NCAA Football News

The Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies are back in the news and it's for all the wrong reasons. After a one year separation, the potential for a permanent divorce was looking good. The Texas-Texas A&M marriage, one of college football's oldest, would end. 

Why, it would take an act of congress to save this rivalry series.

And that's kind of what is happening right now.

State Rep. (TX) Ryan Guillen has filed House Bill 778 which would require the two schools to play each other every year—refusal by one school to participate in the game would result in loss of athletic scholarships.  

The Texas Tribune's Reeve Hamilton notes Guillen's reasoning for introducing the bill.

"This game is as much a Texas tradition as cowboy boots and barbeque [sic]," Guillen, an A&M graduate, said. "The purpose of the bill is to put the eyes of Texas upon our two greatest universities to restore this sacred Texas tradition." 

"I think the people of Texas want a game, and we're trying to get them one," Guillen said.

Nothing spells t-r-a-d-i-t-i-o-n better than the government forcing two teams to play each other under threat of losing precious scholarships.

Why, it's like an arranged marriage. And Guillen is the matchmaker. Hooray for tradition. 

Play or suffer the consequences is a great way to enhance school relationships. Can't you just feel the love brewing?

The NCAA has always had the power to strip athletic scholarships from programs and how is that working out on the love meter?

Punishing a school with athletic scholarship reductions is really punishing student-athletes who want to play at a school. What's going to happen if Texas decides not to play Texas A&M and the program loses a couple of scholarships while it's maxed out on 85 scholarship athletes? 

The student-athlete loses out, and Guillen is okay with that?

What this really spells out is grown-ups (once again) putting their own self-serving interests ahead of the student-athletes' interests. They're throwing a tantrum because a rivalry that they care deeply about is getting dumped and they just can't handle the fact that their Thanksgiving may have to include some actual dinner conversation. 

Guillen ostensibly wants this rivalry to continue because A&M still considers Texas its main rival. Meanwhile, Texas usually looks to Oklahoma as its biggest rival—the Red River Rivalry series usually has national significance.  

With Heisman winner Johnny Manziel under center, Texas A&M may have an advantage over Texas in the next few years. However, the Aggies aren't going to be catching up to the Longhorns anytime soon; Texas leads the all-timeseries  76–37–5.

But here's the thing; even if Texas A&M were to beat up Texas over the next couple of years, it's meaningless if A&M doesn't win the SEC South. It's still a non-conference game. 

Sorry Aunt Tilly, Texas A&M class of '40, but nobody in SEC country is going to care if your Aggies beat the Longhorns. 

They will, however, care if Texas A&M beats LSU or Alabama. And therein lies the problem with Guillen—he's hanging on to the past and not looking forward.

Texas A&M left the Big 12 to break free of what it perceived to be Texas' bondage. Fine, it's done, you got your way, Aggies. But why ask for a state-enforced rivalry game with a school that induced you to leave the Big 12 in the first place? It's akin to supporting PETA by showing up at a protest march while wearing a mink coat.

As long as Texas A&M doesn't completely cut ties with Texas, it will never lose that "little brother" status. And as long as Texas A&M "needs" Texas to validate its importance in college football, Texas will always be its big brother.

So go ahead, A&M, cut the cord.

Yes, college football will be missing a great rivalry game, but we'll get over it.

Keep beating Alabama and that could be your new rivalry game.

Tradition!

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It's hard to believe that South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier is entering his ninth season as the head coach of the Gamecocks. It seems like only yesterday that the head ball coach was roaming the sidelines in the Swamp, leading the Gators to the the SEC Championship Game on seemingly an annual basis.

It took a little longer than he initially envisioned, but he's got the South Carolina program cooking at a level unlike any other time during the program's history.

The Gamecocks have won 11 games in each of the last two seasons—the first two 11-wins seasons in program history—and took home their first SEC East crown in 2010.

After finishing in the Top 10 in each of the last two seasons, the SEC championship and the BCS National Championship games aren't as far-fetched as they were a decade ago.

But just how much does Spurrier have left?

The head ball coach received a two-year contract extension on Dec. 3, 2012 that will run though the 2017 season. At that time, Spurrier mentioned one of his primary goals.

"We have achieved a lot of goals but have not yet won the SEC Championship," he said. "Hopefully, we can do that within the next couple of years."

Whenever he decides to hang up the visor, he can rest assured that he will go down as one of the most successful coaches in college football history.

He led the Florida Gators to a period of sustained success that was unmatched in program history. In the 1990s, the Gators won seven SEC East division titles, six SEC championships and the 1996 national title. 

You could make the argument that his accomplishments at Florida were certainly enough to solidify his legacy and earn him a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach (he was inducted as a player in 1986).

