Friday Night Links: Should The NCAA Require Head Coaches Pay For Athlete's Sins?

1. The Palm Beach Post thinks a good way to "curb college football transgressions" is to pass the buck to the head coach and let him pay the cost to be the boss.

Why not make head coaches directly and financially responsible for maintaining integrity in their programs?

We're not just talking about lofty speeches and sweater vests anymore. That's window dressing, just as it is to suspend a rowdy running back two meaningless September games for driving drunk or smoking marijuana or getting tangled up in some nightclub brawl in the offseason.

Instead, dock the head coach a game-day paycheck when he and his staff and his army of mentors and tutors can't keep a star player under control. That would work all the excuses out of any major program's oversight system, and fast.

No more taking away scholarships for NCAA violations, either. That's a punishment that comes so tardy that it hurts athletes who weren't even at the school when the rules were being wrinkled. Extract a big fine from the head coach as an alternative, enough to cover an equal number of scholarships, and if he can't pay, allow him to take out a college loan. Hey, we're nothing if not humane.

2. Speaking of guys who are getting paid. Auburn head coach Gene Chizik just got a raise—think he sent a little of that cheese Cam's way (just kidding).

"We believe that we have the best coach in college football," Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs said in a statement. "More importantly, coach Chizik is a great mentor to our student-athletes, he represents Auburn with class and integrity in all that he does, and he is an outstanding ambassador for Auburn University."

3. Some are already wondering if this will be the year that Boise State finally gets their shot at a BCS Championship. 

Despite starting ranked higher than Oregon and Auburn in the preseason polls, by the time the first BCS rankings came out on October 17, Oregon had passed the Broncos and the next week Auburn jumped to the top spot. Besides, TCU even passed them the week after Auburn did.

But that doesn’t mean the question of whether a non-AQ school will ever play for the national championship as long as the BCS is holding hostage running the college football postseason will go away. This preseason, Boise State is once again considered the non-AQ team that holds the best chance of upsetting college football elitists and hoisting that crystal football. 

(Note: The legitimacy of the BCS will not be proven should a non-AQ school ever win the national title, nor will BCS opponents let the issue rest. The problem is not necessarily that a non-AQ school has never played for the national championship, but rather that the BCS provides AQ schools much easier access to the national title game and the BCS bowl games, not to mention the revenue that comes with it.)

4.  The first official lines for the upcoming 2011 College Football season have been released and Georgia is listed at -6 against Boise State.

Per Miller via Payne, bettors are allowed to make a maximum of three bets of no more than $1,000 each before they must head to the end of the line. 

We’ll be speaking with some industry experts and will have a more thorough analysis on a few of these games this weekend, but for now, here are the Golden Nugget’s point spreads for some of the biggest games on the 2011 schedule…


Saturday, September 3, 2011

Boise State (-6) at Georgia (game to be played in Atlanta)

Oregon (-2*) at LSU (game to be played in Dallas)

5. Rivals writer, Olin Buchanan believes the Florida Gators have the roughest four-game stretch of any team in college football this season.

...Florida's October stretch may be the most difficult month faced by any team in the country, even with an open date before the Georgia game. Those four opponents were a combined 41-12 in 2009. Again, Auburn won't be as good, but Alabama and LSU are bona-fide national championship contenders and Georgia figures to be better.

6. In case you had not heard, Tim Tebow has written a book about his life and his faith. He's currently doing book signings about said book in Florida and—to no one's surprise—he's drawing massive crowds in his homestate. Well, at least in Orlando and Jacksonville. 

The local Wal-Mart officials deflected attempts for interviews, saying he was off limits before and during the event. Some customers looked on in amazement as fans started doing Gator chants in the middle of the store, hundreds dressed in blue Gator tops _ almost all with Tebow's No. 15 on it.

The parking lot was overflowing as fans streamed into the store. The of the line was in women's clothing, where an amazed shopper laughed in amazement as fans negotiated the huge line patiently as she tried to get to a blouse that interested her.

(on a side note, the author of this particular article needs more work with his editor. Jeez, what awful grammar and spelling in this little spiel).

Related articles

• Georgia Bulldogs: What If They Lose To Boise State? (theladysportswriter.blogspot.com)
• Boise State Meets With NCAA Committee On Infractions (sbnation.com)
• Auburn hikes Chizik's annual salary by $1.3M (sports.espn.go.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: Well, That Didn't Take Long...

