College Football II 2010

[Lalasmom]

Monday, July 19, 2010
Sources: Florida, NCAA probe allegation
By Pat Forde
ESPN.com

Florida and NCAA officials are investigating a potential rules violation that allegedly occurred this past December involving former Gators football standout Maurkice Pouncey, sources said.

Florida is internally investigating what sources described as an allegation that a representative of an agent paid Pouncey $100,000 between the Gators' loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game and their season-ending Sugar Bowl victory over Cincinnati. Florida apprised the NCAA of the allegation after it became aware of it.

"We were made aware of some information in early June that we reported to law enforcement and we then shared with the NCAA and the SEC," athletic director Jeremy Foley said in a statement released Monday morning to ESPN.com. "At this time we have no information that has indicated that there are any compliance issues for the University of Florida."

Florida law enforcement could be investigating whether the state's agent registration laws were violated. Meanwhile, university police worked in conjunction with Florida compliance officials to investigate the anonymous claim.

Pouncey, a standout offensive lineman who entered the NFL draft after his junior season and was taken in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, played in the Sugar Bowl. If found to have accepted the alleged payment, he could be retroactively ruled ineligible for the game and Florida might have to vacate the victory.

"The NCAA is working cooperatively with the university. However, it is NCAA policy to not comment on current, pending or potential investigations," the organization said in a statement released Monday.

Two sources briefed on the anonymous letter sent to Florida told ESPN's Joe Schad that it was postmarked in Canada. Two sources also told Schad that the letter was accompanied by photographic evidence of an alleged runner for an agent in social situations with Pouncey and his brother Mike, including at two awards shows.

Mike Pouncey will be a senior offensive lineman with the Gators next season.

The sources told Schad that the Pounceys have provided phone, bank and credit card statements that do not show any large payments. Two sources added that Maurkice Pouncey said he paid for a Cadillac Escalade and jewelry after the NFL draft with a deferred line of credit and did at times lend the Escalade to Mike in Gainesville, Fla.

Maurkice Pouncey's agent is Joel Segal, but the allegation is not necessarily tied to him. A message left by The Associated Press at Segal's office Monday seeking comment was not immediately returned.

The Pouncey family plans to release a statement Tuesday stating that no extra benefits were received and that the family complied with all requests, a source told Schad.

The Pouncey investigation is the latest in a series of agent-related inquiries making ripples in college football.

North Carolina announced last week that an NCAA investigation is under way at the school, and subsequent media reports have tied it to alleged agent interaction with multiple players. South Carolina athletic director Eric Hyman says the NCAA is investigating a possible rules violation of one of its athletic programs.

Gamecocks tight end Weslye Saunders told ESPN on Sunday that he has been interviewed by NCAA investigators in connection with the North Carolina case.

Rachel Newman-Baker, director of the agent, gambling and amateurism deparment of the NCAA, said Monday that her department is charged with investigating agents and how they involve themselves with college athletes.

"Within the last several years we've been able to work on networking and building relations, and getting people to trust us," Newman-Baker said. "And if people believe that their information will be acted upon, they're more willing to communicate. We've tried to reach out to as many people in sports communities as we can to help us. Professional leagues, player associations, agents and advisers have all been willing to cooperate with us."

She said her department tries to educate athletes and make them aware of the consequences of interacting with agents.

"I think it takes two approaches," she said. "They have to understand the rules, and they have to understand what will happen if they make a bad choice or bad decision."

[Lalasmom]

Sunday, July 18, 2010
Updated: July 19, 4:46 PM ET
NCAA questions Gamecocks' Saunders
By Joe Schad
ESPN

South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders confirmed Sunday that he recently spoke with NCAA investigators in connection with a probe of the North Carolina football program.

Saunders, considered one of the top tight ends in the country, is close friends with Tar Heels defensive end Marvin Austin, who was also recently questioned by investigators.

On Thursday, a source said that UNC football players -- including Austin -- were being interviewed by the NCAA this week and asked questions about agents and whether anyone had received gifts or extra benefits.

The source also said that the NCAA's questions to players were intended to "make sure no Reggie Bush stuff is going on."

"I'm not really sure what's going on right now in terms of who's in trouble and how much," Saunders said Sunday.

Another source who has visited with Saunders said Sunday the NCAA is interested in time Saunders spent with Austin in South Florida this spring and who paid for hotel rooms and travel.

University of South Carolina athletics director Eric Hyman issued a statement Sunday acknowledging the NCAA's inquiry.

"The NCAA has been in contact with us regarding a possible rules violation in one of our programs," the statement said. "We have and will continue to cooperate fully with their inquiry. We have confidence in our compliance program and will work with the NCAA to bring this matter to a resolution in a timely fashion."

Coach Steve Spurrier told The (Columbia) State that he has no knowledge of Saunders breaking any rules.

"All I know is they had talked to him, and talked to some players at North Carolina. That's all I know," Spurrier told the paper. "Whatever comes [of it], we'll just have to wait and see.

"We're not going to look the other way like possibly Southern California did," Spurrier continued. "We're going to abide by the rules."

