SEC Football

Bear Alexander, a defensive lineman from Fort Worth, Texas, will play collegiately for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Alexander affirmed his commitment to the Bulldogs on Thursday. 

The Florida native originally committed to Georgia but announced on June 7 that he would be reopening his recruitment.

Alexander is a 4-star prospect and ranked 39th overall on 247Sports' composite national rankings and sixth among players in his position group.

The 6'3", 325-pound player received several high-profile offers, with Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida among the top-name programs looking to add Alexander.

Gabe Brooks, who is 247Sports' Midlands region recruiting analyst, wrote a scouting report in Jan. 2021 that pegged him as a future Day 3 NFL draft pick.

"Big-bodied interior defensive lineman with college-ready size. Requisite height accompanies significant mass. Missed sophomore year (transfer rules) but returned as a junior to aid a Texas 5A D-I state championship defense. Shows encouraging get-off quickness relative to size, as well as pursuit ability. Physical at the point of attack with expected play strength. Punchy and shows stack-and-shed ability vs. the run.

"Plays inside in a four-man front and is likely capable of fitting even or odd looks. Can expand move set and technical nuance. Balance and body control can also get better when engaged and in pursuit. Legitimate high-major interior defensive lineman who could become impact starter in college with potential to reach the pro level."

Alexander has been enrolled in four different Texas high schools: Terrell High School, Skyline High School (Dallas), Ryan High School (Denton) and Brewer. He was named to MaxPreps' Junior All-American second team after helping lead Ryan to the Texas 5A D-I state championship.

Now he'll move on and play for Georgia, which stands to benefit from Alexander being a bedrock of their defensive line.

Head coach Kirby Smart is doing outstanding work with his program right now. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 1 in both the Coaches Poll and Associated Press Top 25. They rank second in 247Sports' overall recruiting rankings for next season, behind only Alabama. 

Ed Orgeron might be on his way out the door, but he remains enthusiastic about remaining with LSU for the rest of the year.

"This is our team," he told reporters Wednesday. "I wanted to finish out with it."

Orgeron added that "really not much has changed" in terms of planning for Saturday's game against No. 12 Ole Miss.

One day after the Tigers upset No. 20 Florida, LSU athletic director Scott Woodward announced Orgeron wouldn't be retained for the 2022 season.

It didn't take long for the school's internal drama to become public knowledge.

The Athletic's Brody Miller reported how things began changing after the Tigers' national championship run in 2019 and Orgeron's divorce from his wife shortly thereafter.

One player said Orgeron's personal life began impacting his coaching.

"It was just a distraction," the player said to Miller. "In 2019, there was no, ‘What’s Coach O doing postgame or Sunday during the day? Is he laying by the pool with a lady?’ He was planning events other than football."

Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger painted a similar picture of a program in disarray and reported how Oregeron helped create a "volatile" and "hellish" atmosphere by how he treated others inside the program.

Keeping Orgeron as a lame-duck coach for the final five games is atypical largely because the uncertainty over the coaching situation can cause problems on the recruiting trail. The 60-year-old doesn't have much incentive to continue courting top high school stars if he's not going to be in Baton Rouge by the time they arrive.

But it appears Orgeron has every intention to end his reign on a high note. LSU could still qualify for a postseason bowl or play the role of spoiler for No. 4 Alabama since a second defeat may knock the Crimson Tide out of the College Football Playoff race for good.

Georgia's hot start to the 2021 season is paying dividends for next year's recruiting class. 

Defensive lineman Mykel Williams told Chad Simmons of On3.com he has flipped his commitment from USC to the Bulldogs:

Georgia has had my attention from the beginning, and nothing ever changed, but my love for Georgia now is stronger than ever. Even when I was committed to USC, Georgia never fully left my mind. I loved USC, and I liked them a lot, but Georgia was always there. They never went away. ... My love for Georgia is stronger now. I am locked in with Georgia.

The native of Columbus, Georgia, is a 5-star prospect and the No. 5 defensive lineman in the 2022 class, per 247Sports.

Williams committed to USC in June, with Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson among many schools that presented him with a scholarship offer. 

