SEC Football: Razorbacks add 20th Verbal Commitment

Arkansas Razorbacks head football coach Bobby Petrino added junior college linebacker Mark Wilson to his list of verbally committed recruits over the weekend.

Wilson (250 pounds) plays for Fullerton Community College in California. Out of Lincoln high school in Tallahassee, Florida, Wilson originally signed with Illinois as a 3-star recruit (rivals.com) in 2010.

Wilson was listed at 6’ 2” 225 pounds with a timed 40-yard dash of 4.6 seconds while in high school. He was ranked the 85th best outside linebacker in the 2010 class.

Arkansas’ football team is currently ranked 33rd in the nation in recruiting by Rivals.com, 28th by Scout.com, and 26th by ESPN.com. The Razorbacks have a four-star recruit, 17 three-star recruits, a two-star recruit, and one unranked junior college transfer (Wilson).

Here’s a list of the 20 Razorbacks recruits:

1. OG Cordale Boyd, Memphis, TN
2. CB Ray Buchanan Jr., Suwanee, GA
3. WR Jalen Cobb, Warren, AR
4. CB Jared Collins, Tulsa, OK
5. WR D’Arthur Cowan, Olive Branch, MS
6. CB John Gibson, Missouri City, TX
7. QB Robert Gregory, Chicago, IL
8. WR Keon Hatcher, Owasso, OK
9. WR Eric Hawkins, Longview, TX
10. DE Brandon Lewis, Memphis, TN
11. DB Defonta Lowe, Bearden, AR
12. ATH Nathan Holems, Port Arthur, TX
13. RB Donovan Roberts, Norman, OK
14. TE Jeremy Sprinkle, White Hall, AR
15. LB Jakarri Thomas, Tallahassee, FL
16. LB A.J. Turner, Lepanto, AR
17. OG Jeremy Ward, Pottsville, AR
18. LB Mark Wilson, Fullerton, CA (Junior College Transfer)
19. DE JaMichael Winston, Prichard, AL
20. DE Deatrich Wise Jr., Carrolton, TX

Position by position breakdown of Arkansas 2012 verbal commitments:

Offensive line: 2

Tight ends: 1

Defensive line: 3

Linebackers: 3

Secondary: 4

Running backs: 1

Wide receivers: 4

Quarterbacks: 1

Athletes: 1

Kickers: 0

All verbal commitments are non-binding until a letter of intent is signed. 

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College Football Preview: Predicting Every SEC Game in Week 7

Week after week the SEC features great college football match-ups. This weekend is no different as three SEC East teams continue their fight to stay alive for a conference title game berth and two of the top teams in all of college football look to keep pace with each other in the SEC West.

Two teams are on byes this week, Arkansas and Kentucky.

Arkansas travels to Ole Miss next week.

Kentucky hosts Jacksonville State.

No. 15 South Carolina at Mississippi State

Believe it or not, South Carolina versus Mississippi State is the SEC game of the week.

Mississippi State and South Carolina started the season off in similar fashion, with high hopes. MSU’s came crashing down fast while USC still has a shot to right the ship.

The Bulldogs are 3-3 after starting the season ranked 20th. MSU moved up as high as 16th in the nation but quickly lost their way after Auburn shut quarterback Chris Relf down at the goal line on the final play of their game.

The two head coaches, Steve Spurrier and Dan Mullen, find themselves in the middle of a quarterback controversy this week.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier dismissed senior quarterback Stephen Garcia from the team on Tuesday after he reportedly failed an alcohol test. Garcia had lost his starting job to sophomore Connor Shaw for USC’s game against Kentucky last weekend. Garcia had been suspended five times previously by Spurrier.

Another upstart sophomore is pushing an established senior quarterback for playing time in the SEC. This time MSU head coach Dan Mullen has to make some hard choices about who will start and who will sit and how many snaps each quarterback will get in the game.

Chris Relf has struggled much of 2011 after having a solid junior campaign. He is ranked 9th in the SEC in total passing yards (860), 7th in completion percentage (58.1), but has 5 interceptions thrown to four touchdown passes thrown.

