Tide tailback Jimmy Johns, who has had his hand in a small cast due to a wrist injury, should be ready for the bowl game. The players have reacted favorably to interim coach Joe Kines. Tide officials and consultant Chuck Neinas are evaluating coaches after being turned down by West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez. Nick Saban’s name is still being mentioned even though he repeated on Monday that he was not leaving. Alabama is trying to gauge the interest of other candidates in case Saban says no. Navy’s Paul Johnson and Wake Forest’s Jim Grobe, Texas Tech coach Mike Leach and Arkansas coach Houston Nutt have been mentioned in reports. Defensive line coach Buddy Wyatt has been hired for the same position at Nebraska after John Blake left to go to North Carolina.

Alabama’s 2007 game schedule against Mississippi State on Nov. 3 has been moved to Nov. 10 and the LSU game originally scheduled for Nov. 10 has been moved to Nov. 3. The significance of the move is that Alabama will not have to play LSU and Auburn in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2001. A primary reason for the change was the broadcast schedule. This past year on the same day Alabama played LSU on ESPN, South Carolina--Florida was on CBS and ESPN2 had Tennessee at Arkansas. Georgia at Auburn was relegated to the Lincoln Financial game.

Auburn players should be healthy for the bowl game. Quarterback Brandon Cox and running back Kenny Irons are expected to be at full speed. Safety Eric Brock is back from a sprained ankle. Receivers coach Greg Knox was interviewed by Tulane before Bob Toledo was hired. Running backs coach Eddie Gran talked to North Texas before Todd Dodge was hired. Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp said he is not going to apply for the Louisiana Tech job. Pass rush specialist Quentin Groves said he is returning for his senior season next year. He is second in career sacks for Auburn with 23. Gerald Robinson (1982-85) holds the record with 26. The Cotton Bowl is game No. 100 for Coach Tommy Tuberville.

Florida received a visit this week from Brandon Hicks (6-3, 205), the No. 5 rated outside linebacker from Forrest (Fla.) High in Jacksonville. He has official visits set to Clemson, LSU and Miami. James Scott (5-10, 163), a defensive back from Daytona Beach Seabreeze, visited Florida this past weekend. His two favorites are Ohio State and Florida. Graig Cooper (5-11, 185), a five-star running back from Milford Academy in New York, visits Florida on Dec. 15. He is rethinking his Miami commitment. Coaches from Miami, Florida and North Carolina are visiting him this weekend. Cooper, who is enrolling in his school of choice in January, originally signed with Miami, but was ineligible to a test score. Sidell Corley (6-4, 250), a defensive end from McGill-Toolen in Mobile, Ala., has eliminated Auburn from his list. He is still a soft verbal to Florida. Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Louisville are on his list. Corley is attending practice at Alabama Thursday. He is going to visit either Oklahoma or Louisville this weekend.

Gator coach Urban Meyer is very close to former Ohio State coach Earl Bruce. He talked to Bruce for two hours before choosing Florida over Notre Dame. Florida has a 37 day delay between the SEC title game and the national championship game, while Ohio State will have a 51 day respite. Florida is an eight point underdog. Florida allows only 74 yards per game rushing, the second best mark (1997 allowed 70 ypg) in school history and only 13 points per game, the lowest since 1983. Central Florida (UCF) has delayed its game with Florida next season until some time before 2010. Western Kentucky has replaced UCF for next year’s opener. Several players such as quarterback Chris Leak and receiver Dallas Baker will graduate this weekend.

Georgia has commitment No. 24 after Scott Haverkamp (6-5, 298), an offensive lineman from Butler Community College in Kansas, pledged to the Bulldog this past weekend. Florida State is also making a push for him. Linebacker Tony Taylor was named the Vince Dooley Most Valuable Player for the 2006 season at the recent awards banquet. Senior center Nick Jones was the offensive MVP and Taylor the defensive MVP. Coach Mark Richt said there are no academic causalities that he is aware of as of Wednesday. Richt said the players will be in better condition than they were last year when they fell behind 28-0 to West Virginia. Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Neil Callaway has thrown in name into the mix for the UAB vacancy. Callaway is now one of the leading candidates for the job after Jimbo Fisher’s, (LSU offensive coordinator) name was taken out of the mix for the Blazer job.

LSU has a commitment from Drake Nevis (6-1, 281), a defensive tackle from John Ehret in Louisiana. He is the No. 16 defensive tackle prospect according to Rivals.com. LSU also received a commitment from Phelan Jones (6-1, 185), an athlete from Mobile McGill-Toolen. Jones, a four-star prospect from Rivals, is the No. 13 ranked athlete according to Rivals. He originally committed to Miami.

Fisher was been linked with the opening at UAB. He never interviewed Thursday. UAB officials said he was too costly and didn’t want to pay him $600,000 (half the amount to be provided by private funds). Fisher is now considered one of the leaders for the Louisiana Tech job. Tigers receivers coach Todd Monken is also a possibility for the job. Defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, who said he will probably return next season, has been linked to the Stanford job. Defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey is considering leaving early for the NFL.

Arkansas coach Houston Nutt confirmed a recent player’s only meeting for some seniors who were concerned with some less than flattering quotes from quarterback Mitch Mustain in a book concerning the recruitment of several key Springdale players. Despite the controversy, Nutt said Mustain had a good chance to win the starting job for the bowl game and next season. The parents of tight end Ben Cleveland, quarterback Mitch Mustain and receiver Damien Williams met with athletic director Frank Broyles to discuss their concern over the Hog offense. Williams was given his release to transfer. Nutt told the team this week that anyone who wanted to transfer to go ahead and do so before the bowl trip. No one else expressed a desire to transfer. Rod Coleman has been moved from receiver to the secondary.

