FLORIDA: At a meeting in Volusia County, Coach Urban Meyer gave more details about the Gator walk. The team, wearing shirts and ties, will be dropped off by bus near University Avenue and walk between rows of Gator fans to the locker rooms. Meyer is also excited about receiver Dallas Baker’s performance in the classroom. He also said safety signee Reggie Nelson has yet to qualify. Nelson told Gatorbait.net that he has not retaken his required math test yet. FieldTurf, which is much softer than AstroTurf, is being installed on one of the three practice fields this summer. The only surface that includes FieldTurf in the SEC is the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, the site of the SEC Title game.

GATOR VERBAL: Durham, N. C., offensive lineman Carl Johnson (6-5, 348), the nation’s No. 5 rated prospect according to Rivals.com, has committed to Florida. He is scheduled to graduate in December. Southern Cal, Oklahoma, Texas and Michigan are the other schools he is considering. Myron Rolle (6-2, 214), a cornerback from The Hun School in Princeton, N. J., visited Florida last weekend. Rolle is the No. 3 rated athlete in the nation according to Rivals.com. Rolle, a 4.0 student with a 1340 SAT, runs a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash. Oklahoma, Michigan, Miami, Florida and FSU are among his favorites. Jamar Hornsby (6-3, 195), an athlete from Sandalwood (Fla.) High in Jacksonville, visited Florida this past weekend. Hornsby, a 5-star prospect from Rivals.com, said Florida is his leader. He is also looking at Michigan, Georgia, Georgia Tech and USC. Landstown Virginia’s Percy Harvin (6-1, 188), the nation’s No. 1 prospect according to Rivals.com, has Florida in his top five along with FSU, Miami, Southern Cal and Michigan. Harvin, who rushed for more than 700 yards and had over 1,000 yards receiving, also likes Tennessee and LSU. One of the fringe benefits for recruits visiting Florida is to take a pontoon boat ride. Florida owns Lake Wauberg. Meyer is very serious about recruiting South Florida. He visited 28 high schools and went to nine practices in South Florida in three days during the May evaluation period. In all, he visited 99 high schools. Heralded Nease (Fla.) High quarterback Tim Tebow will visit the Florida football camp on Monday. (GatorBait.net and Gainesville Sun)

TENNESSEE: Vol coach Phil Fulmer said he would attend SEC Media Days in July. Fulmer was a no-show last year after his attorneys advised him not to go last year after attorney Tommy Gallion had threatened to subpoena him. Gallion was then representing former Alabama recruit and Tennessee player Kenny Smith and his mother, who had filed a defamation suit against Fulmer. Defensive tackle Tony McDaniel, who is facing a felony aggravated assault charge, has a motion date scheduled for Aug. 16. Vol fall practice begins Aug. 9. Reserve defensive tackle LaRon Harris will not return this season due to academic reasons. Vol receiver Bret Smith and former quarterback Brent Schaeffer made a deal with prosecutors Thursday that results in them paying restitution instead of spending time in jail for their part in a campus fight. (Tennessean.com and Volquest.com)

MISSISSIPPI STATE: Brandon Cooper (6-3, 235), a defensive end from Missouri City (Texas) Fort Bend Marshall, has committed to the Bulldogs. His teammate Chris Herrera (6-4, 255), a tackle and tight end, also committed to State. (Bulldogblitz.com)

OLE MISS: Tailback Vashon Pearson has been dismissed from the team because he is academically ineligible. Pearson led the team last season with 807 yards rushing. Despite three straight 100-yard rushing games midway through the season, Pearson’s production took a dive after being suspended for the first half of the Tennessee game. Junior Jamal Pittman should have a chance to become the featured back in the offense. Sophomore Alan Abrams and senior fullback Brandon Jacobs are few of the experienced running backs. Ole Miss signed three incoming freshmen backs—Antonio Turner, Marcus Green and Kendrick Perry. (RebelGrove.com and Clarion-Ledger)

ARKANSAS: Lucas Jackson has left Arkansas after four years, and enrolled at Grambling State after he was moved from linebacker to the defensive line. (AP)

SOUTH CAROLINA: Offensive lineman John Paul Gillis is ending his football career due to a serious back injury. He has been diagnosed with a rupture disk in his spinal cord and three degenerative disks. Coach Steve Spurrier has offered him a job as his personal assistant. After signing with the Gamecocks in 2004, he was redshirted last year. Receiver signee Carlos Thomas (6-0, 180) has qualified contrary to rumor. Thomas, who runs a 10.31 in the 100 meters, is in Columbia working out. His brother is NFL player Levon Thomas. (Gamecockcentral.com)

AUBURN: School president Ed Richardson said a playoff in college football is inevitable because he has seen reports that say only 40 of 117 Division I-A teams finish in the black. He does not want a playoff if the bowls are hurt, but he said there could be a way to use the bowls in a playoff. During his speech to a booster club in Huntsville, Ala., Coach Tommy Tuberville said this year’s team could be his deepest and most athletic. Tuberville said he is not concerned about the running back situation with Tre Smith, Kenny Irons, Carl Stewart and Jake Slaughter. The coach also said the opener against Georgia Tech will probably be televised on ESPN in prime time. (Huntsville Times and AJC.com)

ALABAMA: Tide signee Desmond Jennings has been selected in the 18th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by Cleveland. Jennings did not qualify as a freshman and plans on attending Itawamba Community College, if he does not sign with the Indians. Sarasota High running back Mike Ford is still trying to qualify. His coach Bob Perkins said Ford has raised his core grade point average and is awaiting his ACT test scores. Ford could end up at Hargrave Military Academy. Defensive end signee Lorenzo Washington, who spent last year at Hargrave Military Academy, is on campus this week. (BOL.com)