MSU quarterback Tyler Russell started the second half against UAB which lead to a 21-3 come from behind win for the Bulldogs. Russell completed 11 of 13 passes for 166 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Relf finished the game 6 of 10 for 46-passing yards.

The in-game battle will be between Mississippi State running back Vick Ballard and USC’s running back Marcus Lattimore. Ballard is fifth in the SEC in total rushing yards with 531. Lattimore leads the SEC with 779 but has 61 more carries on the season than Ballard.

Lattimore appears to be slowing down some. His last three games he’s had one 100-yard effort (102 yards vs. Kentucky). Mississippi State’s linebackers have trouble stopping the run.

Ballard had his first 100-yard rushing game of the season against UAB.

Neither team has a signature win this year.

Both quarterback situations are sketchy at best but USC has the better defense especially with the return of DE Melvin Ingram.

USC wins at Davis-Wade Stadium 35-21.

No. 2 Alabama versus Mississippi

Ole Miss welcomes one of the top defenses in the nation to go against their offense, one of the worst in the nation.

Rebel fans are optimistic that junior quarterback Randall Mackey will be the key to ignite their offense. Mackey was penciled to be the starter for Ole Miss after spring practices but Houston Nutt went with Zack Stoudt and Barry Brunetti to start the season.

Mackey completed eight passes for 214 yards and one touchdown in their last game against Fresno State. Mackey also had ten incomplete passes against the Bulldogs, a team allowing 392.5 yards per game.

Scat back Jeff Scot rushed for a career-high 138 yards against Fresno State.

Alabama’s offense:

19th best rushing attack in the nation averaging 217 yards per game with 18 touchdowns.

Bama’s total offense is second best in the SEC at 434.8 per game.

The Tide features the 4th best passing game in the SEC averaging 226.80 yards per game.

Scoring at a rate of 37.67 points per game is 22nd best in the nation.

Alabama’s defense:

Top scoring defense in the nation allowing 7 points per game.

Third best total defense in the nation, 191.33 yards per game.

Best rushing defense in the nation by holding teams to 39.83 yards per game.

4th best pass defense in the nation limiting opponents to 151.50 yards per game.

Common opponent: Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt 30, Ole Miss 7.

Alabama 34, Vanderbilt 0.

Linebacker C.J. Mosley returns from an elbow injury suffered against Arkansas. 

Life does not get better for Houston Nutt. Ole Miss losses another one 38-7.

Florida versus No. 24 Auburn

A reoccurring theme in the SEC is quarterback play or lack thereof. Auburn head coach Gene Chizik is sticking by his struggling junior quarterback Barrett Trotter and Florida cannot keep a quarterback healthy enough to play.

Quarterbacks John Brantley and true freshman Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, Florida) both injured their ankles against Alabama. Florida head coach Will Muschamp made a game time decision to not start Driskel against LSU in favor for another true freshman quarterback, Jacoby Brissett (West Palm Beach, Florida).

The game will come down to who can stop the run. Florida has the 4th best rushing attack in the SEC (194 per game) and Auburn has the 3rd best (204 per game).

Florida’s rush defense is 32nd in the nation. Auburn’s is 103rd allowing 201.83.

Auburn and Florida did not play each other last season.

Auburn has more stability at quarterback but Florida may have more raw talent under center.

Florida holds Dyer to 115 rushing yards and Chris Rainey finds the holes to keep the Gators on the field.

Jeff Demps was limited to two carries last week in Baton Rouge due to an ankle injury. His playing time will be a game time decision.

Florida 21, Auburn 18.

Georgia versus Vanderbilt

First year head coach James Franklin has already passed expectations at Vanderbilt. He has eclipsed last year’s win total and scored a SEC conference victory against Ole Miss. More importantly the Commodores have been competitive.

The final score in their past two games may not reflect the abilities of his team, at No. 12 South Carolina 3-21 and at No. 2 Alabama 0-34, but their defense is playing tough and they are young. Franklin is laying ground work for a strong Commodore team next season if they can find any offense.

Georgia has turned their season around after two straight home losses to fifth ranked Boise State and twelfth ranked South Carolina. The Bulldogs are on a four game winning streak and tied with the Gamecocks for first place in the SEC East.

Georgia head coach Mark Richt started true freshman running back Isaiah Crowell after the South Carolina loss and the Bulldogs offense has responded.

