Florida and South Carolina are among the schools recruiting quarterback John Brantley (6-3, 185) of Ocala, Fla. His coach is Kerwin Bell, the former Gator quarterback. His father played linebacker at Florida. Brantley camped last summer at South Carolina. He also attended Florida’s junior day and plans to go to Texas on Feb. 25. He wants to make his decision known before his senior season.

GEORGIA: Bulldog recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner has announced that he is staying at Georgia. Garner doesn’t want to take his family into the uncertainty that involves living in New Orleans. Running backs coach Kirby Smart has left for a job with the Miami Dolphins. Tony Ball, the former receivers coach at Virginia Tech, has replaced Smart. Ball is considered one of the best recruiters for Tech. Ball has also been credited for developing receivers for the NFL such as Ernest Wilford, who plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tailback Kregg Lumpkin is trying to win the starting job back when spring practice starts March 4. Lumpkin peaked toward the end of last season. He’ll once again be battling with Thomas Brown and Danny Ware. Lumpkin, who will be a junior next season, has the most experience of the trio. He is also trying to get down to around 225 pounds. Lumpkin weighed in at 211 last August. The running backs will also have their third running backs coach in three years after losing Smart and Ken Rucker. Clifton Geathers (6-7, 280), a four-star tackle from Carvers Bay, S.C., is visiting Georgia this weekend. He visited FSU last weekend.

ALABAMA: Free safety Travis Sikes was arrested on a DUI charge Saturday morning. Sikes, who will be a freshman this season, was grayshirted last year. Linebacker signee Charlie Kirschman (6-3, 240) is recovering nicely from a shoulder injury during his senior season. Kirschman has an appointment with Dr. Jim Andrews in Birmingham around April 1. He has a torn labrum and tore a ligament from the bone. He could play either linebacker or defensive end next season. Kirschman is also a top power lifter in the state, but his injury will limit his participation.

The Tide starts spring practice next week. They are looking to replace three of their top six defensive backs after losing Roman Harper, Anthony Madison and Charlie Peprah. Ramzee Robinson returns at left corner, Simeon Castille will be at right corner and Jeffrey Dukes will fill one of the safety spots. Eric Gray, who has a history of hamstring problems, and Lionel Mitchell, who missed half of last season with a concussion, will backup at corner. Corey Reamer, who will be limited after tearing an ACL last October, and Marcus Carter are battling for playing time at safety. Former Tide quarterback Steve Sloan, 61, has announced his retirement as athletic director at Tennessee Chattanooga. He plans on moving back to Orlando after UTC finds a new AD. Curtis Dawson, a former defensive line standout at Hoover (Ala.) High, has been kicked off the team for a second time. He might transfer to UAB. Dawson was suspended in 2004 for violating team policy.

AUBURN: Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Rudy Odom has given up football to concentrate on academics. Junior safety Tony Bell and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Brian West are considering a transfer. The Tigers start spring practice Feb. 28. Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and linebacker coach James Willis are already getting to know the players during winter workouts. Auburn will have two workouts after the spring game on March 18.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Steve Spurrier has named David Reaves, the son of John Reaves, as the new recruiting coordinator replacing Rick Stockstill, who went to coach Middle Tennessee. Reaves is one of the youngest recruiting coordinators at 27-years-old. Shane Beamer, the Miss State recruiting coordinator, is around the same age. The school is also going to announce a long-term facility plan this spring including a new academic center. One athlete that South Carolina lost to Michigan commented that the Wolverines provided a much better academic center for the players. They will begin a large capital funding campaign plan this summer. Presently, there are no plans to add to the football stadium.

MISSISSIPPI STATE: Bulldog officials announced their football schedule last week that includes seven home games. UAB, Tulane, Jacksonville State and West Virginia are the non-conference foes. West Virginia was added four years ago when they were coming off a 3-8 season.

OLE MISS: Rebel coach Ed Orgeron uses websites in his recruiting. He admits that the sites offer instant feedback after in-home visits, how firm a commitment may be and lists competing schools.

TENNESSEE: Vol officials reported a secondary violation involving freshman signee Jacques McClendon (6-3, 325), a four-star lineman from Chattanooga, who with his mother attended a Lady Vol basketball game on the invitation of a school booster. This was deemed an improper benefit because McClendon and his mother sat in the front row of courtside seats. In instances of secondary violations, the NCAA usually takes whatever sanctions the school proposes. Tennessee starts spring practice in two weeks. The top priority is finding a quarterback from either Erik Ainge or redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton, who has nearly recovered from shoulder surgery.

