TigerWalk

A politically-charged post involving two non-SEC teams with a misspelled headline! Neat! I'm sure this will go great!

I think 6-6 is too low. However, I don't think that its unfair to pick that. This team is a lot of unknowns, especially at the most important position on the field. I personally lean towards 8-4, with the UK, KSU, AR, games flipping 2/3. I don't think they deserve to be picked higher than they are, but I feel more confidence than I have in a few years.

In a lot of ways, 6-6 may be worst case scenario. Less than that, and he is gone. 8+ and we have a real reason to feel optimistic. 6-6 makes things difficult. Personally, I think 6-6 would not be enough. There is some quiet confidence around the team this year, and the overall talent level is higher than we've had in years. Plus the AD (DRF) was not the one who hired him, and has shown the willingness to make tough decisions. I think another .500 team would not give off the confidence that he will ever be good enough.

***Obviously I don't actually mean he should go in the hall of fame... Just putting that here before the pitchforks come out.

At this point, he has made over $40MM in his career. With 8 touchdowns, he has been paid roughly $5 million dollars per touchdown. Add in the fact that he is entering his 14th year in the league, and as a career backup, has probably been tackled fewer than 100 times in his NFL career... That is just about HOF-worthy in its own way.

Their newly-hired assistant (Steeples) was his HS coach.

I'm glad we don't play LSU more often. When he inevitably announces them as his transfer decision, it will sting to see him lined up against us.

To be clear, they all contributed in some way, so I don't want to minimize their impact altogether, but none of them are truly viewed as a locked-in starter in their own position groups, and if you are in that spot after several years and multiple coaches, it may be a good time to do what is best for yourself.

All four of these guys so far are guys who have been in the program for 3+ years and haven't made a major impact, and committed to a completely different coaching staff. Between the additional year granted to everyone, and the 7 transfer rule, this isn't a surprise at all. I fully expect 10-15 transfers out before the end of summer. I wish all of these kids the best. Especially DPjr, as he was a great representative of the school and deserves to play his last year in a scheme more suited to his talents. TLDR: No indication that Drinkwitz is having locker room issues, just maybe a preview of a wild off-season.

I would agree with that. There are probably a few good examples in the B12 (Iowa State - Pollard and Texas Tech - Hocutt), but I think there will also be a large number of really good candidates outside of that group. Wren Baker (UNT), Mark Alnutt (Buffalo), or Doug Gillan (App State - Drink's old boss) are all names I am seeing over and over again. I think Baker would be a big-time hire personally.

Mutual is a bit of a stretch here, but everyone connected to the University doesn't seem to be surprised by this. 1) Fundraising has been his strong suit, without a doubt, but the other aspects have been much more suspect. 2) Coaching hires have been a mixed bag. There are really 3 of note: Larissa Anderson (Softball) has been a home-run hire. Cuonzo Martin (B-Ball) has been a good hire. He got us out of the basement and stabilized the program, but his results haven't been good enough to provide any support for the AD. Drinkwitz looks like a potential home-run hire, but Sterk was heavily undermined in that search. Sterk brought a list of 3 very underwhelming names to the curators, (Blake Anderson, Skip Holtz, and another that I'm forgetting). They rejected his choice, and then directed him to go get a better choice, and even directed him towards Drink. 3) The sentiment around those who know was that his contract would not be renewed when it came up in a year or two. The sentiment is that the president/curators hoped he would step down on his own, but that was seeming unlikely. 4) The current environment of the B12 Realignment may also open some very good candidates who would not otherwise be willing to jump ship. They may be able to approach another AD who is worried about the direction of their school that may not have left earlier. Sorry for the long response, but thought I would spread the information I am hearing here in Columbia, and from the Tiger-specific boards.

Both Dan Devine (#88) and Don Faurot (#109) were also on the list.

There isn't. The findings were explicit. 1 Tutor acting without direction from a superior, over the course of 1 year (Summer '15-Summer '16)

The difference being that UNC sanctioned courses with no attendance requirement, and no more than a single paper academic requirement for nearly 2 decades. It was found that nearly half of all student athletes in that time took these courses, mostly at the direction of their academic advisers. Calling it an "easy" course is a bit misleading. A rogue tutor (as included by the NCAA findings) did coursework for 12 student athletes over three different sports without direction from the university, (again, noted by the committee). The University recognized the wrongdoing and actively aided in the investigation. The major difference here is that UNC lied and Mizzou didn't. That is the lesson to be learned when dealing with the NCAA.

