Some follow it 365 days a year, but only one day matters. That was today.
- The highlight shouldn't be the SEC having a successful day group wise, but the SEC West alone on paper looks top to bottom the best division in college football.
- Alabama surprised no one, Nick Saban is still doing work in Tuscaloosa and it's not stopping anytime soon. The Crimson Tide gets another recruiting class ranked #1 in the country.
- Gus Malzahn has filled the gap in the pass rushing problem on the plains by picking up some of the top defensive linemen in the country. Auburn could finish with a Top 10 recruiting class.
- Bret Billema is awaiting the signature of Alex Collins after his mother pulled a classless and immature move by swiping his LOI, preventing him from signing with the Razorbacks. I'm sure there's some underlying issues that led to this, but all should be ironed out in the end. I questioned Billema's transition into a new recruiting environment in the SEC where (let's be honest) there's no gentlemen's agreement. He did very well with his first class in SEC territory.
- Ole Miss has obviously taken advantage of their momentum from the end of last season. Hugh Freeze sold a program that hasn't been remotely relevant since 2003 when a future Super Bowl QB named Eli graced Oxford, MS with his presence. Number One prospect Robert Nkemdiche joined his brother Denzel in Oxford with other 4 and 5 star prospects leading to a successful recruiting season and a Top 5 recruiting class. However, with success comes scrutiny. It's not just the message board goobs who talk a big talk anonymously, it's also members of the national media. How could Ole Miss coming off two consecutive bad season and a mediocre one all of the sudden pull in a recruiting class that would make John Vaught blush? The answer has been "They've got to be cheating". If you go to any message board in Alabama, which means you obviously have nothing better to do or you want to see a nice trainwreck that lacks intelligence, you will hear the back and forth of one fan base saying the other is cheating. Some not familiar with Alabama will ask, why is Alabama not being questioned? They obviously haven't seen a comment section on a AL.com sports story or listened to Paul Finebaum. DER CHEETUN PAWWWWL!!!!! (Examples: Cam Newton Bagman, Dre Kirkpatrick's ride, Julio Jones and Mark Ingram's fishing trip, Stanley McGlover getting paid by boosters for sacks, etc, etc, etc) And how many of those actually led to violations. Despite your theories, they were proven innocent. But since a school in the sticks of Mississippi is all of the sudden being able to sell their program and campus, they're obviously paying them. I wouldn't be surprised if Dan Mullen led a charge to point the NCAA in their direction. However, didn't one of his assistants resign for recruiting hiccups? Hugh Freeze is aware of the scrutiny and sent a message to them a few days ago. If Ole Miss is doing something dirty, what about Vanderbilt? James Franklin has to be doing something under the radar, or maybe it was the fact that Derek Dooley just sucked at recruiting.
If you have facts about a violation, send it to compliance@olemiss.edu. If not, please do not slander these young men or insult their family
— Hugh Freeze (@CoachHughFreeze) February 1, 2013 In other words, come at me bro!!! Even though having a top recruiting class in 2008 show major improvement for Alabama, a Top 5 class doesn't automatically mean SEC Championship. Especially the way the division looks top to bottom. However, the Rebels have made a major step in making the program more than just a BBVA Compass Bowl bid.
- Lane Kiffin really sucks at his job. UCLA, which was the whipping child for USC for over a decade, is now on the verge of getting a Top 10 recruiting class. Even with Kiffin's biggest threat, Chip Kelly going to the NFL, the Trojans got worked by UCLA Head Coach Jim Mora Jr and Steve Sarkasian of Washington. Despite Oregon's slip on NSD 2013, it's not as embarrassing as a traditional cornerstone such as USC getting worked by programs that sit in the purgatory of the Pac-12. Did Lane Kiffin pout and walk away from the podium at his Signing Day press conference when someone asked why he let so many talented prospects slip from his fingers to the other guys? It wouldn't surprise me if he did.
