TRENT RICHARDSON SAYS HE IS HUNGRY FOR LSU

"I'm very hungry for them," said running back Trent Richardson, who made his last pitch to Heisman Trophy voters with a career-high 203 rushing yards and also caught a touchdown pass against Auburn (7-5, 4-4).

"I'll speak on my team's behalf. I don't feel like that game is over. I already had some buddies at LSU call me and say, 'See you in New Orleans.' I can't wait to possibly meet them there."

As long as the Crimson Tide finishes in the top two of the BCS standings, they'll head for New Orleans in early January. The final standings will be released Dec. 4, but LSU has some more business to take care of before then.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sec/story/2011-11-26/alabama-auburn/51412348/1

LSU Defense VS Arkansas Offense

By ESPN.Com Blogger Edward Aschoff:

Welcome to another themed game for LSU.

First, we had “The Game,” which was all about defense. Heading in, we expected two sledgehammers to furiously crash into each other in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and that’s exactly what we got with only field goals as scores.

This week, with the SEC and possibly the national championship on the line, the top-ranked Tigers (11-0, 7-0) are involved in another name game with No. 3 Arkansas (10-1, 6-1).

LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo labeled this “The Game: Part 2,” but the Offense-Defense Bowl might be more appropriate.
For full article:  http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/33597/offense-defense-bowl-in-baton-rouge

Trent Richardson A Finalist For Doak Walker And Maxwell Awards

Let the award hype begin.
Escambia High graduate and Alabama running back Trent Richardson has earned a spot as a finalist for two of the nation's most prestigious awards. He is among the final three candidates for the Doak Walker Award — given to the nation's top running back — and the Maxwell Award — given to college football's player of the year.
Both awards will be presented during the Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 8 in Orlando. Richardson is also considered a top contender for the Heisman Trophy on Dec. 10 in New York City.
For Full Article:  http://www.pnj.com/article/20111122/SPORTS/111220319/Alabama-s-Trent-Richardson-racks-up-award-nominations?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

LSU-Alabama Rematch Would Diminish Their Regular Season Contest

By Mike Herndon of The Mobile Press-Register

For all the arguments used to defend the BCS, it looks like one is about to go out the window: The whole season is playoff.
          
If this season ends with an LSU-Alabama rematch, as is now expected, the season itself is not a playoff. If it was, the Crimson Tide would be eliminated.
           
If No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama meet in a rematch on Jan 9 in the BCS championship game, it will be as though the Tigers' 9-6 overtime win over Alabama had never been played.
For Full Article:  http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/11/lsu-alabama_rematch_would_mean.html

LSU AND ALABAMA REMATCH SHOULD BE PLAYED IN JACKSON

By Win

             If LSU and Alabama face each other in a rematch for the National Championship, which is the likely scenario at the moment after Oklahoma State fell from grace with their loss to Iowa State Friday night, then the game should be played at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson.  Yes, my hometown Jackson, the Crossroads of the South, is aptly named.  Especially under these circumstances as it is equidistance between Baton Rouge and Tuscaloosa. 

A rematch for the National Championship in New Orleans between Alabama and LSU would surely produce one of the biggest party atmoshpheres the city has ever seen.  And even as a Mississippi State fan but only living an hour away, I am confident that I would find a way to be a part of it.  However, national championship games just should not be played in the home states of either of its participants.  I felt the same way about the Rose Bowl determining the national championship when USC played in it and the Orange Bowl deciding the national championship games when Miami played in during the 80’s and 90’s.   If this was LSU playing in the Sugar Bowl that would be different.

            Jackson would be the perfect neutral spot for an LSU and Alabama National Championship Game.   It is roughly 174 miles from Baton Rouge and 185 miles from Tuscaloosa.  That is only slightly farther, if that, from Oxford and Starkville.  With their close proximities, each school already has a strong fan base in Jackson that rarely holds back in its towards Mississippi State and Ole Miss during football season.  And while Mississippi State and Ole Miss have produced some big wins against Alabama and LSU they have usually been on the losing end, with many of those road victories by the Crimson Tide and Tigers coming in Jackson before the Bulldogs and the Institution of Higher Learning formerly known as the Rebels moved all of their home games to campus.  So, see a National Championship game in Jackson between Alabama and LSU would be like a home game for each program based on their successful track records at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

            There is also the likely argument that Jackson does not have the hotel capacity for the huge overflow of fans coming into town.  No problem.  While Mississippi may not have the college football success that Alabama and LSU has experienced, we certainly don’t take a backseat to our neighbors when it comes to Southern Hospitality.  I am confident that Jacksonians would open up their homes to Alabama and LSU fans as if they are foreign exchange students from far away lands,  which is how we kind of view them anyway.  