But he wasn't done. 

It's clear that the goal for the 67-year-old Spurrier is to lead South Carolina to its first ever SEC championship. While his contract has been extended through the 2017 season, an SEC title might be enough to ride off into the sunset. 

After what we've seen over the last three years, that SEC championship could come in 2013.

Despite returning only four starters on defense, the Gamecocks return a solid core with defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles and defensive backs Jimmy Legree and Victor Hampton.

The loss of running back Marcus Lattimore and wide receiver Ace Sanders will hurt; but when you have four offensive linemen returning, two quality quarterbacks in Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson and Bruce Ellington at wide receiver, there's still plenty of firepower. 

Plus, the schedule steps up for a run.

The Gamecocks draw Mississippi State and Arkansas out of the West this year, both of which aren't in the upper-tier of the division. They do have to travel to Georgia, but that game is back in Week 2—right when Spurrier wants it. They close out the SEC season at home on Nov. 16 against the Florida Gators in what could be the de facto SEC East title game.

If South Carolina wins the SEC title this year—or at any point between now and the time his contract runs out—it wouldn't surprise me in the least bit to see Spurrier ride off in the sunset and spend his days putting a peg in the ground at various golf courses around the country.

I doubt he stays past 2017 no matter what happens. But even if he doesn't win the big game under the big top at the Georgia Dome, his legacy will be sealed as the most decorated coach for two SEC programs.

Follow @BarrettSallee

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Defensive end Jason Hatcher is reportedly once again a member of the USC Trojans' 2013 recruiting class.

Michael Castillo of ReignOfTroy.com reports on what certainly appears to be a change of heart from the talented 4-star defensive lineman:

A week after de-committing from USC, four-star defensive end Jason Hatcher is back on the wagon a member of the Trojans’ Class of 2013. According to Gerard Martinez of  USCFootball.com, the Louisville, KY native had an in-home visit with USC coaches Lane Kiffin, Clancy Pendergast, Tee Martin and Ed Orgeron. Tonight, Hatcher is listed as a committed recruit on Rivals’ full manifest of USC commitments.

For all intents and purposes, it seems as if Hatcher has re-committed to the Trojans. To clarify, Gerard Martinez of USCFootball.com cites Hatcher's mother on the matter:

Orgeron met with Hatcher and his mother, Donna, last Thursday, and after the visit, decided to re-commit to USC.

Monday night, Hatcher tweeted "Fight On World" in symbolic fashion.

"He's going to go to USC, and we don't want to make it more drama than it already is," said his mother. "We've told people he is waiting until signing day, but he is sticking with USC."

Here's the tweet from Hatcher that Martinez is referencing:

This is a big boost of momentum for USC, especially considering all of the struggles the Trojans have had on the recruiting trail in the past few months.

Hatcher is an extremely talented defensive end recruit, and he has great potential. He's ranked as the No. 6 weak-side defensive end in the 2013 class, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and checks in at 6'2.5'', 240 pounds and runs a 4.70 40-yard dash (247Sports).

Hopefully for USC, this re-commitment represents a change in the tide. The Trojans have experienced a number of decommitments as of late, and USC football is severely lacking momentum on the recruiting trail. With national signing day just a week away, Hatcher's re-commitment could end up sparking a late push for the Trojans.

They're still in the running for a few former commitments in 5-star defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes and 4-star defensive end Kylie Fitts—perhaps Kiffin can use Hatcher's re-commitment as a pitch on the recruiting trail with those two.

That momentum is also huge for USC in regards to being able to hold on to the elite recruits that are still committed to Kiffin's 2013 class. Overall, this is a big recruiting win for the Trojans.

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There will likely be no quarterback controversy for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the offseason, as Everett Golson is the unquestioned man for the job heading into 2013. As a redshirt freshman last season, the young signal-caller performed well enough to give Irish fans positive vibes heading into spring practice and, eventually, the 2012 season.

But like every young player, Golson has a lot of things that he can improve upon to help give his team the best chance to win. Being the starting quarterback of a team that reached the national championship is good and all, but there are a lot of things that need to be tweaked in his game in order for him to become a better overall player.

Due to Golson not being named the starter until late in fall camp last year, he wasn't able to benefit from an entire offseason of working with the starting offense. Now that he will see increased reps in practice, here are the main things that he should be working on to improve his game in 2013.

Don't Be Afraid to Take Chances

No, I don't mean play like Tommy Rees and force the ball into triple-coverage when your team is five yards away from scoring a touchdown. Interceptions are never a good thing, and if you throw a lot of them, there is a chance that you won't be the starter for very much longer.

However, a quarterback can't be afraid to make a mistake and, sometimes, playing a little loose is a good thing.