It seems to me that every off-season, Georgia fans have to endure the "Will Rodney Garner stay or go" conversation. It's happened, ad nauseum, for the last five seasons—forgive me if I've lost count—and this off-season doesn't look like it will be any different. Once again, Garner's name is cropping up for consideration at another SEC school.

According to this report, the Auburn Tigers might come calling again now that their defensive line coach—Tracy Rocker—has bolted for the NFL, and Gene Chizik's first option, Clint Hurtt of Louisville, has decided to stay with his current employer. 

In case you didn't know, Garner is an Auburn alum and the prospect of him returning to coach at his alma mater seems like a scenario worth getting concerned about...that is, if you're inclined to care any more.

Why the big stink? Well, Garner is also Georgia's current recruiting coordinator and that, as much as anything, is the reason his name continues to be floated about for coaching positions. And, if you listen to rumors, it's also the reason why coach Richt has been so adamant about Garner remaining on his staff.

When Richt cleaned defensive house at the end of the 2009 season, Garner wasn't under any real threat of receiving his walking papers—despite the fact the the defensive line (the unit Garner is responsible for coaching) was every bit as underwhelming as the rest of the defense.

Smart money says that Garner stays at Georgia for the same reason Hurtt opted to stay at Louisville—he's already got a pretty good deal going—said Hurtt about why he opted against Auburn in favor of remaining at Louisville, "...I couldn’t say that Auburn had that much more to offer than what is already in place here." 


We'll see what happens, but I simply don't see Garner going anywhere—yet.

Related articles

• Louisville assistant Hurtt not going to Auburn (sportingnews.com)

Auburn Is Selling Freeze-Dried Turf To Commemorate Their BCS Victory

So, Auburn fans, how deep is your love? Is it deep enough to shell out 99.99 for a piece of dirt—wait, sorry—I mean, freeze-dried turf? It's a lovely item that comes packaged in a block of plastic with an overhead shot of the field where your championship Tigers played their way to a Sears Trophy.

Well, if you're hankering to get that dirt freeze-dried turf on your shelf before the start of the 2011 season, go ahead and go "all in", Auburn begins taking pre-orders February 4.

It certainly looks authentic (not really), Tiger fans. I mean, wow, this is a piece of the field where Nick Fairley and Cam Newton ran, tackled, and passed (at least that's what the product info says) so who cares if it looks like it could've come from Gene Chizik's lawn, right? You're getting a piece of history (I guess).

I kid, I kid. Have at it, Tiger fans, enjoy your moment.

Photo Credit: Auburn Tigers Online Turf Store

Georgia Bulldogs: Mark Richt Has Faith, But How Many Still Have Faith In Him?

If you're a Georgia Bulldog fan, it's not likely to have escaped your attention that Auburn's Gene Chizik became yet another SEC coach to win a national title in under five-years.

Believe and say what you will about Cam Newton, and the dirty NCAA, the fact remains, Auburn has a recent national championship to brag about and Georgia does not.

Gene Chizik, booed by Auburn fans a mere three seasons ago, has a Sears Trophy and a Heisman winner on his head coaching resume.

Mark Richt has????

And it's not just Chizik that boils you. It's the departed Urban Meyer (won two titles in five years), the fiery Nick Saban (won a title in his third year), and the gunslinging Les Miles (won a title in his second season). All won the big one within a short period of time.

And Mark Richt has????

Yet you are told to have faith that Richt's time will soon come.

Well, it's tough to have faith when you're losing players left and right— Justin Houston and Brandon Boykin could follow A.J. Green to the NFL, Darryl Gamble is gone, and both Marcus Dowtin and Nick Williams (sleeper talents to start 2010) are transferring—and necessary staff changes take so long to get made—the offensive coordinator is still...coordinating.

Your faith will only take you as far as your ability to overlook certain truths and, for a great many, that truth is this: Mark Richt's window to win a national championship has closed.

Does that mean McGarity should have dumped him after the bowl game? No, not in my opinion.

In truth, McGarity has done the right thing in allowing Richt this one last season to show what he's made of.

If 2011 proves mediocre, then he's out and McGarity has had more time to evaluate the program as well as identify possible candidates for the future.

He's just being sure all of his bases are covered.

In the meantime, one can only trust in the possibility that 2011 holds a better outcome.

It's all or nothing next season for Georgia football, under coach Richt, and faith or no faith, we are all hoping for a miracle.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday Snapshot: Gene Chizik As Possible Candidate for UF Job?

