How more NCAA investigations are coming?
Five more buring questions before Alabama and Mississippi State step to the podium to begin SEC Media Days on Wednesday:
1. How many more NCAA investigations are coming? We told you yesterday morning that it appeared that the NCAA had gotten fed up with the level of improper contact between players and agents and had decided to crack down. Investigators have been to North Carolina asking about DT Marvin Austin and RB/WR Greg Little. They have also been to South Carolina to ask questions of reserve tight end Weslye Saunders.
Now add the University of Florida to that growing list. Florida became aware of allegations that junior center Maurkice Pouncey accepted a cash payment from an agent between the SEC championship game and the Sugar Bowl against Cincinnati in January. Pouncey has already left school and was a first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
If the charge is proven then Pouncey was ineligible for the Sugar Bowl and Florida would likely have to vacate the 51-24 win over Cincinnati. No big deal you say? Well, for the guys whose last game as a Florida player was the Sugar Bowl, and that list includes Tim Tebow, I would think it would be a really big deal.
Stewart Mandel of SI.com reports that this could be just the beginning of an NCAA crackdown on agents:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/stewart_mandel/07/19/ncaa.agents/index.html
Let’s just take the Pouncey situation. If you’re Florida you hope that it’s not true. But if it is true, the question I have is this: Maurkice Pouncey has been waiting his whole life to get paid to be a professional athlete. And he deserves every penny he gets. But is it so difficult to wait one more month until after you’ve played your last game and turned pro? Do you know, or care, how many people you’re going to hurt if you get caught?
Or am I just being naive to think that an athlete should ever care about anybody other than himself and his family?
And do you think you’re not going to get caught? The NCAA apparently got involved at North Carolina because of some of stuff that Austin wrote on Twitter. Please.
2. Can Mark Ingram repeat as the Heisman Trophy winner? Ingram had a phenomenal sophomore season with 1,658 yards on 271 carries. Only Tennessee’s Montario Hardesty (with 282 carries) toted the rock more times than Ingram did in 2009. But I don’t see Ingram getting that many carries this season. Two reasons why:
No. 1. Ingram’s backup, sophomore Trent Richardson, is a very, very good player who would be starting for every other team in America with the possible exception of Pittsburgh, where they have Dion Lewis. Richardson has another gear and I expect him to improve on his 145 carries from a year ago (He averaged 5.1 yards per carry).
No. 2. It was clear during my visit to Alabama in the spring that the coaching staff feels confident enough with quarterback Greg McElroy to let him take more shots down the field. The coaches have also decided that No. 8 (Julio Jones) is going to get the ball in his hands more than last season, when injuries limited him to 43 catches.
In other words, Alabama’s offense will be even better in 2010 because it won’t have to lean on Ingram so much.
Archie Griffin of Ohio State (1974-75) is the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner. That will still be the case after the 2010 season.
3. Is Auburn’s offense really going to be that good? Well, let’s take a look at that. Gus Malzahn has upgraded the quarterback position with Cameron Newton, a great athlete who will bring a running dimension to this version of the spread. Remember that Malzahn’s offense is run first and when he’s had a mobile quarterback, like he did at Tulsa with David Johnson, this offense can do some special things.
Auburn will certainly miss Ben Tate at running back but it opens the door for Mario Fannin to be a star. Fannin can run it and catch it. If Onterio McCalebb can stay healthy he can be a highlight machine because of his speed. Did we mention that freshman Michael Dyer has a chance to be special?
Auburn has one of the best receivers in the league in Darvin Adams (60 catches, 997 yards) and a star on the rise in Terrell Zachery (26 catches, 477 yards. And I think this is going to be a good year for Emory Blake and former baseball player DeAngelo Benton.
Auburn has four returning starters on the offensive line who have combined for 109 career starts.
Put it all together and it’s hard to see how this collection of players will not be pretty good.
4. Will the combination of new O-Line coach Shawn Elliott and high profile freshman running back Marcus Lattimore finally give South Carolina a respectable running game? While the focus of Steve Spurrier’s struggling offense has been on the quarterback position, the facts are that Spurrier hasn’t had a quality offensive line or a big-time running back since he got to Columbia five years ago.