Calls and messages from The Associated Press to Spurrier, returning from a celebrity golf tournament in Nevada, were not immediately returned. Calls to Saunders' father, Barry, a news columnist at a Raleigh, N.C., newspaper, also were not returned.

The investigation began with a phone call from the NCAA, North Carolina athletic director Dick Baddour said Thursday, though he declined to say when the call came or when investigators had visited the Chapel Hill campus.

A second source said Thursday that the NCAA asked all of UNC's projected NFL draft picks, many of whom elected to stay in Chapel Hill, to provide phone records so investigators could see which agents they had spoken with.

The players were also asked who paid for the travel, who paid their rent and which agents they had met with and when, according to the second source. Austin recently tweeted about a trip to Miami.

[Lalasmom]

Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Can Pryor follow Young's path in 2010?
By Adam Rittenberg
ESPN.com

During a recent interview with ESPN Radio 1620 in Omaha (they can't get enough of me in Nebraska), I was asked about Terrelle Pryor's progress at Ohio State and whether he can follow Vince Young's path in his junior season with the Buckeyes.

Pryor always has drawn comparisons to Young, even before he arrived at Ohio State as the nation's top recruit in 2008. The two quarterbacks have shown some similarities in the early stages of their college careers, although Young really surged during the second half of his sophomore year. Pryor has been a bit less consistent, while still showing flashes of his immense potential.

One major connection between Pryor and Young is their performances in the final games of their sophomore seasons, the midpoint of most players' college careers. Both quarterbacks shined in Rose Bowl victories, Young against Michigan on Jan. 1, 2005 and Pryor against Oregon nearly seven months ago.

Both players earned Rose Bowl Offensive MVP honors for their efforts in Pasadena.

SOPHOMORE YOUNG VS. SOPHOMORE PRYOR AT THE ROSE BOWL

Vince Young and Terrelle Pryor each had standout Rose Bowls wins to cap their sophomore seasons:
Player    Opponent    Score    Comp    Pass Yds    Pass TDs    Ints    Rush Atts/Yds    Rush TDs
Young    Michigan '05    38-37    16 of 28    180    1    1    21 for 192    4
Pryor    Oregon '10    26-17    23 of 37    266    2    1    20 for 72    0

As we all know, Young built on his Rose Bowl performance with a fantastic junior season, passing for 3,036 yards and 26 touchdowns to go along with 1,050 rush yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. Young won the Manning Award and the Davey O'Brien Trophy and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting as he led Texas to a national title. We're all waiting to see whether Pryor can make a similar jump in 2010.

How high did Young set the bar in 2005?

Here's a look at how he fared in the first half of his junior year:

FIRST SIX GAMES OF YOUNG'S JUNIOR SEASON

All Longhorn wins (Oklahoma game at Dallas):
Week    Opponent    Score    Comp    Pass Yds    Pass TDs    Ints    Rush Att/Yds    Rush TDs
1    vs. La.-Laf.    60-3    13 of 17    173    3    1    7 for 49    1
2    at Ohio State    25-22    18 of 29    270    2    2    20 for 76    0
3    vs. Rice    51-10    8 of 14    101    0    1    8 for 77    0
4    at Missouri    51-20    15 of 22    236    2    1    13 for 108    1
5    vs. Oklahoma    45-12    14 of 27    241    3    0    17 for 45    0
6    vs. Colorado    42-17    25 of 29    336    2    0    10 for 58    3

Some impressive numbers, indeed.

Pryor gets a mulligan like Young had against Rice, but he'll need to establish himself as a consistent passer and a quarterback who gets Ohio State into the end zone with his arm or his legs. It won't be easy, but if Pryor can follow Young's path this fall, the Buckeyes could be lifting the crystal football in January.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/print?id=13853

[Lalasmom]

Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Saban compares agents to a 'pimp'
Associated Press

HOOVER, Ala. -- Nick Saban didn't pull punches Wednesday when discussing the improper contact with athletes by unscrupulous agents, comparing their behavior to that of a "pimp."

The Alabama coach was upset about the rash of recent agent-related incidents that have resulted in NCAA investigations at several Southeastern Conference schools.

"I don't think it's anything but greed that's creating it right now on behalf of the agents," Saban said in a rant at the Southeastern Conference media days. "The agents that do this -- and I hate to say this, but how are they any better than a pimp?

"I have no respect for people who do that to young people. None. How would you feel if they did it to your child?" Saban said.

Secret's out on agent issue

The Topic Du Jour at SEC media days was obvious. Agents dominated the conversation. Coaches, players, the aggrieved and the accused went on the offensive, but the debate is far from over, writes Pat Forde. Story

Agents, not national titles, was the primary topic on Day 1 at the Wynfrey Hotel. Three SEC teams -- Florida, Alabama and South Carolina -- are investigating allegations involving improper contact with an agent. Saban and SEC commissioner Mike Slive both emphatically said it was time for a change to NCAA rules governing agents.

Saban confirmed that Alabama is looking into a trip defensive end Marcell Dareus took to an agent's party at Miami's South Beach. South Carolina is looking into claims from the same South Beach party with tight end Weslye Saunders.

