(H/T: @NationalsPR)

With the encouragement of Texas A&M alum Davy Johnson, Manziel drove a pitch deep and out of the park — well not technically out of the park but give it a few days and die-hards will re-tell the story as Manziel hitting the ball clear across six counties. But in all seriousness, Manziel showed that he’s not a one trick pony after all and his home run is yet another thing to enter into his lore.

Manziel was seen hanging out with Johnson, who played a single season at Texas A&M in the early 1960s before signing with the Baltimore Orioles and kicking off his baseball career. Manziel is the current star at A&M, as the Aggies are entering this season with high hopes after the way the Heisman Trophy winner took college football by storm.

A repeat performance of last season is exactly what Aggies fans like Johnson and so many others would love to see. It’s a tall order to follow up a season that saw Manziel become the first ever freshman to win the Heisman, but he definitely possesses the skills to do so. Manziel will be one of the most watched player this college football season, but if things don’t work out he could always skip the NFL and try his hand at baseball.

Mar 22, 2013; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach Nick Saban speaks on behalf of all coaches after Bill Battle (not shown) is introduced as the athletic director for the Alabama Crimson Tide athletics department at the Mal M. Moore Athletic Building. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

The SEC is without a doubt the power conference to end all power conferences in college football. There was some rumblings a few years ago that the Pac-12 may be the power conference of the future, but Nick Saban and his Alabama Crimson Tide have led the way in the SEC and have helped make it the football factory it is.

But Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops doesn’t share that sentiment, and he called the notion that the SEC is the best conference in football, “propaganda”.

While there are schools like LSU and head coaches like Les Miles who are talented and have outstanding programs, it’s Alabama and Nicks Saban who are the ambassadors of the conference, and their message to Bob Stoops and the rest of college football is simple: I don’t care.

“I’ve got more important things to do than sit around and read what Bob Stoops has to say about anything,” Saban said, via Anniston Star reporter Mark Edwards.

Of course, Saban has a point in that he’s he head coach of the National Champions and he’s going for a third straight title while Bob Stoops and the Sooners haven’t been relevant for years, let alone the crippled Big 12 they’re apart of. Stoops calling out Saban and the SEC is laughable but it goes to show how serious college football is, even in the offseason.

Stoops’ “propaganda” remarks sounds like mid-season bulletin board material, but he’s making a fatal mistake. It’s one thing to tick off Nick Saban and Alabama but Stoops kind of got hung-ho and  just bashed an entire conference. So not only is the remark about Alabama, but it’s directed at Georgia, Florida, LSU, Texas A&M and everyone in between.

I believe the phrase is you bit off a little more than you can chew.

Mar 27, 2013; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks former player Marcus Lattimore makes a reception during pro day in Columbia. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

When the San Francisco 49ers selected Marcus Lattimore in the NFL Draft a week ago, it sort of surprised people in a way that wasn’t really surprising. It was a bit shocking that the Niners took a running back as high as they did, given they have Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, Anthony Dixon and LaMicheal James on roster. But with Gore aging and James not really being a featured back type of player, the Niners ended up making a surprising move look absolutely brilliant.

It was understood when he was drafted that Lattimore would still need more time to heal, which is why being selected by the Niners was so brilliant. With Gore and James playing, Lattimore could realistically sit out the entire 2013 season in order to heal up as much as he needs to.

While that’s not something that has been confirmed, the former South Carolina running back is expected to start the season on the non-football injury list, per CSN Bay Area’s early projections of the 49ers opening day roster.

This takes into consideration that Lattimore is expected to be placed on “non-football injury” to open training camp. If he remains on that list to open the regular season, he would not take up one of the team’s 53 roster spots.

For fans wanting to see Lattimore make an epic recovery from the nasty knee injury he suffered back in October of 2012, hearing that he won’t start opening day is a bit disappointing. But for those who know Lattimore needs more time, the news is almost music to their ears. On paper, the plan makes an mazing amount of success but it’s not guaranteed to work.

Still, it’s clear the 49ers are taking every precaution they can to ensure that Lattimore is ready when they need him and that he will have a full and fruitful NFL career.

January 1,2013; Tampa, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half of the 2013 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. South Carolina won 33-28. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The SEC is set to soon launch their 24-hour television network with an announcement coming today. The network is going to be huge in terms of generating revenue for the conference through the media, so it should come as no surprise that part of the discussion on the revenue front will come back to compensating athletes for their performance.

No one has been as outspoken on the issue and as supportive of paying players as South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier.

Spurrier once again stood up and banged the table in his effort to show support of the idea with the announcement of the SEC Network just hours away.

“As the commissioner and the presidents and the athletic directors all say, we are going to make a whole lot more money,” Spurrier said, via The State’s Josh Kendall. “My question is, ‘When are we going to start giving a little bit of it to the performers?’ Football and basketball players. It won’t do any good probably, but I’m going to still keep yelling for them. They bring in an awful lot of money for all of us.”

Spurrier believes that as revenue generated from the athletic programs rises the athletes should be given a chunk of the change that they are responsible for.

Quite frankly, we have to agree.