Now, a lot of this lack of confidence has to do with the poor decisions that the coaching staff made last season (we will get to that later), but Golson can certainty help himself by not being afraid to take more chances. There were too many times when Golson was hesitant about throwing into a tight window. He would pump fake a couple times, look off the receiver and then place the ball out of bounds, giving his teammate almost no shot to make a play on the ball. He needs to stop doing that.

If you are the quarterback of the team, you shouldn't be afraid to make a mistake, and you should have the confidence to throw a jump ball inbounds so that your receiver can go up and get it. Don't shy away from making those tough throws across the middle when the linebacker is quickly creeping from behind. You're the quarterback, go out there and lead the team to victory.

Hesitant and weak throws aren't going to get the job done. Decision making like that will land you on the sidelines quickly, and it will force the coaching staff to go elsewhere and name a new starting signal-caller. But at the same time, Golson can't be worried about making a mistake. There is a thin line between confidence and consistently poor decision making.

We have seen what Golson is capable of when he gets a rhythm going and the confidence is dripping off of his jersey. All of the great quarterbacks aren't afraid of taking chances, and it is the supreme confidence that they have in every throw that makes them great.

Golson needs to stop thinking so much with each and every throw and sometimes just believe that he can deliver on his next pass attempt.

Improve the Field Vision

This may tie into the lack of risks that Golson feels comfortable taking. He struggles to see the field properly.

According to his scouting report, provided by Scout.com, field vision was an issue with Golson when he was coming out of high school. He was accused of often locking onto his receivers and would end up missing some of the easier throws that quarterbacks would kill to have.

In the game against Stanford, Golson showed that this is still an area that he desperately needs to work on.

In the first quarter, Golson didn't just have one receiver running down field wide open; he had two he could have hit for a touchdown. There was no safety help over the top and either one of those Irish receivers could have walked into the end-zone. In the second quarter, while Golson had a nice run that coaches would be proud of, he also had a lonely DaVaris Daniels sprinting down field that would have also resulted in a touchdown.

If Golson would have done a better job of scanning the field and finding the open man a lot sooner, the game against the Cardinal wouldn't have been as close as it was and there would have been no controversial finish.

The Irish quarterback must do a better job of reading coverage’s and recognizing mismatches down the field. If he can improve in this department, he will be a much better player than he was during the 2012 season. 

Get His Team on the Same Page

Let's get back to the confidence thing for a second. It is easy for everybody to critique his play and breakdown the numbers to say that Golson was not effective last season. However, the play calling and the coaching staff certainly didn't help matters whatsoever. The Notre Dame quarterback could drastically improve just by the guys around him making better decisions.

For one, Golson needs to remain in the game at all times if he is truly going to be the future of this football team. He shouldn't be pulled after every bad read he makes and after every turnover that takes place. Confidence with quarterbacks is about as fragile as a newborn baby and it is important that this nonsense of pulling him out of the game comes to a stop. You can't expect somebody to improve when there is no consistency to the game plan or his minutes on the field.

Another thing that the coaching stuff must do is design more plays for Golson to be effective with his legs. Let's be honest, no matter what Golson does to become better during the offseason, he will remain a dual-threat quarterback and is probably a better runner than passer at this point in his career. Running the football only 94 times is simply not enough, and the team simply isn't taking full advantage of his abilities.

Before the national championship matchup against Alabama, Crimson Tide cornerback Dee Milliner compared Golson to Texas A&M Heisman winner Johnny Manziel, according to Dan Wolken of USA Today.

They're two different teams, and they do different things. Cornerback Dee Milliner said. But Manziel and Everett are two scrambling quarterbacks that can make plays with their feet, so that's a good comparison.

Now Manziel has a lot more athletic ability than Golson has ever dreamed of having, but the Notre Dame quarterback is not being used properly. With him being more of a threat to run the football, it will open up the pass and make everything easier when attempting to throw the ball. We should see more zone-reads next year, more quarterback options and more triple-options in order to get the most out of this dual-threat quarterback.

While other offenses are thriving because they are letting the quarterback make plays with his legs, Notre Dame struggled mightily to produce points because Golson was handcuffed.

Golson is more than a quarterback with a bunch of upside because he can also hurt defenses with his legs. With a year under his belt, it is time that the coaching staff starts taking advantage of his abilities, as it will only make him more effective next season.

Follow @Randy_Chambers

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Well, at least we know Katherine Webb still remembers the name of her boyfriend, A.J. McCarron. 

The lovely lady who shot out of the cannon of obscurity and landed comfortably into a netting of fame was featured on On Air with Ryan Seacrest. 

