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It will be difficult for Alabama running back Mark Ingram to duplicate the success he had in his sophomore season where he won the Heisman Trophy and helped lead the Crimson Tide to the BCS national championship.

As he enters his junior season, however, he is avoiding the speculation that this could be his last collegiate season.

"My main focus right now is being the best player I can be for this team and helping this team win games and win another championship," Ingram said according to Don Kausler Jr. of the Birmingham News (via John Taylor of College Football Talk). "Anything else is not necessary to talk about."

In their 2011 NFL Mock Draft, WalterFootball.com has Ingram going as the 12th overall pick (and first running back off the board) to the New England Patriots.

Because the shelf life for a running back in the NFL is so short-lived, it makes no sense for Ingram (or any other top RB prospect, for that matter) to return for (and risk injury in) his senior season.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 32nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select Florida State cornerback Patrick Robinson.

Robinson is the fifth cornerback drafted after Joe Haden, Kareem Jackson, Devin McCourty and Kyle Wilson.

According to Fanhouse's Jim Henry, Robinson ran a 4.25 forty at FSU back in 2008.

He becomes the first Seminole drafted in the first round since 2007 when the Steelers drafted Lawrence Timmons in the first round.

The draft resumes tomorrow with round two at 6 p.m.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 31st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes.

Hughes, who is six-foot-two and 255 pounds, runs a 4.69 forty, has had 26 sacks over the past two seasons.

Now the New Orleans Saints are the on the clock with the 32nd overall pick, which is the last pick of the night.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 30th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions, who traded up with the Minnesota Vikings, select California running back Jahvid Best.

Best is the third running back off the board after Clemson's C.J. Spiller (to Buffalo) and Fresno State's Ryan Mathews (to San Diego).

In 2009, Best finished with 867 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns after missing the final three games of the season. Two years ago, he rushed for 1,580 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Lions drafted Kevin Smith two seasons ago, but he is coming off knee surgery and may not be ready for the start of the season.

Now the Indianapolis Colts are the on the clock with the 31st overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 29th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson.

Wilson is the fourth cornerback off the board after Florida's Joe Haden, Alabama's Kareem Jackson and Rutgers' Devin McCourty. But

This is a case of the rich getting richer.

The Jets, who had the league's top-rated defense, already have Darrelle Revis, who is the league's best cornerback in my opinion, and Antonio Cromartie.

Now the Minnesota Vikings are the on the clock with the 30th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 28th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick.

Odrick, who has a good motor and good size (6-foot-5, 304 pounds), has the flexibility to play inside in a 4-3 defense and outside in a 3-4 defense.

Now the New York Jets are the on the clock with the 29th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 27th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Rutgers cornerback Devin McCourty.

McCourty was a great special teams player at Rutgers and was a physical cornerback, especially given his size (5-foot-11, 193 pounds).

In the Fanball Sports Network Mock Draft, I selected him for the Baltimore Ravens (who traded down tonight in the real draft from pick 25) at FootBaltimore.com.

Now the Miami Dolphins are the on the clock with the 28th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 26th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals select Tennessee defensive tackle Dan Williams.

Williams, who is a 6-foot-3, 327-pound nose tackle, is a good value pick by the Cardinals. NFLDraftScout.com had Williams ranked as the 14th overall prospect.

One of the teams that was looking to draft Williams was the Miami Dolphins, who traded down with the San Diego Chargers to 28th overall.

Now the New England Patriots are the on the clock with the 27th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 25th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who was arguably the most decorated quarterback in college football history.

But wow.

With the group of quarterbacks in Denver (Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn, etc.), it's surprising that the Broncos select a quarterback that is viewed as a project in the NFL at the quarterback position over someone like Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen.

Now the Arizona Cardinals are the on the clock with the 26th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 24th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant.

Bryant, who was suspended for ten games last year due to lying to an NCAA investigator, has had some questions about his character. That is why he slipped to this point in the draft.

That said, Bryant has size (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) and speed and it's likely to not take long before he becomes the team's No. 2 receiver behind Miles Austin.

Now the Denver Broncos, who traded with the Baltimore Ravens, are the on the clock with the 25th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 23rd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga.

Many mock drafts projected Bulaga going as high as the fifth pick to the Kansas City Chiefs.

With issues protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers last year, this is a great pick by the Packers.

Now the Dallas Cowboys, who traded with the New England Patriots, are the on the clock with the 24th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 22nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.

Although Oklahoma State Dez Bryant may be regarded as the top receiver in the draft, Thomas becomes the first selected.

Thomas, who is coming off a broken bone in his foot, has great size (6-3, 224 pounds) and speed (4.38 forty) to be a big-time NFL receiver.

With the other receivers on the Broncos' depth chart, Thomas has an opportunity to make a big impact in fantasy football in his rookie season.

Now the Green Bay Packers are the on the clock with the 23rd overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 21st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham, who is regarded as the top-rated tight end in the draft.

Gresham, who missed all of 2009 due to injury, caught 66 passes for 950 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2008.

Last year, the Bengals tight end (J.P. Foschi) finished the season with 27 receptions for 260 yards so Gresham provides the Bengals with a big upgrade at the position.

Gresham becomes the fourth Sooner drafted in the first round behind QB Sam Bradford, DT Gerald McCoy and OT Trent Williams.

Now the Denver Broncos, who traded with the New England Patriots, are the on the clock with the 22nd overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 20th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Alabama cornerback Kareem Jackson.

Jackson, who started for three years, skipped his senior season at Alabama against the advice of coach Nick Saban.