Elliott came from Appalachian State, where he has been since his days as a player for the Mountaineers. He coached defense and tight ends in Boone before taking over the offensive line in 2001. Appalachian State won three straight Division I-AA national championships (2005-2007) so he obviously was doing something right.
Elliott’s job was not made easier last week when it was announced that offensive tackle Quintin Richardson was going to have surgery on his left shoulder. Richardson started five games and played in eight last season. His status for this season has not been determined.
South Carolina finished last in the SEC in rushing in 2009 (121.23 yards per game). The Gamecocks recruited only one running back because Lattimore was THE guy. How much will he play in South Carolina’s opener with Southern Miss on Sept. 2? More importantly, how much will he play in the Sept. 11 home game with Georgia?
5. Will Jordan Jefferson remain LSU’s starting quarterback for the entire season? During the spring I was getting phone calls that Jefferson, a rising junior, might be challenged for his starting job by junior Jarrett Lee. (That came as surprise because Lee, you’ll recall, was a Pick Six machine in 2008).
It was clear last season that the LSU coaching staff didn’t quite trust Jefferson to turn him loose to run the entire playbook. There were numerous games last season when Jefferson was clearly kept under wraps so as not to make too many mistakes. And Jefferson’s cause was not helped by the fact that LSU simply could not run the football last season, finishing 11th in the SEC just ahead of South Carolina.
But Jefferson’s raw numbers weren’t all that bad. He finished fifth in the SEC in passing effiency, completing 61 percent of his throws for 2,166 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. But his totals should have been better given LSU’s inability to run the ball.
Now LSU is bringing Jefferson to SEC Media Days on Friday. Is this an effort to say “This is our starting quarterback” and to give Jefferson a boost of confidence? I applaud LSU for bringing Jefferson. He is the guy people want to talk to because he is such a key to LSU’s success this season.
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171 comments Add your comment
bamafan
July 20th, 2010
12:55 pm
Guys – it will be hard for Bama to repeat and certainly probably harder for Ingram to repeat. Not a problem. We will take what we can get……….as for LES, your stats may be correct, but I think most coaches and even fans would take Ingram over Ealey. There is more to football than just straight numbers…….otherwise why bother to play? Since it is a team game, hard to envision individual awards being exclusively based on individual efforts…….it isn’t black and white but shades of gray. LES – go back to work……your boss is looking over your shoulder.
How2fish
July 20th, 2010
12:55 pm
5IML your right I went back and reread your posts..we both have I think great coaches yours has won a NC at two schools I tip my hat to him and the Bama program…best of luck this year..I really hope we get to see you guys in the Dome.
Call IT
July 20th, 2010
12:55 pm
Yeah Buzzy with ZERO NC’s!
Gators own the East again 2010!
Enough Said!
jumbeauxtiger
July 20th, 2010
12:57 pm
That’s a worthy addition to my list Paul.
BAMA
July 20th, 2010
12:57 pm
I agree with Paul and jumbeaux. Ealey’s the greatest because he plays for UGA….they are the best team in College Football Teams like Bama and UF are so lucky to keep whipping them year after year after year…………………
DAWG H8R
July 20th, 2010
12:57 pm
Mr. Football, Wesley Saunders is the starter at TE since
Jared Cook was drafted. If he’s eligible.
How2fish
July 20th, 2010
1:02 pm
bamafan Ingram’s a great ball player period. Ealey maybe too this year will tell if he stays healthy until then he is a good freshman back..different ball game when the D is waiting for YOU! I hope he is as good as I think he can be but only time will tell..Ingram been there and done that and has the Heisman.
Paul in RDU
July 20th, 2010
1:06 pm
I agree jumbeaux – How can Dickerson be as good as Ealey – Ealey ran for 8,000 yards in 4 years in HS and Dickerson only ran for 7,000 his first 4 years with some team called the Los Angeles Rams
3-4 WILL RULE!
