The Rest of College Football

[entropy]

By MaxPreps' Stephen Spiewak

Patrick Miller, once committed to LSU, has enrolled at Auburn,*Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.)*head coach Jack Daniels confirmed.

Daniels told MaxPreps today that Miller was set to enroll early at LSU. However, the day after the BCS title game, LSU told Miller that it only had five scholarships available and seven players enrolling early.

LSU asked Miller's father to pay for the spring semester, which prompted Miller and his family to explore other options.

Auburn, which currently has a small recruiting class, welcomed Miller with open arms.

The 6-foot-7, 270-pound Miller had been verbally committed to LSU since the fall, and was part of a loaded offensive line group that included*Vadal Alexander*and*Derek Edinburgh.

Now, Miller joins an Auburn recruiting class that features quarterback*Zeke Pike, who has also enrolled early.

The weeks leading up to National Signing Day often see a number of recruits decommit.

Last week, Top 100 defensive back*Ronald Darby*reneged on his verbal commitment to Notre Dame, while*Devante Harris*backed off his pledge to Oklahoma.

[Jamie H]

Jamie, I'm not sure what the tie-breaker(s) etc. for the Big Twen Championship is but, under your proposal, would that make OOC games less important to the extent teams could perhaps start to schedule more "interesting" conference games without fear of a shot at the NCG?

Yeah, I think teams would certainly schedule tougher OOC because that is down on the tie-breaker list. Division record is first and head-to-head is second, so theoretically an OOC loss wouldn't hurt you at all unless you were tied with a team in your division that you also lost to.

[entropy]

Nick Saban to Atlanta RB: You can’t sign with Alabama until next year

One of Georgia’s top running backs said that was told by Alabama’s Nick Saban this weekend that he will have to wait until next year to sign with the Crimson Tide.

Justin Taylor of North Atlanta High School has been committed to Alabama for nearly a year, last February becoming the No. 7 pledge for this year’s class. The 5-foot-11, 208-pounder missed his senior season with a knee injury.
A couple of weeks ago, Taylor and his high school coach, former NFL RB Stanley Pritchett, both said they were informed by Alabama assistant Chris Rumph that it was likely that Taylor would not be able to sign with the Crimson Tide this February.

Alabama’s 2012 recruiting class is currently ranked as No. 1 in the nation by Rivals.com. Alabama has 27 commitments and is in the running for a few more elite prospects. The Crimson Tide is also accused of being one of the most frequent offenders in the practice of “over-signing” – which is when a college signs more players than they have scholarships available. (Click to go to website)

Alabama's Nick Saban still has seven Georgia players that will sign on Feb. 1 after telling Justin Taylor to wait until next year (AP photo)

Back to Taylor: He took his official visit to Alabama this weekend and had the chance to sit down for a face-to-face meeting with Saban:

• How did Nick Saban explain it to you? “Coach Saban said he wished he would’ve been able to tell me this in August instead of now. He said the only reason he can’t sign me is because he can’t sign 26 people. They can only sign 25 people. He said he was going to sign me with the next class. But he also said he would sign a piece of paper to show that they are keeping their word – they are going to sign it and they want me to sign it to make sure I know I still have my scholarship.”

• When did Alabama first tell you that you couldn’t sign with them this February? “Coach Rumph actually told me about two weeks ago. Well, he called my coach, who told me, and then I called Coach Rumph. This weekend was the first time that they really broke it down like that. This was the first time I heard it from Coach Saban.”

• What do you think happened? “Coach Saban just said I’m the 26th commitment. I would be the 26th signee. I guess he went and picked up somebody else. He said I make 26 and they only get 25. They talked about bringing me in next January.” [Note: Alabama has 27 commitments]

• What was your reaction? “I’m cool with it, as long as I get to Alabama and play. And, as long as I have more time to recover and get solid.”

• What will do you do this fall? “He said I’m going to stay in Georgia. They are going to find me a job. I’m going to work. I’m going to physical therapy at least seven days per week. I guess I will work, go to physical therapy and get strong … I will come in with the class of 2013. I’ll get there with the early group so I can do winter workouts and spring football.”

• What about this piece of paper that you said Saban would sign? “Coach Saban is going to sign his name on a sheet of paper saying that I still have my scholarship. It was just for me. It’s to say they really still want me.”

RB Justin Taylor has been committed to Alabama for nearly a year (Photo courtesy of 247sports.com)

• What is the status of your knee injury from August? “I’m good right now. I’ve already had the surgery and everything. I’m running right now. They want me to be 100-percent healthy. They said it takes at least a year [to recover]. They said yeah, some can bounce back in 5-6 months. But the only people who bounce back in 5-6 months are the ones in college because there are on campus and they have that physician to be there seven days per week. I don’t have that. I only work out two days per week with my physical therapist.”

• Do you think you could play this fall? “I feel like I could play this fall.”

• With Saban saying you cannot sign with Alabama this year, will that make you look at other colleges? “I’m going to go ahead and stick with Alabama. I mean, I’m committed to them. They committed to me. They want me. I know they want me because that’s what they are telling me. If they didn’t want me, they wouldn’t let me keep my scholarship, They could’ve taken it when I first got hurt. If any other college wanted me, they would’ve hit me up. I haven’t really heard from anybody since the injury.”