Over those three seasons, Jackson finished with 156 tackles and five interceptions.

Now the Cincinnati Bengals are the on the clock with the 21st overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 19th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon.

Weatherspoon, who was a three-time first-team All Big 12 selection, has 376 tackles, 12 sacks, four interceptions and three forced fumbles in the past three seasons.

Now the Houston Texans are the on the clock with the 20th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 18th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Florida center Maurkice Pouncey.

Here are his NFL.com draft profile strengths: "Pouncey has the size and quickness we look for in an interior offensive lineman. Has the versatility to play both center and guard. Exhibits great awareness and can handle complex defensive line play. Really active. Displays impressive body control and balance when getting out in front in the running game. Plays with good leverage."

And his weaknesses: "Not too many holes in his game. Durability is a concern after Pouncey underwent torn labrum surgery. Could benefit from playing with a higher degree of tenacity. We’d like to see him more consistently finish off his blocks and fight until the whistle."

Now the Atlanta Falcons are the on the clock with the 19th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 17th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select Idaho guard Mike Iupati.

Iupati, 6-foot-5 and 331 pounds, has a lot of power, toughness and intensity and he becomes the Niners second offensive lineman to be drafted in the first round.

Earlier in the first round (pick 11), the 49ers traded up to draft Rutgers offensive tackle Anthony Davis.

Now the Pittsburgh Steelers are the on the clock with the 18th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 16th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, who was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2009.

Now the San Francisco 49ers are the on the clock with the 17th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 15th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

Pierre-Paul, who claims he can do 23 back flips in a row, played only one year of major college football.

In that one season, he finished with 45 tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks.

Now the Tennessee Titans are the on the clock with the 16th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 14th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Texas safety Earl Thomas.

Thomas had eight interceptions in 2009. Only UCLA's Rahim Moore had more (10).

With the sixth overall pick, the Seahawks selected Oklahoma State's Russell Okung as their left tackle of the future.

Now the New York Giants are the on the clock with the 15th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 13th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded with the Denver Broncos to move up to this spot, select Michigan DE/LB Brandon Graham.

Graham, who is six-foot-one and 268 pounds, has recorded 28 sacks in the past three seasons at Michigan. He has been compared to another small(ish) pass-rusher: Denver's Elvis Dumervil.

According to Pro Football Talk, it looks like the Eagles traded their first-round pick and two third-round picks to move up.

Now the Seattle Seahawks are the on the clock with the 14th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 12th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers select Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews.

In 2009, Mathews rushed for 1,808 yards and 19 touchdowns. Mathews ranked second in the country in rushing yards behind Stanford's Toby Gerhart, who rushed for 1,871 yards.

While Mathews was the second running back drafted so far in 2010, his situation is more favorable than that of C.J. Spiller, who was drafted by Buffalo.

The Chargers have an explosive passing offense, which means defenses won't be able to load the box. Meanwhile, Darren Sproles is better suited for a third-down back role, which should mean that Mathews gets the bulk of carries.

Now the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded with the Denver Broncos, are the on the clock with the 13th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 11th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers, who traded with the Denver Broncos to move up to this spot, select Rutgers offensive tackle Anthony Davis.

Davis, who was a second-team All-American in 2009, becomes the third offensive lineman drafted.

Many project Iowa's Bryan Bulaga, who's still available, ahead of Davis.

Now the San Diego Chargers, who traded with the Miami Dolphins, are the on the clock with the 12th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the tenth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select California defensive end Tyson Alualu.

Here's the scouting report from thefootballexpert.com on Alualu: "Tyson Alualu has one of the best motors in this draft. He never gives up on a play. He gives 110% on every play; that is easily his biggest strength. This kid is quick, physical and deceptively strong. He is effective against the pass and the run and can play DT in the 4-3 or DE in the 3-4. My main area of concern is his habit of relying on the bull rush. He was able to use this move a lot in college but he won't in the NFL. ... He will need to improve himself by learning how to effectively use the rip, swim and other moves in order to beat NFL linemen. In addition to that concern, he will also need to improve his basic techniques (not over-pursuing, using his hands better ect..) Tyson Alualu is one of my favorite players in this year's draft. He is a playmaker (strong, physical, instinctive) who has great intangibles. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go off the board early in the 2nd round."

So, in other words, they would likely be very surprised to see Alualu go early in the 1st round.

Now the San Francisco 49ers, who traded with the Denver Broncos, are the on the clock with the eleventh overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the ninth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select Clemson running back C.J. Spiller.

Spiller, who ran the fastest forty time (4.37) for running backs at the NFL Scouting Combine, rushed for 1,212 yards in 2009. He has finished with 36 receptions for 503 yards.

He finished with a combined 16 rushing and receiving touchdowns.

It looked as though Fred Jackson would get his opportunity to be a viable starting running back in fantasy football in 2010. Jackson, who rushed for 212 yards in week 17, finished the season with 1,062 rushing yards on 237 carries.

Now the Jacksonville Jaguars are the on the clock with the tenth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the eighth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain.

Not only was McClain the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last season, he won the Dick Butkus award.

Now the Buffalo Bills are the on the clock with the ninth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the seventh pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select Florida cornerback Joe Haden.

Heading into the NFL Scouting Combine, Haden was widely-regarded as the top cornerback in the NFL Draft. However, he disappointed many scouts with his slower-than-expected forty-yard dash time at the Combine.

Last year, Haden finished with four interceptions and he had eight in his three-year career with the Gators.

In 2009, the Browns ranked fourth-to-last in passing defense (244.7 yards allowed per game).