July 20th, 2010
1:06 pm
AU wont be able to stop anyone!!! No DB;S at all!!!!
Gen Neyland
July 20th, 2010
1:43 pm
Rx : You maybe unkknowingly got caught in the crossfire of an A-B,b,b,b,b, etc lopsided conversation regarding Ingram’s 2009 successes vs Ealey’s 2010 possibilities. Two different beasts, just like two different bowl games. One’s pudding been proved, the other is still in the fridge. Just trying to make a point to the B,b,b,b,b’s of Dawgville. Guess I better drop some 1000 pounders with napalm next fly by to wake ‘em up…
dawgdoodie
July 20th, 2010
1:44 pm
Nachos referring to someone else as a redneck? That’s rich!
Digger
July 20th, 2010
1:49 pm
Poor old Bama homers. What is it about 5.7 yards per carry that Ealey got his freshman year versus 5.1 yards per carry that the 2 Bama boys got their freshman year that’s so hard to understand?
5.7 more than 5.1, it ain’t rocket science.
Stats > Titles?
July 20th, 2010
2:00 pm
To the delusional dawg fans. You rule the world of stats. Bama rules the world of titles. I’ll take the latter and don’t see that changing much in the future.
The Big B.U.G
July 20th, 2010
2:09 pm
Wooden didn’t get his 1st National Championship for his 1st 15 years coaching.
I guess everyone’s right. Judged by his 1st 15 seasons, Wooden’s the worst coach ever.
5IML
July 20th, 2010
2:10 pm
How2,
I’d like play UGA for the SEC championship but BAMA seems to contractually obligated to play Florida.
H-Back
July 20th, 2010
2:47 pm
Tony, off the subject but Mike Garrett is out as AD at USC. Pat Haden (man he was a good one) takes over. How much of Kiffin will Pat be able to take?
Go Dawgs!
Dawgonit
July 20th, 2010
3:14 pm
South Carolina is finally going to roll. That OL is older and some redshirts are coming off for depth. We didn’t face Alshon Jeffrey or Kenny Miles last year and they should have beaten us then. Afraid if they get by us they are going to be a force. The past means nothing. Spurdog has enough players to make some serious noise. Unfortunately.
Will
July 20th, 2010
3:52 pm
Dawgonit,
I was thinking the same way until it was announced that the game would be played at 12:30. The Chickens are tough at 3:30 on CBS or @ 7 on ESPN. But the crowd will be hung over and hot and UGA will come out and push the overrated USC Defense around the first half. UGA will build a 21 point first half lead and by then the game will be over and most of the dejected USC fans will be home sitting in the ac. USC was really dealt a bad hand on this one but as a dawg fan I will take it.
Tide Rising
July 20th, 2010
3:53 pm
Well, I kinda thought Les’s stats on just how great Washaun Ealey’s freshman stats were BS so I did a little research.
Turns out Ealey’s stats and 5.7 ypc average are kinda bogus. His stats were padded by his 3 nonconference games(average of 9.3 ypc) and by the Tennessee Tech game in particular where he averaged 12.7 ypc. Against SEC caliber competition Ealey averaged just 4.16 ypc. Ealey also only scored 3 tds all season.
Trent Richardson averaged 4.73 yards per carry vs sec competition vs 4.16 for Ealey which is over a half yd avg better. Its .57 yard per carry better to be exact vs SEC caliber competition.
Ealey bolstered his noncon rushing stats against the likes of Tenn. Tech at 12.7, GT at 9.2, and Texas A&M (6.0) which had one of the worst defenses in the country.
Trent Richardson had a lower ypc avg because he was playing against VT which always has a stout defense and against Texas which ranked #1 in the nation against the run. Trent still ran for 109 yds and 2 tds against the horns though. One other thing- Richardson rushed for 8 tds on the season vs 3 for Ealey. Trent showed up against big time competition in Texas and Florida and in the Florida game he rushed for 7.3 ypc.
I’ll take Trent’s superior stats against SEC competition and against big boy competition like UF and Texas all day long over Ealey’s stats which are padded by the likes of Tennessee Tech.
