THE BIG STORY

It’s not just Nick Saban that’s cashing in at Alabama.

Saban is making $4 million a year, but he’s making sure his assistants don’t have to eat at the McDonald’s drive-in window every night. In figures released by the University of Alabama on Tuesday, Saban’s staff is almost set to collect $2.245 million in salaries this year. The staff includes 14 people with nine on-the-field assistants.

The salaries have yet to be approved by the UA Board of Trustees, but approval is a formality.

Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele and offensive line coach Joe Pendry, the staff’s two veterans with 28 and 14 years experience respectively, will make base salaries of $350,000. Offensive coordinator Major Applewhite (sixth year) and secondary coach Kirby Smart (ninth year) will make $250,000 and $275,000 respectively.

The rest of the coaching staff: Tight ends/special teams coach Ron Middleton: $230,000; Running backs coach/associate head coach Burton Burns: $220,000; Outside linebackers coach Lance Thompson: $210,000; Defensive line coach Bo Davis: $190,000; Receivers coach/recruiting coordinator Curt Cignetti: $170,000.

LSU’s assistant coaches’ budget is No. 2 behind Alabama with a reported $1.88 million and Auburn is third at $1.87 million, according to a study earlier this year by the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer.

Five of the Tide’s seven position coaches will earn at least $200,000 this year. Compare that to Tennessee, where none of the position coaches at Tennessee, for instance, will receive more than $175,000 this year. That number is only $5,000 more than the lowest-paid member of Alabama’s coaching staff, Cignetti.

“I don’t think any of our coaches are worried about the money they are making around here,” Saban said during Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference. “They’re more concerned about the type of job they’re doing.”

A look at the league:

ALABAMA

Alabama has self-reported two secondary football violations since Nick Saban was hired as head football coach in early January, but none since February, according to an open records request through Sept. 6. The first, dated Jan. 26, involved “impermissible transportation” for a recruit’s mother and family friend to campus for an official visit. The second was turned in Feb. 7 and occurred without knowledge of the coaching staff, according to the university. A representative of Alabama was found to have had illegal contact with a football recruit at his high school. Six athletics violations were reported since Feb. 7, but none involved football, men’s basketball or baseball.

ARKANSAS

Arkansas offensive coordinator David Lee said after the win over Troy two weeks ago that he withheld some parts of the playbook. He didn’t want to give away too much to Alabama, Saturday’s opponent. Lee said he added some new wrinkles in the open date week, and is now reducing the package.”My concern is that we may be trying to do too much,” Lee said. . .University of Arkansas Chancellor Dr. John White hired Pitt athletic Jeff Long as Arkansas new AD the same way White hired new Hogs’ basketball coach John Pelphrey. White called the Parker Search Firm in Atlanta. “During the closing weeks of the search, we secured the services of Mr. Dan Parker of Parker Executive Search in Atlanta,” White said. “Once we got into the redzone, Dan assisted us in getting the ball across the goalline.”

AUBURN

Redshirt freshman Tim Hawthorne, true freshman Chris Slaughter and sophomore Montez Billings could all see more action on Saturday against Mississippi State. Hawthorne said he worked with the first team on Sunday. Slaughter also said he took reps with the No. 1 unit. Robert Dunn, normally a slot receiver, is also working at other positions. Hawthorne, Slaughter and Billings all played sparingly against South Florida after not playing in the opener.

FLORIDA

With senior wide receiver Andre Caldwell out with a sprained right knee, Florida coach Urban Meyer expects Riley Cooper, David Nelson and Louis Murphy to see more snaps. Junior Cornelius Ingram will probably become even more of a focal point of the offense after his breakout seven-catch, 105-yard performance last Saturday against Troy. “Right now I’d probably say it’s Riley and Murph are the two top guys,” said Meyer about when asked who he expects to fill the void left by Caldwell’s injury.. . .Sophomore cornerback Markihe Anderson (sprained knee) practiced Tuesday after enduring what Meyer called a “minor setback” on Monday.

GEORGIA

Senior receiver A.J. Bryant underwent surgery on his left knee on Tuesday and he could be out for at least four weeks. Bryant injured his meniscus and sustained a bone bruise on a play Saturday designed for Bryant to throw a double pass. Georgia coach Mark Richt said a medical redshirt for Bryant, on track to graduate this spring, isn’t likely. “Whether or not he’s going to come back for another year is on him,” Richt said. . .Georgia receivers dropped four passes in Saturday’s loss to South Carolina, including two that would have been touchdown. “They should rebound,” Richt said. “I’m not going to predict a snowball effect. I can’t do that. They’ve just got to concentrate. It’s not just one guy. It’s a physical game and you’ve got to catch the ball knowing you’re going to possibly take a shot, too.”

KENTUCKY

Kentucky could go into Saturday’s Louisville game without two of its top defensive tackles. UK coach Rich Brooks said that redshirt freshman Ricky Lumpkin is out for Saturday’s game and will miss a significant amount of time with a hip injury. Lumpkin had hip surgery the summer before he reported to UK, and Brooks said this injury is related to the previous one. Brooks said no surgery is required for Lumpkin at this time, but could be needed at a later date. Junior Myron Pryor has what Brooks called a “significant” strain of the pectoral muscle and listed him as questionable to doubtful. Junior Ventrell Jenkins would likely start alongside sophomore Corey Peters in Pryor’s absence. True freshman Shane McCord and senior J.D. Craigman would be the top backups, while end Travis Day could help out if needed. “You know you’re going to have missing pieces, you know you’re going to have guys you need to step up and replace,” Brooks said. “The disheartening thing is that both of those guys are at the same position.