KENTUCKY: Projected starting tackle Aaron Miller has left the team for personal reasons. He was voted to the Sporting News All-SEC Freshman team last season. His departure combined with the loss of linebackers Jon Sumrall, Chad Anderson and Dustin Williams and receiver Lonnell Dewalt have made for a difficult offseason. Kentucky and Louisville officials have yet to sit down to discuss a contract extension to continue the series, which is in the last year of its contract. Kentucky and Louisville have opened the season on ESPN for the past several years. (Courier-Journal.com and Cats Pause.com)

THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS ANNUAL POLL: LSU has been selected to win the SEC Western Division and Tennessee was the pick to win the Eastern Division according to league sports information directors. After LSU, the pecking order was Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The other Eastern Division selections in order were Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky and Vanderbilt. In overall strength, Tennessee was voted the top team with LSU finishing second. (Birmingham News)

SEC MEETING LEFTOVERS: The league split a record $110.7 million among its members. That is the 17th year in a row that the SEC has increased it revenue from the previous year. In comparison, the league made $16 million in 1990 and $73 million in 2000. (Mobile Register)

ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPI ALL-STAR GAME: Mississippi broke a six-year losing streak to the Alabama team after winning, 21-18, Saturday night in Mobile before 10,000 fans. Alabama signee Jimmy Johns, a quarterback from Brookhaven, Miss., completed 5-of-9 passes for 88 yards and rushed 14 times for 37 yards to lead his team to victory. Johns is having his shoulder examined after injuring it in practice and re-injuring it in the game. South Panola tailback Derek Pegues, who rushed for 106 yards, had a 72-yard scoring jaunt for the winning squad. Pegues, a Mississippi State signee, is expected to play cornerback in Starkville. (Clarion-Ledger.com)

TOUGH SCHEDULES: CBSSportsline.com has compiled a list of the toughest schedules and North Carolina (eight bowl teams) and Georgia Tech (six bowl teams) are first and second. UNC plays Wisconsin, Utah and Louisville, teams that were a combined 32-4 last season. Since 2001, UNC has played Texas, Louisville, Utah, Maryland, Syracuse. Georgia is ranked No. 9, Florida is No. 27, Miami is No. 42 and FSU is No. 58. (CBSSportsline.com)

FLORIDA STATE: Receiver Lorne Sam is transferring to UTEP and wants to play quarterback. He had contacted Washington, UNLV and Colorado State. He is visiting UTEP on June 13. Sam has two years of eligibility left. Letroy Guion (6-4, 282), an all-state defensive tackle from Bradford Starke (Fla.) could be a late addition to the 2005 recruiting class. He was set to enroll at Butler Community College, but raised his grades and scored an 18 on his ACT to the point to where he is getting close to qualifying. If he qualifies, he will sign with FSU and be on campus June 19. Guion attracted a lot of attention during the Cali-Florida Bowl last December. The addition of Guion could be important because defensive tackle Clifton Dickson, who was a projected starter at defensive tackle, will not be eligible this fall. He is currently enrolled at Tallahassee Community College and expected to graduate in December. Since Dickson did not redshirt during his first two seasons, he will have two more years of eligibility remaining. With the loss of Chris Bradwell back in February and the probability of signees Callahan Bright and Justin Mincey not qualifying, the FSU D-line is lacking depth. There is also concern about Brodrick Bunkley’s academics hurdles. Bunkley, who is recovering from ankle surgery, is taking four classes this summer.

More than 60 FSU players showed up Tuesday to begin summer conditioning. Alex Boston is hoping to see considerable playing time at defensive end in the fall. Boston, who has recovered from having his knee scoped at the end of spring practice, should be able to go full speed on the field and in the weight room by next week. He has bulked up from 230 to 260 pounds. When he was healthy in the spring, Boston rotated with Darrell Burston opposite Kamerion Wimbley. (Warchant.com and Tallahassee Democrat)

MIAMI: Hurricane offensive lineman Chris Barney (6-6, 318) reported this week with several other freshmen. He is hoping to get some playing time in his first year. (Canesport.com)

CLEMSON: ESPN THE MAGAZINE has listed Tommy Bowden as one of its coaches on the hot seat. Kentucky’s Rich Brooks is No. 1 on the list. The Tiger season opener at Maryland will be televised at noon by ESPN. Clemson’s game against Miami on Sept. 17 will either start at 3:30 p.m. on ABC or 7:45 p.m. on ESPN. Three players from the state of South Carolina made the Rivals100 for 2006: Clifton Geathers (6-7, 280), an offensive lineman from Carvers Bay, is No. 33, Ricky Sapp (6-5, 225), a defensive end from Bamberg-Ehrhardt, is No. 42 and Adam Patterson (6-2, 262), a defensive tackle from Richland Northeast, is No. 48. (The State and TigerIllustrated.com)

UCF: The Golden Knights are buying themselves out of contracts with Georgia, and South Carolina in 2006 and N C State in 2006-’07. UCF had also bought out a return visit to West Virginia this year. The logic behind the moves is to have easier schedules in order to win more games after last year’s 0-11 season. Cushioning the blow is the fact that UCF is now a member of C-USA and will have more home games. (Orlando Sentinel)

TV GAMES: There are 17 TV games Labor Day weekend, which extends from Thursday through Monday. (Orlando Sentinel)

NOTRE DAME: The Irish signed a deal last week to play three Big East teams each season starting in 2009. One of the games each year will be at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N. J. with the opponent expected to be UCONN or Rutgers. (Orlando Sentinel)

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