Now the Oakland Raiders are the on the clock with the eighth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the sixth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Oklahoma State left tackle Russell Okung.

The Seahawks are lucky to have Okung fall to them with this pick. Okung was projected by most to be drafted in the top four overall picks and as the first offensive lineman.

Five of the first six selections have now come from the Big 12 Conference.

In addition to this pick, the Seahawks have the 13th pick in the first round.

Now the Cleveland Browns are the on the clock with the seventh overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the fifth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select Tennessee safety Eric Berry.

Many draft analysts projected the Chiefs to take an offensive lineman if they didn't select Berry.

A guy that Berry has been compared to is Baltimore's Ed Reed in his ability to cover as a safety. Berry ran a 4.47 forty at the NFL Combine and had a 43-inch vertical jump.

In 2009, Berry had 83 tackles and two interceptions for Tennessee as a junior.

Now the Seattle Seahawks are the on the clock with the sixth overall pick. They also have the 14th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the fourth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select Oklahoma offensive tackle Trent Williams.

Although Williams is noted for his athleticism, the knock on him is his inconsistency.

Williams is the third pick (out of the NFL Draft's first four selections) from the University of Oklahoma. All four of the first picks are from the Big 12 Conference.

Many ranked Russell Okung of Oklahoma State as the top-rated offensive lineman in this year's draft.

Now the Kansas City Chiefs are the on the clock with the fifth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the third pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

In addition to Sam Bradford and Ndamukong Suh, McCoy makes all of the top three picks in the 2010 NFL Draft from the Big 12 Conference.

McCoy had 15 1/2 tackles for a loss and six sacks in 2009.

Now the Washington Redskins are the on the clock with the fourth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the second pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Suh, who won the Outland Trophy, had 12 of his career 24 sacks in 2009. He was also the only defensive player to be a finalist in the Heisman voting last year.

He also became the first defensive player to win the Associated Press College Player of the Year Award.

Now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the on the clock with the third overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select quarterback Sam Bradford from Oklahoma.

Bradford, who won the 2008 Heisman Trophy award, played only three games in 2009. In 2008, Bradford threw for 4,720 yards, 50 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.

After his Pro Day, it became more apparent that Bradford would the top overall pick.

Last year, the Detroit Lions selected Matthew Stafford (Georgia) as the first overall pick. Before he decided to return for his junior season, some projected Bradford to be the first overall pick in 2009. From 1991 to 1997, only one quarterback (Drew Bledsoe in 1993) was selected first overall. From Peyton Manning (1998) to Bradford (2010), ten quarterbacks have been selected first overall.

While Bradford is clearly the franchise's quarterback of the future, the question will be who's the quarterback of now. Will Bradford start in 2010 or be given the opportunity to develop?

Now the Detroit Lions are the on the clock with the second overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Less than three years ago, the St. Louis Rams showed quarterback Marc Bulger the money.

To be exact, they gave him a six-year, $65 million contract with $27 million guaranteed and his agent, Tom Condon, said at the time, "He'll be in the very upper echelon of quarterbacks."

Today the Rams showed Bulger something else. The door.

Instead of shipping him out of town yesterday, on Easter, the Rams waited ... for his birthday today.

Rams coach Steve Spanuolo said, “It is always hard to part ways with someone you care for and appreciate. . . . I will always be indebted to him for his work ethic, character and leadership. We wish him and his family nothing but the best.”

Bulger ranks second all-time on the franchise's career passing yards list with 22,814 yards.

In those three seasons since signing the extension, however, Bulger has thrown 27 touchdowns and 34 interceptions in 36 games while missing 12 games.

It makes sense to speculate about Bulger reuniting with Mike Martz and backing up Jay Cutler in Chicago. That said, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times said tweeted that he doesn't see that happening.

It appears as though it's becoming (more of) a lock that the Rams will have Oklahoma prospect Sam Bradford under center in 2010. Interestingly enough, Bradford's agent is Tom Condon.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ka-ching!

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford had a "near flawless" performance during his Pro Day, according to NFL.com's Gil Brandt.

Of the 63 passes he threw today, only one wasn't caught and that wasn't Bradford's fault, per Mike Mayock of NFL.com.

Meanwhile, new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll tweeted that Bradford, "lit it up!”

Many 2010 NFL mock drafts have the St. Louis Rams, who own the top overall pick in the draft, selecting Bradford. And as Brandt wrote, "I’m not saying he solidified his spot at the top of the draft, but he sure didn’t hurt himself..."

Bradford has only been throwing for about four weeks since being cleared by doctors. However, there were no signs of lack of arm and shoulder strength and he should continue to get stronger.

"My shoulder feels great. I feel like it’s getting stronger every week," Bradford said. "As long as it continues to get stronger, I think there is no doubt that by the time it levels off it will be better and stronger than it was before the surgery."

If the Rams pass on Bradford and take a defensive tackle, the Lions (who drafted Matthew Stafford last year) and the Bucs (Josh Freeman) pick next. The Redskins, who have Jason Campbell, might be the next team is interested in drafting a quarterback.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

At the NFL Scouting Combine, LSU return specialist Trindon Holliday was hoping to beat Titans running back Chris Johnson's 40-yard dash time of 4.24.

ESPN's Adam Schefter tweets, "There's smoke coming off the track: LSU WR Trindon Holliday just recoreded one of fastest 40-yard dashes ever run in Indy, a blazing 4.22."

However, NFL.com says Holliday's unofficial 40-yard times are 4.27 and 4.32 seconds.

Either way, he's fast.

