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FLORIDA VS. OKLAHOMA IN THE BSC NATIONAL TITLE GAME IN MIAMI ON Jan. 8:
Receiver coach Billy Gonzalez, who is also the recruiting coordinator, could end up as offensive coordinator. Receiver Percy Harvin is going to stay in Gainesville for rehab during the Christmas week. Offensive lineman Carl Johnson is close to returning to practice. Receiver Carl Moore has a hamstring injury, but he should play in the game. Running back Chris Rainey will play despite a groin injury that will require off-season surgery.
Defensive line coach Dan McCarney is reportedly interviewing for the Army job. Jelani Jenkins (6-2, 220), a five-star linebacker from Olney, Md., could be a Gator verbal. Andre Debose (6-0, 170), a five-star athlete from state champion Sanford Seminole, is looking at LSU, Florida, Georgia, Miami and USC. Debose will make his commitment at the Under Armour All-American game on Jan. 4. He caught the winning score from quarterback Ray Ray Armstrong, a LSU verbal.
ALABAMA VS. UTAH IN THE SUGAR BOWL IN NEW ORLEANS ON JAN. 2:
Receivers Nikita Stover and Marquis Maze were in non-contact jerseys for Saturday's practice. Freshman Chris Jackson has moved from receiver to safety and Michael Williams has moved from outside linebacker to tight end. B. J. Scott is still working with the receivers, but there is speculation that he might be moved to defensive back in the spring. Receiver Will Oakley will not play in the bowl game because he has not recovered enough.
Morgan Moses (6-7, 347), a five-star offensive lineman from Richmond, Va., is down to Ohio State and Alabama. Bobbie Massie (6-8, 335), a five-star offensive lineman from Hargrave Military in Chatham, Va., is considered to be an Alabama/Georgia battle, but North Carolina is also involved. He visits Alabama on Jan. 23 and Georgia on Jan. 30.
Utah beat two 10-win teams (TCU and BYU), Oregon State who beat Southern Cal, an eight-win Air Force team and Colorado State, who has already won a bowl game. The Utes' defensive line is small. The biggest offensive lineman is Paul Kruger (6-5, 265). Still, with an undersized front the defense allows only 104 yards rushing.
OLE MISS VS. TEXAS TECH IN THE COTTON BOWL IN DALLAS ON JAN. 2:
Will Tech be motivated after missing a BSC game? Offensive lineman Maurice Miller has been cleared academically to play in the bowl game. If all the players are eligible, it would be a big difference from the 30 players that would be been ineligible last year. The team is also basically healthy.
SOUTH CAROLINA VS. IOWA IN THE OUTBACK BOWL IN TAMPA ON JAN. 2:
Gamecock officials said they have sold only 9,000 of 11,000 tickets to the bowl game. South Carolina allowed 87 points in its last two games. Coach Steve Spurrier has questioned the desire of some of his players. Safety Emanuel Cook will not play in the game due to academics. His replacement, Akeem Auguste, will not play due to a hamstring injury. Spurrier gave the team off Monday with the plan to reconvene in Tampa on Friday. He is trying to make some of the bowl preparation more fun. Linebacker Dustin Lindsey and offensive lineman Kyle Nunn are academically ineligible for the bowl game. Punter Spencer Lanning won his academic appeal so he will play in the bowl game. South Carolina is trying to win eight games for the ninth time in school history.
The Hawkeyes have the No. 12 ranked defense nationally. Defensive tackle Mitch King and Matt Kroul and cornerback Bradley Fletcher have combined for 161 tackles. Iowa ranks No. 3 nationally with 20 picks. Iowa won four of its last five games. Shonne Greene won the Doak Walker award. All four losses were by five or fewer points.
GEORGIA VS. MICHIGAN STATE IN THE CAPITAL ONE BOWL IN ORLANDO ON JAN. 1:
Coach Mark Richt said he would do what he could to keep assistant Stacey Searels on the staff. Auburn Coach Gene Chizik has talked to Searels, who makes $235,000 per year. Georgia has struggled this year in leadership, discipline and prevented lulls on defense and offense. Could this be the last game for tailback Knowshon Moreno and quarterback Matthew Stafford? Georgia comes into the game with only five scholarship linebackers which includes freshman Nick Williams who was moved to linebacker from safety. The rest of the linebackers are Rennie Curran, Akeem Dent, Marcus Dowtin and Williams. Georgia had a projected seven starters to miss a total of 43 games.
LSU VS. GEORGIA TECH IN THE CHICK-FIL-A BOWL IN ATLANTA ON DEC. 31:
Co-defensive coordinator Doug Mallory is still talking to New Mexico as a possible defensive coordinator. Bradley Dale Peveto has accepted the job at Northwestern State. Peveto will coach in the bowl game. John Chavis, who has interviewed at Clemson twice, is still a possibility. Greg Robinson, Ed Orgeron, DeWayne Walker, Tyrone Nix of Ole Miss have also been mentioned as possibilities for defensive coordinator. The players have noticed a sense of urgency during practice. Several players have said that bowl practice has been the toughest of the season. LSU like many teams has trouble simulating Tech in practice. In two games against Georgia and Mississippi State, the Yellow Jackets averaged 41 points and over 420 yards.
