THE BIG STORY

All-conference middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley will undergo surgery Wednesday to repair a torn ligament in his right knee, Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier said Monday.

Spurrier told The State newspaper in Columbia that Brinkley likely is lost for the season, although USC coaches are optimistic the NCAA will approve a medical hardship to allow the senior to return for another year of eligibility. Spurrier was unclear on the length of Brinkley’s rehabilitation.

According to NCAA bylaws, athletes can apply for a hardship waiver if they are injured during the first half of the season and played in fewer than 30 percent of a team’s scheduled games — four games (rounded up from 3.6) in a 12-game football season. Brinkley was injured during the first quarter Saturday in the Gamecocks’ fourth game at LSU.

“They’ve been pretty forgiving and lenient and helpful to student-athletes the last few years,” Spurrier said. “So it should not be a problem.”

Brinkley, a 6-foot-2, 262-pound native of Thomson, Ga., considered leaving for the NFL after the 2006 season before returning for his senior year. Brinkley was unavailable for comment Monday.

But USC defensive end Casper Brinkley said his twin brother indicated he would play for the Gamecocks in 2008. “He’s coming back,” Casper Brinkley said. “He’s already said that.”

Casper Brinkley and USC defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix said the injury is to Jasper Brinkley’s lateral collateral ligament, a thin band along the outside of the knee that connects the thighbone to the fibula.

Casper Brinkley said his brother’s LCL tore away from the fibula. According to several online medical sources, LCL tears are rare in football and usually occur in conjunction with another knee injury.

Brinkley was injured during the first defensive series against the Tigers when he collided with safety Emanuel Cook and an LSU receiver after an incomplete pass.

“He’s stumbled into it,” Spurrier said. “Cook hit the guy right as the ball’s getting there and (Brinkley) come running in and got his foot caught in the ground and the guy sort of fell over it.”

He returned in the second quarter after X-rays taken in the locker room were negative. But Brinkley was visibly hobbled and finished with a career-low three tackles.

Marvin Sapp, a junior who will step into Brinkley’s spot, said the USC defense was initially stunned when Brinkley went down last weekend.

“Of course, we were hit when he wasn’t in there. But especially in the second half, we bounced back and stalemated them,” said Sapp, who started three games in 2006. “We just realized that we’ve got to step up. We are a team and the team is more than one person.”

A look at the league:

ALABAMA
Alabama coach Nick Saban appealed Monday for “class” from Alabama supporters, hinting that a member of his coaching staff was harassed on the phone following the Georgia loss. Bulldogs players were also pelted with cups and other items from the Alabama student section while celebrating their game-winning touchdown. “I don’t think it’s classy to throw something on somebody else,” Saban said. “I don’t think it’s classy to call somebody’s house at night and complain about something. If anybody out there (among) our fans and our supporters don’t think all the coaches here don’t work hard and want to win as bad as anybody, as well as the players, trust and believe in that. If you want to do something, do something positive to support the program or don’t do anything at all.” Saban wouldn’t say which coach was called except that it was not him. “I don’t answer my phone anyway,” he said.

ARKANSAS

Arkansas backup running back Michael Smith could be suspended for several games following his arrest Sunday for allegedly using a stolen credit card. Smith has been suspended for Saturday’s game against North Texas, and Arkansas coach Houston Nutt hasn’t ruled out the possibility of extending the suspension beyond this week. “Boy, right now the way I feel, yes,” Nutt said Monday when asked if Smith could be suspended for more than one game. But again, I need to get the whole story and see exactly what happened. But my first off-the-cuff answer to you is (he’ll) definitely (miss) this game and probably a few more.” Smith has been suspended indefinitely following his arrest Sunday afternoon for allegedly charging $96.34 on a credit card that was given to him by another individual. The sophomore was charged with two felonies — forgery and theft by receiving. He spent Sunday night in the Washington County Jail, and he was released at 5 p.m. Monday after posting a $2,500 bond. Smith has an arraignment hearing scheduled for Oct. 26. “I can’t believe you can be that stupid,” Nutt said of Smith’s actions. “… What’s surprising is he comes from a great family, a great family. He doesn’t need it, he doesn’t need the money, he doesn’t need anything like that financially. So that’s what’s so frustrating about that situation. It’s hard to explain, kind of like his fumble.” Smith, Arkansas’ third-leading rusher this season, fumbled toward the end of the first half of Saturday’s 42-29 loss to then-No. 21 Kentucky. UK’s Trevard Lindley picked up the fumble and returned it 66 yards for a momentum-changing touchdown. Nutt said junior-college transfer Brandon Barnett will likely serve as the No. 3 running back against North Texas, and fullback Peyton Hillis is also an option.

