On-field Twitter hashtags have been banned by the NCAAA as a prohibited form of advertising. URLs are also out of bounds.

The college football hashtag ban came in the form of a new NCAA Rules Committee announcement. Among the permissible items include the NCAA logo, the conference logo, the school name/team name and logo, and (of course) two mentions of the name of the company that bought the event’s naming rights. Separate rules apply to post-season matchups. “All other items, including social media designations such as URL’s and hashtags, are prohibited,” the NCAA declared.

Note that the NCAA apparently needs some grammatical instruction in the proper use of the apostrophe.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs reportedly got the ball rolling as it were with Twitter hashtags: “Mississippi State added a hashtag last fall to commemorate the 2000 ‘Snow Bowl’ with Texas A&M. Michigan painted #goblue at each of its 25-yard lines, and Arkansas added #GOHOGS to its field. But most schools have been slow to take advantage of such social media tools. No matter — these endeavors have now been nipped in the bud by the NCAA.”

The new rules also detail permissible marking on pylons, among other things, and believe it or not specify the allowed-for size of team towels.

Some observers feel the NCAA social media police are overreacting to the Twitter hashtag issue: “The reason for this? Perhaps a hashtag falls under the category of advertising, which, according to the bulletin, is also prohibited on a team’s field unless otherwise designated. But it’s still interesting the NCAA would find it necessary to crack down on such a minor issue. #dumb.”

Given the burgeoning growth of social media, plus all the scandals in colleges sports in connection with corrupt practices by coaches, boosters, and so-called student-athletes, do you think that an NCAA Twitter hashtag ban is necessary or even reasonable?

[Image credit: Ianmccor]

Twitter Hashtags Banned By NCAA On Football Fields is a post from: The Inquisitr

Michigan star Jake Ryan tore his ACL in spring practice on Tuesday night and will be out indefinitely, the NCAA team announced on Wednesday.

The junior linebacker was the team’s best defensive playmaker last season and his loss will be a tremendous blow to the Wolverines’ chances of winning their first Big Ten Title since 2004.

Michigan coach Brady Hoke was disheartened by the news of Ryan’s injury but believes the Westlake, Ohio native will tackle his rehabilitation with the same ferocity he shows opposing quarterbacks.

“You always hate when anyone gets injured and unfortunately we’ve dealt with our share of injuries in the last 12 months,” Hoke said. “We will support Jake to make sure he has everything he needs to get through this. I know he will attack his rehabilitation just like he does everything else.”

Ryan led the Wolverines with 88 tackles, 16 of which were for losses, and had 4.5 sacks last year. He was named to the All-Big Ten second team by the media and was poised for another huge season.

Michigan will no doubt feel the loss of its best defensive player but also has an embarrassment of riches at the linebacker position that could help soften the blow.

It is not yet known how long Ryan will be sidelined for but it remains unlikely that he will be back in action during the 2013 season.

Michigan surprised many with an 11-2 season that culminated in a Sugar Bowl triumph in Hoke’s first year at the helm in 2011 but the team failed to meet expectations in 2012 and had to be content with an 8-5 record following its loss to South Carolina in the Outback Bowl.

The Michigan star’s ACL tear will thrust some youngsters into the limelight with sophmores Joe Bolden and James Ross set to play a bigger role on defense for the Wolverines.

Michigan Star Tears ACL In Spring Practice is a post from: The Inquisitr

2012 Heisman Trophy Winner Johnny Manziel fought with his fans on twitter Wednesday after a photo of him with a Longhorns tattoo was posted. Manziel immediately shot down the post, tweeting “FAKE tattoo.”

Johnny Manziel was the talk of college football in 2012 after being named the Heisman winner as a freshman. The 6-foot-1 quarterback from Kerrville, Texas threw for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns last season for Texas A&M.

Manziel is a dual-threat quarterback and led Texas A&M to a 41-13 win over the Oklahoma Sooners in the Cotton Bowl . The blowout over the Sooners marked the end of Manziel’s freshman season, which will go down as one of the best ever.

Johnny Manziel returned to Spring practice for the Aggies on March 5 and has been working with the team’s new offensive coordinator Clarence McKinney as Texas A&M prepares for the upcoming season. Manziel was battling for the starting role at quarterback this time last year and is battling again in 2013; this time on twitter.

Manziel received tons of responses to his tweet about the fake Longhorns tattoo. Most athletes ignore any bad remarks made to them on twitter, but that’s just not the way Manziel does things. Manziel responded to multiple comments with disrespectful jokes of his own.

An Alabama fan tweeted Manziel which sparked enough irritation for a dirty response:

Ah yes, but was the douchebag it was on fake as well I wonder? RT @jmanziel2: FAKE tattoo…

— Bane (@BamaBane) March 13, 2013

Here is a taste of what Manziel can dish out if you get on his nerves:

@bamabane tell your mom I said wassup

— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) March 13, 2013

Manziel later removed the tweet, but not before the twitter-war was re-posted hundreds of times. All athletes are scrutinized through social media and you can guarantee the fans are just looking for a response.

Johnny Manziel will give you just that and more based on the recent twitter feud. Any athlete who is willing to jab back-and-forth with fans is going to bring attention to himself for the wrong reasons, so I wouldn’t doubt that Manziel regrets allowing twitter to get the best of him.

Backlash is just a small price athletes pay during their careers, but Johnny Manziel’s had enough and he’s still in college. Manziel’s fight on twitter over the fake Longhorns tattoo will brush over soon, but you can guarantee he just opened the door for anyone else willing to battle it out.

Johnny Manziel Fights With Fans On Twitter Over Fake Tattoo is a post from: The Inquisitr

Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel is still in college, but he’s already working from home. The Texas A&M football star has enrolled exclusively in online courses for the new semester. Under his new education program, Manziel will only need to step foot on campus once a month.

Manziel tells the San Antonio Express-News that he attempted to attend an on-campus English class but was bothered by constant classmate attention. According to Johnny:

“I went one day — it was a small class of 20 or 25 — and it kind of turned into more of a big deal than I thought.”

Following his admission that he was taking a course load full of online cources, some media sources criticized his enrollment. As expected, the criticism’s poked and prodded at the traditional view of the student-athlete who is handed good grades so they can play in their school’s sports program.

Yet millions of students are now taking to online course work, which is taught by accredited teachers. In fact, the classes taken by Johnny Manziel online are taught by the very same teachers who work on-campus at Texas A&M.

Last season, Johnny Manziel led Texas A&M to an 11-2 record while becoming the first freshmen in college football to win the Heisman trophy.

Manziel threw for 26 touchdowns and ran for 21 more in his first college season. Those totals, however, do not mean everyone is going to throw the kid some slack and let him slide by when it comes to his education.

If nothing else, Johnny Manziel may soon find himself working harder than ever to prove his course load is not some attempt at a student-athlete scheme towards laziness.

Heisman Trophy Winner Johnny Manziel Only Takes Online Classes is a post from: The Inquisitr

National Signing Day in American football terms is when the class of 2013 recruits send in their signed Letters of Intent to the colleges of their choice. The amazing part is, even though it is 2013, recruiters are still relying on fax machines for National Signing Day amidst all the other communications technology available to them.

Defensive end Robert Nkemdiche is regarded as the best overall player in the Class of 2013. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Robert Nkemdiche was said to have committed to going to Clemson college back in June, but most every recruiting analyst believed that Nkemdiche would join his brother at Ole Miss.

As a junior, Robert Nkemdiche led Grayson to an AAAAA state championship victory and in the process was named a second-team All-USA player, recording 78 tackles with 18 sacks during the course of the season. In addition to his defensive prowess, the star athlete also tacked on 17 rushing touchdowns to boot.

According to ESPN, Robert Nkemdiche held a 7:30 am ET press release to announce his college destination. As analysts predicted, he’s heading to Ole Miss.

Robert Nkemdiche explained his reasoning following his announcement:

“I feel like it’s the right place for me. I feel like they can do special things and they’re on the rise. I feel like going to play with my brother, we can do something special.”

Sports Illustrated says that, if you want to turn National Signing Day into a party, “the three universities that we know of hosting Signing Day parties at Buffalo Wild Wingses (Buffalos Wild Wings?) are Miami, Southern Miss and New Mexico State.” In the meantime, we can also poke fun at the traditional methods of football recruiting still used on National Signing Day.

How long are we gonna keep up this fax machine business? We’re basically those people that get dressed up for renaissance fairs.

— Andrea Wall (@AndeWall) February 6, 2013

What do you think about Robert Nkemdiche choosing Ole Miss on National Signing Day?

National Signing Day 2013 Features Robert Nkemdiche As Ole Miss Recruiters Pick is a post from: The Inquisitr

Davin Bellamy, a highly sought after college football recruit from Georgia, tweeted a picture of himself, some friends, and a bong on a table in front of them last night during a recruiting trip to Oregon this weekend.

He has since deleted the tweet, which read “Oregon trip going better than I thought.” But the photo lives on all across the internet.

Yahoo! Sports asserts that “We will note that we have no proof he even used the bong, but just being in the picture with it is stupid. Check that … Being in a picture with it AND posting it on Twitter is stupid..”

SB Nation indicated that Davin Bellamy is presumed to be going to either Tennessee or Georgia, and in that context, the visit to the Oregon Ducks was a surprise:

“That’s Bellamy in an Oregon jacket with two gentlemen, four lovely young women, and a bong. Bellamy quickly deleted the picture, for obvious reasons, but everything on the Internet lives forever.