At LSU, Holliday finished his four-year career with 776 rushing yards and four touchdowns as well as seven career receptions for 72 yards.

At 5'5" though, he's likely to be a late-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and he will primarily be a return specialist at the next level.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While new Browns President Mike Holmgren has decided to retain the services of a first-year 5-11 coach in Cleveland, his replacement in Seattle was fired after finishing with a 5-11 record in his only season as Seahawks' head coach.

Granted, Eric Mangini led the Browns to an impressive four-game winning streak to close the season. And ousted Seahawks coach Jim Mora closed the season on a four-game skid in which the Seahawks were outscored 37-123.

"I was extremely shocked," Mora said, per Danny O'Neil of The Seattle Times. "I just felt like you take over a 4-12 team, and there's obviously some work to be done."

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Seahawks are close to a deal with USC head coach Pete Carroll. Before they can hire Carroll, they will need to satisfy the Rooney Rule and interview a minority candidate for the vacancy.

In 68 NFL games as head coach with the Patriots and Jets, Carroll has won 34 games and he has lost 34 games.

Meanwhile, Carroll has compiled a record of 97-19 at USC. With the exception of his first season (2001) and his most recent (2009), Carroll has posted 11+ wins and finished in first or tied for first in the Pac 10 conference every season.

In 2009, Carroll and USC finished 9-4, tied for fifth in the Pac 10 and beat Boston College 22-20 in the Emerald Bowl.

With his ability to recruit, he is a much better fit as a college head coach. Provided Carroll makes the transition to Seattle, I wouldn't be surprised to see Carroll return to NCAA football after adding a few additional years of mediocre NFL coaching experience to his résumé.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When the Florida Gators play the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday for the right to play in the BCS Championship Game, they will do so without defensive end Carlos Dunlap.

Coach Urban Meyer has suspended Dunlap indefinitely after he was arrested early this morning for DUI.

"Carlos obviously made a very poor decision," Meyer said. "I have not spoke to him or his family yet. He's not going to play. But I want to visit with him and his family first and go from there."

Police spokesman Keith Kameg said that officers "approached the car and found the suspect slumped over in the driver's seat. He appeared to be asleep. The car's windows were cracked so they attempted to wake him up. They talked to him and he would only open his eyes for a few seconds and then fall back asleep."

Dunlap is a potential high first-round pick if declares himself eligible for April's NFL Draft.

Meyer made the right decision to suspend Dunlap. Allowing a college kid that gets busted for DUI to play in a football game a few days later would have sent the wrong message.

Florida and Alabama will play on Saturday, December 5th at 4 p.m. in Atlanta.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

His Notre Dame "internship" has officially come to an end.

Back in 2005, Charlie Weis signed a new 10-year contract to replace the six-year contract he had signed in 2004.

"In a very short period of time, Charlie has clearly and impressively demonstrated the ability to take the Notre Dame program where we all want it to go," said Notre Dame athletics director Kevin White at the time.

Today Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick announced that Weis won't be back as Notre Dame coach.

"He will go on to have great success. He'll add some Super Bowl rings to the ones he already has as a successful coordinator in the NFL and we will miss him," Swarbrick said (via ESPN). "But for us it's time to move forward. It's time to move forward because it is critical to this program and to its place in the university and college football that we compete at the highest level. That we compete for national championships."

Weis finished with a record of 35-27 in his five years as head coach in South Bend. In the past three seasons, however, Weis had a losing record (16-21).

With the Weis firing, there is a very high likelihood that top of its top playmakers -- QB Jimmy Clausen and WR Golden Tate -- will leave early for the NFL.

Although the interest may not be reciprocal (at least based on public comments), Florida's Urban Meyer and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops are rumored to be at the top of Notre Dame's list. ESPN's Adam Schefter has said that he's hearing (albeit not firsthand) that the interest from Stoops is "mutual."

Other possible candidates are Cincinnati's Brian Kelly, TCU's Gary Patterson, Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald and Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, among others.

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"My first concern is with Jeremy and his family and what a devastating blow this is for them," [Kentucky coach Rich] Brooks said. "There was no intent by Jeremy to do anything improper, it was an error in judgment in not checking with our staff [before taking the supplement]. Jeremy has been an outstanding individual on and off the football field, and I hope that people understand the class act he has has been."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"I'm very disappointed in the poor judgment of these players," [Georgia coach Mark] Richt said in the news release. "They'll have to pay an appropriate price and I'm confident they will learn an important lesson from their mistake."

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“I had a bottle of pills. They were my friend’s, and he left them in my car. I wasn’t taking the pills or anything like that.”

“There was an unopened beer in the car, but we weren’t drinking,” Dalton said. “A single beer. There was one.”

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''Randy Shannon sat me down, we had a little conversation, and I made a decision to come back to college,'' he said before UM's basketball banquet at BankUnited Center. "I'm really excited. Now I can't foul out. Now I can be as aggressive as I want to be. I'm excited to be hit for the first time. I know I'm giving up money I had on the table to be a pro basketball player [overseas].''

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Everybody else is playing playoffs on television," Paterno said. "You never see a Big Ten team mentioned. So I think that's a handicap.

"I've tried to talk to the Big Ten people about, 'Let's get a 12th team -- Syracuse, Rutgers, Pitt -- we could have a little bit of a playoff.'"

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"We are disappointed to have to make this decision," [Coach Bill] Lynch said in a prepared statement. "When you have expectations of those on your team that are not met, you need to do what is ultimately in the overall best interest of your program."