            Another concern would be that Memorial Stadium would not be able to handle a game of this magnitude and that it does not have enough seats.  Both of those points are overblown.  Let me remind the naysayers that an invite to the Poulan Weedeater Independence Bowl in Shreveport has been at stake by the outcome of many Egg Bowls that were played at Veterans Memorial Stadium.  So, Jackson obviously knows how to handle big time college football.

            In regards to seating, the seating capacity for the Mercedes-Benz Superdome where the game is scheduled to be played is roughly 72,000.  The 1984 SWAC Showdown between Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State University had a crown in excess of 65,000 that also included yours truly, so that is really not much of a difference.  Sports media representatives from across the country descended on Memorial Stadium in this rare Sunday afternoon college game to cover an All-American wide receiver for the Delta Devils named Jerry Rice who happened to get shut down that day by Alcorn’s own All-American cornerback Ike Holt in the Braves 42-28 victory.  So if the Egg Bowl doesn’t do it for you with MS Veterans Memorial Stadium’s ability to handle big time games, consider that contest.

            When it comes down to it though, all that is really needed to play this game is a 100 Yard Field and MS Veterans Memorial Stadium has that covered too.

            Tide and Tiger fans:  Should you finish the remainder of the season without any further losses, where would you like to play in the BCS National Championship Game?

            Jacksonians:  Do you have a spare bed room?

GREEN WAVE COACHING SEARCH EXTENDS TO GREEN BAY

Report says Tulane is interested in Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin

By Tammy Nunez of The Times-Picayune

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday evening that Tulane has interest in Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin.
Schefter said Philbin also has interest in NFL opportunities, but it may be difficult to go through interviewing processes until the season ends because of league hiring rules. Philbin was promoted to Green Bay's offensive coordinator in 2007.
Philbin has 27 years of experience, including 19 in the college ranks, Philbin came to Green Bay after four seasons as offensive line coach at Iowa (1999-2002).
For full article:  http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2011/11/post_15.html

USM QB Austin Davis Seeks To Rewrite Personal History VS UAB

By Clarion Ledger Columnist Rick Cleveland:

No joke here: Davis thinks only of UAB

HATTIESBURG — Somebody kidded Larry Fedora late Monday afternoon: Will you even say the words Southern Miss and Sugar Bowl in the same sentence? He didn't laugh. Didn't even chuckle.
"You won't hear me say it, I'll promise you that," Fedora said. "The only words you'll hear from my mouth this week are about UAB."
Fedora would have been proud of his quarterback Austin Davis a few minutes earlier. Asked about the possibility of 9-1 Southern Miss winning out and playing in a BCS bowl game, presumably the Sugar Bowl, Davis stared blankly.
For full article:  http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20111115/COL0504/111150335/No-joke-here-Davis-thinks-only-UAB?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Home|p

TRENT RICHARDSON GAINING GROUND ON LUCK IN HEISMAN RACE

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- The Heisman Trophy race was starting to look like a runaway for Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.
Alabama running back Trent Richardson might have been his closest competitor, but he might have been rated a distant second.
Funny how things can change in one night.
To continue reading:   http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/11/heisman_watch_how_tides_trent.html

HONEY BADGER RESPONDS TO SUSPENSION

Mathieu, speaking on Monday for the first time since his one-game suspension last month for violating the team's drug policy, said he understands now how he let his teammates down, and that he won't let it happen again.
"I have to grow up fast in this business," said Mathieu, who this season began wearing the No. 7 that Peterson wore at LSU. "It definitely humbled me off the field. I think you have to go through things to see the bigger picture ... My teammates were there for me and my coaches were there for me, so it was really about me trying to stay focused on the things that mean the most to me and that's being a student at LSU and wearing those colors every Saturday."
To continue reading:  http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7235418/lsu-tyrann-mathieu-says-humbled-suspension

NCAA Passing Leader Case Keenum Brings Houston Air Attack Into Mercedes-Benz Superdome Tonight

The Superdome Scoreboard could get quite a workout tonight.  Here is article from Tammy Nunez of Nola.Com on Tulane's match with the #11th ranked Houston Cougars and the nation's leading passer Case Keenum tonight.