The Bulldogs have the 4th ranked total offense in the SEC (2,435 yards) while averaging 405.80 yards per game. Crowell is fourth in the SEC in total rushing yards with 573 after seeing limited action in the first two games of the season.

Georgia’s starting quarterback Aaron Murray now has a complement to his passing abilities. Murray is third in the SEC in total passing yards with 1,327, second in passing touchdowns (13), and fourth in quarterback rating (150.2). Murray’s tendency to take a sack (SEC worst 13) and throw interceptions (6) has got to improve against the opportunistic Commodore defense.

The Commodores lead the SEC with 14 interceptions. Three of those picks have been returned for touchdowns.

Georgia has the sixth best defense in the nation.

Vanderbilt has the 117th worst offense in college football, 244.40 yards per game.

Vandy quarterback Larry Smith has missed time in the last two games due to injuries. Smith could have returned against Alabama last week but Franklin played Jordan Rodgers the rest of the game.

Georgia gets a bye next week before playing Florida in Jacksonville. The Bulldogs will not get caught up in a trap game.

Georgia has enough offense to beat Vandy’s determined group. Georgia wins 21-7.

No. 1 LSU versus Tennessee

Another SEC team, another starting quarterback injured. Tennessee’s Tyler Bray broke the thumb on his throwing hand last week against Georgia. Now LSU will face their second straight game against a quarterback making their first start of the season.

Senior quarterback Matt Simms takes over for Bray. Simms was the starter last year before injuries and solid play by Bray in the final five games of 2010 resulted in him losing his starting job.

Simms threw for 1,460 yards and eight touchdowns last season against the hardest part of Tennessee’s schedule: Oregon, Florida, LSU, Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina.

Simms almost pulled off an upset win against the Tigers last year in Baton Rouge. Simms was 12 for 23 for 121-yards passing with five sacks, no touchdowns, and zero interceptions in last year’s meeting. Their performance last season has the Vols excited about their chances this week.

The difference in last year’s Vols team and this year team is a running game. Tauren Poole has not clicked with the offensive line yet this season. Poole had 109 yards rushing against the Tigers in 2010 to pace UT’s offense.

Poole left last week’s game with an injured hamstring in the first quarter. His status for this week is a game time decision.

LSU has the fifth best defense in the nation.

Tennessee was held to negative 20 yards rushing against Georgia.

LSU escaped with a last second 16-14 win in 2010 against the Vols. Don’t look for LSU to take Tennessee lightly this year nor ruin a chance to play for the BCS National Championship by looking ahead to Auburn.

LSU methodically breaks down Tennessee for a 48-3 win. 

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Larry Scott: A PAC-10 and PAC-12 College Football Review and Preview for the 2011 Season

This is part one in a series previewing the PAC-12 2011 season.

The rollercoaster ride continues for PAC-10, now PAC-12 commissioner Larry Scott in 2011. When Scott took the reigns as commissioner in July of 2009, all was great in PAC-10 football land. USC was coming off a dominate 2008 football season that saw the school finish with a 12-1 record (the one loss to Oregon State in Corvallis 27-21), an early season thrashing of BCS heavyweight Ohio State (35-3), a Rose Bowl win over Penn State (38-24), and their seventh straight PAC-10 conference title.

The rest of the PAC-10 was pretty good as well. Half of the schools in conference made a bowl with great results during the 2008 bowl season going 5-0; Rose Bowl: USC vs. Penn State 38-24, Holiday Bowl Oregon 42 vs. Oklahoma State 31, Sun Bowl: Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh 3-0, Emerald Bowl: California vs. Miami 24-17, Las Vegas Bowl: Arizona vs. BYU 31-21. All was seemingly great for PAC-10 football. Expansion was bantered about as soon as Scott took over but no serious discussions took place. Why would one want to expand the successful conference and what teams would help bolster the conferences status across the academic and sports board? The upcoming highlights and low lights no one could have predicted.