Athletes are putting their futures on the line when they step on to the field. Yes, they are receiving a free education, but one unfortunate injury could force them to potentially miss out on millions of dollars down the road, while the university is bringing in millions of dollars for their own benefit while the player sees none of that money. It appears to be twisted logic and very unfair, so it is nice to see someone like Spurrier standing up for the players.

This is a debate that will not be going away anytime soon, so we would like to hear your thoughts on the issue.

Do players deserve to be compensated for their play? Why or why not? Sound off in the comments section and share your thoughts.

[H/T: CBS Sports]

Sep 1, 2012; Oxford, MS, USA; Ole Miss Rebels flag displayed prior to the game against the Central Arkansas Bears at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

For the seventh year in a row, the Southeastern Conference has dominated the NFL Draft. It should come as no surprise with the conference’s stranglehold on college football, but it just goes to show how impressive the level of talent in the SEC really is.

It is not the media hyping up the conference, it is simply the coaches recruited elite talent to play at the highest level college football has to offer.

A total of 63 players — almost 25 percent of the players drafted in 2013 — hailed from the SEC. Out of the 63 players selected, 33 were drafted within the first 99 picks, including ten first-round selections.

While the SEC dominated the draft, there was only one school in the conference that did not have a single player selected — Ole Miss.

Of course, when you check out the impressive recruiting class the Rebels were able to put together this season it is only a matter of time until they get back to producing top level talent. The fact that the university produced no NFL Draft selections this year just makes the ability to recruit the level of talent they did that much more impressive.

In 2014, it is very likely that the SEC will once again be the most prominent division in the NFL Draft, but will the Rebels be able to join the party? You would have to believe so.

Dec 3, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detail view of the SEC logo before the 2011 SEC championship game between the LSU Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

We continue to hear that the Southeastern Conference is the most dominating in college football and we can see that with their string of BCS National Championship victories. But just how good is the SEC? All you need to do is look at the 2013 NFL Draft results.

For the past few years, the Southeastern Conference has dominated the draft from top to bottom, but this year it is more evident than ever.

After three rounds of draft selections, the SEC has an unbelievable thirty-two draft picks. Yes, 32 of the first 97 picks in the 2013 NFL Draft came from the best conference in college football. Just to put that in perspective, that is an entire round of players drafted from one conference. That is dominance.

This just goes to show that if you want to improve your skills on the field in your college career and you want to have a legitimate shot at making it to the next level, performing in the SEC prepares you the most and gives you the best shot at success.

Here are the thirty-two players from the Southeastern Conference that were drafted in the first-three rounds (alphabetical order by last name):

• Johnthan Banks, cornerback, Mississippi State — Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Round 2
• Jon Bostic, linebacker, Florida — Chicago Bears — Round 2
• Knile Davis, running back, Arkansas — Kansas City Chiefs — Round 3
• Matt Elam, safety, Florida — Baltimore Ravens — Round 1
• Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle, Florida — Minnesota Vikings — Round 1
• DJ Fluker, offensive tackle, Alabama — San Diego Chargers — Round 1
• Zavier Gooden, linebacker, Missouri — Tennessee Titans — Round 3
• Justin Hunter, wide receiver, Tennessee — Tennessee Titans — Round 2
• John Jenkins, defensive tackle, Georgia — New Orleans Saints — Round 3
• Luke Joeckel, offensive tackle, Texas A&M — Jacksonville Jaguars — Round 1
• Jarvis Jones, linebacker, Georgia — Pittsburgh Steelers — Round 1
• Eddie Lacy, running back, Alabama — Green Bay Packers — Round 2
• Corey Lemonier, defensive end, Auburn — San Francisco 49ers — Round 3
• Bennie Logan, defensive tackle, LSU — Philadelphia Eagles — Round 3
• Tyrann Mathieu, defensive back, LSU — Arizona Cardinals — Round 3
• Christine Michael, running back, Texas A&M — Seattle Seahawks — Round 2
• Dee Milliner, cornerback, Alabama — New York Jets — Round 1
• Barkevious Mingo, outside linebacker, LSU — Cleveland Browns — Round 1
• Kevin Minter, linebacker, LSU — Arizona Cardinals — Round 2
• Sam Montgomery, defensive end, LSU — Houston Texans — Round 3
• Damontre Moore, defensive end, Texas A&M — New York Giants — Round 3
• Alec Ogletree, linebacker, Georgia — St. Louis Rams — Round 1
• Cordarrelle Patterson, wide receiver, Tennessee — Minnesota Vikings — Round 1
• Jordan Reed, tight end, Florida — Washington Redskins — Round 3
• Eric Reid, safety, LSU — San Francisco 49ers — Round 1
• Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle, Missouri — New York Jets — Round 1
• Darius Slay, cornerback, Mississippi State — Detroit Lions — Round 2
• DJ Swearinger, safety, South Carolina — Houston Texans — Round 2
• Dallas Thomas, offensive tackle, Tennessee — Miami Dolphins — Round 3
• Larry Warford, guard, Kentucky — Detroit Lions — Round 3
• Chance Warmack, guard, Alabama — Tennessee Titans — Round 1
• Shawn Williams, safety, Georgia — Cincinnati Bengals — Round 3

Congratulations to all of the young men who had their dream come true over the first two days of the draft. There are still many more to come.