"I have a great connection with the whole coaching staff," he told Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports about picking the Trojans. "Two, the players on the team, they want to be great and want to win and do something big. Three, the fans and the atmosphere, it’s electric. Every time I talk about USC on Twitter and Instagram, it just feels great."

The strong-side defensive end recorded 69 tackles and 17 sacks in 11 games for Hardaway High School as a junior in 2020. 

Andrew Ivins, the Southeast recruiting analyst for 247Sports, wrote in his scouting report that Williams is a "scheme-versatile big man with a projectable frame and one of the longest verified reaches out of any blue-chip prospect in the class of 2022."

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and his staff are pushing all the right buttons. The Bulldogs are the unanimous No. 1 team in both the AFCA Coaches Poll and Associated Press Top 25 with a 7-0 record.

The addition of Williams moved Georgia up to No. 2 in 247Sports' recruiting rankings for 2022. He is the program's second 5-star commit after linebacker Malaki Starks.     

Former Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt wants a settlement after the SEC school fired him for cause following the 2020 season, and his lawyer said he will file a lawsuit that will "cripple" the athletic program if he doesn't get it.

Blake Toppmeyer of USA Today reported Michael Lyons, who is Pruitt's lawyer, gave Tennessee an ultimatum of Oct. 29 to reach said settlement if it wants to avoid going to court.

The school, which fired Pruitt Jan. 18 after alleging the football program likely violated NCAA rules during his tenure, does not plan to settle and has not paid the $12.6 million buyout clause on the coach's contract because the firing was for cause.

Ryan Stinnett, who is general counsel for Tennessee, responded to Lyons and explained the school's position:

Your letter contains no denials of your client's actions. Instead, you raise vague and unsupported allegations of other violations by the University and threaten to embarrass the University publicly by revealing these alleged violations.

The University emphatically denies these allegations and will not be intimidated into settling with your client based on your unsupported assertions.

Lyons said a lawsuit will "embarrass UT" and lead to NCAA sanctions while alleging NCAA and recruiting violations across multiple sports.

Pruitt was the head coach of the football program from 2018 through 2020 and finished with a 16-19 record. His only winning campaign came when the Volunteers went 8-5 and won the Gator Bowl in 2019, and they were just 3-7 during the shortened 2020 season.

Tennessee hired Josh Heupel to replace Pruitt, and his 2021 team already has more wins than last year's version at 4-3. He was also the head coach of UCF from 2018 through 2020 when Pruitt was at Tennessee and led the Knights to a 28-8 record during his tenure.

They went 12-1 in 2018 with their only loss coming in the Fiesta Bowl against LSU.

As for Pruitt, he is a senior defensive analyst for the New York Giants in the NFL.

Five-star wide receiver Luther Burden committed to Missouri on Tuesday.

The 6'2" pass-catcher is one of the top players in the 2022 recruiting class. He's the second-best wideout and No. 6 player overall.

Burden originally committed to Oklahoma but announced Aug. 17 that he was opening his recruitment back up:

While he was the standout receiver in the Sooners' 2022 class, the program signed Mario Williams (No. 4 in 2021), Cody Jackson (No. 17) and Jalil Farooq (No. 21). They also got a commitment from Brandon Inniss, one of the best wideouts in 2023.

Head coach Lincoln Riley continued to have no shortage of depth in the passing game despite losing Burden.

But Oklahoma's loss proved to be Missouri's gain.

247Sports' Allen Trieu evaluated the East St. Louis, Illinois, native in March 2020 and compared him to 2019 Pro Bowler Chris Godwin:

Very good athlete who is also a standout basketball player. Has been productive in two varsity seasons. Shows the ability to make plays from all over the field. Can take screens and break long gains and can be a downfield receiver who wins contested passes. Long strider, very smooth and has excellent body control. Has not been verified as far as speed. Can still get more explosive in and out of his breaks. Still on the raw side as far as craft, but has great upside with his natural athleticism and competitiveness.

Burden's frame doesn't make him stand out, but he's excellent at getting his body in a position to snatch the ball out of the air. His time on the basketball court has probably helped in that area. He possesses home run ability as well.

Especially with the NCAA's one-time transfer rule providing a little more autonomy to athletes, coaches aren't hesitating to give true freshmen important roles within their team. Although Burden has room to grow on the field, he can also provide an immediate impact for the Tigers' aerial attack in 2022.

