Even Bobby Petrino Knows The NCAA Is A Joke

As a rule, I usually discount much of anything Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino has to say because I think he's a bit of a weasel. I mean, the way he ditched the Atlanta Falcons' head coaching position, midway through the season, in the middle of the night—once he saw they were headed towards trouble—was, in my opinion, one of the most despicable acts of cowardice that I have personally ever witnessed.

That said, he was dead-on in his comments regarding the NCAA's selective enforcement as it pertained to the the six Ohio State players who were granted eligibility for the Sugar Bowl game this past season. Said Petrino, "We wanted to play their best players, but there's no question I don't understand how they were eligible to play in the game. I just don't know; I never will."He went on to say "I think they (the NCAA) kind of changed the rules for that (Sugar) bowl game."

Hmmm, ya think?

The NCAA has come out smelling like a pile of steaming horse manure in this one. From day one they have done nothing but bow down to Ohio State and they did their best to accommodate Jim Tressel (now, finally, the former head coach) and all who were involved in the day-to-day business of running the football program in Columbus.  Honestly if it weren't for that little story on Yahoo, would any of us have known about Tressel's missteps? Just saying.

Now, that it has become alarmingly obvious that Tressel was both a liar and a cheat, it's a lot less likely that anyone who isn't a die hard Ohio State apologist will give a flip what happens to that football program as a result.

For many, the whole thing reeks and Ohio State will need to receive more than just a slap on the wrist for their many transgressions or else what's the point of having a "governing body" in college football.

NCAA President, Marc Emmert is a joke. I pull no punches in saying as much because his "leadership" since taking office has been about as fair and even-handed as that guy who ran ENRON into the ground. That said, yet again, he has an opportunity to make an example of Ohio State and send a message to any other coach currently contemplating or doing something similar by making the school's punishment severe and long.

It's only fair, I mean, if there were ever a case of a complete and total loss of institutional control it's in this one, and the fact that Jim Tressel finally did what his AD and President didn't have the nads to do, from the first hint of scandal, shouldn't mean squat—look at what happened to USC...after Pete Carroll left.

It's clear that Emmert & Co. aren't equipped to do their job with any competency whatsoever, but there again I'll hold my breath to see what happens here—although not for long as I have a family to consider—as they just might surprise us and do the right thing this time.

Back to Petrino, though, as I had a nice chuckle at his final thoughts on the matter. Said the former Atlanta Falcons head coach, "...Tell the truth in all your relationships."

Just classic. 

Related articles

• Jim Tressel's legacy, part the first (blutarsky.wordpress.com)
• Tressel's fall a warning to other coaches (sfgate.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: Ben Jones Named To 2011 Rimington Watch List

The 2011 Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List has been released and Georgia center, Ben Jones, makes his second consecutive appearance. Jones, a senior, is one of six SEC players named on the list for the trophy given to college football's "most outstanding center" each year.

The SEC and the Big Ten had the most nominees.

Other SEC players named on the list include T.J. Johnson (South Carolina), P.J. Lonergan (LSU), Matt Smith (Kentucky), Travis Swanson (Arkansas), and William Vlachos (Alabama).

Jones is considered by some to be one of the top centers in the country and is currently projected to be a late second, early third, round draft pick in 2012.

He's made 35 starts and appeared in 39 games for Georgia—including 12 starts in 2010. He was named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week following Georgia's win over Vanderbilt. A game in which the team tallied more than 500 yards of total offense.

Justin Houston Failed A Drug Test In February...But, Ummm, It's April

Photo Credit: Brant Sanderlin/AJC

Justin Houston, the former Georgia Bulldog linebacker who parlayed his great 2010 season into a possible late-first round selection at this year's NFL Draft, reportedly failed a drug test at the NFL Combine in February.

Okay, so now that it's May, can someone please elaborate on why anyone should care?

Let me make this clear, I don't advocate the use of marijuana. I have never used it, never cared to use it, and don't see it being used anytime in my foreseeable future—unless I develop severe cataracts and just need a hit (sorry, bad form there)—but what Houston did seems irrelevant now.

Maybe if we had not been privy to Ryan Mallett's admission of recreational drug use during his time at Arkansas, I might be more inclined to raise a little sand. But, in fact, the main issue (at least from my perspective) isn't the fact that Justin Houston was using sometime last winter, but whether or not he was using while he was still enrolled at Georgia—which given the party atmosphere that has been known to surround the UGA football team and Athens, GA, in general, would not surprise me one iota.

