Around The SEC: Gary Crowton Headed To Maryland—LSU Fans Cheer!

Crowton moving to College Park, gives LSU his walking papers

Gary Crowton, the former offensive coordinator for the LSU Tigers, will now fill the same role at the University of Maryland for coach Randy Edsall.

Crowton was the behind the Tigers' stellar 2007 offense, which helped Les Miles win a national championship for LSU, but he has been mediocre since that time, and no one in Baton Rouge is likely to be crying crocodile-sized tears upon hearing of his resignation.

The real question has to be why would Maryland want him? Do they really believe that all of LSU's offensive troubles were due to the ineptitude of Jordan Jefferson—LSU's underachieving quarterback? And, even if that was the case, he didn't prove to be that much more successful with Jarrett Lee either.

The problem with Crowton appeared to be less about personnel than playcalling. He just couldn't seem to get his act together long and his schizophrenic way of handling the playbook showed on the football field where the Tigers finished 107th and 112th in passing offense over the last two years—respectively.

Perhaps the ACC will be a more welcoming atmosphere for a man of his talents—we'll see. But, I gotta tell you, it makes little sense that Maryland is willing to pay more for less.

Cobb leaving Kentucky to try his talents in the NFL

Hoping to cash in on the "do-everything" appeal offered by Percy Harvin in 2009 and Dexter McCluster in 2010, the all-american wide receiver has opted to see if he can excel at the next level in much the same way he has in the SEC.

Cobb was the catalyst behind a much-improved Wildcats offense this past season and, at one point, was the focal point of the team—after an injury to Derrick Locke forced him into more offensive responsibility.

With a change at quarterback forthcoming at Kentucky, Cobb may be thinking there is no time like the present to make the jump.

Fairley set to announce NFL decision Friday

Nick Fairley, the much-maligned, but equally talented, defensive lineman of the Auburn Tigers is scheduled to announce his NFL decision on tomorrow. Fairley has been projected, by some, as a possible No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and there are few who don't believe he is poised to make the jump.

Fairley's decision will broadcast from his high school in Mobile.

Related articles

• Report: LSU assistant Gary Crowton headed for Maryland (sports.espn.go.com)
• Falling upwards. (blutarsky.wordpress.com)

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. 

College Football: Les Miles Must Have An Angel On His Shoulders

It would be easy to say that LSU, sitting pretty at 5-0, ranked No. 's 12 and 9 in the AP and Coaches Poll—respectively—is a good team. After all, they are undefeated, right?

However, if you've actually seen LSU play this year, you would begin to wonder how on earth they aren't 2-3—or worse—because they really aren't that good.

For one thing, their quarterback, Jordan Jefferson is atrocious. He's currently dead last in the conference in passing efficiency—dead last. Considering the fact that he plays in a conference that both Chris Relf (Mississippi State) and Larry Smith (Vanderbilt) call home, that's a pretty amazing feat.

Even more amazing, his teammate, Patrick Peterson, has more return yards (537) than he has passing yards (449).  Wrap your head around that little nugget. That means that through five games, Jefferson is averaging less than 90 yards passing—seriously? 

Tyler Russell, the BACKUP quarterback for Mississippi State, has more passing yards than Jefferson—and he's not even a starter.

On the contrary, Jefferson isn't the reason the Tigers are in the hunt, his team wins in spite of him—not because of him. Time and again, the gods of college football have granted Les Miles' crew a mulligan or a save to keep them from having to suffer on the losing end:

1.  In week one, LSU was one questionable pass interference call away from losing to a totally depleted North Carolina team. 
2. In weeks two and three, it took them until the fourth quarter to put away Vanderbilt and Mississippi State—respectively. 
3. They nearly whiffed against West Virginia in week four.
4. And, in week five, Tennessee all but had them beat if not for a last-minute penalty granting them a second chance at the 'W'.

LSU has no business being anywhere near the top 10 and, with a quarterback who throws more interceptions (6) than touchdowns (2),  and a turnover margin that edges more towards the negative (-2 and counting) than the positive, it won't be much longer before that becomes a reality.

Les Miles better enjoy this ride of good fortune while it lasts because the wheels are looking like they might be getting ready to come off.

Les Miles Has Offered, Former Georgia QB, Zach Mettenberger A Scholarship

Zach Mettenberger could be on his way back to the SEC in 2011. The former quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs has an offer on the table from LSU.

Mettenberger, if you recall, was dismissed from the Georgia Bulldogs football team last spring after pleading guilty to sexual battery. He was on the radar of a few schools immediately following the dismissal (Cincinnati and Louisville to name a few), but eventually landed at Butler Community College in Kansas—so far, he's done well  (three games, 40/63, 728 yards, and 10 td's).

