LSU received commitment 14 from Kyle Prater (6-2, 210), a linebacker from Kerrville, Texas. He is the nation’s No. 50 outside linebacker according to Rivals.com. Prater chose LSU over Oklahoma and Nebraska. Ryan Baker (6-0, 206), a linebacker from Blountstown, Fla., has also verbally committed to LSU over Florida and Clemson. He said earlier this month that Clemson was his leader. He is the No. 55 linebacker according to Rivals.com. His childhood favorite school was FSU. Derrick Bryant (6-1, 186), a cornerback from Suwanee, Ga., has committed to the Tigers. Ole Miss, Ohio State, Tennessee, Auburn, Virginia Tech and Georgia have offered him.

Tiger coach Les Miles said signee Chad Jones would report with the rest of the team on Friday. Jones was selected by the Houston Astros in the recent draft. Rivals.com listed him as the No. 1 safety. Miles said quarterback Ryan Perrilloux is on pace to join the team despite several off the field incidents. Defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois, who was ruled ineligible before the bowl game, is back on the team. His eligibility remains in question.

Ole Miss still doesn’t know about the future of defensive tackle signee Jerrell Powe. Who has signed with the Rebels the past two seasons but has yet to qualify. Don Jackson, his attorney, said Powe finished his course work last week and a decision from the NCAA should come this week. Receiver Mico McSwain, linebacker Antonio Turner, defensive back Nate Banks and defensive lineman Brandon Jenkins will not practice immediately. Instead they will be involved with summer school classes.

Tennessee could be taking a long look at a 3-4 defensive formation this season due to an abundance of linebackers and shortage of linemen. Former Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher, who is a proponent of the 3-4 defense, met with Vol coaches in the spring. The Vols have run the 4-3 scheme since defensive coordinator John Chavis took over in 1995.

Alabama signee Kerry Murphy will spend his first college season at Hargrave Military Academy. He will likely be the only non-qualifier for the Tide’s 2007 recruiting class.

Over the weekend, Tyler Love (6-7, 285), an offensive lineman from Mountain (Ala.) Brook committed as did Melvin Ray (6-2, 191), a receiver from North Florida Christian in Tallahassee, Fla., who chose the Tide over Florida and FSU. Burton Scott (5-11, 194), an athlete from Vigor High in Pritchard, Ala., also committed. He will likely play receiver at Alabama. Last year, he gained 2,400 yards and 19 touchdowns playing quarterback, receiver and running back.

Michael Ricks, a two-time signee for the Tide, still has not qualified after attending Northeast Mississippi Community College. Jonathan Lowe, a Mississippi State transfer, is not on the roster until he tends to some academic issues. Linebacker Darren Mustain, a walk-on, has been awarded a scholarship. Freshman receiver Jake Jones, sophomore defensive tackle Byron Walton, junior receiver Aaron McDaniel and senior receiver Tyrone Prothro will be unavailable this season due to medical issues. Tickets for the Alabama-FSU game are going for $200-600 each on the Internet. The Alabama ticket office had 100,000 requests for the game and the FSU ticket office received 36,000.

Georgia coach Mark Richt said he is undecided on any punishment for junior tight end Tripp Chandler. NaDerris Ward, another tight end and running back signee Caleb King might face in-house punishment for recent traffic violations. Ward was arrested last Friday for passing on the right and an offense called “license required”. Quarterback Blake Barnes and offensive lineman Ian Smith will serve suspensions. Cornerback signee Vance Cuff, who is from Moultrie, Ga., finally received an approval from the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Mississippi State started fall practice on Wednesday because their opener is two days earlier than the Sept. 1 starting date. Eight of State’s 34 signees will go to a junior college. Coach Sly Croom singled out quarterback Michael Henig and junior defensive back Keith Fitzhugh on the first day. Croom said tailback Anthony Dixon, who has weighed as much as 250 this year, will be down to 240 by the opener. Dixon is nursing a slight hamstring problem.

Arkansas got commitment No. 17 from Winston Guy (6-2, 186), a defensive back who is from Lexington, Kentucky. Guy is the No. 6 overall recruit from Kentucky. Marcal Robinson (6-0, 165), a cornerback from Vigor High in Pritchard, Ala., is commitment No. 18. Auburn, LSU, Georgia, Louisville, Auburn, Arkansas and Marshall are recruiting him. Defensive tackle Marcus Harrison, who is rehabbing from reconstructive knee surgery, might have to miss the Troy opener. Receiver Andrew Norman, who graduated from Springdale High in Arkansas, has decided to transfer. He is the third Springdale signee to transfer. Running back signees Michael Harris and Juwan Franklin and defensive lineman signee Adrian Campbell didn’t qualify.

