SPORTING NEWS/STREET & SMITH
- 1. GEORGIA
- 2. OHIO STATE
- 3. USC
- 4. OKLAHOMA
- 5. LSU
- 6. MISSOURI
- 7. CLEMSON
- 8. WEST VIRGINIA
- 9. FLORIDA
- 10. ILLINOIS
- 11. TEXAS
- 12. KANSAS
- 13. VIRGINIA TECH
- 14. WISCONSIN
- 15. OREGON
- 16. AUBURN
- 17. ARIZONA STATE
- 18. MICHIGAN
- 19. BYU
- 20. TEXAS TECH
- 21. SOUTH FLORIDA
- 22. TENNESSEE
- 23. ALABAMA
- 24. WAKE FOREST
- 25. FRESNO STATE
LINDY’S
- 1. GEORGIA
- 2. USC
- 3. OHIO STATE
- 4. OKLAHOMA
- 5. MISSOURI
- 6. FLORIDA
- 7. LSU
- 8. TEXAS
- 9. CLEMSON
- 10. WEST VA.
- 11. WISCONSIN
- 12. BYU
- 13. AUBURN
- 14. ARIZONA ST
- 15. KANSAS
- 16. TEXAS TECH
- 17. WAKE FOREST
- 18. ILLINOIS
- 19. USF
- 20. ALABAMA
PHIL STEELE
- 1. FLORIDA
- 2. OHIO STATE
- 3. OKLAHOMA
- 4. USC
- 5. CLEMSON
- 6. WEST VIRGINA
- 7. MISSOURI
- 8. USF
- 9. GEORGIA
- 10. PENN STATE
- 11. TEXAS TECH
- 12. AUBURN
- 13. LSU
- 14. UTAH
- 15. TEXAS
- 16. VA TECH
- 17. BYU
- 18. SOUTH CAROLINA
- 19. NOTRE DAME
- 20. CAL
COVER: FLORIDA’S TIM TEBOW AND FSU’S GREG CARR
STREET & SMITH: Plenty of I-A and lower division coverage
SPORTING NEWS RANKING THE CONFERENCES
SEC, BIG 12, BIG TEN, PAC-10, BIG EAST, ACC, MOUNTAIN WEST, WAC, MAC C-USA AND SUN BELT
ACC PREDICTIONS:
ATLANTIC-CLEMSON, WAKE FOREST, FSU, NC STATE, BC AND MARYLAND
COASTAL-VIRGINIA TECH, MIAMI, NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA TECH, VIRGINIA AND DUKE
OTHER ACC PREDICTIONS: FSU coach Bobby Bowden will retire after this year and Duke will win an ACC game
SEC PREDICTIONS:
EAST-GEORGIA, FLORIDA, TENNESSEE, SOUTH CAROLINA, KENTUCKY AND VANDERBILT
WEST-LSU, AUBURN, ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI STATE, ARKANSAS AND OLE MISS
OTHER SEC PREDICTIONS-
Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick will lead the league in passing. LSU will be better without quarterback Ryan Perrilloux and Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford will develop into the No. 1 quarterback in the NFL draft.
SEC NOTES
SEC DIRECTORS CUP RESULTS: Florida led the SEC with a No. 6 finish. The other SEC teams and their finish were: LSU No. 8, Georgia No. 10, Tennessee No. 16, Auburn No. 20, Arkansas No. 24 and Alabama No. 25.
ALABAMA: A. J. McCarron (6-4, 189), a four-star quarterback verbal commitment from Mobile (Ala.) St. Paul’s, qualified for the Elite 11 camp over the weekend. Mike Marrow (6-3, 240), a running back from Toledo, Ohio, committed to Alabama last weekend. Marrow has offers from Nebraska, Penn State, Illinois and Wisconsin. Cornerback Lionel Mitchell, who started seven- of -eight games last year, has been medically disqualified due to a back injury. Senior receiver Will Oakley broke his foot in a freak accident and while working out and will miss part of fall camp.
Senior linebacker Jimmy Johns arrested on felony drug charges and dismissed from the team impacts an already thin Alabama linebacker crew. Prince Hall is facing suspension and Zeke Knight has a heart condition that might end his career. Rolando McClain, who was injured in a motorcycle accident earlier in the summer, should be ready for the fall. Cory Reamer and freshmen Jerrell Harris, Don’ta Hightower, and Courtney Upshaw will also vie for playing time.
FLORIDA: Safety signee Dee Finley failed to qualify. During coach Urban Meyers’ four signing classes, 91- of- 93 signees have qualified. The only other signee who failed to qualify during Meyer’s tenure was tight end Brian Ellis from Daytona Beach Mainland. Outside linebacker signee William Green expects to play his first season. Green has lowered his 40-yard dash time to 4.65 and increased his bench press to nearly 300 pounds.
Nick Alajajian (6-4, 280), a four-star offensive lineman from Naples, Fla., has committed to the Gators. Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Tennessee, Clemson, Notre Dame among others have offered him.
GEORGIA: Bulldog fans are trying to get tickets (only 7,300 are allotted) to the Arizona State game; the furthest west the team has traveled since 1967 when they lost at Houston, 15-14. The Bulldogs haven’t traveled outside the states of Georgia or South Carolina for a non-conference game since 1972. During that time, Georgia has only played Georgia Tech, Clemson and South Carolina before the Gamecocks joined the SEC outside of Athens.
