The recruiting dead period extends from Dec. 17-Jan.3

ALABAMA coach Nick Saban made it clear that returning players (perhaps as many as a dozen) need to buy into his program or they will be encouraged to transfer. Tailback Terry Grant made the Coaches’ All SEC freshman team. Coach Nick Saban is hopeful that kick returner Javier Arenas, who has a high ankle sprain, will be ready for the bowl game.

Alabama has 24 verbal commitments including five-star commitments Tyler Love (6-7, 285), an offensive lineman from Mountain Brook, Ala., and Burton Scott (5-11, 194), an athlete from Pritchard, Ala. The latest verbal is Robby Green (6-0, 175), a four-star defensive back from River Ridge John Curtis in La. Penn State, Southern Cal, Florida, and West Virginia are among the schools that have offered him. Another recent commitment is Chris Jordan (6-2, 201), a four-star athlete from Brentwood Academy in Nashville. Alabama, Clemson and Kentucky are his schools of medium interest.

Julio Jones (6-4, 216), a five-star Rivals 100 receiver from Foley, Ala., has lined up visits with FSU (Jan. 11), Florida (Jan. 18), Oklahoma (Jan. 25) and Texas Tech (Feb. 2). He visited Alabama last weekend. Chris Tolliver (6-1, 180), a four-star Rivals 100 receiver from Rayville, Ala., visited Alabama last weekend and said the Tide was his favorite school. Florida, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma and Nebraska are among the schools to offer him.

OLE MISS: Houston Nutt has hired former South Carolina defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix, who interviewed for the Southern Miss job, to replace John Thompson, the former Rebel defensive coordinator. Thompson and Nix were co-coordinators with South Carolina in 2005. Arkansas offensive coordinator David Lee, who interviewed for the Southern Miss job, will join Nutt and his staff after the Razorback bowl game.

ARKANSAS: Former Atlanta Falcon coach Bobby Petrino, who will make $2.85 million per year ($750,000 from the university and $1,950,000 from the Razorback Foundation, the fundraising branch of the athletic department), has accepted the job at Arkansas as the school’s 30th head coach. Petrino’s first priority was to meet with tailback Felix Jones to convince him to return for his senior season. In his five-year contract, Petrino has a $2.85 million dollar buyout and he can’t leave for another SEC Western Division team.

SEC Coaches: Saban $4 million per year; Tuberville $2.8; Petrino $ 2.8; Les Miles $2.7; and Nutt makes $7.4 over four years.

Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp was reportedly going to be hired only a few hours before the news broke on Petrino. Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville, Wake Forest’s Jim Grobe and Clemson’s Tommy Bowden were all linked to the job. Interim coach/defensive coordinator Reggie Herring’s will direct the team through the bowl game. The Auburn vs. Arkansas game will be interesting next year since Petrino was involved in “Jet Gate” in 2003 when Auburn officials met with him about replacing Tuberville. Petrino was the Auburn offensive coordinator the previous year. Petrino also was backup plan for Alabama if Saban had not taken the job. His dream job is Florida State.

Arkansas has 19 verbal commitments including three four-star players in Jarius Wright (5-11, 185), a receiver from Warren, Ark.; Matt Hall (6-10, 320), an offensive lineman from Russellville, Ark.; and De’Anthony Curtis (5-10, 209), a running back from Camden, Ark.

AUBURN: Tuberville signed a six- year, $19.8 million deal after being mentioned for the Arkansas job. The Tigers had a league high six players—defensive end Antoine Carter, cornerback Zac Etheridge, offensive linemen Ryan Pugh, Lee Ziemba, and Chaz Ramsey and kicker Ryan Shumaker-- on the SEC All Freshman team. Offensive coordinator Al Borges has resigned. In 2004, the Auburn offense was ranked No. 24 nationally, but grew progressively worse (No. 37 in 2005, No. 76 in 2006 and No. 101 in 2007) as the years went on under Borges. Troy offensive coordinator Tony Franklin has been hired to replace him. Franklin was with Hal Mumme at Kentucky during his “Air Raid” attack. He took a Troy offense that was ranked No. 111 in total yardage and elevated it to No. 17 a year later.

Auburn has 14 verbal commitments including two five- star players: Enrique Davis (5-11, 220), a running back from Chatham, Va., and Raven Gray (6-4, 260), a defensive end from Wesson, Ms. Jermaine Johnson (6-6, 310), the No. 1 prep school offensive lineman from Hargrave Military, is visiting this weekend. He previously signed with the Tigers, but didn’t qualify.