Georgia associate athletic director Claude Felton confirmed that the NCAA requested permission late Wednesday afternoon to conduct an inquiry on the Bulldogs' campus. He would not say what the inquiry was about or whether it was related to the South Beach party.

"This is all we can say," Felton said.

Florida and the NCAA are reportedly investigating whether offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey -- now an NFL rookie -- received $100,000 from a sports agent's representative between the SEC championship game and the Sugar Bowl.

Pouncey denied the allegation.

"I did not accept $100,000, it is an absolutely ridiculous claim," he said in a statement through his attorney. "I have completely cooperated with the investigation and answered any and all questions put to me."

Florida coach Urban Meyer said the Gators support Pouncey.

"If something happened, we should be punished severely," Meyer said. "If it didn't happen, then it's nonsense. I heard his denial today and we stand by Maurkice Pouncey."

The player's twin brother, Florida offensive lineman Mike Pouncey, said they have both cooperated with investigators.

"I talked to my brother and it's not true," Mike Pouncey said. "He pretty much cleared that up in his statement. I feel bad about it because they're ruining somebody's name and they really don't know who my brother and I are. We pride ourselves on having a good, clean name. It's just hard right now.

"I'm just ready to be done with it," he said.

Saban said he wants the NFL Players Association to get involved and suspend agents whose dealings help cost players eligibility, sending a message through their bank accounts.

"That's the only way we're going to stop this happening, because it's ridiculous and it's entrapment for young people at a very difficult time in their life," the former Miami Dolphins coach said. "It's very difficult for the NCAA to control it, and it's very unfair to college football.

"I think we should look into doing something about that," he said.

Meyer said it's impossible for a coach to keep agents or their "runners" off campus and said they need to be "severely punished" by either state laws or the NFL for wrongdoing.

"It's epidemic right now," he said. "It's always been there, but I think we've reached a point where the magnitude of college football is really overwhelming. We've really got to keep an eye on that."

The NFL itself, though, seems unlikely to get involved. Told of Meyer's comments, league spokesman Greg Aiello noted in an e-mail exchange with The Associated Press: "The agents are regulated by the union."

Asked whether the NFL might prod the NFLPA on the matter, Aiello wrote: "The union's comments make clear that no encouragement is necessary."

NFLPA assistant executive director George Atallah wrote in an e-mail to the AP: "We take violations of NFLPA rules by agents seriously and investigate them vigilantly. This situation is no different."

Atallah's boss, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, voiced an even stronger stance in an appearance on ESPN Radio earlier Wednesday -- before Saban's remarks.

"I think that any agent or contract adviser who does that, and preys upon kids like that in college, is something that we're going to deal with extremely aggressively," Smith said. "Frankly, god help those agents if they're found to be in violation, because I've given our players ... the green light to take the most aggressive steps that they want to take.

"If those steps include me or someone else in our office making a criminal referral under certain circumstances, that's what we'll do," he said.

Slive said he wanted the NCAA to change its philosophy for dealing with agents from one based on rules enforcement to a policy that is more oriented toward educating student-athletes.

He said the current NCAA rules "may be as much part of the problem as they are the solution."

In statement released Wednesday afternoon, Rachel Newman-Baker, the NCAA's director of agent, gambling and amateurism, said the governing body is reviewing its policies but pointed out that schools can "change or amend the agent rules through the normal legislative process."

"NCAA rules allow conversations and information gathering between agents and student-athletes, but agreements and receiving extra benefits are not permitted," the statement said. "The NCAA Division I Amateurism Cabinet, a group of individuals from across membership with representation by 21 conferences, is currently reviewing how the NCAA can continue to help student-athletes gather information about pursuing a career in professional athletics."

Improper contact with agents is hardly just an SEC issue, and it appears the rest of college football is paying attention.

At Miami, players said Wednesday they're reminded "constantly" about the rules prohibiting contact with agents. And the investigations that have come out in recent days led to a reiteration of those rules, Hurricanes wide receiver LaRon Byrd said.

"It's kind of crazy," Byrd said. "You look at things like that, and I feel like those guys are being selfish, not looking out for the team. That's something we always instill. It's all about teamwork here. I would not put my teammates in danger, in jeopardy of losing games or damaging this program because I want to be greedy and take gifts or take things."

Alabama is among SEC schools who use former NFL executive Joe Mendes to counsel players and families about dealing with agents. Heisman Trophy-winning running back Mark Ingram said Tide players are educated about dealing with agents or their representatives.

"We have a great program in our organization that teaches us how to deal with situations like that," said Ingram, a junior. "Everybody is educated on how to deal with situations and how to approach those situations.

"My focus is on this team and this football season. Anything else is irrelevant," he said.

Tide junior linebacker Dont'a Hightower said he hasn't personally been contacted by agents.

"We try to keep away from things like that and not bring it into the team," Hightower said.

[MumInOhio]

More trouble for USC...

Updated: July 27, 2010, 8:15 PM ET
Titans sue Kiffin, USC over Pola hire

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans  are suing Southern California and coach Lane Kiffin for "maliciously" luring away assistant running backs coach Kennedy Pola a week before training camp opens.