Houston quarterback Keenum has sights set on Tulane Green Wave

Case Keenum has plenty of reasons to saunter into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome tonight and play flat.

Keenum, Houston’s sixth-year senior quarterback, holds NCAA records for career yards with 17,212 (set last week at UAB), touchdown passes (141), touchdowns accounted for (163) and total offense (18,101 yards). He leads the nation this season with 3,626 yards passing and 34 touchdowns.
To continue reading:   http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2011/11/houston_quarterback_keenum_has.html

Les Miles's Biggest Time Management Dilemma: Parenting

A really great in depth story by Wright Thompson from ESPN.Com on how Les Miles stays committed to being a strong presence in the day to day life of his four children despite the time constraints and pressures that come with being the head coach of a major college football program.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Every time Les Miles leaves the island of his office, he finds himself surrounded by other people's families. They crowd around, extending hands and scraps of paper, fathers urging boys to summon the courage to speak to the famous coach. At his weekly radio show, to which he is currently driving, a man will thrust a baby into his arms. Miles winds around the swampy lakes of Baton Rouge, the headlights of his white Cadillac SUV throwing shadows off the moss-covered live oaks. Set back from the water, each house glows warm and yellow.

The people in those homes are finished with their days, but he's still at work, a few minutes before 7 p.m. His mind focuses on the upcoming game with Alabama, perhaps the most important of his career. In the middle of a bye week, everything remains a question. Will the team execute? Will he put the players in position to win? And, beneath the worries of his job, another: Should he spend Friday night recruiting? Or should he find a spot in the University High stands, cheering on freshman wide receiver Manny Miles, who caught his first varsity touchdown pass a week ago? Should he watch someone else's child -- or his own?
To continue reading:  http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=111103/LesMiles

ESPN To Air Roll Tide/War Eagle Documentary

Great looking documentary scheduled to air on ESPN next Tuesday night:

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- While describing Tuesday night why he decided to produce a new ESPN documentary about the Alabama-Auburn rivalry, producer Martin Khodabakhshian reached a conclusion heard often in this state.
"I've got to tell you, you guys are nuts!" Khodabakshian told a packed crowd at the Alabama Theatre for the premiere of "Roll Tide/War Eagle."
At which point, as if on cue to enhance the stereotype of this state, someone in the audience shouted: "Welcome to Alabama!"
To continue reading:  http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/11/espn_documentary_roll_tidewar.html

Saban vs Miles

Forget about comparing LSU and Alabama's offenses and defenses, take a look at how ESPN.Com ranks Nick Saban and Les Miles on such characteristics as nicknames, quotes, hair style and favorite snacks:

If we're going to break down the game, then let's look at the real coaching matchup between Bama's Nick Saban and LSU's Les Miles.


Best Nickname:
Saban: "The Most Powerful Coach in Sports" (as designated by Forbes magazine in 2008).
Miles: "The Mad Hatter."
Advantage -- Miles.


Best Quote:
Saban: "It's a process."
Miles: "I've got a championship game to play and I'm excited about the opportunity of my damn strong football team to play in it."
Advantage -- Miles.

For full list:  http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7175862/the-bmoc-chews-coaches-expansion-more

Busy South Alabama Freshman Running Back J.J. Keels Picks Up Punt And Kickoff Return Duties

MOBILE, Ala. -- South Alabama freshman running back J.J. Keels earned his first start at running back in last Saturday's 28-3 win over Henderson State. Before the game was over, Keels found himself in two more roles -- returning punts and kickoffs for the Jaguars.
The running back spot was earned with a solid week of practice leading up to the Henderson State game. Keels, a true freshman from Melbourne, Fla., became the third Jag to get a starting nod at the position, joining Kendall Houston and Demetre Baker.
To continue reading:   http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/11/practice_is_paying_off_for_sou.html

MILES EXPRESSES ADMIRATION FOR SABAN

While Miles didn't talk about replacing Saban, he did say he respects his ability as a coach and looks forward to the challenge Saturday.
"I have to be very honest with you. I have great respect for a very strong and capable coach at Alabama in Nick Saban," Miles said. "You watch how he prepares his team and how you play, and if you don't admire how that happens, you don't care much about football.
"It is a wonderful opportunity to have the chance to compete against the best."
For full article:  http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2011/11/lsu_tigers_coach_les_miles_has.html