If he was in fact using when he suited up, then it's possible he wasn't the only one and, if that's the case, then a whole other can of 'what the hell' is about to be opened in the blogosphere.

But back to the question at hand: what will this news do to Houston's draft status? If I had to take a guess, I'd say nothing. He's not a bad character guy and it's clear that he could excel if placed in the right system at the next level.

Plus, forgive my license here, but the NFL hasn't exactly been all that great about keeping it's players clean and sober—just saying. And, even if this latest revelation hurts his stock a bit, it's not likely to carry any more weight than the questions that were already being lobbed his way—the most important of which appears to be is he a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 linebacker?

Justin Houston tested positive for marijuana and that's unfortunate for him as that could tarnish his legacy for some Georgia Bulldog fans who came to respect him as a person and a player, but none of that will mean much come April 28th.

Friday Links: Tim Tebow Talks Georgia, Lions Pleased With Matthew Stafford

Tim Tebow says that after the Bulldogs danced in Florida's endzone in 2008, the Gators spent 365 days plotting their revenge.

The Lions may not be able to talk to their franchise quarterback, Matthew Stafford, but they did like what they heard about his performance at Georgia's spring game, where he threw for charity—completing a 50-yard bomb to a fan and looking crisp in the tire drill.

After Brad Biggs wrote the story regarding Mallett, NFL analyst, Todd McShay, stated that none of the NFL teams he's spoken to are worried about what Mallett did while at Arkansas because they feel pretty certain he isn't doing it now. 

Nick Saban clarifies his statements regarding Cam Newton and Auburn—come on Nick, stick to your guns, dude.

Speaking of Saban, doesn't he know two quarterback systems rarely work?

Arkansas fans thank Bobby Petrino for making the Hogs relevant in 2010.

Steve Spurrier is already leaving the door open to bring back embattled QB, Stephen Garcia—surprise, surprise.

Related articles

• Lions say Matthew Stafford's rehab is going well (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Detroit Lions: Reports on Matthew Stafford's recovery look good (sports.espn.go.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: Wherefore Art Thou, Richard Samuel?

"I need to show that I have what it takes to come back and play. To show that I can contribute and help the team win. That the coaches can trust me and I’m not, what you say, a bust or whatever." (Richard Samuel, AJC, 4/17/2011)

Do you remember when Richard Samuel was a factor in the Georgia Bulldog's offense? Can you recall the last significant play he made for the team? Most would point to the 2009 run against Arkansas (the one where he ran 80-yards to the endzone) as the last time he was relevant—no doubt you recall the play I'm referencing but, in case you've forgotten, you can see it again here—because he's been AWOL since.

Samuel made the move from offense to defense in the spring of 2010 and, at the time, everyone felt that was the best place for him to continue his development. However, he has yet to grow into the defensive player most felt he would and his appearance in Saturday's G-Day game, while nice to see, didn't exactly inspire confidence that he's ready to compete for a starting job this season (while he did recover a fumble, his play was, otherwise, only mildly impressive)—he still has some work to do.

A great many of his problems have stemmed from a) his inability to digest the playbook and b) the reps he lost after going down with a knee injury last season. He simply hasn't had time to showcase his skill set or put what he does know into practice—and it probably hasn't helped much that Alec Ogletree was tabbed to be Georgia's newest talent at inside linebacker.

Still, Samuel is keeping the faith and feels confident that the best is yet to come. As for the coaching staff, well, that seems to be another matter altogether, "Robinson and Alec Ogletree leave the spring with the inside track on the inside linebacker starting spots. Of Samuel’s prospects, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was vague, saying he has shown some promising flashes [emphasis added] and that "he will have a role as we move forward." (AJC, 4/17/2011).

Hmmm, sounds like Samuel will be on the bench quite a bit this year—aside from some spot reserve duty—but I could be wrong.

Hopefully Samuel can finally fight his way through the playbook and onto the football field. Georgia could always use another play maker on defense and it's obvious that Samuel would love to be that guy again, "I still have more inside of me, I still have more to show."

Related articles

• G-Day, You Turn Me Inside Out: Notes on the Georgia Bulldogs' Spring Scrimmage (dawgsports.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: Aaron Murray Is The Starting QB—No Question

Photo Credit: BRANT SANDERLIN/AJC

There will always be naysayers where Aaron Murray is concerned, but those people obviously didn't see how well Murray played in 2010. The redshirt freshman showed poise beyond his years and showcased a bevy of skills that even the coaching staff could not have expected.