A tip of the hat to Yardbarker for catching the segment, including the doozy of an expectation coming from the Alabama lovely, who was at the Super Bowl's Media Day for Inside Edition recently. 

During the radio segment, she delved into much of what we already know: She will feature in a new reality TV show and pretty much passed on Dancing with the Stars because of her commitment to Splash. 

Speaking of commitment, Webb pretty much let it all out there with Ryan Seacrest when Ellen K. asked her about marriage:

Yeah absolutely. It’s kind of funny because I’ve dated in LA and I’ve kind of like seen how Hollywood works. But when you find yourself with someone that you really can see yourself with, like, you know it. I knew in the first two weeks that we were going to be together for a long time. Love kind of takes over and you start talking about the future. So yeah, it’s definitely something that I want. I don’t see all of this fame — or whatever it is — kind of affecting how I feel toward AJ.

Yikes, A.J., it seems like we have a Stage 3 clinger on our hands. 

In all honesty, Webb answered how one might when posed with the very blunt question, especially considering all the rumors that McCarron is jealous of her fame—rumors she continues to dispel. 

Still, this is a rather remarkable statement considering the two have only been dating since December, per the report. 

She really could have gone with the oft-used, "We are just going to take our relationship day-by-day and...blah, blah." Instead, she pretty much has McCarron back home doing one of two things: pacing the house, drenched in sweat and looking for a rock to hide under; or pacing the house, drenched in sweat and looking for a ring to buy. 

Oh, Webb also managed to bring to light some other startling news in that her appearance on TV at the BCS Championship Game was hardly an improvised decision:

AJ knows Brent Musburger personally. AJ told me not even a week ago — like freaking three weeks after it happened — that Brent Musburger had actually come up to AJ and was like, "So, is your girlfriend going to be here? Because I think we’re probably going to show her on television." (McCarron said) "She’ll probably be sitting with my mom." I was like, "AJ, why are you just now telling me this?"

If Mussy-Mus already knew he would be bantering on about Webb, surely he could have thought about something more clever than what was the verbal equivalent of kissy noises. 

Now, someone please give McCarron a hug, because he may be freaking out at the moment, as his girlfriend of a couple months is already talking about marriage. 

Lock it down, big man. 

Hit me up on Twitter for more pop in your culture. 

Follow @gabezal

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Every college football coaching staff is full of key members who serve major roles for their teams. There are 10 positions in particular that ensure a program is game-day ready, and this is the power ranking for those positions. 

Head coaches are well known, but strength and conditioning staff and graduate assistants make a program's wheels turn. The recruiting coordinators ensure that the lineup reloads with top talent. 

Here is a look at the members of a football coaching staff and how they impact the production of a program. 

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Four-star defensive end Davin Bellamy has decommitted from Florida State.

For those keeping track, this is the Seminoles' second decommitment this week. Bellamy joins four-star offensive tackle Austin Golson, who decommitted on Monday.

Kipp Adams of ESPN.com reports on the decommitment:

Late Tuesday, Bellamy announced his decision to decommit from Florida State, where he had been committed since last August. 

“I felt like I did not need any more on my plate, because I already have a tough decision,” Bellamy said. “I think we mutually parted ways some time ago, because I could not build that same relationship like I had with Dameyune Craig. It just got to a point where I did not want Florida State to not be able to go out and find another defensive end.” 

Adams then reported that Bellamy is heading to Oregon for an official visit right before national signing day.

While this could potentially be a huge visit for new head coach Mark Helfrich and the Ducks, they shouldn't get their hopes up just yet. There's one school that seems to have the clear advantage for Bellamy now that he has decommitted, per Adams:

While his decision seems a little more difficult to make, Bellamy still maintains a sole leader for his signature, which he named after an official visit to Georgia over the weekend. 

“Nothing has changed, and Georgia is still in the lead,” Bellamy said. “The only thing holding me back from going to Georgia is trust. The more we converse, the more trust we build. There are rumors that Todd Grantham is going to leave after signing day, and if that happened, that would be devastating.” 

The Bulldogs are clearly in the lead for Bellamy after his decommitment from the Seminoles, and at this point, he seems like Mark Richt's recruit to lose. It's going to come down to convincing him that Gratham isn't going anywhere after signing day, and really that just entails communication and honesty in the days and hours leading up to national signing day (Feb. 6).

With that said, there is one other program that could make things very interesting. Here's what Bellamy had to say about Tennessee, according to Michael Carvell of ajc.com:

“UGA is still my leader, but one thing I must say is that Tennessee is right behind them … right behind them,” Bellamy said. “I mean, it’s hand in hand. It’s tough right now.”

This looks like it could come down to the wire for Bellamy, and there's also that upcoming visit to Oregon to factor in. Having the lead for the recruit just days before national signing day is huge for the Bulldogs though, and all they have to do is essentially hang on to said lead at this point.