VANDERBILT VS. BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE MUSIC CITY BOWL ON DEC 31:
B.C. leads the nation in forcing turnovers with 36. They have intercepted 26 passes and collected 26 sacks. Vandy has the worst offense in the league and the fourth worst defense. The Commodores are thin at defensive end with Broderick Stewart sitting out with a broken ankle and Theron Kadri limited with a sprained ankle. Jared Hawkins, who has a foot injury, is hoping to be able to practice after Christmas. Vandy offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell is rumored to be a candidate for the same position at South Carolina.
EAST CAROLINA VS. KENTUCKY IN THE LIBERTY BOWL IN MEMPHIS ON JAN. 2:
The Wildcats were the nation's top ranked defense until injuries depleted them. Quarterback Mike Hartline is scheduled to play in the place of injured Randall Cobb. Defensive end Jeremy Jarmon will play in the bowl game after missing the Tennessee game due to a knee injury.
AUBURN: Former Tiger defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads has taken the head coaching job at Iowa State. There are rumors that Chizik might be interested in hiring Miami offensive coordinator Patrick Nix. Other possibilities for the staff are: defensive coordinator Reggie Herring and Ted Roof and offensive coordinator Greg Davis of Texas and Trooper Taylor of Oklahoma State, Ron Prince, Patrick Nix of Miami, and Mitch Brown formerly of Syracuse. Quarterback Chris Todd will have surgery soon on his throwing shoulder. He should have a regular recovery time of around five months. Former offensive coordinator Al Borges has landed at San Diego State as offensive coordinator under new coach Brady Hoke. Auburn defensive end Antonio Coleman will announce his intentions pertaining to the NFL on Jan. 3.
MISSISSIPPI STATE: There is a report that Carl Torbush, who is presently coaching at Carson-Newman, will join the State staff. He has coordinated defenses at Alabama and Texas A & M and coached at North Carolina. Former Alabama and Texas A & M offensive coordinator Les Koenning is joining the offensive staff. He was also on the State staff from 1986-89.
TENNESSEE: Vol assistants Greg Atkins, Latrell Scott, and Jason Michael are leaving the staff. Atkins is taking the offensive line coach position at Syracuse and Scott is taking the receivers coach at Virginia. Former Auburn assistant Eddie Gran has interviewed for a staff position. Monte Kiffin might be asking for more money beyond the original $1 million offer. Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates could be a candidate for the Vol staff.
ARKANSAS: Former quarterback Casey Dick might land at Central Arkansas.
ACC NOTES
CLEMSON VS. NEBRASKA IN THE GATOR BOWL IN JACKSONVILLE ON JAN. 1:
Possible names for Tiger defensive coordinator are John Chavis and Kevin Steele of Alabama.
VIRGINIA TECH VS. CINCINNATI IN THE ORANGE BOWL IN MIAMI ON JAN. 1:
The Hokies could be without three starters in the bowl game. Left guard Nick Marshman is academically ineligible to play. Defensive end Jason Worilds has a shoulder injury and linebacker Brett Warren has a torn ACL in his right knee. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster will not be named the coach-in-waiting because head Coach Frank Beamer is not within a short period of time of retiring.
FLORIDA STATE VS WISCONSIN IN THE CHAMP SPORTS BOWL IN ORLANDO ON Dec. 27:
Defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews said he will return next season. He has been at FSU for 26 years. Jacobbi McDaniel, a five-star defensive tackle from Madison County and FSU commitment, will not be able to enroll until the summer. He was hoping to come in for spring practice. Receivers Taiwan Easterling and Preston Parker have been battling injuries.
Wisconsin has two of the biggest backs in the nation with P. J. Hill and John Clay weighing close to 240 pounds.
MIAMI VS CAL IN THE EMERALD BOWL IN SAN FRANCISCO ON DEC. 27:
There are also rumors of quarterback Robert Marve transferring to either Florida or LSU. Offensive coordinator Patrick Nix could be rumored as a possibility for the same position at Auburn. Quarterback Jacory Harris came to school weighing 168. He is up to 186. Punt snapper Chris Ivory will miss the bowl game. He is the fifth Cane to miss the game. Tight ends Richard Gordon and Tervaris Johnson and linebacker Robert Futch are also suspended. Jermaine Johnson (6-6, 309), a five-star offensive lineman from Hargrave Military in Chatham, Va., has decommitted from Auburn and committed to Miami.
VIRGINIA: Al Groh has hired former Bowling Green coach Gregg Brandon as offensive coordinator. He served under Urban Meyer at Bowling Green. There were rumors that Brandon might end up at Florida. He was also considered at Mississippi State and Illinois.
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 brentbeaird@comcast.net
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