Today, we take a look at what should be the strongest and weakest positions for Auburn in 2010:
Strongest position: Offensive line
Key returnees: Lee Ziemba, Ryan Pugh, Byron Isom, Mike Berry, Bart Eddins, John Sullen
Key departures: Andrew McCain
The skinny: The Tigers' offensive line played the whole way last season with essentially five guys, and four of those starters are back.
espn.com
3/18/10
]]>At last, it’s Brantley’s turn at Floridatag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221822010-03-20T14:07:00Z2010-03-20T15:09:31ZBoAt last, it's Brantley's turn at Florida
John Brantley is coming up on his fourth season at Florida.
Some guys are already thinking about whether to leave for the NFL by that time. In Brantley’s case, he’s yet to take a meaningful snap for the Gators.
That’s what happens when you’re playing behind one of the best college football players of this era.
“When you look back, it seems like it’s been a while,” said Brantley, who takes over for Tim Tebow after patiently waiting his turn. “But in a lot of ways, it’s also gone by pretty fast.”
espn.com
3/19/10
]]>College football recruits must weigh their optionstag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221812010-03-20T14:05:00Z2010-03-20T15:06:12ZBoCollege football recruits must weigh their options
Spencer Region grew up an Alabama fan. When the Crimson Tide offered him a scholarship, the 6-foot-6, 330-pound Cullman offensive tackle said it was the offer he'd been waiting for.
But last month, as family members wearing crimson in the audience expected to hear him announce his public commitment to Alabama, Region changed his mind and instead chose Auburn, saying later that "some things happened that changed my mind."
al.com
3/14/10
]]>NCAA Tournament: Baylor ready to put tragedy, adversity in its distant pasttag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221802010-03-20T14:02:00Z2010-03-20T15:04:18ZBoNCAA Tournament: Baylor ready to put tragedy, adversity in its distant past
Like it will hopefully some day for New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina, the passage of time has put distance between Baylor basketball and the immediate association of the murder of one of its players by another almost seven years ago.
And today, ironically enough in New Orleans, the Bears can put that tragic incident even more in the rearview mirror by beating Old Dominion in their second-round NCAA Tournament game in the New Orleans Arena.
The winner advances to next week’s South Region in Houston’s Reliant Stadium, with a trip to the Final Four just two more victories away
nola.com
3/20/10
]]>Mike Bellotti’s resignation as Oregon athletic director shows where his passion is - and isn’ttag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221792010-03-20T14:00:00Z2010-03-20T15:01:21ZBoMike Bellotti's resignation as Oregon athletic director shows where his passion is - and isn't
EUGENE - When Mike Bellotti stepped down as Oregon football coach to become athletic director less than a year ago, longtime friend and fellow coach Nick Aliotti had a feeling.
"This AD gig was not Mike Bellotti," said Aliotti, the Ducks' defensive coordinator. "That wasn't his thing, knowing Mike Bellotti, because football is his passion."
Bellotti took a few steps back toward his passion on Friday, announcing that he will become a college football analyst for ESPN. At the same time, he stepped away from a complex and tumultuous athletic department that is saddled with off-field issues and a search for a new basketball coach.
oregonlive.com
3/19/10
]]>Bellotti quits as Ducks AD, joins ESPNtag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221752010-03-19T19:27:00Z2010-03-19T20:29:23ZBoBellotti quits as Ducks AD, joins ESPN
Former Oregon football coach Mike Bellotti has resigned as the Ducks' athletic director and will join ESPN as a college football analyst.
Bellotti, who assumed the position of athletic director in July, will provide studio and game analysis among several ESPN platforms, making his debut April 17 on ESPNU's telecast of Auburn's spring football game.
espn.com
3/19/10
]]>Auburn basketball willing to pay for hot name; Tubby Smith enters coaching buzztag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221712010-03-19T13:17:00Z2010-03-19T14:18:09ZBoAuburn basketball willing to pay for hot name; Tubby Smith enters coaching buzz
AUBURN -- Auburn, which has spent $90 million on a basketball arena that will open next season, is prepared to make another sizable investment in the sport when it hires its new basketball coach.
People familiar with the search process say the university is willing to significantly increase what it has paid former coaches in order to attract someone with a proven record to replace Jeff Lebo, who was fired last Friday. A list of candidates includes coaches who could command high salaries, such as Minnesota's Tubby Smith, who has SEC experience at Kentucky and Georgia.
blog.al.com
3/19/10
]]>Five Reasons Ohio Will Beat Ohio Statetag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221652010-03-19T12:49:00Z2010-03-19T13:50:52ZBoFive Reasons Ohio Will Beat Ohio State
What? Ohio State playing in-state nemesis Ohio in the Sweet-16?