The rollercoaster ride began in week one of the 2009 football season for Larry Scott. #14 Oregon lost to #16 Boise State 19-8. After the game Oregon running back LaGarrette Blount (now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) punched Boise State defensive end Byron Hout and was subsequently suspended until November 9, when he was reinstated by the school with Scott’s permission. Nine days after the Oregon loss, UCLA pulls off a major upset at the University of Tennessee beating the Vols 19-15. On the same day #3 USC beats Ohio State 18-15 in Columbus on a last minute touchdown by running back Stafon Johnson. On September 28, Johnson would end his season in a tragic weight room accident when a barbell crushed his vocal cords, adam’s apple, and tore his neck muscles.

Parity in a tough conference ensued as each team took turns pulling upsets throughout the season. When the smoke cleared, Oregon would claim the conference championship and end the season ranked #11, Toby Gerhart finished second in the Heisman Trophy race to Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Jr. in the closest Heisman voting ever, and #22 USC at 9-4 is the only other PAC-10 team to finish the season ranked. Seven PAC-10 teams made a bowl due to the winning capabilities each team showed during intra-conference games. The downside is only two of the seven teams won their less acclaimed bowl games; Emerald Bowl: USC vs. Boston College 24-13, Eagle Bank Bowl: UCLA vs. Temple 30-21.

2010 kept the ride going for Scott. In January, then USC head coach Pete Carroll resigned from his position and took over as the head coach for the Seattle Seahawks. Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin, a former offensive coordinator at USC, resigned to take over as head coach for USC after one year as the Vols head coach amongst a national college football controversy. In February Oregon running back LaMichael James (a 2010 Heisman finalist and 2010 Doak Walker Award winner) was arrested on charges of fourth-degree assault, physical harassment, and strangulation; he pleaded not guilty. In June Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was kicked off the team after being arrested for marijuana possession during a traffic stop. Masoli was on suspension during his drug arrest for the entire 2010 season after pleading guilty to second-degree burglary charges in March; he pleaded guilty to stealing two laptops and a projector from a campus fraternity house.

June 10, the announcement day of a monumental change for Larry Scott and the PAC-10, the NCAA handed down their sanctions regarding former USC running back Reggie Bush; sanctions included a loss of scholarships and a two year bowl ban. On the same day Scott wisely followed through with his announcement that Colorado will join the PAC-10 as their 11^th conference member. The University of Utah’s announcement as the PAC-12 twelfth member would follow seven days later.

The importance of the PAC-10 adding two conference members seemed to be overshadowed by the turmoil surrounding the programs currently involved. Utah a program of prominence over the past five years, including an undefeated season in 2008, was welcomed by the national media as a “great get for the PAC-10”. The University of Colorado on the other hand had been a low functioning Big 12 team over the previous five years with only one bowl appearance; Independence Bowl in 2007. The addition of the two teams would finally add legitimacy to the BCS power conference by having an end of the season conference championship game. The addition of a championship game means more revenue for the conference and teams involved. Scott was able to parlay the television rights to the first PAC-12 Championship Game to Fox for $14.5 million; the game is to air on December 3, 2011.

With the promise of an exciting future, little of that excitement translated into positive commentary for the PAC-10 when the 2010 Associated Press college football preseason rankings came out. Only three PAC-10 teams were listed; Oregon #11, USC #14, Oregon State #24. USC and Oregon State would only spend a few weeks ranked while Arizona would spend the majority of the season in the top 25 before falling out of the top 25 two weeks before seasons end on the tails of a five game losing streak. Despite finishing the season with a 6-6 record, Arizona State would not be eligible for post season play because two of their victories were over Football Championship Series teams, formerly known as Division 1-AA.

The biggest surprise of the 2010 season was Stanford; yes bigger than Oregon’s run. After the departure of Toby Gerhart to the Minnesota Vikings, many pundits did not give the Cardinal much of a chance. The rise of Andrew Luck to All-American quarterback status would change the fortunes for the 2010 Cardinal team and head coach Jim Harbaugh; Harbaugh left Stanford to become the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers on January 7, 2011 after 4 years in Palo Alto. Stanford cruised through the season with only one loss to eventual BCS National Championship runner-up, University of Oregon, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. Harbaugh coached the Cardinal to a 12-1 record and a convincing win over ACC champion #12 Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl winning 40-12.