“Oregon is not thought to be a serious contender for the three-star defensive end out of Chamblee, Ga. He did not receive an offer from the Ducks until last week, and told reporters he was taking the visit to ‘see something different.’ Bellamy has been a Florida State commitment until December, but revoked his verbal after the Seminoles shook up their coaching staff.”

National Signing Day for incoming freshman football recruits is Wednesday. According Larry Brown Sports, “Bellamy has received scholarship offers from about half the top schools in the country — including many from the SEC, ACC, and Big Ten.”

Do you think that the Davin Bellamy bong photo will have any bearing on what happens on Wednesday or is it completely irrelevant?

Davin Bellamy: College Football Recruit Tweets Photo With Bong is a post from: The Inquisitr

The average punt in the NFL is less than 50 yards. On Thursday night, Duke Freshmen Will Monday crushed that average, setting up a punt that traveled 79 yards with winds that were measured at less than 40 mph at the time of the kick.

The kick occurred at the Belk Bowl and destroyed the college freshmen’s previous record of 60 yards. If punts were measured from the point of kick, the ball would have been marked as an 87-yard punt.

The punt not only traveled a remarkable distance in the air; it also traveled on the ground, narrowly missing the out of bounds line before screeching to a halt on the one-yard line, almost as if it hit an invisible barrier.

The only thing that could have made the kick better would have been a catch on the one-yard line, which resulted in a fumble and a touchdown.

While Will Monday’s kick is not the longest in NCAA history, it is the furthest kick when winds were below 40MPH.

The longest kick is attributed to Pat Brady of Nevada, who in 1950 kicked a 99 yarder while playing against Loyola Marymount. Brady was playing under favorable conditions with winds helping to carry his punt into the defenders field position.

Here’s the amazing punt from Thursday nights game.

Sometimes the ball just bounces your way, and, in the case of Will Monday’s kick, the ball bounced his way many times.

Duke Freshmen Crushes 79 Yard Punt is a post from: The Inquisitr

USC starting quarterback Matt Barkley is still nursing a shoulder injury. The injury is bad enough that Barkley will be replaced by redshirt freshman Max Wittek when the Trojans take on Georgia Tech during the New Year’s Eve bowl.

The injury which occurred during USC’s loss to UCLA on November 17 placed the 19-year-old Wittek into his first college game. Wittek completed 14 of 23 passes for 186 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

Barkley’s chances at a return were unknown until Thursday. Previously head coach Lane Kiffin said the star QB’s shoulder would be re-evaluated after more than a month of nursing his injury.

On Thursday, Barkley sent out a tweet in which he revealed:

“Doctors haven’t cleared me to play, so I won’t be suiting up on Saturday. I’ll be here with my team to finish strong. Proud to be a Trojan!”

Barkley has not revealed whether he will play in the January 26 Senior Bowl, a decision that could have a direct impact on his stock in the April NFL draft.

Wittek was aware that he would like start in the Sun Bowl and therefore has been preparing for that role over the last two weeks, splitting first-team quarterback reps with freshman Cody Kessler.

Further details regarding the severity of Matt Barkley’s sprained right shoulder have not been revealed at this time.

USC QB Matt Barkley Won’t Play In New Year’s Eve Bowl is a post from: The Inquisitr

One happy father enjoyed the best holiday ever when he took a second look at the hat his son gave him for Christmas. Tucked inside the innocent looking chapeau was a ticket to the BCS National Championship college football game between Alabama and Notre Dame taking place on January 7, 2013 in Miami, Florida.

Don Buckhannan dreamed of attending this year’s National Championship Football game to root for his beloved Alabama Crimson tide against undefeated Notre Dame. Now, father and son will be travelling to Miami to enjoy the big game. His son Daniel has a ticket of his own, and the two excited football fans can’t wait to settle into their seats for the first kickoff.

The 2013 title game aroused a fever pitch of excitement, with many well known sports journalists predicting this year’s game will be one of the most exciting ever. Notre Dame just completed a 12-0 season and they are ranked number one in the BCS rankings. The Fighting Irish are also number one in the AP Top 25, USA Today poll and ESPN’s Power Rankings.

Alabama will be fielding a powerful team, occupying the number two slot in the BCS rankings. The fearsome Crimson Tide steamrolled over opponents this year on their way to a 12-1 record. Their perfect season was marred by a 29-24 upset loss to the Texas A and M Aggies on November 10, 2012. Alabama fell from the number one spot after the loss and remained second to arch rival Notre Dame in all the major polls.

When the two college football powerhouses meet on the field to determine the National Champion in sunny Miami, Don Buckhannan and his son Daniel will be there to watch every moment of the biggest game of the year. A devoted son made his father’s holiday wish come true with a heart warming Christmas gift that is guaranteed to create a life time of memories. Merry Christmas to the Buckhannan family and to Inquisitr readers everywhere. May you all have a safe, joyous New Year’s Eve, and we hope the BCS Championship is a game to remember. I know journalists are supposed to be impartial, but I just can’t hold  back: Go Fighting Irish!

‘We’re Going To The BCS Championship Game’: A Happy Father Celebrates The Best Christmas Ever is a post from: The Inquisitr

Three players from the Texas Tech Red Raiders will not play in Friday’s Meineke Car Care Bowl against Minnesota. School officials announced on Christmas Eve that the players were pulled because they violated team rules.

Athletics spokesman Blayne Beal made the announcement on Monday but would not reveal which rules were broken.

The three players removed from the bowl game are defensive back Cornelius Douglas, linebacker Chris Payne, and defensive tackle Leon Mackey.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are 7-5 and will take on the 6-6 Minnesota Gopher. The bowl game comes just three weeks after coach Tommy Turberville unexpectedly left the team to become the head coach in Cincinnati. Coaching the game in his place will be interim head coach Chris Thomsen. Before taking on the head coach role, Thomsen was the team’s offensive line leader.

Taking over for Tuberville next seen will be former Texas Tech quarterback Kliff Kingsbury. The new head coach hire was announced on December 12.

In the meantime, the decision to pull players who violated school policy shows the willingness of the Texas Tech program to follow the rules. College football over the last decade has been marred in various controversies as athletic departments and school officials have turned a blind eye to various issues of misconduct on behalf of their star athletes.

Do you think pulling players because of team related violations shows the strong moral roots of the Texas Tech Red Raiders?

Texas Tech Pulls Three Players From Bowl Game, Cites ‘Rule Breaking’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

The University of Michigan has announced that it will unveil brand new uniforms in the BCS College Football Outback Bowl on January.

Michigan’s new look jersey will be white with blue across the shoulder and going down the sleeves. The helmets will look roughly the same but with a navy matte finish. On the inside neck of the jersey the phrase, “It’s Great To Be A Michigan Wolverine” will be printed.

USA Today quotes Michigan’s star quarterback, Denard Robinson:

“I love them. We only saw a photo of them early in the year, but I think they look even better.”

Senior Michigan Safety Jordan Kovacs added:

“We enjoy wearing unique uniforms for special games, and that’s what it is for us seniors and this team. It will be fun going out and playing for Michigan one last time in these uniforms.”

After the Outback Bowl Michigan will auction off the new helmets and a limited number of new jerseys. The proceeds will go towards community service initiatives supported by Michigan’s players.

It’s important though that Michigan not forget about the upcoming game. Robinson points out:

“It will be fun, but we know we’re going to Tampa to play a football game and a great team in South Carolina, so we have to stay focused.”

The University of Michigan Wolverines finished the regular season at 8-4 and come into the Outback Bowl as underdogs to 10-2 North Carolina.

New jerseys and helmets don’t guarantee wins; preparation, motivation and determination do, and there will be plenty of motivation for Michigan. A win in the Outback Bowl would mean back to back nine win seasons, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since the 2006-2007 seasons.

Here is a picture of the front of Michigan’s new jerseys.

Michigan’s New Uniform

Do you like the new look for the University of Michigan football program?

University Of Michigan Football Team Will Unveil New Jerseys At BCS Outback Bowl is a post from: The Inquisitr

Skip Holtz has been fired as the head coach of South Florida football after two straight losing seasons that showed no signs of forward progress.

Athletic Director Doug Woolard met personally with Skip Holtz on Sunday before announcing the firing.

Speaking of his decision, Woolard said:

“It was a very difficult meeting and one I will tell you that Skip handled very professionally and very classy as he always does. It was a matter of just not having the production that we needed to have over the last couple of years on the field. … Every program experiences highs and lows on the way to national prominence. Brighter days are ahead.”

Woolard added:

“It was a matter of just not having the production that we needed to have over the last couple of years on the field. … Every program experiences highs and lows on the way to national prominence … Brighter days are ahead.”

Skip Holtz finished with a losing record of 16-21 during his short stint at the Big East university that included only three years.

South Florida has now played through its worst three-year run  in school history.

After his 5-7 second season record, Holtz had his contract extended through 2017. That contract extension will provide the football coach with a $2.5 million buyout over the next five years.

In a statement released by USF, Holtz thanked his assistant coaches and players for their dedication and loyalty:

“I’m extremely proud of how they fought through adversity during this time. Throughout my time here the young men on this team never gave up, and that reflects on their character as individuals and as a team.

“I believe we made some positive strides, most notably in our academics, that were helping to build a foundation for this program and I would have liked the opportunity to see it through. But I understand the administration’s decision and wish them nothing but success in the future.”

Are you surprised by Skip Holtz being fired so suddenly?