"Today's action underscores that no individual student-athlete, regardless of talent or popularity, is above the expectations of Indiana University," [Athletic Director Fred] Glass said in a statement.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Absolutely, it's for recruiting purposes," Miles says. "It allows us to communicate, to those people that subscribe, blasts of information. … It's also an opportunity for those prospects that subscribe to communicate to us."

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"The whole reason obviously had to do with recruiting, period," he said. "I guess others have been able to follow us. It's amazing what (students) have now and how they communicate, and guys are able to see what we're doing.''

"It's more about our recruiting rules than the technology,'' NCAA spokeswoman Jennifer Kearns said. "As long as coaches aren't contacting student-athletes directly through Twitter or means other than e-mail or faxing, then it's permissible. ... If you're just posting something for the general public it doesn't violate recruiting rules.''

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"I just spoke with Demetrius' mother and she said that he has mostly bumps and bruises," Byrd's junior college coach, Tim Hatten of Pearl River Community College, told ESPN's Joe Schad. "She said his injuries are not life threatening and should not be football threatening."

"This tragic accident puts in perspective just how fragile life can be," said LSU head coach Les Miles. "Demetrius is an outstanding young man with a bright future ahead of him. He was a joy to coach and he brought a great smile and a wonderful attitude to our football team. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as we hope for a speedy recovery."

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"The quarterback position is like being the point guard," Paulus said. "You get the ball every possession and every play. That's exciting to me."

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"He's a quarterback at heart, but there was no way he was going to be able to compete and play quarterback for us," Cutcliffe said. "I think that was the deciding factor. Prior to our last six practices, I was going to try to get him out, give him a chance to work at slot receiver. He's a fierce competitor, a great young man. He's been a tremendous basketball player."

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"We've got 130 people out there," Leach said. "I'm getting sick and tired of wasting time on a handful of people who can't do what they're told. It's like the 95-5 [idea]: You spend 95 percent of your time on 5 percent of your players. Baloney. I'm not doing that."

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"We got the option," Dantonio said as he ran to the practice field after meeting with reporters. "We'll just leave it at that."

"What?" Ringer said when initially asked. He then said: "I know he's opening the playbook. They are probably going to do all types of stuff."

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"We talked about all that as a family, and we felt that we didn't want to leave that way," Weis said. "That would have been the easy way out. That's not why we came here."

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"He's as talented as anyone in the draft this year," said Gil Brandt, the longtime general manager of Tom Landry's Dallas Cowboys and now a draft analyst for NFL.com. "But he has those off-field problems, and that's going to knock him down a little bit."

"If you move up from the 12th spot to the ninth spot, there might be $3 million involved," Brandt said. "How did someone find out about Harvin? Did Kenny Britt's agent do this? Did (Darius) Heyward-Bay's? You just don't know."

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2009: November 27th - at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn
2010: November 26th - at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa

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"...I want to go to Oregon. I want my son to go to Oregon football camp, and I want to learn what the Oregon Ducks are doing on offense. ... I want to go in there and try to be a guest coach."

“He told me he wanted to learn the system,” Kelly said, “but that he just wanted to take a year off from coaching and spend time with his family. I was taking a shot. He’s a great coach and teacher. He’s still getting a paycheck from Tampa, so he can afford to take some time off.”

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"The thought I've had is that this may be the most comfortable situation — to really use two backs, like the pros are," Buckeyes running backs coach Dick Tressel said Thursday.

"With Beanie, it was, 'Let's line up in the I (formation) and feed me the ball for a while,'" [Head coach] Jim Tressel said. "Maybe our future might be less diverse than it was a year ago."

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"Demetrice won't be part of our team anymore," Kiffin told reporters. "Like we have said from the beginning, this isn't easy. It's very demanding for guys to stay here and go through everything we do, to hold to our standards on and off the field, to be part of our culture. Demetrice could not do that and we wish him the best of luck."

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"He's just tired of football and wants to do something else with his life," ASU coach Dennis Erickson said Monday. "He made a decision, and we all understand it. He would have played here eventually."

"You definitely have to know a lot more," Jack told The [Denver] Post at the start of preseason drills. "Mentally, there's a lot more studying, a lot more." Plus, the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder said, "there's a lot bigger people here and you have to get used to the speed of the game. It's different trying to pick it up. But it's coming."

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"It's a disappointing conclusion and, as a football team, we feel for Justin and his family," head coach Danny Hope said in a prepared statement. "Justin made a mistake -- a bad decision -- and deserved to be punished. Our hope was that he would not be punished to the extent he has been. Now it is our responsibility to accept the decision and move forward. Justin is a fine young man, and we wish him nothing but the best."

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"When you compare Bo's performance and experience with other coaches, he was certainly deserving of a significant salary increase," said Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne. "We made significant progress in one year under Bo's leadership and we are confident he has our program moving in the right direction."

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"Early on . . . we'll give everyone an opportunity to be No. 1 and then we'll just kind of play with the numbers [to determine] who's leading or who deserves it," [QB coach Jeremy Bates] said.

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''If you followed this recruiting process, it was like a roller-coaster ride and I didn't expect for it to turn out like this, but things happened that I didn't expect and we had to come up with an alternative plan,'' Bryce Brown said. "We asked God to give us his plan.''

"The most important person to me is the person to my left, my brother. I want to thank him just for being there. I know how bad he wants me to play at the University of Miami, but he never put any pressure on me. He was always there to support me and that means a lot to me.''

"They have a lot of NFL coaches there and I feel like that's a school that's going to prepare me for the next level. They expect greatness. That's what I'm used to. I wanted to go to a place where I know the coaches are going to put a lot of pressure on me to work hard.''