Jan 9, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; LSU Tigers cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (7) against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first half of the 2012 BCS National Championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

One of the names being closely watched heading into the draft is that of ex-LSU Tiger safety Tyrann Mathieu. After adopting the nickname “Honey Badger” and taking college football by storm, Mathieu hit rock bottom and ended up getting kicked off the football team at LSU for failing multiple drug tests. Mathieu claims to have failed as many as ten tests while at LSU, but one test he didn’t fail took place at the NFL Combine back in March.

According to NFL Network’s Albert Greer, Mathieu passed his drug test in Indianapolis a month ago, which is a gigantic step in the right direction for the troubled young prospect.

Fairly significant development for him personally — ex-LSU CB Tyrann Mathieu did indeed pass his combine drug test.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 23, 2013

Mahtieu has a lot of question marks entering the draft, but his skill set and his talent is something teams aren’t overlooking. Right now Mathieu is viewed as amid-round pick, but he could go as high as the late second, early third round the way players are slipping and sliding in the final days before the draft starts.

Teams like the Minnesota Vikings have an eye on Mathieu, and the New England Patriots are alway candidates to steal prospects like Mathieu right before someone who wants him can get him.

He can return the ball, he can play defense and he can help you win. The only question for Mathieu is can he keep his head on straight long enough to see any of that through? Mathieu’s passed drug test at the combine is a giant cup full of confidence and good faith that he can, or at least seems motivated enough to try.

(H/T; Deadspin)

D.J. Fluker came mighty close to a colossal screw up on Tuesday morning. The NFL Draft is right around the corner, but players still have ample time to mess up their potential draft status by doing and saying stupid things. Sam Montgomery already fell victim to the latter, stating that he took easy games off while at LSU. Now a fellow SEC lineman is in potentially hot water after a late night tweet sent short lived shockwaves though the sports world.

Alabama tackle D.J. Fluker, a first-round prospect, tweeted early Tuesday morning that he accepted payment while playing with the Crimson Tide. This is obviously a direct violation of NCAA rules and would result in serious sanctions against Alabama. But almost as soon as it was tweeted, the message was deleted and Fluker’s agent issued a statement saying his client had been hacked, and we should all ignore the tweet that was sent out.

To all followers of @djfluker76 his account has been hacked. We will rue activate his account after the draft.

— Deryk Gilmore (@DerykGilmore) April 23, 2013

It’s probably best to give Fluker the benefit of the doubt in this situation. Not only would it be one of the stupidest things a person could do, the tweet didn’t jive with everything else the supposed real D.J. Fluker had been tweeting up until then. No less than an hour before the tweet, Fluker spelled ‘what’ the right way and there has been no instances of misspelling the word prior to the bogus tweet.

And as far as the hacked tweet starting an investigation into Alabama’s recruiting practices just to make sure nothing’s going on, you forget that the NCAA would investigate itself before it investigated Alabama for anything. It’s the NCAA, when did it start being mistaken for a legitimate organization?

Fluker’s tweet, whether it was real or not — and it’s almost certain it was just a hacked tweet — wouldn’t have effected his standing with NFL teams a whole lot, as much like the NCAA, teams could care less if an Alabama player took money to play at the university.

Dec 3, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; A detailed view of an SEC logo on a yard marker during the first half of the 2011 SEC championship game between the LSU Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The Southeastern Conference and ESPN were expected to announce their new television network on Tuesday, but because of the unfortunate tragedy in Boston on Monday afternoon the press conference has been postponed. Every time that there is an incident that rocks the nation, sports take a back seat and this situation is no different.

An announcement will still be made in the coming days for the SEC Network; it just won’t happen today.

ESPN and the SEC released a joint statement about the postponement of Tuesday’s press conference:

“In light of the tragedy in Boston today, we have decided to postpone Tuesday’s SEC/ESPN press conference in Atlanta. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected by these horrible events.”

It is a decision that can wait.

We have known that the SEC Network is coming for awhile, so the delay of an official announcement doesn’t change a thing.

Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to all of those who were affected by the Boston Marathon bombings.

Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Rams lost veteran running back Steven Jackson this offseason when they allowed him to test free agent waters and eventually sign with the Atlanta Falcons. But they Rams really don’t have a contingency plan in place to fill Jackson’s massive shoes, and according to St. Louis Dispatch beat writer Jim Thomas, Alabama Crimson Tide running back Eddie Lacy may be the guy the Rams lean on moving forward.

“The Rams like him,” Thomas said in a chat session with St. Louis Rams fans on the St. Louis Dispatch‘s site. “Personally, I’d have no problem taking Lacy at 22.”

Lacy has begun to crack first round mock drafts recently ever since NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. placed Lacy in the first round towards the end of last month. Since then, Lacy has been projected to go to anyone from the Cincinnati Bengals to the Green Bay Packers, but Thomas believes that Rams will entertain the idea of drafting him with their second first round pick.

In addition to Lacy, Thomas listed a slew of offensive players when asked who the Rams are looking at drafting. The only defensive player mentioned was Texas safety Kenny Vaccaro, who is slowly starting to creep into the top-15 and stay there in terms of his value. Thomas says the Rams may lean towards Vaccaro but he’s still unsure of where they stand with him.