South Carolina commitment Steven Garcia (6-2, 202), a four-star quarterback from Tampa (Fla.) Jefferson, said he will enroll in school this January and compete for the quarterback job in the spring. He will battle Blake Mitchell, the returning starter and redshirt freshman Chris Smelley. Linebacker Rodney Paulk and safety Emanuel Cook were selected to the All-SEC Freshman team. South Carolina is also close to selling out its allotment of 12,000 tickets for the Liberty bowl game. Donete’e Nicholls (6-2, 300), the No. 44 defensive tackle in the state of Florida from Pompano Beach Ely, has committed to South Carolina. Alonzo Winfield (6-0, 200), a three-star linebacker from Winston Salem, N. C., has switched his commitment from Tennessee to South Carolina. Defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix interviewed for the UAB job, but he pulled his name out of consideration.

Tennessee received a commitment from Chris Walker (6-3, 220), a linebacker from Christian Brothers High in Memphis, Tenn. The four-star prospect is the No. 17 outside linebacker according to Rivals.com. Tennessee is back at bowl practice. Freshman Jacques McClendon will fill in for the injured Anthony Parker at left guard. The Vols will have a full scale scrimmage next Saturday night. Kenny O’Neal (6-0, 195), a recent receiver commitment, is a FSU transfer. He comes from San Francisco City Community College. Outside linebacker Jerod Mayo, who has struggled with a knee injury, should be ready to practice by Christmas. Receiver Robert Meachem is deciding whether or not to turn pro. He said his dream is to be a first round selection.

Ole Miss: Former Florida commitment and Texas quarterback Jevan Snead is being recruited heavily by Ole Miss. He is looking at TCU, Ole Miss and Houston. He has three seasons of eligibility left after sitting out next year.

Clemson running back C J Spiller said his ankle is not better after two weeks of rest. He still has pain in his ankle. A second X-ray proved negative. Senior tight end Thomas Hunter will miss the bowl game due to a broken foot.

Miami athletic director Paul Dee said only three candidates were given a formal interview to replace Larry Coker: Randy Shannon, who got the job, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano and an unidentified candidate that he refused to name. Dee did say if Shannon was not the answer then they were heading for TCU coach Gary Patterson. He also said no one from Miami approached former coach Butch Davis, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops or his brother Mike at Arizona. Also he said South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier and former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez were never offered. Former Arizona State head coach Dirk Koetter is among the names mentioned for the OC job. Another possibility is Minnesota quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers. Current Miami OC Rich Olson is a candidate for the offensive coordinator job at Arizona State. Cane offensive line coach Mario Cristobal could meet this week with officials from Florida International about the open job. Former N C State coach Chuck Amato is also being considered for the job according to some reports.

Jermaine McKenzie (6-3, 170), a receiver from Brandenton (Fla.) Prep, has decommitted from Alabama and committed to Miami. Receiver Leonard Hankerson (6-2, 185), a receiver from St. Thomas (Fla.) Aquinas, has committed to the Canes. He still has some academic work to do. Shannon wants to sign six receivers. Miami and FIU will play next season despite the brawl this past year.

Boston College coaching possibilities are Pittsburg Steelers quarterback coach Mark Whipple, Richmond coach Dave Clowson, Jeff Jagodzinski, the offensive coordinator at Green Bay and Giants quarterback coach Kevin Gilbride has also been mentioned. Whipple and Jagodzinski, Clowson and interim coach Frank Spaziani have interviewed. There is speculation that former Green Bay coach Mike Sherman and Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong might interview.

Florida State didn’t receive a commitment Thursday night from De’Angelo McCray (6-4, 289), a Rivals100 defensive lineman from Jackson High in Jacksonville, who announced on ESPN that he is going to Illinois. McCray committed and then decommitted to Florida earlier in the year. His teammate Troy Pollard has committed to Illinois. He has also developed a relationship with defensive line coach Odell Haggins. Also Jamar Jackson (6-4, 225), a four-star defensive end from Richmond, Va., decides Friday between Virginia Tech and FSU. He has a 1:30 pm presser at his school. Possibilities for staff changes: LSU’s Fisher for offensive coordinator, Lawrence Dawsey for receivers coach and Rick Trickett for offensive line coach. Freshman Seddrick Holloway will get his second start at fullback after Joe Surratt had surgery last Friday. Defensive tackle Andre Fluellen said he is going to test the NFL waters and request a “draft round grade”. Sophomore defensive tackle Arron Jones is transferring to Eastern Kentucky. He had three tackles in 2005 and none this past season.

North Carolina head coach Butch Davis has hired John Blake, the defensive line coach at Nebraska for the same position. He will also be the assistant head coach. Blake has a history of being a tremendous recruiter. Danny Pearman, the defensive ends coach and Dave Brock, the receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, have been let go from the staff. Davis has fired five assistants. Fresno State offensive coordinator Steve Hagen was hired as an offensive assistant.

Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe has been named the national coach of the year by The Sporting News and CBSportsline.com.

SEC HOOPS

Alabama power forward Richard Hendrix scored 34 points in a blowout win over Alabama State. His presence was significant because point guard Ron Steele was out with tendonitis and a swollen ankle and center Jermareo Davidson missed the game due to academics.

Auburn sophomore swingman Rasheem Barrett broke out of a shooting slump to score 20 points in the Tiger’s win over South Alabama.

Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury tied Babe McCarthy with 169 wins after the Bulldogs beat South Alabama this past Saturday.

Ole Miss junior center Dwayne Curtis is back on the court after sustaining a broken foot in October.

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.