Skip Holtz Fired As Head Coach Of South Florida is a post from: The Inquisitr

Baton Rouge, LA – Les Miles has received a raise and extension at LSU, according to an Associated Press report. The new deal will see Miles sign a new seven-year contract at LSU where he has become one of the most successful coaches in the history of the Tigers’ football program.

Les Miles’ raise and extension will run through 2019, and Miles revealed on Wednesday he’s already looking beyond that:

“I’m a LSU head coach and will be a LSU head coach for as long as I can be. Hopefully, we’ll look up seven years from now and I’ll be looking for another seven-year extension.”

LSU athletic director Joe Alleva has said financial details are still being finalized but will be released after the Tigers play in a Sugar Bowl game that will close out the season.

According to an anonymous source close to the contract negotiations, Miles’ new annual salary would be “in the range” of $4.3 million. That’s a hefty raise from Miles’ previous contract, which was due to end in 2017 and paid $3.75 million annually.

The raise was Miles’ first since since 2008, though an extension and raises for assistants have been awarded more recently.

Although LSU’s last championship came in 2007, Alleva said:

“It is not all about winning championships. It’s about being in the hunt to win championships. Les Miles is one of the premier coaches in the country and has LSU in contention for championships year in and year out. Only two coaches in the 119-year history of LSU football have coached as many years at this school and only one has won more games.”

Since taking charge of the Tigers in 2005, Miles has amassed an impressive 85-20 record, while LSU’s victory over Arkansas last Friday sealed Miles’ fifth 10-win season at the school. Alleva added:

“The coaching business is a competitive one and it is important to compensate our coach for his accomplishments and his worth. [Miles] has continued to keep LSU on the national stage. Coach made a commitment to LSU and LSU made a commitment to coach.”

It’s suspected that Les Miles’ raise and extension is a reaction to an approach from the Arkansas Razorbacks. Miles told the Associated Press that representatives from Arkansas did reach out to him but rubbished reports of a five-year, $27.5 million offer to take over the Razorbacks:

“I have great respect for the AD [Jeff Long], a college friend of mine. My talks were very preliminary. They fell far short of being serious. I can tell you that this Miles family is awfully comfortable in southern Louisiana. I think home is what we call this place.”

Les Miles Gets Raise, Extension At LSU is a post from: The Inquisitr

Minnesota men’s football coach Jerry Kill is resting comfortably at home after the coach suffered a seizure during his team’s Saturday match against Michigan State.

Fans didn’t realize that coach Kill had a seizure until it was revealed during a press briefing following the game.

Jerry Kill did not return to the game following halftime, and the Minnesota staff did not reveal his exit until the fourth quarter. At the time of announcing the coach’s exit, team officials did not give a reason for his departure.

After the game, Fox’s Tyler Mason tweeted:

“#Gophers coach Jerry Kill did have a seizure at the end of halftime, the school announced.”

We reported on Coach Kill’s seizure on Saturday when athletic director Norwood Teague explained:

“I know this will bring up questions about him and moving forward, but we have 100 percent confidence in Jerry … He’s as healthy as a horse, as they say. It’s just an epileptic situation … that he deals with. He has to continue to monitor all the simple things in life that we all have to monitor, in that you watch your diet, watch your weight, watch your rest, watch your stress.”

The coach suffers seizures from time-to-time because of his own health concerns, and his university administration has continued to stand beside his coaching abilities.

Jerry Kill was at home less than 24 hours after suffering from a seizure, a good sign that he will quickly recover and return to his team’s roster.

Coach Suffers Seizure, Jerry Kill Resting Comfortably At Home is a post from: The Inquisitr

Despite not being eligible for a BCS National Title or Big Ten championship, the Ohio State Buckeyes made their case for a No. 1 final ranking in the Associated Press poll with a 26-21 victory over rival Michigan on Saturday.

The team ranked No. 1 in the final AP poll is named the Associated Press national champion, which is the only championship designation the Buckeyes are eligible for this year after NCAA sanctions banned the team from postseason play this season. Ranked No. 4 in the AP poll, with a few breaks, the top spot is attainable for undefeated Ohio State.

The Chicago Tribune reported that Braxton Miller went 14-of-18 for 189 yards and a touchdown in the win, which completed Ohio State’s sixth perfect season. The Buckeyes’ defense stepped up in the second half, forcing three turnovers after halftime. Michigan managed just 60 yards in the second half.

The Huffington Post reports Ohio State ends its season at 12-0 overall and 8-0 in the Big Ten. Michigan’s regular season is over at 8-6 overall and 6-2 in the conference. The Wolverines are a lock to make a bowl, but a minor one.

Drew Basil’s 28-yard kick with 8:12 left in the third quarter gave Ohio State a 23-21 lead. Basil matched a career high with four field goals made in the contest before a crowd of 105,899, the largest to ever see the rivalry game when played in Columbus, Ohio.

The undefeated 2012 season ended as Ohio State honored the 10-year anniversary of the 2002 National Championship team led by Jim Tressel, who was in attendance. It was a bit of an ironic moment as the crowd roared its approval for Tressel, even though it was violations under his tenure that led to Ohio State’s current bowl ban.

(Photo by Bob Strickley)

Ohio State Tops Michigan To Cap Unbeaten Season is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Auburn Tigers are 3-8 and winless in the Southeastern Conference, which already has head coach Gene Chizik’s job in jeopardy. Now, things are looking even bleaker as reports have emerged that Auburn is being investigated by the NCAA for alleged recruiting violations.

ESPN reports that the NCAA investigation focuses on recruiting violations, including the situation surrounding the recruitment of running back Jovon Robinson, who was ruled ineligible by the NCAA this season and is not currently enrolled at Auburn. The investigation, however, is not limited to Robinson.

Yahoo’s Pat Forde reports that Auburn assistant coaches Trooper Taylor and Curtis Luper are facing NCAA scrutiny and have been taken off the recruiting trail. Taylor is the assistant head coach and wide receivers coach and Luper coaches running backs and is the recruiting coordinator. When Chizik was asked to comment on which coaches were still involved in active recruiting, he declined.

Auburn is just two years removed from a national championship, winning the BCS title game against Oregon in 2011 22-19 with Chizik as head coach. Things haven’t gone as well since then. Auburn went 8-5 in Chizk’s first season with the Tigers before their 14-0 national title run in 2010. In 2011, it was right back to 8-5 and this season includes only three wins and an 0-7 record in the SEC.

Auburn’s wins this season haven’t exactly come against top notch competition either, defeating only  Louisiana-Monroe, New Mexico State, and Alabama A&M.

Reports that the NCAA has interviewed several people in connection with the investigation into Auburn recruiting violations this week provide an unneeded distraction as the Tigers prepare to take on No. 2-ranked Alabama on Saturday.

(Photo by Carol Highsmith)

NCAA Investigating Auburn’s Football Program is a post from: The Inquisitr

Despite a No. 4 ranking and the possibility of an undefeated season, the Ohio State Buckeyes are banned from postseason participation as a result of NCAA sanctions. In response to the situation, Buckeyes fans started a federal petition on WhiteHouse.gov asking President Barack Obama to pardon the team, making them eligible to play in the Big Ten championship game, and potentially a national championship contest later.

Ohio State fell under NCAA sanctions last season because of players receiving free tattoos and other gifts in violation of NCAA rules. Among the sanctions were a one-year bowl ban, being enforced this year. The fans who started the petition, Fox Sports reports, feel the punishment isn’t fair. The petition, which has been removed from the site for violating the terms of participation, read:

“The Ohio State University football team is one win away from an undefeated season. However, due to imposed sanctions, they are not allowed to participate in their conference’s championship game or the following bowl season. While a punishment for past indiscretions is to be expected, a bowl season ban is too harsh for a few young men trading memorabilia for tattoos and some change. The offending players and coach who covered it up are no longer part of the program. Please exercise your executive power to pardon the NCAA’s excessive sanctions placed on The Ohio State Buckeyes to enable a rightful, satisfying culmination to the college football season for the American people.”

Larry Brown Sports reports that while Obama may be a bit preoccupied with the situation in Israel, avoiding the fiscal cliff, working with an opposition House, and the Petraeus scandal, Ohio did break for the president in the election.  Winning Ohio secured Obama’s reelection, so perhaps Ohio State fans feel he could return the favor.

It wasn’t clear just what terms the petition violated, but it could be that the president has no jurisdiction over the NCAA since it is not a government agency. WhiteHouse.gov also notes in its terms that “to focus discussion, the platform is limited to a discrete set of topics, which may be adjusted over time.”

Either way, the petition has been removed and Ohio State will almost certainly not receive any reprieve. With a few breaks, however, Ohio State could still finish ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll.

Ohio State fans unhappy with the petition’s removal can always sign one of three currently open petitions still on the site asking the president to allow the state of Ohio to succeed from the union.

Ohio State Fans Petition Obama For Pardon From NCAA Violations is a post from: The Inquisitr

Johnny Manziel’s family will attempt to trademark the “Johnny Football” nickname that has stuck itself to the Texas A&M quarterback.

The freshman quarterback is in a rich vein of form and produced another winning performance in Texas’s victory over No. 1 Alabama on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa.

His family is now determined to make sure others don’t cash in on Manziel’s hard-earned nickname while the run of Aggies victories continues. However, the Manziel family’s “Johnny football” trademark could hit obstacles, says ESPN Business Reporter Darren Rovell:

“Scoring a trademark often depends on using the mark in actual commerce, which means it could be years before the Manziel family actually owns it. It is also not clear at this time whether Manziel or someone else deserves to even own the trademark.”