Burden's decision is a major endorsement of head coach Eliah Drinkwitz.

Mizzou hired Drinkwitz after he spent just one season at the helm of Appalachian State. The Mountaineers went 12-1 under his watch in 2019, but some of that success could be credited to his predecessor, Scott Satterfield, for setting the table.

It was tough to draw any conclusions about Drinkwitz at Missouri, both because of the team's 5-5 record and the unique challenges that come with staging a season during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adding blue-chip recruits such as Burden will inevitably generate a lot of excitement within the fanbase.

Recruit rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney isn't concerned about the possibility that LSU athletic director Scott Woodward could pursue him to replace Ed Orgeron. 

"I'm a big time, coach? Wow! I made a big-time list? Wow," Swinney joked Tuesday, per The Athletic. "Yeah, this is the only Death Valley I'm concerned about right here. That's for sure."

Swinney has been speculated to be a potential LSU head-coaching candidate, with Orgeron and the Tigers agreeing to part ways following the 2021 season. 

Woodward has made some pretty impressive moves in his tenure as an athletic director. He pried Jimbo Fisher from Florida State to Texas A&M and also lured Chris Peterson from Boise State while at Washington.

It's hard to imagine Swinney wanting to leave Clemson, though. The 51-year-old is 144-35 since taking over as head coach of the Tigers in 2008. He has also won two national championships 

Swinney has also been linked to being Nick Saban's successor at Alabama, even though Saban recently extended his contract through 2028. Swinney graduated from Alabama and was an assistant under former head coach Gene Stallings. However, he has frequently denied any significant interest in leaving Clemson. 

Clemson is 4-2 this season following a season-opening loss to Georgia. The Tigers haven't lost more than two games in a season since 2014. 

Clemson made Swinney college football's highest-paid coach (at the time) in 2019, giving him a 10-year, $93 million contract. The deal runs through 2028-29. 

Orgeron and the Tigers agreed to part ways following a disappointing 4-3 start to the 2021 season. The post-Joe Burrow era has been especially rough for LSU with the Tigers going 5-5 in 2020 and 9-8 overall after winning the national championship in 2019. 

Before 2020, LSU hadn't lost five games in a season since 2014 when Les Miles was head coach. Orgeron is the fourth-winningest coach in LSU history, and his 74.2 winning percentage ranks among the top five in school history. 

In addition to Swinney, Fisher and Lousiana's Billy Napier have denied interest in LSU's head coaching job. However, that could change once the 2021 campaign is over.  

Texas A&M head football coach Jimbo Fisher said Monday he had no plans of leaving the Aggies amid rumors that he'll be a target for LSU. 

"We're building something," he added. "We're recruiting great players. I really believe we're in the process of building something great. ... My family has roots here. I've got ranches here. I hunt here. I love everything about this place. ... There's nothing going on there [with LSU]. There's nothing happening there."

LSU and head coach Ed Orgeron announced Sunday that the 2021 season would be his last with the program before stepping down:

The connection between Fisher and LSU is no surprise. He coached there from 2000-06 on the staffs of Nick Saban and Les Miles, and the 56-year-old is friends with LSU athletic director Scott Woodward. 

As Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports reported Sunday, "anyone who knows Woodward would know that his preference would be to hire Fisher, his longtime friend," adding that "any list of names at LSU begins with Fisher because of Woodward’s long and strong relationship with him."

He continued:

The two worked together at LSU when both were young up-and-comers in the business. Woodward lured him to Texas A&M for a historic 10-year, $75 million contract that was fully guaranteed if A&M fired Fisher. It also wouldn't cost Fisher a penny to leave. And even after Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork extended Fisher earlier this season—a move widely regarded as a way to fend off LSU—there's still no cost for Fisher to walk away.

Fisher has led the Aggies to a 5-2 record this season, including a stunning 41-38 upset over previously top-ranked Alabama. Overall, he's 31-12 at Texas A&M, including 3-0 in bowl games, since joining the school in 2018. That followed eight years at the helm for Florida State, where he went 83-23. 