H-Back
July 20th, 2010
4:04 pm
Tide Rising, don’t forget. Richardson gained 118 yards on 15 carries (7.87 yd average)and scored two of his 8 TDs against Florida International.
Barack Obama
July 20th, 2010
4:06 pm
Tide Rising,
I know under my economic policies that finding a job are next to impossible but you must stop sitting in your mom’s basement trolling the UGA blogs. These stats you come up with look like some of the stuff we cook up to make ourselves look better. What’s the unemployment in Alabama?? Is it 12%? Sorry, I promised it wouldn’t get higher than 8. My bad.
Follow The Money
July 20th, 2010
4:06 pm
Are suppose to believe that 1 player 1 month before his last game is the only one. Dig deeper. Havin is wher I would start.
Follow The Money
July 20th, 2010
4:09 pm
RxDawg
July 20th, 2010
8:50 am
1. I’m a little torn about this. If it’s true, then they obviously broke the rules and that can not be alowed. However, I’m one of those that thinks that maybe it should’t really be against the rules. In other words, I think it’s time for a concise and equal increase in “scholarship” monies paid out to the football players that everyone else is making millions off of. It can be done in a way that wont tarnish the game and could actually increase the graduation rate and keep some players in school their whole career”
And I guess you would be in favor of reversing NCAA decision on USC? This is exactly what Bush did.
fishtales
July 20th, 2010
5:59 pm
Rog-
Bama was very, very lucky last year, huh? I’ll give you some stats since that’s what a lot of Dawg fans seem to enjoy:
2009 Alabama football team
*First team ever to beat last four NC’s in the same year
*First team ever to defeat two straight teams with records of 12-0 or better
*Six first team all-Americans (most ever)
*Defeated 10 teams that played in bowls (most ever)
*Gave 6 opponents their worst defeat of the year
Better to be lucky than good I guess.
Delbert D.
July 20th, 2010
6:01 pm
@”Q Tip
July 20th, 2010
12:02 pm
Neat comparison:
Nick Saban back to back top 10 finishes in career:
1
Mark Richt:
14″
Well, heck; then Jim Tressel has 4 NCs won on the field, and Paul Johnson has 3.
Tide Rising
July 20th, 2010
6:22 pm
Barack Obama,
My apologies. I thought this was Tony Barnhart’s college football blog and not the dog blawg that Bill King writes. I also thought Bama was one of the topics covered in Tony’s blog today. My apologies. Won’t happen again.
Tide Rising
July 20th, 2010
6:26 pm
H-back,
Correct. Best way to measure these rbs is to look at their performances vs SEC competition instead of Florida international or Tennessee Tech. And when comparing apples to apples and looking at sec competition only Richardson is over a half a yard per carry better than Ealey. Just the facts sir. I’ll take his 8 tds over Ealey’s 3 tds also.
Dave Cutler
July 20th, 2010
6:35 pm
Auburn’s defense hurt last year because we lost key players for the entire season in summer ball. We also were young. Those hurt players are back. We will be much better this year on offense and defense. It’s just a matter of time really. Schedule looks real good. It’s gonna be a special year for Auburn. If Malzahn can make Chris Todd the all time leader in Auburn history in TD throws….what will he do with Cam Newton. Bow down fellas. Tigers roll this year. Best receiving core in SEC.
Beast from the East
July 20th, 2010
6:35 pm
Tide,
Just tell Barack this is a college FOOTBALL blog. He should be on the equestrian or gymnastics blog. That should shut him up. LOL!
Ray Barone
July 20th, 2010
6:42 pm
If Tim Tebow has to forfeit his last game as an alligator, will he start crying again?
