He was the last regular season opponent to defeat Nick Saban
Oh, this should be fun. Alabama and Texas Tech -- home to former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville -- appear to be close to finalizing a deal to open the 2012 season against each other. The Tech AD:
Myers said Dave Brown, a vice president of programming for ESPN, "brought us together on this."
"We’ve agreed to do it," Myers said. "I think Alabama’s agreed to do it. But we haven’t gotten down to signing a contract or anything like that."
The deal would be for one game at a neutral site — in this case, Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Myers said. "Coach (Tommy) Tuberville is aware of the game and is in support of playing it," Myers said. "I understand (Crimson Tide coach Nick) Saban is also on board for it. We’re in the talking stages, but we haven’t gotten down to talking contract with it yet."
Well, that might be overstating the case just a bit.
The University of Alabama has not yet agreed in principle to a game with Texas Tech at Cowboys Stadium in 2012, UA athletic department sources have told The Tuscaloosa News.
Alabama has been approached about playing the Red Raiders a Labor Day-weekend game, but the deal is not as close to being made as Texas Tech Athletics Director Gerald Myers indicated Monday in comments reported by the Lubbock Avalance-Journal newspaper.
Or it might be completely overstating the case.
Alabama is unlikely to open its 2012 football season against Texas Tech at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Alabama athletics department officials said today.
Alabama is discussing the possibility of a nonconference game at a neutral site in the next few years, they said. Cowboys Stadium is a possible site, and 2012 is a possible year.
But Texas Tech probably would not be the opponent.
(HT: Roll Bama Roll)
That's too bad. Your humble correspondent thinks this would be a compelling game, at least from the must-see-TV standpoint. And Tech fans seem to like the idea (sort of).
My gut reaction is that this is a good thing despite the fact that tough non-conference games can be an awful situation, especially if we lose. I do like the fact that head coach Tommy Tuberville is living up to his promise to play at least one BCS opponent in the non-conference schedule.
Then again, we have to remember that this game happening depends on Mal Moore being competent enough to see it's a good idea. So, yeah, it's not likely.
But will he bring Evil Richt with him?
Your humble correspondent will have more on this later in the week, but this is likely a good move for Georgia: Mark Richt is not going to just watch the offense anymore.
Richt said he has sat in on every offensive team meeting and quarterback meeting this spring, and he’ll continue to do so throughout the season after taking a more reduced role during the past several years.
"A lot of times I would watch practice film separate from the staff and maybe make my notes and talk to the staff about things I saw, but what I decided to do was just be in there every day as we’re going over it and make sure we’re all on the same page," Richt said. "It’s good medicine for me, really."
Part of the decision, Richt said, was simply that he missed having a more hands-on role with the offense after giving up play-calling duties late in the 2006 season, then promoting Mike Bobo to offensive coordinator in 2007.
Firing Willie Martinez will not fix this team on its own, and this is a sign that Richt at least recognizes that. Whether this is the right step in addition to that remains to be seen.
Florida has a secret plan if Brantley can't play
There's a backup plan for John Brantley, but you'll never know it.
"We’ve got a plan," Loeffler said after Monday’s practice. "Am I going to sit here and describe that plan? No. But we have a plan."
All we need for a truly great TV episode here is an assistant head coach arrested while antiquing in Connecticut and Deonte Thompson filling in for Urban Meyer at his next press conference because the head coach got an emergency root canal. (Five points to the first person to get the reference.)
Stop me if you've heard this one before
Florida is working on using the I-formation.
Todd McShay approves
Where have we heard this before?
"We're changing a couple of things, and trying to work on a couple of flaws in his delivery, and seeing if that can't get worked out. But that's going to take commitment all summer long."
No, that's not a comment about Tim Tebow from over the summer. Now it's Stephen Garcia at South Carolina. Not that he's Tim Tebow -- though, from some of his runs, he apparently thinks he is -- but it will be interesting to see if this turns out any better.
Does that mean we won't hear from Don Jackson anymore?
Those who have followed our coverage of the Renardo Sidney investigation know that your humble correspondent enjoys the quotes of Don Jackson, Sidney's lawyer. Mississippi State's appeal was turned down today. Sidney's quote:
It was quite apparent at the outset of this investigation that the Eligibility Center’s primary focus was to impose a suspension upon this youngster (either de facto or based upon violations of NCAA legislation). When it became clear that there was no factual basis to establish violations of amateurism legislation, the focus shifted to finding a basis to justify this investigation (at any cost). Today’s findings were confirmation of that goal.
Sniff. We'll miss you, Don.