The moral of the story seems to be that the Rams are going to focus on upgrading their offense this year, which makes loads of sense. The defense could use some improvements, but overall it’s a solid unit that can make-do with what it has right now. The offense if a different story and needs to get up to par with where the defense is heading, otherwise Jeff Fisher and company are going to be in a situation where half the team is carrying the other half, and when it’s the defense carrying the offense, rarely does that ever work in the NFL.

Mandatory Credit: Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports

The Alabama Crimson Tide without a doubt have the best college football team in the entire country, but the same cannot be said about their basketball counterparts. Despite some late season heroics, the Crimson Tide’s dreams of March Madness look grim after a devastating loss to the Florida Gators in the SEC semifinals.

Had they beaten the Gators, and it looked like they might have been able to early in the game, Alabama would have greatly increased their chances of making the big dance. But the Crimson Tide blew a halftime lead and ultimately the game to the SEC regular season champs and their hopes of making it to the NCAA tournament hang in the balance, and it’s not the good end of the scale.

One thing that will seal the fate of the Tide would be a win by the Ole Miss Rebels in their SEC semifinal game against Vanderbilt as the Rebels remain the most likely bubble team to get an invitation to the NCAA tournament based on how they’ve played overall this season.

As for the Gators, Florida trailed at halftime and couldn’t penetrate the Tide’s stout defense early on in the game, but Billy Donovan’s squad showed their resilience as they were able to comeback. The win propels the Gators into the SEC Championship game and raises their seed stock for the NCAA tournament, which will be officially selected on Sunday.

Florida doesn’t need to worry about making it to the big dance, but the Tide may be NIT bound after their latest loss, unless some magic madness comes their way between now and Sunday’s selection.

Dec 3, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detail view of the SEC logo before the 2011 SEC championship game between the LSU Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The Southeastern Conference is the most dominating conference in college football and they have a strong presense all throughout collegiate sports. Now, with their dominance a great opportunity for increased revenue, the conference is ready to launch a new revenue machine. SEC commissioner Mike Slive announced on Thursday that the conference would be announcing the launch of their new television network in the spring, per Yahoo! Sports.

Specifically, an announcement for the television network should be coming in mid-April.

“Our focus for now is on our tournament and the NCAA tournament,” Slive told Yahoo! Sports in their report. “We will make a formal announcement about the SEC Network in mid-April.”

The speculation surrounding the soon to be SEC network is that the conference will be partnering with ESPN in an effort to maximize their revenue, but the conference would still hold a slightly larger share. The network is expected to generate tens of millions of dollars, thanks in large part to the SEC football powerhouses.

With the recent success of the Big Ten Network and Longhorn Network, there is no reason to believe that the SEC Network will not be just as successful.

Are you excited for the launch of the SEC TV network and will you be watching? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

The Alabama Crimson Tide repeated as National Champions back in January but things apparently weren’t as easy as they appeared. Despite Rolling Tide all the way to a title, Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron played the last six games of the college football season, including the SEC and National Championship games, with a rib injury.

“I had three ribs come out of place,” McCarron told ESPN.com earlier this week. “They kept popping in and out of place, the one at the top, and it was just a nagging pain the whole time.”

McCarron said that he suffered the injury all the way back on October 27th in a game against Mississippi State which explains why he looked so mortal against the LSU Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies. The game after suffering the rib injury, McCarron struggled through much of Alabama’s game against LSU before leading them back to win. The following game, things didn’t go as swimmingly as the Tide dropped their first and only game of the season in a loss to Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M.

“I couldn’t throw much during the week for a long time, really almost up to the bowl game,” McCarron admitted. “I was hurting really bad through the week, and it just took a long time for those ribs to heal.”

McCarron said that the five weeks between winning the SEC Championship and playing in the BCS National Championship allowed him to heal but he still wasn’t 100 percent when the Tide took on the Notre Dame Irish. However, McCarron played one of his best games of the season against the Irish, throwing for four touchdowns in the win.

“When it first happened, I still tried to throw some so our timing wouldn’t fall off that much in our passing game,” McCarron said. “That’s one of the things that kind of put a damper on our passing game a little. I was injured, and we had so many receivers injured, so it was hard to do a whole lot in practice. That kind of threw us off a little, but we still kept it going.”

Barring another injury, McCarron and the Tide will be going for a historic three-peat this season but as he proved in 2012 even if his ribs aren’t in the right place inside his body, nothing can stop McCarron or the Crimson Tide.

Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Of the many stories heading into the NFL Draft, one surrounds a familiar theme with a once recognizable face. The tale of the star athlete who succumb to a life of drugs and ruined his NFL career in the process isn’t new, but in 2013 ex-LSU Tigers star Tyrann Mathieu is the face of the story and he’s admitting that his foolish past has cost him millions of dollars.

The former All-American was kicked off LSU’s football team this year before the season started and spiraled out of control. Mathieu’s drug habit was the issue that caused him to be banned from playing football and was the reason he dropped out of school to attend rehab. However in October, months after apologizing and attending rehab, Mathieu was arrested for possession of Marijuana and it appeared as though he’d never get his act together.

Despite all the hardships, Mahtieu declared for the NFL Draft and told scouts that he hasn’t used pot or drugs of any kind since his arrest back in October of 2012.

