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College Football

The Throwback: Say what, Jalen Hurd?

Corey Long

By Corey Long

Published:

I don’t see any way that Florida can score a single point, but this is our best hope.

JALEN HURD SITUATION MAKES NO SENSE

Why would a running back transfer with a year of eligibility left? Seems a little strange at best. If he goes to another FBS school, he’ll have to sit out a year. If he goes to an FCS, he’s still just got one year to play.

This was a strange morning of Hurd information and misinformation.

There was a quality FAKE Twitter account claiming to be ESPN’s Brett McMurphy that reported Hurd and defensive lineman Jonathan Kongbo were dismissed. The account was suspended, and the tweet has been deleted, but it was easy to sell as fake because Kongbo was incorrectly listed as a freshman, but he’s a junior college transfer and currently a redshirt sophomore.

Kongbo himself made news when he tweeted a picture of him “hanging up” his cleats yesterday.

Anyway, reports today say that image was regarding a loss in the FIFA soccer video game (must have been one hell of a game), and that sounds good for me.

Back to Hurd. I don’t necessarily agree with John Crist’s column that Hurd is part of some bad epidemic. I understand transfers. The kids want to play football, and if things don’t work out at one place, they can go to another where they have to sit out a year or if they are graduate transfers, they can play immediately.

And more power to them. College football players have very little leverage in the game, and this is one thing that allows them to be released from a disadvantageous situation. I respect the players that stick it out, but they don’t have to. Coaches don’t have to stay. No one has to deal with a situation if they don’t want to.

You don’t like your job? Find another one.

You don’t like your marriage? Get a divorce.

You don’t like your car? Trash it and buy a new one.

You don’t like where you live? Move to another neighborhood.

So I understand transfers. No one should be stuck at a single place if it doesn’t suit you and you have the resources to move on. I don’t understand THIS transfer, because Hurd seemed like a strong candidate to declare for the NFL Draft anyway.

Why not just play the season out and declare for the draft, and then train for an H-back or tight end position?

Makes no sense to me.

But if it’s what Hurd wants to do, go for it.

BEGINNING OF THE END FOR BUTCH?

This South Carolina-Kentucky-Vanderbilt close to the season seemed a LOT easier four weeks ago after Tennessee was staring down Texas A&M and Alabama – the second half of a deadly four-game stretch.

But things changed. The Texas A&M-Alabama doubleheader was as tough as it sounded, but the Volunteers were a shell of themselves by the time the second and third Saturdays in October rolled around. They were physically exhausted and beat up.

Now, the physical pain has resulted in a mentally dysfunctional team. In September, this team figured out ways to win games. This past Saturday, they figured out how to lose a third game in a row to a team that could barely play offense two weeks ago.

The 24-21 loss to South Carolina did severe damage to Tennessee’s ability to win the SEC East. They aren’t dead yet, but the Vols are on life support, and their only solace is that Florida exhibition schedule has finally come to an end.

Tennessee can pick themselves up with a win over FCS Tennessee Tech, but a Nov. 12 game against Kentucky would either keep the Vols hopes on life support or pull the plug on Tennessee’s 2016 season altogether.

And it goes without saying that if Tennessee loses to a much-improved Kentucky team that Butch Jones’ tenure with the Volunteers is over. It might be over already, but four SEC losses would all but guarantee it. We can go into that next week, because Jones has enough fire to tend to right now.

SPEAKING OF THE SEC’S JV CONFERENCE. REVISED STANDINGS!

Funny how things change in a few weeks.

Last time we looked at the dumpster fire known as the SEC East, we pretty much dismissed everyone but Tennessee and Florida.

Things have changed a little as Kentucky is deep in the mix and could be the last team standing for a division title that would be considered shocking on some levels.

But for now here’s the situation.

1) Florida (4-1) – The Gators close the season with a four-game stretch that includes road games against Arkansas, LSU and FSU along with a home game vs. a South Carolina team that has gotten considerably better with Jake Bentley at quarterback. We will soon know if the Gators are legitimate or just the second-grader that beats up on the kindergarten kids. Either way, they control their own destiny and are two games clear of their closest competitor.

2) Kentucky (4-2) – Yes, the Wildcats are the outright second-place team, but they would have to win out and need Florida to lose two of their final three conference games to clinch the division.

3) Tennessee (2-3) – The Vols aren’t dead, but they must win out and need Florida to lose two of their final three to clinch.

After that, Georgia (2-4), South Carolina (2-4) and Vanderbilt (1-3) need a LOT of help to get at least three or more teams with the same record. Even then, it’s highly unlikely they would win the multitude of tiebreakers. Right now, their best role is that of being a spoiler. Missouri (0-4) is all but dead.

MOVING ON

— I want to be mad at Evan Engram for ruining my Ole Miss +4.5 ticket with his touchdown drop in the fourth quarter, but I can’t be because he’s a stand-up guy. Shake it off big man!

— That being said, Ole Miss not making a bowl game would be one of the most shocking developments of the 2016 season. This isn’t just the best 3-5 team in the nation. This might be the best 3-5 team in the history of college football.

— Kamryn Pettway isn’t likely to get in the Heisman conversation this year, but his physical style of running has been hell on defenses.

https://twitter.com/LShute13/status/792513234041466884

— Credit Kentucky’s recent success to a 1-2 running back punch of Stanley “Boom” Williams and Benjamin Snell Jr. The two combined for 374 yards and 4 total touchdowns in a 35-21 romp over Missouri.

— And also credit to Stephen Johnson, a steady presence at quarterback that righted the Wildcats’ ship and possibly saved Mark Stoops’ job.

— Johnson took over the Kentucky QB job when starter Drew Barker went down with a “back injury.” Barker’s injury required no surgery, and it was guessed he would miss 3-5 weeks. As of now, he’s still “week-to-week” and will likely be week-to-week until the start of spring practice.

— Some teams can punt to Christian Kirk. New Mexico State isn’t one of them.

— It’s sad to see what’s become of Nick Chubb. I don’t know if he’s injured, if he came back too quickly from injury, if Georgia’s OL is awful or a combination of the three. I just want to remember the better days.

Corey Long

Corey Long is a freelance writer for SaturdayDownSouth.com. Follow Corey on Twitter @CoreyLong.

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