A week ago this would have been the biggest joke around town in Columbus, Ohio. Now, after 14-seed Ohio has just upset three-seed Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA tournament, it is certainly possible.
BleacherReport.com
3/18/10
]]>Tiger Woods’ return to Masters may not be shown livetag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221642010-03-19T12:44:00Z2010-03-19T13:45:33ZBoTiger Woods’ return to Masters may not be shown live
Masters chairman Billy Payne was not available for comment Thursday. But a source in Augusta said there "absolutely" is the possibility Woods will play outside live TV coverage. ESPN’s Wildhack also was not available to amplify on his aforementioned prepared statement, but an ESPN source said "it is true" that Woods could play before TV coverage commences.
BostonHerald.com
3/18/10
]]>College Ball’s Talent Deficit (and Why It Doesn’t Matter)tag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221632010-03-19T12:19:00Z2010-03-19T13:20:52ZBoCollege Ball's Talent Deficit (and Why It Doesn't Matter)
The sheer ability of players on the floor is down, but March is as mad as ever
The biggest difference on the court is the dearth of top post players. This season, there were no players taller than 6-foot-8 on the All-Big Ten, Pac-10 or Atlantic Coast Conference first teams. All the big men are "now playing on the perimeter," Mr. Anderson says. "And if you find one of those great post guys, they're definitely one-and-done or at most two-and-done," that is, leaving the college game after their first or second year.
WSJ.com
3/18/10
]]>Upsets take tourney to new leveltag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221622010-03-19T12:16:00Z2010-03-19T13:17:30ZBoUpsets take tourney to new level
Of course, if Thursday was any indication, Big East teams can't be comfortable on Friday. Four more of them are in action, including regular-season champion Syracuse, the No. 1 seed in the West. The Orange play 16th-seeded Vermont in Buffalo, N.Y.
Of course, most college basketball fans remember what happened the last time the Orange and Catamounts met.
Have you ever heard of T.J. Sorrentine?
ESPN.com
3/18/10
]]>Leach says he’ll return to college gametag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221612010-03-19T12:14:00Z2010-03-19T13:15:08ZBoLeach says he'll return to college game
Mike Leach is far from the world he knew in landlocked Lubbock.
Instead of preparing for spring practice at Texas Tech, the former Red Raiders coach is enjoying fishing, exploring and meeting the people in Key West, Fla., where he and his family moved after he was fired in late December.
And although he sounds contented with the laid-back lifestyle in the Florida enclave, there is still much unresolved in Leach's life: He has sued Texas Tech over his dismissal, his furniture is in storage and his house in Lubbock is not yet sold.
ESPN.com
3/18/10
]]>Michigan-Notre Dame set as Big House’s night debuttag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221602010-03-19T12:11:00Z2010-03-19T13:12:23ZBoMichigan-Notre Dame set as Big House's night debut
The game is set for Sept. 10, 2011, and new Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said he expects an unprecedented atmosphere at Michigan Stadium for the latest chapter in the rivalry between two of college football's most storied programs. "For us, it's an experiment," he said Thursday. "If all goes well, we'd like to have one game a year at night at Michigan Stadium."
SportingNews.com
3/18/10
]]>Day 1 at the Dance: It was Utter Madnesstag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221592010-03-19T11:48:00Z2010-03-19T12:50:05ZBoDay 1 at the Dance: It was Utter Madness
Was this the best first day ever in an NCAA tournament? I’ve covered six of them, can remember 22, and this was the craziest. Eight of the 16 games went down to the final possession, the best being the Danero Thomas two-dribble buzzer-beater that lifted Murray State over Vanderbilt. Seven lower seeds won, the most improbable being No. 14 Ohio — the nine-seed in the MAC tournament! — knocking off No. 3 Georgetown in a game that didn’t come close to the final possession, because the Bobcats were dominant. It made for a phenomenal day of television. Keeping tabs on it from New Orleans Arena was its own form of madness.
SI.com
3/18/10
]]>Urban Meyer owes us all an explanationtag:yallsports.com,2010:/2.221582010-03-19T11:45:00Z2010-03-19T12:47:04ZBoUrban Meyer owes us all an explanation
Gators coach Urban Meyer spoke for six minutes following the first practice of the spring in Gainesville, pursing his lips every time someone asked how he felt.
In fact, Meyer stared down anybody who even attempted to pose the "How are you feeling?" question.
Sorry coach Meyer, but you owe us all an explanation.