Photo by Brandon Jones, TexAgs
Texas A&M Football
Change makes the rounds at SECMD14's opening day
HOOVER, Ala. — Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said on Monday afternoon at Southeastern Conference Media Days that quarterback Nick Marshall will face consequences for bad behavior.
However, he did not say what the punishment was or when it would be administered.
Marshall received a citation last Friday for possessing a small amount of marijuana. As a result, he was not part of the annual media event.
“Up until last Friday Nick has been a model student, teammate and citizen. Nick made a mistake and he’ll have to deal with the consequences. I’m not ready to say what those consequences are at this time, but he will deal with it.”
Auburn standout questionable
Sophomore defensive end Carl Lawson, who posted four sacks for Auburn last season, figures to miss at least part of the season with a knee injury. He underwent surgery for a torn ACL in May.
“He injured his knee the last week of spring practice,” Malzahn said. “Carl is working extremely hard and he’s determined to come back toward the end of this year.”
Bowl makeover
Commissioner Mike Slive revealed that the Southeastern Conference will take a new approach to positioning teams in bowl games.
Under a new agreement the Capital One Bowl will have the first selection of SEC teams that are not in the national championship playoff or the Sugar Bowl.
After that, the SEC will assign teams to the remaining six bowls that are aligned with the conference — The Belk Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Music City Bowl, Outback Bowl, TaxSlayer Bowl and Texas Bowl.
“Once these (Sugar Bowl, Cap One Bowl) selections are made, six bowls will constitute a pool,” Slive said. “The conference will assign teams to each of these games rather than doing it the old-fashioned way where the bowl selected the teams.
“Before making that final decision, the conference will consult with our institutions and with the bowls, but the decision will be ours.”
New & improved QB
Frustrated Florida fans often have been critical of quarterback Jeff Driskel, who came to Gainesville as the top-rated pro style quarterback in 2011.
Instead, Driskel has struggled statistically. He’s passed for just 2,271 yards in his career, though he did miss all but three games last year after suffering a broken tibia against Tennessee.
“It’s kind of the polar opposite of what we’re used to over the past few years,” Driskel said. “Before we were kind of putting our focus on time of possession and controlling the ball and that really worked for us in 2012.
“But I think the game is just moving towards having to score points and trying to get as many plays in as possible, which is Coach Roper’s mindset.”
Florida averaged 316.7 yards per game to rank 113th in the nation in total offense last season. Duke averaged 426.1 to rank 47th.
Rolling with the flow
New Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason will have to choose between highly-regarded freshman Johnny McCray and sophomore Patton Robinette to name his starting quarterback.
He made it very clear he will make a choice. Mason isn’t interesting in using two quarterbacks.
“Football is a game of advantages. If a guy creates an advantage for you in a certain down-and-distance situation you have to take advantage of that situation,” Mason said. “I’m saying, with the quarterback position, taking a guy in and out of a game, to me, takes away the ebb and flow of what we’re trying to do offensively.
“I always want to make sure we can stay in the ebb and flow of the game.”
Of course, Mason indicated he isn’t opposed to changes.
“If anybody gives you a chance to be successful, I’ll put him in,” Mason said. “But I’m a one-quarterback guy.”
However, he did not say what the punishment was or when it would be administered.
Marshall received a citation last Friday for possessing a small amount of marijuana. As a result, he was not part of the annual media event.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
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“It is a privilege and a reward to represent Auburn here at the SEC Media Days,” Malzahn said. “Last Friday, Nick lost that privilege. We have high expectations for our players, but specifically our quarterback, being the face of our program.“Up until last Friday Nick has been a model student, teammate and citizen. Nick made a mistake and he’ll have to deal with the consequences. I’m not ready to say what those consequences are at this time, but he will deal with it.”
Auburn standout questionable
Sophomore defensive end Carl Lawson, who posted four sacks for Auburn last season, figures to miss at least part of the season with a knee injury. He underwent surgery for a torn ACL in May.
“He injured his knee the last week of spring practice,” Malzahn said. “Carl is working extremely hard and he’s determined to come back toward the end of this year.”
Bowl makeover
Commissioner Mike Slive revealed that the Southeastern Conference will take a new approach to positioning teams in bowl games.
Under a new agreement the Capital One Bowl will have the first selection of SEC teams that are not in the national championship playoff or the Sugar Bowl.
After that, the SEC will assign teams to the remaining six bowls that are aligned with the conference — The Belk Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Music City Bowl, Outback Bowl, TaxSlayer Bowl and Texas Bowl.
“Once these (Sugar Bowl, Cap One Bowl) selections are made, six bowls will constitute a pool,” Slive said. “The conference will assign teams to each of these games rather than doing it the old-fashioned way where the bowl selected the teams.
“Before making that final decision, the conference will consult with our institutions and with the bowls, but the decision will be ours.”
New & improved QB
Frustrated Florida fans often have been critical of quarterback Jeff Driskel, who came to Gainesville as the top-rated pro style quarterback in 2011.
Instead, Driskel has struggled statistically. He’s passed for just 2,271 yards in his career, though he did miss all but three games last year after suffering a broken tibia against Tennessee.
Before we were kind of putting our focus on time of possession and controlling the ball and that really worked for us in 2012. But I think the game is just moving towards having to score points and trying to get as many plays in as possible, which is Coach Roper’s mindset.
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Driskel’s career may get a boost with the arrival of new offensive coordinator Kurt Roper from Duke. Roper’s system is thought to be more suited for Driskel’s skills.“It’s kind of the polar opposite of what we’re used to over the past few years,” Driskel said. “Before we were kind of putting our focus on time of possession and controlling the ball and that really worked for us in 2012.
“But I think the game is just moving towards having to score points and trying to get as many plays in as possible, which is Coach Roper’s mindset.”
Florida averaged 316.7 yards per game to rank 113th in the nation in total offense last season. Duke averaged 426.1 to rank 47th.
Rolling with the flow
New Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason will have to choose between highly-regarded freshman Johnny McCray and sophomore Patton Robinette to name his starting quarterback.
He made it very clear he will make a choice. Mason isn’t interesting in using two quarterbacks.
“Football is a game of advantages. If a guy creates an advantage for you in a certain down-and-distance situation you have to take advantage of that situation,” Mason said. “I’m saying, with the quarterback position, taking a guy in and out of a game, to me, takes away the ebb and flow of what we’re trying to do offensively.
“I always want to make sure we can stay in the ebb and flow of the game.”
Of course, Mason indicated he isn’t opposed to changes.
“If anybody gives you a chance to be successful, I’ll put him in,” Mason said. “But I’m a one-quarterback guy.”
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