Tennessee Football Inc., the company that owns the Titans, filed the lawsuit Monday in Davidson County Chancery Court against both the university and Kiffin.

The lawsuit accuses Southern California and Kiffin of violating Pola's contract that required him to have written permission to discuss a job with anyone other than the Titans.

Tennessee hired Pola as running backs coach in February only to lose him Saturday to Southern California as the Trojans' new offensive coordinator and running backs coach.

"USC and Kiffin maliciously intended to -- and did -- induce Pola to breach the Pola contract," the lawsuit charges.

"USC and Kiffin engaged in improper means in their procurement of the breach and were not legally justified in their actions. Kiffin and USC's actions, through him, were part of a course and pattern of conduct fostered by Kiffin and USC to use improper methods and means to the direct harm and damage of parties to contracts ..."

The Titans declined to comment Monday beyond the lawsuit.

Titans coach Jeff Fisher, a USC alumnus, said Saturday that Kiffin neglected to make the customary courtesy phone call to let him and the NFL team know he was interested in hiring Pola. Fisher himself had hired Pola, letting go Earnest Byner to free up the spot on his coaching staff.

Pola's contract ran at least to Feb. 14, 2011, with the NFL in the final year of its current labor agreement with the players.

The lawsuit notes that written permission from the president and general counsel was needed because verbal "consent is inadequate." The lawsuit also notes Southern California and Kiffin, through Pola, knew about his contract requirements.

"Pola was not given express written consent by Tennessee Football or the Commissioner of the NFL to entertain employment with any other entity," the lawsuit argues.

The move left the Titans without a running backs coach one week before training camp opens, which the lawsuit argues disrupts planning, causes "potential loss of confidence by players" and the loss of salary and benefits already paid to Pola along with "future damage."

The lawsuit is particularly harsh on Kiffin for what it calls intentional actions. Kiffin said he first spoke to Pola on Friday, and then called Fisher on Saturday after Pola called him back, apparently to accept the job.

Kiffin acknowledged in a statement that timing wasn't perfect.

"I have spoken with Coach Fisher and he now has an accurate understanding of the timeline of events," Kiffin said. "We realize the timing of this isn't perfect for all parties, but this is a great opportunity and promotion for Kennedy."

Fisher told The Tennessean newspaper he was very disappointed in Kiffin's lack of professionalism. The lawsuit doesn't hold back in criticizing Kiffin for "furtherance of a culture of violation and avoidance of respect for the sanctity of contract, which Kiffin similarly practices ..." in inducing Pola to breach his contract.

The lawsuit notes Kiffin "abruptly departed" his coaching job at the University of Tennessee in January after just 14 months, which angered Volunteers' fans. Kiffin also lured four other Tennessee coaches to join him at Southern California, and the lawsuit also notes how Kiffin tried to hire Eric Bienemy away from NFL's Vikings, forcing Minnesota to redo his contract to keep the assistant.

The lawsuit asks for a jury trial and punitive damages and attorneys fees.

The Tennessean first reported the lawsuit on its website.


Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5411727

[MumInOhio]

I had to chuckle at this one...Arrogance! LOL

Kiffin Could Be Calling

Pete Carroll has to be glad he's in Seattle now. Especially with the things going on at USC. The Tennessee Titans are filing a lawsuit against USC and coach Lane Kiffin for "maliciously" luring away assistant running backs coach Kennedy Pola a week before training camp opens for the Titans. Kiffin was notorious for going after coaches in his own conference in his short stint at the University of Tennessee. Kiffin never asked for prior permission from Titans' coach Jeff Fisher to talk to Pola. Pola was hired as offensive coordinator and running backs coach at USC.

So what is so attractive about Kiffin anyway? It's extremely hard for me to understand. He coached the Raiders to a dismal 5-15 record in 2007-08 and posted a mediocre 7-6 record (4-4 in the conference) in his short stint at Tennessee. His arrogance and lack of professionalism isn't impressing anyone, especially the folks at the Titans' organization.

Meanwhile, over at Montlake I'm sure Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian is shaking his head wondering when one of his young and upcoming coaches will get the call from Kiffin.

Don't be surprised if it happens.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/hawkfan/archives/215964.asp?from=blog_last3

[Lalasmom]

CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Head Coach Clint Conque
On the preseason No. 5 pick
"Preseason polls are mostly for the fans to talk about. Pretty much since we've joined the conference, I don't know that we've been picked much higher than that. We definitely think our players will read this and it may act as additional motivation once we get to conference play."

"But our main thing is we have to respect the process of preparation. And that's in finishing up our summer voluntary workouts, as well as heading into camp. I thought at some point last year, some of that got lost. We have to make sure that we understand that we're not entitled to anything, there is no such thing as entitlements. The only way we're going to get where we want to be is not worry about the end result, but to respect the journey and put in the work along the way."

On losing a large senior class
"We lost some really talented players, no doubt, but we are excited about the athleticism and talent we have this year. We will be youthful, but I think we have a chance to be very good with a little experience. We need some seniors to step up in the area of leadership and we need some of the young guys to come on in camp."