“I’ve been to rehab. I’ve been to counseling. I have a sponsor,” he said Sunday. “I’m surrounding myself with people who want to do what I want to do, which is be a football player. To go back down that road? Not a chance in this world. Not a chance in this lifetime. I’ve got to be the best person that Tyrann can be.”

Mathieu said that he lost “millions” due to his drug use, not because he was spending that much but because his use derailed what could have been a college career that led to a first round draft selection. Right not Mathieu is projected as a mid-third round pick.

“A lot of the things that I put before football, was really not fun anymore without football,” he said. “So once I get football back in my life, I want to approach things a little bit different and hopefully have a better outcome.”

There’s a good chance Mathieu slips in the draft due to his character issues but he’s going to be drafted at some point in April. When he was still as LSU he displayed the skills teams look for in a top notch defensive back, as Mathieu made plays, tormented offenses and was even one of the country’s best kick returners — both in college and in the NFL.

So at the very least he’ll be drafted as a return specialist, but chances are someone takes a chance on the young man in an attempt to set his life straight and get a potential steal in the draft.

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest college football talker over the past week has surrounded South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and his struggle to decide if he should play the 2013 season and risk a career altering injury or sit it out and play it safe. One of the main motivating factors in Clowney wanting to sit out the 2013 season is what happened to teammate and friend Marcus Lattimore.

Had Lattimore not suffered a grueling injury in October, he would likely be a first round lock for this April’s draft and wouldn’t have fallen past the second round. But because of that injury, Lattimore is know a late-round pick at best and has cost himself hundreds of thousands of dollars. But while Lattimore is a cautionary tale, he says he’s cool with the NCAA rule that says no college player can enter the NFL Draft until he’s three years removed from high school — a rule that blocked Clowney from entering this year’s draft.

“I feel like it’s more of a maturity thing, as far as waiting three years,” Lattimore told NFL.com. “I feel like it’s fair, I really do. I feel like three years is the right thing to do. It’s a matter of maturing, getting stronger. If you leave after your second year, you’re 19 years old playing against 30 year olds.”

Lattimore said he was okay with having to play another season of college football due to the rule, even if he thought he was ready to make the leap to the NFL last season. He said that Clowney may be frustrated by the rule, but it’s the nature of the beast and it won’t make Clowney any less attractive to NFL teams next year.

“He’s a great player,” Lattimore said. “He’s going to be the No. 1 pick overall. But he’s a guy that, he can’t sit out a year. That’s what kind of person he is. I mean, he’s not going to miss a year of football.”

Some are arguing against Clowney playing next season, saying his draft stock has topped out and the only place for it to go is down. But no matter what Clowney does this season, one thing is certain: he won’t be the last player to challenge the NCAA rule and every snap he takes at South Carolina next season will be one that has football fans around the world clenching their fists and preparing to avert their eyes.

US PRESSWIRE

Johnny Football took college football by storm last season but we may only get one more year of it before Johnny Football turns pro. According to a report in the San Antonio New-Express, the Texas A&M Aggies are preparing for life after Johnny Manziel, as they’re expecting him to enter the 2014 NFL Draft and ride his streak of success to the highest level.

“With the uncertainty of Johnny’s situation because of the way the NFL is going — his stock is rising,” said Aggies offensive coordinator Clarence McKinney at a Houston A&M Club function this week.

Manziel still has three years of NCAA eligibility left but the Aggies are hardly expecting him to stick around for three full seasons let alone stay through his senior year. There’s no denying the rise of his stock as well, as the mobility of the NFL and it’s future with guys like Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick prove that the league is getting faster and Manziel’s dashing style of play is quickly becoming the norm.

You also have to look at this from Manziel’s standpoint as well. He’s already won a Heisman Trophy, he’s got a bombshell model girlfriend, he’s in the stratosphere of the most popular conference on Earth and he’s got a Cotton Bowl under his belt. The allure of winning a National Championship tends to ground players in college football longer than they otherwise would have stayed — just look at A.J. McCarron who’s going for not one but his third national title this upcoming season.

Consider also that Manziel has already solidified his legacy a A&M by becoming the first freshman in the history of the NCAA to win a Heisman, so anything he accomplishes after this is simply icing on the cake.

Manziel isn’t quite a first round lock at this point in his career but a solid season at A&M in 2013 as well as growth as a passer will help his stock go even higher than it already is. The success of RG3, Wilson and Kaepernick have made teams hungry for that type of mobile quarterback and Manziel has the raw skills of being in that mold.

The quickness of success those three quarterbacks had also greatly help Manziel’s NFL prospects. But college football players that rule the worlds they live in are starving for the highest stage and that’s the NFL, and even if he could use a little more time to develop at the college level, if someone’s going to pay him to play int he NFL Johnny Manziel is not going to think twice about taking that offer.

What we’re left with though, is wondering if Johnny Manziel taking his talents to the NFL after two years at A&M is really that great of an idea.

Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL Draft is just over two months away, and prospects hoping to raise their stock are starting their promotional campaigns to solidify their names with fans and teams throughout the NFL. One guy who doesn’t yet have a set place in the draft order is LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo who is projected to go anywhere between the fifth overall pick to the end of the first round.