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"With issues, he had lots of them in his life before he came here," McCarney said. "So we try to impact his life and how to be a better teammate, student, citizen, all those things. He probably had as far to go as anybody I’ve ever been around in college football. It’s still a process, but he’s come a long ways and he’s working hard and is getting better."

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“I am very disappointed that Ryan Mallett put himself in a situation that doesn’t reflect positively on him or on our program,” Petrino said. “All members of the Razorback football team have a responsibility to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner on and off the field. While the legal process has not yet taken its course in this matter, Ryan will face internal team disciplinary action for not representing the Razorbacks in a way that is required of our student-athletes.”

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“After thorough consideration and discussion with my advisers and doctors, I decided to have the surgery rather than risk any further injury,” Crabtree said in a statement. “As a competitor, I wanted to run at my pro day, but it became clear that the best thing for me is to have the surgery and be ready to get on the field as soon as possible.”

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"Colt's return and Quan's [Cosby] departure makes this a great move for our team," Brown said. "When we've done our draft boards during the spring, our staff has always voted John as one of our best athletes on the team. This gives us a chance to get him more playing time."

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“I could feel it for the past two weeks,” Mauluga told the NFL Network’s Scott Hanson. “I just wanted to come out here and compete with the very best. I wanted to show the coaches and scouts I could do everything. Now I’m just going to go to the trainer and get right and hopefully be able to do the Pro Day."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

“Just to know that they’re considering taking a linebacker No. 1 overall … just that whole thought process is amazing,” Curry said. “I came out here today with that in the back of my head."

He plays 'Sam,' but it was interesting at Wake. He played an on-the-ball 'Sam' linebacker, which not a lot of people play anymore. You have to be really strong. But they also put him out in space ... almost like a nickel back. Those are two almost mutually exclusive skill sets.

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Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith says: “He’s not going to play anytime soon, as I see it. It’s not a career-ending injury or anything like that. He’s a good football player. He has got plenty of time to get well. I don’t think it’ll hurt him a lot. Everybody has a history. He has a history; his history is pretty good. I think he’ll be OK.”

Kansas City Chiefs GM Scott Pioli says: “You’ve got a bunch of tapes to watch guys. From our standpoint, we evaluate guys on how they play football, not just on how they run. Football players play with injuries; football players get injuries. The combine is great, but you watch players perform on tape. That’s really the top evaluation.”

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"Coach Leach has declined our $12.7 million contract," Myers said. "We will enter the decision-making process and should have some announcements by next week. Our decisions will be based on the best interest of Texas Tech and all of its supporters."

"I am prepared to finish out the last two years of my contract. I am not familiar with the notion of firing someone for failing to sign an extension to a contract. That notion to me is mind-numbing. But I guess stranger things have happened. I don't know what part of this is based in rumor or fact, but I can't fathom it. Maybe there are reasons I don't know about," Leach told Schad.

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“Guys were just hanging out of their doors just looking that direction,” [So. Miss adjunct professor Malachi] Martin said. “It was obviously gunfire, and they heard it too. There were just people milling around, getting in and out of their cars and acting like nothing was happening.”

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"I've decided to transfer from the University of Michigan," Threet recited from a prepared statement during a telephone conversation Sunday. "I have requested and received my release. I do not yet know where I will continue my collegiate career and will have no further comment until that decision is made."

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"A number of factors were considered with regard to this issue," [Cmdr. Joe] Carpenter said. "(Kettani) was denied participation because it would not be consistent with current Navy efforts to support active-duty readiness during wartime. His participation in the NFL Combine could incorrectly imply that the Navy would support him in pursuing a professional football career immediately after graduation."

"I respect the academy's decision. I have never asked to get out of my service obligation," said Kettani.

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"He messed up his Achilles pretty bad," said Reed. "I'm praying for him, as he goes through this. But I think we've got a good corps coming back. But it is up to us to step up and stop making kid mistakes and grow up this year. ... Everybody is holding each other accountable right now, and not letting each other down."

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"I thought the best chance for us to win this year would be to make me the offensive coordinator," Weis said.

"I can tell you that it's a subject that we've addressed as a staff. Although I'd say it's definitely on the lower end of 50-50, it's not something that's a 5 percent consideration by us at this point," he said.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• That if he is fired, his contract is only guaranteed for 12 percent. Texas coach Mack Brown, Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, Kansas State's Bill Snyder and Kansas' Mark Mangino are all guaranteed for 100 percent, while the league average is 55 percent. Leach's current contract puts his guaranteed portion at 40 percent.

• Leach's current buyout, which is $500,000, would increase to $1.5 million (Brown, Stoops, Snyder and Mangino do no have buyouts.)

• Leach would have to receive permission from Texas Tech to speak with another school or risk owing Tech $1.5 million.

• All of the money from his personal speaking properties, whether he makes an appearance or authors a book on his life in Wyoming, would go to Tech.

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"The goal right now is preparing for the combine, because that's the next step for me. I can't dictate where I'm drafted. All I can do is to continue to position myself as the best player at my position. So hearing all those things, I pretty much let it go in one ear and out the other."

"I've never really had a big interest," Monroe said. "If you asked me football history, I'd give you blank answers."

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"We love and support him. He is our heart and soul, and our plan is to help him with this problem," Amy Boone [Alex's mother] said. "This is obviously a problem. He had it in the past and it has reared its ugly head again."

"He is under a tremendous amount of stress, which most people will never know," Amy Boone said. "He is devastated and so sorry that this happened."