The good news is, he had some great things to say about a recent dinner he had with Richt, Grantham and Bryan McClendon (per Carvell), and it is very important to note that the four-star recruit is from Atlanta, Ga. The Bulldogs have a notable "home-state advantage", and that could end up being a huge factor this late into the recruiting process.

All signs point to Georgia right now.

Of course that could change very quickly, especially if Oregon has something to say about it, but the impression that I'm getting from Bellamy's quotes is that his decision wont come down to hype, X's and O's or even football.

It's going to come down to personal connection with a program, and Georgia has undoubtedly established that connection.

With a week left until Bellamy has to make an official decision, all the Bulldogs have to do is run out the clock, punt it away and play some great prevent defense on Oregon and specifically Tennessee.

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Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, the man behind Lennay Kekua, former Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o's fake online girlfriend, is finally speaking out publicly. Tuiasosopo appeared on Dr. Phil McGraw's show to tell his side of the captivating hoax as part of a two-day interview that will air on Thursday and Friday.

In preparation for the segments being aired, Dr. Phil appeared on NBC's Today show on Wednesday and spoke about his impressions of Tuiasosopo. According to Today's official website, Dr. Phil told Mike Taibbi that he believes Tuiasosopo fell in love with Te'o during their two-year online relationship:

Here we have a young man that fell deeply, romantically in love. I asked him straight up, ‘Was this a romantic relationship with you?’ And he says yes. I said, ‘Are you then therefore gay?’ And he said, ‘When you put it that way, yes.’ And then he caught himself and said, ‘I am confused.’

Tuiasosopo later goes on to tell Dr. Phil that Te'o was not involved whatsoever with the hoax, and that he was simply an innocent victim.

This interview comes on the heels of a Jan. 16 report from Deadspin, which first reported that Kekua, Te'o's purported girlfriend, did not exist. It has been reported that Tuiasosopo used pictures of former high school classmate Diane O’Meara, who was reportedly not involved with the hoax, to create an online profile that he used to become involved in a romantic relationship with Te'o.

According to Te'o's account of events, the two first met via Facebook during his freshman season but did not engage in an official boyfriend-girlfriend relationship until 2012. The two would oftentimes engage in long phone conversations, where Tuiasosopo said he would portray Kekua's voice, and stayed together until Kekua's death due to leukemia.

Te'o would continue to play for the Irish despite Kekua's death and used her as motivation in leading Notre Dame to a BCS National Championship Game berth. However, Tuiasosopo's tangled web of lies eventually fell through on Dec. 6 when Te'o received a call from "Kekua," and then again when Deadspin's report broke.

The story has since taken a life of its own, with rampant speculation about Te'o's involvement in the hoax at the forefront. Te'o appeared on Katie Couric's syndicated talk show last week and categorically denied being a part of the scam during his first televised interview since the news broke. 

With Tuiasosopo's interview with Dr. Phil being aired this week, hopefully the public will have more answers about when and why this ugly incident happened.

Follow @tylerconway22

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The SEC has earned a reputation of being a conference that plays stifling defense, but the running game has been just as good over the years. Last season a total of eight teams averaged at least 160 yards on the ground and there were two teams that ranked inside the Top 20 in the country.

When looking at the backfields in the SEC, there is just about everything you hope to see. There are your bruisers who want to run defenders over and pickup those tough yards. You have your playmakers that look to make defenders miss and end up on highlight reels. But probably the thing that separates this conference from everybody else is the depth at the running back position. While most teams have just one great back, the SEC may have two or three guys who could legitimately be the starter.

There is still a lot of time between now and the new season, but it is never too early to peak at what the new year has to offer.

Here are the best backfields in the SEC heading into the 2013 college football season.

Note: All stats come from cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted. Also, rankings are put together based on a combination of experience, depth and past performance.

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The Alabama Crimson Tide have picked up a very important commitment from 4-star wide receiver Eddie Jackson out of Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Jackson checks in at 6'1'', 175 pounds and he really sets himself apart with his speed. He runs a 4.38 40 according to 247Sports.

Greg Ostendorf of ESPN.com reports on the commitment:

Eddie Jackson has come a long way. The four-star athlete was an unknown until late in the recruiting cycle. On Wednesday, he gave a verbal commitment to the University of Alabama, the reigning national champions. 

“I like how the program is run,” Jackson said. “It’s just everything that they stand for. I can be that guy from Fort Lauderdale, the first guy to come up there and have a chance, a chance to go up there and play.” 

Nick Saban's 2013 class now boasts 22 commitments,and it very well could end up being an elite class when all is said and done. At least on paper, Alabama has one of the best recruiting classes in the nation. It's ranked No. 3 overall by Rivals.com.

