THE BIG STORY

The Birmingham News reported that Alabama and Clemson are closing in on agreement to open next football season with an Aug. 30 game at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.

Parties would like to have the deal announced before this year’s Dec. 1 SEC Championship Game, according to Gary Stokan, president of the Atlanta Sports Council.

“We’re still trying to work schedules,” Stokan said Wednesday. “I think it will work out, but there’s nothing to report yet.”

Talks began before the regular season but were delayed by several factors. First among them: A contract was already in place to hold the Corky Kell Classic, an annual series of Georgia high school games, that weekend at the Georgia Dome.

Alabama was also tentatively set to host Division I-AA Western Kentucky that opening weekend. An agreement with Clemson would force the Crimson Tide to reschedule the WKU game or find another home opponent.

UTEP backed out of a scheduled October visit due to the connections with coach Mike Price. Tulane and Northern Illinois are the other expected non-conference games on Alabama’s 2008 schedule, which has not been released to the public. UA athletics director Mal Moore has maintained for months that a deal was close with Clemson. First-year coach Nick Saban has said he would like one high-profile non-conference opponent each year. Alabama lost to Florida State in Jacksonville, Fla., on Sept. 29.

Stokan said there are no plans to change the proposed teams or the date of the Alabama-Clemson matchup.

“That’s what we’re working for, that Aug. 30 date,” said Stokan, who added, “At this juncture, to play a game in 2008 with the schedules the way they are, I think it would have to be those two teams.”

A look at the league:

ALABAMA

Alabama will seek redshirt years on behalf of several freshmen who played earlier in the season.
“Some of those guys have been hurt and have not been able to practice on a consistent basis,” said Alabama coach Nick Saban, who declined to delve into specific cases. “Because they weren’t able to practice, they lost time. We’ll see if their injuries … we’ve documented all the things that set them back during the season so we didn’t play them anymore.” Quarterback Nick Fanuzzi, receiver Darius Hanks, defensive lineman Alfred McCullough and offensive lineman William Vlachos each have not played since the Sept. 1 opener against Western Carolina. Defensive lineman Nick Gentry played Sept. 22 against Georgia, his only appearance of the season thus far. Saban mentioned a shoulder problem for defensive tackle Josh Chapman, who has been out since playing in the season’s first three games. Maybe there’s a couple of guys that played on a limited basis that won’t be able to be redshirted,” Saban said. . . .Saban was asked again on his radio show Thursday night about the lack of playing time for running back Jimmy Johns. “There have been several occasions this year where we’ve been about ready to play him,” Saban said, “and then something happens and we don’t play him. We’re not going to compromise what we feel is a standard of excellence to allow any player to play, but Jimmy has been doing better.” Saban went on to mention that he has been called pretty much everything during his career, noting the Miami Herald as an example. “One thing they even didn’t accuse me of is not playing the best players,” said Saban, “not playing the guy that will help us win and give us the best opportunity to be successful.”

ARKANSAS

University of Arkansas Chancellor John White on Thursday expressed his support for Houston Nutt, but White stopped short of giving the embattled football coach a vote of confidence. White said he’ll evaluate the Razorbacks’ football program at the end of the season, but he didn’t say anything to dismiss the notion that Nutt’s job was in question. “Well, I’m looking forward to us winning two more games. I don’t know about you, but we’ve got a lot of football yet to play. So I’m excited about that,” White said Thursday afternoon following a news conference to announce the integration of Arkansas’ men’s and women’s athletic departments. “I know that Houston and his family have been through a lot of difficulties. And my thoughts and my prayers frankly have been with him and his family. “Houston and I have had many opportunities to chat during this year, and he knows that I’m there encouraging him and supporting him in every way that I can.”. . .Nutt said it was a good practice on Thursday to end the week as the Razorbacks look ahead to their game Saturday against Mississippi State in Little Rock. Felix Jones got in some reps with the offense, but Nutt said it’s too early to tell how much the junior tailback will be able to play Saturday. “Felix got a little bit of work in today,” Nutt said. “We’ll know more Saturday. Again, with the type of injury it is, it’s very difficult and very hard to get back to full speed that quick, but he’s put in a lot of effort so we’ll see.” Offensive lineman Jose Valdez also returned to practice and Nutt thought the junior lineman moved around well, but stick with the starting lineup that includes Robert Felton and DeMarcus Love. “We’ll start out with Felton (at left tackle) because he’s gotten the entire week,” Nutt said. “So we’ll go with Robert and DeMarcus (at right guard).” Senior receivers Marcus Monk and Robert Johnson did not dress out during Thursday’s practice, but will play against Mississippi State. Nutt said the Monk and Johnson are resting injuries but have put in the necessary work throughout the week. “(Marcus and Robert) have a good feel of what they can do and what they can’t do during the course of the week,” Nutt said. “They get the game plan in, catch a lot of balls today and get a lot of mental reps to get ready to go Saturday.”