Les Miles is in need of a quarterback in Baton Rouge as Jordan Jefferson will soon be out of eligibility—thankfully and, his replacement, Zach Lee, will likely enter with just as many questions once his time comes. Mettenberger, if he pans out, would be an immediate upgrade over either of the two.

That said, the move by Miles will be met with disdain by some of the Georgia Bulldog faithful who won't like the idea of seeing their former top prospect playing ball within the conference.  Mettenberger wasn't going to start over Murray this season, even if he had never gotten into trouble, but there was no mistaking his potential or his talents.

So, if he goes into Baton Rouge and becomes a star, some fans could be forced to swallow a bitter pill because their coach did the right thing—and make no mistake, it was the right thing to do at that time. 

It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the long term—particularly if the two schools happen to meet and Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger are the respective quarterbacks at the helm.

For the record, I don't like the idea much. It's a sketchy move by Miles, in my opinion, but if it worked for Houston Nutt at Ole Miss, then why not for Les Miles at LSU—it's all about winning, right?

Mettenberger is rated a four-star prospect by Rivals.com , and is being compared to the likes of Christian LeMay and Max Wittek—both of whom are thought to harbor pro potential. He is also one of the Top 20 junior college prospects in the country so, needless to say, he's been able to slightly overcome the stain of his actions in Valdosta.

Junior College players sign their letters of intent from December 15th to January 15th, if not mistaken. Mettenberger is slated to make an official visit to LSU on November 19th. 

LSU vs UNC: No Marvin Austin? No Greg Little?...The Heels Are in Trouble

The game between the LSU Tigers and the North Carolina Tarheels looked to be a great match-up between two teams with a lot to prove in 2010.

Les Miles, presumably the only SEC coach that is truly on a "hot seat" this year, is trying to show that the wheels on the bus at LSU are firmly mounted. He's got both the talent (albeit mostly young and inexperienced), and the opportunity (the SEC west is fairly open this season) to bring his Bayou Bengals back in a big way this season—if he can avoid the mistakes of last season.

As for Butch Davis and his Tar Heels, they were finally beginning to garner the kind of national attention that a team like North Carolina needs to really get the ball rolling. Their offense wasn't much to brag about but their defense, led by the supremely talented Marvin Austin, was going to be a showstopper. The unit returned nine defensive starters from 2009—most of whom were considered to be NFL level talent.

The presence of what was shaping up to be a very formidable defense was the reason why the opener against LSU looked as if it might go the Heels way—Vegas agreed—they were considered the favorites to win the game at one point. However, once the NCAA came calling, the complexion of the game changed. Now, we are not only uncertain as to how good this game will be, but whether it will be much of a game at all.

Yesterday, it was reported that defensive tackle, Marvin Austin has been suspended indefinitely. That was a mighty blow, but most saw that one coming. Now, today, it has been learned that Greg little will be out as well.

That hurts the offense a great deal because Little was the leading receiver in 2009. He tallied 724 yards and five touchdowns for the Heels last season and was one of the most explosive players on the team.

Little's suspension places more pressure on North Carolina quarterback, T.J. Yates, to make something happen—not good. Yates is already fairly pedestrian as a quarterback, does he really need to be placed in this position, this early in the season, on this grand of a stage? It just seems like a recipe for disaster.
 
Furthermore, even if Yates can hold it together, who can he count on to step-up and make plays for him at the receiver spot? Is Erik Highsmith ready to go from freshman phenom (37 catches, 425 yards, and two td's) to sophomore superstar? Is Jheranie Boyd ready to step in and become legit? Yates will need the play of both if he plans to keep the defense of LSU honest.

Ryan Houston and Shaun Draugn will also be counted on to try and exploit the weaknesses LSU has up front. The Tigers have plenty of talent, as mentioned above, but they are young and it is not yet known if they will be better than last season's unit (which often struggled with the pass rush and often gave up too many rushing yards).

If Houston and Draughn can find some room to run, they might be able to control the tempo of the game and keep the quick feet of the Tigers offense off the field—a must if they plan to keep the game interesting.

As of now, it is not known how many of North Carolina's players will miss the first game (up to 16 is possible), so it is hard to say just how thin the Heels' defense will be when it takes the field. However, if the rumors are true, and they will not only be without Marvin Austin, but possibly Quan Sturdivant (LB), Bruce Carter (LB), Kendrick Burney (CB), and Deunta Williams (FS) as well, nothing the offense does will matter because it wouldn't be enough—LSU would win the game handily.

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• AP Source: UNC's Little Won't Travel for LSU Game (abcnews.go.com)
• UNC suspends DT Marvin Austin indefinitely (sfgate.com)