• What other schools were recruiting you the hardest? “Tennessee came through and I only talked to them one time. They gave me a number and the number didn’t even work. There was South Carolina and Georgia. They both stopped talking to me because I was committed to Alabama.”

[Jamie H]

If the kid is stupid enough to still go to Alabama after they f'ed him over, well that is his fault.

[entropy]

agree. wonder where his parents and coaches are in all this. Oh, yea, they are not guiding.

[Mackenzie]

If the kid is stupid enough to still go to Alabama after they f'ed him over, well that is his fault.

Well, why would he want to give up all that money.

[lineygoblue]

If the rest of the SEC schools weren't doing the same thing, this would be an opportune time for them to step up and offer the kid a scholly.

[SeattleLionsFan]

They are finding him a job?

[Jamie H]

Yes. His job is to dig in the back yard and find the buried money sacks. Though I doubt Alabama is giving money to a kid with a blown knee. They have much better kids to give their money to I would think.

[UMStan White]

Ah, but he has "a writttttten guaraaanteeeee" signed by Sabin himself. Wonder what that's worth.

[The Oracle]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/01/rb_taylor_now_says_he_wont_sig.html

Sounds like he's wised up.

[Jamie H]

Smart decision. sitting out a year would have been unbelievably dumb, assuming he can get a scholarship to another major program.

If Alabama had really wanted him, they would have a scholarship for him. I just wish them pulling shit like this would hurt them in the eyes of other recruits, but it just doesn't.

[SeattleLionsFan]

I have no doubt about that. It seems like it should be a violation to find a recruit a job though.

[iam416]

More from the SEC -- this "story" or some version of it is making its rounds...seems ridiculous, but, meh, you never know --it might explain Kiel's about face.

I spoke to my friend Lois who works in the football office last night. She was away from the office and could tell me more. Everyone associated with the program was told to stick to the same story…………”Strudawa & T-Bob Hebert” had words & that’s why Hebert didn’t play.

That’s not the story………..

Game plan was for Lee to play. About 3-4 hours before the game after a team meeting the players knew the game plan and were discussing it. Jefferson made a comment that Lee didn’t have what it took to play in this type of game. Blackwell, Hebert & other white guys defended Lee in a big yelling match. Things cooled off cause Strudawa came in and told them to get ready to head to game & let it be. When they got to superdome Lee was one of the last getting off the bus. He was down & upset cause of the “ordeal” and felt bad that he had friends standing up for him. Strudawa told him to shake it off they were sticking to the game plan. In the meantime when they got to the locker room Jefferson & Shepherd said that Strudawa was going to make Jefferson look bad cause he didn’t want Jefferson to play he wanted Lee……..well Hebert nearly killed Jefferson. Strudawa had a meeting with Miles and Strudawa told him that Lee needed the chance to play and that Alabama was not ready for Lee to play. Miles said it was his call & he didn’t want Lee or Hebert on the field. When Strudawa said that they both were going to play Miles told him to start looking for another job. He said I will fire you tomorrow and you will have to find yourself another job. He told him the 5-10 plays he wanted to be played and it was not anything what the team had practiced. Strudawa said well your fellow Shepherd won’t play either but Miles overruled that too. Team was confused as to why the game plan had changed with no explanations. It got very heated between Strudawa & Miles. She said Miles does this with every offensive coordinator. He said Strudawa kept telling him we have won 13 games doing it our way (meaning he & Kragthorpe ) and now you will change & lose everything over him. Said that it became a black & white issue with the players & Shepherd kept mouthing off saying they couldn’t do it without Jefferson & himself. Hebert & others said that’s what you think. Said that Strudawa didn’t want Shepherd in the game at all but Miles demanded that he be put in for 3 plays only. Said that the team was in shock and upset because what they have been working on & the plays they ran in practice were never used during the game & that all the plays that Strudawa called Miles overruled. He did what he wanted and so there were only a handful of plays that Miles used during that game. Tension was so tight between the players. She said with Jefferson & Shepherd gone the team will play together without the trouble makers.

Note: LEE did graduate on time & it wasn’t him that cost us the recruit leaving (Patrick Miller) it is Jefferson that didn’t mean his deadline……… She said Miles argues all the time with all offensive coordinators to do things his way. She said Strudawa stood up to him but yet Miles pulls ranks and threatens to fire him…………She said he thinks he knows more about the offensive side of the ball than the coordinators he hires. Said Miles won’t tell Chavis anything cause he knows better.

She was going to talk to Miles private secretary today while Miles would be out of the office a few hours this morning. Said they were all walking on egg shells in the office. This was also “tweeted” or put on a blog so it’s a matter of time before everyone finds out what happened. No matter what he tells the staff & players to say it will come out. She is afraid if Miles keeps doing this we are going to lose our coaches……………..that’s one reason Gonzales left…..he saw that Miles will continue to run the ball therefore the wide receivers and all will never get a chance. Besides Gonzales wanted to be an offensive coordinator again & knew he was never going to get the chance here especially with Miles pulling rank with play calling.

[Mike]

Interesting. It certainly looked like LSU was completely disinterested in the game. Something was visibly wrong.