Baton Rouge's Brandon Bolden Emerging As Rebels Leader

 

Quiet Leader Bolden ready to take charge as senior

By Brandon Marcello
In the hot summer months, an unlikely leader has emerged for the Ole Miss football team.
"I'd love to say it's one of our three quarterbacks," said Rebels offensive coordinator David Lee, "but that hasn't happened yet."
While the quarterback debate will likely last through August two-a-days and perhaps right up until the Sept. 3 opener against BYU, Lee no longer worries about who may or may not be his best offensive weapon or his on-the-field leader.
To continue reading go to:  http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110708/SPORTS030103/107080335/Quiet-Leader-Bolden-ready-take-charge-senior

Inside or Outside? Where does LB transfer Maye fit best for MSU?

Clemson transfer Brandon Maye hopes to lead Mississippi State to the SEC title game in 2011. (Bill Simmonds/Special to The Clarion-Ledger)

The Mississippi State Linebacking Corps has been depleted from last season sending both Chris White and K. J. Wright to the NFL.  Bulldog fans are looking to Clemson transfer Brandon Maye to be their savior. Maye has graduated but qualifies for a final year of eligibility under a special NCAA rule by enrolling in a graduate school program that Clemson does not offer. 

The Mobile native and former 3 Star recruit out of Davidson High School had a stellar career at the Atlantic Coast version of Death Valley, making the All ACC Freshmen Team.  The Jackson Clarion Ledger published two articles this past weekend documenting Maye's transition both on and off the field:
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011107100336http://blogs.clarionledger.com/msu/2011/07/10/injury-pushes-maye-in-classroom-and-eventually-to-msu/


  

Lake Charles Native Janzen Jackson Returns To UT Football Team

After withdrawing from school in February to deal with undisclosed personal problems, Janzen Jackson, the former high school All American DB from Barbe High School in Lake Charles who had originally committed to LSU before switching to Tennessee on National Signing Day, is now enrolled for the second summer semester and will be back on the Volunteer Football Team this fall. 

Jackson's two years on Rocky Top, well, has been rocky.  In his short but turbulent time in Knoxville he has provent to be an incredible talent making the All SEC Freshmen Team and then making 2nd Team All SEC as a sophomore in which he also intercepted 5 passes.  However, personal issues off the field seems to have been more challenging than covering lightening fast SEC Wide Recievers.  As a Freshman he was suspended for one game under then Coach Lane Kiffin for violating team rules, and then was suspended for three more for being allegedly involved in a robbery with other Vol players at a Knoxville convenience store for which charges were later dropped.  Then as a sophomore, he did not participate in UT's Music City Bowl practices or the game itself to deal with personal issues, and then withdrew from school in February to deal with the same personal issues according to Coach Derek Dooley.

The following link is an editorial from John Adams of the Knoxville News Sentinel about what Jackson must prove with his reinstatement:  http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2011/jul/06/john-adams-yet-another-chance-janzen-jackson-payof/?partner=popular

"Gentlemen, start your engines." - Jimbo Fisher

Florida State coach will be NASCAR grand marshal

By Bill Vilona
Florida State football coach Jimbo Fisher, who grew up in West Virginia as a motorsports fan, will be the honorary grand marshal Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
Fisher, who will be joined by his two sons at the event, will give the starting command, “Gentlemen start your engines,” before Saturday’s 160-lap, 400-mile NASCAR race.

For full article from the Pensacola News Journal go to:  http://www.pnj.com/article/20110629/SPORTS/110629022/Florida-State-coach-will-NASCAR-grand-marshal?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Sports

GATORS PICK UP COMMITMENT FROM HIGHLY COVETED LOUISIANA LB

It may not be the Swamp, but its still familiar habitat as the Florida Gators pick up a big commitment from the Bayou in Patterson, LA outside linebacker Lorenzo Phillips.  Phillips is ranked the 4th top prospect in the State of Louisiana by Scout.Com.  His former Patterson teammate, RB Kenny Hilliard, was one of the top running backs in the nation last year and will be a freshman at LSU this season.  I'm sure it won't be long before two former teammates will be butting heads in what is usually one of the biggest games of the season.   Here is a link to YouTube highlights of Lorezo Phillips:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5SwkNASyrg