On finally being eligible for postseason play
"It's an exciting time for our football program and our athletic department. We're finally out from under the NCAA transition period. But with that being said, I don't think our approach will be all that different than it has for the past four years. We've always approached it as we're here to win football games, not matter if there was postseason or titles involved."

"At UCA, there is always the expectation of winning. That never changed even though we weren't eligible for postseason play. I think this may put a little more urgency into what we do in some cases, but things won't change dramatically."


Junior Wide Receiver Willie Landers
About returning to the field after missing all of 2009
"I've been jumping around I'm so excited about getting back out there. I can't wait to get back to the day to day grind, getting my body tired again. I've been resting up for a year now so I'm ready to get going. I used to dread going to practice and working out, especially in the hot summer. Now I can't wait to get out there and sweat and get tired."

On sitting out last year
"Rehab was probably the worst part of it. I watched a lot of football, high school, college, pro, you name it. I was just trying to learn from everyone I watched. I'm ready to get out there and compete again."

On this year's receiving corps
"I think we're going to be pretty good. We have a transfer Derek Steele coming in, and he's really talented. We have T.J (Adams) and Dominique (Croom) coming back, as well as Isaiah Jackson and Kenneth Robey and Joe Harris. We're pretty deep and have a lot of speed."




http://www.southland.org/ViewArticle.dbml?temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=18400&ATCLID=204971606

[Lalasmom]

SEVEN BEARS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE
FOOTBALL • Jul 28, 2010

LAKE CHARLES, La _  The University of Central Arkansas Bears had seven players selected to the preseason All-Southland Conference football teams on Wednesday.  The teams were announced as part of the 2010 Southland Conference Football Media Day activities at the L’auberge du lac Casino Resort.

UCA’s first-teamers were senior kicker Eddie Carmona, senior offensive lineman Austin Emerson, senior fullback/tight end Rico Moss, Senior receiver Willie Landers, sophomore running back Jackie Hinton and senior defensive end Markell Carter. Senior cornerback Henry Minor was named to the second team.

“I’m certainly pleased that the conference coaches recognized the individual talents of these young men,’ said head coach Clint Conque, entering his 11th season at UCA. “ Certainly, as a football program, it’s our hope that this will motivate them to really continue the process of preparation for the upcoming season.’

Carter, a 6-foot-4, 248-pounder from Bartlesville, Okla., and Landers, a 6-2, 204-pounder from El Dorado, represented UCA at Media Day. Carter, named a second-team preseason All-American by The Sports Network on Monday, had 11.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks a year ago. He had 47 total tackles and recovered two fumbles en route to second-team All-SLC honors.   

“Markell is a just really good athlete,’ said UCA head coach Clint Conque. “He can bend and he’s athletic. He’s gotten stronger. He’s still a work in progress as far as building the type of mass he’s going to need week in and week out. But he can really bend, he’s got length and long arms. He’s just a fabulous athlete for his size.’

Carter will be depended on heavily on a defense that lost seven starters, including All-American defensive end Larry Hart, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“No. 1, we need leadership out of Markell,’ said Conque. “He’s probably our most experienced defender, particularly up front. He’s had a lot of preseason attention coming off an outstanding junior year and now he’ll be counted on to elevate his level of play even more this season.

“With Larry gone, he’s the guy now. He’s going to get the chip blocks, the slide protection, all that. Certainly, he’s going to have to bring his best effort every week to be the productive player we know he can be and that we need him to be.

“The key is he’s played with some great ones in Larry Hart, Taylor Scott, guys like Uriah Perry, a three-year starter. So he’s an opportunity to be around some outstanding players and he understands expectations. And he just needs to respect the process as we finish the summer and carry that over into camp.’

Landers was voted to the first team despite missing the entire 2009 season after injuring his knee on the first day of practice last fall.

“I think it’s impressive that the conference coaches voted Willie a first-team all-conference selection even though he didn’t play a down last year,’ said Conque, who is entering his 11th season at UCA. “ But the resume he put together before his injury was outstanding. He’s averaged over 16 yards per catch for his career. If he has another quality season, he has a chance to be in the top five or six receivers in our school history.’

Landers was UCA’s third-leading receiver in 2008 with 44 receptions for 735 yards and seven touchdowns. He averaged a team-high 16.7 yards per catch. Conque said the Bears, who lost seven games by a combined 23 points in 2009, could certainly have used Landers last season.

“Certainly not having him last year really hurt our big-play ability, as well as our ability to score in the red zone,’ he said. “He’s bigger, he’s stronger, and I think now it’s just a question of going out there and doing it in practice and preparing well.  And I think there’s a little less pressure on  him because we have some quality players at receiver as well as at tight end.’

Carmona, from Charleston, was a first-team All-Southland pick last season, leading the league in kicking with 37 of 37 extra points and 12 field goals. Emerson, from Sperry, Okla., was an honorable mention selection. Moss, from Hope, caught 10 passes for 110 yards in 2009, while Minor, from Baton Rouge, La., had 39 tackles, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.

http://www.ucasports.com/sport.asp?action=news&sportid=1&article=3813

[casa]

Thanks, Lalas, for posting those.  I had read both articles but had not gotten a chance to post them.