What exactly is Jackson bringing to the table in particular?

The kicker is, while Jackson may be ranked as a wide receiver, he can also play corner. According to Ostendorf's report, the talented recruit talked to Saban about playing in the secondary for Alabama:

“They want me to play defensive back,” Jackson said. “Coach Saban told me there’s a good opportunity for me to start my freshman year, come in and play early. That really sounded good. I’m just ready to go in there and compete.” 

Frankly, this would make the most sense and it is the best option for Jackson. 

The Crimson Tide are going to be very deep at wideout in 2013. Amari Cooper is going to be the star of the unit, but Alabama also boasts Kevin Norwood, Kenny Bell and Christion Jones—who will all be productive. That's not even mentioning DeAndrew White, redshirt freshman Chris Black and 2013 5-star commitment Robert Foster (if he signs), who will all compete for playing time.

Conversely, Alabama won't be as deep at corner. Dee Milliner is heading to the NFL, and that leaves John Fulton, Deion Belue, Bradley Sylve, Geno Smith and Jabriel Washington.

Because of his speed and size, Jackson could come in right away and at least compete to get into the rotation. According to his quotes via Ostendorf's report, Saban thinks he can start as a freshman, and the opportunity will certainly be there.

At 6'1'', he's big enough to really play physical at the line of scrimmage and jam defenders, and his speed will allow him to cover just about any receiver that an offense can throw at him.

He fits the cornerback mold for Alabama and he has incredible potential.

His time as a wide receiver should also help him when it comes to route recognition and with picking up the little nuances of a quarterback or wideout that will help him gain an advantage in coverage.

Jackson should be able to work his way into the lineup as a nickel or dime corner at first, but if given the opportunity I wouldn't be surprised if he challenged for one of the starting spots.

Overall, Jackson represents a big recruiting pickup for the Crimson Tide.

He'll be a competitor at cornerback and he has tremendous potential. 

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With one week to go before national signing day, the Alabama Crimson Tide are sitting pretty as they look to lock down the top spot in the 247Sports.com team composite rankings for the second straight year.

But with Florida, Michigan and Ohio State trailing close behind, locking down one of the top prospects in the recruiting pool would go a long way towards securing head coach Nick Saban with the top class in the country.

Saban got good news Wednesday when three-star wide receiver/cornerback Eddie Jackson from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

As it currently stands, Alabama has 14 commits with four or more starts, including four with a five-star ranking. 

So what do they need to secure the top spot?

According to the current 247Sports.com composite index, the Tide holds a 777.17 to 769.66 lead over Florida. The composite index is an algorithm designed by 247Sports.com to create an average rank based on the star-rating of all major services.

A good starting point would be to win the Laremy Tunsil sweepstakes over Georgia and Ole Miss. The 6'6", 295-pounder from Lake City, Fla. visited Ole Miss over the weekend and subsequently eliminated Florida State from contention. 

The nation's No. 3 overall prospect would likely join the rotation along the offensive line immediately. Cyrus Kouandjio has the left tackle spot locked down, and junior college transfer Leon Brown will likely replace D.J. Fluker at right tackle.

Nailing down Tunsil's commitment could clinch the top spot.

If he falls through the cracks, all is not lost. 

Getting either five-star defensive tackle Montravius Adams or five-star defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes would be tremendously helpful.

Adams, a 6'4", 310-pounder from Dooly County (Ga.) High School has narrowed his choices down to Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Auburn. Clemson is likely the front runner to secure Adams' services, but if we've learned anything about Saban over the years, it's that he's one of the best closers in the country.

If Adams makes his way to Tuscaloosa, he would likely be a contributor right away in Kirby Smart's 3-4 defense. He is quick off the ball and could grow into the nose guard spot, or move into the either end spot.

Vanderdoes is heading to Alabama on an official visit this weekend, which will give Saban the last at-bat to land the Auburn, Calif. native. It may be a little more of a long shot for Alabama to land Vanderdoes, but nothing's impossible with this Alabama staff.

Reuben Foster is another five-star member of Saban's February wish list, although landing him may be a bit of a reach at this point.

The 6'1", 240-pound inside linebacker prospect from Auburn (Ala.) High School was previously committed to Alabama, switched to Auburn and is now considering the two in-state powers along with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Foster is probably more of a lean towards Auburn or Georgia, but he visited Tuscaloosa on Jan. 18 and has had plenty of time to get to know the program and the coaches.

If Alabama lands any one of those four players, it will probably maintain its spot atop the team composite rankings. Land two or more, and we could be looking at one of the best classes in quite some time.