Atlanta Gator
July 20th, 2010
6:47 pm
I am a little bit frustrated today, perhaps prematurely so, but frustrated nevertheless. The Pouncey brothers are both stellar athletes who have contributed greatly to the program and stayed out of trouble. By all accounts, Mike and Maurkice were good students and model citizens. Of course I hope the allegation against Maurkice Pouncey is not true. No program in the country has worked harder at NCAA compliance since 1990 than the Florida Gators, and this allegation was self-reported to the NCAA by Urban Meyer and Jeremy Foley. No one knows for sure if it’s true or not, but I am satisfied that the coach, athletic director and institution have met their obligations. That’s the difference between Florida and USC: no one in Gainesville is trying to cover anything up or ignore a possible violation. The worst that could happen is that the Gators would have to vacate their Sugar Bowl win. At the end of the day, the integrity of the institution is a lot more meaningful than any football game, season or program. Based on today’s headlines, it appears even the new president of USC understands that.
Les is more STUPID
July 20th, 2010
6:49 pm
Jesus, you can tell when the Dawgs are gonna suck because the so called fans won’t quit barking before a damn game is played. Once the games start they are always brought back down to reality which they always refuse to accept. Who gives a crap about stats from last year? Just get your ass to the GA Dome in December and then talk to me about how much better Ealey is than Ingram.
Tide Rising
July 20th, 2010
6:50 pm
Beast,
Funny thing about a delusional dawg fan like Les. He didn’t mention that Chris Rainey averaged 6.5 ypc last year and that Jeff Demps averageed 7.5 ypc.
Going by Les’s stats those 2 should be fighting each other for the Heisman. Rainey could well get that chance if he fills the percy harvin role and Demps may go down as one of the highest ypc backs ever. He just doesn’t tote the rock a lot because of his size. Funny that Les doesn’t bring up those stats.
Beast from the East
July 20th, 2010
6:52 pm
AG,
Have you heard how this alleged payment was first discovered? I’d be interested to see how this story started. I hope it’s not true, but if it is then we’ll just have to take our lumps and move forward.
Beast from the East
July 20th, 2010
6:55 pm
Tide,
Are you beginning to think that Les is actually named Patrick Sulley? I think he is and he’s just on to a new topic since the hot-seat talk has died down with Richt.
Tide Rising
July 20th, 2010
6:58 pm
Atlanta Gator,
It gets worse for everyone. Now ALabama’s Marcel Dareus is said to have attended a party in South Beach given by the agent. ALabama’s compliance is investigating it now. If Dareus accepted flight and lodging then obviously we would rule him ineligible for the upcoming year or suspend him several games and make him pay back the money. Even if he paid for the trip himself he will get suspended by Saban for being close to an agent and possibly suspended for the year. The only good thing is that it happened after the season and so if his elgibility is compromised it will not be an institutional matter. He will simply be ruled ineligible.
UF will just have to vacate the Sugar Bowl win if true in their case but nothing serious will become of that either.
Because of the wide ranging number of schools and players and this agent it looks like the NCAA is going to view this as an agent problem. The agent that is putting these players careers in jeopardy needs to go to jail. In Bama its a felony and in FLorida its a 2nd class felony to get a player to sign while still playing college ball. This guy needs to fry.
Tide Rising
July 20th, 2010
6:59 pm
Beast,
Patrick Lester Sulley? Sounds like he’s been found out.
Beast from the East
July 20th, 2010
7:06 pm
Tide,
Hadn’t heard that about Dareus. Sounds like this agent is just running wild. He needs to have his license revoked and spend a couple of years behind bars. He’s putting several universities in harm’s way in order to make a buck. I’d really like to see the NCAA go after this guy and send a message.
Razorblade
July 20th, 2010
7:25 pm
How is Ealey going to win the Heisman for a team that will probably lose 5 or 6 games? Who are the losses to be: USC, Ark, UF, Aub., and look out for UK and Miss. St., both away games, and maybe GaT. Don’t think the voters will go for a guy who plays on a very mediocre team!
TampaGator
July 20th, 2010
7:27 pm
I have watched both Mr. Richardson and Mr Ealey play college footall…and Mr. Ealey is “No” Mr. Richardson when it comes to running, blocking, pass receiving, and understanding the game of football. Richardson does it all…and does it all very well. Richardson might be better than Ingram…and Ingram is better than everyone else that plays RB in college football. Enough said. Mr. Ealey is not half the blocker, pass receiver, and general overall football player that Richardson is. Gosh….I wish the guy has come to his second choice…Florida. Last year’s SEC championship game would have ended in a different score if he had…he is that good.