So, when this article was published, questioning whether or not Georgia should "sit or start" Murray in 2011, I found myself intrigued as to what a non-Bulldog fan had to say on the subject. Below are the only two reasons this writer has for sitting the tough, young man from Tampa.

#1. Lack of Size

Murray measures in at 6'1" and 209 pounds. He needs to add a little weight to help endure some of the sacks he takes. Murray was sacked 24 times and suffered a number of hits during the 2010 season. Until the Georgia Bulldogs' offensive line improves, Murray should expect to have pass-rushers in his face at times.

His lack of height also occasionally leads to passes batted down at the line of scrimmage.

Okay, it's true that Murray is not the prototypical height and size of a pro-style quarterback, but that is not the only characteristic that goes into a quality starter.

There are plenty of 6'3", 225 lb, signal-callers that don't have the poise, pocket presence, or leadership ability that Murray displays on the football field and those are the intangibles that matter—every bit as much as the physical attributes.

Oh and, FYI, the nation's leading passer last season was shorter than Murray—Bryan Moniz. It also seems safe to assume that Boise State wouldn't trade their quarterback for  all the tea in China either. Kellen Moore clocks in at 6'0".

The point is, size doesn't always matter.

Furthermore, his lack of body weight is less important, where sacks are concerned, than Georgia's need to get their offensive line in order.

Murray didn't miss one game last season, despite being knocked on his backside better than 20 times. Even more, the anemic running game, the absence of playmakers in the receiving game (particularly in A.J. Green's absence), and the inability of the coaches to loosen the reigns as the season progressed, all played a hefty roll in Murray's inability to succeed in the win-loss column.

#2. Record

Murray was only able to produce a 6-7 record on the year and 3-5 record in Southeastern Conference play. While Murray's performances were decent, he wasn't able to lead the team to a winning record.

The fact that Murray was unable to "lead the team to a winning record" wasn't all on him. Poor playcalling, unfortunate turnovers, and defensive lapses in the secondary played key roles in losses at South Carolina, at Mississippi State, at Colorado, at Florida, and versus Arkansas—only one of those losses could, arguably, be attributed to Murray's play—he threw an ill-advised interception against Florida that led to the game-winning play in overtime.

If Georgia had taken care of business, on both sides of the ball in every one of those games, that 6-7 record might easily have been 10-3 or 11-2 (7-1 or 6-2 in the SEC).

Murray's lack of a winning record isn't all on him and there is no question that 2011 should be better for the Georgia Bulldogs—if Mark Richt and his staff can right the ship on both sides of the football field.

College Football: Arkansas Legislators Want New Rules After Newton Scandal

It looks like the lawmakers of Arkansas want to see some major changes in the way sports-agents are penalized for "rogue" behavior—at least by their state.

According to published reports, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel is introducing new legislation that would make it a "Class D felony for agents or their representatives to induce student-athletes to sign a contract by furnishing goods or services of value".

The bill would also "make it illegal for parents or others to seek the same illegal financial benefits in exchange for the promise of a student-athlete's commitment to a college or university athletic program."

Hmmm, sounds like Mr. McDaniel may not be too happy that his alma mater's (no surprise here, it's the University of Arkansas) shot at BCS glory was thwarted by a team many still feel was winning games with a dirty player who should have been deemed ineligible—Auburn.

Not that this was his only motivation for pushing the bill—sponsored by David J. Sanders—said McDaniel,

"Sports agents need to know that we in Arkansas will not tolerate them coming into our state, breaking the law, and jeopardizing the future of our student-athletes...further, we're going to make sure that our kids aren't used as pawns by their parents or others who think they can get away with selling their services to the highest bidder."

Wow, that language sure sounds pointed, no? He goes on to say,

"NCAA penalties could cost the hotel owner in Fayetteville or the convenience store owner in Jonesboro, all because of the actions of some unethical sports agent from outside the state...we support this legislation because we want our local economies to thrive and we want our student-athletes and our universities to be protected. It just makes for a better experience all around when everybody plays by the rules."

Well, not for nothing, Mr. McDaniel, but your head coach isn't exactly a saint himself—just saying.

If put into place, the penalties could be pricey if an agent or agent-representative is found in violation. The current penalty is $50,000 per offense, that would increase to $250,000 under this new law.

College Football: Power Ranking The SEC Quarterbacks After Week Eight

See week seven here.

1. Jeremiah Masoli, Ole Miss ( 21/36 for 327 yards and 3 touchdowns. 15 carries for 98 yards) at Arkansas.

Masoli played some of his best football of the season, accounting for 425 of the 512 yards the Rebels tallied against the Hogs on Saturday.