SEC SPRING PRACTICE DATES: Florida starts March 29 and the spring game is April 22; Georgia March 4/April 8; Kentucky March 29/April 22; South Carolina March 14/April 8; Tennessee March 2/April 8; Alabama Feb. 24/April 1; Arkansas March 27/April 15; Auburn Feb 28/March 18; LSU March 4/April 1; Ole Miss March 6/April 8; Miss State March 6/April 8

FLORIDA STATE: Lamar Lewis, a running back from Trinity Christian in Jacksonville, is rumored to be transferring to another school. His grandmother died in the past few days. Last season, he played in 10 games carrying the ball nine times for 51 yards. If he does return, Lewis faces a deep backfield including Lorenzo Booker Antone Smith and Jamaal Edwards. If he transfers, he has two years of eligibility left since he has not redshirted. South Florida is one possibility for him. Former Nole Ron Dugans has been hired as a grad assistant for the offense.

Nole redshirt freshman lineman Everette Brown is drawing rave reviews for his work during mat drills. Brown has bulked up from 225 pounds to 243. Brown nearly had to play against N. C. State due to a lack on defensive ends. He was told to dress, but never made it on the field thus preserving his redshirt season. Signee Myron Rolle is also doing extremely well in mat drills, which is unusual for a freshman. Former Nole linebacker Keith Carter had his dog Shaka perform well in the Westminister Kennel Club show earlier this week. Shaka was named the winner of the working dogs category. UTEP coach Mike Price said there is a possibility of former Nole receiver Fred Rouse transferring. Former Noles coach Wally Burnham is now the defensive coordinator at USF.

CLEMSON: Tiger defensive line coach Marion Hobby, the former Tennessee player, is leaving for a job in the NFL. He was with Clemson for only a year after coming over from Ole Miss.

MIAMI: LeSean McCoy, a five-star running back from Milford (N Y) Academy, said he has signed with Miami, but he will have to resign next year due to his academic status. He only played in three games last year after breaking his ankle. In one game he gained 300 yards and in another 212 and three scores. Rich Olson could be the next Miami offensive coordinator. Olsen has many years of experience in the NFL. Mario Cristobal, the tight ends coach for the past two seasons, interviewed with the New York Jets on Wednesday. Former Cane signee Bobby Washington’s sad saga continues. He transferred from Miami to N. C. State. Recently, he has transferred to Eastern Kentucky where he has two years of eligibility remaining. Miami and Oklahoma have signed a two-year deal for 2007 (Norman) and 2009 (Orange Bowl).

MARYLAND: Offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe has resigned after five years.

GEORGIA TECH: School officials continue to interview candidates for athletic director after Dave Braine announced he was retiring for health reasons this year. Bill Curry, an analyst for ESPN, interviewed last week. Tech’s first AD was John Heisman

ACC SPRING PRACTICE DATES: Boston College starts March 18 and the spring game is April 22; Clemson March 4/April 8; FSU March 13/April 8; Wake Forest March 15/April 8; Georgia Tech March 29/April 22; Virginia March 29/April 22; and Virginia Tech March 22/April 15

NOTRE DAME: The Irish start the 2006 season Sept. 2 at Georgia Tech before returning home for consecutive games against Penn State and Michigan.

TULANE: The first home game for the Green Wave is scheduled to be Sept. 30 against SMU. Tulane has three straight road games to begin the season. They play five home games this season.

COACHES CHALLENGE: The NCAA will allow coaches at least one replay challenge per game next season and require conferences to use a universal review format, if the rules committee approves it next month. The Mountain West was the only conference to permit coaches’ challenges. Of the 35 plays challenged, only five were reversed. Coaches would call timeout and make a challenge. If the call is overturned, the team keeps its timeout and retains their challenge. If the call is upheld, the team would be charged a timeout and the coach couldn’t challenge.

The committee also made recommendations to shorten the game such as cut halftime from 20- to- 15 minutes and the game clock would start when the ball is kicked not when the receiving team touches it. Kicking tees would be shortened to one inch to try to prevent fewer touchbacks.

Replay did not lengthen games. In the SEC, games were four minutes shorter.

BRENT BEAIRD IS A SPORTS WRITER FOR THE CLAY COUNTY LINE IN ORANGE PARK, FLA., HE ALSO WRITES FOR RIVALS.COM, SAMSPORTSLINE.COM AND GATOR BAIT MAGAZINE. HE CAN BE HEARD ON ESPN 1460 ON MONDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOONS ON THE RUMBLE WITH MIKE DEMPSEY AND TOM MCMANUS.