Athlon.com)

BRENT BEAIRD IS A SPORTS WRITER FOR THE CLAY COUNTY LINE IN ORANGE PARK, FL.
HE ALSO WRITES FOR RIVALS.COM AND SAMSPORTSLINE.COM.