Nobody know the true origins of Manziel’s nickname, though it’s likely plenty of people at his school in College Station, Texas will claim the idea for themselves.

Whatever the outcome of the Manziel family’s bid to trademark “Johnny Football,” one thing is certain: Manziel remains hot property in the NCAA. Saturday’s victory over Alabama saw the Kerr, Texas local become the first freshman to defeat the No. 1 team in the nation on the road, while he also leads the SEC in rushing.

Manziel Family To Trademark ‘Johnny Football’ Nickname is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Fighting Irish came into this college football season without lofty expectations, but, now seven games into the year, fans and experts are starting to see Notre Dame as a national championship caliber team.

The team is off to a 7-0 start, and its dominating defense has made short work of its tough schedule so far.

The Fighting Irish kept up the winning ways this weekend, defeating No. 8 Oklahoma 30-13. The win was seen as a way to cement the elite status for Notre Dame, Fox Sports noted. Going into the game, many college football experts doubted it the Fighting Irish could sustain their hot start, and they actually came in as underdogs to the Sooners.

”What we’d been hearing was a lot of people didn’t think we could win this game. That kind of just added that fuel to my fire that was already burning,” said Everett Golson, who threw for 177 yards ran for a decisive 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma. ”We just wanted to come out and show them that we can.”

The win pushed the Fighting Irish up to No. 3 in the BCS rankings, up from No. 5 the previous week.

The win for the Fighting Irish was even more impressive considering Oklahoma had been 79-4 at home under coach Bob Stoops.

The Fighting Irish are now the only team in the country with four wins against Top 25 teams including two wins on the road against teams in the top 10.

The upcoming schedule could be a bit easier on The Fighting Irish, ESPN points out. With four games remaining in the regular season, Notre Dame faces only more more opponent with a winning record — USC.

The Fighting Irish: Notre Dame Up To No. 3 In BCS Rankings, Could Be Headed To National Championship Game is a post from: The Inquisitr

When Brian Kelly took over as the head coach at Notre Dame, the program was reeling from Charlie Weis’ difficult to swallow final three seasons, but now Kelly has the Fighting Irish ranked in the top five in both the BCS and Associated Press polls for the first time since 2006.

Under Weis in his final three years, Notre Dame went 3-9, 7-6, and 6-6. Since Kelly’s arrival, the team is 8-5, 8-5, and, so far this season, 6-0. The first BCS poll of the season came out this weekend, and Notre Dame finds itself behind only Alabama, Oregon, Florida, and Kansas State.

In his Sunday conference call before the rankings came out, Kelly talked about what a top five ranking means to his players.

“They watch TV,” Kelly said. “They see that. There’s a sense of pride. There’s no question that when you’re talked about and you’re putting Notre Dame up there in the top five, there’s a sense of pride. I just have to make sure that they understand that with that pride comes a greater obligation to do the thing the right way. I think that’s how we’ll handle it.”

The South Bend Tribune reports that Notre Dame’s best ever BCS ranking was No. 3 for two weeks in October of 2002. The team was No. 2 in AP, No. 3 in the coaches poll two weeks into the  2006 season, but finished that year 15th.

The Sun-Times reports that Saturday’s 20-17 overtime victory against Stanford was Notre Dame’s third over a ranked opponent; no other school has more than two so far this season. Notre Dame hosts 4-3 BYU for its next game but will face a ranked opponent again the following week with a road trip to BCS No. 9 Oklahoma in Norman. No. 10 USC is the other remaining ranked team on the Fighting Irish schedule

Notre Dame is ranked No. 5 in the AP poll, the BCS poll, the Harris poll, and the USA Today/Coaches Poll.

Notre Dame Ranked No. 5 In First BCS Standings is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jerry Kill, football coach for University of Minnesota, was discharged from the hospital on Sunday after suffering a seizure following his team’s Saturday match against Northwestern.

Kill was hospitalized on Saturday night after he suffered a seizure in the coaches’ locker room at TCF Bank Stadium. Following his hospitalization, team officials said he was alert and resting. Kill was kept overnight for observation before being released.

According to team physician Dr. Pat Smith:

“He was evaluated (Saturday) and this morning and all tests confirm that he remains in excellent health. His only concern is his team and staff, and he is excited to resume his normal coaching duties as Minnesota prepares for Wisconsin this week. He plans to be back in the office tomorrow.”

You may recall that Jerry Kill suffered a seizure on the sideline of an active game against New Mexico State during the second week of last season’s regular season. The coach took no time off and returned for the team’s next game one week later. After suffering last season’s first seizure, Coach Kill would go on to have several more seizures that never interfered with his ability to coach the team.

The University of Minnesota are now 4-2 and are currently preparing to take on their rival Wisconsin on Saturday.

At this time, it is not clear if Jerry Kill will return to his coaching role immediately or take some time off to recuperate. Coach Kill has never missed a game because of his seizures.

I have a feeling coach Kill will be on the sidelines come Saturday’s game.

Minnesota Football Coach Jerry Kill Exits Hospital Following Seizure is a post from: The Inquisitr

Minnesota running back Donnell Kirkwood is the Golden Gophers’ top rusher, and in the hard hitting world of major college football, that means he tends to take a beating. On Saturday Minnesota (4-2) lost to Northwestern (6-1) 21-13, and along the way, Kirkwoord took a hit so hard that the ‘M’ decal on the side of his helmet came off and went about a yard further than he did.

In the video, posted by ESPN and reported on by Yardbarker, Minnesota faces a second-and-five with 11:31 to play. Kirkwood gets the hand off from quarterback MarQueis Gray and runs up the middle for a gain of nine yards and a first down. The play ends when Northwestern defensive back Ibraheim Campbell hits Kirkwood with a head of steam, and the impact sent most of the ‘M’ decal on Kirkwood’s helmet flying.

USA Today reports that the play was new to ESPN announcer Joey Galloway, who can be heard saying so in the video.

“We have have a first,” Galloway said, surprised. “I have never seen a decal knocked off of a helmet.”

While the collision did appear to be a helmet-to-helmet hit, it was a clean one. More importantly, neither player was injured, which makes the video that much easier to watch. Still, the sound of the collision is clearly audible despite a stadium full of cheering fans.

Kirkwood rushed for 73 yards in the contest, he also caught one pass for four yards. Minnesota started the season 4-0 but have now lost two straight to open Big Ten play.

Have you ever seen a player hit so hard the decal was knocked off his helmet?

Running Back Hit So Hard His Helmet Decal Comes Off [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

All 60 first-place votes recorded this week in the Associated Press’ college football poll had the Alabama Crimson Tide written on them.

Alabama was unanimously voted No. 1 on the weekly AP poll with a total of 60 first-place votes and a total of 1,500 points after the Crimson Tide advanced to 5-0 with a win over Ole Miss on Saturday.

Oregon beat Washington State 51-26 on Saturday to maintain its number two spot while LSU dropped down to fourth behind Florida State.

The Chicago Tribune reports that LSU was ranked second two weeks ago. The Tigers have won both games since then but have still dropped two spots. Those wins, however, haven’t been pretty.

After the Tigers sloppy win over Townson on Saturday, Coach Les Miles said:

“If we don’t turn the ball over or throw the ball on the ground and we protect our quarterback … this thing looks like it’s supposed to … I must not well have prepared them. To say that we made improvement, I can’t say that. I’d have to say it was the same style of football that we played last week.”

Georgia, South Carolina, Kansas State, West Virginia, Notre Dame and Florida complete the poll’s top 10 teams in college football.

Alabama Unanimously Voted No. 1, LSU Drops To 4th is a post from: The Inquisitr

The latest AP College Football Poll has seen Oregon soar to the No. 2 spot after the Ducks thrashed Arizona 49-0 on Saturday night in Eugene.

Oregon took the No. 2 spot from LSU Tigers who clinched a tight 12-10 victory at Auburn.

Meanwhile, the No. 1 team in the standings, the Alabama Crimson Tide, coasted to a 40-7 win over the Florida Atlantic Owls.

Outside the top three, Florida State stayed in the No. 4 spot after a 49-37 triumph over Clemson, and Georgia remained at No. 5 with a 48-3 pummeling of Vanderbilt. The No. 6 spot was taken by South Carolina, who saw off Missouri 31-10.

Elsewhere in the AP College Football Poll, No. 10 Notre Dame moved into the top ten for the first time since 2006.

Even further down the poll, Oregon State, Rutgers, and Baylor made their first appearances of the season in the Top 25 as UCLA, Michigan, and Arizona all dropped out of the rankings.

Top dog Alabama earned 59 of 60 first-place votes from the media panel with LSU receiving the other.

The Week 5 AP College Football Poll standings are as follows:

[Rankings image via ESPN]

AP College Football Poll: Oregon Up To No. 2 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jean Nail is the spirit coordinator for the University of Arkansas and has been for 30 years. She has seen thousands of video applications from cheerleading hopefuls. Her standards are high, and she gives no special treatment to anyone. So, when Texarkana native Patience Beard sent in her DVD application, it was viewed with a shrewd eye. Beard had to show exceptional talent in order to make the squad and cheer for the Razorbacks. And, when Nail watched Beard’s DVD application, she “knew thousands of people would go ‘wow’ when they took one look at the girl,” reports Yahoo! Sports, “and not in the way most red-blooded males say ‘wow’ when they look at a cheerleader.”

Patience Beard, while a talented cheerleader, has only one leg.