Overshadowing the spot light of the Cardinal run was University of Oregon. Ducks’ second year head coach Chip Kelly would bring more excitement and hope to the Oregon faithful. During the 2010 season the Ducks would be ranked #1 in the Associated Press college football rankings for the first time in school history, finish the season with a school record 12 wins, finish the regular season undefeated with no ties for the first time in school history, and see their head coach win the Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award.

The Ducks high powered offense averaged 49.3 points per game easily outpacing all of their opponents, except for the Cal Bears (15-13). A heartbreaking loss to Auburn in the BCS National Championship Game (22-19) only fuels the fire and expectations for the 2011 Oregon Ducks team.

What will become of the newly formed PAC-12 in 2011?

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Razorbacks Spring Evaluation Period

Matt Hinton of rivals.com recently wrote an article about Bobby Petrino and the University of Arkansas football program “cutting the fat” from their roster. He cites 7 players have been granted a release from their scholarship during the 2011 spring evaluation period with a “persona non grata” attitude from Petrino.

What Hinton is not telling his readers:

Seth Oxner, a soon to be 5^th year senior, has already graduated from the University of Arkansas. Oxner was the starting center for the Razorbacks in 2009 and lost his starting position to freshman Travis Swanson last season. So what is Petrino suppose to do? Keep the kid on the bench during his senior season or let him transfer somewhere else so he can finish up his college career and possible football career as a starter at another/smaller school? In my opinion he is doing Oxner a favor. Oxner will never get another chance to be college eligible again. On a competitive note, if he’s not good enough to beat a freshman out???

Lance Ray is a wide receiver buried on a depth chart that is easily the best unit in college football… with more incoming talent being added in August. If Ray is more interested in smoking marijuana than running routes, he needs to go. I think Petrino was nice enough to let a starting corner back walk off the team and join Oklahoma State after a similar situation last year.

Kicker Eddie Camara was a freshman last year just like 2010 starter Zach Hocker. Most kickers do not get hurt during their career, sans Martin Gramatica. IF Petrino let Camara know that he is going to have a tough time making the field as a place kicker or kick-off team specialist… again, what are Camara and Petrino to do? Allow the kid to go somewhere so he can play.

Sophomore linebacker Austin Moss and freshman guard Cam Feldt are losses the Razorback program would be reeling from for a couple of years under the old regime. Both players were highly recruited coming out of high school. I hate to see them leave but I have to think they are doing what is best for their college careers.

Tight End Ryan Calender is another player that I was looking forward to watching progress through his years at Arkansas. Starting TE, junior Chris Gragg is another Chris Carter in the making, because “all he does is catch touchdowns”. With his speed and catching ability, Gragg could follow in departed TE, DJ Williams’s footsteps as another Mackey Award winner. This could seem daunting for Calender.

Colby Berna is looking for a medical exception due to complications with his shoulder. If he is physically unable to perform, there’s not much Petrino can do about that.

Just to clarify, three of the parting players I wish we could keep but I trust Petrino and hope those players are doing what’s best for themselves and the team. Of the remaining players granted their release, one has graduated from Arkansas, another is physically unable to perform, a third has been busted with marijuana, and a kicker that is in the same class as the returning starter.

Petrino has made it clear to all incoming players to be ready to play and keep working hard or else. De’Anthony Curtis is a hold over from the Houston Nutt staff. Curtis has been moved around to running back, wide receiver, and corner back. If Petrino was “heartless” he would’ve given Curtis his walking papers a long time ago. Petrino does not owe Curtis anything as he did not recruit him. Because Petrino sees Curtis working hard and trying to improve everyday, he has tried to find a way to get Curtis on the field. If these other players were exhibiting the same effort, I’m sure they would still be apart of the Razorback program.

Parting thoughts: 

I seriously doubt that any of the “student athletes” released by Petrino will have a tough time finding a school that will extend them a scholarship so they can receive their degree and grow as a football player.

I always thought that if a college student receives a scholarship due to their ACT and SAT test scores and/or high school grades, if that student does not achieve a certain standard nor progress while attending said school, that student could lose their scholarship. Why couldn’t a student-athlete be under the same scrutiny?

You can read Hinton’s article at:  http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Oversigning-Arkansas-cuts-to-the-chase-on-cutti?urn=ncaaf-wp1658