LSU

LSU quarterback Matt Flynn wore a brace on his right ankle, but he did practice Tuesday afternoon, according to coach Les Miles. Flynn, who injured his ankle in the No. 2 Tigers win over Virginia Tech on Saturday, was not at practice during the media portion of practice, which is usually only a few short periods. “He was on the practice field and took some reps (repetitions),” Miles said on a WWL Radio talk show out of New Orleans after practice. He was not available to reporters after practice. “I think he’ll be able to go, no question” Miles said of Flynn’s status for Saturday’s 7 p.m. home game against Middle Tennessee. “We figure he’ll be available to us.” Flynn wore a large black boot around his ankle and up to his knee after practice. “He puts that on after practice,” LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette said. “He ran today. He threw.” Miles is expected to have more to say on Flynn’s condition today. Flynn has helped lead LSU to 45-0 and 48-7 victories in its first two games. He is ranked fifth in the Southeastern Conference in passing efficiency with a 140.4 rating on 29-of-46 passing for 345 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Miles told WWL he has no problem getting backup quarterback Ryan Perrilloux more playing time should Flynn not play very much against Middle Tennessee. Perrilloux has completed 7 of 8 passes for 105 yards in two games for three touchdowns and no interceptions

OLE MISS

Ole Miss receiver Mike Wallace is tied for sixth in the SEC in receptions (11) and is third in receiving yards (184). His 68-yard touchdown catch was Ole Miss’ longest pass play since 2004. Quarterback Seth Adams completed 23 of 41 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns against the Tigers. In two games, the senior has thrown for 506 yards and four TDs. Last year, Ole Miss threw for 1,633 yards and nine touchdowns in 12 games.

MISS. STATE

When Co-Eric Riley pulled up lame with a groin pull during the second week of preseason camp, thoughts of Tony Burks flashed through the minds of MSU coach Sylvester Croom and Riley, who graduated from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College the year after Burks. “Sitting around probably would have gotten me behind, somebody would have gotten in front of me,” Riley told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. Riley was back in no time. And starting with the season opener against LSU, the speedy Riley, a coveted recruit coming out of junior college, has been an integral part of Mississippi State’s offensive plans and figures to be again Saturday when MSU travels to Auburn. “The thing I’m pleased with is he doesn’t allow that injury to keep him out that long,” Croom said. “One of my big concerns is he didn’t make spring practice because of how fast he was going to be able to get into the offense. Because it was midseason last year before Tony was able to get that going.”

SOUTH CAROLINA

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier plans to use his best players on special teams Saturday against S.C. State. Starting linebackers Jasper and Casper Brinkley will cover kicks, tailback Mike Davis is a returner and fifth-year back Cory Boyd will also look for someone to run over. “If we lose a game because someone runs a kickoff or punt back, at least we can say, ‘Hey, we had our best guys on the field.’ So we’re not going to be as dumb as we were last week,” Spurrier said Tuesday. “We were pretty stupid as coaches putting some guys out there that can’t do it. We keep thinking they’re going to. We keep yelling at them every week. Finally, I came to the conclusion that we’re not going to watch it any more. So we’re going to watch our best players.” The Gamecocks have yet to score a special teams touchdown under Spurrier, who hired former Mississippi State assistant Shane Beamer during the offseason to improve special teams. Against Georgia, the Gamecocks allowed a 40-yard kickoff return, a 32-yard punt runback, and had a couple of miscues on their punt return.

TENNESSEE

Tennessee defensive end Xavier Mitchell is ready on Saturday if Florida quarterback Tim Tebow wants to try and run over the Vols’ defense. “He wants to run the ball and that’s fine with me,” Mitchell said of Tebow. “We thrive on hitting quarterbacks. If he wants to lower his shoulder, we’ll lower ours too and bring the hat. Bring it. That’s what goes through my mind. I think that’s everybody’s mindset.”. . .The Vols plan to use receiver Brett Vinson some at cornerback, now that senior Antonio Gaines is out for the year with a torn ACL. Vinson has played wideout in both of UT’s games this season. “He’s not 100-percent ready there,” Vols’ coach Phillip Fulmer said of Vinson’s transition to defensive back. “Secondary, he’s taken to that a little more naturally. There’s not as much to learn at corner.”

VANDERBILT

Quarterback Chris Nickson’s hamstring is bothering him, so backup QB Mackenzi Adams took most of the snaps with the first-team offense in Tuesday’s practice. “He didn’t do much,” Vandy coach Bobby Johnson said of Nickson following practice. “He did as much as he could. We’re not going to push him and risk re-injuring it.” Adams said he’s preparing like he’ll start on Saturday against Ole Miss. “I go in every week like I’m going to play the whole game,” he said. “It’s not too much different than any other week. Chris is healing up, so we’ll see what happens.”