Alabama's no good, very bad week continues: Suspended Crimson Tide running back Tyren Jones was arrested for possession of marijuana Tuesday in Tuscaloosa, joining dismissed defensive lineman Jonathan Taylor [update: Taylor's accuser has now been arrested after claiming she lied; his situation will be reviewed] and sidelined safety Geno Smith on the last week's crime blotter.
THE READ OPTION: Alabama now up to 3 arrests in about 4 days
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In unsurprising news, Jones was swiftly dismissed from the team. He’d already been suspended in early February for “conduct not to the standard of the Alabama football program,” which followed a week-long suspension during the 2014 season. With Jones dismissed, Alabama’s loaded 2013 class gets a little thinner.
Remaining members of Alabama's 2013 running backs class: Derrick Henry. Gone: Altee Tenpenny, Tyren Jones, Alvin Kamara.
— Aaron Suttles (@AaronSuttles) March 31, 2015
Jameis Winston’s pro day: It was described by ESPN’s Todd McShay as “underwhelming.” That’s not great for the projected No. 1 pick working out in friendly conditions.
Former NFL quarterback Shaun King doesn’t blame Winston; he thinks noted “quarterback guru” George Whitfield Jr. had something to do with it.
This workout is why im not a big george Whitfield fan. He has winston doing way too much foolishness
— shaun king (@realshaunking) March 31, 2015 And like Winston, potential No. 2 pick Marcus Mariota won’t be attending the NFL Draft.
“We’re not very good right now.” That’s what Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said about the Buckeyes after Tuesday’s practice. With a couple of weeks left in spring camp, even the defending national champions have a long way to go.
Tyrone Swoopes still the QB frontrunner at Texas. He's separating himself thanks to his work ethic, but redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard is making some plays in the zone-read game.
The Indiana controversy now involves the College Football Playoff. USC athletic director Pat Haden will skip this week’s meeting in Indianapolis.
I am the proud father of a gay son. In his honor, I will not be attending the CFP committee meeting in Indy this week. #EmbraceDiversity
— Pat Haden (@ADHadenUSC) March 31, 2015 Louisiana Tech could, as always, go either way. Bill Connelly’s team-by-team preview lands in Ruston, where the Bulldogs went 9-5 in 2014. LA Tech has ridden a roller coaster recently and is a Conference USA favorite.
This is an optimist-vs.-pessimist team.
The optimist sees a loaded skill position corps, a former blue-chip quarterback, a more stable offensive line, a potential All-American tackle (seriously, Vernon Butler is a bad man), and one of the best secondaries in the country, at either the power-conference or mid-major level.
The pessimist sees a team that surged primarily because of a defense that now must replace a stud coordinator and most of its front seven, not to mention an offense that must replace its quarterback and an offensive line that might not be talented enough to gel.
TRANSFER SEASON! On the move: 15-game USF starting QB Mike White; Utah State’s Darell Garretson, gone from the country’s deepest non-Buckeye QB rotation; and productive UCLA receiver Devin Lucien.
Start with Goffensive Player of the Year, guys. Cal’s calling QB Jared Goff a Heisman candidate, and it’s not really all that crazy of an idea. California Golden Blogs debates whether it’s actually a good one.
SEC MAD. Remember last year, when Penn State’s James Franklin got a bunch of SEC coaches worked up by hosting a recruiting camp in the South? Jim Harbaugh’s got Gus Malzahn displeased this time around.
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