Down early to Arkansas, the Rebels seemed headed for a rout by Mallett and his crew, but Houston Nutt's team showed a lot of heart in rallying from an 18-point deficit to make a game of it late. By the start of the fourth quarter, the Rebels only trailed by seven.

But, alas, the tough running of Knile Davis was the difference in the fourth where, minus Mallett,  Arkansas staved off the rally and won the game.

2010 season stats: 96/170 for 1,260 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. 75 carries for 400 yards and 3 touchdowns. 


2. Mike Hartline, Kentucky (27/43 for 353 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception) vs. Georgia


Mike Hartline did all he could do to get his team back in the game on Saturday, but the 'cardiac cats' just didn't have quite enough steam to overcome another early deficit.
 

2010 season stats: 184/273 for 2,144 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 

3. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina (31/39 for 355 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception) at Vanderbilt.


The Gamecocks averted another disaster at the hands of the Commodores, and they didn't even need Marcus Lattimore to get the job done.

Garcia took advantage of his team's strong rushing attack—led by a 146-yard effort from Brian Maddox—to get the ball rolling through the air, as he made mince-meat of the Commodores' secondary. 


2010 season stats: 124/172 for 1,681 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. 

4. Greg McElroy, Alabama (21/32 for 264 yards) at Tennessee


McElroy didn't have eye-popping totals through the air, but his steady-handed play put Mark Ingram in position to score two big touchdowns for the Crimson Tide.


2010 season stats: 137/194 for 1,781 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 

5. Cam Newton, Auburn (10/16 for 86 yards. 28 carries for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns).


It would be easy to place Newton in the top spot again this week based on his rushing totals alone—they are simply other-worldly. That said, a quarterback, by definition, is supposed to spend the better part of his game passing the ball, not running it.

Spread or no spread, the lack of genuine playmakers around Newton will become a problem at some point—he can't keep doing it alone.

2010 season stats: 90/138 for 1,364 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. 157 carries for 1,077 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

6. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas (13/24 for 196 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception) vs. Ole Miss.

Mallett's night ended early for the second straight week, this time due to a bruised shoulder, but his team managed to seal the victory on the strong running of Knile Davis in the fourth quarter.

2010 season stats: 145/215 for 2,040 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions.

7. Aaron Murray, Georgia (9/12 for 113 yards) at Kentucky.

Murray wasn't spectacular on Saturday, but he didn't have to be. He kept it simple, let Ealey do the dirty work, and didn't hurt his team by throwing ill-advised passes.

The kid has been steady, focused, and smart with the football all season. It's a trend that will, hopefully, continue to be seen next week when Georgia faces Urban Meyer's Gators. 

2010 season stats: 121/193 for 1,766 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 54 carries for 165 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

8. Larry Smith, Vanderbilt (13/31 for 142 yards. 15 carries for 48 yards and 1 touchdown).

Smith has never been a world-beater. He's got some skills at running the ball, but his arm is nothing to write home about on a weekly basis. Vandy made a valiant effort at upending the Gamecocks on Saturday, but it just wasn't meant to be.

2010 season stats: 85/164 for 1,005 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 66 carries for 195 yards and 3 touchdowns.   



9.  Chris Relf, Mississippi State (8/19 for 107 yards and 1 touchdown. 20 carries for 51 yards) vs UAB.

It's hard to say what's more amazing: the fact that Mississippi State manages to keep winning with Relf or the fact that they might be worse off without him.

Hats off to Dan Mullen for maximizing the potential of his junior quarterback—he's been just good enough to get the job done.


2010 season stats: 63/114 for 815 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 107 carries for 428 yards and 2 touchdowns. 


10. Matt Simms, Tennessee (12/22 for 117 yards and 1 interception) vs Alabama.


Simms is a tough kid but he's been beat up this season—badly. Clearly, it's beginning to take its toll, too, after a big hit from Marcel Dareus, the junior called it a night.


2010 season stats: 100/176 for 1,253 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.


11. Jordan Jefferson, LSU (7/14 for 46 yards and 1 interception. 16 carries for 74 yards and 1 touchdown) at Auburn. 

Jordan Jefferson is awful. He's been awful all season. He was benched in favor of the, slightly less awful Jarrett Lee, but after Lee's atrocious performance against McNeese St. last week, LSU's coach, Les Miles, was looking for a spark.


Well, in case he hasn't figured it out yet, Jefferson is not "THAT" guy—he never will be.