When Beard was nine months old, her parents elected to have her left leg amputated. Beard was diagnosed with Proximial Femoral Focal Deficiency (PFFD), a disease that affects bone growth and would cause Beard’s left leg to be shorter than her right. Over the course of her life, this would ultimately created a variety of structural problems. So Beard’s parents elected to have her left foot and ankle amputated, and to give her a prosthetic.

While Nail was sympathetic to Beard’s disability, Yahoo! Sports reports that the developing freshman squad “would have to inspire more than concern to become one of the 12 freshmen to cheer for the Razorbacks.” In other words, Beard would have to be just as good as everyone else. There would be no “special consideration.”

And so, college cheerleading has become just another obstacle that Beard has overcome. Just as she told her Dad to take the training wheels off her specially-designed bike when she was 3, just like she started gymnastics classes at 4 and joined cheerleading in seventh grade, she would do this too. Now, as a college cheerleader for the Razorbacks, when the squad runs laps around the football field for warm-ups each day, Nail reports, “Patience has never come in last. Not once.”

Beard’s challenges are mostly unseen, which is part of what makes her such an inspirational role model. While she is able to complete ever stunt and tumbling pass, she does so in some amount of pain, since no prosthetic is completely comfortable all of the time. But, according to her coach, “you’ll never hear Patience mutter a word about that.” There are “no excuses from her.”

At a recent game, a 4-year-old boy with a prosthetic right leg noticed the zebra-striped pattern on Beard’s own prosthetic leg and wanted to meet her. Patience says it was one of the proudest moments of her life.

“She’s the kind of person we want,” Nail tells Lost Letterman. “She’s a good role model. And she’s absolutely qualified.”

With such an inspirational story, Lost Letterman quips, perhaps there is “a measure of consolation amidst the football team’s less-than-stellar start to the 2012 season.”

One-Legged Cheerleader Wins The College Football Crowd is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tulane’s Devon Walker was involved in a helmet-to-helmet collision with a teammate during Saturday’s 45-10 loss to Tulsa in in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The hit resulted in Walker suffering a broken neck.

The Detroit Free Press reports that after the collision, Walker’s shoulder pads and helmets were removed by medical staff, who appeared to administer CPR. When Walker resumed breathing, he was taken from the stadium by ambulance. The paper also cited various sources that a tracheotomy was also performed and that Walker suffered a collapsed lung.

CNN, quoting Dr. Felix Savoie, orthopedist for Tulane University and chief of sports medicine at the school, however claims that Walker was breathing throughout.

“It went as well as it can go,” Savoie told CNN. “I do not think, based on the information we have, that his life was ever in danger.”

While his life might not be in danger, he 6-foot-1 Tulane safety isn’t out of the woods just yet. He suffered a cervical spine fracture and has significant swelling on his neck. The CNN report makes no mention of a collapsed lung or tracheotomy.

Tulsa was leading 35-3 and was facing a fourth-and-2 inside the Tulane 35-yard line. Tulsa went for it, with quarterback Cody Green completing short pass to Willie Carter, who made the catch and ran to around the 18-yard line when he was sandwiched by Tulane defensive tackle Julius Warmsley and Walker. Warmsley and Walker’s helmets collided on the play, and Walker remained motionless on the field.

Walker, 21, is a senior majoring in cell and molecular biology. His condition Saturday night was listed as stable and he is slated for surgery in the next several days.

Tulane Player Breaks Neck, May Have Stopped Breathing During Game is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sam Durley dominated his division III football game this week when he threw 736 passing yards during Saturday’s game against Knox. Those passing yards were enough for Durley to claim the NCAA record for a single game.

Despite his huge effort at the quarterback position, his team was barely able to edge out Knox with a final score of 62-55.

Knox, who is a senior at Eureka College, ended the game with 34 for 52 passing which included five touchdowns.

The previous NCAA single-game record was by Division III Menlo College (California) quarterback Zamir Amin. Zamir threw for 731 years on October 7, 2000.

What is most surprising is the fact that Durley needed to score 17 unanswered points for the Red Devils, including two last minutes touchdowns, in order to secure the victory.

Sam Durley officially set the college football passing record with only 20 seconds remaining when he lobbed in a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jake Bane.

It was a great night for Sam Durley who not only managed to secure an NCAA record but also set several school records including all-time passing yardage (6,095) and all-time touchdowns (48)

The Eureka team finished the game with 821 yards of total offense, breaking the schools previous record of 744 yards.

With the team nearing the ever elusive 1,000 yard game and only managing to win by 7 points, you really have to question how awful their defense played to offset the brilliant passing of their all-star quarterback.

Division III QB Sets NCAA Record With 736 Passing Yards is a post from: The Inquisitr

Authorities say a college football fan from Tennessee died from injuries he suffered Friday night after falling from the upper level of the Georgia Dome during the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game.

According to CBS News, the victim — identified as 20-year-old Isaac Grubbs of Lenoir City, Tennessee — fell 35 feet and landed on another person seated in the Mezzanine area just after 8:30 pm during the game between the University of Tennessee and North Carolina State.

Several witnesses interviewed by WSB-TV recounted the tragic accident:

“Tennessee had scored a touchdown — I believe it was the second. There were three people who weren’t with [our group]. It looked like [the man who fell] was doing a fist pump, and then he was gone over the top,” said William Coates, a Tennessee fan from Arkansas. “He wasn’t moving. His chest was moving a little.”

Another fan, Kellie Wilborn, remembered:

“Everyone’s reactions were just like really freaked out right after it happened and everyone tried to like run to the sides but security was pushing everyone back, clearing the area out so people couldn’t like look over.”

Following the accident, both Grubbs and the fan who was fallen on also were taken to the hospital.

Authority spokeswoman Jennifer LeMaster said late Friday that the other unidentified fan was treated and released. Grubbs, however, succumbed to injuries sustained in the fall and was pronounced dead just before midnight.

Grubbs death comes just days after a 25-year-old Houston Texans fan died after falling about 60 feet from a fifth-floor escalator at Reliant Stadium.

WTVR interviews two women who witnessed Isaac Grubbs fall at the Georgia Dome in the video below:

Tennessee Fan Dies After Fall From Upper Deck At Georgia Dome is a post from: The Inquisitr

LSU was forced to cancel practice on Wednesday courtesy of Hurricane Isaac. The team attempted to wait out the storm as long as possible as they geared up for their Saturday season opener against North Texas.

Instead LSU players hunkered down in facilities around the campus.

According to Coach Les Miles:

“We recognize the fact that we are going to miss Wednesday’s practice and have to try to do what we would normally do today on Thursday.”

Despite the storm, LSU is expected to play their season opener on Saturday start at 6 pm ET at home against North Texas. Officials have iterated that conditions following the storm could still change the game’s venue or time.

Isaac came ashore on Tuesday night and slowly moved toward Baton Rouge with conditions expected to worsen throughout the rest of the day. With wind gusts reaching over 65 mph and torrential rain, an outdoor practice was out of the question.

The LSU football team wasn’t the only sport affected; a Friday soccer match against Stephen F. Austin has been moved to Tuesday.

Hurricane Isaac may have created some inconveniences, but no major damage has been reported to any college football stadiums where storms have touched down. Most games including Tulane’s season opener against Rutgers are expected to move forward as planned. Officials say the Mercedez-Benz Superdome was hit by heavy rain but was not damaged too badly from the storm.

More information to follow if storm conditions cause any actual delays to Saturday’s college football schedule.

LSU Forced To Cancel Team Practice Courtesy Of Hurricane Isaac is a post from: The Inquisitr

In its first eligible year since the NCAA imposed a bowl ban in 2010, USC is heading into the college football season with the number one ranking.

USC received 25 of 60 first place votes to land at the top of the annual Associated Press pre-season poll.

Coach Lane Kiffin said:

“To be handed down what they said could be a death penalty, could take USC 10 years to come back from, then to have this recognition and be preseason No. 1 is very exciting for our fans because a lot people thought two years ago that this would not be possible for USC.”

Kiffin said that the sanctions made his his players more mature, and he’s excited to see what they can do during the 2012 season.

Kiffin said:

“The stuff that happened made these kids, whether it was first-round draft choices last year, Matt Khalil and Nick Perry, or the guys still here, it made them better… Having a lot of that stuff taken away from them is a valuable life lesson.”

Fox News reports that the Defending National Champion, Alabama, will start the season ranked second. LSU took the number three seed. Oklahoma and Oregon finish out the top five.

Here are the top 25 teams in college football.

1. USC
2. Alabama
3. LSU
4. Oklahoma
5. Oregon
6. Georgia
7. Florida State
8. Michigan
9. South Carolina
10. Arkansas
11. West Virginia
12. Wisconsin
13. Michigan State
14. Clemson
15. Texas
16. Virginia Tech
17. Nebraska
18. Ohio State
19. Oklahoma State
20. TCU
21. Stanford
22. Kansas State
23. Florida
24. Boise State
25. Louisville

Do you think USC deserves the number one spot?

USC Will Open College Football Season At No. 1 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Olympic competitor Jeff Demps, a silver medalist in the 400-meter men’s relay event at the 2012 London Olympics, is preparing to sign a contract with the New England Patriots.

According to ESPN, the Olympian is flying to Orlando, Florida where he will meet with Patriots representatives to iron out the details of his agreement. Demps is expected to make an official announcement at 5 pm EST, and, according to sources close to the deal, the Patriots were the only team he was willing to play for.

When asked about the agreement, agent Daniel Rose said any announcements about his players future would be given at 5 pm.