GEORGIA: Running back Thomas Brown was voted the team’s most valuable offensive player and tailback Knowshown Moreno, who was named the SEC freshman of the year, was tabbed as the winner of the Vince Dooley Most Valuable Player Award. Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe was selected as the team’s most valuable defensive player. Tailback Kregg Lumpkin will play for the first time since injuring his knee in the game against Vanderbilt.

Georgia has 24 verbal commitments with three five- star players: DeAngelo Tyson (6-2, 276), a defensive tackle from Statesboro, Ga., Richard Samuel (6-0, 197), an athlete from Cartersville, Ga.; and A J Green (6-4, 184), a receiver from Summerville, S.C. Samuel, who is only 16-years-old, could play either running back or linebacker at Georgia.

FLORIDA: The Gators have 14 verbal commitments including two five- star players: Will Hill (6-3, 203), an athlete from Jersey City, N. J. and Carl Moore (6-4, 220), a receiver from Roseville, Ca. Moore, who chose Florida over Cal and Southern Cal, is the latest commitment. He is the No. 2 junior college player according to Rivals.com.

Arthur Brown (6-1, 210), a five-star linebacker from Wichita, Kansas, makes his decision public next Monday at the Kansas Hall of Fame at 4:30 pm. He is choosing among Florida, LSU, Miami, North Carolina and Southern Cal. Brown is a December graduate.

LSU: Even after Coach Les Miles signed a contract extension, rumors are still rampant that he was interested in pursuing the Michigan job. Miles spoke to Michigan officials last week, but he claimed that he was only helping them in their coaching search.

Tiger officials are begging the search for a new athletic director to replace Skip Bertman, who retires next June. Two possible replacements mentioned are Georgia Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich and Florida Senior Associate Athletic Director for Internal Affairs Greg McGarity. LSU president John Lombardi, who had the same position at Florida, will be heavily involved in the search.

Defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey became the first Tiger player in history to win three major awards: the Outland, Lombardi and the Bronco Naguarski Trophies (defensive player of the year). He has also made five All American teams.

LSU has 20 verbal commitments including eight four-star players such as their latest commitment Chase Clement (6-5, 241), a defensive end from Thibodaux, La. Oklahoma, Alabama, Florida and Nebraska have offered him.

MISSISSIPPI STATE: Coach Sly Croom was the winner of the SEC Coach of the Year Award by the Associated Press and the league’s other head coaches. Croom returns to the sidelines at the Liberty Bowl where he was an assistant to Alabama’s legendary coach Bear Bryant in his last football game in 1982. This year is the 25th anniversary of that game. State has sold nearly 31,000 tickets to the Liberty Bowl. This year’s game could break the previous record of 61,497 set in the 1991 game when State played Air Force in the game.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Linebacker Jasper Brinkley said he would return next season even though he missed most of the season with a knee injury that he sustained in the LSU game.

Defensive end Jordin Lindsey spent time in the hospital after being stabbed in the neck with a beer bottle early Saturday morning in the Five Points area, a well known bar district. Lindsey’s brother, Dustin, was arrested in the same area in the spring of 2006 following a bar brawl. The brothers have one more year of eligibility remaining.

Gamecock officials are going to have to pay more for a defensive coordinator. Nix was paid $195,000 at South Carolina. He will receive $300,000 to go to Ole Miss. Nix turned down even more money to go with Petrino at Arkansas. The highest paid coordinators in the league are Gary Crowton and Bo Peleni at LSU who made $400,000 each. Possibilities to replace Nix are Jon Hoke of the Texans, Florida’s Charlie Strong, Arkansas’ Reggie Herring, former Duke coach Ted Roof, former Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron, Atlanta Falcons linebacker coach Brian VanGorder and Georgia Tech’s Jon Tenuta, who is also rumored to be going to LSU. One of the big names also to come up is Bud Foster from Virginia Tech. This past season, South Carolina allowed 168 yards passing and 209 yards rushing.

South Carolina has 17 verbal commitments including four four-star players such as Eric Baker (5-11, 190), a running back from Fork Union, Va.