AUBURN

True freshman walk-on punter Patrick Tatum, who will probably relinquish his starting job this week, was named the SEC’s special teams player of the week for his performance in Auburn’s 55-20 victory over New Mexico State last Saturday. Tatum averaged 45.5 yards on four punts, all of which were placed inside the 20-yard line. The Aggies were forced to start from their 8, 11, 14 and 15. Tatum also successfully executed a fake punt. Tatum has been filling in for injured starter Ryan Shoemaker, who is expected to fully return from an elbow injury this week. Special teams coach Eddie Gran said Shoemaker will get his starting job back, but Tatum could be used as a “pooch” punter for shorter kicks. He said both punters would be charted in practice to determine if that plan is feasible.

FLORIDA

Soft-spoken UF wide receiver Louis Murphy made perhaps the move of the day in Satuday’s win at Ole Miss to escape the Ole Miss secondary for a 37-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, Murphy responded with what could be called a low-key, almost polite Gator chomp. But it drew a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. “I was shocked,” Murphy said. “All I did was a little Gator chomp. I didn’t think you could get a penalty for that. When they told me, I couldn’t believe it.” Florida coach Urban Meyer had a hard time believing it also. “The big penalty was the unsportsmanlike penalty after the score that the guy got for clapping his hands,” Meyer said. “I didn’t know that was a penalty. I need some clarity on that one. I will find out (from the SEC office).” Meyer was not ready to defend the other 13 penalties his team amassed in UF’s 30-24 victory over Ole Miss. “We have 13 other penalties we need to clean up,” he said. “That’s just awful.”

GEORGIA
Knowshon Moreno won his first SEC freshman of the week award Monday for his outing Saturday against Alabama. The way Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron gushed about Georgia’s tailback, it could be the first of a career full of honors. “The guy I’m impressed with is their running back Moreno,” Orgeron said. “He plays hard. He’s quick. They have a concern with the offensive line, they’re very young, but I’m telling you this Knowshon Moreno is a hard-running, powerful back. He gives excellent effort. They have good players up front. Their fullback is an excellent blocker, but this guy makes you miss now. He has tremendous balance, great lower leg strength. He’s going to be one of the best backs we’ll see this.” Moreno had 74 yards rushing in Georgia’s 26-23 overtime win Saturday, scoring the second touchdown of his career on a 6-yard third quarter run and two catches for 22 yards. Moreno leads Georgia with 342 yards and is ninth in the SEC in rushing. “Knowshon, he’s definitely been exciting to this point, but he still has a ways to go to learn how to finish runs a little bit better,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “But he’s still young, he’s still learning.”

KENTUCKY

UK senior linebacker Wesley Woodyard was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in UK’s 42-29 win over Arkansas on Saturday night. Woodyard had a game-high 17 tackles and became the first Wildcat since Marty Moore (1990-93) to record 300 career tackles. Woodyard currently leads the SEC in tackles per game with 12.5. Also, senior offensive lineman Jason Leger was named SEC Offensive Lineman Of The Week for the second time this season. Leger graded out at 88 percent against Arkansas, didn’t allow a sack and helped the Kentucky running game pound 162 yards on the ground against the Razorbacks in the second half. Leger was also named SEC Lineman of the Week following the Kent State game. Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said sophomore running back Alfonso Smith is doubtful for Saturday’s game with Florida Atlantic. Smith sprained his ankle in the second half against Arkansas. Smith, UKs third-string tailback, has carried 17 times for 130 yards and two TDs this season. Several other Wildcats, including running back Rafael Little (thigh bruise) and cornerback Trevard Lindley (sprained ankle), left the Arkansas game with injuries but all are expected to practice this week and be available for Florida Atlantic.