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The responding officer wrote in the report, “I walked up to the driver’s side window and observed the defendant asleep behind the wheel. I also observed that the vehicle was still running and the car was in drive. I attempted to wake up the driver by banging on the window several times and yelling at the subject. It took me several attempts banging on the window to wake up the driver.”

"I think he understands that he's reached the end of the rope with this and he's not going to be getting any other opportunities to turn it around," Weiss said. "It's been made very clear to him, to his family, to me through the university that he's out of chances.''

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''I am glad to get it signed,'' Bowden said. ``I appreciate the university's support. We are busy recruiting and looking forward to next season.''

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"I would not be optimistic. As I explained to them (the Mountain West presidents), it's a series of legal contracts among 11 conferences, four bowls, two TV partners with yet another TV partner coming in. I would not see much of a relaxation."

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"It's an injury I aggravated a couple of times during the year, but was able to play through," said Shipley, who was granted a sixth season of eligibility last month after missing his first two college seasons with injuries in 2004-05. "I worked hard to rehab it and kept playing. But now that I have time, I got it cleaned up and can get back to full strength for next season."

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"I consider myself very blessed with the opportunity to enjoy another year with my teammates and coaches, and play one more season at East Carolina," Pinkney said. "To be a part of this program's first conference championship in many years last season was rewarding and I'm looking forward to being in a position to help contribute to a new set of goals in 2009. Obviously, ECU is a special place for me and my family, and I'm thankful for the NCAA's decision to allow me to get one year back."

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A gifted athlete, but his production never has matched the skill. A real boom-or-bust prospect who will be selected a lot higher than many think because of his upside.

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“It’s ridiculous that this rumor has even gained the traction it has over the past few days. I hesitate to respond to it at all because by dignifying this ‘report,’ I set myself up to be forced to set the record straight on future rumors. But it’s obvious that some people out there are trying to sabotage our recruiting efforts and it’s unfortunate that their agenda has been published and reproduced in recent days.”

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"Greg's a high energy, creative, hard-working guy who has had success at both the NFL and collegiate levels," said Texas head coach Mack Brown.

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"I understand and respect Bill's strong ties to his alma mater and his family's ties to Oklahoma," Miami coach Randy Shannon said. "I will be looking for the best possible defensive coordinator to replace him. If that candidate is not out there, those responsibilities will fall to me."

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"I'd really like to see a playoff system," Whittingham said. "I've been a proponent of the playoffs for many years now. It wasn't just this year that put me in that mind-set. I would like to see a level playing field."

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"I will have a lot of great memories from my time at Florida, but the [BCS] championships we won in 2006 and 2008 will be at the top of my list," Harvin said in a statement released by the university. "When it is all said and done, I wanted to win. I wanted to be a part of championship teams."

"It was a tough decision for me and my family," Spikes said. "I just felt like it was the right choice to come back. I love the coaching staff and my teammates and I look forward to playing another year in front of the best fans in America."

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"It has been my dream since I was just a little kid to play in the NFL and thanks to this great academic institution and football program, I have the opportunity to realize that dream," said Sanchez, dapperly dressed in a business suit.

"It was with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to this university. But I can't tell you how excited I am for this dream to come true," he said.

"We don't see this decision the same... Mark is going against the grain on this decision and he knows that. He knows that coming out early is a tremendous challenge for a quarterback and the statistics don't back up that it's easy to be successful in the way that he's going about it," Carroll said."

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"I'm shifty," McCoy said. "I can make you miss. I can do a lot of things. I got a good report. I love Pitt, but this is a great opportunity.

"As a result of a season-ending injury my senior year, I learned a humbling lesson," McCoy said. "Nothing is promised to us and it can all be taken away in a moment."

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"I've dreamed about playing at Oklahoma since I was little," Bradford said. "My three years here been probably the three of best years of my life. ... I feel there's no need to cut this experience short."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"At the beginning of the season, I wanted to leave," Mays said then. "Halfway through, it was 50-50. Now, if I do leave, it feels like a perfect way to go if I leave. That would be the way to do it."

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"I know what I'm about to do won't be easy," Davis said in a statement. "But it's what my heart and head want to do at this time. It's the right thing for me and my family at this time."

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"Leaving Penn State was one of the most difficult decisions I've faced," Maybin said in a statement. "In the end, I've decided this is an opportunity I would like to pursue."

"He's not ready for the next level," NFL draft analyst Chris Steuber of scout.com said.

Steuber went on to note, "I think it was evident on the field during the [Rose Bowl]. I think he was manhandled at the line. ... To me, he's just an undersized defensive end right now. You look at him, he's so skinny, he looks like a tight end or a wide receiver on the field.

"He still needs another year in college," Steuber added.

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"Overall, I just felt loyal to this place," Tebow said. "I feel like I'm a role model, and a lot of times people start things and don't finish them. I didn't want to be like that. I wanted to be loyal to the university. I wanted to finish what I started and play another year."

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"It's wide open right now," said Jeff. "We're just going to go out and talk with everybody and see what's out there."

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"It's been a difficult decision, something I've been thinking and praying about for awhile," Smelley said in a statement. "I'm leaving South Carolina with a lot of memories and great relationships that will last a lifetime."

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"I really enjoyed my time at the University of Alabama, but I think it is the right time for me to move on to the NFL," Coffee said in a statement. "Alabama has been a tremendous place for me to develop as both a football player and a person. I couldn't have asked for a better group of coaches."