Bulldog freshman receiver Tavarres King is up to 181 pounds. Starting defensive lineman Jeff Owens is doing well after recovering from a separated shoulder. Freshmen defensive tackles A. J. Harmon and DeAngelo Tyson have been impressive in offseason workouts. Harmon, who needs to lose 30 pounds according to defensive line coach Rodney Garner, could eat his way to the offensive line. Defensive lineman signee Toby Jackson is waiting on the results of his ACT test. Linebacker Marcus Dowtin’s transcript error has been corrected and he is due in Athens on July 1.
FOX Sports Network will televise the Central Michigan game at 3:30 p.m. on Sept.6. Former Ohio State quarterback Antonio Henton is transferring to Georgia Southern, which is Georgia’s season opener on Aug. 30. The Georgia Southern game will be a pay-per-view broadcast at 12:30 p.m.
TENNESSEE: Memphis Commercial Appeal writer Ron Higgins wrote in a recent column—“Let me get this straight. The University of Tennessee announced a 6% tuition raise and coach Phil Fulmer, who hasn’t won an SEC title since 1998 and who has won just three bowl games in nine years, is getting a seven-year contract extension that will jack his annual salary between $2.6-3 million per year. Just imagine the salary bump if the Vols hold Florida and Tim Tebow to under 60 points for the second straight season.”
Josh Nunes (6-3, 208), a four-star quarterback from Upland, Calif., committed to Tennessee on Tuesday. Arizona State, BYU, Florida, Harvard, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Stanford are recruiting him. He has a 4.6 grade point average and a 29 on the ACT. Nunes, an Elite 11 selection, is the 10th best pro-style quarterback according to Rivals.com.
MISSISSIPPI STATE: Bulldog officials awarded coach Sly Croom an extension and raise last week. He will receive $1.7 million in 2008, the first of a four-year deal that runs through 2011. Four-year contracts are the maximum under state law. Croom received a 74% raise which still puts him only above Kentucky’s Rich Brooks. What is unique about the contract is a provision that stipulates a raise based on the football teams’ effect on the school’s NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate. Both coordinators-Charlie Harbison and Woody McCorvey—also received raises. Croom’s raise means all SEC coaches make at least $1.5 million per year.
KENTUCKY: Quarterback signee Randall Cobb is trying his hand at receiver since there is a logjam at quarterback with Curtis Pulley, Mike Hartline, Will Fidler, and freshmen Matt Roark and DeAunte Mason. Six of the 20 signees won track and field titles.
ARKANSAS: Hog alumnus Pat Summerall, the NFL broadcaster, was not able to attend the golf tournament named for him this week after undergoing surgery for internal bleeding. His wife said Summerall had a reaction to some new medication. Summerall, who had hip replacement surgery in January, is expected to be out of the hospital this week. He had a liver transplant in 2004.
AUBURN: A total of 21 Tigers signees are on campus. Lineman Freddie Smooth, athlete Brandon Smith, defensive end Ken Adams and athlete Onterrio McCalebb are going to either a junior college or prep school. Defensive back Marcus Jemison, offensive lineman Jermaine Johnson, defensive back Neiko Lipscomb, and running back Reggie Hunt are still waiting on test and grade results. Reggie Taylor (5-10, 167), a cornerback from Fort Valley, Ga., has committed to Auburn. Iowa State, Memphis and Ball State offered him.
OLE MISS: Defensive lineman Jerrell Powe might soon be eligible according to his lawyer. Powe, who was a student last year at Ole Miss, but couldn’t play football, has been rejected twice in eligibility appeals by the NCAA.
ACC NOTES
FLORIDA STATE: Five defensive backs turned in 40-yard dash times of 4.5 seconds or better during a recent testing period. Patrick Robinson had the best time of 4.25. Still, even though the secondary returns virtually intact, last season FSU allowed a league-high 24 touchdowns and finished second to last in pass defense. With Drew Weatherford and Christian Ponder holding down the top two quarterback spots, there is already speculation about redshirting freshman E. J. Manuel. For the first time in recent memory, the Noles have no players over 300 pounds. Defensive back Tony Carter has bulked up from 158- to- 175 since spring. Dustin Hopkins, a kicker from Houston, Texas, has committed to FSU. Notre Dame, Baylor, Kansas State and Missouri have offered him. The Noles finished No. 15 in the Director’s Cup for the second straight year.
MIAMI: Running back Charlie Jones is transferring to Memphis where he joins former teammate DajLeon Farr and former defensive coordinator Tim Walton. All the signees except for C. J. Holton, C. J. Odom, Brandon Washington, and Antonio Harper will start school this week. Freshman linebacker Zach Kane is awaiting his legal status. Kane allegedly broke a bottle over the head of another teenager at a party.
CLEMSON: Sophomore defensive back DeAndre McDaniel, who is from Tallahassee, Fla., was arrested over the weekend for assault of a high and aggravated nature against his girlfriend. McDaniel played in 13 games last season. Former Tiger player Ray Ray McElrathbey is transferring to Howard.
GEORGIA TECH: Rick Strom, a former Tech quarterback, is moving from the sidelines to the analyst booth, replacing Jeff Van Note, who wants to devote more time to his family and his job with the Atlanta Falcons radio team. Jeff Woolverton, who works with Atlanta sports talk radio “The Zone”, has been named the new sideline reporter. Wes Durham is Tech’s play-by-play voice.
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.
E-MAIL BRENT AT bcbeaird@bellsouth.net
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