[Debbie]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/AlXDo5WhQXI&amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;fs=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/AlXDo5WhQXI&amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;fs=1</a>

[Lalasmom]

 


Are you ready for some football?   OH YEAH!!


USA TODAY College coaches football poll
1   Alabama (55)   0-0   1469
2   Ohio State (4)   0-0   1392
3   Florida   0-0   1245
4   Texas   0-0   1240
5   Boise State   0-0   1215
6   Virginia Tech   0-0   1052
7   TCU   0-0   1051
8   Oklahoma   0-0   1035
9   Nebraska   0-0   1001
10   Iowa   0-0   952
11   Oregon   0-0   940
12   Wisconsin   0-0   778
13   Miami (FL)   0-0   728
14   Penn State   0-0   508
15   Pittsburgh   0-0   492
16   LSU   0-0   476
17   Georgia Tech   0-0   455
18   North Carolina   0-0   445
19   Arkansas   0-0   438
20   Florida State   0-0   374
21   Georgia   0-0   312
22   Oregon State   0-0   263
23   Auburn   0-0   260
24   Utah   0-0   169
24   West Virginia   0-0   169

[Puma]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/AlXDo5WhQXI&amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;fs=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/AlXDo5WhQXI&amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;fs=1</a>

I love this. 

"took every ounce of sweat and blood"
 
"I got your number I got your back when your back's against the wall
you mess with one man, you got us all, the boys of fall"

Some great football footage and at the end "we tell kids, learn to dream" and "life is a team game", learning to give all you got, etc. 

Bravo Kenny
 

[Lalasmom]

ESPN.com: College Football    
Saturday, August 21, 2010

J. Edgar Hoover eyed Tide, 'Bear' Bryant
Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Forty years ago, Alabama football fans watched Southern California and a black running back named Sam Cunningham trounce coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's Crimson Tide in a game widely credited with helping start the integration of Southern football.

Fans weren't the only ones watching Alabama football back then.

The FBI, apparently with the approval of then-director J. Edgar Hoover, was secretly keeping an eye on a civil rights lawsuit filed by blacks against the legendary coach during the same period.

Documents released to The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act show that for almost two years, agents tracked the suit filed by a prominent black lawyer against Bryant, the University of Alabama and others to make Bryant recruit black football players.

Building a file, agents followed the court docket and snipped stories from newspapers about the case, sending the findings to the agency's office responsible for investigating civil rights crimes.

The FBI won't explain why it was interested in a civil lawsuit by a black student organization against a prominent white football coach. The agency kept track of possible civil rights violations and often monitored public figures and civil rights leaders under Hoover.

But one of the FBI forms in the Bryant file is marked twice with a handwritten capital "H" -- a clear indication that Hoover both saw the document and approved of the snooping, said author Curt Gentry, who wrote "J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets," a definitive biography on Hoover and the FBI under his leadership.

"He was the only one in the bureau allowed to use the 'H' initial," Gentry said. "It means he saw it, and he obviously approved it if he didn't do anything to stop it. He didn't personally approve everything, but something like that he certainly would have known about."

Bryant, one of America's best-known sports figures at the time, already had won three national championships with the Crimson Tide. The black lawyer who sued him, U.W. Clemon, had made a name for himself by taking on Alabama's all-white establishment in numerous court fights over desegregation and police brutality. He later would become the state's first black federal judge.

Clemon said in a recent interview that he never knew of the FBI monitoring until informed by the AP. He had his suspicions about why it was authorized, however.

"Bear Bryant was a god in Alabama in those days; maybe it was just a matter of keeping up. And you have to recall the thinking of some of the Southern FBI agents at the time," Clemon said. "Maybe they thought I was doing something illegal. Maybe they just wanted to pursue it because black people were suing Bear Bryant."

The agent who sent notes on the Bryant case to Washington died years ago. A retired agent who once worked in the FBI's Birmingham office, Larry A. Long, said in an interview the bureau likely monitored the Bryant case because it claimed violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

"When you received an allegation of a civil rights violation, the civil rights unit had to be advised," said Long, who left the FBI in 1999 after 30 years. "This sounds typical for the time."

Filed in 1969, the suit was dismissed in 1971 after the university gave a handful of scholarships to black athletes. The monitoring ended then, too, when Bryant's FBI file was just 27 pages thick.

Bryant and the integration of intercollegiate athletics in the South were a major topic throughout the 1960s.

The Civil Rights Act outlawed racial segregation in areas including public education, but progress was slow in overturning practices of the Jim Crow era in the Deep South. It wasn't until 1966 that Kentucky signed the first black football players in the Southeastern Conference.

In both a sworn statement in the lawsuit and in interviews from the period, Bryant said he'd been trying to recruit black athletes to play football at Alabama for years before the Afro-American Association of the University of Alabama filed the suit in July 1969.

Bryant already had blacks on his team as non-scholarship, walk-on players, but it wasn't until five months after the federal suit was filed that Alabama signed its first black football player to a scholarship, Wilbur Jackson. The next year, 1971, another player became the first black to appear in a varsity football game for Alabama.