As a running back at Florida State, the 5-foot-7, 191-pound player racked up 569 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games last season. Over his entire college football career, Demps rushed for 2,470 yards and 23 touchdowns

Demps went undrafted in April as he prepared to compete in the 2012 London Games, but he had received interest from several teams including the New York Jets.

The Patriots will likely utilize Jeff Demps as part of their return game. Coach Bill Belichick said this week that the team needs to get better production out of their special teams and a speedy returner could be what the team has been looking for.

Speaking of his silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, Demps told USA Track and Field:

“I just wanted to come out and have fun and enjoy the moment. There was no pressure. I was just excited.”

Details regarding Demps contract have not yet been revealed.

Olympic Silver Medalist Jeff Demps To Join New England Patriots is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former LSU star Tyrann Mathieu  ’Honey Badger’ was released from the team after testing positive for drugs. Now the 20-year-old cornerback and punt returner has checked himself into the Right Step recovery center where he is being counseled by former NBA player and recovering drug addict John Lucas.

The rehab admittance was first report to WVUE-TV in New Orleans by Tyrone Mathieu, the adoptive father to Tyrann.

According to his dad, Tyrann entered the facility for health reasons and is not concentrating on the future of his football career at this time. There was originally talk that Mathieu would transfer to an FCS level school and then try out for an NFL team under current eligibility rules.

Mathieu was released from the LSU roster on August 10 for violating the school’s substance-abuse policy. The expulsion arrived just several months after Mathieu won the Bednarik Award in his sophomore year. The Bednarik Award is specifically given to the nation’s best defensive player. Mathieu was also the first defensive back to be nominated as a Heisman finalist since 1997.

After his removal from the team, LSU officials say 20 college football programs approached the team about his services.

Should Mathieu choose to continue on the path of a football career, where he plays before the NFL could come down to semantics. For example, McNeese State in Lake Charles, Louisiana begins classes on Wednesday, which means the potential NFL player could be forced out of rehab or forced into a situation in which his NFL dreams are put on hold.

In the meantime, Mathieu has expressed interest in open enrollment at LSU with the hope that he will be able to return to the team in 2013, the same year in which he will be eligible for the NFL draft.

LSU coach Les Miles has never given a final decision on the future of Tyrann Mathieu at LSU. During the cornerback’s dismissal, the coach simply said transferring to another team would make the most sense since he would not see any playing time for LSU in 2012.

Miles and LSU have promised to give Mathieu any transfer help he requires.

Former LSU Star Tyrann Mathieu Enters Rehab Following Drug Policy Violation is a post from: The Inquisitr

As of Sunday, Penn State had lost nine players since the imposition of sanctions from the NCAA in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal and cover up, but for those who remain its time to get to work. New coach Bill O’Brien has his hands full as he leads Penn State practice for the first time today.

O’Brien is the first new coach to conduct a Penn State practice since Joe Paterno in 1966. Paterno was among those sacked for his role in covering up the child abuse committed by Sandusky. The scandal rocked the college football landscape and destroyed the legacy of former head coach Paterno who claimed Penn State practiced what it preached, and held itself as a moral high ground in college sports. Among the fallout from that were the sanctions — a four-year bowl ban and a reduction of 10 scholarships per year for the next four years.

O’Brien must find a way to replace key players, including the most recent defector — wide receiver Justin Brown. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Sunday that Brown transferred to Oklahoma. His top returning tailback transferred to South Carolina. More could come, as the NCAA has allowed Penn State players to transfer until Sept. 1 and still gain immediate eligibility as a result of the sanctions. But O’Brien’s coaching chops come from the New England Patriots, where he was offensive coordinator. The Patriots, more than most NFL teams, know how to replace a player in a system and keep moving forward.

“You’re talking about having experience in how to put that roster together, learning from the best in (Patriots head coach) Bill Belichick. How to practice,” O’Brien told the Washington Post at Big Ten media days in Chicago last month. “So there’s no question that my NFL experience … will certainly help.”

Penn State has faced and will continue to face the fallout from the Sandusky scandal and subsequent coverup but there is little the players on the field can do about that. With camp beginning today, they can at least return some sense of normalcy. The players of Penn State practice today, and 28 more times before the season starts, preparing to try and move on one game at a time.

New Coach Faces Challenges As Penn State Practices Begin is a post from: The Inquisitr

Art Malone, the former NFL and Arizona State running back has passed away at the age of 64.

Malone’s death was announced on Tuesday by his former alma mater.

Malone played with the Arizona Sun Devils from 1967 to 1969 where he ranked seventh on the schools all time rushing list with 2,649 yards. Malone was most impressive in 1968 when he rushed for 1,431 years and 239 yards against New Mexico, the third-most in school history. Malone had the privilege of learning the game under the tutelage of legendary ASU coach Frank Kush.

After leaving Arizona the running back was chosen in the second round of the NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons. During his seven-year NFL career Art Malone rushed for 2,457 yards and 19 touchdowns with Atlanta over five seasons and with Philadelphia over two seasons. Malone also caught 161 passes for 1,465 yards and six touchdowns.  Malone’s best season came in 1972 when he rushed for 798 yards with eight touchdowns and 50 caught passes for 585 yards.

Malone came from a football family, his brother Ben Malone spent seven seasons split between Miami Dolphins and the Washington Redskins. Both brothers played college ball for the Arizona Sun Devils.

No cause of death has been announced at this time. The NFL has come under increased scrutiny in recent years however as the number of players passing away below the national life-expectancy average continues to increase at an alarming rate.

A memorial service for Art Malone will be held this coming Saturday at 10 a.m. at Resthaven Park Mortuary and Cemetery, 4310 East Southern Ave., Phoenix.

Art Malone Dead At 64, NFL Mourns Running Backs Death is a post from: The Inquisitr

Top-ranked pocket-passer Christian Hackenberg plans to attend Penn State despite the schools NFL sanctions which includes a four-year band on post-season play.

Hackenberg along with several other players reiterated their plans on Sunday to stick alongside head coach Bill O’Brien. Among those staying will be high ranked tight end Adam Breneman.

Breneman said of himself Will Fuller (Philadelphia/Roman Catholic), offensive linemen Brendan Mahon (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) and Andrew Nelson (Hershey, Pa./Hershey), and defensive lineman Garrett Sickels (Little Silver, N.J./Red Bank Regional), “Yes, we are all 100 percent committed.”

As I reported earlier in the week Bill O’Brien has been working non-stop to ensure the team is not torn apart and remaining conference competitive following the Jerry Sandusky guilty verdict and various NCAA sanctions which have included vacating all of the schools wins since since 1998.

According to PennLive.com:

“Halfway through the day the six of us went up to coach O’Brien’s office and told him we are going to stay committed. We believe in coach O’Brien and his coaching staff.”

Will Fuller confirmed Breneman’s statement, telling ESPN in a text message:

“Yeah, I’m 100 percent going there.”

Hackenberg said on Twitter that he couldn’t be happier with the team of players he will be supporting. He wrote:

Love this 2013 class. @AdamBreneman87 @BigBabyMahon @Will_Fuller7 @DorianJ64 @GarrettSickels @ANelson59

— Christian Hackenberg (@chackenberg1) July 28, 2012

Penn State’s Bill O’Brien and his staff will not have the hard decision of figuring out how to run a football team that will be missing a good chunk of its available scholarships.

Penn State Recruits Stand Behind Coach Bill O’Brien, Will Not Transfer is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Penn State Nittany Lions football team could be headed for big trouble and Penn State coach Bill O’Brien is attempting to keep the program from imploding.

The NCAA this week handed down massive fines to Penn State which includes vacating all of the schools wins since 1998, paying $60 million in fines and a ban from post-season play for four-years. Along with those implications the NCAA has ruled that football players can transfer out of the program without obeying standard NCAA transfer restrictions.

During an interview with  ”The Dan Patrick Radio Show” on Tuesday O’Brien emphasized that players on the Penn State football team are not only provided with a top-notch football program but also an excellent education that will benefit them beyond their football playing years.

O’Brien also claims that players on the team have provided him with plenty of “positive feedback” about their decision for the future.

According to Bill O’Brien:

“Right now my main goal is to keep this 2012 football team together and that’s what I am working hard to do every single day.”

In the meantime the vultures are already circling, in this case USC which has notified Penn State of its interest in running back Silas Redd. The schools star RB has already met with O’Brien to discuss his future but details of that meeting have not been made public.

Coach O’Brien is stressing to team players that they can still play in games, claim wins and even appear on television, allowing them to gain the recognition they need for a chance at NFL careers.

Penn State Coach Bill O’Brien Attempting To Keep Football Team Competitive is a post from: The Inquisitr

Playing college football can be tough even for the most seasoned performer as fans taunt you on what is likely your first “big stage” but when your name is “Chris Blewitt” you can expect things to be a whole lot worse for any kick you miss.

Recruited to play for Pittsburgh’s 2013 class Blewitt at least has some decent talent on his side, after all it’s not every day a kicker receives a scholarship to play college ball.

Blewitt during his time at West Potomac High in Alexandria, Va. was not only the target of opposing teams fans, when he missed a kick his own schools fans would use his name against him.

In the meantime college recruits must have seen something special in Chris because he didn’t play football until high school and was recruited by some friends because they needed a kicker and he played soccer. A couple of weeks ago during a football camp he was apparently good enough to impress Pittsburgh coaches which in turn led to a football scholarship.

Speaking to the Washington Post Chris Blewitt says of his new team:

“They said I could do whatever I want, start my true freshman year and be their kicker. They really wanted me, they gave me everything I would have wanted. It didn’t seem like anything else was matching up to them.”