But if you ask Mingo what he’s up to, he’ll tell you he’s getting bigger and faster than he ever was before

“The most important thing, I think, to show is that I’ve increased weight — putting on a lot of weight, putting on a lot of size,” Mingo said on NFL AM. “I’m weighing 245 now. I played most of the season at 230.”

Mingo says that despite the weight gain, he’s actually gotten faster and is even more dangerous than he was before. He was getting knocked for not being as powerful as fellow LSU Tiger draft prospect Sam Montgomery, but Mingo is quickly putting those concerns behind him and is adding bulk to his speed and his insanely high ceiling.

“I think I can do it all,” Mingo said. “I’ve been working on linebacking skills, driving back in coverage — that was something I was lacking at LSU. Working on getting my hands better.”

The Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns will be giving Mingo a serious look when they both get on the clock with the fifth and sixth overall picks respectively. But even if Mingo somehow slips past the Lions and Browns, many believe it’s unlikely that he’ll fall any further and that we won’t be available outside of the top-ten.

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

One of the biggest talkers in college football at the moment revolves around what South Carolina standout defensive end Jadeveon Clowney should do for the 2013 season. Some believe he should sit out while other believe he should power through and continue to play. Clowney hasn’t officially made a decision yet but he’s leaning towards one. The Gamecocks’ defensive end is attempting to purchase insurance that would cover him if he’s injured during the 2013 season, meaning he’s leaning towards playing.

Alex Marvez from FOXSports .com reported that Clowney has indeed attempted to purchase insurance in case he’s suffers an injury this season that puts a road block in his NFL future.

Clowney is seeking insurance for his upcoming junior season. Richard “Big Daddy” Salgado, the president of Coastal Advisors LLC, told FOXSports.com that “a member of Clowney’s camp” inquired with his company about obtaining a policy worth as much as $5 million in case of a catastrophic injury that prematurely ends his playing career in 2013. Coastal Advisors has insured and guided 35 other top college prospects over the past 15 years in similar fashion, Salgado said.

“If money was his only goal in life, then he couldn’t play,” Spurrier said. “And he might not get into a car before next year’s draft so he wouldn’t be in a car wreck and get injured. He would be just very, very careful for a year not to have any kind of injury.”

According to reports, Clowney will be looking for $5 million in insurance, but he won’t be taking out insurance on a Marcus Lattimore type of injury. Lattimore’s injury hasn’t ended his career, it has just significantly altered it and therefore since it wasn’t career ending, Clowney would only get a pay out if his injury ended his football career.

The biggest flaw in Clowney’s insurance plan is that if he suffers a career ending injury and gets his $5 million pay out, it’s only a fraction of a fraction of what he’d likely make in his NFL career. Andrew Luck signed a $22.1 million contract for being the No. 1 overall pick last year and he’s well on his way to one day securing a $100 million contract from the Colts. Clowney would be a millionaire if he suffers a career ending injury, but $5 million is salt in the wound compared to what he likely can make if he continues down the career path he’s on.

Insurance is a risky business, as it’s not clear yet who’s going to  pay the premium and insurance companies are better at taking money than they are at paying it out. Just because he’s buying insurance doesn’t mean Clowney is playing with a cozy safety net when it comes to how much money he’ll make in his career.

But at the very least, we now have a pretty clear message as to  what Jadeveon Clowney will do next season, but his 2013 campaign will be one everyone watches with clenched fists.

Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Four Alabama Crimson Tide football players were arrested Monday, three of them on charges of second degree robbery, according to multiple reports. A fourth player was arrested on Monday as well, but for a separate incident. Eddie Williams, Dennis Pettway, Tyler Hayes and Brent Calloway were all arrested and booked on Monday and all have since been released on bond.

Williams was released on $65,000 bond. Hayes and Pettway were released from jail on $60,000 bond. Calloway was released on $5,000 bond. Jail records indicate that they were arrested around midnight and released between 3 and 5 a.m.

- TideSports.com

Second degree robbery is a pretty big deal, as the minimum sentence if convicted is two years with a maximum of 20 years. If a weapon was discovered to have been involved in the crime, a conviction means a minimum of 10 years in prison.

According to BamaHammer.com, Williams, Pettway and Hayes were all booked for robbery while Calloway was booked on a separate charge of using a fraudulent credit card. This is Williams second arrest in as many days, as according to reports, Williams was arrested on Sunday for carrying a pistol without a license.

The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office website notes that Eddie Williams, Dennis Pettway, Tyler Hayes and Brent Calloway were booked on charges of second degree robbery and fraudulent use of a credit card.

- BamaHammer.com

This isn’t Calloway’s first run-in with the law either. A five-star recruit back in 2011, Calloway was arrested for possession of marijuana in October of that same year and many hoped that would serve as a wake up call for the running back. All four of the men are either true freshman or redshirted freshman but they’re likely not going to be on the team much longer.

The chances that Pettway and Hayes remain on the team are a lot higher than Calloway and Williams chances. Two arrests in two years for serious charges is not something to take lightly and while Nick Saban nor the university have spoken publicly on the matter, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what they’re thinking.

Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Last night is was reported that the LSU Tigers were offering Cam Cameron the job of offensive coordinator on Les Miles staff. Today comes word that Cameron has accepted the job as the Tigers new offensive coordinator, per a report from CBS Sports’ Bruce Feldman.

Cameron was infamously fired by the Baltimore Ravens when the team was 9-4 and starting to lose games. Many viewed Cameron as a scapegoat, but there apparently isn’t any bad blood between the coach and his former team. The Ravens went as far as to give Cameron a Super Bowl ring to show they harbored no ill-will towards one another.

So after getting fired by a team with a winning record and watching them win a Super Bowl from his couch, Cameron is still getting treated as though he was a member of that team. From the Super Bowl ring to this new high profile job at an SEC school, Cameron is quickly rebounding from an embarrassing finish to his 2012 season.

In joining Les Miles staff in Baton Rouge, Cameron is reuniting with a former coaching partner as the two served on the same staff as assistants at Michigan back in the late 80s and early 90s.

From there the two men have taken entirely different paths in their coaching careers. While Cameron has spent the last decade in the NFL, Miles has made a name for himself at LSU, winning a National Championship in 2008 with his only NFL job being a brief stint as the Dallas Cowboys Tight Ends coach from 1998-2000.

But they’re together again on the same staff in very powerful roles. Cameron is getting late credit as the man who crafted Joe Flacco into the Super Bowl MVP quarterback he is today and that Super Bowl ring, in combination with Miles’ national championship are going to be useful recruiting tools in the future.

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Florida Gators just wrapped up National Signing Day, but it’s a current player rather than a new recruit that has the Gators scrambling a bit. Besides having a fun name to say, Loucheiz Purifoy was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor  possession of marijuana on Sunday, per a report from GatorBait.com. 

The university and head coach Will Muschamp are aware of the situation and are handling it.

“Coach Muschamp is aware of the incident and is handling it,” a UF spokesman said.

Purifoy, who is a cornerback for the Gators, was the passenger in a car stopped by Florida police on a right-of-way violation. As the car was being stopped, and as you do when the cops show up, a “cigarette” (See: Doobie) out the window which prompted the officer to double check what was going on inside the vehicle he was stopping.

Upon further inspection of the car, the officer reports that he saw “a baggie containing 2.5 grams of cannabis” sitting by the car’s emergency brake. Now I’m not saying I’ve ever been stopped by the cops while I had pot in my car, but if I was in that situation, even if stoned off my rocks, I probably would have the good sense to put the baggie full of weed somewhere other than in plain sight.

Purifoy didn’t have that good sense and is paying the price for it right now. Just a few days ago, head coach Will Muschamp said that he was expecting to give Purifoy more reps at wide receiver after spending last season as a defensive back. Purifoy tallied 51 tackles and three forced fumbles during his 2012 campaign.

No word on whether or not Purifoy will be a possession receiver or not — oh come on I had to.

US PRESSWIRE

The legendary and historic oaks in Toomer’s corner at the University of Auburn will be no more. The school has announced that the dying trees will be uprooted after one final roll planned for the Tiger’s April 20th spring game. The oaks, which have been a symbol of the campus and a treasured companion for alumni everywhere, were poisoned by an Alabama fan following the Tide’s 2010 loss to the Tigers.

Harvey Updyke, the man allegedly responsible for killing the trees, is currently awaiting his next trail date which is set for April 8th of this year. Back in 2011, Updyke was indicted on two counts of first-degree criminal mischief, a felony charge; two counts of desecrating a venerated object, a misdemeanor charge; and two counts of unlawful damage, vandalism or theft of property from a farm animal or crop facility, a felony charge.

So basically, if you thought being a lunatic fan and poisoning some oaks wasn’t a crime — it is.

“The Oaks at Toomer’s Corner have been a part of Auburn tradition for generations,” Debbie Shaw, Auburn University vice president for alumni affairs and executive director of the Auburn Alumni Association, said in a statement. “Their removal will in no way diminish the Auburn Spirit, which has grown even stronger during these past two years.”

There was some hope that the oaks could be saved, and after a year of desperation the university has come to the decision that the trees which have been with the school for as long as anyone can remember, are not going to survive.

But the school, it’s students and alumni are going to send the oaks out on a high note, rolling them one last time before they are removed. For those who don’t know, ‘rolling’ is a tradition at Auburn that involves throwing rolls of toilet paper all over the the trees, essentially TP-ing them. The tradition dates back to the 1950s and has become a symbolic gesture for student today.

That symbolism will be drenched in emotion on April 20th, as the gaping hole in Toomer’s Corner that will exist after the oaks are gone will be unbearable for some.

The legendary oaks at Auburn symbolize more than just something for alumni, they’re a symbol of college football itself. To put into perspective just how deep the love and passion for college football goes, and a love for your alma mater for that matter, these trees are so special that we’re basically eulogizing them as though they were actually living, breathing students.

But they were more than that, and now that they’re gone, Auburn –and college football– is going to be a slightly different place.

US PRESSWIRE

When Texas A&M moved to the SEC, we saw the end of one of the most entertaining and longest standing rivalries in college football. But while neither side has any intention of renewing the rivalry anytime soon, a Texas politician introduced a bill that demands both teams bare arms and dual on a regular basis — or else.