By August 1970 -- just weeks before Southern Cal routed an all-white Alabama team 42-21 in Birmingham, with Cunningham running for two touchdowns and 135 yards -- the file forwarded by Alabama agents to Washington included a note that Clemon had questioned Bryant under oath.

During the deposition, Bryant said his staff had been scouting black players as early as 1966. Yet he recalled telling a black high school coach that it was "a little too soon" to have a black player at Alabama and implied that the state's racial climate was a problem.

Bryant died in 1983. Clemon said in a recent interview that black high school coaches would have testified that Alabama didn't seem truly interested in attracting black players until after the loss to USC in 1970. The game was viewed by many as opening fans' eyes to the idea that racial integration was inevitable if Alabama wanted to have a successful football program.

"Bear Bryant got religion after the USC game, and it was dismissed without trial," said Clemon, who went on to serve in the Alabama legislature and became the state's first black federal judge in 1980. Now retired from the bench, he is an attorney in private practice in Birmingham.

Gentry said it wasn't surprising that the FBI would have followed a major lawsuit involving Bryant considering how many people were being monitored at the time from all walks of life.

"They did it with actors, they did it with authors," Gentry said. "[Hoover] had fairly extensive sports files."

Taylor Watson, curator of a University of Alabama museum named for Bryant and dedicated to Alabama football, said archives including Bryant's personal files don't mention any reference to the FBI or indicate the coach had any interaction with the agency.

He also noted that a black player had been signed and others walked on prior to the loss to USC, even though none had played in a varsity game for Bryant.

"The idea that the Southern Cal game meant they could integrate at Alabama is the greatest myth in college sports," Watson said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5481453

[Lalasmom]

ESPN.com: NCF Preview 10    

Friday, August 27, 2010
The Big Ten's QB dichotomy
By Adam Rittenberg
ESPN.com

Put Terrelle Pryor and Ricky Stanzi in the same room or on the same field, and the differences immediately jump out.

Stylistically, they diverge. Pryor is the 21st century quarterback, boasting an extensive skill set and the ability to attack defenses in multiple ways. Stanzi fits the more traditional mold, a drop-back passer with good size and a live arm.

Pryor was the top QB prize in the 2008 recruiting class, courted by college football's upper crust before making national news with his post-signing day decision to become a Buckeye. Stanzi grew up in the Buckeye State but didn't get much attention from the big school in Columbus, eventually selecting Iowa in an unremarkable recruitment.

There's also the fact the two quarterbacks look nothing alike.

"One's 6-foot-7, 240 and black and the other's not 6-7, 240 and black," Wisconsin safety Jay Valai said with a laugh.

Pryor is synonymous with potential, the 2010 Rose Bowl, Vince Young, national hype and an ill-advised Michael Vick eye-black tribute (and subsequent quote). When Stanzi's name comes up, you think crunch-time colossus, first-quarter flopper, pick-six Rick and the Orange Bowl victory podium, where he became a folk hero with his "love it or leave it" line about America.

"They're both such great football players, but there's not many similarities," Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said. "They're very different athletes."

About the only area where Pryor and Stanzi converge is the one that matters most: winning. Pryor owns a 19-3 record as Ohio State's starting quarterback; Stanzi is 18-4 at the helm for the Hawkeyes. Both helped their teams win BCS bowls in January.

They're two of the nation's most successful quarterbacks for two of the nation's best teams entering the 2010 season.

"At the end of the day, you judge quarterbacks simply on how they move the team, how they lead the team," Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "It's kind of like a starting pitcher in baseball: What's their record and ERA?

"Both of them, you could argue, have had great success."

Both also know they must take steps this fall to lead their teams to a Big Ten championship.

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Pryor appeared to turn a corner in Pasadena, as he put up career-best passing numbers (23-for-37, 266 yards, two touchdowns). But many still question whether he can be a consistently effective passer and, just as important, whether coach Jim Tressel will allow him to be a difference-maker.

Until the Rose Bowl, Pryor's sophomore season had been underwhelming. His passer rating dropped (from 146.5 to 128.9) and his interceptions total rose (from four to 11). After a disastrous outing in a loss to Purdue, Pryor's role diminished, and he was more bystander than pacesetter as Ohio State rallied for its fifth consecutive league title.

"Last year, I was a little in a change-up mode," Pryor said. "Things were slowing down but I was still trying to get a hold of the offense and catch on. … The way our defense plays, they've got to get more praise, because they've bailed me out in a lot of games."

No quarterback in the country got a bigger boost from his defense than Stanzi, who repeatedly put Iowa in canyons last season.

He threw 15 interceptions, five in the Indiana game alone. He threw pick-sixes against four different opponents: Arizona, Arkansas State, Michigan and Georgia Tech.

Amazingly, Iowa won all four games.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Iowa was the only FBS team last season to win more than two games in which it threw a pick-six. Furthermore, the Hawkeyes are the only team since at least 2004 to survive pick-sixes in four separate games in a season.

"It's careless on my part, and it puts everybody in a bad position," Stanzi said. "Interceptions are part of playing quarterback, but to have as many as I had, really there's no excuse for it. It wasn't anybody else's fault, they weren't tipped passes or anything. They were bad reads, bad decisions."

