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Sunday, August 12, 2007
Three things we have learned
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The first week of practice is in the books. Three things we have learned:
1. Blake Mitchell is on thin ice: You would think that a fifth-year senior would have learned the basic rule of playing quarterback for Steve Spurrier : You don’t tick off the Head Ball Coach and give him any reason to question your commitment or your leadership ability.
But Mitchell missed the first two days of preseason practice at South Carolina because he missed too many classes.
Please.
“I hope that’s embarrassing to him,” Spurrier told reporters. “It should be.”
Mitchell had better hope that freshman Stephen Garcia doesn’t have a great training camp or he’ll be holding a clipboard on Sept. 1.
2. LaMarcus Coker has not been paying attention: Tennessee, you might have noticed, is deep in running backs. After spring practice, coach Phillip Fulmer praised the work ethic of Arian Foster, one of those running backs.
He did not mention Coker. Coker, an extremely talented kid who can make big plays, responded to the challenge by earning an indefinite suspension for an undisclosed rules violation.
Maybe LaMarcus didn’t get the memo but coaches today are quicker to cut a guy loose than ever before. A guy who won’t follow the rules just isn’t worth it any more, regardless of his talent. Hey LaMarcus: Ever heard of Brent Schaeffer?
3. Spurrier is not going anywhere, but he does have a point: Steve Spurrier is not going to leave South Carolina because of a flap with the academic side of the university. And it’s not up the head football coach of any institution to set academic standards.
It’s probably not the wisest thing to do to put your president out there on a limb because he has to deal with the faculty. But Spurrier is not a politician.
Still, Spurrier has a point.
When a kid who is eligible by NCAA standards is told the day before practice that he can’t get in school, the system is flawed. Fact is, Clemson had already gone through this a year ago so the issue should have been addressed before now. Each institution is free to set its own standards for admission. That’s the way it should be.
But there is an issue of fundamental fairness to the student athlete given their unique situation.
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