THE BIG STORY

South Carolina found a solid backup quarterback in Chris Smelley’s after Wednesday scrimmage. On Thursday, Smelley became the starter for the Sept. 1 season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette when Carolina starting quarterback Blake Mitchell was suspended by the school for one game because of poor summer school attendance. “I was told he was out, but he may get back in,” Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said of Mitchell. “I don’t know. I’m just down here waiting for them to tell me what’s going on and we’ll go from there. That’s the way the ball bounces. Blake should have gone to class better this summer. I know that. So if he has to miss one (game), we’ll live with it. But if he’s eligible to play, we’ll live with that, too. I’m flexible either way. I’m 100 percent behind our class attendance policy. If they’re supposed to miss (a game), they miss. That’s our policy and we’ll adhere to it. I’m for our class attendance policy.” Also suspended for the Sept. 1 opener excessive class absences during summer school are reserve cornerback Chris Hail and third-string tailback Bobby Wallace, who is out with a broken collarbone.

A look at all the training camps:

ALABAMA

Sophomore fullback Baron Huber (Knoxville, Tenn.) suffered a thigh bruise on Wednesday and senior kicker Jamie Christensen (Norcross, Ga.) was making progress (quad). Both are listed as day-to-day. . .Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson said new coach Nick Saban is stressing consistency. “The big thing he (Coach Saban) is talking about is every play, every repetition on every day of practice we have to go out there and do our jobs,” Wilson said. “We are really striving to be consistent. We have to get there to be a good team, we are not there yet. It takes every day coming to practice with the right mind set. Coach Saban is trying to get us mentally prepared to go to practice every day, so the weather or an interception does not affect the next play.”. . .Alabama cornerback Simeon Castille said Saban treated him “more as a friend and not even a head coach” after the player’s arrest for disorderly conduct. Castille hasn’t missed a practice with the Crimson Tide since his arrest on Sunday morning when Tuscaloosa Police arrested him for allegedly yelling obscenities to a car full of teammates and blocking traffic on University Boulevard in the process.

ARKANSAS

Junior center Jonathan Luigs returned to practice on Thursday. Luigs missed the last few practices while suffering from a virus. “It was good to get him (Luigs) back,” Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said. “You can tell he had been gone a couple of days. He did a really nice job. He has a lot of knowledge, a lot of experience. That really helps.” Nutt also complimented offensive guard Robert Felton who filled in for Luigs at center while he was out. “Robert Felton, again, is so valuable because he goes back and acts as if he hasn’t missed a day at his own position,” Nutt said. “That has really helped us. We had a really good day.This is the toughest part of camp because there is some anxiousness. Our guys are ready to play, ready to hit someone else. It’s getting close.”

AUBURN

Offensive coordinator Al Borges believes that injured Auburn fullback Carl Stewart (hamstring) will play in the Sept. 1 opener against Kansas State, despite the fact he hasn’t practiced much. “He’s in good shape and he’s smart,” Borges said. “He’s going to know what to do. He’s just got to get game ready, go out there, and get banged around a little bit.” Said Stewart, “I’ll definitely be ready for the game.”

FLORIDA

Florida coach Urban Meyer said freshman Chas Henry will be the team’s starting punter Sept. 1 against Western Kentucky. He also said his kickoff returners will be Brandon James, Jarred Fayson, Chris Rainey and possibly Chevon Walker. . .Kestahn Moore will begin the season as the starting tailback, and he’l be backed by Brandon James and Jarred Fayson. James, just 5-6 and 181, is suspended for the season-opener Sept. 1 against Western Kentucky after he pleaded guilty to a count of marijuana possession.

GEORGIA

Georgia held one final scrimmage Thursday night that started at the same time as its season opening kickoff against Oklahoma State. But the Bulldogs didn’t have much zip. “The thing that was missing was energy,” Stafford said. “Maybe 92,000 sitting in the seats will spark a fire under some of these guys.” Stafford completed 7 of 14 for 59 yards and a touchdown. End Demarcus Dobbs had three tackles, a sack and a forced fumble, and defensive tackle Geno Atkins recorded two sacks. “You try to simulate the game,” coach Mark Richt said. “You couldn’t simulate a Dawg Walk or the enthusiasm of a crowd or the reality of playing in front of 96,000 and your names on TV. … It is hard to get too jacked about playing the scout team sometimes.”. . .Thomas Brown will likely start at running back for the opener. The senior is coming back from a torn ACL.

KENTUCKY

Junior defensive tackle Ventrell Jenkins has been cleared to return to practice. Jenkins had shoulder surgery in the spring. Because of the nature of the surgery, a timetable for his return had been uncertain and it was thought he might miss part or all of the 2007 season. Jenkins was the team’s top reserve at defensive tackle last season. He played in 12 games, with one start, totaling 19 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and one quarterback sack. “(Tests) showed significant healing on his surgical repair,” Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said. “He’s pain-free. He’s been cleared to test it all the way. We’ll work him in gradually over the next week and see how it goes.”. . .Also defensive tackle Myron Pryor (strained knee) will miss two-to-three days of practice; freshman defensive end Greg Meisner (shoulder surgery on Thursday) will redshirt the 2007 season; and freshman running back Moncell Allen (broken thumb) has returned to practice with a protective cast. . .Brooks named his starting kickers for the season opener against Eastern Kentucky. They are junior punter Tim Masthay and sophomore kicker Lones Seiber. Freshman Ryan Tydlacka is still pushing for playing time at both positions.