AUBURN

Auburn end-turned-linebacker Quentin Groves might be back to defensive end by the time next week’s Iron Bowl rolls around. “Whenever I come in in the morning, I go to the meeting room they tell me to go to,” Groves said. “I met with the defensive ends (Tuesday). I’m going to meet with the linebackers, too.” Groves switched to linebacker two weeks ago after an injury to starting linebacker Craig Stevens. The move was feasible because defensive end Antonio Coleman had played so well during Groves’ absence due to injury earlier in the season. While coaches said the move wasn’t terribly significant — Groves has always played a sort of hybrid end/linebacker role — it attracted plenty of attention. But the on-field results haven’t always been pretty. Groves said he was taken to task by coaches for a poor performance in last week’s Georgia game. “I got ripped a new one, I’ll tell you that much,” he said. “I think I missed like two, three, four runs. I didn’t get any pressure on the quarterback at all.” How would he grade his performance? “I think I played pretty poorly,” he said. After a moment, he added, “I know I played pretty poorly.” Groves said he can’t blame his poor play on his new position. He said most of the errors came at the “buck” position, which he described as an “end-slash-outside linebacker.” That’s the position he’s played for much of the year. “I was just doing stuff I normally don’t do,” he said.

FLORIDA

The illness that has caused sophomore receiver Percy Harvin to miss six straight practices and last week’s game against South Carolina will keep him out Saturday against Florida Atlantic, Florida coach Urban Meyer said after Thursday’s practice. “Percy’s feeling better,” Meyer said. “He was in the infirmary again today. That’s like four days in a row. His mom and dad are down and they’ve been down for about two or three days.” A sinus infection and heavy migraines caused Harvin to enter UF’s Student Health Care Center for treatment earlier this week. This isn’t the first time Meyer says he’s had to watch a player suffer through the symptoms associated with migraines. “I had a player at Utah that dealt with migraines,” he said. “I’ve seen them shut him down for four days before. His name was Morgan Scalley. He was actually one of my captains. I’ve never had to deal with them before, but I’ve had to see players deal
with them. It’s awful.” Meyer said Harvin’s symptoms are improving, but that he is unsure of the receiver’s status for the rest of the regular season. “I don’t know (if Harvin will be back next week),” he said. “I’m hoping. We all hope.”

GEORGIA

The question has been raised among Georgia players whether Georgia coach Mark Richt will ever follow their lead and dance to Soulja Boy’s “Crank Dat” on the sidelines of Sanford Stadium. Richt said family members are trying to get him to learn how to do the dance. “I don’t even know how to do the electric slide yet,” Richt said. “I don’t know if you’re allowed to jump right into the Soulja Boy dance or not. I don’t know if there’s a progression there. That would be out of character. All of this other stuff, I didn’t do anything out of character.”. . .The blackout game against Auburn could help convince Jefferson County lineman A.J. Harmon to back off his commitment to Clemson and switch to Georgia. “My mind and heart is really centering on Georgia,” Harmon told the Augusta Chronicle. “I’d say I’m 65 percent sure I’m going to Georgia. I’m going to go to Clemson this Saturday for the Boston College game. Clemson better pull out all the stops. Because of all I saw on Saturday with that blackout may have changed my mind.”