For at least the time being, Fisher's comments Monday should put to rest any rumors regarding LSU. And there will be other targets for the Tigers, with Thamel speculating that Penn State's James Franklin, Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin, Cincinnati's Luke Fickell, Baylor's Dave Aranda and Michigan State's Mel Tucker may also be on the short list. 

The SEC has docked the University of Tennessee $250,000 after fans threw objects onto the field and at the opposing team during and after the Volunteers' 31-26 loss to Ole Miss at Knoxville's Neyland Stadium last Saturday.

Tennessee's reprimand includes other requirements:

Of note, Tennessee is required to use all available resources to identify individuals who threw objects. Eighteen arrests and 47 ejections occurred at Saturday's game alone, a UT Police Department spokesperson told Adam Sparks of the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Tennessee released a statement regarding the fan behavior, per Mike Wilson of the Knoxville News Sentinel:

I was in communication with Commissioner Sankey throughout the weekend, and we discussed a variety of things that took place Saturday night. As I stated after the game, the actions that led to the temporary stoppage of play were unacceptable. The conduct of a small percentage of fans has led to unfortunate consequences on multiple fronts. While I don’t believe that conduct is representative of the Tennessee fanbase as a whole, I understand this imperative action by the league. Safety is paramount.

Some elements of what the league office has instructed were already in motion, as a review of in-venue video began this weekend. Internally—and in collaboration with our campus partners—we’ll continue to evaluate accountability measures and develop an action and education plan for future games.

Items thrown onto the field included soda bottles, beer cans, pizza boxes, vape pens, liquor bottles, hot dogs, a mustard bottle and a yellow golf ball, per Wilson.

The golf ball struck Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, who also said he was hit by bottles that contained a brown substance:

He also snagged a full water bottle as he walked to the tunnel:

The object throwing started after officials ruled Tennessee tight end Jacob Warren just short of the first-down marker on a 4th-and-24 play late in the fourth quarter. Ole Miss was set to get the ball back up 31-26, but the fan behavior forced a 20-minute stoppage.

Order was restored, and Ole Miss held on for the win.

Tennessee's next home game will be against No. 1 Georgia on Saturday, November 13.

Eighteen fans were arrested for throwing items onto the field during Tennessee's game against Ole Miss on Saturday.

The University of Tennessee Police department told Adam Sparks of the Knoxville News Sentinel that they are continuing to investigate security footage in an effort to identify fans. Students who are identified could face additional disciplinary action and be banned from attending future games.

Fans littered the field with trash and other items late in Ole Miss' 31-26 victory over the Volunteers, which also featured former Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin returning to Knoxville for the first time as a head coach since leaving the program in 2009.

"I just wanted to play. The players have got helmets. It's the coaches that are going to get hit. I still have my souvenir golf ball that I got hit with. I just said 'Put the helmets on and let's play,'" Kiffin told reporters.

"Really, the Tennessee people were really down there on the field taking care of us. We were worried more about the players than anything else, even the Tennessee people. That was really cool to see that part of it."

The game was delayed by 20 minutes as a result of the fan behavior. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel told reporters he was "disappointed" by the behavior exhibited at the stadium.

Lane Kiffin gave jeering Tennessee fans a parting gift after his Ole Miss team defeated the Volunteers 31-26 in Knoxville's Neyland Stadium on Saturday, tossing his visor into the stands:

Kiffin explained his rationale for throwing the visor to ESPN's Chris Low.

"The Tennessee fans there at the tunnel were all going, 'F--k you, f--k you,' so I throw them my visor ... and they all start fighting over it," Kiffin said. "Maybe all of them don't hate me."

It was an ugly night in Knoxville. Fans threw objects onto the field after officials ruled Tennessee tight end Jacob Warren short of the line to gain on a 4th-and-24 play with under a minute left in the fourth quarter and the Vols trailing by five.

Chaos ensued and the game was halted for 20 minutes until the situation was resolved. After the game restarted, Ole Miss held on for the win.

Vols fans continued to express their displeasure with Kiffin, who coached Tennessee in 2009 before abruptly leaving for USC. They threw objects at him as he walked out of the stadium, and the coach caught a water bottle thrown his way.

Kiffin left the stadium without injury, and his team improved to 5-1.