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Of all the offensive skill prospects at the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Game practices in Allen, Texas, none created more intrigue coming in than Minnesota quarterback/wide receiver/tight end MarQueis Gray.

Gray entered Minnesota as a 4-star, top-15 national quarterback recruit, and went on to start at wide receiver and quarterback during his four years with the Gophers.

At the weigh-in on Monday, Gray measured 6'3 5/8" and 239 pounds, with ideal 10 1/8" hands and a very impressive 80 3/4" wingspan. He has the pedigree and measureables to fit well in 21st century NFL pass offenses that use athletic tight ends as downfield weapons to create mismatches against slower linebackers or smaller safeties.

Gray was mostly lined up in the slot for the Tuesday Nation practice, which was moved inside because of inclement weather. While he flashed fluid athleticism for such a big man, just about everything else in his game belonged on a blooper reel.

Gray dropped multiple passes, fell more than once with no contact, appeared to be extremely tentative catching the ball and generally looked like a clumsy player that couldn't possibly have had success as an offensive weapon for a big-time college football program.

Gray has the rest of the week and the game to create a better impression for the scores of NFL scouts (and one general manager, Green Bay's Ted Thompson) in attendance.

Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported last month that Gray announced that he was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. The combine's physical testing should allow Gray to shine, but unless he looks more natural as a receiver in drills, he'll likely be destined for a spot on an NFL practice squad.

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National signing day is closing in, and soon the nation’s premier talent will make their future destinations official. 

It’s been a long road to get to this moment. Commitments, decommitments, visits, soft verbals, solid verbals and more unpredictable happenings since last year’s big day have again surfaced, and there will be a few more surprises. This much we can be certain of.

As far as some locks—or guarantees when it comes to both recruits along with teams—that’s where we come in. From the No. 1 player in the country to the No. 1 class, here are some national signing day locks.

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If every Pac-12 school could sign one prospect that would dramatically improve its recruiting class, which prospect would it be most interested in signing?

That person would have to show reciprocal interest, of course, but if reciprocity existed between the prospect and the school, which prospect would end that school's 2013 recruiting season on a high note? 

We've gone over the top available prospects (those without a solid verbal commit) at this point in the season and selected the ones who have indicated an interest in at least one Pac-12 school. We then projected each school's "must-get" commit from the list of available prospects who have shown interest in that school and have not yet given a solid verbal commitment to any school.   

These Pac-12 teams would leap over tall buildings for these prospects' signed commitments.   

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Although the walls are still very much intact, you can see the cracks beginning to spider at a hurried pace in the NCAA. 

Slowly but surely, brick by brick, the barriers are beginning to show their wear. The tables are being turned on an organization that’s grown accustomed to being in complete control, and a new era of collegiate athletics could very well be on the horizon.

Still, there is much to be done before it all comes toppling downward. And, for now, it will continue to slowly chip away.

On Tuesday, Judge Claudia Wilken dismissed a motion from the NCAA that intended to keep college basketball and football players from legally pursuing a cut of the television revenue, both past and present, according to ESPN.com.

Relax, and don’t go running down your street without pants just yet (assuming that would be the appropriate reaction). Johnny Manziel isn’t getting a fat check from the NCAA in the coming months, but the fight for current and former players to do so will wage on.

The Ed O'Bannon lawsuit—which was originally unveiled in 2009—has picked up steam and has also become much grander in scale. It has been greatly altered since its inception, and last year, it was modified to include current NCAA football and basketball players. Originally, it centered on former athletes wanting a piece of the rebroadcasting and likeness pie. 

While the NCAA viewed these modifications as a great way to stop this from progressing any further, the California court said otherwise. Each side, of course, still showed confidence following the ruling, although the players and former players clearly had some extra pep in their step.

From ESPN.com:

"Now the (NCAA and its co-defendants) are facing potential liability that's based on the billions of dollars in revenue instead of tens or hundreds of millions," said Michael Hausfeld, interim lead counsel for the plaintiffs. "It's a more accurate context for what the players deserve."

On the other side, NCAA chief legal officer Donald Remy remained stoic despite the decision, saying:

Although our motion to strike was denied, the judge has signaled skepticism on plaintiff's class-certification motion and recognized the plaintiffs' radical change in their theory of the case. This is a step in the right direction toward allowing the NCAA to further demonstrate why this case is wrong on the law and that plaintiffs have failed to demonstrate that this case satisfies the criteria for class litigation.

As it stands, a class certification hearing will be set for June 20. If it gets this far—and that’s still up in the air—things could get very, very interesting. Make no mistake about it, there’s still a long way to go before players are accurately compensated for their work.

