Next in line. As expected, Monte Lee excepted the baseball head coach job at the College of Charleston. That leaves South Carolina looking for a new recruiting coordinator, a search that seems to be leading to Chapel Hill.
Tanner is scheduled to meet this weekend with North Carolina assistant Chad Holbrook, according to USC spokesman Steve Fink. ...
This is not the first time Tanner has pursued Holbrook, a North Carolina alum who has coached for the Tar Heels since 1995. Tanner spoke with Holbrook last year after Jim Toman became the coach at Liberty. Tanner ended up promoting Lee, who had been a part-time assistant for five years. Lee, 31, served as USC’s recruiting coordinator for one year before being hired at his alma mater. ...
Holbrook has been North Carolina’s recruiting coordinator since 1999. He has played a key role in bringing in the players who have taken the Tar Heels to three consecutive College World Series, including championship game appearances in 2006 and ’07.
Pretty good resume, particularly considering he could bolster the Gamecocks' efforts in North Carolina.
The horror! The horror! Nine violations reported by the South Carolina athletics department -- nine! Corruption! Scandal! Infamy!
South Carolina's athletic department reported nine NCAA secondary violations in the past six months, including one when a staffer bet dinner on a game not involving the Gamecocks."I don't even know if it was a college game," athletic spokesman Steve Fink said Thursday.
The violation took place Jan. 22 and was considered the most serious one of those detailed in South Carolina's report.
C&F understands that these picayune matters have to be followed to make sure that more serious violations aren't taking place. But when the worst violation involves wagering a dinner on a game not involving South Carolina, C&F feels that the program is probably OK.
But how long before SMQ accuses South Carolina of charlatanism?
I don't care what you say, Big Spur II is a nice touch for Gamecocks sporting events. That doesn't mean we should start keeping official records for the roosters, though.
The best Gamecock tradition remains 2001. It ranks No. 11 on a list by Dixie Fried Sports. How tapping on a rock before a football game ranks No. 3 as" the most exciting 25 seconds in college football" is inexplicable. Watching the QB kneel down to kill the clock is more exciting. (HT: LOHD)
Boyd fights over finance. Cory Boyd fought with teammate Aqib Talib at a rookie symposium, prompting concerns that Boyd at least might be cut. (HT: LOHD) While this perhaps ranks down there with "back like cooked crack" on a list of Boyd's best decisions, C&F finds it highly unlikely the two would be released over this. Fights at training camp are common. Fights at the rookie symposium, less so, but probably still not a fatal mistake.
That said, SBN colleague Buc 'Em sees Boyd as "battling RB Kenneth Darby to make the scout team," though BE also notes that Darby is "clearly not highly thought of."
It's gotta be the bats. Search for reasons that the spelling-challenged Dawgs lost to the Fresno State Bulldogs, Georgia fans are debating whether their bats were inferior to those used by Fresno.
It's really a nice argument: the Georgia batters and pitchers were at a disadvantage because the batters could hit as well as the other guys and the pitchers were facing batters that were harder to get out because of their superior bats. (It would be interesting to see how many of the teams facing the spelling-challenged Dawgs when the UGA bullpen was "unhittable" were also using Eastman bats.)
The point to be made: Fresno outscored Georgia 31-18, including a 19-10 slugfest. So the difference in bats would have to be considerable enough to allow for a 13-run difference overall and a nine-run difference in a single game for the complaints to be valid. Not saying it's impossible, just that the burden of proof needs to be very high. C&F awaits the rest of Dr. Russell's exchange with Kyle.
Another one's gone, another one's gone... Louisville's roster problems keep getting worse, and C&F can now confirm that the Cardinals will not be anywhere near his preseason Top 25 ballot, as if anyone in Kentucky or anywhere else cares.
However, this is a great opportunity for anyone looking for a college education. UL has some scholarships to spare. Just tell them you want to play football.
That said, all the best to Trent Guy.
And good news for the Cardinals: Another receiver, JaJuan Spillman, is out of jail. So he's available now.
WE HAVE A HEISMAN WINNER!!111! Thanks to Gene Sapakoff, who does not at all have homer issues when it comes to the Team from the Upstate, we know who the Heisman winner will be this year: Tiggers QB Cullen Harper. Well, glad we don't have to worry about that this season.
Instead, the Alpharetta, Ga., native is the alpha Tiger. A few more wins and a hundred more passing yards per game and Harper gets an invitation to the Heisman dinner in Manhattan.Incumbent Tim Tebow? So last year. Look for Florida coach Urban Meyer to do a better job of protecting his bowl ticket by having him run less and rest more.
The door is open. [EMPHASIS C&F's]
Oh, well, if a hundred yards more passing yards per game is all it takes, then Harper's relatives better buy their tickets to NYC now, before fuel prices go up even more.
What's that you say? They still have to vote? What a dumb rule.