KENTUCKY

Senior tailback Rafael Little should be available to play in the Georgia game, Brooks announced. Little was able to participate in practice yesterday after missing Wednesday’s workout with a back injury and originally being listed as questionable. Little leads UK in rushing this season with 752 yards and three touchdowns. He has played in seven games, missing all of three games and part of two other games because of injury. He has rushed for more than 100 yards in all five games in which he has been available for the entire game. However, UK might be without junior tailback Alfonso Smith, who has suffered a setback with his sprained ankle. Brooks listed Smith as questionable. . .Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson has been named a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annually to the nation’s top senior quarterback. Woodson is one of five finalists for the honor, which is presented by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation of Baltimore. Other finalists include Louisville’s Brian Brohm, Oregon’s Dennis Dixon, Boston College’s Matt Ryan and Hawaii’s Colt Brennan. Woodson has completed 63.6 percent of his passes for 2,653 yards with 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season.

LSU

If you are a major college football prospect anywhere in the country undecided on a school and you happen to watch a little football on Saturdays, it would be hard not to notice LSU this season. The Tigers are 9-1 and No. 1 in the nation going into their fifth CBS nationally televised game Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Ole Miss. Their three previous CBS games — at home against Florida and at Kentucky and Alabama — were each decided by seven points or less, including one in triple overtime, and they all came down to the last possession. So did its ESPN games against Auburn. LSU has another game on CBS against Arkansas a week from today. “I think the national exposure on television on a weekly basis gives young guys across the country the opportunity to see us no matter where they’re at,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “And certainly the view of a game day in Tiger Stadium is pretty spectacular.” ESPN’s College GameDay, by the way, has been on the LSU campus twice this season. High school players have not hesitated to just up and call the LSU football office. “I’m certain that’s happened routinely,” Miles said. “But it has to be a pretty strong prospect for him to make due. He also then has to fit the need of the class.” Cold calls do not often work in big time recruiting. So some prospects are trying to network. “I got a lot of friends back in junior college (at Pearl River in Mississippi) telling me, ‘Hey man, talk to your coach for me. See if you can get me in there,’” LSU junior receiver Demetrius Byrd said. “I tell them, ‘I’ll see what I can do.’ But I don’t know, I’m just getting my foot in the door here. I do try. I just tell the coaches, but there are so many players who want to come here. There’s a linebacker and a safety at my old school who want to come here. And there’s another friend in Arizona at a junior college who has seen our games on TV and he wants to come here.”

OLE MISS

When Robert Lane made the high-profile switch from quarterback to tight end two years ago, Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron was certain his passing offense had just added another needed dimension. At 6 feet 3 and 240 pounds with considerable athleticism, Lane was projected as the indispensible option over the middle of the field that opposing defenses would have to respect. But despite the hype and all the grand intentions, it’s never happened. Instead, Lane’s career at Ole Miss is ending almost unnoticed. He’s caught just one pass over the past four games and slowly vanished from quarterback Seth Adams’ radar.
Lane, from Monroe, La., will be playing against LSU for the final time on Saturday. And despite his limited role, Lane told the Jackson Calrin-Ledger he has no regrets about switching positions or about the way he’s been used. “We’re not eligible to go to a bowl, so you’ve got to find things to play for,” Lane said. “We know we can play with anybody. I really think in the SEC every game is a big game and everybody’s got talent. LSU has just found a way to win.”

MISS. STATE

Mississippi State will play football games at Louisiana Tech and Middle Tennessee State in the next two seasons, trips MSU athletic director Larry Templeton said are just a sign of the times. “Until Mississippi State can sell Scott Field- Davis Wade Stadium out with season tickets at full price, we’re not going to be in the ballpark financially,” Templeton told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. “And I don’t think anybody else is. I think you will see in the immediate future conferences going to nine conference games, or you’ll see some people playing each other twice in the same year.” MSU released its 2008 and 2009 schedules Thursday. State will visit Louisiana Tech’s 30,600-seat Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, La., in the ‘08 season opener, scheduled for Aug. 30, 2008. Louisiana Tech will return the game in Starkville on Sept. 5, 2009. State will host Middle Tennessee State on Oct. 25, 2008, and travel to 31,000-seat Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Oct. 17, 2009. Templeton said there was “a possibility” the Louisiana Tech game could be moved to a Thursday night game televised by ESPN. He said there was little likelihood either game’s site would be moved. MTSU moved a 2006 game with Louisville to Nashville’s LP Field and Louisiana Tech has played many bigger games in the past at Shreveport’s Independence Stadium. Maryland (2008) and Georgia Tech (2011) have planned visits to MTSU. The visit would be the first for an SEC team ever to MTSU and first since 1913 to Louisiana Tech. It appears to be the first school from a Bowl Championship Series conference to visit Tech since its stadium opened in 1968. State has been looking for two opponents for its 2008 schedule when Central Michigan backed out of a handshake deal to play three games with the Bulldogs beginning with next year’s opener. CMU has since agreed to play Georgia for a one-time-only “buy” game.