2010 season stats: 65/123 for 623 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. 78 carries for 281 yards and 5 touchdowns.

BCS Rankings: Should The Auburn Tigers Be No. 1?

Lets try and forget for a moment that Ohio State is getting their backside handed to them by Wisconsin right now—after all, there is still plenty of football left to play in that particular game.

That said, Auburn and Arkansas have played their game and, minus the arm and skill of Ryan Mallett, the Hogs did fall 65-43 to the Tigers in "The Plains".

If you negate the 43 points that the Auburn defense gave up, and look solely at the sheer domination of the offense—most notably, Cam Newton—you have to start asking yourself this one question: can any team in the country beat Auburn right now?

Newton has been an absolute beast this season, he's done everything he was advertised to do and then some, leading an Auburn team that, two seasons ago, became a mockery in the SEC after hiring the likes of Gene Chizik. A guy who no one felt was an SEC-caliber head coach after tallying a horrific 5-15 record at Iowa State—that crowd of naysayers included some of the Auburn faithful.

What a difference a, potentially, undefeated season, consecutive top 20 recruiting classes, a top 10 ranking, and a big time quarterback can make, eh?

Auburn hasn't won any Division-I football games as convincingly as they won over Arkansas today and, despite the absence of Ryan Mallet, it's hard to say that there is another team they will face this season that will have the necessary personnel to stop this roll they have started.

Cam Newton is the Heisman winner...not just a candidate—the winner. No one comes close to doing what he's done against the SEC this year. The performances, or lack thereof, of both Denard Robinson (vs Iowa) and Taylor Martinez (vs. Texas) today showed just how much distance there is between a great player and Cam Newton—trust, it's quite a margin.

Through today's game, Newton now has close to 900 yards rushing—he leads the SEC—and he will, assuredly, reach the 1,000 yard mark this year. When he does, it will be impossible not to lock him in for the Heisman because he'll likely have close to 20 rushing touchdowns as well—that's unreal.

Either way, Auburn has found lightning in a bottle and, for the moment, it seems that there are no legitimate contenders to rain on their parade. 

College Football: The SEC's Wild, Wild West And It's Effect on the BCS

As of Sunday morning, seven SEC teams are in the Top 25 of the Associated Press Poll (AP). Four of those seven teams are from the western division of the SEC—three of them are in the Top 10.

The SEC West became very interesting after the Alabama Crimson Tide got rolled up in Columbia, by the South Carolina Gamecocks, over the weekend.
No. 7 Auburn, the team that few gave a chance, rallied to defeat the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday.

That made their record 6-0 coming into this weekend's match-up with No. 12 Arkansas, down on 'The Plains'.

Arkansas will come in with "upset" on their mind as they try to get back into the Top 10 at the expense of their division rival.

Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, and LSU are all in a position to win the division, and represent the western half of the conference in the SEC Championship Game in December.

As things stand right now, Arkansas would need a little help because they lost to the Tide, but none of the other teams (Auburn, Alabama, or LSU) have played each other yet, so there is still plenty of SEC Championship hope for the Razorbacks.

Even more, after Alabama's loss to South Carolina, the BCS will be looking for a new SEC team to hitch it's wagon to, and the story of the "Cardiac Cats" (Auburn) or "Lucky Les" (LSU) seems fitting in this year of anything can happen in college football.

Who has the best chance to come out on top?

At this stage, Auburn's schedule sets up the most favorably. They face Arkansas, LSU, and Georgia at home in the coming weeks, and will have a bye prior to taking on Alabama in the Iron Bowl on November 27th.

Alabama still has a chance to get back on track as well, however, after all, the loss they suffered was not within their division and , if they can reshuffle the deck a bit, they have just as much a shot as any one in the west to come out on top.

LSU seems to be playing with fire, but the replacement of Jordan Jefferson for Jarrett Lee may prove to be the best decision Les Miles has made this season. Jefferson was reeling and his poor play was becoming a drain on what little offense his team could muster.

Add to that, Miles seems to be back to his old 2007 tricks—calling plays like a Maverick and getting all the lucky bounces he can possibly hope for on the football field.

As for Bobby Petrino's crew, Ryan Mallett may be the catalyst for that offense, but the team will win or lose with Mallett's poise—or lack thereof. If the senior quarterback can maintain his focus, Arkansas can still be the surprise team that many picked them to be at the start of the season. The game against Auburn could be the start of something big or the end of a dream.

The SEC West has become a wild place to be this season. What team will be the last one standing when the smoke finally clears?...