Georgia cornerback Paul Oliver will miss the ’07 season due to academic problems. He will enter the NFL supplemental draft. Oliver limited Georgia Tech’s Calvin Johnson to only two catches for 13 yards. Bryan Evans, Asher Allen, Ramarcus Brown, Thomas Flowers and Reshad Jones are all possibilities to replace him.

Bulldog verbal commitment Martin Ward (5-10, 196), a running back from Jonesboro, Ga., has decommitted from the Bulldogs. Clemson, Florida, and South Carolina have offered him since Georgia. Ward still says he will camp and visit Georgia in a few months. Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Kevin Perez appears to have a real shot at playing time this year after his elbow injuries have healed. He is putting on weight (6-3, 275) after the elbow problems prevented him from working out as he desired.

Bulldog linebacker Akeem Dent learned this week that he has a broken foot that will shelve him until late June or mid-July. Dent will battle Darius Dewberry for the starting Sam linebacker spot when he returns. Georgia has three healthy linebackers—Dewberry, Dannell Ellerbe and Brandon Miller-- heading into the summer. Akeem Hebron was recently suspended for the season due to alcohol related incidents. Linebackers Darryl Gamble (broken foot) and Marcus Washington (LCL) are also recovering from injuries. Gamble will be ready for fall drills, but Washington’s injuries stretches into the season.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier lauded freshmen defensive linemen Clifton Geathers and Travian Robertson for their workout efforts since the spring game. He has been critical of the team in the past for their offseason workouts. Spurrier told a booster club recently that quarterback Blake Mitchell should have his best year despite struggling in the spring game.

Spurrier spoke to a booster club in Atlanta Tuesday night. He said he would like to refocus his recruiting efforts in the state of Georgia. Currently, 16 players on the roster are from Georgia. Spurrier said he wanted to see improvement from the offensive line. He is not sure who the starting guards will be, but he is confident that Jamon Meredith and Justin Sorensen will be the tackles and William “Web” Brown will be the center. He has told Sorensen (6-7, 323) to lose some weight. “I told Justin that if he wouldn’t run down drinking beer every night, he could lose 20 to 25 pounds.” On Thursday, Spurrier will face Auburn’s Tuberville in a golf charity match in Birmingham. Spurrier joked that he got a “good little deal” out of interest from Alabama and Miami in the offseason.

Gamecock assistant coaches will earn a combined $1.33 million this season. Seven of the eight returning assistants received raises. Recruiting coordinator David Reaves received a 25% raise. Defensive line coach Jay Lawing did not receive a raise after he committed a secondary violation. Jay Spearman (6-1, 190), an athlete from Greenwood, S.C., has committed to the Gamecocks. He could play either receiver or defensive back in Columbia. His uncle Andray Spearman played on the offensive line for the Gamecocks in the late 1990s.

Tennessee will be facing a huge task in replacing James Wilhoit this season. Redshirt freshman Daniel Lincoln proved that he could kick during spring practice. Punter Britton Colquitt, who averaged 44 yards per punt last year, returns. Jonathan Hefney has sewed up the punt return job averaging 14 yards per return. Still, the Vols struggled in the kickoff return game. LaMarcus Coker and Arian Foster left spring as the return team, but that tandem could change in the fall.

Arkansas still has no one to replace Paul Eells, the former voice of the Razorbacks, who died last July 31. Mike Nail, the Hogs basketball voice, is a possibility.

LSU is close to wrapping up the 2008 schedule. Tulane and Troy are two of the non-conference games already penciled in. SEC road games are against Florida, Arkansas, Auburn and South Carolina. In this year’s schedule, the home game against Auburn on Oct. 20 has been picked up by ESPN for a primetime broadcast. The game against Tulane on Sept. 29 will also be shown by one of the ESPN stations probably for a morning kickoff. Tiger officials believe the Virginia Tech will be an ESPN kickoff. There is speculation that the Florida game will be televised by CBS. A lot of the schedule should be finalized at the SEC meetings in Destin. Trindon Holliday, a Tiger receiver, broke the school record in the 100 meter last weekend with a time of 10.08 seconds at the SEC Track and Field championships. He broke Xavier Carter’s record that was set last year.

Florida is in the final three for Tavarres King (6-1, 165), who is from Mt. Airy, Ga., considered one of the best receiver prospects in the nation who will announce his decision Friday afternoon from Florida, Georgia Tech, Georgia and Clemson. His father played at Clemson. King said Georgia was the first school to offer him. He also likes Florida’s receiver tradition.

Gator co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison is recruiting again in the Jacksonville area. His area is Nassau in the north down to Jacksonville over into Putnam and Flagler counties in the south.

Some of the players in his area are Nigel Carr (6-3, 220), an outside linebacker from First Coast High, in Jacksonville, who has committed to FSU.

Jamie Harper (6-0, 205), a running back from Trinity Christian, who has offers from Clemson, Louisville, South Carolina, Louisville Wisconsin and UCF.

Alfred Jenkins (6-0, 170), a receiver from Terry Parker, who has been offered by Illinois, Florida and Maryland.

Xavier Brewer (5-10, 180), a cornerback from Bartram Trail, who has been offered by Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame and South Carolina.

Patrick Nixon (5-10, 180), an athlete from Ed White, who has been offered by Illinois with several other team interested. Nixon has been granted an extra year of eligibility. Florida, Clemson, Auburn, South Carolina and Louisville have shown interest.