TENNESSEE: Offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe, who returned to the Vols before the 2006 season, has interviewed this week for the Duke job. Cutcliffe and Atlanta offensive coordinator Hue Jackson are reported to be the finalists. The Sporting News has named defensive back Eric Berry to the Freshman All American First Team. He led all SEC freshmen in tackles with 83 and he had a school record 222 return yards on five picks.

KENTUCKY: Coach Rich Brooks is trying to keep his staff together. Offensive coordinator Joker Phillips was linked with the Northern Illinois vacancy before Jerry Kill of Southern Illinois took the job. Quarterback coach Randy Sanders with the opening at Western Carolina. Junior receiver Dicky Lyons has filled out paperwork to be evaluated by the NFL.

VANDERBILT: Coach Bobby Johnson, who is 14-21 in his last three seasons, has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Duke job. Vandy’s 2008 homecoming opponent is Duke.

ACC FOOTBALL NOTES

CLEMSON: Linebacker Tremaine Billie and Nick Watkins may not be eligible for the bowl game for academic reasons. Five juniors-defensive end Phillip Merling, safety Michael Hamlin, quarterback Cullen Harper, receiver Aaron Kelly and running back James Davis-have submitted paperwork to the NFL. The deadline to enter the draft is Jan. 15. Davis is also considering promises made to outstanding prospect Jamie Harper (6-0, 210) a four-star running back from Trinity (Fla.) Christian in Jacksonville. Harper has set up visits with Illinois Dec. 7-9, FSU Dec. 14-16, Clemson Jan. 11, Florida Jan. 18-21, and Miami Jan 26-29.

The Tigers have 16 verbals including one five-star player in DaQuan Bowers (6-4, 276), a defensive end from Bamberg, S.C.

MIAMI: Cane verbal commitment Jacory Harris (6-3, 172), a quarterback for Miami Northwestern, is now considering Oregon after visiting recently. He has sent applications in to both Miami and Oregon. Marcus Fortson, a defensive tackle verbal commitment from Miami Northwestern, said other schools have been trying to tell him that coach Randy Shannon has only one more year left on his contract (Shannon’s deal runs through 2012). Miami might be down to its final 10 commitments.

Lerentee McCray (6-2, 200), a four- star linebacker from Dunnellon, Fla., has decomitted from Miami. A Miami coach told him that he was no longer on the board after he said he was going to take further visits. McCray has visited Tennessee and plans on visiting Florida, FSU and South Carolina. Matt Patchan (6-7, 265), a five- star offensive lineman from Seffner (Fla.) Armwood will entertain coaches from Miami, Florida and LSU this week. Patchan has already visited all three schools. He could make a decision by the end of the week.

Miami has 23 verbals including two five star commitments in Fortson (6-2, 286), a defensive tackle from Miami, Fla., and Patrick Johnson (6-1, 193), a five-star defensive back from Pompano Beach, Fla. Johnson is a soft verbal to Miami. According to his father, Johnson is down to LSU, Florida and Miami.

FLORIDA STATE: Bobby Bowden has been given a one- year extension at around $2.5 million per year. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, who has been named as coach-in-waiting, has been given a $200,000 raise and a $2.5 million buyout if the school decides not to name him as the Bowden’s successor. None of the terms have been announced. Wetherell is also dealing with a NCAA investigation dealing with academic misconduct among student-athletes dealing with a former tutor who provided answers to an online test. Some football players could also be involved.

FSU has 23 commitments including two five- star commitments in E. J. Manuel (6-5, 215), a quarterback from Virginia Beach, Va., and Nigel Bradham (6-2, 230), a linebacker from Crawfordville, Fla. The latest commitment is Markus White (6-4, 245), a four-star defensive end from Butler (Ks.) Community College. Miami, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, West Virginia among others are recruiting him. White is the National JUCO Defensive Player of the Year.

David Spurlock (6-5, 290), a three- star offensive lineman from Riverdale High in Tennessee committed early this week. Louisville, Ole Miss, North Carolina, Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State and Colorado have offered him.

Former FSU star Casey Weldon has been fired from his coaching job at North Florida Christian in Tallahassee. Weldon, who was 23-5, had led his team to two state title games including last Friday night’s Class 1A state title game before being fired. He is being replaced by former coach Tim Cokely, who led the school to five overall state titles before going to Colquitt County in Georgia.