Auburn’s recruiting class has taken another hit when linebacker Eltoro Freeman, who is from Benjamin Russell, didn’t qualify and will enter a junior college. Running back Enrique Davis, who is from Lynn Haven Mosley, also didn’t qualify. The Tigers signed 30 recruits, but may not have 20 qualify. Auburn is still awaiting word on receiver Chris Slaughter of Hargrave Military Academy and Nick Fairley of Williamson High in Mobile. Defensive back Ryan Williams of B C Rains has qualified and been accepted by the admission department after his grades were questioned.

The Tiger backup quarterback position is a battle among redshirt freshman Steven Ensminger, freshman Kodi Burns, junior Blake Field and redshirt freshman Neil Caudle. Rod Smith, who was awarded a scholarship earlier in the year, has been told from the coaches that he is the go-to receiver. Freshman Brent Slusher has been moved from tight end to defensive end.

Florida early storylines: Which quarterback—Cam Newton, JUCO transfer Bryan Waggener or freshman John Brantley--will back up Tim Tebow? How does Florida respond after winning the national title? Defensive end Derrick Harvey and defensive back Tony Joiner are the only two returning starters on defense. How does the coaching staff fill the holes with players such as Joe Haden and Markus Manson who are moving to the secondary? Position battles at guard and receiver will be interesting. Skill position player battles involving Jarred Fayson, Riley Cooper, Deonte Thompson and Louis Murphy will attract attention.

Gator defensive tackle signee John Brown from Lakeland is heading to Gainesville. His coaches said he made straight “A’s” this summer in his class work, but he has yet to be approved by the Clearinghouse.

Devonta Bolden (6-4, 220) a three-star receiver from Norcross, Ga., announces his decision this Saturday at 2 p.m. from a list of Alabama, Auburn, Boston College, Florida and Georgia.

Kentucky has a commitment from Chandler Burden (6-4, 280), an offensive lineman from Oxford, Ohio. Cincinnati, Akron, Buffalo and Ohio have offered him. Curtis Pulley is back on the team after missing spring and summer sessions. Pulley, who has switched from quarterback to receiver, will likely redshirt this season.

Text message ban will be revisited by the NCAA Board of Directors on its Aug. 9 meeting in Indianapolis. They will make one of three decisions: affirm the ban, modify or reject it. Before then, text messaging will be banned beginning Aug. 1.

Georgia Tech received a commitment Monday from Alfred Jenkins (6-0, 170), a receiver from Jacksonville Terry Parker. Jenkins, who chose Georgia Tech over Florida, FSU, Miami and LSU, is rated the No. 65 best receiver by Rivals.com.

Miami’s former fullback James Bryant, who left the program after last season, has end up at Louisville. Miami signee Adewale Ojomo is still waiting on approval by the NCAA Clearinghouse. He was hoping to report with the freshman on Thursday. Running back signee Shawnbrey McNeal has been certified and did report Thursday. Freshman Allen Bailey said the coaches have moved him from defensive end to middle linebacker. Several players have said some combination of running back Graig Cooper, offensive lineman Orlando Franklin, receiver Leonard Hankerson and cornerback DeMarcus VanDyke will see early playing time. Sean Spence (6-0, 186), an outside linebacker from Miami (Fla.) Northwestern, is making his announcement on Friday. He is likely to choose Miami, but he said North Carolina, Alabama, and South Florida are among his finalists. Josh Tatum, a Southern Cal transfer, is on campus awaiting the results from a physical. He redshirted his freshman year at USC while he was rehabbing a knee injury from high school.

Florida State signee Jonathan Hannah could play quickly this season at tight end after Brandon Warren left and Caz Piurowski moved to the offensive line. Sophomore Charlie Graham is the only tight end returning with experience. Toshmon Stevens (6-5, 198), an athlete from Crescent City, Fla., is commitment No. 15 for the Noles. He worked at defensive end and tight end during the FSU camp. Stevens is the No. 73 overall prospect in the state of Florida.

Clemson has lost two signees-Markish Jones, a receiver from Spartanburg, S.C., who is going the JUCO route and Stanley Hunter, a linebacker from Duncan, S.C., who is going to a prep school. Jones, rated the No. 28 receiver, first signed with Clemson then FSU on signing day before the commitment to the Tigers was ruled as binding.

Bill Flemming, 80, a former ABC announcer, who voiced highlights of college football on Sunday morning back in the 1970s, died of prostrate cancer on July 20.

Early odds from bookmaker.com

• LSU (-17) at Mississippi State
• Ole Miss (-4) at Memphis
• Georgia Tech (+3) at Notre Dame
• Wake Forest (+6) at Boston College
• Oklahoma State (+7) at Georgia
• Kansas State (+13) at Auburn
• Tennessee (+5) at Cal
• Florida State (-2) at Clemson

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.