Asked how many of his interceptions were careless, Stanzi replied, "Probably all of them."

"Nobody's harder on Ricky Stanzi than Ricky Stanzi," Ferentz said.

Stanzi spent much of the offseason studying film of his 15 interceptions, not his 171 completions or 17 touchdown passes.

"I'm asking, 'What was I thinking? That was a dumb play,'" he said. "I watch it and I'm just shaking my head, like, 'What an idiot.' But whatever, shake it off, laugh about it. At the end of the day, I didn't get shot over it. We're still alive."

Pryor had a different offseason objective: leadership. Although he became Ohio State's starter just four games into his career, Pryor didn't immediately embrace all the responsibilities that came with the position.

He took a bigger role in leading offseason workouts and has carried it over into camp.

"To become a better leader, I've tried to stay in the locker room, talking with the guys, talking to the walk-ons, the guys who won't play in the games," Pryor said. "Not everybody will play in the Horseshoe, but they're with us. They train with us, they practice with us and you have to appreciate them. Going into this year, I've talked to everybody and tried to have everybody with me, and let them know that I'm with them."

He has a little bit of that Tom Brady calmness. He's interesting. I like his attitude and I like how he handles situations. This year, I think I'll be a lot more calm, like him.

--Terrelle Pryor on Ricky Stanzi

Pryor also has become more vocal on the field. After a recent practice, he approached linebacker Brian Rolle and praised him for making good reads on screen passes.

"That let me know he's not just focused on offense," Rolle said. "He's done a good job of talking to the offense and defense, letting guys know what he's reading."

Pryor often tells defenders when they don't disguise their coverages well enough. In years past, he never would have spoken up.

"I was really trying to get everything down for myself," Pryor said, "so it was very, very hard for me to even step up to other guys, defensive guys, and help them."

While Pryor evolves as a leader, Stanzi already thrives as one. His career has been defined by resilient performances, beginning with a come-from-behind win against Penn State in 2008 -- naturally, Stanzi led the surge after committing two turnovers -- and continuing the trend last season.

Maddening in the first three quarters of games, Stanzi was magical in the fourth in 2009. He fired the winning touchdown pass with no time left to beat Michigan State 15-13. A week later, he rebounded from five interceptions against Indiana to lead four fourth-quarter touchdown drives.

Iowa's only two losses came in a game Stanzi didn't finish because of injury (Northwestern) and a game in which he didn't play (Ohio State).

"Nobody can flush it better," Ferentz said.

Ferentz isn't the only one taking notice.

"He has a little bit of that Tom Brady calmness," Pryor said of Stanzi. "He's interesting. I like his attitude and I like how he handles situations. This year, I think I'll be a lot more calm, like him."

Pryor is no stranger to pressure situations himself.

"He does a good job of handling a lot of pressure that's been thrown his way," Stanzi said about Pryor. "Some may say unfairly, because of hype and outside sources."

To hear them speak about each other, maybe Pryor and Stanzi have more in common than meets the eye. While their differences stand out, perhaps it's what they have in common that truly defines them.

Both players have room to grow. Both made strides during the offseason. Both have skeptics and supporters. Both face enormous pressure and both have been winners so far in their careers.

"They both win and they both lead and they both look like they have the respect of their teammates," Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Doeren said. "That's a pretty big deal. A lot of people can get on both of them probably for certain games, but when the chips are down, both of them perform extremely well."

College football is full of contrasting quarterbacks aiming for the same goal. There's even precedent in the Big Ten -- with the same two teams, no less.

"I'll go back to '02, we had [Brad] Banks and there was the guy at Ohio State, Craig Krenzel," Ferentz said. "Very different guys, but can't argue the results with either of them."

Krenzel led Ohio State to a national championship, while Banks guided Iowa to the Orange Bowl. Both the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes went 8-0 in Big Ten play but didn't face one another.

Fortunately, that won't be the case this year. Pryor and the Buckeyes visit Stanzi and the Hawkeyes on Nov. 20 at Kinnick Stadium. On that day, the Big Ten's QB dichotomy will be on full display, as two very different yet similar players will be shooting for the same goal.

[Lalasmom]

    ESPN.com: College Football    

Friday, August 27, 2010
Four Louisiana Tech players suspended
By Andrea Adelson
ESPN.com

Louisiana Tech receiver Cruz Williams and three other players have been suspended indefinitely for an unspecified violation of team rules, the school announced Friday.

Williams, receivers Tim Molton and R.P. Stuart and linebacker Kiamni Washington were suspended Monday. The four players have not participated in any team meetings or practices since then.

Williams and Stuart are the team's top returning receivers this season. Williams had 259 yards and three touchdowns last season, though he has battled through injuries, and Stuart had 249 yards and one touchdown catch.

Molton, a transfer from LSU, was expected to contribute to the receiving corps this season after sitting out 2009 because of NCAA rules.

The Bulldogs open the 2010 season Sept. 4 against Grambling State in the Port City Classic. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. at Independence Stadium in Shreveport.