LSU

In meeting rooms and at practice, LSU players and coaches are talking about the business of getting better, not about the No. 4-ranked Florida Gators. LSU coach Les Miles said getting the younger players to forget their early successes and focus on improvement is critical as the Tulane game approaches. “If you look at a long view, this week is awfully important,” Miles said. Miles said the Tigers have plenty to fix. The repairs, he said, can’t show up in a meaningful way until LSU demonstrates them on the field against Tulane. He said emerging talents such as Perrilloux, freshman receiver Terrance Toliver and sophomore tight end Richard Dickson have to think of what’s to come, not what they just did, if they’re going to get better. LSU quarterback Ryan Perrilloux played while Flynn rested his ankle Sept. 15 in a 44-0 victory against Middle Tennessee. The two shared the quarterback role Saturday in a 28-16 victory against South Carolina. Perrilloux, LSU’s leader in total offense, ran for a career-high 59 yards on eight carries against the Gamecocks. “When a guy like that gets on the field, there are some natural instincts that take over,” Miles said. “I think you saw those at times on Saturday.”

OLE MISS
Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron said there is something the Rebels should take away from last Saturday’s 30-24 loss to defending national champion Florida: Much-needed confidence “That was a different team last Saturday than the previous three weeks, really,” he said Monday during his weekly press conference. “What we have to do is keep the fire burning, stoke it, keep challenging those guys and continue to build on what we started.” Ole Miss (1-3, 0-2 in SEC) will face another ranked opponent, No. 15 Georgia (3-1, 1-1), in Athens, Ga., on Saturday. The Bulldogs are coming off a 26-23 overtime win at Alabama. “Obviously we lost and we hate it,” QB Seth Adams told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. “But I think it gives us motivation to work harder. Guys know what it takes to win. … We’re just not quite there yet.”

MISS. STATE

Mississippi State’s two-quarterback system will continue Saturday at South Carolina MSU coach Sylvester Croom said Monday both Josh Riddell and Wesley Carroll will play, but said he didn’t know who will start. Riddell, the junior, was 8-of-11 with a touchdown and an interception against Gardner-Webb; freshman Wesley Carroll was 4-of-8 for 42 yards and ran twice for 33 yards. But Croom said Riddell’s performance wasn’t necessarily as good as it looked to the untrained eye. “Josh was inconsistent with his performance,” he said. “I know everybody saw the big-play passes, he was very lucky on a couple of those. The touchdown he threw to Tony, that was a misread. … Another time, against another safety, that one’s going the other way.”

SOUTH CAROLINA

South Carolina has contacted the SEC about what it deemed a bad ball spot in Saturday’s 28-16 loss at LSU. The spot happened just before the Gamecocks failed on a fourth-down attempt in their territory on the first possession of the second half. Spurrier said the tape shows that the ball was originally spotted a half-yard beyond the 30-yard line. Then after officials briefly halted play because the stadium clock had failed, the ball was re-spotted a half-yard behind the 30. “They marked the ball back about a half a yard,” Spurrier said. “We’re not criticizing that, but when you watch the tape, it is amazing. It’s sort of unbelievable.”

TENNESSEE

The Vols began their open date with more than 50 players visiting four different Knoxville-area hospitals to lift the spirits of dozens of patients. The Vols visited UT Medical Center, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and St. Mary’s Medical Center. The players signed footballs, T-shirts and posters, and posed for pictures. The Vols who participated in the visits were a mix of mostly seniors and freshmen. “If anything, it reminds us how in the public eye we are and how what we do affects so many people,” said Vols’ quarterback Erik Ainge. “If one of us is to make a bad decision, we’re not letting our team and our family down. We’re also letting that 12-year-old kid that’s sitting upstairs watching TV down, too.”

VANDERBILT

Kickoff for Vandy’s Oct. 6 game at Auburn was announced Monday for 11:30 a.m., with the game set to be televised by Lincoln Financial Sports. It’ll be the second TV game for Vanderbilt, which also appeared on Lincoln Financial Sports for its SEC opener against Alabama in the same time slot on Sept. 8. Vanderbilt Coach Bobby Johnson said he prefers the earlier kickoffs — weather permitting. “If the weather was cool, I’d prefer 11:30 or 1 (p.m.) over 6 or 7 (p.m.),” Johnson said Monday. “There’s so much waiting, I think you get a little anxious, a little stale. If it’s 95 degrees — and it’s been that way the last couple of days — I’d much rather play at 6. It’s worth the wait. I think both teams benefit from it; neither team has the depth advantage that you have at 11:30.” Saturday’s Eastern Michigan game is set for 6 p.m.