Obviously, the fine fans of Auburn University are drinking the Gene Chizik kool-aid—their press included. There is at least one journalist who believes the Florida Gators should consider hiring the, once ridiculed, coach for their football coaching vacancy. That's an interesting thought considering that most people aren't buying his success.

If you remove the talents of Cam Newton from Auburn this season, how many of you really believe that would a) be undefeated, b) on their way to a BCS National Title berth, or c) have a player worthy of Heisman consideration?...Yeah, didn't think so.

Gene Chizik didn't become a genius overnight. He struck gold with Cam Newton and Cam Newton excelled under the offensive scheme of Gus Malzahn. Sure, the stellar play of Michael Dyer, Nick Fairley, and Michael Dyer didn't hurt, but let's not be naive about Newton's impact on this team.

And, for those of you who don't buy the 'one-player-can-make-a-difference' argument, just look at how far the Gators have gone minus Tim Tebow. Even better, what would Ohio State have been without Maurice Clarett—in his one season? Georgia without Herschel in 1980?

Certainly, none of those players led their team to a national title every year, but they definitely placed them in the conversation.

Chizik is still Chizik. Until he duplicates this feat minus Cam Newton, to many, he will still be the guy that Auburn fans booed at the airport.

-And, speaking of misguided expectations, what is all this chatter about Mark Richt being under pressure to win the East now that Meyer is gone? Seriously, in what universe should THAT be an expectation?

While it's understandable that Georgia fans should expect better of this team in year two of the 3-4 defense, under the leadership of Aaron Murray, and minus the anchor that was Dave Van Halanger, it's a mighty big leap to take for any one to start believing Georgia is heading to the SEC Championship Game in 2011.

For one, South Carolina has proven it is better with Marcus Lattimore. He''ll be in season two—stronger and more experienced—will Georgia have an answer for him? Secondly, if both A.J. Green and Justin Houston make their expected exits for the NFL, who will take their places?

Rantavious Wooten, Tavarres King, and Marlon Brown have been flashing their "potential" for years, will they suddenly be able to fulfill it?

Will the running backs be better than this season? And, before you answer that, consider the fact that both Shaun Chapas (one heckuva a lead blocker), and Fred Munzenmaier are both graduating.

That said, there may need to be more tempered enthusiasm in the Bulldog Nation. By no means is an SEC Championship impossible, but the expectation of one is a dangerous proposition this early in the game.

-Some fans will go to any lengths to support their team. Ron Pettichord, a guy who says he's not really a "die-hard [Oregon] Ducks fan" has decided to postpone his heart surgery so that he can be sure to take in the BCS National Title game.

Not for nothing, but, that's what they made DVR's for, right? Seriously...some people.

-

Related articles

• Auburn's Cam Newton: I've done nothing wrong (sportingnews.com)

Georgia Bulldogs Football: Either You're With Richt or You're Against Him—It's That Simple

At this point, the Georgia Bulldog faithful are drawing a line in the sand and, quite frankly, it's coming down to one question: Are you a Mark Richt supporter or a Mark Richt detractor? Period. There is no gray area, there are no compromises, and there is no room for further discussion.

If you listen to the media, Richt should be gone yesterday. People like Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC)  have all but laid out a simple plan for why Richt should accept his fate and move on.

But, Bradley is just looking for blog hits. Don't think for one minute he actually cares about the state of the Georgia football program. The longer Mark Richt stays around, the more material

Bradley has to produce for the contingent that are looking for a reason to believe their feelings towards Richt are valid.

A pot-stirrer is a pot-stirrer—it doesn't matter what kitchen he/she is standing in.

That said, at some point, you have to decide, as a fan, what you feel is best for your beloved program. If you love Georgia football, then you are no more right if you want Richt to stay, than you are wrong if you want him to leave. It's a matter of personal opinion and, both sides, have legitimate arguments.

The pro-Richt side will point to the last ten-years, the change in coaching, the lack of A.J. Green to start the season, the bad defensive playcalling of the previous regime, etc. The anti-Richt side will point to the SEC record of the last three-years, the poor recruiting class of 2009, the perceived refusal of Richt to hire/fire based on performance not personal relationships, etc.

There is no winning no matter what side of the fence you stand on, yet, the argument still rages on.

However, it must be said, the parallel that so many want to draw with Phillip Fulmer seems irrelevant. No offense to the Vols, but, is that what you want as a Georgia fan? Seriously? Because, last check, Tennessee hasn't been that much better without Fulmer than they were with him.