During his senior year Blewitt made 10 field goals and 49 extra points.

If the kickers last name sounds familiar that might be because in 2001 and 2011 a Harvard kicker by the name of Anders Blewett also played the sport.

College Football Player Has Unfortunate Name For Kicker is a post from: The Inquisitr

Georgia Bulldogs running back Isaiah Crowell was dismissed from the team on Friday following gun possession charges brought against the football player in Athens-Clark County on Friday night.

Crowell was arrested and charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor. The first charge was a felony count of possessing a weapon in a school zone, the second was a felony county for carrying an altered identification mark and the final charge was a misdemeanor count of possession/carrying a concealed weapon

Crowell was arrested at approximately 2:20 a.m. ET after he was stopped near the Georgia campus.

In a press release  Bulldogs coach Mark Richt’s said of the team’s decision:

“We have a dedicated and committed group of men who are working hard to prepare for the coming season. Our total focus will be directed toward the team and this effort.”

According to the official police report Crowell was caught carrying a 9-millimeter Luger under his driver’s seat and its serial number had been completely scratched off. In his defense Crowell claims he didn’t know the gun was there and that various other people drive his vehicle.

If convicted Isaiah Crowell could spend up to 10 years behind bars and face up to $10,000 in fines for carrying a weapon on school property. Throw in his other crimes and Crowell could spend one to five years longer behind bars.

The arresting officer noted of the stop that marijuana was smelled and then Crowell gave them permission to search the vehicle.

Ranked as the country’s No. 1 running back prospect last season Crowell had a bumpy start with the Bulldogs, rushing 185 times for 850 yards with five touchdowns as a Freshman.

Crowell was seen as a constant annoyance for coach Richt because of disciplinary problems that plagued his focus on college football.

Georgia Bulldogs Dismiss Isaiah Crowell Following Gun Possession Arrest is a post from: The Inquisitr

In the 2014 college football season there is one thing that is for certain, the BCS system is dead!  College football will finally go to a playoff model with its own “Final Four”.  A committee of university presidents approved a plan Tuesday afternoon to institute a four team playoff structure as recommended by the commissioners of the major football conferences.

Virginia Tech president Charles W. Steger said in a statement that the new system doesn’t take college football too far in any direction.

Steger said,

“It goes just the right amount. There were differences of views. I think it would be a serious mistake to assume it was a rubber stamp.”

Commissioners have been working on a solution to the BCS system and the playoff system completes a six month review period.  The issue was taken up after fans have been complaining about the BCS system fr years.  Under the current system the Number 1 and 2 team meet in the final game of the season for the championship.  The current system has been heavily criticized for years.  Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have called for it to be changed, a Political Action Committee was formed to lobby against it and the Justice Department recently was pursuing an anti-trust investigation into the system. President Obama has even called for a playoff.

Under the new system, No. 1 will play No. 4, and No. 2 will play No. 3 on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The sites of those games will rotate among the four current BCS bowls — Rose, Orange, Fiesta and Sugar — and two more to be determined.

The winners will advance to the championship on the first Monday in January that is six or more days after the last semifinal. The first championship Monday is set for Jan. 12, 2015.

The current BCS system is in place until 2013 because of a deal with ESPN.  The commissioners are looking for a television partner to ensure the new system will be around for at least 12 years.

College Football To Get Playoffs In 2014…Finally! is a post from: The Inquisitr

The BCS is on the way out as college football is one step closer to a playoff system.

Commissioners from BCS schools and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick endorsed a four-team playoff model that would begin in the 2014 season, ESPN reported. The commissioners’ plan must still be approved by the BCS presidential oversight committee, which meets at the end of June.

The new playoff system would replace the current BCS system, which has been in place since 1998 and brought a considerable amount of controversy to the sport. Under the new proposal, the four participants would be selected by a committee using criteria like conference championships and strength of schedule, ESPN reported.

The national semifinal games would be played using existing BCS bowl games on a rotating basis, and the national championship game itself would be modeled after college basketball’s Final Four with the game awarded to different cities each year.

Even the name Bowl Championship Series would likely be retired with the new model, the Associated Press reported.

”We are excited to be on the threshold of creating a new postseason structure for college football that builds on the great popularity of our sport,” the Associated Press quoted Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick.

The BCS commissioners have been working on the plan since January and met this week for four hours to finalize details of the plan. All 11 commissioners stood together at the announcement of the new plan.

”I think we’re very unified,” said Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany in the AP report.

Even Delany’s involvement shows a massive momentum shift toward the playoff system, the report noted. For years he had been a defender of the BCS and staunch opponent of a playoff system of any kind.

BCS No More: College Football Moving Toward Four-Team Playoff System is a post from: The Inquisitr

Was the Vandy coach being too randy?

James Franklin, the head coach of Vanderbilt University’s football team, apparently has an interesting screening process for potential assistant coach applicants. Forget a strong resume and a solid interview:  He wants to meet the wives to make sure they are attractive enough to qualify as  “Division 1″ recruits.

As reported by multiple media sources, Franklin went on a local Nashville radio station and said the following:

I’ve been saying it for a long time, I will not hire an assistant until I see his wife.  If she looks the part and she’s a D1 recruit, then you got a chance to get hired. That’s part of the deal.  There’s a very strong correlation between having the confidence, going up and talking to a women, and being quick on your feet and having some personality and confidence and being articulate and confident, than it is walking into a high school and recruiting a kid and selling him.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Franklin got his inspiration from the film MoneyBall where a baseball scout opines that “Ugly girlfriend means no confidence.”

Franklin’s off-the-cuff comments apparently got him into hot water, however, and he tweeted an apology today:

My foot doesn’t taste good, I hope I did not offend any1, I love & respect ALL,have a great day, enjoy the fam & don’t forget 2 #AnchorDown

James Franklin, who played college ball at East Stroudsburg State (Penn.), was the the offensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting from 2009 to 2010 at the University of Maryland before he accepted the head coaching job at Vandy.

Do you think the comments by the former offensive coordinator were offensive?

Vanderbilt Football Coach James Franklin: My Assistant Coaches Must Have Hot Wives is a post from: The Inquisitr

Joe Paterno spent 61-years coaching at Penn State and for his efforts he earned $13.4 million in state pension funds.

Sue Paterno, the widow of the late Joe Paterno said through her spokesman on Tuesday that the family would receive a single payment of $10.1 million from the state of Pennsylvania by the end of May with the remaining $3.3 million to be paid out over the next two years.

Joe Paterno’s retirement pension was fairly easy to figure out by applying his earned income over his time at Penn State and then applying that earned income to the State Employees’ Retirement System which pays out equal amounts to all employees based on their state paid income levels.

After receiving the rather large pension the Paterno family plans to donate $1.5 million to Penn State-related and State College-area charities.

Paterno began his coaching career at Penn State in 1950 and he took over the program in 1966 where he remained head coach until he was fired last year by school officials in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal that involved at least 10 children.

Penn State proceeded to pay Joe Paterno a $1.02 million compensation package last year. Paterno’s last payment did not include any type of endorsement deals. Paterno’s compensation package was actually rather small in comparison to other coaches such as Alabama’s Nick Saban who netted $4.6 million per year and Bob Stoops of Oklahoma and his $4 million.

Joe Paterno claimed throughout his career that he could care less about the money, in fact the Paterno family had given back nearly $9 million to Penn State and other local charities during his time at the university. The Penn State library bears the name of the Paterno family after they donated almost $4 million for its construction.

Joe Paterno’s State Pension Worth $13.4 Million is a post from: The Inquisitr

According to the report, Smith — who took over Weber State’s head coaching spot back in December only to quit this month — agreed to a deal that will pay him $850,000 over 10 months to lead the Razorbacks.

Prior to Weber State, 69-year-old Smith was Arkansas’ special teams coordinator/outside linebackers coach under Bobby Petrino from 2009-11.

Petrino was fired earlier this month after his scandalous relationship with Razorbacks’ staff member Jessica Dorrell was uncovered following a motorcycle accident involving the pair.

“I am extremely pleased to welcome Coach John L. Smith back to the Razorback program as our new head football coach,” Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long said in a press release. “Coach Smith brings a wealth of football knowledge, BCS conference head coaching experience, passion for the game and a close familiarity with the current team and coaching staff. I firmly believe that his selection is in the best interests of the young men in our program and will also best serve the mission of our football program and university in achieving success on and off the field in the upcoming season and in the long term.”

Before coaching at Arkansas, Smith had head coaching stints at Idaho, Utah State, Louisville and Michigan State. He has produced a 132-86 overall record to go with six conference champions (two Conference USA, two Big West and two Big Sky).

News of Smith’s hiring spread quickly over the web and some of his former Razorbacks players responded with their approval on Twitter.

“The happiest day of my life,” Arkansas running back Knile Davis tweeted. “Hearing that John L. Smith is coming back to (Fayetteville) to (be) our head coach.”

Petrino also weighed in on his former assistant’s new gig:

“I think Jeff Long made a great hire,” the former Razorbacks’ coach said in a statement, which was released through his agent, Russ Campbell. “While there were several outstanding internal candidates, John L. brings a lot of head coaching experience to the table that will help Arkansas transition. He will unify the staff, the team and the Razorback fan base. I wish Coach Smith, his staff and the Arkansas football team the very best.”

