At 9am this morning, the SEC will release the TV networks and times for the first 3 weeks of the 2012 football season.
With Gausman signing at the last minute with Baltimore, Coach Mainieri had his annual conference discussing the now solidified 15-man class and talked about Gausman's signing. Video of it is posted after the break. LSU also released the 2012 Non-Conf schedule. The "highlights" include home series with Maryland (whose baseball team is lucky they still exist) and Washington and a midweek roadtrip to USL.
The SEC expansion, even with the monumental dollars it is supposed to add (which we may hear about this week) does cause problems for the lower profile sports, like the extreme scheduling problems ahead for Volleyball. As far as football, one can only hope that the placement of the new additions keeps the league as balanced as it has been over the last 20 years.
It was a huge camp weekend at LSU for recruits that saw the commitment of Destrehan CB Rickey Jefferson, Jordan's little brother and one of the top players in the state. Saturday Night Slant has a great write up of all the happenings at the camp.
Crazier than the one I linked to last week from our cowbell ringing friends, here's the Worst NCAA Football 13 Simulated Season Ever. If you've ever wondered what all of the individual player atributes in the game mean, Hustle Belt has a great breakdown of each stat.
The NCAA has approved a conditional membership for it's first non-American university, Simon Fraser University from Vancouver. They've also dropped the hammer on West Coast Powerhouse CalTech.
CBS's College Basketball podcast has a great interview with legend Verne Lundquist, who will be starting his 31st year of work for the network this fall, calling the Notre Dame - Navy game live from Ireland on opening weekend
UNO is hitting the fast track to rejoin D-1 in the Southland conference.
As a refresher in case you have forgotten, here's a story on the new rule additions to college football this season.
This past weekend was the Manning Passing Academy, an event that brings QBs from the high school and college level down to Nicholls St for a weekend of skills camps led by Archie, Peyton, and Eli. It has produced light news over the years as QBs from around the region show off their skills, but I noticed the general praise is starting to loop with QBs passing "against the air". Below, I've listed some quotes about the performances seen and I want you to identify the subjects as either A) Zach Mettenberger B) Bama QB AJ McCarron or C) Jordan Jefferson from 2011. Answers are after the break, no peeking.
#1 "He's one of those guys when you watch him throw against the air, he's unbelievable," [Former Florida QB Jessie] Palmer said. "You see his athleticism and look at the strong arm, his ability to make all the throws. His drops are about as natural as anyone I've ever played with and that includes Kurt Warner, Kerry Collins and Eli (Manning)."
#2 "I don't think there's any doubt about it," said FOX Sports and NFL Network analyst Charles Davis. "I think he came into his own last year, and now there will just be a continuation with what [REDACTED] did as he progressed and as he saw the trust they gave him as the year went on. He's going to carry himself differently, and he's going to be more confident. He's going to be fine."
#3 "He throws the ball well and it comes out well," Manning said. "I hung out with him a bit, and he seems like a good guy. It seems like he will be a good player at [REDACTED]."
#4 "He's got all the talent in the world," [Former Bama QB] McElroy said. "Big, strong arm with a surprisingly good technique from center.
Paul Mainieri on Kevin Gausman
Mettenberger at the Manning Passing Academy
Answers: #1 and #4 Jefferson last year, #2 AJ McCarron #3 Mettenberger