Tennessee might get back to being a power in another year or two, but, do Bulldog fans really want to follow the Vol's trajectory? Is that, in your mind, the better option?

Or, more disturbingly, those same fans are now pointing to what Gene Chizik is doing at Auburn in just his second full season. Well, should we point out the obvious? Let's do for the heck of it: Cam Newton is the difference.

Gene Chizik got the best player in the nation to play in Gus Malzahn's high-powered offense.
Take Newton out of the equation and Auburn isn't undefeated.  Those close wins against Kentucky, Mississippi State, South Carolina, and LSU are nulled.

Don't bother second-guessing it, Newton made those wins happen—no question.

Mark Richt has become a divisive figure within the Bulldog nation and that's a pity because, if not for all his early success, there wouldn't be the thinking that Georgia could do better. He's as much a victim of his prior success as he is his recent failures—go figure.

In the end, Mark Richt is the head coach at the University of Georgia until further notice and, personally, I stand behind him.

Why?...Well, because until he's fired or resigns—in my opinion—he's Georgia and, quite frankly, so am  I.

Does that mean you are wrong for wanting him gone—if you do? No, it simply means we'd have to agree to disagree and, honestly, that shouldn't be a problem.

Kenny Rogers: "I Didn't Talk to Cam, I Talked To Mr. Newton"

Kenny Rogers laid all his cards on the table this afternoon on ESPN 103.3 FM's Ian Fitzsimmons Show. In that interview, he made it clear that Cecil Newton—Cam Newton's father—initiated the pay-for-play conversation—not him.

Furthermore, Rogers stated that the Newton's knew he was approaching Mississippi State for money and any thing said otherwise is, essentially, untrue. 

Now that Rogers has come forth to offer his account of the situation, we a"know" the following:

1) Cecil Newton approached Rogers with the idea of soliciting his son's services for money.

2) Rogers never personally approached John Bond to ask him for said money (an amount Rogers states was between $100,000 and $180,000.

3) Cam Newton may or may not have been made aware of what his father was doing.

4) Bill Bell, a Mississippi State booster, was contacted, on behalf of Cecil Newton to request the money.

5) Auburn's involvement in this whole mess is still not understood or known. Rogers could not confirm or deny that the Tigers paid to get Newton—his knowledge ends with what transpired between himself and Mr. Newton.

The natural question now is, what can be done with this information?

The main sticking point for the NCAA is whether or not Cam Newton, or Auburn University, had any knowledge of what Mr. Newton's dealings were with Mississippi State boosters, coaches, or otherwise.  If they can connect those dots with any consistency, they can make a decision on the appropriate actions to take. As of now, it is still he said/he said and there is little than can be done with that.

Either way, the water just got a whole lot hotter for the Tigers now that Rogers has, essentially, passed the buck back to Mr. Newton and his gang of merry men.

That said, if you've followed this story closely, two things are liable to be nagging at your noggin right now—assuming you're just a casual observer. First, why is everyone so intent on bringing this story to light now—10-months after it was reported to the NCAA?

How has a scandal of this scale escaped scrutiny for nearly a year?

Even more, would any one be so intent on solving the mystery if the Tigers were tanking and Cam Newton were playing bad football?

Secondly, who can you believe at this point? Everyone has proven to be a liar.

Cecil Newton now has at least two people on record stating he asked for money. There is also proof that Mr. Newton made the decision to go to Auburn, despite knowledge that a Mississippi State booster was willing to pay the amount he requested.

Was that because Auburn paid more or because, as Mr. Newton would later say, he didn't want his son to become a "rented mule" at a school like Mississippi State where, despite the presence of Dan Mullen, he was bound to be playing with a lesser talent pool?

All Rogers did by coming forward is bring about more questions, more speculation, and more finger-pointing. 

This whole thing stinks and, unfortunately, for Gene Chizik and Cam Newton, it's the story that just doesn't want to go away. 

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: Power Ranking The SEC Quarterbacks After Week Six

See week five here.

1. Aaron Murray, Georgia (17/25 for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns. 7 carries for 44 yards and 2 touchdowns) vs Tennessee.

It was only a matter of time before Aaron Murray made his presence felt against an SEC opponent. The reconfigured offensive line, and a healthy A.J. Green on the football field, made the passing and running lanes easier for Murray to take advantage of as he scrambled, passed, and tip-toed his way into SEC Freshman of the Week Honors. He's for real folks...don't let any one tell you otherwise.