"He's probably the second-strongest guy on the team (behind nose tackle Josh Chapman)," Smith said of Coffee earlier this season. "He's stronger than me in some cases. He's a freakish athlete. He set a couple of records in high school weightlifting down in Florida in competition. He's a real outstanding guy, both on and off the field."

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"It is a choice I feel comfortable making," said Collie, the all-time leading receiver in BYU history. "I am ready for the next challenge."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 01:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"National champions is really a relative term," [Utah coach Kyle] Whittingham said. "It's an opinion. Until there's a playoff system that's all it's going to be, so we're really not caught up in that at this point and time.

"It's all opinion and there's really no true champion with the system that is in place."

"I don't think you know who the best team is. You just know which team got the most votes," said Carroll.

Continue reading "So the Florida Gators won the National Championship, right?" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"I think he's going [to the NFL] and I think it's the best decision for him," [Texas Tech coach Mike] Leach said late Friday night. "We wish him the best, and I'm sure he'll do well."

“We thought about (him returning to Tech),” the elder Crabtree said. “Probably be better to go now. He had small injuries this year. We didn’t want there to be any major injuries or anything (in the future) to keep him from going pro.”

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"This decision hasn't been easy," Maclin said, adding that he didn't completely make up his mind until 10 minutes before the news conference. "As much as I love you guys ... I feel like I'm ready for the next level."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"I want to thank my teammates, my coaches, my teachers and the academic advisors for all they have done, and I definitely want to thank the Buckeye fans for all their support," Wells said in a statement. "Ohio State has become like a family to me, and it will always be that way. But in the best interest of my family, it's time to move on and take a chance at fulfilling my lifetime dream of playing in the NFL."

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"I would like to thank my teammates, coaches and the Badger fans for the great experience I had during my time at UW," [Hill] said.

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"I think whichever NFL teams get them will be very excited and very blessed by it," [Georgia head coach Mark] Richt said. "They'll not only be good players but they'll be good in their locker rooms and good in their communities. They're gonna do well."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"After the bowl game I sat down with my mom, my aunt and coach [Ralph] Friedgen to explore my options and felt like the time is right to take my game to the next level," Heyward-Bey said Wednesday. "It was a very difficult decision. I love the University of Maryland and everything people have done for me the last four years. Not only the coaches, but also the players and support staff."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Going into a game and knowing a quarterback's going to throw the ball 40 times a game versus coming into a game and knowing he's probably only going to throw it about 15 or 20. ... It makes it a lot harder to prepare for those [Big 12] guys," Franks said.

"If you look at the three best quarterbacks in the country, they came from the Big 12."

"With us being in Florida and playing against Florida, everybody's going to think Tebow should have won the Heisman," Franks said. "But the right person won the Heisman, and we're going to go out there and show everybody the reason why he won it."

"How could you say something like that when he won the Heisman as a sophomore?" linebacker Brandon Spikes said. "We really didn't think too much of it. When you talk about Tim, he's going try to come out and make you pay. It's kind of like deja vu all over again. Last time a guy talked about him, he came out and put 50 on him."

"What people don't realize is you never want to wake up a sleeping giant," said Harvin. "Tebow, you kind of want to leave him alone because now you have to deal with him running even harder than he would have before. So good luck.

"I like it. It's fun," Tebow said of pregame banter. "It makes it more competitive, and I'll enjoy it. You can say whatever you want. That's fine. We still get to go play. That's what I like I do."

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"I clearly think that most everybody feels pretty confident he's probably going to have a great chance to be a first-day draft selection," said Davis, who spent 10 years in the NFL with Dallas and Cleveland, and reached out to GMs and assistants on Nicks' behalf.

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"It's just a shame that the people in Connecticut won't get one more year to see him play, and the people around the nation who missed out on honoring this kid for what he did this year," [UConn coach Randy] Edsall said, his voice beginning to tremble with emotion. "I told him I'll be his biggest fan as he moves forward. I love the kid to death and I know he's going to be very successful."

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"To tell you the truth, I was sitting on the fence," said Britt, who said he made the decision Friday following a two-hour meeting with family members and Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. "It's always been a dream to go to the NFL and the gateway is open, so I feel I want to take my chances and leave early."

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"We were asked to bring 30 players and we sent in a list of players," [Ohio State coach Jim] Tressel said. "I did get one call asking, 'Did you happen to miss any?' I said, 'Well, you might be talking in terms of Terrelle and Mike Brewster because they're starters.' But they're freshmen and we decided when we were counting to 30 that there were 30 others who were afforded the opportunity to be there."

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"I'm so excited," Orgeron said via phone. "I get to coach with Monte [Kiffin] and I'm getting to recruit again. It's pedal to the metal and I can't wait to get up there."

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"The University of Alabama, the team and the football program are more important than any individual player," Saban said in a statement. "Everyone on our team depends on each other to be responsible, to make good choices and decisions relative to their actions."

"Andre Smith has done an outstanding job in our program as a person, student and a player and we will do all we can as an institution to support him in all future endeavors," Saban said.

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"I'm sitting by the greatest winner in college football today," West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said of White. "He's the greatest to ever wear the old gold and blue. It's a fitting tribute that this man's the MVP."

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"It is definitely a blessing to be able to play one more season at Texas," Shipley said. "This is such a great place, and I've had an unbelievable experience. Obviously, it started slow due to the injuries, but I couldn't be happier with the NCAA's decision to give me one of those years back."

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When asked if Henson would play [TCU Coach Gary] Patterson said, "I don't know about that yet, but there isn't anything wrong with him."

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"Paul Rhoads is an outstanding and intelligent football coach, a highly successful national recruiter a