Beast from the East
July 20th, 2010
7:32 pm
TampaGator,
I don’t think I’d go that far. Bama dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. We could have had Emmitt back there and still registered a loss. That being said, your point is well taken.
@ Mr Pitdog
July 20th, 2010
7:41 pm
The answer is zero.
GrantParkGator
July 20th, 2010
9:04 pm
From all the rumored info coming out tomorrow UGA, Clemson and LSU will have players named into this agent’s party. Also the Pouncey’s have provided University Police copies of bank/cc statements and phone records over the last 48 hours.
Smits
July 20th, 2010
9:07 pm
Right on Dog fans. Coach Richt wins 95% of the games when he gets an RB who breaks 100 on the ground. Dogs running game is top 5 in the country now, bout 250 a pop consistently, really hit stride over last 5 or 6 weeks. No doubt King or Ealey will bust 100 a game. Which, if you look at Coach Richt’s record when a guy busts 100 on the ground, pretty easy to see a 12 or 13 win season, despite what the Bama fan here thinks. Never really compared Wshaun to Ingram or Richardson’s freshman season, but yes, he does beat them both pretty badly. He’s an impressive guy, no doubt.
Jim
July 20th, 2010
9:12 pm
Demps & Rainey got less than 6 carries total in the SEC Championship because of their fumbling problems. Urban Meyer just doesn’t trust either of them to tote the ball, understandably so. But I hope Meyer gives them both 20 carries a game, that’s 3 or 4 fumbles a game for Georgia’s new defense.
Grant
July 20th, 2010
9:14 pm
Really is funny watching the Alabama fans, trying to explain away how Washaun Ealey’s 5.7 yards a carry as a freshman, isn’t better than Ingram or Richardson’s 5.1 yards a carry as freshman. Of course, it is better, it’s actually more than 1/2 yard per carry better than either one. Gotta love those Alabama blindies.
Shoeless Joe
July 20th, 2010
9:18 pm
You can always tell when Alabama Tide’s going to have a bad year. It’s when fans start bragging about how great Nick Saban, or Mark Ingram, or Trent Richardson is. They do it every year, and 9 times out of 10, Alabama dissapoints.
#2 BAMA FAN
July 20th, 2010
10:36 pm
Marcel Dareus is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. How could you let youself and team down by going to South Beach to the agent party. Marcel is a top ten pick in the NFL and now who knows if will
able to play this year. I was hoping everybody who plays for Bama would remember Andre Smith problem and use some common sense but that is not going to happen!! RTR
Shug's fan
July 20th, 2010
10:41 pm
How does the NCAA stop the players from talking/ dealing with agents ? Very simply…by correctimg an extremely unfair situation. The college players deserve a payday of an agreed amount to be paid by the schools. After all, THEY are the reason that the athletic departments are pulling in all these big bucks! This is an injustice who’s time to correct has now come!
Tide Rising
July 20th, 2010
10:50 pm
Beast,
Its all over the bama message boards about Dareus. Doesn’t mean anything yet. He may have just paid his own way and just gone to the party and everything may be on the up and up. Could be the same with the other players who attended the party and one poster above says it could be Georgia, LSU, and Clemson players that this agent had come to his party in South Beach. Makes you wonder how many players from different teams he had his hooks into and how all these different players paid for transportation, lodging, meals, etc. to Miami.
Saban talked about it at Media days today and talked specifically about the Dareus situation and an agent from what I’ve seen. Dareus may well have not done anything wrong but it doesn’t matter. He broke a team rule about talking to and socializing with agents and will get suspended if not booted from the team. Saban booted Andre Smith before the sugar bowl just for talking with an agent. He hadn’t even violated any ncaa rules.
Whatever the outcome I hope he gets charged with a felony in several different states,loses his license, and serves some jail time. Scumbag ratturd.