2010 season stats: 97/157 for 1366 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 45 carries for 122 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

2. Cameron Newton, Auburn (13/21 for 210 yards and 1 interception. 28 carries for 198 yards and 4 touchdowns) at Kentucky.

People talk about the run of luck that Les Miles has had over at LSU, but Gene Chizik has had quite a run of good fortune himself—thanks in large part to Cam Newton. The junior transfer has been the x-factor in four of the six come-from-behind wins the Tigers have this season. Against Kentucky, he was the driving force behind several key downs where a first down was necessary if Auburn were going to have any chance at winning the game.

Newton showed, yet again, why he is one of the most dominant players in college football.

2010 season stats: 70/108 for 1138 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. 104 carries for 672 yards and 9 touchdowns).

3. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina (17/20 for 201 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception) vs. Alabama.

Garcia finally came up big in a big game. The junior found redemption for his mishap at Auburn two-weeks ago (where his last-minute gaffes contributed to a Gamecock loss)—upending No. 1 Alabama at Williams-Brice Stadium, and getting Steve Spurrier one step closer to realizing his goal of winning an SEC Championship at South Carolina.

2010 season stats: 73/101 for 944 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 42 carries for 94 yards and 2 touchdowns).

4. Greg McElroy, Alabama (27/34 for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns) at South Carolina. 

McElroy finally faced the first loss of his collegiate, starting, career at the hands of a better-than-advertised South Carolina team that had plenty of time to prepare for his Tide's arrival. McElroy spent much of the day on his back—thanks largely to holding on to the ball too long in multiple situations—but he still managed to protect the ball and keep his team close for a time.

2010 season stats: 99/137 for 1238 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.

5. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas (27/38 for 310 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception) vs. Texas A&M.

This game was likely too close for comfort for Razorback fans, as it took a last-minute interception of Aggies quarterback, Jerrod Johnson, to seal the victory at home. However, Mallett continues to be stellar this year—ringing up yet another 300+ yard passing game to add to his season total.

The senior is averaging just under 350 passing yards per game.

2010 season stats: 122/176 for 1748 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.  

6. Larry Smith, Vanderbilt (16/27 for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns) vs. Eastern Michigan.

The Commodores had no problem dispatching Eastern Michigan, relying mostly on the rushing talents of Warren Norman and Zac Stacy, but Smith tossed a couple touchdowns in the second quarter for good measure.

2010 season stats: 67/119 for 793 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 

7. Jarrett Lee, LSU (9/11 for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns) at Florida. 

Given the opportunistic nature of the Florida Gator's secondary this season (they lead the nation with 13), you have to be impressed with the poise of Jarrett Lee. After coach Les Miles called for a fake field goal late in the fourth, Lee tossed the game-winning touchdown to seal the victory for the Tigers.

2010 season stats: 27/36 for 330 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. 

8. Mike Hartline, Kentucky (23/28 for 220 yards and 1 touchdown) vs. Auburn.

Hartline was as steady and poised as you would have wanted him to be for this game against the Auburn Tigers. He didn't hurt his team with costly mistakes or turnovers and he kept his cool when his Wildcats were down early in the third quarter—tossing the touchdown that, eventually, led to the start of a Wildcat rally.

Sadly, Cam Newton proved to be too much for the defense, and Kentucky simply couldn't hang on.

2010 season stats: 125/188 for 1442 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.

9. Matt Simms, Tennessee (9/13 for 178 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception) at Georgia. 

Simms did all he could to get the offense going but the Volunteers were mauled on both sides of the football field by a motivated Georgia Bulldog team. Still, Simm's scramble to shake off a potential Justin Houston sack and find Justin Hunter for the score, early in the game,  was one of the few shining moments of the day for the offense.

2010 season stats: 88/154 for 1136 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 

10. John Brantley, Florida (16/24 for 154 yards and 1 interception) vs. LSU

Cracked ribs or no, Brantley is not the right guy for this Florida offense so long as his new coordinator, Steve Adazzio keeps calling the plays. Brantley is a pocket-passer trying to run a spread offense that is built for a guy like Trey Burton. It seems only matter of time before either Brantley or Adazzio is replaced because this offense has been anything but fluid this season.

2010 season stats: 105/169 for 1056 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 

11. Tyler Russell, Mississippi State (5/9 for 72 yards) at Houston.

Russell came in to replace Chris Relf who, to be honest, did more damage with his legs than his arm (rushing for 96 yards and a score).

2010 season stats: 35/58 for 555 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.