GEORGIA TECH: Before Paul Johnson accepted the job at Tech, eight coaches-Kentucky’s Joker Phillips (minority candidate), UConn’s Randy Edsell, Florida’s Strong (minority candidate), Georgia Southern’s Chris Hatcher, Rick Neuheisel, former Auburn coach Terry Bowden, Tech’s Tenuta and Johnson.

DUKE: Former UCLA coach Carl Dorrell might be one of the front- runners.

SOUTHERN MISS: Oklahoma State coach Larry Fedora has accepted the job. Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson was mentioned as a possibility. The new coach will earn around $700,000. Florida AD Jeremy Foley offered positive advice to USM pertaining to Fedora.

SEC HOOPS NOTES

ALABAMA: The Tide is struggling from the free throw line averaging only 58%. Junior forward Richard Hendrix is averaging 21 points per game and 12 rebounds per game. Junior Brandon Hollinger has transitioned well from the point to shooting guard.

ARKANSAS: The Hogs need some work on their shooting from the arc after a miserable performance in a win over Missouri State. Both teams combined for an abysmal 6- of- 37 from three- point range. In the Missouri game, freshman forward Michael Washington (6-10, 229) gained his first career double- double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

AUBURN: Sophomore forward Lucas Hargrove and center Boubacar Sylla are both out for four- to- six weeks with injuries. Hargrove, who is averaging five points and four rebounds, broke his left non-shooting hand in practice and Sylla, who had three points and three rebounds in the Kennesaw State game, had a stress reaction in his left ankle sustained in the same game. Forward Quan Prowell has returned to the team after serving a five game suspension.

GEORGIA: Sophomore Albert Jackson is back on the team after serving a six game suspension after violating team academic policy. The Bulldogs biggest win of the season might have come against Wake Forest last Saturday in a 22- point victory. Georgia’s defense held Wake to only 31% shooting. The Bulldogs are playing well despite suspensions to key players junior guard Mike Mercer and returning leading scorer Takais Brown.

KENTUCKY: Freshman guard Alex Legion, who was averaging nearly seven points in 17 minutes per game, has left the team. His future as a Wildcat is undecided. Kentucky lost to Indiana, who was led with a career high of 20 points by Jordan Crawford, the younger brother of Wildcat player Joe Crawford. Kentucky could not beat Indiana despite the Hoosiers playing without starting guards Eric Gordon and Armon Bassett. Freshman Patrick Patterson leads the team in rebounds with 8.8. He is also scoring 16 points per game. Guard Jodie Meeks will miss most of December due to a stress fracture in his pelvic area.

LSU: The Tigers must rebound after blowing a 21- point lead with eight minutes remaining in a loss to Villanova. LSU did hold Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds to 13 points, 13 below his average.

OLE MISS: Freshman guard Chris Warren, an Orlando native, leads the SEC with seven assists per game and leads the Rebels with nearly 15 points per game. The Rebels are 7-0 on the season. It’s the longest win streak since the 2000-2001 season when the Rebels started 11-0. Ole Miss is averaging nearly 95 points per game. Coach Andy Kennedy scheduled a game against Central Florida because five Rebel players-Kenny Williams, Eniel Polynice, David Huertas, Kevin Cantinol and Warren play high school basketball in the state of Florida.

MISSISSIPPI STATE: Coach Rick Stansbury is two wins away from being the all time winningest coach. His record is 190-107 in 10 seasons. Jamont Gordon leads the Bulldogs in points, assists and steals.

SOUTH CAROLINA: The Gamecocks win over Providence might be the best one so far for the league. Other than South Carolina, the only other conference wins over BCS schools has been Vanderbilt over Georgia Tech and Wake Forest, Arkansas over Missouri and Tennessee over West Virginia. Guard Brandis Raley-Ross is hitting 71% (22- of -31) from the three- point line.

TENNESSEE: The Vols are 10-1 and ranked in the top 10 going into a break. Yet, the Vols have many problems to work out. They are shooting only 35% from the three- point arc. Point guard Ramar Smith is struggling at the point with 21 assists and 20 turnovers. The Vols have also been outrebounded four times this season. JP Prince, (6-foot-7) a sophomore transfer from Arizona, returns this week after having his shoulder scoped in November.

VANDERBILT: (9-0): The Commodores have scored 90 or more points in four of its five games. In the latest win against Lipscomb, Vandy hit a season high 11 threes and committed a season low 10 turnovers. A. J. Ogilvy scored a career- high 26 points.

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.