Texas House democrat (yeah, apparently they do exist) Ryan Guillen introduced a bill on Monday that called for both Texas and Texas A&M to resume their Thanksgiving Day tradition of playing one another.

“This game is as much a Texas tradition as cowboy boots and barbecue,” Guillen, an A&M graduate, said via the Texas Tribune. “The purpose of the bill is to put the eyes of Texas upon our two greatest universities to restore this sacred Texas tradition.”

The two teams had played each other on an annual basis from 1914 until 2011 when the Aggies moved to the SEC. Guillen maintains that he’s a man of the people, and that he’s just trying to give his constituents what they voted for.

“I think the people of Texas want a game, and we’re trying to get them one,” Guillen said.

According to the bill, should either team refuse to schedule the game, that school would be penalized in the form of a restriction on athletic scholarships. They say football is religion in Texas, and boy are they not kidding when they say that. From $60 million high school stadiums to trying to pass a state law that requires two teams to play each other, you really don’t want to mess with Texas.

Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

The SEC is known for producing college football powerhouses, but for one school the claims to fame have been far less flattering. While the Alabama and LSU’s of the world reign supreme, SportsBusiness Journal has published a report that claims the University of Tennessee is over $200 million in debt, and that their road to redemption isn’t going to be an easy one.

According to the report, the Vols athletic department has a budget of only $99 million, and the program spends a “startling” $21 million on debt payments annually.

“We’ve got to get football healthy,” athletic director Dave Hart said from his office in the new $50 million Brenda Lawson Athletic Center, just weeks after hiring Butch Jones from Cincinnati to be the Vols’ fourth football coach in the last six years. “That’s our economic engine. When that program is successful, everybody wins.”

- SportsBusiness Journal

The Vols saw their attendance dip to it’s lowest and poorest since 1979, and even before the Lane Kiffin era ruined the program, attendance had been on a gradual decline. In 2000, the Vols attendance was averaging well above 107,000 but after shaky years, attendance was just above 89,000 in 2012. Dave Hart has been tasked with getting Tennessee out of this hole they’re in, but as long as the schools programs are in the dumps, the money won’t be rolling in anytime soon.

“Our financial position was probably the biggest surprise of the assessment,” said Hart. “We’ve got to be better stewards of our finances.”

Most SEC schools like Alabama, Georgia or Florida have anywhere from $50 million to $100 million in reserve money, but as of now, the Vols have roughly $1.95 million in their reserve. To put it in perspective, most average backup NFL players make at least $500,000 more than Tennessee has in it’s reserve right now.

But while times are tough now, things are about to get better. As part of the SEC’s $300 million television deal with ESPN and CBS, the Vols will get roughly $15 million annually, as that’s the average revenue each school in the conference can expect to make.

Where did all the debt come from? Most of it is said to have come from improvements made to Neyland Stadium which actually cut back on seats for students and fans and added premium seating for high paying boosters and visitors. While attendance was averaged at just under 90,000 this season, that number seems to be inflated. While the Vols may have sold tickets, the number of people who showed up to games didn’t accurately reflect sales.

During two late season games against Troy and against Kentucky, the Vols announced ticket sales around 81,000 while only 6o,000 people actually showed up.

The money will eventually start to come in, but the Vols are on a stricter than strict budget when it comes to how that money is used. With massive debts to pay off and virtually no reserve money, times will be tough in Tennessee for the foreseeable future.

Jan 17, 2013; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A

Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to ever win a Heisman Trophy this past season, but his recent behavior outside of football has some worried he’s starting down a dark path many potentially great quarterbacks have become lost on. One of those people was Ennis, TX Judge Lee Johnson, who condescendingly posted on Facebook about a speeding ticket that came across his desk that happened to be issued to Johnny Football.

Judge Lee Johnson’s Facebook post regarding Johnny Manziel’s speeding ticket. (H/T: CBSSports.com)

The speeding issue was taken care of, the Facebook post went viral, the city has since publicly apologized and Johnson has been officially reprimanded for the incident.

Ennis City Manager Steve Howerton released a statement that apologized for what had happened and stated that speeding is no joking matter on his highways.

“Receiving a traffic ticket is not a humorous matter,” the statement read from Howerton. “Further, it is not the policy of the City of Ennis to indiscriminately publish the identity of traffic ticket recipients or to publicly lecture them.”

According to WFAA-TV in Dallas, Howerton went on to call the remarks by Johnson “insensitive and inappropriate”.

The reason for the controversy surrounds a Facebook post Johnson wrote that many found to be exactly as Howerton described it as. While it’s not an earth shattering event, the post did have a disgustingly cheeky and condescending tone to it, and if it was meant to be humorous (as there’s one really good, albeit troll-ish line in there), it sort of missed the mark.

“It appears that even though the OU (Oklahoma) defense couldn’t stop him, the Ennis PD is a different story altogether,” reads the only chuckle worthy line in the post.

Right after that line, Johnson stopped stroking his beard, erased the smug smirk from his face, sat forward and pointed the bony finger of the law at Manziel. Most of the post was preachy and all of it was unnecessary.

Howerton said that Johnson attempted to apologize to Manziel personally, but there are no reports that ever got around to actually happening.