LSU

LSU football coach Les Miles suspended redshirt freshman linebacker Derrick L. Odom III after his arrest Thursday in a July assault and break-in attempt, an LSU official said.Miles and Odom were not available for comment. The Baton Rouge Police arrest warrant says Odom, a 19-year-old from Jackson, Miss., allegedly threatened Steve Gaffney, 50, on July 28 before attempting to break down the door to Gaffney’s condominium and vandalizing his son’s vehicle. Police spokesman Sgt. Don Kelly said Odom and others had been in a fight with Austin Gaffney, 20, the previous evening and earlier on the night of the incident. Odom, of West Campus Apartments, Building 10, Apt. 1006, Suite C, was booked Thursday into Parish Prison on counts of simple assault, attempted unauthorized entry into an inhabited dwelling and two counts of criminal damage to property. Odom is at least the fifth LSU football player disciplined by Miles during this offseason after their arrest or being issued a summons by police. Miles suspended and later dismissed reserves Troy Giddens, Zhamal Thomas and Kyle Anderson after their arrests in April. Police arrested Giddens and Thomas on April 9 and charged them with simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling. Giddens was also charged with identity theft in the March 27 burglary of a campus apartment and accused of running up more than $200 in online purchases using a stolen credit card, LSU Police said. Anderson was arrested April 16 on a count of second-degree battery in connection with a bar fight. Miles suspended sophomore quarterback Ryan Perrilloux in May after police issued him a misdemeanor summons for trying to use his brother’s I.D. to enter a casino. Perrilloux, 20, was previously cited for several traffic violations and was questioned during a federal counterfeiting investigation in the spring. Miles reinstated Perrilloux to the team Aug. 3, the day LSU football players reported for preseason training camp.

OLE MISS

Ole Miss finished Thursday’s practice working on goal-line and short-yardage drills. “The offense ran the ball really well again today,” Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron said. Orgeron also liked the improvement of his linebackers. Ole Miss is replacing three starters from a year ago, including two-time All-America middle linebacker Patrick Willis. “I thought Chris Strong had an excellent practice today,” Orgeron said. “Jonathan Cornell came back. Those guys were looking really good out there. I think we have to look at what’s going on and see where we’re at. As we start getting into game-planning, we will have to see what we need to do and maybe make a couple of adjustments.” Junior transfer Ashlee Palmer is also making a push for playing time at linebacker.

MISS. STATE

The Jackson Clarion-Ledger reported that wide receiver Lance Long’s turf toe may cause him to miss the season opener against LSU, “That’s probably one of the worst injuries we’ve got now,” State coach Sylvester Croom said. “I’m not for sure whether he’ll be able to play or not. … A lot of that depends on your own pain tolerance.”. . .Also reserve defensive back Zach Smith missed Thursday’s practice because of a staph infection in his left calf. He should be ready for LSU.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Tailback Mike Davis was held out of practice on Thursday while nursing a sore left shoulder, suffered in Wednesday’s scrimmage. Linebacker Jasper Brinkley (left ankle sprain) was also held out, as was wide receiver Joe Hills (right knee sprain) and tailback Bobby Wallace (fractured right clavicle). Running back Taylor Rank did not participate in contact drills due to a right shoulder strain.

TENNESSEE

Tennessee recruited some blue-chip receivers, but Denarius Moore wasn’t on those lists despite being recruited by Oklahoma, Florida and LSU. But the Tatum (Texas) High standout, a teammate of Vols’ freshman signee running back Lennon Creer, has had an impact in the preseason and will see action.
“I don’t want to put more on him (Moore) than he can handle,” Vols’ receiver coach Trooper Taylor said, “but from the way he and his teammate from that same high school have participated so far in two-a-days, I think they have a chance to help us.”. . Former UT offensive lineman Mike Stowellhas been hired as the new sideline reporter for the Vol Radio Network, replacing replaces former UT quarterback Jeff Francis who is stepping down to spend more time with his family after eight years.Stowell, a native of Meridian, Idaho, played offensive guard and tackle for the Vols from 1989-1992. He started at right guard in 1991 when UT went 9-3 and made it to the Fiesta Bowl. He shifted to left tackle in 1992 when the Vols again went 9-3 and defeated Boston College in the Hall of Fame Bowl. “You get to play for Tennessee and experience some great things,” Stowell said. “To be able to come back and share some viewpoints with the fans that make Tennessee so special is an awesome opportunity.” Stowell joins an already veteran broadcast team led by Bob Kesling, going into his eighth season as the play-by-play “Voice of the Vols.” Former UT defensive back Tim Priest returns for his eighth season as color analyst.

VANDERBILT

Freshman signee John Stokes of Memphis University School is challenging for playing time at linebacker and as a deep snapper. He told Maurice Patton of The Tennessean that he narrowed his choices down to Michigan and Stanford as well as Southeastern Conference rivals Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee before settling on the Commodores. “Having grown up around it a little bit, having been around here, there was some comfort level,” he said. “When your parents go to a school, there’s something there that you’d like to go there. But the football program had to convince me that we were going to be great and that we were going to win and get better and better. They did that, and that got me excited about coming here.”