The NCAA could very well file another brief, this time focusing on the issues at hand and not “procedural objections.” If this happens, that June 20 date may not matter and this suit may drag out even further. At the rate this has moved to even get to this point, that would be far from shocking.

Translation: Circle your calendar, but do so in pencil.

Although many will perceive Tuesday’s ruling as a “game changer,” that is far from the immediate outcome. The headline is attention grabbing, and this is great news for the plaintiffs. But that is only because they are allowed to keep fighting. It’s yet another barrier knocked down and conquered, and one less wall to get through. The perception that the ultimate breakthrough is somehow close to occurring, however, is false.

It is certainly closer to happening now, but many dominos still have to fall in order for serious change to be implemented. Yet while I will keep the champagne on ice (for now), the last few weeks have been telling.

In this time, we watched the NCAA sheepishly admit to botching one of the largest infraction cases in recent memory. The investigation into Miami has been put on hold, as an investigation…into the investigation has taken center stage. The entire case is now in limbo, and more courtroom appearances could be in the NCAA’s future, depending on how the ruling comes down—if it ever comes down.

It is now a week later, and I hope NCAA President Mark Emmert has a Costco bottle of Pepto-Bismol handy. 

The latest developments when it comes to the Ed O’Bannon suit are far different than his organization’s glaring issues with policing its schools, but it does add yet another offseason item to his checklist. It’s not exactly an item he’s eagerly anticipating, either. At this point, those are hard to come by.

While the NCAA generally does a fine job in its daily operations, it fails mightily in both enforcement and fair compensation for the athletes that make the cogs turn. There have been rumblings surrounding both of these issues building for decades, but there have rarely been any actual developments on either front.

In the past seven days, though, we’ve seen both. They are two very different battles, but both are gaining steam.

Although enforcement will likely get an overhaul of some kind in the near future—which it desperately needs—the death of amateurism would radically alter collegiate athletics as we know it. 

This change may or may not get its deserved day in court come summer, but for now, that’s the plan.

Even with the uncertainty surrounding this case and an eventual ruling, the NCAA’s comfort zone is shrinking rapidly. While we hope for meaningful change to come—and for the radical to seem feasible—the cracks will continue to become more pronounced.

And, as we’ve done all along, we will continue to watch and wait.

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Each national signing day is as surprise-filled as the last, sure to bring pain and excitement to coaches and fans across the country.

This year is no different, with a host of top recruits either uncommitted or on the fence about their college choice.

In years past we've seen 5-stars flip and 3-stars stick with some of the most dramatic hat selection processes ever. 

We've seen over-glorified recruits make a mockery of the selection process on national television while under-the-radar guys silently fax their letters of intent.

What will we see this national signing day?  

Here are the top committed prospects who are most likely to flip the script on NSD.

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Four-star athlete Eddie Jackson is taking his talents to Alabama, according to ESPN's Greg Ostendorf.  

Eddie Jackson has come a long way. The four-star athlete was an unknown until late in the recruiting cycle. On Wednesday, he gave a verbal commitment to the University of Alabama, the reigning national champions. 

'I like how the program is run,' Jackson said. 'It’s just everything that they stand for. I can be that guy from Fort Lauderdale, the first guy to come up there and have a chance, a chance to go up there and play...'

...'They want me to play defensive back,' Jackson said. 'Coach Saban told me there’s a good opportunity for me to start my freshman year, come in and play early. That really sounded good. I’m just ready to go in there and compete.' 

Jackson is part of a great crop of athletes in this year's recruiting class. Despite playing wide receiver in high school, he has the versatility to move to a defensive position, likely safety or defensive back, if needed. 

Standing at 6'2", 175 pounds (via 247Sports.com), Jackson is right where you would expect a player coming out of high school to be physically. He is in terrific shape, but also has plenty of room to add more bulk to his rather slight frame. 

The biggest issue that his new team will face as he adjusts to college is trying to make sure that he can stay at wide receiver. Despite being able to play in the secondary, his value lies in his ability to make plays with the ball. 

It is rare to find a receiver who enters college with great hands and the ability to fight through traffic to get the ball. Jackson will struggle with that for the time being, until he gets stronger and can handle more physical defensive backs in college. But when he gets there physically, he has star potential. 

A big advantage that Jackson possesses right now is his speed, particularly off the line. He creates separation from defenders instantaneously by moving away from the line of scrimmage like he has been shot out of a cannon. 

You also have to be able to make defenders miss, which Jackson does with great ease. He can anticipate where a tackler is going to go, then shift his body away from them on a dime to create space. 

Whether Jackson is able to use that speed and elusiveness to start right away, or is forced to redshirt for a year to add more bulk to his body, remains to be seen. He has the potential to be a dynamic, impactful wide receiver at the college level sooner rather than later. 

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