ESPN’s Rod Gilmore and Joe Schad discuss John L. Smith’s hiring at Arkansas to replace Bobby Petrino in the video below:

John L. Smith Replaces Bobby Petrino as Head Coach at Arkansas is a post from: The Inquisitr

Joe Paterno’s family rejected a recent offer by Penn State officials that would have renamed “Beaver Stadium” as “Joe Paterno Stadium.” Under terms of the deal the Paterno family would have waived all rights to sue the university for firing Joe Paterno following the Jerry Sandusky scandal made national news.

JoePa during his career had made it perfectly clear that renaming the studio wasn’t important to him although his family said this week that it would still be “a tremendous and humbling honor.”

Despite its failure to be granted the lawsuit release the university this week handed over more than $5.5 million to the Paterno family. That money included more than $3 million in bonuses that spanned Paterno’s last season, bowl game and his entire career.  While we initially reported that the Paterno family received $5.7 million, a new report places the amount of money received closer to $6.7 million, including revenue from TV and Radio syndication for Penn State games.

Joe Paterno died at the age of 85 after suffering with lung cancer. Paterno’s death came nearly two-and-a-half months after Jerry Sandusky was accused of sex abuse against at least 10 underage boys. Joe Paterno served as the head coach at Penn State for 46 seasons and after his firing many of the universities students and staff got behind the coach to voice their disapproval with the universities decision.

In speaking about the families payout lawyer Wick Sollers said a settlement had not been released and that the money paid was “a straightforward payment of moneys indisputably owed to the Paterno estate. The university had requested the family agree to a full release in return for the payments under the contract. That request was declined and no release was signed.”

Joe Paterno’s Family Rejected Stadium Naming Deal is a post from: The Inquisitr

Long-time Penn State coach Joe Paterno passed away in January and now his estate has received $5.7 million from his former employer, the very university that fired JoePa for failure to properly report Jerry Sandusky for suspected sexual assault against children, even though Paterno had directly reported Sandusky to school officials.

The $5.7 million includes the remaining part of the Joe Paterno contract with the university, including a $3 million retirement bonus that was amended onto Joe Paterno’s contract in 2011, prior to the Jerry Sandusky case being blown wide open.

Also included in the $5.7 million worth of payments is $1,000 per month which will be paid to Paterno’s widow for the rest of her life and an additional $900,000 in TV and radio revenue generated under Joe Paterno’s leadership.

While Joe Paterno left under a cloud of investigations the universities officials ultimately decided to pay his full contract, likely because of pressure from student, alumni and even some faculty members who believe JoePa was turned into a scapegoat by a University board that failed to act on several complaints against Jerry Sandusky over the years.

In honoring the contract in full a Penn State spokesman says it ”recognized coach Paterno’s decades-long contributions to our football program and to the entire university.”

In the meantime the case of Jerry Sandusky continues on as he fights charges that he molested 10 boys including eight on campus and five in the Penn State football headquarters.

Do you think Penn State made the right decision in honoring the full extent of Joe Paterno’s contract?

Joe Paterno Estate Given $5.7 Million is a post from: The Inquisitr

Four members of the Texas Christian University men’s football team were among eighteen students arrested at the University on Wednesday for their part in selling drugs on campus.

The TCU football team was ranked in the Top 25 college teams in the country last year and among those arrested were two defensive starters from last years squad along with a junior linebacker who sat out most of 2011 with an injury. The players include Tanner Brock, 21; junior defensive tackle D.J. Yendrey, 20; junior safety Devin Johnson, 21; and sophomore offensive tackle Ty Horn, 21.

According to police the men were selling marijuana, cocaine, Ecstasy, acid and various other prescription medicine. The arrests occurred after undercover officers completed a six-month investigation which was launched after receiving complaints of on-campus drug activity.

TCU Police Chief Steve McGee told reporters:

“There is no doubt that all of those arrested today are drug dealers. These individuals engaged in hand-to-hand delivery for money with undercover agents.”

TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini says the students have been “separated” from TCU for the time being while adding:

“What they did, to be honest, is simply unacceptable. This behavior, when reported, is never tolerated at our university.”

University officials are still investigating the arrests alongside University police.

The group of students were very well organized, working in groups that were connected to one another.

The TCU football team went 11-2 last season and is now preparing for it’s first season in the Big 12 conference.

Do you think a week will ever go by again when a college football team isn’t in the media for random illegal acts?

TCU Football Players Arrested For Dealing Drugs is a post from: The Inquisitr

Yale star quarterback Patrick J. Witt announced several months ago that he turned down a Rhodes Scholarship interview to play in his teams rivalry match against Harvard University, now it turns out that a sexual assault claim filed against Witt may have been his reason for missing out on the scholarship.

According to the New York Times a female student filed a complaint with Yale’s Committee on Sexual Misconduct which led to his interview with the Rhodes Scholarship Trust being suspended during the investigation.

No police report was ever filed regarding the case and an official report was never made to the university. Witt is no longer taking classes as he writes his final student thesis in order to earn his undergraduate degree.

The Rhodes Scholarship fallout isn’t the only negative news for the University, Yale’s football coach Tom Williams resigned last month after the Yale University officials found that he lied about accomplishments on his resume, a fact that was discovered after he told Witt that he missed his own Rhodes Scholarship chance to play in a game during his time as a college football player.

In the meantime Yale is already dealing with an official  US Department of Education for its handling of sex harassment and discrimination complaints that have occurred on campus over the year, specifically those charged against the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity where Witt was a member.

Do you think Yale needs to better verify facts about students and employees in order to control the Universities image?

Sexual Assault, Not Harvard Game, Kept Yale Quarterback From Rhodes Scholarship is a post from: The Inquisitr

Penn State football legend Joe Paterno will be laid to rest this week and his family has announced that his funeral will be preceded by a two-day viewing and a public memorial this week on the Penn State Campus.

At this time it’s still not clear who will be invited to the Thursday memorial service at Bryce Jordan Center however the facility is able to hold up to 16,000 people.

A large show of support is likely as many students, faculty and alumni have voice their support for Paterno after the University fired him to cover their own lack of proper investigative measures following the outbreak of the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal for which Paterno had reported issues many years prior.

The public viewing will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday and will be located in a campus spiritual center, that viewing will be proceeded with a private funeral for family and friends on Wednesday afternoon.

In remembrance of Joe Paterno, 85, who died on Sunday of complications from Lung Cancer Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett ordered that all flags at the state Capitol and state facilities be flown at half-staff until sunset on Thursday.

In the meantime the legacy of Joe Paterno rages on at Penn State and can be felt at “moment of silence” events around the campus. Talk has also heated up that Beaver Stadium be renamed “Joe Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium” an idea school officials have toyed with for the last several years.

Do you think Joe Paterno deserves the full support of the University and it’s Football following fans?

Joe Paterno’s Family Sets Memorial and Funeral Dates, Will Offer Two-Day Viewing is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno is finally speaking out about the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal that has rocked the University and eventually led to Paterno being fired from the school where he led as head coach for 61 years.

Paterno sat down with the Washington Post this week where he was wheelchair-bound after breaking his pelvis and succumbing to chemotherapy.

According to Paterno he heard of the charges in 2002 when assistant coach Mike McQueary told him about a boy being fondled by Sandusky in the Penn State showers.

“You know, he didn’t want to get specific,” Paterno said. “And to be frank with you I don’t know that it would have done any good, because I never heard of, of, rape and a man. So I just did what I thought was best.”

Paterno goes on to note that he setup a meeting between school officials and McQueary where the act of s0domy was described in greater detail. JoePa then says he left the case alone to be dealt with by school officials.

“The courts are taking care of it, the legal system is taking care of it,” he said.

Despite being fired Paterno doesn’t appear to harbor any resentment against the University and revealed a recent donation of  $100,000 to the school.

Paterno also reveals in the interview that he refuses to walk away from Penn State “bitter” and noted that he finds the whole Jerry Sandusky issue “sickening. … I’d get a bunch of guys and say let’s go punch somebody in the nose.”

Paterno’s full interview has drawn praise and criticism by various factions:

Do you think Penn State was right in firing Joe Paterno or did he do what was necessary by alerting school officials and requesting an investigation?

Joe Paterno Finally Speaks Out About Penn State Sex Scandal is a post from: The Inquisitr

Alabama on Thursday was dealt not one, not two but three blows when All-American underclassmen Trent Richardson, Dont’a Hightower and Dre Kirkpatrick announced that they would leave the school and try their luck in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Speaking of his decision Richardson said:

”To leave a legacy like me and Dre have left here, to have two national championships in three years, I think that’s pretty big for us and our family and for the University of Alabama.”

Both Richardson and Kirkpatrick are favorites to be picked in the first round and held a news conference to announce their decisions while Hightower, also a possible  first round pick choice chose to issue a written statement.

For his part Richardson was a dynamic force on the Alabama team, setting the schools single-season rushing record with 1,679 yards and the touchdown record with 21 end zone celebrations. Richardson along with Kirkpatrick were All-America selections while Kirkpatrick was selected as a second-teamer.

News of the mass exodus comes just three days after the Tide defeated LSU 21-0. During that victory Richardson ran for 96 yards and scored the games only touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Hightower was also a presence for Alabama this year with a team high 85 tackles. After missing most of the 2009 season with a knee injury he was eligible for a fifth season but chose to pass up the option for a chance at NFL glory.

Do you think Alabama will be able to quickly replace their All-American players effectively next season or will the loss of these three men hurt the teams chances at once again defending its championship trophy?

Alabama Loses Trent Richardson, Dont’a Hightower and Dre Kirkpatrick To NFL Draft is a post from: The Inquisitr