SOUTH CAROLINA

It might be a while before the Gamecocks break out the black uniforms again. USC did not fare as well in black as Georgia, whose players said the pregame jersey switch pumped them up for their 45-20 victory against Auburn last week. The Gamecocks lost to Florida 51-31 while wearing black jerseys and pants for the first time under Steve Spurrier. “It helps if you can block and tackle. But since those are two areas we’re really not all that good in, I don’t think the uniforms have much to do with it,” Spurrier said. “But it was something the players wanted to do. We haven’t done that since I’ve been here. But we’ll return to our normal garnet jerseys and white pants against Clemson next week. “It’s something the players sometimes want to try. So we tried it. But obviously, it had no effect whatsoever.”. . .The Gamecocks have had a firsthand look at two of the top Heisman Trophy candidates the past two weeks. But Spurrier, who won the 1966 Heisman as Florida’s quarterback, refused to say whether he would have Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow or another player at the top of his ballot. “The Heisman is a private vote,” Spurrier said. “So I’m going to keep my vote private this year.”

TENNESSEE

In its last three games Tennessee has forced nine turnovers, the exact number it did in its previous seven games combined. “Everyone is just having a lot more confidence going to the ball,” linebacker Ryan Karl said. That certainly includes a maturing secondary, which includes three first-time starters. Tennessee had five interceptions in its first seven games. In the last three, the Vols have seven picks. “Our DB’s are becoming ball hawks,” Karl said. . .Vandy’s offense line has a combined 151 career starts entering Saturday’s game at Tennessee. “Most of them are guys that started or played a lot against us last year,” UT defensive coordinator John Chavis said. “I think they got five seniors across the board. They’re as well-coached as anyone in the league.” Left tackle Chris Williams has 31 consecutive starts, and right guard Matt Kirchoffer has the fewest total starts with 20. For comparison, UT has only one player with more than 20 career starts - left guard Anthony Parker (23 ) - since losing left tackle Eric Young for the season to a torn quadriceps tendon during the South Carolina game. Still, the Vols have not allowed a sack the last two weeks since Chris Scott took over for Young at left tackle and Jacques McClendon moved into a starting role at right guard.

VANDERBILT

Vanderbilt has effectively integrated its receivers into its running game using a jet sweep. With D.J. Moore sidelined after sustaining a rib injury during the Kentucky game, Earl Bennett recorded five carries for 22 yards. The junior also attempted a pair of passes after taking the handoffs from quarterback Mackenzi Adams. “He’s not adverse to getting the ball and turning it up and going in there with the big boys, breaking tackles and doing things you have to do to get yards,” Vanderbilt Coach Bobby Johnson said of the 6-1, 200-pound Bennett. “It’s just another way to get him the ball.” So far this season, Bennett, Moore, Sean Walker and Alex Washington have teamed for 125 rushing yards on 19 carries — a 6.6-yard average. Though the play looks designed to get the ball on the perimeter of the defense, that’s not always the case, Johnson said. “It’s zone blocking,” he said. “That means you just try to react to what the defense is doing. With the blockers reacting and the runner reacting, you can’t really tell where it’s going to go; you have to trust his judgement. We’ve got some complementary plays off of it that sort of hold the defense a little. We try to take advantage of it if they overpursue or underpursue.” Moore has come over from his starting cornerback position and rushed for 78 yards on just six carries, while Walker has 16 yards on three attempts.