Scott Betros ( 6-2, 225), a linebacker from The Bolles School, who has been offered by Duke, Illinois, Indiana, Ole Miss, Southern Miss and Wake Forest.

Alabama is involved with Burton Scott (5-10, 194), an athlete from Vigor High in Pritchard, Ala. Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Louisville, Miami, Ole Miss and Southern Cal have also offered him. Florida’s Urban Meyer visited him last week. Georgia Dome officials are pursuing the possibility of moving Alabama’s game at Duke game in 2010 to the Georgia Dome. Officials were also going to meet with FSU AD Dave Hart about moving a home game to the Georgia Dome in the next two years. Both Mobile and Birmingham have also expressed an interest. Alabama is currently No. 71 in the all-sports standings (NACDA). The award used to be called the Sears trophy. They are No. 10 in all-sports in the SEC ahead of only the Mississippi schools.

Auburn redshirt freshman Zach Clayton has moved from defensive end to tackle to balance out the depth chart after Sen’Derrick Marks moved to defensive end. While Clayton is not ready to start, he can provide some valuable depth. Clayton could play either nose guard or defensive tackle. Al Borges, the Auburn offensive coordinator, told the Huntsville Quarterback Club this week that quarterback Brandon Cox is ready for a breakout year. During his tenure as offensive coordinator, Auburn has won 33- of- 38 games. Linebacker Tray Blackmon is expected back in classes Thursday, the first day of the summer term. Blackmon missed spring practice for personal reasons. He has a lot of academic ground to make up. Blackmon missed six games last year and he missed the Cotton Bowl for undisclosed reasons.

Ole Miss Coach Ed Orgeron has reinstated sophomore defensive lineman LaMark Armour after a long suspension. He was one of four players suspended indefinitely after the loss to Arkansas last season. The others were Garry Pack, defensive lineman Hayward Howard, linebackers LeRon King, and Robert Russell. On the post-spring depth chart that came out this week Seth Adams is the No. 1 quarterback with Brent Schaeffer the backup.

Miami may have a late signee in Ronnie Tubbs (6-2, 175), a receiver from Yazoo City, Ms., if he graduates and qualifies. Tubbs said he has been told that if he qualifies then Miami will offer him. Southern Miss has also offered him. The Miami Herald is speculating that 38 former Canes have combined to contribute $300,000 since Randy Shannon has been named head coach. Shannon is putting more emphasis on recruiting the South Florida. The Canes already have five commitments from Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Broward counties.

North Carolina coach Butch Davis has lost 15 pounds and all his hair from the chemotherapy for non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Georgia Tech’s Sept. 15 game with Boston College could be on ESPN2. Embry Peeples (5-8, 165), a running back from Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips has committed to Tech. He also has offers from LSU and West Virginia. Peeples has been clocked at 4.3 in the 40-yards dash.

Florida State strength and conditioning coach Jon Jost, who has been at his position for the past six years, will be reassigned within the university. Some of the new assistants have questioned the team’s overall strength. The top candidate to replace him is Todd Stroud, the former N C State Associate Head Coach. Stroud most recently was the head football coach at Cardinal Gibbons High in North Carolina. Stroud played for Bowden in the late 1980s. During Jost’s time at FSU, the football team went 51-26.

FSU had no academic losses after grades were posted. FSU has verbal commitments from two First Coast High players—linebacker Nigel Carr and running back Jermaine Thomas. They might get a third from receiver Avis Commack (6-4, 182). FSU, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Miami, Minnesota, N C State, Purdue and South Carolina have offered him.

ACC title game venue: The city of Jacksonville will have this year as a proving ground for the ACC title game. The league will likely bid out after this year to possibly Charlotte, Orlando or Tampa. The game brought in $5.7 million in 2006. One of the problems in Jacksonville was the cost of tickets was on average $80. SEC title tickets are on average around $50. The ACC has worked with Jacksonville to lower the average cost of a ticket.

ACC commissioner John Swafford said the conference will push for an early signing date possibly on the Wednesday before the third week in December uniform with the junior college signings. The league will lobby the Collegiate Commissioners Association, which oversees the national letter of intent. There are certain advantages and disadvantages to the decision.

Pro: More players committing early after attending summer camps, recruiters no longer hassle players if they are already signed, and reduce the number of players decommitting.

Con: Early signings are unwise due to coaches being fired; some high school players can’t visit until December and August might be a better date.

Another question is would official visits begin earlier. Presently, the NCAA says official visits begin the opening day of class of the players senior year.

Central Florida’s opening game against Texas will kickoff at 3:30 pm on ESPN2. The game is the first in UCF’s new 45,000 seat stadium. The ESPN family of networks will show Ohio State at Washington at 3:30 pm on ESPN and USC at Nebraska at 8 pm on ABC.

Dennis Dodd of CBSSportsline.com has his annual coaches on the hot seat or at least under pressure. The coaches with the warmest seat are Houston Nutt of Arkansas; Brent Guy of Utah State; Ted Roof of Duke; Charlie Weatherbie of Louisiana-Monroe; Hal Mumme of New Mexico State

BRENT BEAIRD IS A SPORTS WRITER FOR MYCLAYSUN IN ORANGE PARK, FLA. HE ALSO WRITES FOR RIVALS.COM, SAMSPORTSLINE.COM AND GATOR BAIT MAGAZINE. HE CAN BE HEARD ON SPORTS RADIO 1010 XL.