I'm too mad to be really rational right now, but I'm curious as to an external opinion right now. UNC enrolls over 1,500 athletes in fake courses over an 18 year period. No significant penalty. A tutor at MU (the committee itself found that she acted without direction from a superior) helps with coursework for 12 athletes, then attempts to extort the university for profit. Postseason Ban in three sports, a scholarship reduction, a financial penalty, vacation of records. The committee, in a release of its decision, essentially states that this is because UNC never admitted to any wrongdoing, while MU admitted that this happened and cooperated with the investigation. I don't think I'm being a homer when when I call this complete and utter bull, and another hugely embarrassing abuse of power from the NCAA. Right?!?

I don't think a single person involved in this looked good in their handling of the situation. I think Sterk, Staley, and Sankey all handled this poorly. I'm glad to see its over, and I'm looking forward to the matchups next season being pretty intense.

Unfortunately, the SEC's policy is to schedule the matchup in 2 year increments, so the same 4 teams that were left out last year get left out this year. That means no Mizzou, no Auburn (last years champs), no Miss St (who may be a fringe top 25 team), and no LSU (with a good incoming recruiting class). It's really stupid and shortsighted on the leagues part, considering how much the quality of a basketball team can change year to year.

Yeah, with Percy as a borderline, I think you could easily write this article as a "Boom/Bust" article instead.

Second-rounder

If he were elibible, I think Maclin would have to go between Evans and Cooper. Although the last couple of seasons were pretty hampered by injury, he still has multiple 1000 yard seasons, and 2 seasons scoring double-digit TDs. That being said, Cooper is only 3 years in, and has plenty of time to move up. At almost 7000 career yards and 49 career TDs. I think Maclin would definitely stay above Harvin, but his time above Amari may be temporary.

Apparently there isn't a new OC at Mizzou either. They said there were 14 total, but I guess only 12 made the list... close enough right?

This is a joke right? You are talking down to another program? If you don't see irony in this comment, I don't feel like its worth the time to explain it.

It was unconstitutional, factually inaccurate, and poorly thought out. This rep has a history of this sort of thing though, so it isn't too big of a surprise. Just very disappointing, not to mention embarrassing.

Agree with abc. Your employer has the choice to fire you, just as a college football coach has the choice to drop a play from the roster (at any time). However, this bill was trying to make it mandatory that if a player protested, they would be forced to be dropped from a scholarship. Especially because the funds that are paying this scholarship do NOT come from the state, this is essentially saying the government can punish someone for utilizing their first amendment right, regardless of the decision of the university (or company).

News coming out now is that he has withdrawn the bill. Good to hear. This has been embarrassing for the whole state. Hopefully he got the name recognition he was looking for...

Looks like wishes come true. Word coming out now is that Brattin has withdrawn the bill. I'm hopeful he enjoyed the 15 minutes of fame...

The entire bill is nothing more than an attention grab by a small-time politician hoping to make a run at another office. It is a completely inappropriate place for politics to get involved. The bill is embarrassing for the state, harmful to the university, and on top of that, full of inaccuracies. Luckily, I believe that there is zero chance of it passing, or probably even being heard by the floor. This "bill" is a joke and I hope this gets dismissed soon.

Looks like it got corrected... Its a shame.

In this case, I think it was the right call. For one, the call was made before a head coach was named. Odom was the only candidate who would benefit from the extra practices. And Coach Odom will need all the time he can get to recruit any new guys to his system, shore up currently committed recruits, and essentially "re-recruit" his current team, (as all new coaches have to do). Plus he is also having to finish his staff. Lastly, nearly the entire offensive side of the coaching staff is not being retained. With that in mind you have to face the question of who is going to coach the bowl game? Coaches on their way out the door, or a new coach who has barely had time to find his office? All in all, I'm glad they made this call. And even more so because of my belief that NO team with a losing record should ever play in a bowl.

Well put Mythic.